SPIDER-MAN versus MYSTERIO

Media Blizzard Part 3 of 3: Unplugged (Marvel)
Where: Spider-Man #65 When: February 1996 Why: Howard Mackie How: John Romita Jr & Tom Morgan

The Story So Far...
MysteryVision is the hottest name in must-see TV, earning unprecedented ratings as the fastest-growing network to hit New York City cable providers!

The critics can't seem to stand it, but that hasn't stopped viewers of all ages beating a path to tune-in to its lineup of highly unusual programming! So, what's the secret to broadcaster Randolph Hines' success?..

Spider-Man discovers a stolen DIT chip is behind MysteryVision after finding its inventor mesmerized by his television! Professor Ramirez's highly advanced "Digital Imagery Transmission" technology can convert thought into broadcast, replacing an entire production team with one man's vision!

An unannounced trip to the dilapidated theatre housing MysteryVision's offices soon reveals the mastermind behind it all: Mysterio has at last found his medium and is reaping success through subliminal manipulation! The new Spider-Man must meet his old foe head-on if he's to free the minds of NYC!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Spider-Man 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Draw 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-Man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Spider-Man 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Spider-Man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Spider-Man 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Mysterio 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)

Time for another showdown between classic arch-rivals, right? Not exactly...

As the mugshot above shows: This isn't your father's Spider-Man -- even though we were all being led to believe he was at the dawn of 1996.

The infamous "Clone Saga" switched the real Peter Parker with his prodigal duplicate, who had apparently survived their seemingly lethal meeting in 1975's Amazing Spider-Man #149!

Created by the notorious Jackal; the Spider-Clone was an exact genetic copy of a matured Peter Parker, possessing of all his unique abilities and memories up to that point. This allowed both to believe the clone had replaced the original, leading the self-christened Ben Reilly to eventually become a new Spider-Man.

When it came time to throw down with Spidey's classic foes, the clone recalls intimate details of their earliest history, such as the first battle with Mysterio in Amazing Spider-Man #13, and later victory in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #4!

In truth, the Spider-Clone's adventures only began with his reemergence in 1994. He relearned the ropes (or webs) after taking up the responsibility of his powers as the Scarlet Spider. During this time he even developed some new tricks, such as his trademark "impact webbing" - pellets that ensnare a target.

Mysterio may not be a complete unknown to the replacement Spider-Man, but that doesn't mean he lacks the element of surprise!

As seen in his debut, Mysterio isn't just a master of visual effects. He also has the means to suppress Spider-Man's greatest weapon against them: his spider-sense! He was even able to diminish the heightened sense of the sightless Daredevil leading up to their dramatic showdown in Daredevil #7!

In today's featured battle, Spidey has already removed augmented reality lenses Mysterio secretly fixed to his mask. He's banged up from fighting gangs he thought were hideous monsters, and dealing with iced-up web-shooters. Is that enough to throw him off his game? Let's find out!

The Tape: Spider-Man Ranking: Spider-Man (#94)

What Went Down...
Through a cold winter's blizzard, Spider-Man swings a determined path against a bitter night wind. His guide is a tracing device created by Professor Ramirez: inventor of the stolen DIT chip that powers Mysterio's MysteryVision broadcast!

The villain watches his ratings skyrocket as an audience of huddled New York masses is held in total thrall by subliminal signals. Only security systems divert his attention as a closed circuit feed provides images of the web-slinger's arrival.

With the transmitter at last upon him: Spider-Man prepares to free the people -- when suddenly the snow covered city tower is replaced with an arid desert and a looming dragon!

Spidey leaps clear as the gigantic beast plunges its head for a deadly bite!

He reminds himself Mysterio's illusions can't really hurt him as the dragon rises back up and its mouth begins to fill with flame. He's only half right...

The disoriented wall-crawler is sent hurtling from the inner city high rise as a massive blast of electric energy strikes him!

Replacing the dragon illusion is Mysterio, wielding the high-voltage charge of gauntlets attached to an upgraded power suit. He vows to protect his "privately owned property" by any means necessary.

The airborne hero uses a web-line to pull himself back into orbit of the rooftop and challenge Mysterio's glib defense of the transmitter. He's greeted with another blast of electric energy, but this time he vaults over it -- into snakes!

