AVENGERS versus THANOS

(Marvel)
Where: Free Comic Book Day Civil War II #1 When: May 2016 Why: Brian Michael Bendis How: Jim Cheung

The Story So Far...
An Inhuman known as Ulysses Cain may hold the secrets to the impending future! In an effort to verify his ominous visions, Inhuman Queen Medusa accompanies him to The Triskelion for further testing under the watchful eye of Black Panther and The Ultimates.

Upon his arrival, Ulysses is suddenly confronted with a glimpse into an oncoming threat: Thanos is coming!

The Mad Titan aims to claim a Cosmic Cube from Project PEGASUS, but as he teleports towards their secluded Mount Athena base in New York -- a powerful assembly of Avengers prepares to greet him with extreme prejudice!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thanos 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Black Panther 5 (Professor)
Speed: Photon 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Thanos 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Black Panther 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Thanos 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Human Torch 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Thanos 34 (Super)

The Avengers are: Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Ms. America, Spectrum, Blue Marvel, She-Hulk, Dazzler, Medusa, Crystal, Human Torch, and War Machine.

It might be a tad glib to call them "The Avengers". More accurately, we have various solo heroes joining representatives of then-current lineups for The Ultimates, A-Force, and Inhumans. Avengers, by any other name...

They're up against one of the deadliest villains in the cosmic canon! Forget what you might've heard about altruistic balance and preservation of life. Thanos will always be The Mad Titan whose lust for Death nearly destroyed the universe!

When he famously formed The Infinity Gauntlet, he became nigh omnipotent, wiping out half of all life in existence to impress Lady Death. When the surviving heroes came to confront him, his true sadism emerged! Various heroes met a twisted end, including She-Hulk, who was consumed by some type of growth.

She-Hulk's the only one of today's heroes we've seen go against Thanos before. Despite her demise that day, she showed potential for getting some serious shots in! Iron Man was one of the heroes also there, but his example of an unceremonious decapitation isn't the most promising one for War Machine.

Thanos doesn't have any Infinity Stones in today's battle, which at least means War Machine should be able to leave a mark! Human Torch might fare better than Firelord, as well. Johnny went mostly unnoticed by Gladiator in Fantastic Four #249, but turned up the heat enough to burn Ego The Living Planet in Fantastic Four #235. The potential to go nova could scorch even Thanos!

Captain Marvel is the real ace up this team's sleeve. We've seen her Kree-infused powers mix it up with the uber-powerful Collective in New Avengers #17, a Dormammu-powered Hood in New Avengers #54, and a giant Agamotto-possessed Luke Cage in New Avengers (Vol.2) #2!

At this point in time, Carol Danvers is once again juiced to the max and powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with cosmic powers! That could give her the best shot at recreating Drax's killing blow against Thanos, seen in Annihilation #4! I don't imagine Thanos will be nearly as accommodating this time, though.

It took the remains of a Cosmic Cube to stop Thanos when he was resurrected anew in Guardians of the Galaxy #25! His naked rampage took down the entire Guardians lineup, including Drax, Groot, and Moondragon! He also didn't even break a sweat when turning on Terrax during an inter-dimensional scheme seen in Green Lantern/Silver Surfer!

Even without that Infinity Gauntlet, we know Thanos is as serious a threat as they come! He can be defeated, but will the pre-cognition of Ulysses give this assembly of heroes the advantage they need to do the deed? Let's find out!

The Tape: Avengers Ranking: Thanos (#9)

What Went Down...
True to the prophetic vision of the Inhuman Ulysses -- a purple beam of light signals the arrival of Thanos! Though unprepared for an Avengers ambush, he is heavily armed with sophisticated weaponry and immediately resists arrest!

The descending group of heroes are quickly dispersed by the gun's powerful blast. Captain Marvel absorbs its deadly energies. The Human Torch stays airborne and maneuvers to be the first to immediately strike back!

Swooping behind his target, The Human Torch bathes Thanos in an intense flame! There's no need to hold back against a foe as powerful and resilient as The Mad Titan -- but his fire can only blaze so hot with friends nearby.

The Torch's former Fantastic Four teammate She-Hulk ignores the burn and rushes in to dive tackle Thanos from behind! The bold move succeeds in scoring a takedown, but The Mad Titan swears this day will mark her death.

She-Hulk grapples with the burning Thanos before Captain Marvel calls her shot and unleashes a massive blast of photonic energy!

The explosive energy pushes She-Hulk clear. Dazzler joins in, enthusiastically pouring on the power with more energy blasts. With Thanos pinned down, Captain Marvel calls in War Machine for a second wave of artillery fire!

Reeling from the awesome display of power, Thanos wonders how the Avengers could be ready with such a coordinated attack. He doesn't have long to contemplate before Medusa ensnares him in blinding, suffocating curls of hair!

War Machine is still firing munitions when Thanos manages to gain purchases of Medusa's living locks and hurls her toward the armored Avenger!

The collision throws War Machine's targeting off, sending a wayward missile into the chest of She-Hulk! The Colonel moves in to check on his friendly fire victim, letting his guard down for just a moment -- a fatal decision!

Thanos seizes his opportunity -- rushing through flames to drive his massive fist into the armored but prone mid-section of War Machine! A killing blow!

As Captain Marvel and Black Panther watch on in horror, Thanos turns to his opponents with a sinister grin and demands his Cosmic Cube. They respond.

Captain Marvel, Spectrum, and Blue Marvel launch an all-out assault! Their awesome powers create a wall of energy that hammers the Titan from all sides!

For a moment he faces into Captain Marvel's raw power, stumbles into Dazzler's pink bursts, feels Black Panther's claws slice at the back of his neck, is caught from behind by Blue Marvel's force bolts, takes Spectrum's best to his face!

The devastating gauntlet leaves Thanos a stumbling, smoldering mess. He has no defense as Captain Marvel moves in to deliver a devastating uppercut!

The finishing blow launches Thanos across the battlefield, leaving him lying unconscious amidst the flames. Captain Marvel rushes to cradle a bloodied War Machine. Black Panther & Blue Marvel tend to a barely breathing She-Hulk.

The Hammer...
The Avengers defeated Thanos, but at what price comes victory? War Machine is dead, and She-Hulk in critical condition! Such dire stakes can only signal the beginning of yet another major Marvel Comics event...

I come into this one with some pretty strong biases. Ten years removed from the gratuitous murder of Goliath in Civil War #4 -- the novelty has long since lost its flavor. By this point, I'm largely beyond caring about the majority of crossover events, let alone their obligatory superhero deaths.

Truth be told, the bloom was off the rose for Marvel's blockbusters by the time Siege rolled out in 2010. That story functioned as a reunion of Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor, mopping up lingering consequences of the original Civil War, specifically its villain-centric aftermath: the period known as "Dark Reign".

Dark Reign had been a refreshing exploration of ideas organically grandfathered in through the post-Civil War and Secret Invasion landscapes. It was anchored around monthly Avengers titles, rather than a single dedicated event-series. Sadly, Siege was to bring that pleasing break in action to a much-hyped end.

