LADY DEATHSTRIKE versus WOLVERINE & VINDICATOR

Honor (Marvel)
Where: Alpha Flight #34 When: May 1986
Why: Bill Mantlo How: Sal Buscema & Gerry Talaoc

The Story So Far...
Things have never gone smoothly when Heather Hudson and the man called Logan have got together. It all goes back to their first encounter - when the Wolverine roamed the Canadian wilderness naked and savage.

Back then, Logan had just escaped the Weapon X Project that laced his bones with unbreakable metal -- and when Heather saw the pain his mutant claws caused while attacking -- she and her husband James chose to help him. Their kindness helped nurse him back to humanity, forging a complex, lifelong friendship.

With her husband now dead, Heather has inherited his mantle as the battle-suited super-heroine Vindicator: leader of Alpha Flight! Hoping her old friend can teach her a thing or two about being a leader, she flies to New York.The pair are quick to reminisce about old times, but the thing about the past is that sometimes it can come back to bite you! Weapon X may have been a long time ago, but its legacy is about to draw a deadly new threat their way!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Lady Deathstrike 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Wolverine 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Lady Deathstrike 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Wolverine 6 (Generator)
Agility: Lady Deathstrike 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Vindicator 5 (Lasers)


Unfinished business! It's what motivates todays feature fight within the context of the story -- and in our spotlight of it! Long ago we touched on a movie version of our feature villain. Now its finally time to examine the real deal!

Lady Deathstrike was once Yuriko Oyama: daughter to World War II kamikaze pilot-turned wealthy industrialist Kenji Oyama, aka; Lord Dark Wind.

For a time, Yuriko hated her father for his fanatical, shame-fuelled quest to restore honor to post-war Japan. His obsession had led him to ritualistically scar the faces of his three offspring, and ultimately cost the lives of Yuriko's two brothers - killed during a failed political assassination attempt.

When Lord Dark Wind discovered a process for bonding adamantium metal to the bones of soldiers, he used the technique to enhance renowned assassin Bullseye. To thwart her father's scheme, Yuriko betrayed her father by aiding Daredevil. When Lord Dark Wind threatened Daredevil's life in dishonorable combat, Yuriko was finally spurred to kill her father with a sword to the back. An act that also led her lover to commit suicide over the death of his master.

Surviving her family; Yuriko accepted the burden of her father's legacy. Her first task was to seek out Bullseye for failing to pay for his augmentation. When she sought to track his unique adamantium skeleton, Yuriko instead discovered Wolverine - mutant whose skeleton was laced with adamantium by Weapon X.

Believing Wolverine to be the recipient of her father's ill gotten procedure, she is honor bound to reclaim the metal at all cost! Thus, Yuriko begins a blood feud that would forever change her life - assuming the mantle of Lady Deathstrike!

Contrary to that movie version mentioned earlier [see; X-Men 2], Deathstrike is not a mutant. Her famed metal talons are a result of a cyborg implant process -- symbol of her dedication to fighting Wolverine. Today's feature fight finds Lady Deathstrike before her dramatic transformation.

She still commands an unbreakable electro-magnetically tempered sword, and an army of highly trained swordsmen. This means Deathstrike can match Wolverine's augmented metal claws - and his innate skills as a fighter! Good thing he has back-up!

Heather Hudson is the power-suited Canadian hero called Vindicator. Her battle suit grants increased strength, flight, concussive blasts, forcefield, and an array of nuanced abilities that make her a formidable ally!

The only data for Vindicator we have comes from an alternate reality where she succumbed to the Wendigo curse [Exiles #31]. Rest assured: she should help even the playing field against Deathstrike's samurai horde. Not that Wolverine hasn't faced his fair share of overwhelming odds!

In the past we've seen Wolverine slice up The Hellfire Club [X-Men #133], dice with the Shi'ar Imperial Guard [New X-Men #124], rip through The Hand [Wolverine #20, New Avengers #27], torture the Fantastic Four [Wolverine #22], and vex the X-Men [Wolverine #25]! He's even matched the martial skill of Daredevil [Wolverine #24], survived the sword of Blade [Blade #5], and cut the Silver Samurai down to size [Wolverine #37]! Good indications this fight is well in hand. That's our cue to stop speculating and see how it goes!

History: Wolverine (1-0-0)
The Tape: Wolverine Ranking: Wolverine (#4)

What Went Down...
In a Westchester County wood, an army of samurai assassins stand poised with swords drawn. They await the order of their fearless leader: Lady Deathstrike!