The tangled mass of snapping serpents is unsettling - and even causes pain -- but Spider-Man remains determined to shrug off the illusion!

He fights his way through the distraction, reaching the transmitter tower to rip away its exterior covering like mere aluminum foil! His focus leaves him totally vulnerable to intense fire as Mysterio attempts to protect the device!

Fast weaving of a web-shield provides some insulation from the devastating electric jolts, but leaves Spidey pinned to the transmitter's side with few options for defending himself and completing his objective to destroy the DIT chip!

Mysterio powers up the charge to deliver one all mighty finishing blow, giving Spider-Man the chance to formulate one high-stakes play. He waits until the very last moment and leaps clear, leaving the deadly bolt to strike the tower!

The transmitter explodes, but Spider-Man is still on the case -- leaping to rescue Mysterio from the shockwave and collapsing roof!

The pair spill into the building below where employs scramble to make sense of the drama. Assuming the guise of MysterVision President once more, Mysterio attempts to have Spider-Man arrested, but with the DIT chip destroyed and back-up generators maintaining the broadcast, everyone's eyes are opened to the truth. The ratings begin to plummet as the nightmare finally ends.

The Hammer...
Chalk one up for Ben Reilly! The erstwhile "new" Spider-Man had a prelude battle in Sensational Spider-Man #0, but passed his first real test in the new webs by defeating classic foe Mysterio in today's featured third act finale!

It took a couple of years of convolution to get here, but the premise was fairly simple: 1975's Spider-clone had unknowingly switched places with the real Peter Parker, leading "Ben Reilly" to "return" as the one true Spider-Man in '96.

This ultimate twist in the controversial "Clone Saga" completely redefined twenty-years of publication history, but for those willing to stick with the dramatic rethink, it promised a reinvigorated take on the classic formula.

In his new life, Ben Reilly had already found a supporting cast working at The Daily Grind café. They captured some of the classic spirit of the Daily Bugle bullpen, while also providing easy access to the city (for heroics), and a relevant workplace in the age of Friends, Seinfeld, and the rise of the foamy latte.

Reilly met a customer turned love interest, Jessica Carradine, who put a moody 90s twist on the old dual identity dynamic. She soon turned out to be a photographer obsessed with proving Spider-Man framed & killed her father -- who was the burglar that shot Uncle Ben. It was never going to work, but it started out with a lot of promise and probably could've lasted longer.

This new status quo was anchored with the launch of Sensational Spider-Man. It was a new title Ben Reilly could call his own, while also starring in continued runs of classic series (Amazing, etc). The new book demanded a classic villain to go with the classic mantle. As Scarlet Spider, Reilly had already had run-ins with the likes of Venom and Alistair Smythe. All things considered, it was a fine time to dust off Mysterio, who was a little worse for wear after previous episodes.

The three-part Media Blizzard kicked off in Sensational Spider-Man #1, imbued with the philosophy of combining classic and modern. Mysterio was up to his old tricks, but got a new design to go with new tricks.

It seemed inevitable that someone would try to subvert Mysterio's famous "fish bowl". The new design buried it in a thick fog of green smoke that only implied the dome - never showed it clearly. His now black bodysuit was covered with copious buckled belts for some reason, too. I guess that was some kind of hangover from the early nineties, and came back into vogue right around this time in anime & manga, too. Somebody in the Spider-offices obviously liked it. Hobgoblin would get the same design treatment not long after this.

The plot to use television to enthrall the masses wasn't a bad one, but the story lacked a unique twist or commentary. Anyone who'd seen Batman Forever a year or so prior would've found the brainwashed masses staring at their TV sets pretty familiar. It's a tried & true idea, but a perfunctory one, really just using an available Lee/Ditko villain to lend heft to the introduction of the world.

With the ills of brainwashing thwarted, the story concludes with a whimpering critique of Mysterio's unconventional programming: "In the end, Mysterio, I think it was really simple... Your shows were just no good."

We're never shown much of what MysteryVision actually is. Spider-Man's street fights are involved, and there's a big skull-adorned killer reindeer and elf out to cause trouble. Otherwise it's mostly green-tinted static and promos. In my mind's eye, I guess I filled in the blanks as something like MTV's Liquid Television. It reads like the moral is to never challenge conventional programming and in 2019 that's an especially unattractive proposition.