Siege ultimately cobbled together mayhem and carnage in four unfortunately lackluster key issues, and various focused tie-ins. It played like a perfunctory ticking of two to three major editorial boxes, most notably: The removal of Norman Osborn as Marvel's ultimate arch-villain, and the emphatic killing of The Sentry, which reads like a meta-textual in-joke. Even with a reduced four issue core, these simple beats couldn't sustain a series, resulting in a messy, joyless counterpart to DC's better built, superhero war-time smorgasbord of Final Crisis.

The palpable tedium of Siege should've seen Marvel close the door on events for a fair while, but instead, the publisher went into event overdrive in the years that followed. It hasn't even been a decade since Siege -- yet Cap, Iron Man, and Thor have all been split-up, pitted against heroes, maimed, and killed more than once! Only to reenact another mock reunion before doing it all over again.

They've shared the 'death bench' with many high-profile heroes in that time, all of whom died and returned within a couple of years. The endless cycle of kill, rinse, repeat leaving the Marvel Universe stinking of its own meaningless decay.

Civil War itself was an obvious template for many of these deaths and event series, which made it even more difficult to feel like a 10th anniversary sequel was worth the while. In 2016 it was a major motion sequel to Captain America: The Winter Soldier. How can I miss Civil War if it never goes away?

No surprises then that I'm still not very interested in Civil War II's hero-on-hero conflict, or the Inhumans-fuelled take on Minority Report. Here comes the twist, however. because I've got to say the Free Comic Book Day launch issue is actually a very satisfying read!

It would, of course, be foolish to assume macro grievances belie any quality publishing. There's usually something to like on the bill. In this case, time away from Marvel's jumbled brands, and bloodthirsty event schedule, probably helped enhance the simple pleasures that make FCBD Civil War II #1 so enjoyable.

The pros are easily distilled: It starts with some nice character interaction, lays the groundwork for the moral quandary ahead, and features a big battle with an A-list villain that goes to conclusion. It's a pretty satisfying done-in-one read!

There are obvious questions left to be answered, but the FCBD issue avoids reading like a trailer for coming attractions. Impressive, since that's really the primary function these promotional free issues serve.

For a lapsed reader, some of the fun is simply in seeing old favourites together again. I got a real kick out of seeing FF alum She-Hulk, Human Torch, Medusa, and Black Panther together again, and kicking ass. Most get their moment.

As alluded to in The Tape; this was a period of Marvel history where corporate malevolence, and editorial malaise, had led a lot of established brands to erode meaning. This isn't technically an Avengers assembly, so much as a gathering of representatives of The Ultimates, A-Force, and Inhumans. The fact that these divisions are essentially meaningless is actually helpful in an isolated case.

Jim Cheung does a great job delivering the action that comprises the majority of the piece. Each character gets their moment in clear sequence, with big action beats given room to shine. There's a tremendous sense of space and reality, but with that comes both good and bad. It's easy to track what's going on, but it sometimes feels a little small scale. The intense, inescapable red/blue palette also contributes to an impression of a murky lot of one thing in one place.

Movie stardom means Thanos is as strong as ever, even though he's here to be the fall guy. It was a little weird that he comes in looking like Cable with guns strapped all over his body. I don't think that's a visual joke about Josh Brolin's dual live-action roles, but you never know. It doesn't matter much, as Thanos is quickly forced to fend for himself, sans cannons. He puts up a helluva fight, but after several years of promotional exploitation, he was ripe for being beaten in the prologue.

Of the lineup present to arrest Thanos, it makes good sense that Captain Marvel gets the knock-out blow. You could make a case for other characters, but she's the best equipped, and most primed to take the story forward. I don't know how well her conflict with Iron Man stands up to Cap's in 2006, but the fact it isn't simply a straight repeat of the earlier disagreement is appreciated.

I didn't know Carol Danvers had a romantic relationship with War Machine prior to reading this. Given their affiliations with Tony Stark, and history as military personnel, it seems like a pretty natural coupling. It's dangled unsubtly in the first few pages, milked to provide extra emotional context for what's coming.

I'd be lying if I said there was any real joy in witnessing the death of War Machine. Cheung is asked to convey a precise misstep in motion, and the net result makes War Machine look a little silly. The fact that the killing blow comes from a villain as credible as Thanos helps mitigate the goofiness. Without that, it flirts with the unintentional comedy of Hawkeye's needless self-sacrifice in the earlier Avengers Disassembled. Ultimately, tangled hair and bumping into a teammate is a pretty undignified end for a seasoned hero like War Machine.

Ten years on from Civil War, they seem to be trading on a character of greater notoriety than Goliath, but to what end? Frankly, it seems like a transparent decision to remove one African-American Iron Man alternate, to make way for a new one, the future Ironheart.

The race of the two Civil Wars fatalities may be coincidence, but as the latter participates in clumsy efforts to address the imbalance of representation, the self-defeating fallacy of the decision becomes all the more clear. Indelicate decisions like these only hobbled efforts to introduce a new generation of diverse young heroes, mortgaging the past for an unearned future.

War Machine had long, frustrating lulls of inaction throughout his published history, but remained grounded by those early stories that built a relationship with Tony Stark, and the Avengers. It always seemed there was plenty more to do with the character.

Given Tony Stark was destined to be the major scalp for Civil War II, the potential for Rhodey to continue to play a natural role in the development of Ironheart just seems obvious. They would both be scarred by his demise. The emergence of a new armored hero would naturally draw Rhodey back to action. His potential as a mentor figure would then seem natural more than cliché, building Riri Williams a strong foundation in the Marvel Universe. Oh well!

Want to put the pieces into greater context for yourself? You can pick up a trade paperback of Civil War II, which includes the Free Comic Book Day special and complete mini-series! Shop using the Amazon link embedded and they'll support the site at no cost to you! Who could possibly go to war over that?

Think I need to take a closer look at the rest of Civil War II? Let me know in the comments, or while you're following Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Twitter and Facebook. There, you'll also find daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day! You can also deep dive into the Secret Archive to discover more!

We always finish with the verdict and rankings update. Captain Marvel clearly delivered the knock-out blow, but under examination, a team effort kept Thanos off balance, and led to his defeat. So the win is shared.

Winners: Captain Marvel, Spectrum, Blue Marvel, Black Panther, Dazzler, She-Hulk & Human Torch (w/ War Machine, Ms. America, Medusa & Crystal)
#45 (+28) Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers)
#12 (+2) Human Torch
#37 (+14) Black Panther
#134 (+260) She-Hulk
#151 (+281) Spectrum (Monica Rambeau)
#174 (+305) Dazzler
#327 (new) Blue Marvel
#124 (+1) War Machine [+1 assist]
#344 (+5) Medusa [+1 assist]
#434 (-1) Crystal [+1 assist]
#558 (new) Ms. America (America Chavez) [+1 assist]
#10 (-1) Thanos [+1 kill]

HERO OF THE WEEK: WAR MACHINE (Marvel)
Real Name: James Rhodes
First Appearance: Iron Man #118 (January, 1979)
Fight Club Ranking: #105

Featured Fights:
- vs BLACKLASH: Marvel Team-Up #145 (Sep 1984)
- vs FIN FANG FOOM: Iron Man #271 (Aug 1991)
- vs CHARNAL: What If...? #54 (Oct 1993)
- vs IRON MAN: Iron Man #310 (Nov 1994)
- vs MANDARIN & THE AVATARS: Iron Man #312 (Jan 1995)

About the only hard and fast rule of Hero of the Week is that a character can only appear once a year. The staggered global theatrical release of Captain America: Civil War is still the big story in my view, but most of the feature players demanding attention have already received their honors: Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther, Spider-man and Winter Soldier -- all previous HOTW's.

