TOMBSTONE versus LUKE CAGE & IRON FIST

The Boys Are Back (Marvel)
Where: Power Man and Iron Fist #1 When: April 2016
Why: David Walker How: Sanford Greene

The Story So Far...
It's been many years since Luke Cage and Danny Rand operated as the famous Heroes for Hire. For a while they were underground heroes, and even charter members of The Avengers! Now they're just two guys reuniting with an old friend being released from prison.

Jennie Royce was the Heroes for Hire office manager until the apparent death of Danny Rand. In the years following she worked for Crime-Buster, but was convicted for a manslaughter committed under possession.

After five years of legal funding from Danny Rand,;Jennie is finally exonerated of her crimes and free to return to what remains of her life. Still feeling guilty about her fate, Danny offers to do anything to help her make the transition, and there's only one thing she can think of: her grandmother's necklace.

Now Luke Cage is reluctantly along for the ride with Iron Fist, and heading into Tombstone's den to find the lost trinket. Jennie says it was taken from Crime-Buster's locker by debt collectors while she was possessed (and killing him), but as the former Heroes for Hire are about to learn, there may be magic afoot!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Luke Cage 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Iron Fist 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Iron Fist 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Luke Cage 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Iron Fist 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Iron Fist 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Iron Fist 3 (Explosives)
Total: Iron Fist 28 (Metahuman)

He's baaack! It's the return of a Secret Wars on Infinite Earths favourite in his most contemporary incarnation!

In 2016 we find Tombstone firmly entrenched behind the desk of an urban crime boss. He commands a small army of street thugs and goons who seem to be doing most of his bidding. He's no Kingpin, but he's clearly carved out his niche in the busy world of New York organized crime.

Of course, there are many phases to Lonnie Lincoln - the man known as Tombstone. The chalk-faced albino started out relying on intimidation to cultivate his criminal persona. He emerged with plans to blackmail Daily Bugle editor Robbie Robertson early in his career. Wearing a crisp suit and jockeying for power, he became a target for Spider-man in Spectacular Spider-man #142.

An accident exposed Tombstone to experimental chemicals that gave him bona fide super-human strength and durability. These powers turned Tombstone into a more common super-thug for a time, finding an equal match in the solo Luke Cage seen in Cage #3! He went full super-villain as a member of the Sinister Twelve in Marvel Knights: Spider-man #11, reverting to a more classic mob enforcer when he clashed with Daredevil overseas, in Daredevil #90 and #91!

Only the former of Tombstone's two European vacations with Daredevil resulted in a victory. A losing record made all the worse given he was beaten as part of The Untouchables team when he faced one-half of today's opponents!

Luke Cage & Iron Fist aren't getting back together in 2016. They aren't doing the super-hero thing, they aren't Heroes for Hire, Cage isn't even Power Man. Just a couple of guys helping out a friend... Except they are back!

These two have been together through a whole heckuva lot. We've seen them tag team in the eighties against Constrictor & Sabretooth [Power Man & Iron Fist #66] and Man Mountain Marko & Eel [Power Man & Iron Fist #92], spend time apart in the 90s before restarting Heroes for Hire, then reconvene in the mid-2000s to fight Iron Man's pro-registration Avengers [Civil War #3], Skrull Queen Veranke and The Hand [New Avengers #27], alien symbiotes [New Avengers #36] and even each other [New Avengers #2]!

What does all of this mean? Nothing good for Tombstone! He might be able to go toe to toe with either one of Luke Cage and Iron Fist, but against both he's in real trouble. Numbers are the only advantage he has, but our heroes are well versed in smacking fools down.

History: Luke Cage (1-0-0)
The Tape: Luke Cage & Iron Fist Ranking: Luke Cage (#8)

What Went Down...
When inquiries sound like accusations - Tombstone gets mighty mad. There's one thing worse than being called a thief in his own house, though. That's a man bringing a living weapon with him to do it! Iron Fist may be sitting quiet, but he doesn't have the history Luke Cage and Tombstone do. Bad news.

Iron Fist warns masked goons shifting around him not to go down this path. Once they do -- the living weapon springs into action! An advancing arm bends the wrong way! Iron Fist's equally sturdy elbow collides with jaw! Blood sprays!

Cage has no choice but to join the fray. A trio of heavies come at him and he puts his one-time eponymous power to good use! They wrestle as the scene devolves into an all-out melee, Iron Fist still kung-fu fighting in the background!

Under cover of chaos, Iron Fist makes for the necklace that started it all, while Cage finishes off Tombstone's goons. With no more foot soldiers to rely on, the boss steps up to get in his old foe's face!

Tombstone warns the heroes they're being set up -- but it falls on deaf ears.

A shot from Cage sends double-tough Tombstone flying through the brickwork of his own establishment! He lands crumbled in the street amongst the rubble, still unheard as he tries to warn the heroes of the magic peril they're in for.

The Hammer...
It's safe to say they're well on their way to being "back" -- and kicking butt like it never went out of style! Luke Cage & Iron Fist are our undisputed victors in a short, but very sweet brawl!

Cage had the honor of delivering the winning blow to old foe Tombstone, but Iron Fist was there beating up the gang, too. So it's a double-win. If you're interested to see what that means for the stats, make sure you check out the bottom of this entry.

As good as it is to be back talking about the one-time Heroes for Hire: the  real breakout combination here is David Walker and Sanford Greene!

They're the writer/artist collaboration responsible for this newest volume of Power Man & Iron Fist -- and it's one damn fine comic!

Issue #1 is deserving of particular praise! I would have to call it the single best first issue I've read in almost a decade! That isn't a very large sample size when compared with previous decades, but that's praise in and of itself. It's been an ugly seven years for Marvel and DC relaunches. This one clearly got it right!

The first issue wastes no time introducing the characters, their basic world, their basic connection, and the thrust of where they're going next. There's fun, feelings, a classic villain, plenty of action, and reasons to want to keep reading!