Despite its lack of aspiration, the story does play with some interesting twists on the Mysterio MO. Quentin Beck as a smarmy, villainous TV executive was a fun take. Something about his goateed design as Randolph Hines reminds me of Wes Craven, but his violent Christmas programming is much more like Bill Murray in Scrooged, if his prickly programming had artistic pretentions.

The real edge is in the way Mysterio's illusions are filtered through the concept of practical technology. MysteryVision is in the process of developing virtual reality and special "3D broadcasts" when Spider-Man infiltrates their offices. He dons a prototype VR helmet at the behest of Hines and unwittingly applies vision-obscuring lenses over his mask that edit his reality. These days we know this technique as "augmented reality", but back then it was pretty nifty.

This is also one of the earliest stories I remember dealing with the eyes on Spider-Man's mask as lenses. It became live-action standard with Sam Raimi's Spider-Man in 2002, but the comics often depicted them as cloth.

Virtual reality was by no means a new idea, for Mysterio or in general, but it was on the cusp of taking off in new ways with the theatrical explosion of The Matrix in '99. It seemed like this should've been the foundation of a strong push into the new millennium for Mysterio, but as we know, the revamp didn't last. He'd have a run-in with Daredevil later this year, and deliver his grand opus leading to his untimely demise in Daredevil (Vol.2) #7, shortly after.

As for Ben Reilly, he wasn't long for this world, either. If it was ever intended to permanently switch the two Peter Parkers - cooler heads prevailed. Ben Reilly was killed by a resurrected Norman Osborn at the end of 1996. A fitting end to a controversial few years in Spider-Man's long and web-tangled history.

At the time, I was intrigued by the radical shift in reality, and fresh sensibility of the new Spider-Man. It was a first of its kind concept, and a fun time for casually reading comics. I wouldn't want to go back to it, though.

Indeed, I haven't had much desire to revisit any of the Clone Saga prior to this moment. With so many half-hearted stunts and multi-year replacements in the last few years of Marvel Comics, the concept has been well and truly worn out, if it was ever a good one to begin with. Maybe we'll explore more some time.

If you really want to experience more of the Ben Reilly saga you can find today's featured fight, and some of the issues referenced, in Spider-Man: Ben Reilly Omnibus Vol. 1. Use purchase links provided and Amazon will support the site at no cost to you! Don't see them? Disable blocking add-ons to go see them right here!

You can also find more superhero smackdown and discussion by following links throughout this post, or diving into the Issue Index for a full archive! Follow on Twitter and Facebook for daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day, and be sure to like, share, and subscribe the best ones!

Winner: Spider-Man
#64 (+30) Spider-Man (Ben Reilly)
#393 (-10) Mysterio

DAREDEVIL versus MYSTERIO

Guardian Devil Part Seven: The Devil's Demon (Marvel)
Where: Daredevil #7 When: May 1999
Why: Kevin Smith How: Joe Quesada

The Story So Far...
Matt Murdock has found himself caught in a struggle between heaven and hell - or so he's been told.

It all began when a frightened teenager entrusted him with her child. The infant is purported to be the second-coming of The Redeemer, announced by angels -- but the demon Mephisto says it's all a lie!

Struggling through ominous scripture, demonic visitation, and the death of Karen Page, Daredevil is at last ready to discover the truth: He has been the private audience for an illusion created by Mysterio!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Daredevil 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Mysterio 5 (Professor)
Speed: Daredevil 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Daredevil 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Daredevil 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Daredevil 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Mysterio 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Daredevil 26 (Metahuman)

Matt Murdock was robbed of sight when he was doused with toxic chemicals as a boy, but his other senses were also greatly enhanced by the same accident! As a result: Daredevil observes the world better than most thanks to his unique bat-like radar sense -- but can he see through Mysterio's illusions?

DD is certainly no stranger to battling the deadly foes of Spider-Man! So far we've seen him take down Tombstone in Daredevil #90 & #91, mix it up with old Spidey frenemy The Punisher in Daredevil #257 and Daredevil (Vol.2) #55, and even kick Scorpion's symbiote-enhanced tail as part of a superhero team-up against The Sinister Twelve in Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #11!