War Machine hasn't been front and centre in the film's promotion for a while, but he's a character I've been thinking about this week. Thar be movie spoilers ahead, so you may want to set sail for Cap 3 before you dock in port! (Not sure why we went nautical with that analogy, but there you go).

If you've been reading this year's Hero of the Week entries, you know I tend to view the Marvel cinematic universe as being built with seconds in-place. The headlining acts of Iron Man and Captain America both have their one-time comic book replacements beside them (War Machine and Winter Soldier, respectively). Thor has Lady Sif, with potential for Beta Ray Bill opened by the cosmic Guardians of the Galaxy: they themselves seconds of a sort. Hollywood back-ups for mortal actors who've been mostly compliant throughout Marvel's success, but may not always be.

As we've learned in recent weeks: Robert Downey Jr has flipped his briefly precarious position. He's now more hot than cold with regards to future appearances - confirmed for Spider-man: Homecoming and even flirting with the concept of an Iron Man 4! It's a change of pace that challenges the need for an understudy, especially with a new generation of heroes already burgeoning. In a world where you can count on your original Iron Man, what's the future of War Machine?

When trailers flirted with the prospect of War Machine being the sacrificial lamb of cinema's Civil War -- the Goliath or Cap of the movie version -- it at least raised the question of the character's mortality. It turns out Rhodey was actually just very badly injured in Cap 3 - paralyzed by friendly fire. Like Tony Stark, War Machine's now a part of his tech - dependent on an exoskeleton to walk.

We've seen the films devise and drop perils before, but this one feels like it might stick. Spinal injury is something that struck Tony Stark down, in the comics. Interesting that they'd play that card with War Machine. Is it to launch into an exciting new era of the mechanical man - or is this sidelining a hero who never quite lived up to his potential? A far cry from the early days, when I really believed he'd be a convenience for the then-whispered rumor of film Avengers.

When Stark was paralyzed in the comics, he designed and built remote robotics to pilot the Iron Man armor. Appropriating that idea for the air force officer could give him a point of difference to the other armored hero. Especially if he were able to operate multiple suits by remote, or new types of Iron Man designs, like the Sentinel meets Evangelion type he used in the late 2000s.

The fact that the paralyzing injury was dealt by a Stark creation (Vision) during Stark's (Civil) war could also be the seed from which new resentments grow. In the comics, Stark and Rhodes have had severe fallings out. We saw that idea played with in Iron Man 2 - the movie that introduced War Machine as a product of the US Air Force, and pitted the two against one another, before they teamed up for a cluttered finale. It would seem awful soon to do hero-vs-hero again, but it would at least be a more personal story - fodder for Iron Man 4, perhaps.

What ever happens in the future, I hope we get to see more out of War Machine. This seems like the perfect opportunity to get him out of Iron Man's shadow and into a strong new direction.

I highly recommend checking out a couple of the classic featured fights (linked top) for more! If you're hungry for more Civil War, check out Old Comics Wednesday: Captain America and more updates in May!

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Hero of the Week #29: War Machine

WAR MACHINE (Marvel)
Real Name: James Rhodes
First Appearance: Iron Man #118 (January, 1979)
Group Affiliation: United States Military
Gaming Credentials: Marvel Super Heroes (1995); Marvel vs Capcom 2 (2000); Marvel Ultimate Alliance (2006); Iron Man (2008); Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (2009); Marvel Super Hero Squad (2009); Iron Man 2 (TBR)
Infinite Wars Cumulative Ranking: #100

Once again we find ourselves looking toward 2010 with a Hero of the Week that has garnered mass attention this week, but for something that won't happen for another 100+ days. I am, of course, referring to the monumental online release of the Iron Man 2 trailer, which sets the stage for the May release of the much anticipated sequel. As you would expect of a project of this nature, there's a video game tie-in on the way, which was the basis of the more obvious HOTW: Iron Man feature, which hit back in September. The game (infamously) features dialogue by Iron Man comics writer, Matt Fraction.

Considering the first movie ran through a rapidfire upgrade cycle that condensed forty-years of comic book armor designs into about an hour of film -- you probably haven't found yourself doubting the necessity of a War Machine. Why would you? In the world of the movies, the benefits of upgrading the armor technology are right there in front of you. If you have, however, found yourself asking what extra bang you're going to get for your buck, then you might look to the comics for a little advice...

Although War Machine (aka; Jim "Rhodey" Rhodes) appears only briefly in the trailer, it speaks to two of the great strengths of the character. Okay, one of those is being a greyscaled Iron Man with giant rocket blasters and guns stuck all over him, but the other is the man inside the armor, who makes similarly brief appearances in the trailer, but can benefit from the overall tone of the preview.

In the comics, Rhodey was inserted as a soldier during the Vietnam War who teamed up with Iron Man while he was still wandering the jungles around Vietcong camps having had a lethal piece of shrapnel suspended in his chest by super-magnets. This is the kind of foundation that lies beneath the relationship between Tony Stark and Rhodes, and why, throughout the eighties and nineties, Rhodes was entrusted to share and uphold the mantle of Iron Man, himself.

Rhodes remained an integral part of Tony Stark's internal entourage for two decades before the War Machine struck out on his own. It'll be interesting to see how some of this interplay finds it's way into the movie, particularly if there's more than overwhelming odds in terms of firepower, and a little demon in a bottle working it's way into Stark's life, to force Rhodes to take the helm.

In the games, War Machine might've been largely relegated to cameos as a colour swap for the Iron Man armor, but hopefully with Don Cheadel stepping in for a less-than-impressive Terrence Howard, we'll get a look at a character on even-pegging with the titular hero. That's certainly what you'll find if you check out current issues of Invincible Iron Man, where Rhodey's been lending a hand to Pepper Potts, Bucky Barnes, Dr. Donald Blake, and Captain America, as they attempt to rebuild the fractured psyche of a vegetable Tony Stark, who inflicted this horrible fate upon himself to protect all whose secret identities he knew from Iron Patriot's Dark Reign! (Trust me, it's not as complicated as it sounds!) You'll also find a special Iron Man vs Whiplash mini-series building up the new Mickey Rourke villain that combines elements of classic foes, Crimson Dynamo and Blacklash!

That's about all you'll get outta me tonight.
Check out the trailer [above] and soak it up. I'd like to say I was giddy with excitement, but I'm really not. You'll find more of my thoughts on the Iron Man franchise over on the Infinite Wars, and more of my thoughts in general, in the Pop Arts: Best of 2009 post. Happy Holidays!

<< Hero of the Week 12/27: The Hood       [Home]       Hero of the Week 12/13: Two-Face >>

Originally posted: http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9013832

IRON MAN versus WAR MACHINE
Friends... And Other Enemies (Marvel)
Where: Iron Man #310 When: November 1994
Why: Len Kaminski How: Tom Morgan

The Story So Far...
Suffering a life-threatening condition that rendered his nervous system on the brink of collapse; Tony Stark fakes his death in order to retreat from the world, and his many enemies, in an effort to isolate himself during the pursuit of a cure.