The Japanese warrior has come to New York to accuse Wolverine of obtaining his adamantium skeleton through ill gotten means. It's pure chance that he's flanked by Heather Hudson: the woman who discovered him naked and savage not long after escaping the Weapon X metal-bonding process!

A crash course in Deathstrike's personal history leads Hudson to realize the horrible truth -- the accusations are true! Not that it matters. Wolverine won't give up his bones without a fight - and Vindicator won't let anyone hurt him!

Electro-magnetic force-bursts beam from The Vindicator suit's gauntlets to the bodies of Oyama samurai! Deathstrike orders her horde kill the Canadian heroine on the way to their target. Her father's swordsmen leap to comply!

With a single wild swing - Wolverine disarms an attacking samurai and slashes his claws across his middle. The backhand could've easily disemboweled the samurai, but Wolverine is exercising restraint. Retracting his claws at the last moment enough to spare the soldier's life.

Vindicator takes her combat cues from the honorable X-Man, who suggests they take to the trees, rather than engage in a front assault. She flies skyward, while the clawed mutant blends in with the forest. A short-lived obscurity thanks to wristbands that detect his adamantium bones.

A samurai closes in on a tree, preparing to attack the mutant behind it -- but Wolverine is lost in the limbs above! He drops -- slashing at the back of his hunter's helmet and neck! A knock-out blow -- but still the shuriken fly!

With no one emerging from the forest, Vindicator realizes she's been led astray by her protective friend. She glides back across the canopy, firing blasts as the scattered swordsmen below. Their armor provides little defense.

Two more samurai happen upon Wolverine elsewhere in the wood. He swings his claws, shattering a projectile weapon with ease. Moving in to closer quarters, his adamantium claws make light work of their swords, too!

Lady Deathstrike bares witness to the impressive feat, but warns her opponent he'll find her sword is made of stronger metal. They cross blades -- an all mighty "ktlang" ringing out as sword collides with claw!

Deadly throwing stars and chain darts collide with Vindicator's hi-tech suit force-shield. She has little to fear from their antiquated weapons -- returning fire with her protected body acting as an airborne battering ram!

Across the wood, Lady Deathstrike demonstrates the strength of her sword -- an electro-magnetically tempered blade invented by her father. It collides with Wolverine's adamantium consequence free -- and effortlessly slices through tree bark in a single cut!

Wolverine contemplates the samurai code of an honorable kill versus the X-Men code of non-lethal violence. He wishes his mutant friends were there to help him. As he does, another ally comes into view in the skies above: Puck - behind the wheel of the Alpha Flight Omniship!

Searching for the electro-magnetic signature of Vindicator's suit, Puck zeroes in instead on Lady Deathstrike's sword! Spotting the clearing made by the weapon, he pilots the Omniship on collision course -- recognizing his former teammate Wolverine too late to avoid hitting him!

Deathstrike demonstrates the cutting power of her sword, dragging it through the underside of the aircraft! Puck ejects to safety, leaving it to careen into a crash landing -- the sound of which alerts Vindicator.

Lady Deathstrike looms over a toppled Wolverine, preparing to cut the bones from his living body. So focused - she doesn't notice the red and white human-missile coming for her!

The high velocity impact sends Lady Deathstrike flying across the battlefield into a nearby oak. Her armor absorbed the brunt of both blows, allowing her to immediately rise to challenge the battlesuit tech of Vindicator!

Wolverine and Puck recover in time to watch in horror the deadly swordswoman swing her electro-magnetized blade at Vindicator's body!

Fortunately, the electro-magnetic force-shield holds against Lord Dark Wind's electro-tempered blade! It shatters on impact -- along with Lady Deathstrike's plans to claim Wolverine's adamantium -- for now...

The Hammer...
Victory belongs to Vindicator and Wolverine who share the hard fought win! Vindicator had the honor of defeating the villainess, but Wolverine had his share of beating her samurai army, as well.

As a matter of housekeeping, I'm throwing an assist on Puck. Not for helping his Alpha Flight buddies, but for mistakenly helping Lady Deathstrike by driving an aircraft into the back of Wolverine's skull! In his defense: "It was dark." Yeah... Thanks heaps, bub.

It's been fun to cross the border to register an issue of Canada's premier super-team book, but as I made clear in The Tape [above] -- what I'm really excited about is finally delivering on Lady Deathstrike!

When it comes to arch-nemeses: Wolverine's bad guys are inevitably lining up behind Sabretooth. It's a tough ask to compete with the perfect match of mutant powered savagery, and inter-twined backstory. It's been personal for a very long time between those two, fuelling compelling tooth and nail battles rooted in character-centric hatreds.