Those battles showcase Daredevil's fighting prowess and agility, but the primary weapons of Mysterio are misdirection and subterfuge. This was succinctly demonstrated during his first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #13 when he was able to disappear into a cloud of smoke while also obscuring Spidey's ability to sense danger! Can he beat the human lie-detector that is Daredevil, though?

When DD fought The Jester in Daredevil #75, he was able to sense something not immediately apparent to the world -- the vague shift of demonic possession.

Yet these same razor-sharp senses were able to be subverted by Typhoid Mary's low level telepathic influence in Daredevil #255. Most damningly, he was duped by Deadpool during a chaotic clash in Contest of Champions II #4, using only a simple tape recorder, props, and the façade of a perilous scenario for an infant -- a playful reference to today's featured fight.

The battle comes at the end of a steady campaign of psychological torment orchestrated by Mysterio. DD's been visited by "devils", witnessed the murder of Karen Page by his worst enemy, and been compelled to kill a baby he was led to believe might grow up to be the Anti-Christ. He's clearly off his game.

Will it be enough to give Mysterio his grand sendoff? Let's find out!

The Tape: Daredevil Ranking: Daredevil (#14)

What Went Down...

With the veil of horror at last breached, Daredevil comes face to face with his tormentor -- or at least face to dome. Mysterio promises more talking than action for his grand denouement, but Daredevil doesn't plan to comply...

A straight red fist knocks against Mysterio's tempered dome, knocking him off balance. A wild backhanded fist sends him stumbling to hands and knees. The vengeful devil looms through smoke as a billy club into his hand, but Mysterio stays his beating with a reminder of the imperiled youth DD has come to save.The pause allows Mysterio time to engage the super-strength of his enhanced suit. He channels it into an uppercut that launches Daredevil off his feet!

Trading the floor to his target, Mysterio reveals the soundproof vacuum that is the baby's predicament. An airless deathtrap completely hidden from Daredevil's heightened senses, which were trained on beating Mysterio for five of the twenty-five minutes the child will have to live.

Daredevil is forced into compliance as Mysterio leads him deeper into his sanctum and the hidden truths of his recent nightmare.

Mysterio laments a career overshadowed by filmmaking greats, past defeats at the hands of Spider-Man, and the apparent replacement of his arch-rival with a mere clone. He revisits a diagnosis of brain tumor and lung cancer, and the affordability of Matt Murdock's entire history courtesy of a fallen Kingpin.

Revealing the intricacies of his grand plan, Mysterio then turns to executing the failed accomplices already bruised and battered during Daredevil's incursion. The hero cannot act quick enough to save their lives, but time has afforded him the gentle sound of Mysterio's wrist-mounted suit battery. He breaks it!

A well targeted billy club smashes the power source. An equally placed boot heel does the same to Mysterio's protective dome! When the smoke clears, the shattered façade reveals Quentin Beck - bald and sickly, breathing tube in nose.

The villain compels Daredevil to end his life, but the hero refuses. He rejects the delusion of Mysterio's grand finale. Knocks back his attempt to drive him to madness. Scoffs the lack of originality of his so-presumed creative vision. Words that cut far deeper into Quentin Beck than any mortal wound.

Removing his head from his hands, the defeated Mysterio presses a button on his gauntlet that reveals a hidden chamber. Air floods into the room as the sliding panel reveals itself. Super-enhanced senses immediately detect an infant's heart beat and breathing. The child is alive and unharmed.

Mysterio beckons to Daredevil's attention as the hero takes the child into his arms. Through the smoke filled haze is a gun barrel trained right on Daredevil. He can hear Mysterio's heart racing - but he remains stoic, knowing exactly what that means. The villain has one final borrowed act...

Like Kraven the Hunter before him, Mysterio turns the pistol on himself. Fin.

The Hammer...

So we move from Mysterio's very first triumph - to his ultimate defeat. Sort of...

By now we know Mysterio is back amongst the living. He's been causing trouble for Spider-Man for quite a while again, with a particular 2010 appearance (during The Gauntlet) coming to mind as a recent favourite. For almost a decade prior, his status wasn't nearly so clear, shared between supernatural ambiguities, vengeful successors, and complicated doppelgangers.