Eventually Stark reveals his ruse to the world, but not everyone is pleased to see the playboy billionaire industrialist back among the living. After decades of struggle and servitude, including lengthy bouts as a substitute Iron Man; James Rhodes takes exception to be excluded from Stark's inner-circle of aids. Despite the industrialist's best efforts to patch their relationship, including the indefinite pledge of the War Machine armor to his partner, they are unable to reconcile.

Simmering tensions continue between the pair, eventually reaching boiling point when Rhodes finds himself in need of aid from the inventor of his damaged suit. Embittered and unwilling to put aside their differences, Stark opts to decommission the War Machine, but Jim Rhodes has other ideas...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Iron Man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Iron Man 6 (Generator)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting Ability: Draw 4 (Training)
Energy Power: Draw 5 (Lasers)


- While on a field tour to observe the effects of weaponry designed by his corporation for the United States military; billionaire industrialist, Tony Stark, soon finds himself face-to-face with the bold consequences of his actions.
Caught in a rebel booby trap, Stark suffers a near fatal wound that lodges a piece of shrapnel inches from his heart. The rebels take Stark hostage to demand he apply his genius to the design and construction of weapons built from their limited resources. In doing so, they provide Stark the means to construct a suit of armor that preserves his heart, and turns him into an invincible Iron Man!

Stark's mastery over technology allows him to bring his designs home, where the availability of rapidly upgrading technologies allow him to continue to refine the build to become increasingly mobile and efficient. Stark soon dons the Iron Man armor on a regular basis, not only as insurance against his life threatening injuries, but as an opportunity to atone for the wanton destruction delt by his weapons of death. Stark protects his secrets through the duality of a secret identity, projecting to the world the image of Iron Man as a hi-tech bodyguard.

Advancements in Stark's arsenal have advanced to a point where he has now undergone cybernetic synthesis on a genetic level. The armor now not only provides him with superhuman strength and an array of offensive weapons, but also gives Stark full wireless control over the armor and other peripheral devices, as well as access to information databases, including SHIELD resources under his control as Director of SHIELD. Iron Man remains a staple of the Avengers roster.

- When US helicopter pilot James Rhodes found himself shotdown behind enemy lines, he could never have imagined the way his life would be changed. Having just escaped the clutches of his kidnappers, an armored Tony Stark stumbled upon Rhodes in the jungle, and as Iron Man, helped aid their mutual rescue.

Promised employment as a pilot by Iron Man's "employer", Rhodes fullfilled his obligations with the US military, before taking up the offer. As an employee of Stark Industries; Rhodes developed a close relationship with Tony Stark persisting through the playboy's battle with alcoholism, and the reveal of his identity as the armored avenger, Iron Man. This relationship leads to Rhodes donning the Iron Man armor himself for extended periods, before eventually inheriting a specialist suit dubbed, the War Machine.

As War Machine; Rhodes possesses much the same abilities as Iron Man, including dramatically enhanced strength, endurance, onboard tactical systems, and advanced weaponry. Though subject to variation, the War Machine was originally idenitifed by it's increased durability and arsenal of weaponry.

The Math: Iron Man Ranking: Iron Man (#3)

What Went Down...
Having been confronted by his once best-friend [in War Machine #8], Iron Man uses a trigger word to deactivate the War Machine suit. To his surprise, the override proves ineffective, the result of one of Rhodes' few customizations in the light of a previous encounter with similar results.

War Machine springs from his back, launching into a devestating blow that topples the Iron Man with authority! Rhodes challenges Stark to take him down the old fashioned way, to which his rival seems happy to pledge the original flavoured armor. A blast of repulsor rays soon explains his indulgence.

The Mandarin secretly observes the battle with glee, factoring his own machinations into the equaton, while the two armored heroes continue to mercilessly stretch the limits of their suits.
Stark continues his assault with little forethought for the intervention of more conventional enemies, unleashing the physical brutality of the suit's strength enhancements, as well as his patented repulsor ray blasts.

Iron Man presses his dominance, taking full advantage of maneuvrable superiority to attack the War Machine in flight with a dropping kick attack. The pair battle across the Stark Industries compound, taking the battle airborne when Iron Man launches himself with a missle-like tackle!

The pair spiral around each other, heading skyward as Iron Man continues to batter the War Machine like scrap metal. Having suffered a majority of the violence, Rhodes finally turns the tables on his counterpart, returning the battle to earth with a super-charged toss!

An Iron Man-shaped crater gets a little deeper as War Machine descends earthbound, colliding with the floored Iron Man with maximum impact!
Now suddenly on the ropes, Iron Man suffers a two-pronge attack of a devestating left hook that launches him into the air, and an emotional piledriver regarding Stark's perceived betrayal with his faked death.

With a hint of regret, Iron Man reminds that he's suffered considerably less damage throught the course of the fight. A repulsor blast topples the looming War Machine, but even as the pair anticipate their counter measures, a third party enters the fray to blast them both with a focused EMP!

Bethany Cabe, former girlfriend of Tony Stark and head of Stark Enterprises security, shows on the scene to put a stop to the lunkheaded feud between the armored heroes. Her strategy pacifies the situation, but goes pear shaped when the opportunity for verbal resolution is interrupted by the arrival of the Mandarin!

The Hammer...
When it comes to superheroes, you don't always get a clear cut resolution to a fight. In such circumstances it's up to the experienced discretion of the Infinite Wars judges to determine whether a fight be deemed a draw, or awarded on points. The latter is the case here, with Iron Man having held a dominant control throughout the fight, despite an aborted conclusion. No thanks to Bethany Cabe!

For those of you wondering what went down between IM, War Machine, and the Mandarin, you should scoot over to our review of Iron Man #312! Or, if you're too lazy to do that, rest assured that all any troubled relationship really needs is the healing intervention of an insane, mystic, technophobic, ecological terrorist!

This lagging entry into our month of Iron Man provides an interesting bridge between the developing interplay between Tony Stark and James Rhodes in the feature film; and the tumultous relationships experienced by Tony Stark in the pages of Marvel comics over the past few years.

PR and distracting mini-series have managed to gradually smooth over some of the malice felt toward the Iron Man character, post-Civil War.
Well documented was the divide in the Marvel Universe that, though not necessarily intended, painted a politically reactionary Stark as the antagonist to Captain America's ideaological rebel. Stark was arguably in the right, certainly from a real-world perspective, but never the less, you couldn't argue that the management of situations went considerably pear-shaped, even if only taking into account the fatalities of heroes like Black Goliath, and Cap himself.

Agree with the politics or not, we've discussed previously the notion that the volatile turn in Stark's relationship with his fellows (like Captain America), and the absorbed perspective from which he approached the situation, was not at all out of character. In the case of his rivalry with War Machine, I dare say it was Stark who had the emotional high ground, but I think this is just one of many back issues that lend weight to the theory that Iron Man has always been a self-absorbed user.

More pertinent to the point is the backstory between Rhodes and Stark, which includes Iron Man's character-defining battle with alcoholism, and his reliance upon, and abuse of his friendships. As by extension of his alcohol abuse, Stark has long had a penchant for pulling supporting characters into his problems with a self-important gravity.