The first bite is with the eye, and this series makes sure it grabs your attention with a striking aesthetic style! I'm inclined to think back to the praise I heaped on All-New Ghost Rider, which didn't have the gravitas of Power Man & Iron Fist (or the immediate first issue thrust), but led with a strong visual style.

Sanford Greene has pencil lines that evoke a certain European flavor, something kinda like Kano, with hints of the funky physicality of a Paul Pope. There's an emotive range from the minimal to hyper-expressive that makes me think of the animation influences that creep in with more recent artists. The urban vibe and occasional deforming fish-eye close-up makes me think of Takeshi Koike. What ever Green is doing -- it's unique, suitable, and very cool!

Lee Loughridge as colorist is a major influence on the overall aesthetic vibe. Warm, golden colours play to a nostalgic hue that doesn't really reflect the Power Man & Iron Fist comics that existed in the 70s and early 80s -- but evoke the glow of their memory. This may be a 2016 relaunch with #1 printed on the cover -- but its of a continuum that started with Volume 1. At times, you'll forget the paper is slick and pricey.

Some of the way the series straddles the past and present must be down to David Walker. These days Marvel writers don't always seem to know the world they're entering, but I can believe Walker has walked these streets before. His use of Tombstone really hits my sweet spot. The gag about his trademark whisper -- sometimes overlooked, especially in other media -- got me giddy!

It isn't laid on too thick. You don't need to be a Marvel scholar to get a kick out of the series. If you know your stuff, you might just get a little extra out of it. Read between the lines and you can sense the history between characters. Tombstone isn't his old fist-fighting self, but it still feels like the guy who threw down with Power Man back in Cage #3. In the second issue, there's even a flashback right outta Power Man & Iron Fist #66! Superb!

Of course, just as the colours aren't really what Power Man & Iron Fist comics used to be, these versions of the characters aren't identical, either.

Cage has matured as a father and a hero, getting more serious (and well dressed). Oh, yeah. He says "fiddle faddle" now, too. Danny Rand has gone the other way, becoming enthusiastic to a point of goofiness. He's a little more sports-street casual in his style, too. You've gotta love the Bruce Lee jumpsuit by way of Adidas. I love the classic, but this is a very stylish design!

There are modern influences on the series that should please more recent fans. Cage's relationship with Jessica Jones delivers a couple of choice cameos and yucks about the impending reunion with Iron Fist.

With Netflix making live-action shows based on all these characters, they're at a premium. Right now, there are competing solo series starring Cage, Iron Fist, and Jones, as well as The Defenders team book that combines all three with Daredevil! Power Man & Iron Fist really does well to carve out a niche that I hope will sustain it at least throughout the boom of popularity, if not beyond.

With Marvel in the throes of a weird sort of identity crisis that's rumored to be shifting back to classic characters -- this book feels ahead of the trend! With or without "Generations", it definitely feels like the kind of pick-up-and-enjoy series Marvel Comics should be publishing! It's a fun time that hasn't got too tangled up in other events or series.

If you're looking to get a taste of Power Man & Iron Fist yourself, be sure to use the Amazon purchase link provided [right]! Doing so supports the site at no extra cost, and helps keep the wars infinite!

If you've got an appetite for more from these characters be sure to follow links littered throughout this post, or this week's Iron Fist Hero of the Week! You can also dive in to the Secret Issue Index to cross-reference hundreds of featured fights by publisher, series and issue!

Follow, like & share on Facebook and Twitter to get daily links to classic fights inspired by the topics of the day! March is a month of martial arts mayhem inspired by the official release of Iron Fist on Netflix today! We're done with Marvel's kung-fu hero for now, but he'll be back in August! Stay tuned!

Winners: Luke Cage & Iron Fist
#8 (--) Luke Cage
#16 (+2) Iron Fist
#373 (-2) Tombstone

LUKE CAGE versus THE UNTOUCHABLES

Bad Debts (Marvel)
Where: Cage #3 When: June 1992
Why: Marc McLaurin How: Dwayne Turner

The Story So Far...
Having been wrongly accused of the murder of his best friend Iron Fist: Luke Cage is officially exonerated when the authentic article reemerges alive and well - the victim of an elaborate identity theft!

Stepping out of the shadows with a new look, new attitude, and new life as Hero for Hire in Chicago - Cage is dropping the "Power Man" name and going solo!

The price of one death may have been lifted from Cage's mighty shoulders, but the spectre of another will haunt him in the form of another double! The son of late villain Bushmaster has hired a mercenary to wage war on Cage! The result is a team of Untouchables led by Hardcore, who descend upon Dakota North in an effort to steal sensitive information she's learned about Cage's past.

Too bad for The Untouchables that Cage is wise to their plans and is about to take the fight to them!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Luke Cage 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Tombstone 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Luke Cage 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Nitro 6 (Mass Destruction)


Be still, my beating heart! What we have here is a good old fashioned dream match! Why is it a dream match? Because for several years these guys were stomping on opposite sides of the mean streets, but they didn't butt unbreakable heads until '92! They're the perfect enemies - and here's why:

Luke Cage is the self-marketed Hero for Hire also known as Power Man!

Growing up in Harlem, Cage's family and friends knew him as Carl Lucas. When he joined The Rivals gang as a young man, Lucas was tempted into a world of crime -- eventually leading to a frame-up that sent him to Seagate Prison!

In prison, Lucas became a subject for super-soldier experiments on inmates. When the process was tampered with, he accidentally gained super-human strength, and skin as strong as steel! He used his powers to escape prison and forged a new identity for himself, choosing to fight crime - for the right price!

The Untouchables are: Tombstone, Nitro & Kickback.

Tombstone is career criminal Lonnie Lincoln. Like Cage, he was born and raised on the streets of Harlem. As an albino, he was ostracized as a child and took to using his physical strength to dominate others. This eventually led him to street fighting, petty crime, and a career as a hitman.

Lincoln cultivated an intimidating persona as Tombstone, filing his teeth and nails into points. He accidentally gained super-human strength when Daily Bugle reporter Robbie Robertson exposed him to experimental gas in an Osborn Chemical facility! The incident also granted him incredible durability!