A faked death always seemed right in Mysterio's wheelhouse, but the tone in comics was changing at the turn of the millennium. The frivolous excess of the nineties was being walked back in favour of a more grounded, character-driven approach. Perhaps there were plans for Mysterio's comeback right from the outset, but they didn't eventuate. As unfashionable as Mysterio had become, respect for his death created an unlikely standard-bearer.

Guardian Devil had turned out to be a top selling jewel in the crown for Marvel Knights. The gritty imprint could be seen as a proving ground for an approach Joe Quesada would soon apply more broadly when he became Marvel Editor in Chief in 2000.

Today we know "Joe Q" as the overseer of some of comics' most meaningless deaths, but this one at least seemed considered, weighing the status of the character, and the impact of the story. Quesada's hands-on role, and relationship with its writer, likely helped it stick beyond a fleeting year or two.

Geek guru Kevin Smith has often spoke of his appreciation for Mysterio, repping the villain as a fan, as well as in his work. There are fun references peppered into Daredevil #7, including a direct throwback to Amazing Spider-Man Annual #4! Even when he became synonymous with terminally delayed comics projects, Quesada often reserved key elements for his friend and top talent, and Smith eventually restored Mysterio to the Marvel pantheon through the creation of a short-lived mutant successor.

Smith's story continues to be a touchstone for the character, who's in the process of being bigger than ever. With his arrival on the big screen (in Spider-Man: Far From Home -- now in theatres), you've probably read many references to Guardian Devil. Yet, its acid-tinged conclusion of humiliating defeat and apparent suicide clearly participates in some amount of understanding that the character was, at the time, an object of ridicule.

The greatest tragedy ultimately wasn't that one of Marvel's long-running icons was killed off -- but that a filmmaker was responsible for writing it!

The late nineties saw a massive increase in the mainstream interest and understanding of movie special effects. The proliferation of DVD special features, and effects-heavy blockbusters like The Matrix and Star Wars, brought the inner workings and innovations of the industry to the common man. Instead of being an era that ended Mysterio's relevance -- it arguably should've been a time of great renaissance!

The Matrix, with its futurist approach to connected networks and artificial realities, was ripe to be a major influence on a character who specialized in state-of-the-art special effects. Even the dubious invention of giant robotic apes was becoming increasingly convincing with the advances of animatronics and practical effects in tandem with computer-generated digital images.

Of course, Mysterio had dabbled in the realm of virtual reality and commentary on popular media consumption before Guardian Devil and The Matrix. With any luck we'll get a chance to explore a curious aside that comes to mind. One indirectly referenced during Mysterio's unravelling of his plot, which is a fun, non-combat scene not quite captured in today's fight recap.

For now, it's time to close the book on one of the modern classics. There's a lot to enjoy about the story! Quesada was a gifted artist, and worked well with an unconventional script from Smith, who was then unpracticed in the medium of comics. I wish Quesada could've continued to draw more, but we still got a lot of top shelf DD.

If you'd like to explore Guardian Devil for yourself, you can find the complete story printed in various collected trade editions.

Use one of the Amazon links provided to make a purchase and you'll help support Secret Wars on Infinite Earths at no extra cost!

You can find more Daredevil and friends by following links included throughout this post. Or dive into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights by publisher and series. Follow on Twitter and Facebook for daily links to battles inspired by the topics of the day - be sure to subscribe and share!

Winner: Daredevil
#12 (+2) Daredevil
#382 (-5) Mysterio (Quentin Beck)

SPIDER-MAN versus MYSTERIO

The Menace of... Mysterio! (Marvel)
Where: Amazing Spider-Man #13 When: June 1964
Why: Stan Lee How: Steve Ditko

The Story So Far...
When Spider-Man suddenly turns to a life of midnight robbery: J. Jonah Jameson touts his scathing editorials as vindicated. With the public turning against him, and no way to safely consult a psychologist without risking his secret identity -- even Peter Parker is beginning to doubt his own wall-crawling alter-ego's innocence!

Enter - Mysterio: A strange, bubble-domed individual who arrives unannounced at the Daily Bugle!

Mysterio claims to be a hero who's disguised himself to prevent threats to his family from the criminal underworld. He aims to use his incredible powers to stop Spider-Man's crime wave -- asking only that the newspaper print an invitation to the Brooklyn Bridge before he disappears in a puff of smoke!