There are a small handful of villains vying for second place in Wolverine's list of enemies. Matters of exclusivity and longevity will vary. I'd stop short of boldly declaring Lady Deathstrike #2, but you could reasonably make arguments for it.

Magneto may've actually stripped the metal from Wolverine's bones, but their rivalry was never as personal as it was with Lady Deathstrike. For her, that adamantium represents a deep psychic wound. A living reminder of a slight against her family's honor and legacy. An insult that cuts through her blood.

Admittedly, many of the things that make Lady Deathstrike a personal favourite are absent from this early appearance. You'll note from the mugshot used that there's an iconic transformation yet to be made in Alpha Flight #34. This issue merely stablishes the groundwork for the feud, but not the fight itself. Deathstrike would put down the sword shortly after this defeat -- becoming the sword herself through an extreme process. The transformation happens in an '86 issue of Uncanny X-Men that we'll look closer at some time soon.

Once Deathstrike has the claws and metal, she's every bit the physical threat of Sabretooth. Like Victor Creed, she also tugs at Wolverine's troubled history -- both his reluctant submission to the Weapon X program, and his ties to Japan.

These two factors are an intertwining conflict of the soul. Adamantium bones were something that was inflicted upon Wolverine, yet his time spent in Japan informs an understanding of the value system that Lady Deathstrike pursues. From a certain perspective, Deathstrike is acting as protagonist fighting to right a perceived wrong. In this respect, she's almost the inverse of Sabretooth.

Of course, the joy of Lady Deathstrike's obsessed blood feud with Wolverine falls away a little when you remember it came about completely by accident.

It's a little bit of a stretch to believe Yuriko would take up her father's cause after the resolution Daredevil story. If nothing else, there's at least a nice layer of pathos to becoming the thing she hates, and being beholden to Lord Dark Wind, even after his death. If only she ever remembered to go after the guy who actually stole adamantium from her family: Bullseye!

Granted, nobody wants to see Bullseye taken off the board. It's just a little silly that Deathstrike accidentally found Wolverine -- and completely forgot about the guy who deliberately dishonored her family in much the same way.

I'm not sure the Deathstrike/Bullseye rivalry has ever been fully explored in the years since. In 2015, Brian Cronin singled out the topic for his column on CBR, noting that they were teamed together with The Thunderbolts during Civil War!

In the absence of good references, we can assume there may have been unseen restitution and/or professional agreements between the two. It's still a wrinkle that could be very satisfying to see addressed if the opportunity arose, though. A crossfire for Daredevil to get caught between, should the opportunity for a few fun, easy to read issues ever arise.

That about brings us to the end of our entry. Before we go, I really must draw your attention to the cover of Alpha Flight #34. It's a pretty fantastic, early example of Mike Mignola before the heavy blacks and slumped poses have become trademark. You can see his strength for dramatic, epic staging, though. The pile of armored samurai look great - and the heroes look great on top of them! I still love that brown Wolverine costume!

We'll probably be talking a bit about the costume in Hero of the Week when we get the chance. February on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has been all about Wolverine in honor of the theatrical release of Logan - March 3rd!

If you'd like to find more feature fights like this, follow-ups, or involving the same characters - be sure to follow links throughout the post, or search by series in the Issue Index Archive! Seen something you like? Be sure to tell a friend, like & share via Facebook and Twitter, and or leave a comment!

Winners: Vindicator & Wolverine
#4 (--) Wolverine
#91 (+145) Vindicator (Heather Hudson)
#514 (new) Puck [+1 assist]
#836 (-279) Lady Deathstrike

EXILES versus AVENGERS
Avengers Forever: Part 1 of 2 (Marvel)
Where: Exiles #31 When: October 2003
Why: Judd Winick How: Jim Calafiore

The Story So Far...
The Exiles: chosen by the mysterious Timebroker to set right anomolies in the fabric of time and space. Recruited from a host of doomed dimensions, the group is transported from reality, to reality, charged with discovering the source of the shift, and fixing it.

With the departure of Blink (Earth-295); Mimic takes official lead of the team as they enter Earth-3931.
Here they discover a San Francisco reduced to a ghost town, the result of but one of many attacks by this Earth's greatest threat - the Avengers!

With the knowledge that history deviated during the Second World War, when Captain America was bitten by Baron Blood; the team seeks out the advice of Kenneth Chrichton - son of Montgomery Falsworth, and this world's Union Jack - in fulfiling their command to 'stop the Vampire King from releasing the enchantment that will enslave a city.'