Even before gaining increased strength, Tombstone has been a regular nemesis for Spider-man [eg; Spectacular Spider-man #142]. We've also seen him go toe-to-toe with Daredevil for a win and a loss, and take on Iron Man and The Avengers as one of the short-lived Sinister Twelve [Marvel Knights: Spider-man #11]!

This is the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths debut for both Nitro and Kickback. We don't have any example data, but the auto-exploding powers of Nitro were responsible for the tragedy in Stamford that kicked off the Avengers' Civil War!

As an eventual member of the New Avengers, we've seen Cage develop as a serious heavyweight! He's battled the likes of: Juggernaut [Thunderbolts #150], The Hood [New Avengers #54], Ms. Marvel [Civil War #3], The Hand [New Avengers #27], and even symbiote possessed Avengers [New Avengers #36]! On the streets, the mutant Unus the Untouchable proved difficult to defeat thanks to his forcefield protection [Power Man & Iron Fist #90]. None of The Untouchables wields any such barrier, despite the name.

Cage is running solo at this point, even though Iron Fist had made a recent and miraculous return from the dead. That means it's three-on-one and that could potentially be a problem!

If Cage can break the fight down, he definitely stands a better chance. Nitro's ability to expel a full body explosion is dangerous, but Cage's unbreakable skin should be able to handle it. Kickback might negotiate a tactical advantage with his time travel powers, but his ability to follow through is limited.

Tombstone is basically Cage's equal - the shadow-self that makes this such a perfect, scintillating dream match. That said, Cage's peak strength usually trends higher than Tombstone's, a high 5 with occasional tendencies to drift tower a low 6, by our measure. We saw that in the Juggernaut fight.

The Untouchables haven't been a unit for long, and are working for mercenary rates. That team instability could be exactly what Cage needs to exploit, enduring long enough to pick them off one by one.

The Math: Nitro Ranking: Luke Cage (#12)

What Went Down...
Tipped off to know all wasn't right at the Chicago branch of North Investigations -- the man called Cage launches into the building! He catches hostage Teague as he explodes through the window, knocking Tombstone off balance!

Time traveller Kickback has already seen the fight three minutes into the future, arriving in our present to watch himself and the other Untouchables surround Cage! Tombstone talks business, but Nitro chooses a more offensively minded strategy -- charging up his powers for a strategically directed explosion!

Cage uses his unbreakable skin to shield Teague from the blast. He eats a boot to the face from Kickback, who appears suddenly having time shifted to avoid the explosion. He teleports away as quickly as he appeared - leaving Cage to swing at empty air!

Tombstone rushes Cage, taking him off his feet with a charging tackle!

The chalk-skinned hitman notes the innate similarities between he and Cage. Thick skin and business acumen aren't enough to compel the Hero for Hire to bond with his foe. He hammers home the differences with a one-two combo of a right hook and uppercut!

The mighty blows rock Tombstone, but he remains on his feet! Nitro calls for him to drop down to give a clear shot, but Cage uses the distraction to grab Tombstone by his feet and send him hurtling into Nitro!

Nitro is floored, but rock-hard Tombstone recovers instantly! He squares off with Cage, lamenting his hopes for a business-like resolution. He charges at the Hero for Hire once again -- more than happy to call upon his days as a street fighter!

The two super-tough combatants smash through the North Investigations exterior wall! Bricks crumble and shatter as they spill onto the street outside - Cage using their momentum to get the upper hand!

An unexpected player arrives on the scene by van: The Punisher! Tombstone tries to tell Cage he's the "Mr. Big" bankrolling The Untouchables, so Cage picks Tombstone up and runs him into the grill of the oncoming vehicle!

The sudden impact throw Punisher face-first into the dashboard! He takes the brunt a lot harder than the bulletproof duo he smashed into.

Cage shakes down Tombstone, demanding the truth about the team. Tombstone gives up the real plan: to gather sensitive information on Cage uncovered by Dakota North! He  also warns that Nitro may be mentally unstable and a danger to the investigator, who may still be inside. This prompts Cage to take his victory and run as Tombstone laughs!

The Hammer...
Nitro does indeed lose his cool, believing Tombstone and Kickback have turned against him. He explodes - destroying the North Investigations building before Cage can get back inside. Cage has no way of knowing Dakota North is safe with Kickback, casting his victory in a grim afterglow as The Punisher arrives.

In a curious twist, Punisher thinks his former acquaintance is actually working with Tombstone. A cliffhanger to be resolved in the next issue - and a future installment of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, I'm sure!

As you may've already gathered, I was pretty excited about getting around to this issue! I've always been a sucker for Tombstone, as I'm sure I've gushed in the past. There's just something fantastic about the simplicity of the character. A granite faced hitman with aspirations for pin stripe suits and working his way up the criminal ranks.

I've often thought about the perfect match Tombstone presents for Cage, whose history before The Avengers was on the streets. I like that Marc McLaurin's script calls their similarities out, even as it highlights the differences. Yes, they're both rock-hard, super-strong guns for hire - but Cage is no hitman!

Tombstone has had one or two more run-ins with Cage since this initial meeting, but sadly, the chemistry hasn't quite produced a new arch-villain scenario. I live in hope that the option is still there, with history to build upon, though!

It's worth noting that "Cage" was specifically the moniker of choice, at this time. He was still a hero for hire, but gone was the "Power Man" handle, soon to be appropriated by another - a villain. A thorough relaunch of a dormant character.

The silver tiara, yellow silk shirt, and chain belt were gone as well. The seventies-tinged remnants of kung fu and blacksploitation fads weren't looking so cool by the late eighties. Cage had toiled in obscurity for a few years by the early nineties, running from the cancellation of Power Man & Iron Fist in 1988, which told the story of Danny Rand's apparent death.

At a glance, there wasn't a lot to tell you this was the same character when Cage launched in 1992. I always appreciated the classic Power Man look, so it surprised me to see him wearing black and red, even if I could appreciate the aim to match a modern style. He shared an aesthetic with a handful of street level characters of the time. Beneath the surface, it was the same character with the same history. The kind of reboot you can appreciate.