Splinters in the Rhodes/Stark relationship go back quite a ways, dealing certainly with issues of inadequacy in the former. Division between the characters, however, never struck me as quite as real as after Stark faked his death.
Given that the industrialist was isolating himself to cure a life-threatning condition, it's difficult to fully relate to Rhodes' reaction, but when you consider the unnerving decades of dedication and servitude Rhodes had shouldered, the emotional response at least benefits from the weight of that history.

Like steps from a pamphlette, Stark attempts to smooth the situation over by buying off his friend, but it's not to be.

I do wonder how these relationships will evolve for the flim version of the characters. While the subject didn't seem to be particularly prominent, director Jon Favreau didn't particularly shy away from the prospect of a poignant onscreen battle with alcohol for Robert Downey Jr. One wonders if the inherent distance between the film versions might lend to a similar breakdown and physical confrontation. Fanboys certainly know to expect Terrence Howard in the armor sooner or later, with the film telegraphing such intentions with wanton regard for the fourth-wall.

I think one of the most intriguing struggles for these films will be the balance between suspension of disbelief, and the continued consistency of the Iron Man franchise. While there are plenty of IM villains to go around, most tend to revolve either around the juxtaposition of the fantastic to IM's technology, or flatout knock-offs that pit tech V tech -- something already achieved with Iron Monger.
If indeed another armor war is to feature, you'd have to think it should carry some sort of additional weight, like an internal rivalry between Stark and Rhodes.

I'm a big War Machine fan, and it's nice to come back to the character!
I haven't been reading Avengers: Initiative, but I'm sure for those of you looking to get more of the character, it's nice to know it's out there. I certainly hope the character can be reintegrated into a more prominent role in the Marvel Universe, akin to the titular role he held during this period of comics.

I wouldn't argue against War Machine's role as an Initiative trainer, but I do have a special affection for the superhero side of these characters. What can you do?

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 5

Find yourself wanting more Iron Man? Be sure to track back through the Secret Archives and absorb all facets of the character, be they the superhero, the Avenger, the industrialist, or the arsehole! If you'd like to get some of that action for yourself, be sure to check out the Infinite Wars Amazonian Gift Shoppe! Amazon offers a great range of titles and prices, and with every purchase you make via the links, you help sponsor the Infinite Wars! Yay!

THE MANDARIN versus IRON MAN
Hands of the Mandarin Part 6 of 6 (Marvel comics)
Where: Iron Man #312 When: January 1995
Why: Len Kaminski How: Tom Morgan

The story so far...
Iron Man and War Machine are forced to put their growing differences aside, and team together with the other members of Force Works to face The Mandarin at the very height of powers.

In possession of the mystic Heart of Darkness, The Mandarin has summoned elemental avatars to aid him in his war on technology. More powerful than ever, the Heart of Darkness allows him to create an anti-technology field of energy that is expanding ever more outward from his base in Hong Kong.

Also in possession of Century's mysterious Parallax weapon, the Mandarin sits poised to rule the globe in a time of fear and confusion. Only Iron Man and Force Works can put a stop to his terror, but can the tech hero withstand Mandarin's might? Or is this the end of the era of the invincible Iron Man?

Previous Form:
Iron Man (#4): Victories against Diablo, Hulk, Captain America, She-Hulk & Titanium Man.
The Mandarin: Has not yet been featured on the site.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Iron Man 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Iron Man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Iron Man 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Iron Man 6 (Generator)
Agility: Iron Man 2 (Average)
Fighting Ability: Iron Man 4 (Trained Fighter)
Energy Powers: Mandarin 6 (Mass Destruction)


In all the entries we've had over the year and a half of Infinite Wars, I think this might be the most one sided tape we've ever broken down. It's actually really quite surprising how statistically removed the two characters are, given than Mandarin fairly comfortably holds the title of arch-nemesis to Iron Man.

Unlike a lot of more classically archetypal arch-villains; Mandarin represents much less of a reflection to Iron Man, resonating more as the opposite end of the scale. Their dramatic tensions, which manifest themselves quite literally in some stories (such as this one), are the theories of the [super]-natural versus the technological.

The Mandarins power rings are alien in origin, but represent the more metaphysical and super natural version of any kind of alien technology. This is in stark [hah!] contrast to Iron Man's powers, which are entirely self-sufficient, terran in origin, and produced by the will of human engineering.

This dichotomy means the two are considerably more versatile in their fields than their other. Iron Man represents the superior physical adversary, while the Mandarin controls X-factors like the various energy constructs and phenomena produced by his rings, as well as the summoning of beasts and minions such as Fin Fang Foom [as seen in Iron Man #271].

The tape would have you believe this is all Iron Man, but the strength of Mandarin's entry on that final stat -- energy powers -- makes him more than a worthy adversary!

The Math: Iron Man (Super Class)
The Pick: Iron Man

What went down...
The Mandarin casts his horrible visage above the terrified citizens of Hong Kong, as Iron Man and the members of Force Works stand amidst the carnage and destruction of the city.

The gleeming red and yellow knight of technology leaves his teammates behind to take to the skies, swearing to defend the modern era against Mandarin's desires for an age of darkness. The Mandarin is unimpressed, declaring himself cast by destiny to destroy all Iron Man represents and stands for.

Iron Man offers up a taste of technology's powers, firing all guns blazing at the ghostly representation of his arch-nemesis. Mandarin scowls at Iron Man's feeble attempts, channeling his own energies through his apparition to send the golden avenger plummeting Earth-bound into the wreckage of Hong Kong.

Failing beneath the massive energies he wields, Mandarin becomes dazed, not yet the master of his godhood. He uses the last of his immediate power to use Century's Parallax staff to teleport himself to the safety of his castle lair, before collapsing from exhaustion.

Tony Stark reconvenes with his teammates to strategize. He eventually seeks out the aid of Su Yin, a scientist who very nearly had a hand in his death thanks to the invention of a techno-organic virus. The virus now makes the basis of the artificial nervous system that sustains his mobility, but Stark puts the scientists available to work to develop it as a potential weapon against the Mandarin.

Force Works do battle with the elemental Avatars, before Iron Man arrives in the streets to do the unthinkable -- he surrenders!

Before the US Agent's objections can give away the gambit, Iron Man pleads for the Mandarin to free his people in exchange for his peaceful surrender. Delighted by the submission, he gladly has his Avatars snatch his foe, and teleports them back to his castle.

Inside the castle, Tony Stark finds himself the victim of the Mandarin's anti-technology field that renders his suit little more than a glorified tin costume.

The Mandarin illustrates some connection with his reality, exercising caution in accepting Iron Man's surrender. Iron Man plays the understanding foe, agreeing he too would procede with suspicion, knowing fullwell of his own deception.

Iron Man claims that when he was blasted from the sky by the Mandarin's god-like power, he reached an epiphany. He claims he was humbled, and faced the realization that he had dedicated his life to technology under the illusion of being it's master, all the while truly being little more than a slave.

Despite the glimmer of truth in his words, Anthony Stark is unable to convince the Mandarin with mere words. Iron Man compells him to lift the unlocked visor on his helmet, and allow him to see the truth that lies within his eyes.
"Yes. I shall. As I said before, I would see your face -- when you DIE!"