Union Jack informs the team of a break-in at SHIELD, where the vampire Avengers acquired an ancient totem capable of mass transforming humans into vampires with the Macodibe Enchanetment. With intelligence on their side, the team arms themselves with hunting paraphernalia, and prepares for battle...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Mimic 5 (Superhuman)
Intelligence: Goliath 6 (Professor)
Speed: Captain America 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Mimic 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Nocturne 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Power: Polaris 5 (Lasers)


- The Exiles are: Mimic, Nocturne, Morph, Sunfire, Sasquatch, and Magik.

Under clandestine circumstances the original grouping of the Exiles was plucked from their respective realities by a being calling himself, the Timebroker. In truth, this was the manifested representation of a race of aliens who had inadvertently damaged timelines whilst discovering Panoptichron; a monitoring station that observes the infinite sprawl of the multiverse.

Unable to extend their influence personally, the Timebroker(s) first recruits into the interdimensional Exiles were: Calvin Rankin (Mimic-12), Clarice Ferguson (Blink-295), Magnus Lehnsherr (Magnus-27), Talia J. Wagner (Nocturne-2182), Kevin Sidney (Morph-1081), and John Proudstar (Thunderbird-1100).

- The Avengers are: Captain America, Falcon, Wasp, Goliath, Polaris, and Hawkeye.

Plotting against his half-brother, the Norse god of mischief, Loki, uses illusions to manipulate the rages of the green goliath known as the Hulk!
The scheme is intended to draw Thor into a combative trap, but Loki's plans come unravelled when a distress call from Rick Jones is picked up not only by Thor, but also the Wasp, Ant-Man, and Iron Man! Despite initial misunderstandings, the unlikely team forms an alliance and easily defeats the god of mischief - thus, the Avengers are born!

Though their adventures would see the roster subject to change, the growing number of associated heroes would only lend credence to the claim that they are Earth's mightiest heroes! United, the many iterations of the Avengers would face foes of minor, or cosmic natures, always willing to put their lives on the line for the greater good, a philosophy embodied by charter members like iconic early recruit, Captain America.

On Earth-3931; a tear in Captain America's chainmail famously changes the course of history, when Baron Blood successfully turns his nemesis into the walking dead, during World War II. The tainted Steve Rogers successfully killed the Baron and replaced him as vampire king. Eventually he comes to lead a vampiric version of the Avengers, with whom he lays waste to the world.

Math: Avengers Ranking: Captain America (#7)

What Went Down...
On the rooftops above San Francisco; the Avengers assemble on the lands that were once long ago the ancient temple of High Lord Kolock. Mere steps from enslaving humanity, the Avengers' plan go awry. Polaris is the first to fall beneath the pierce of a wooden stake, fired at range by Magik!

The team launches into battle with their unsuspecting foes, Sasquatch using her immense powers to ground the Falcon, while Morph does his best to swat Wasp!

Captain America mistakes Mimic for this world's heartless mercenary, as the new leader of the team combines the absorbed powers of Wolverine and Colossus, to slash at the Captain's invincible shield! He has little luck, feeling the full blunt force of the artifact as propelled by a Vampire King's strength!

A Goliath-sized Hank Pym man-handles Mariko, unaware of the mutant powers of Sunfire. Wrapped in his giant hands, she explodes with the intensity of a raging inferno, bursting free only to take one of Hawkeye's arrows to the soulder!
Magik arrives to lend a hand, throwing a kick at the archer, but his enhanced vampire strength is more than enough to punish the impetuous Russian.

Meanwhile; Heather Hudson, her world's Sasquatch, has both the Falcon and Goliath to contend with! Having recovered from Sunfire's heat-blast, Pym pounds his giant fist across Sasquatch's face, while Falcon uses his own vampire muscle to restrain the beast as best he can. In an effort to even the odds, Sasquatch pounds her foot down, sending the trio toppling to the floor below.

The scuffle between team leaders continues as a frustrated Captain America seeks answers from his heroic counterpart. Mimic lodges his objection to their plan to reduce humanity to mindless hordes, doing so with a Cyclops optic blast, and gashing slash at the Captain's shoulder! Though effective, it fails to slow the super-soldier, who uses his good arm to swing the shield into Mimic's throat!

Sunfire does her best to contend with the onset of Hawkeye, but is unable to hit the target with her flamethrowing. He takes great delight in sinking his fangs into the young Exile's throat, and in doing so, leaves himself wide open to a staking by Nocturne!