The tragic irony of relaunching when they did is simply that Tarantino and anime would bring blaxploitation and kung fu back into style in a major way! Both characters were tailor made to ride the wave of millennium trends, but Marvel struggled to fully capitalize on any kind of relaunch. They're arguably only just getting to the peak now, with a stylish new comic series by David Walker and Stanford Greene, and the character's live-action debut in Jessica Jones.

September 30th marks the release of Luke Cage on Netflix - the first time the character will star in his own TV series! Here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, we're celebrating that fact by dedicating a month's worth of Friday Night Fights to the man with the bulletproof skin!

If that wasn't exciting enough, today's feature fight comes with unforseen repercussions! Long time readers know every battle on The Comic Book Fight Club contributes to an on-going record. With this win, Luke Cage becomes the first hero in a long time to upend the Top 10 rankings!

Rising to #9, Cage leapfrogs two heroes with whom he has close ties: Daredevil becomes the new guardian at #10, while The Thing is shockingly pushed out out of the Top 10 to #11! Check out all the rankings changes at the bottom of this post! As of 2016, all feature fights end with rankings updates.

If you'd like to get the full experience of today's feature battle, you can use Amazon purchase links provided to pick up a collected edition!

If you want to see more Luke Cage, Punisher or other featured characters, use the character links dispersed throughout this post. Or, jump straight to your favourite battles from legend or obscurity using the Issue Index Archive!

Stay tuned as Cage Month continues with a grudge match that changed his life forever!

Winner: Cage
#9 (+3) Luke Cage
#65 (--) Punisher [+1 Assist]
#362 (-1) Tombstone
#804 (new) Kickback
#805 (new) Nitro

DAREDEVIL versus TOMBSTONE/MATADOR
The Devil Takes a Ride: Part 3 (Marvel comics)
Where: Daredevil #91 When: January 2007
Why: Ed Brubaker How: Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano

The story so far...
With his dual lives in tatters, Matthew Murdock employs the aid of the Punisher to make a daring escape from prison, allowing him the opportunity to avenge the supposed death of his best friend, Foggy Nelson, and unravel the mystery of turmoil that has enshrouded him.

On the trail of a man named Alton Lennox, Daredevil finds himself drawn to Europe, where the mystery thickens to invite new players into the game. Tombstone, an unnamed European Matador, and the daughter of a European crime boss all become entangled in a battle that takes DD from Portugal, to France.

Inching gradually closer to the answers he seeks, it's a Parisian stand-off, as Daredevil seeks the kidnapped crime heiress, Lilly Lucca, and her stone-faced captor. It's a rematch double header as DD faces off against the man who beat him in Portugal, Tombstone, and the Matador he bested on his home turf.

Previous Form:
Daredevil (#12): Solo victories over Wolverine, Bullseye, & the Jester.
Tombstone (#179): Has a victory over Daredevil, and Spider-man.
The Matador: The unnamed Matador makes his debut in the Infinite Wars.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Tombstone 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Daredevil 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Daredevil 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Daredevil 5 (Marathon Man)
Agility: Daredevil 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Daredevil 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Daredevil 2 (Projectile)


- As a young man, Matthew Murdock was the innocent victim in an accident involving the illegal trafficking of chemicals through New York City. Being doused in the hazardous materials cost young Murdock his sight, but enhanced his remaining senses so intensely he could now "see" through the reverberation of sound -- a bat-like radar sense!

The angry youth would find himself orphaned, and dedicate himself to training his body in the martial arts under the tutelage of the mysterious Stick.
His speed, strength and agility would be built to the human optimum, his enhanced senses complimenting his physicality in battle.

By day, Murdock studied to become a hotshot lawyer, but by night he sought a method of justice without rules as the guardian of Hell's Kitchen: Daredevil!

- As an African-American albino growing up in Harlem, Lonnie Lincoln endured a childhood that toughened him up until he was as hard as stone.
A career criminal; Lincoln would eventually grow into the statuesque underworld muscle called Tombstone. His powers would only be enhanced when, during a battle with Spider-man, he was inadvertently exposed to experimental gases designed by Oscorp scientists.

The experimental Diox-3 chemical embued Tombstone's already impressive physique with enhanced strength levels, durability, and endurance. This served only to increase Tombstone's already formidable strength, complimented by his impressive speed and mobility, despite his size.

- Little is known of the bull-fighter encountered by Daredevil during a brief journey through Europe. Employed by an embittered and dying Vanessa Fisk, the new Matador; presumably unrelated to long-standing Daredevil opponent, Manuel Eloganto; is a highly skilled fighter, proficient with swords dervied from his skills as a bull-fighter.

Additionally, the Matador is incredibly fast and agile, but does not appear to have specific aspirations as a recurring villain.

The Math: Daredevil The Pick: Daredevil

What went down...
Knowing full well that Paris has become the stage for his downfall, Daredevil reverses the tables on Lily Lucca and her co-conspirators as they stage a kidnapping for his benefit. Almost flawlessly, the woman with the scent of a thousand lovers sells the ruse, even her heartbeating to plead the case to the guardian devil, but this time he is well prepared for her deceit.

Silently the Daredevil renders two lakeside gunmen unconscious, before launching into an acrobatic assault on Tombstone and Matador, both.
Lily Lucca continues to play her part, shocked when Daredevil abruptly shoves her aside, no longer lured by the aroma of lost love, Karen Page.

Tombstone is the first to fight back, lunging at the leaping hero with a fist powerful enough to shatter bone. Daredevil swiftly vaults over the stoney assassin, landing ready to tackle his foes, the veil lifted as they openly join forces with some chagrin.

The Matador strikes first, leading with the edge of his ceremonial blade.
Familiarized with his opponent's speed and guile, Daredevil does well to block the attack, and swiftly disarm his deadly new foe. As the weaker link, the Matador is easily tossed aside for later.