With Tony Stark's face revealed to him, the Mandarin slaps it with the backhand of his green fist. Convinced of a great ruse, the Mandarin prepares to do away with his enemy once and for all, but without warning, he chokes on his words.

As Mandarin begins to feel the effects of the ruse, Iron Man reveals the techno-organic virus infecting and aging him laced the faceplate he so eagerly opened.

Desperate, the Mandarin reaches out to his Avatar, Deluge, but the agent of the Heart of Darkness burns at his tainted touch, crumbling to ash and a smouldering mask. Withering and aging, the evil sorceror crawls toward the Heart of Darkness, making one last plea for salvation for his servitude.

The Mandarin's techno-infected hand meets with the mystic object, resulting in a reaction of epic proportions. Science and sorcery collide, hurling the great energies of the Heart of Darkness out of the castle, and into the night sky. It leaves Iron Man, alone with the Parallax staff, and a world of technology.

The hammer...
Originally I expected to skip over much of the middle bits, but since it all fell into place, I'm going to give this one to Iron Man and the assist to Force Works. Victorious over Mandarin and his Avatar henchman.

You'll notice, if you've been following Marvel Ultimate Alliance Mondays, that there's a substantial number of villains I've skipped over, by now. For the most part that's because I either don't have any of their battles in my feeble collection, or at the very least, nothing of significance. Which strikes me as somehow odd as I reflect on my lifelong investment in the medium, and more importantly, the characters.

The same could be said of The Mandarin, who, despite being among the most enduring villains in the Marvel universe, makes maybe three appearances in the entirety of my collection. Which just seems pathetic! Still, I suppose it's avoided serious storage issues through my youth...

Big things lie on the horizon for The Mandarin!
Aside from appearing in Ultimate Alliance, the character has just featured in the DTV animated Iron Man movie, and is also fixing to fullfil the same role in the live-action vehicle of the same name! If casting is anyone other than Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, that will be an impressive feat for a character that seems so unlikely to make it to the screen in the tech-heavy world of the Iron Man universe. Granted, filmmaker Jon Favreau has been quite forthcoming about the corporate take on the character, familiar to readers from the early nineties.

Looking closer to the material in this particular issue, you can see highlighted a Tony Stark who has not only been fighting an on-going rivalry with his former friend, James Rhodes (aka War Machine), but is also abrasive and dismissive of his teammates during battle. Which is the kind of characterization that has garnered Civil War a great deal of criticism.

I suppose that remains one of the more interesting facets of the Iron Man character. Tony Stark, to varying degrees, has always represented something less than mainstream in the hero department. Stan Lee cites the character as an initial effort to make a character who was inherently unlikeable - likeable.
In that respect he and brother Larry succeeded undoubtedly, working with the unpopular topics of establishment supporting weapons manufacturers.

The superficial qualities of the weapons-making industrialist playboy have continued to be a conceit of the character, but it's fair to say lying under the radar has remained the edge of a character designed to rub people up the wrong way. Perhaps the great irony of it all is that in the case of Civil War, Tony Stark was arguably the man who was in the right!

With a movie on the horizon it will be very interesting to see if the character can redeem himself as he did during and after this particular issue, and patch the wounds caused by his betrayal. Unless of course, that original edge of antagonism is what will set Iron Man apart from the other heroes present in the box office...

The Fight: 3 The Issue: 4

FIN FANG FOOM versus IRON MAN
Dragon Flame (Marvel comics)
Where: Iron Man #271 When: August 1991
Why: John Byrne How: Paul Ryan

The story so far...
With Tony Stark's health worsening, long-time friend and confidant, Jim Rhodes, accompanies him across the seas to China, where communist rulers have allowed him audience with one of the world's greatest Neurosurgeons.

In exchange for her expertise, the leaders required payment -- the unconditional services of Iron Man in eliminating the problem of The Mandarin.

Unwilling to let his friend and boss turn his back on a good thing, Rhodes knocks him out, and sets out as he has before to be the golden Avenger.
Things go from bad to worse for Rhodes. Not only is his track record against the Mandarin poor, but he's got himself a pet dragon -- Fin Fang Foom!

Previous Form:
Fin Fang Foom (#164): Fin Fang Foom was previously defeated by Nextwave.
Warmachine (#32): Warmachine had a victory over Blacklash with Spider-man in the Iron Man armor.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Fin Fang Foom 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Warmachine 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Warmachine 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Fin Fang Foom 6 (Generator)
Agility: Warmachine 2 (Average)
Fighting Ability: Warmachine 4 (Trained Fighter)
Energy Powers: Draw 5 (Lasers)

To avert angry e-mails from FFF fans (Scherer signal!), I am fully aware that Fin Fang Foom and his dragonesque powers stem from his -alien- heritage.

Moving on, it's interesting to think of Fin Fang Foom in this context.
Generally he would have to be considered one of Iron Man's biggest hitting foes, perhaps not possessing the stature of a Mandarin, but certainly power that puts him above he, and into a class with guys like Ultimo.

That said, he's kind of found his way into the sillier side of fandom.
Under advice of fans, Fin Fang Foom found himself onto the Jim Mahfood penned cover for the recent Marvel comedy special - Wha Huh?!, and made one of his more popular recent turns in a tongue-in-cheek role as an Unusual Weapon of Mass Destruction. [Nextwave #2]

An indifferent measure puts him in the very highest echelon of a six strength rating. As a giant dragonoid, contextually the way he can distribute his strength is much more impressive than a Hulk, though his vulnerabilities and penchant for destruction are probably comparable.

Certainly against an Iron Man, the size advantage gives him a more encompassing physical presence than the Hulk.
Likewise he is known to be surprisingly nimble considering his gargantuan size.

Iron Man's greatest strengths, be it James Rhodes, Tony Stark or even Happy Hogan, is the arsenal of long-range weaponry the armor brings with it.
It's questionable whether a blunt repulsor ray attack would ever phase the beast, but persistent attacks and maximum power at least proposes that potential.

Key to victory is also: flight!
Without that added maneuverability and distance, Fin Fang Foom is going to run over just about anyone who isn't Nextwave. Of course, that brings us to one of the glaring weaknesses that runs parallel to his strength. These days it's not so bad, but back in the nineties the ol' batteries had a way of running juice.

The Math: Warmachine (Meta Class)
The Pick: Fin Fang Foom

What went down...
"Foom pants" are nowhere to be seen, as Fin Fang Foom rampages through a tiny village on the trail of the jet propelled Iron Man. He narrowly avoids the crushing blow brought down by Foom's powerful fist, whilst avoiding flame-breath.

Foom's tail gives him an edge as Rhodey reminisces about recent events, giving him an opportunity to pin the armored hero down. He mocks the power of his shell, as Rhodey lets loose with repulsor rays, all guns blazing.

Iron Man finds himself put to the test, trapped in the cruel grip of the dragon alien, who decrees a warning through the meaning behind his name, "... He whose limbs shatter mountains, and whose back scrapes the sun? What power could you possess that could contend against this?"

For an alien, this guy definitely talks some straight up smack from the hood, yo! Er, anyway...

IM deploys a pair of hyperwave generators and cranks them up to max, firing conflicting magno-pulse energies from both sides of Foom's mighty head. I don't know much about magno-pulses, but it appears to upset his equilibrium and generally leave him feeling disgruntled.