While Nocturne tends to her fallen teammate, Captain America gains the upperhand against Mimic! With a driving slam of his shield he topples the mutant, leaving him prone to a stomping from the once great American hero!
Rankin catches the shield before it drives downward into his body and retaliates with a stiff uppercut and a slash of his claws.

With tremendous reticence Mimic finds an opening - putting his retractable claws to a use familiar to their owner. The slash cuts through flesh and bone, removing Captain America's head in one fell swoop...

... Alas, the Captain's decapitated body begins to twitch and squirm, rising to retrieve it's head! As severed flesh meets severed flesh, the Vampire King begins to stitch himself back together, and in a mere instant, rises to fight once again!

The Hammer...
I think it's fair to say each Exile had enough involvement in the fight to share in a majority victory. Despite Captain America's resurrection, the killer blow struck by Mimic still stands!

October '08 in the Infinite Wars has thus far been all about vampires, but in following the fanged exploits of the Marvel Universe, we've almost inevitably wandered off the path into parallel potentials!

I know I'm not alone in being a big fan of the classic 'What If?' model!
We try to hover mostly around the core universes for the simplicity of their statistical value, but as a reader, there's much to be gained from a series like What if? or Exiles. As much as they're about the exploration of alternate universes, each issue has the potential to inform a fan on key events in the decades of stories that make up the Marvel Universe!

In documenting the many Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, we've encountered and accumulated a small catalogue of examples that follow the design that made the second series of What If? and issues of Exiles particularly enjoyable.

With the ability to feature the company's biggest stars, in some of their most significant incarnations, these series have an immediate appeal. High concepts can draw in even the most naive fans, whilst also educating them on key events described as crucial reference points to the creation of these new worlds.

I'm not sure this adheres strictly to our Spooktober agenda, but I image you could find a few furrowed brows who'd gladly tell you 'continuity' is too hard.
Remember to talk down to these poor fools who somehow think the minutia of sixty-years of history is required before opening the cover of stories that don't appear to meet any specific criteria, but probably don't have Spider-man on the cover. Their arguments are inconsistent; their brains tiny; and their hair probably unnecessarily unattractive. Do not to make eye contact, or give them any food.

If you've successfully managed to sneer away any distractions, or yourself are now ready to tackle the fictional premise of the 'alternate universe,' read on!

Earth-952: When the Silver Surfer fails to betray Galactus upon his arrival on this Earth, the FF flee, leaving him to battle the Avengers and Dr. Doom.
In this reality; Uatu's intervention results in his death, as does the Avengers' attempts to banish the world devourer. Only Wasp survives to aid the Fantastic Four, who ultimately leave behind their barren world to serve Galactus as heralds charged with locating non-sentient planets for consumption.
Based on events from Fantastic Four #48 (1966).

Earth-1610: Attempts to recreate the super-soldier serum that immortalized Captain America is responsible for giving birth to a host of heroes and villains, each a failure of replication, but unique powers in their own right. SHIELD controls much of these operations imprisoning the evil, and incorporating the managable into their hero initiative, the Ultimates. They, along with Professor Charles Xavier's secret group of mutants, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four, are this world's first major superhero teams. Independent heroes like Spider-man, Daredevil, Punisher, Hawk-Owl, and others, also populate this world of heroes.
Inspired by the 1960s origins of the Marvel Universe.

Earth-2149: A zombified Sentry escapes heaven, only to arrive in an alternate universe, where he quickly lays waste to the Avengers and begins the infection of an entire universe. Ash Williams, Spider-man, Punisher, Dazzler, Thor, and a host of other heroes attempt to halt the spread of the zombie plague, but all eventually fall. Magneto and the Acolytes are among the few survivors having secretly made a deal with the interloping Sentry. With the world in ruins, the super-powered zombies attain a new level of power when Silver Surfer and Galactus arrive on this world, only to be devoured themselves.
First seen in Ultimate Fantastic Four (2005); Based loosely on 70's Marvel.

Earth-9140: The X-Men's battle with Dracula ends with their deaths when Storm fails to redeem herself under the vampire's control.
When Dracula attempts to raise the defeated X-Men three nights later, he finds Wolverine uniquely resistant to his charms, and is subsequently replaced as Lord of Vampires. Wolverine's sinister rule goes unchallenged as he strategically kills or turns chosen heroes in New York City, while the Avengers are kept out by a quarantine. Here, only the Punisher remains to combat evil with the spiritual guidance of the deceased Dr. Strange.
Based on events from X-Men #159 (1982).

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 4

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