The real obstacle barrels in next like a raging bull, scoring with a stiff jab to the side of the Devil's head. The blow rattles Murdock, even knocking him to the ground, but he rolls with it to lure Tombstone in for the kill. The brutish onrush of Tombstone's attack sees Daredevil cartwheel aside, leaving only stone to crash against the thug's equally tough knuckles.

As the Matador recovers and charges, Daredevil again turns the momentum of his enemies against them. This time it's the bull-fighter who does the hard work, staking the tip of his blade into Tombstone's durable hide. The mistakes earns him a super strong backhand from his already reluctant ally.

Tombstone continues to menace his objective, now clearly frustrated by the careening course of events. Tired of Daredevil's acrobatic avoidance, Tombstone launches into the air with surprising speed and skill. The gambit topples both men as the spill across the stone paving, Daredevil combing out the better.

An improvised boot to the face is the final straw for Tombstone, who draws a pistol with the intent to end it clean and fast. The shift in tactic puts a ranged focus on Tombstone's attack, and changes Daredevil's tactic completely.

Retreating to the shadows, Daredevil employs a stealth that forces Tombstone to become the unwitting hunter of his elusive prey. Too angry to think straight or take note of his surroundings, the hired thug is left flat footed as Daredevil pops out of the darkness like a vengeful arcade sock'em.

With Tombstone out of the picture, DD turns his attentions to the Matador who has the Lucca girl with a dagger to her throat. With eyes bulging out from beneath bruises and swelling, he spits threats that do little to engender the action of an unconvinced Daredevil.

Content to call the bluff, Lucca and DD both are surprised somewhat that the blade does indeed pierce the skin of her throat. The Matador pulls away before doing any serious damage, letting out a cry before dropping to his knees in a scene of epic European drama.

Apparently ordered to kill Lucca regardless of her crucial involvement in the plot against Daredevil; the Matador succumbs to the manipulative powers of Lucca's uncanny pheremone persuasion. Despite having fallen under the same spell, Daredevil is unsympathetic.

Without allies, Lucca is convinced to reveal more of the plot, as Daredevil himself unravels the puzzle of Alton Lennox' murder, and Lucca's responsibility in the part. Reduced to little more than a pawn designed to remind Murdock of Karen Page's murder, Lucca turns the tables, and reveals finally the source of the deeply personal attacks.

The hammer...
If you already skimmed over the tape and didn't pick up the big reveal (behind Daredevil's troubles), you might like to avoid the spoiler if you haven't read the story. As always, there'll be an Amazon link for your convenience at the end of the post, but in the mean time, how about this spoiler? Daredevil wins!

If the current theme is about the flavours of 2007, one has to wonder if Daredevil is really among them. He was certainly the sponsored favourite of 2006's Infinite Wars, but in '07, he's been somewhat left by the wayside in the wake of Civil Wars, Hulks, and Infinite Crisis'.

If you're a regular reader you'll know new releases are few and far between, but even so, one has to acknowledge the perspective gained even from lack of purchase. Heck, lord knows some of the folks out there with regular pull lists could do with that kind of perspective, but I digress into silliness...

I've spoken before about my theory that, though fundamentally a very good writer, Ed Brubaker has a habit of fading out into a droning hum of acceptable, but unextraordinary content. On Daredevil we saw a reasonably strong transition in the handover from Brian "Rubber Chicken*" Bendis, to the prison bound flow on of Brubaker's continuation of this world.

The flowing nature of the DD universe continued beyond, but a cycle of repetitive mystery driven stories, that offered little detail in which the reader could invest in investigation, came to typify the less than stellar run.
Even now, as I slip behind on the title that has otherwise been quite a consistent purchase over the past few years, I'm not terribly perturbed. Of the books I so eagerly hope to read again, Daredevil has slipped from the top of the list, to the fuzzy milieu just beneath the must-reads. The ranking of the title seems almost ironically reflected in Daredevil's ranking status here in the Infinite Wars, slipping from last year's top five consistent, to a twelve total, and barely top twenty for the year.

Contributing to a lack of interest, the apparent drift to more disjointed storytelling. It's unfair to say storyarcs haven't played a major role in Daredevil history. Even Bendis' run was heavily influenced by 'the trade', fragmenting the specifics of the Daredevil saga into flavoured outings built around demons, literal and personal; unfinished business; and conspiracy.

Though these stories featured a similar 'villain of the month' structure to Brubaker's work, they did so with distinct differences. In such a grounded on-going comic, it's almost strange to refer to division in plot as a good thing, but it's almost certainly the over contrasted grey of Brubaker's work that has led to the death of certain underworked tastebuds.

As you might be wondering; it was whilst browsing over recent solicitations featuring the Enforcers, that this epiphany was reached. Granted, the emergence of Mr. Fear as a new threat in the Daredevil universe is interesting, and I myself have toted the demand for a new criminal element to capitalize on the vaccuum left by the incarcerated Kingpin, Bullseye, Hammerhead, Daredevil, and Punisher - a contrived conceit by nature.

I suppose it just bothers me that it has to be so obvious, and so blandly fragmented, to the point where Tombstone, Gladiator, and Enforcers are the only real strokes by which we differentiate these tales.

But hey, if you want diversity of product, then you're reading on the right day!
Once you've finished soaking up the hits and misses of the Infinite Wars, why not stroll over to Bahlactus, whose Friday Night Fights unite the blogosphere in battle. Pretty pictures, and the occasional essay, are all on offer, as Bahlactus' insatiable hunger is fulfilled with wanton regard for the third-world (and fourth, for that matter).

Also be sure to check out the latest review of The Kirby Martin Inquest, which is delighting all who encounter it! At $2.99 plus shipping, it's a worthy online purchase for this year's stocking stuffers!

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 5

The Devil Takes a Ride is the second arc in Ed Brubaker's run on Daredevil, and features the run-on story of a conspiracy that began in the final pages of Bendis' work. Despite greivances toward newer issues, these first two tales do well to round out any collection particularly interested in DD of this decade, and compliments the undeniable run by Bendis and Maleev.