Foom tosses his prey aside with such gusto, Iron Man's jets aren't able to kick-in, leaving Rhodes to employ the suit's powerful strength to snag a jutting rock and pulls himself to a stop.

Taking the distance put between he and the beast, Iron Man swoops into a canyon when here blasts himself a hefty trench, in order to spring a trap for the winged warrior. He doubles back, reensuring the creature's attention with a double spray of repulsor rays to the face.

Iron Man flees from the creature on foot, firing off a few blasts for good measure, just to make sure the giant dragon is nice and surly when he's chasing him.

Threats continue to be Foom's weapon of choice, but Rhodes turns it around nicely, springing his wile trap by first blinding the creature with a dust cloud stirred by his trusty palm rays. Then, using a titanium cable wrapped around a rock formation, he brings Foom tripping down into his trap.

For good measure he takes to the skies, blasting at the surrounding cliff faces to bring down a hail of rock and debris atop the menacing dragon.

With the Mandarin and his alien ally, Chen Hsu, watching on, the great destroyer, Fin Fang Foom, appears defeated by a clumsy replacement no less.

But Chen Hsu advises that even the mighty Mandarin has much to learn in the ways of what are and will be.
As does Jim Rhodes, the man who would be Iron Man.

Iron Man walks away from the battle a little worse for ware, but still alive, only to hear something stirring somewhere behind, amidst the debris.
Can you guess who it was?...

Rhodes leaps back into the fray without hesitation, but his quipping sense of humor proves to be the least effective remedy to calm the already insulted beast. Foom swats him out of the air, unphased by his repulsor rays.

Iron Man skids to a halt, finding himself lying in the shadow of what is to come.
SHOOM! Fin Fang Foom brings his fist thundering down atop the armored hero, leaving him a cracked mess amongst the shattered ground beneath.

The hammer...
It required some deliberation, but the winner here is clearly Fin Fang Foom. The only question was where the fight officially ended.
The fakeout pause used after Foom is trapped was potentially a close, but I decided to open it up to the cliffhanger ending of the issue. Whether or not we'll follow the conclusion up remains to be seen.

Actually, now that we've been doing this for five weeks, I had almost forgotten that Mondays are featuring the villains of the Marvel Ultimate Alliance videogame. A game that's, presumably, well and truly old news by now.

I mentioned in the Punch-Up [Monthly Punch-Up #16] that I was pleased to see the site referenced as a resource, and I guess that's potentially what I'd like to see these pages become. Maybe these aren't comprehensive accounts of historical milestones for the villains, but what I'd like to think I'm laying down is a combination of both introduction to the villain, and a bit of fun that can get thrown onto the pile of statistical data we call, the 'super stock,' every month.

Fin Fang Foom definitely had to be one of the most exciting inclusions in the game. The gameplay itself was a bit of a letdown, but if I'm not mistaken, this is the first time we've ever seen Fin Fang Foom in a video game!
I wouldn't say he's my favourite villain in comics, but a milestone like that is worthy of joy from any Iron fan!

With some of the April foolery we didn't really get to go into much in the Punch-Up, but it's interesting to note Iron Man's status as it is today.
I think moreso than last year, partially because of recent purchases, we're representing the times a lot more than we did. So, perhaps it's an interesting reflection post-Civil War to see Iron Man featured much less so far.

A recent DTV animated film wasn't a bad step for the character, and graduating to Director of SHIELD adds a really interesting layer to the aftermath of Civil War, but I guess maybe it's a cooling off period for one of the hottest rising stars of the Civil War period. Yes, Iron Man's firmly entrenched back in the A-list, but at what cost has this come in the broader spectrum?
A question I leave to you, intrepid reader!

I'm eager to see where the character goes, and am dying for more info on the feature film. Speaking of which, I also didn't mention (in the punch-up) that the Spider-man film comes out next month, so expect another format shift soon enough!

Speaking of movies -- interesting to note that this is the first time we've featured John Byrne on the site. I guess there's a theme that runs true there, hence the segue, because among the largest stocks in my meager collection is the Fantastic Four. Of which, I was a big fan of Byrne's work!

I don't know if this really highlights the quality of the man's abilities as a writer, but what it does personify is a shift in the field of perspective. The nineties, as many-a reader will gladly tell you, was a decade of shame for a lot of characters and titles, featuring thin plots and thin pencils.
What Byrne does in this issue, and probably very well in general, is tell part of an on-going story that perhaps isn't hugely inspired, but still packs a consistent punch, and propells the story forward in some form.

No mean feat for an entire issue of fighting in the 1990s!
With any luck Rise of the Silver Surfer will be an excuse to pull an issue or two of Byrne's FF. We'll see how we go!

Anyway, I'm running behind schedule again and am clearly struggling my way through this update! Apologies to all who are dropping by and not finding what the expect to see. Appreciate the patience!

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 4.5

NEXT WEEK: More Iron Man as we hit up the CRIMSON DYNAMO!

DEATH'S HEAD versus CHARNAL
What if... Minion had not killed Death's Head? (Marvel comics)
Where: What if...? #54 When: October, 1993
Why: Simon Furman How: Geoff Senior

The story so far...
History is told by those who survive it, but within the cosmos exist an ancient alien race known as The Watchers. It is their duty to spend the eons witnessing and noting history, swarn to watch, but never to act.

Uatu, Earth's Watcher, is privvy to countless realities where each imaginable alternative is played out in vivid detail.

In our reality the cybernetic creature Minion killed Death's Head, and in doing so assimilated his personality, which eventually assumed dominance over the Minion host body.
In another world, however, a split second skips. A finger hits a teleportation switch. And Minion, unappeased, moves on to the next name on his list: #106 - Reed Richards.

Recommended reading:
Marvel Adventures #12: The Fantastic Four did battle with their sinister counterparts, the Frightful Four.
Civil War #3: Captain America leas his Secret Avengers into overwhelming odds, in much the same circumstances over in Civil War.
Neither Death's Head nor Charnal have been featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Thing 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Charnal 5 (Professor)
Speed: Sub-Mariner 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Charnal 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Captain America 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Human Torch 7 (Solar Power)

If you're looking at the stats there, you might be wondering if I've mixed something up. Well, honestly, Death's Head versus Charnal is something of a misnomer, because Death's Head has jumped back through the time stream to assemble an awesome force of heroic muscle.

Individually they are some of the most prominent heroes in the Marvel Unvierse, but together they are one of the most unlikely collections of chartered Avengers one has ever seen. Not only that - like any group who lose one of their own, they're none to pleased about the death of Reed Richards.

Bruce Banner hogged a lot of the press, but if there's something we've learned in the past, it's that you do not want to make Susan Storm angry!
You would most certainly not like her when she's angry, BDSM masochists withstanding.

Couple that with two old-time heavy hitters in the Sub-Mariner and Captain America; three of Marvel's first family, the Fantastic Four; and two promising contemporary young guns in Cage and War Machine... What villain would be insane enough to go up against them?

This is an alternate reality story, based upon the British UK future comics, whose canonical status is debatable. So, there are a few inherent difficulties that arise here.
It's hard to say whether the insane-enough villain here is Minion, Charnal or something all together different. Apparently Charnal was the prophecized evolution of the original Death's Head's body, mystically enfused with Baron Von Strucker's mind. In our universe Death's Head seized control of Minion's body, and became Death's Head II, and helped defeat the menace of Charnal.