THE SINISTER TWELVE versus THE AVENGERS
Last Stand: Part III of IV (Marvel comics)
Where: Marvel Knights: Spider-man #11 When: April 2005
Why: Mark Millar How: Terry & Rachel Dodson

The story so far...
For the entirety of Peter Parker's career one villain has stood ahead of the rest of them, being the first to discover his true identity, and terrorize him in both his alias and civilian identity. Few villains have shaped Spider-man's life the way Norman Osborn has, aka the Green Goblin.

Finally behind bars, Osborn continues to have an influence as Mac Gargan, the Scorpion, sets in motion a contingency plan arranged years earlier between the two lethal villains. A plan that instructed Scorpion to kidnap an elderly woman should he ever go down -- a woman named May Parker!

Having helped his oldest foe to escape prison; Spider-man, along with the Black Cat, walks right into another of his grand schemes bringing together an assembly of Spidey's most lethal of foes as the Sinister Twelve!
With each villain sponsored by Osborn and his advanced technologies, it seems like certain doom for Spider-man and Black Cat, but help may just be on the way!

Previous Form:
Spider-man (#1): Recorded victories against Green Goblin, Venom, Scorpion, Sandman & Tombstone.
Black Cat (#36): Aided in defeats of the Venom Symbiote as well as Carnage.
Venom (#80): Aided in defeat of Jack Flag as member of Thunderbolts.
Green Goblin: Norman Osborn has not yet been featured on the site.
Avengers [#2]: Victories over Secret Avengers, She-Hulk & Atlantis.
Fantastic Four [#6]: Lodged a strong victory against the Frightful Four.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Thing 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Genius)
Speed: Lizard 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Iron Man 6 (Generator)
Agility: Sandman 7 (Unlimited)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Human Torch 7 (Solar Power)


Okay, so I like to play it sentimentally coy in the opener, but yes. We're fixing for the Avengers to jump in at the last minute, which means this goes from a slaughter to a bloody war between the two super powered factions!

There's a curvy buttload of characters present in these Dodson pencils, so allow me an opportunity to roll call right at the beginning:

The Sinister Twelve: Green Goblin, Venom (Scorpion), Sandman, Lizard, Vulture, Electro, Shocker, Chameleon, Hydro-Man, Hammerhead, Boomerang and Tombstone.

The Avengers: Spider-man, Black Cat, Yellowjacket, Thing, Human Torch, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Daredevil, Iron Man and Captain America.

Whew! That's quite an assembly!
With so many characters, it's going to be tough to really draw any concise conclusions. The versatility of strengths and weaknesses really makes this a mixed bag of conclusions, but with characters like the Fantastic Four, Yellowjacket and Iron Man on the job, certainly the heroes are coming well prepared.

The Sinister Twelve roughly divides fifty-fifty for heavy hitters, and street performers. Guys like Hammerhead, Chameleon and even Boomerang, Tombstone and Vulture are going to have limited success where combatting many of the heroes assembled are concerned. In individual breakdowns I might give them a better shot, but we're talking The Avengers!

Sandman and Hydro-Man both present widespread potential problems for the heroes. Given the nature of their respective powers, they can tackle multiple opponents efficiently, whilst also remaining relatively intangible, and subsequently immune to attack.

This is the story that introduces Mac Gargan to the Venom Symbiote, which also means while he presents a potent threat, there's margin for inexperience. Although, teething problems are going to be fairly minute, down to adjustments to the Symbiote's powers and minor communication problems between the host and costume. Otherwise, the already impression Scorpion is only going to be augmented even further than perhaps even the likes of Eddie Brock.

Green Goblin could potentially tackle with the likes of Iron Man, but even he seems somehow dwarfed by the power packed by the majority of heroes who will provide back-up in this scenario. It's hard to really properly break up the twenty-two parts and anticipate the elimination of one over the other.
I guess that's why we have a system...

The Math: Sinister Twelve (Total) Avengers (Average)
The Pick: The Avengers

What went down...
Having aided the Green Goblin's escape from Rykers prison, Spider-man and Black Cat find themselves set upon by the lethal foes of Spider-man, gathered by the Goblin as -- The Sinister Twelve!

Contrary to Norman's plans which involved outfitting many of the villains in more advanced versions of their standing equipment, Mac Gargan shows up wearing the Venom Symbiote, instead of Osborn's upgraded Scorpion costume.
Ever the consumate planner, Osborn is understandably miffed by the shift in affairs, disturbed less by the fact that Scorpion is "wrong", but that he defied him.

Jetting around on his glider, the Goblin promises to settle matters once he's finished murdering Spidey's wife, Mary-Jane Watson. Charming.
The tiff between the two senior villains garners the attentions of the others assembled, who perhaps look on out of curiosity, or question of how the development effects their position in the plan. Either way, Spidey uses the opportunity to strike!

Spidey shoots web and throws his leg out, instructing the Black Cat to do the same, as they prepare to quite literally fight for their lives!

The Cat nails the ravenous Lizard with a stiff kick, while Spidey frog leaps over the Vulture's head. As though willing it to happen, he thinks of the Black Cat, "make it count, baby."

With the proportionate speed and agility of a spider, Spider-man leaps across the battle field scoring hits against the Sandman and Shocker, while Black Cat does her best with the Lizard and Electro in the background.

Scorpion answers Chameleon's cries for a result, propelling himself from his rooftop vantage point to collide mid-air with the leaping Spider-man. He drives his agile body hard into nearby crates that line the dock area.

The devestating blow distracts the Cat long enough for bad luck to come her way in the form of Electro. He fires off a charge that rattles her to the core!
The attack incurs the unlikely fury of the Vulture, who had called dibs on Black Cat for an encounter that left him badly beaten and injured in an eye. The intervention of Shocker rallies the aggressions of the villains back to Spider-man, whom they all have motive to destroy.

Scorpion, still on top of Spidey taunts him; "Hear that, Spider-man? They all want a piece of you now. And you know what? They're gonna get it. We're gonna carve our names in your corpse and hang it from the nearest flagpole."

Staring death in the face, Peter Parker's resolve remains undying.
With the total of his super human strength, he sends the new Venom flying through the pack of circling villains. Even resigned to the fact he's going to die, Spider-man stands valiantly before the gathered villains.

A blast of water from Hydro-Man sends Spidey into the air, where Lizard descends from a flying leap, soon to be followed a flocking mass of evil. Sandman, Hydro-Man, Electro, Lizard and Vulture all grab on to get their fill.

At that moment, overlooking the dock, a shadowed figure with winged tips protruding from his head raises a finger. "On my mark, ladies and gentlemen..."

Like a miracle, the Avengers assemble.

Daredevil swings in with a kick that topples Venom, while Iron Man plucks an unsuspecting Lizard and Tombstone, and flies them high above the docks where they can do no harm.

The Thing heads for an old friend, scooping up Sandman as well as the Shocker in his mighty grip, while Human Torch and Captain America's shield blaze technicolour in the background. Finally, for Spidey, it sinks in: The cavalry has arrived.

A giant-size Hank Pym snags Boomerang, Chameleon and Hammerhead, while the fantastic Mister and Mrs Fantastic swoop in to take care of Electro. Still shaken, Spidey is left somewhat dumb founded while the action evolves around him.

Despite the relief he no doubt feels having escaped certain doom at the hands of his deadliest foes, the call of great responsibility compells the Spider-man.
Fully aware of the Green Goblin's plans for Mary-Jane, which are as he speaks commencing, Spider-man takes leave of the situation, leaving the Avengers to clean up the docks. Captain America offers his full blessing.

The hammer...
Unfortunately neither the Captain, nor Thing, who clobbers Tombstone one last time, notices that one Venom has escaped the scene. Even so, Spider-man, Black Cat and The Avengers prevail!

Statistically we've got a few tricky calls to make. Even though the scene is mostly summarized in relatively few panels, all the heroes will pick up the win stat, even Black Cat, who despite being flash fried, was right in the thick of things for the first half of the fight.

Green Goblin actually left before the fight got underway, so despite his instrumental involvement in setting up the pieces, I think I'm going to have to omit him from any result. As orchestrator, he is similarly omitted in recent entries featuring the Thunderbolts.

Meanwhile, to get to the discussion side of things, I guess when you ask for an array of Spider-man villains, the cosmos provides via Web-Slinging Wednesdays!
It was only in the last entry [Marvel: Heroes & Legends #1] that we discussed the lethal foes shaped hole in the Spider-man universe, and this was a recent example that was unfortunately omitted!

If there's a writer in comics right now who deserves to own stock in this particular corner of the blogosphere, it's Mark Millar. Noone writes big superhero action on the boom-crash operatic scale of Mr. Millar, who is behind comics like; Wolverine, Ultimates, Civil War, and of course, Marvel Knights: Spider-man.

At the time Millar's twelve issue run on the newly launched Spider-man title under the Marvel Knights imprint really split the paying audience. Spider-man fans seemed uncertain as to whether this was an instant classic, or a malicious assault on the characters they hold near and dear.
Many cried for the safety of Aunt May, the peril of Spider-man, and the apparent bastardizaton of Venom and Scorpion, in what many believed was going to be another stinky symbiote marketing ploy.

Granted, the new Venom (with vanilla swirl!) narrowly avoided the hideousness of the publisized squid costume design, but ultimately I think it's proved to be a lasting positive for the Marvel universe. Mac Gargan has found new and unusual relevance post-Scorpion, currently being treated to a thorough handling by Warren Ellis in Thunderbolts [also featuring Green Goblin, as mentioned earlier!].

Under very unique conditions, Millar did exactly what we asked for: He provided a fluid tale that managed to showcase many feature villain stories, while also cramming in some C-snaps of characters like Rhino, and the barely seen Chameleon, Boomerang, and Tombstone even in the issue reviewed here.

Granted, this isn't quite the context we were talking about. Stories like this, and the preceding Batman: Hush storyarc from DC's Jeph Loeb are unique situations.
What we aren't looking for is broken up twelve issue stories that cram as many villains in as possible. What a story like Millar's Spider-man could have provided was a launching pad for the kind of evolving reality we did discuss, and are seeing in a detached form, lest we forget the ill-fated Secret War mini-series.

I couldn't end the review without also pointing out that the art team of Terry and Rachel Dodson contributes greatly to making this one of the most enjoyable Spider-man stories of the decade. Dodson's pencils flow brilliantly, delivering not only the sensuous feminine curves that have made him famous, but also high quality action that walks a line between common Spidey, and McFarlane-style agility-in-excess.

Likewise, Rachel Dodson's confident, thick inks and Ian Hannin (of Avalon)'s cool, smooth colour palette make for a visually exciting take on the script, that's quite easy on the eyes. It certainly requires far fewer graces than the dynamic, but blunt pencil work of collaborator, John Romita Jr.

Anyway, that's it for now. I've been pegging back one more post at a time!
This was of course the all-in special for Web-Slinging Wednesday; featuring the villains of the Spider-man 3 feature film. The last post of the month will be a fifth-week special that promises to be one of the biggest battles posted on Secret Earths, so DO NOT miss it!

Likewise, this particular issue of Marvel Knights: Spider-man also features another colossal battle within it, so do not scratch it off your list yet. Like many other issues, we will revisit it at some stage in the future. In the mean time, I've got to go have a chat with the Beyonder. Because there is -no way- I've been taking orders from a lowly stinking mutie all this time!...

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 6.5

TOMBSTONE versus SPIDER-MAN
Will (Marvel comics)
Where: Spectacular Spider-man #142 When: September 1988
Why: Gerry Conway How: Sal Buscema

The story so far...
Robbie Robertson has made a name for himself as a stern force for journalism, but his past is catching up with him as he feels the push of the albino gangster - Tombstone.

Unwilling to comply with lies any longer, Robertson prepares a tape detailing his dirty history with the thug, and unsuccessfully confronts Tombstone with a firearm.

The casette recording of Robbertson's full confession becomes the hot potato as Tombstone goes on a rampage to retrieve the evidence. Mary-Jane finds herself terrorized by the criminal, and Peter Parker is his next hit -- unless Spidey can get to him first!