In this world Charnal is instead Minion; post-the death and assimilation of Reed Richards, and again enfused mystically with the evil of Baron Strucker. By no means the true Charnal, but still quite scary none the less...

It's a tough call to say who should win here.
A collection as impressive as the heroes gathered to face Charnal is always difficult to bet against, but that's without taking into account the sheer power at the disposal of Minion. His character is such that he adapts to compensate for weakness, and so the same trick is said to never work twice.
With a guy like that, it's everything or nothing.

Given the circumstances, you'd be mad to go against the heroes, but this one will by no means be a gimme! Also... I'm sweltering hot because the air conditioning can't be repaired until Thursday, so... Cut me some slack.

Average: Charnal 31 (+6.87)
Overall: Death's Head 193 (+162)
The Pick: Death's Head

What went down...
We join the battle right in the thick of things, as Captain America leads the troops in to an intelligence gathering exercise. I have to say two things straight off the bat:
- This story is not for the incredibly squeamish, or sentimental.
- This is actually one of the few stories in recent years that writes superhero Captain America like a competent, vocal military strategist. Go Cap!

So, anyway... War Machine dumps both barrels on Charnal, as Thing literally punches through his torso, producing a rather fetching salmon pink splatter. So it's still alright for the kiddies.
The veterans are in the mix too. Cap deflecting energy blasts from the creature's fist with his shield, while the Sub-Mariner comes around the back for a swooping attack.

Charnal is able t oswat the Thing away, sending him careening into an abandoned building, but the Sub-Mariner arrives in time for a WW2 double team, nailing Charnal from behind while Cap takes the jaw with a mighty toss of his shield!

War Machine dives in for crums, unloading everything available at point blank range - but Charnal proves just how tough he is by not only taking it, but also slicing through the War Machine armor with his axe-like fist!

The team continue their coordinated assault with the Human Torch coming in for a nova attack, while Luke Cage, resisting the heat thanks to his super durable skin, ties Charnal up in a full nelson so Sue Storm can make her move.
The woman scorned uses her invisible force fields to pop Charnal from the inside, creating various bursting cavaties of salmony goodness.

Cap swoops in, ever aware of the entire battle, scooping Sue Storm in his stride, as Thing comes back -- PISSED!
Thing brings the entire house down - literally - right on top of Charnal, ad the gang viewing from afar start the cheers. Prematurely, of course. What kind of an unstoppable killing machine would Charnal be if he went down that easy?

Business really starts to pick up, as Charnal emerges from the rubble, acknowledging that the motley crew had succeeded..., "IN GETTING MY ATTENTION!"

Cap declares his intentions to take Charnal's head, but it's now that things start to go wrong.
Charnal catches the shield and manages to swing through it, tossing it in the general direction of Namor - decapitating him!*

It's now that Charnal's rampage really begins to pick up.
As the Human Torch swoops in for another attack, Charnal swings his head with eyes glowing, and asks the haunting question, "I wonder, Torch. Would you be so fond of that flame... If you could FEEL it?"
Then, like a moth to a flame, Johnny Storm is extinguished... Reduced to little more than a pile of smoldering ash.

It's War Machine's turn to take none to kindly to events, this time.
He topples Charnal with a hammering blow that is drawn so superbly, you actually feel the shock. It is a blow that no mere mortal could hope to survive, but Charnal is so much more, and so Rhodey suffers a similar fate.
Lifting his malformed axe-like hand, Charnal strikes forward, penetrating the eye slats of the War Machine's helmet.

Another hero falls to his knees.

Then comes an ambush all too late from friends too angry to feel sad.
First Thing from the left, then Cage from the right. Then together, in unison, they strike a devestating blow to the gut of the beast, and tie up his arms. They mean to end it.

Sue Storm swoops for her attack once more, this time unrelenting -- but it is too little too late. Charnal scoffs her as he turns her powers against her friends -- her family, and then burns her to a crisp like he did her brother.

Captain America - ever the bad ass - stands alone, prepared to fight the creature that is enfused with the mind of his old nemesis, Baron Von Strucker. He will fail.

Death's Head suits up with a gun that would make even Rob Lifeld blush, and fires into the field toward Charnal, and the lifeless corpse in his arm that wears the garb of Captain America.

FADOOM!
Death's Head follows it up with rapid fire succession, and walks onto the plane to face his smiling enemy. The creature who was destined to kill him in another time and place.

Death's Head extends a wrist mounted energy blade, and runs into battle firing.
He stabs deep into Charnal's chest, and follows it up with a gashing uppercut with his facial tusks.
Charnal continues to boast his superiority, putting serious distance between them with a devestating left.

The two mecha-creatures exchange barrage after barrage of fire, and Charnal finally starts to feel it.
Death's Head walks toward his enemy coldly, taking all the hits Charnal can dish out, before walking straight into a right hook, all the while challenging Charnal to finally tap into one of the 105 brilliant minds he's assimilated.

At close quarters, Death's Head drives a synaptic scrambler into Minion's mighty back. The disruption is brief, but provokes Charnal to tap into the most brilliant minds in the known-world.

Drawing upon their wisdom, Charnal sets out to inflict maximum pain on his counterpart, and with the killing blow in sight, an unlikely moment of hesitation... A moment Death's head capitalizes on - decapitating the AIM cyber beast.

When the embers settle and the smoke clears, Death's Head is left standing. Victorious in a future much brighter than our own. In a future where Mr. Fantastic has died, but had one final moment to live up to the moniker.

The hammer...
Well, it's about time for another first. While Death's Head leads his troops to an epic victory, his entire strategy was built on sacrificing his allies. Way to play the assist, guys!

Whoof! Well, that was a long one, so I certainly won't keep you too long.

Despite it taking me well over a week to actually get around to completing this update, I was actually really excited about it.
What if... has easily been one of my favourite titles for most of my comic reading life. Regardless of the insane fun that can be had peering in on alternate outcomes to critical events -- you're also guaranteed a varied and star studded read every month!

It was easily one of the most disappointing days in Marvel history when the second volume was finally cancelled in the late nineties. Way to go nineties, you soiled the legacy!

Sadly some of the more recent What if work has been more concept driven, and probably hasn't quite come up to par. As much as I love it as a fifth-week event, it jus hasn't been the same, and it seems abundantly clear that there's a narrow sighted approach to the concept.

This is a book that is essentially dedicated to alternate realities, which could potentially open up to be versatile enough to include all manner of stories -- like the recent Age of Apocalypse flashbacks, Exiles, Mutant X, the What If stories we have seen recently, and all manner of additionals.
It might even make a really great anthology series! Short stories, original concepts, a return to existing concepts. Lots that could be done there on a regular basis!

Anyway, I'm rambling, and this has been a long enough post as it is.
You'll notice categories at the bottom of each post. I upgraded to Beta, so hopefully this will aid any navigational needs, and generally enhance the blog.

I doubt I'll be doing daily posts in December, as I'm still trying to catch up. I know you're crushed.

The Fight: 6.5 The Issue: 5

NEXT: The Flash and Nightwing against the menace of Gorilla Grodd!