Previous Form:
Tombstone (#50): Tombstone has a solid victory over Spidey's pal, Daredevil.
Spider-man (#2): Spider-man has victories over Kraven the Hunter, and Man-Ape.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Spider-man 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Spider-man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympic Sprinter)
Stamina: Spider-man 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Tombstone 3 (Street Wise)
Energy Powers: Tombstone 2 (Projectile Weapons)

Well, what do you know? I get the deficit down to under a month and then run head-long into computer gremlins! What a buzzkill!
These scans were done before afforementioned problems, so you might have to bare with me for a little while after this. Anyway...

We've slapped the tape around these two fellows before, Tombstone beind inducted in combat with Daredevil [Daredevil #90] just over a month ago.
With that in mind, you should well know that Tombstone is a tough customer!

Unlike the situation with Daredevil, Spidey's strength not only matches Tombstone but has the potential to well surpass it in short bursts. Which makes this a slightly less intriguing match-up.
Certainly Tombstone's formidable strength makes him a challenge for Spider-man, but Spidey's strength gives him an edge of execution where his speed and agility are concerned.

The advantages against Tombstone make it a fairly easy pick, but don't let the disrespect of recent years fool ya! Tombstone should be noted for being well capable of playing above his level.

The Math: Spider-man (Meta Class)
The Pick: Spider-man

What went down...
Meanwhile -- in Atlanta, Spidey stops by a construction site to sit on a girder and wait for Tombstone, having arranged a drop-off of the evidence tape as Peter Parker.

After waiting forty minutes, the elevator finally emerges but Spider-man's spidey-sense warns him of an incoming swinging pulley hook!
Standing on the level above, Tombstone declares how pleased he is Parker 'called' him, and dives down to tackle the web-slinger in mid-air!

Spidey shoots off a webline preventing the two from falling to their doom, but the move gives the suicide-diving Tombstone the edge to swing them into construction matter.

Tombstone grabs a nearby piece of metallic piping and uses it to catch Spider-man by the stomach and swing him around into metal mesh fencing.
With the spider all tangled up, Tombstone continues the punishment, actually working up a sweat as he swings blow after blow down on the hero.

With Spider-man reeling, Tombstone uses the pipe to push him over the edge and then swats him over with a swing that suggests a pretty low handicap!

Tombstone stands triumphant, but as he attempts to survey the devestation, he finds himself unable to spot the expected red and blue stain below. Uh-oh!

With sticky hands, Spider-man swings himself up from the floor below, driving his feet into Tombstone's pasty mug with explosive force.

Tombstone's up quick, but Spider-man continues the return, knocking him down with the proportional strength of a spider to the point where major orthodontal reconstruction is most likely.

The ribs don't miss out though, Spider-man driving his mighty fist deep into the mid-section of the bruising baddie, before swinging through with another right-hook.

Despite the amazing beatdown, somehow Tombstone still manages to rise to his feet once more. Remember kiddies -- Tombstone plays above his level!

As Spider-man professes his superiority, he provokes a wild charging attack from the man in black.
Spidey backs his words up, showing off his speed with a matador side-step that leaves Tombstone eating girder.

In a bizarre moment of pathos, Tombstone reveals a sign of redemption as Spider-man asks, "Why didn't you kill Robbie Robertson when you had the chance?"

Kill Robbie Robertson? How could he? Robbie's his friend.

With the villain out on his feet, Spider-man finishes the job, using his super strength to knock Tombstone straight off the scaffolding!
As Tombstone plummets to his doom, Spider-man plays the good hero, shooting off a line of webbing that jerks his lethal foe back, before dropping him into a truck full of wet cement.

And as Spider-man retrieves the tape he'd dropped during the fight, unbeknownst to either he or Tombstone, Robbie Robertson finishes his complete confession to the press from his hospital bed.

Despite his criminal negligence, Robbie Roberton's family and friends, including his old friend and boss, J. Jonah Jameson, all agree to back him for his courage.
A win for the good guys all around, I'd say...

The hammer...
And Spider-man starts the year off with an impressive victory!

Meanwhile, as I mentioned earlier, I'm not having that kind of Spidey-luck. My decrepid old computer is struggling to come to terms with word processing, let alone the scanning of superhero smackdown -- so once more there may be a slight delay before the next entry.

Rest assured our technicians will be doing their utmost to ensure we beat any stinking pinko into unexplored blog-space. The risks are many, and though our shielding is poor, we have the hearts of champions.

FF analogies aside, I've scored a late-Christmas haul, so at the very least I have some fresh fodder coming our way. Among the battles of brilliance are mostly new stories, but rest assured, they're all checked and approved by Uatu himself.

So, anyway, I was saying during the last time we discussed Tombstone, just how much I have an affection for Sal Buscema's pencils. Well, hopefully you too can at least appreciate some kind of understanding of where I was coming from.
I guess the particularly interesting thing about Herr Buscema is not only his penchant for action, but his incredible human moments.

Amidst the flying bodies, spittle strings and punch explosions, you could lose site of the human element to Sal Buscema's work, but it's undeniably there.
Buscema's contemporary of the time, Kevin Maguire, gets most of the press for his facial expressions, but few artists have the distinctive character that Buscema is able to instill in each mug.

Buscema's Tombstone is Tombstone to me, and if there's any detail I would criticise of Lark's work, it's that is just doesn't look like Buscema. Which is a complaint that is all but impossible and ridiculous to expect to live up to.
There's just something that distinctive about Buscema's work. Likewise, his core cast from JJJ to Robbie to MJ all have a very distinctive and memoral look.

So to the youngsters joining us, if I can get all Cap on your asses, the next time you're gawking slack jawed at the rendered works of David Finch, taste pain at the hands of his better -- Sal Buscema!

And remember kids -- Tombstone plays above his level!

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 5
Note: Mr. Buscema probably doesn't consider himself anyone's better, and I cannot condone the use of 'yo momma' slurs direct toward Mr. Finch. He's a fine young artist who continues to hone his craft.