Spider-Man answers the rendezvous in the hopes of learning the truth about his sudden crisis of identity. Mysterio has no interest in talking, though. This eerie new "hero" is only interested in using his "powers" to destroy Spider-Man!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Spider-Man 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Spider-Man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-Man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Spider-Man 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Spider-Man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Spider-Man 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Mysterio 4 (Arsenal)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)

Based on the stat readout you're probably expecting a cakewalk for our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man -- but the numbers only tell part of the story!

Mysterio is Quentin Beck: A Hollywood master of special effects and stunt work who turned his trade into an elaborate career creating crime!

His knowledge of electronics, chemicals, and practical effects means he's a villain who attacks the mind as vociferously as the body! Deception in his greatest tool, but make no mistake -- his illusions are often a deadly reality!

In Amazing Spider-Man Annual #4 we saw Mysterio team with The Wizard to create: a deadly gas chamber, lifelike holographic doubles, and a giant-sized animatronic gorilla! Alone, Spidey might've been defeated, but he tag teamed with the Human Torch to narrowly escape the various perils.

Mysterio's illusions range from the disorientation of a living funhouse mirror, to elaborate death traps. In theory, Spider-Man can rely on his unique "spider-senses" to navigate visual decoys. However, Mysterio's deceptions have been known to be quite convincing!

In the alternate reality of Old Man Logan it was Mysterio who helped beat Wolverine's keen senses, tricking him into eviscerating the X-Men while under the belief they were his deadliest enemies. Mysterio has also been able to fool his way past the highly enhanced senses of Daredevil!

What ultimately lets Mysterio down is a combination of ego and lack of fighting skills. His personal suit provides some physical armoring, levitation, as well as an arsenal of special effects gimmicks, smoke projection, mind-altering gasses, holograms, and controls for various electronic aids. Once these are bypassed he's typically ripe for defeat, though.

This is pretty early in Spider-Man's career, so he's at least vulnerable to the pretense of Mysterio's claims of strange powers. He's also still getting to grips with his own powers. We saw the Vulture use simple diversionary tactics to get the drop on Spideya few months earlier, in Amazing Spider-Man #7.

The proportionate strength, speed, and agility of a spider should typically be enough to best Mysterio, but it's about time we find out what happened!

History: Spider-Man (1-0-0)
The Tape: Spider-Man Ranking: Spider-Man (#2)

What Went Down...
Walking a tightrope along the cables of the Brooklyn Bridge, Spider-Man seeks answers from the man who summoned him. As if appearing from nowhere in sudden burst of smoke -- Mysterio arrives to carry out his challenge!

Spidey immediately dives at his hostile host -- but Mysterio effortlessly avoids the attack! As if by magic, his smoking feet carry him over his adversary in a graceful backwards arc -- and into a returning dive kick to the back!

The blow staggers Spider-Man for a moment, but the proportionate strength and agility of a spider helps him recover quickly. He takes a return swing at his newest nemesis, but swipes open air as Mysterio steps onto the sheer face of the bridge brickwork -- and stands on it in defiance of the laws of gravity!

Designs to pull Mysterio back up top go by the wayside when his smoking feet again glide him out of the wall-crawler's reach!

Issues of reach are quickly remedied with some quick fire web-slinging, but Mysterio appears to have an uncanny answer for that, too! With a simple gesture of his hand the webs appear to freeze in mid-air and vaporize!

With another wave of his hands Mysterio disappears into a blooming cloud of smoke. Undeterred, Spidey jumps into the fog with his keen spider-sense at the ready -- but for the first time in his amazing career it fails him!

With his preternatural danger sense jammed, Spider-Man resorts to swinging wildly through the cloud, but it does him no good. Mysterio stays hidden, avoiding his attacks while unleashing a barrage of his own!

Pummeled by invisible strikes, Spider-Man's disoriented situation grows desperate! With options dwindling, and Mysterio's blows testing his enhanced resolve, he opts for a drastic measure -- jumping from the Brooklyn Bridge!

Spidey hits the water relatively unharmed, weaving a web ball of air to evade police helicopters. He swims away submerged beneath the waves, while Mysterio basks atop the bridge in victory!

The Hammer...
The first career outing for Mysterio goes into the books as a success!

His mighty "powers" lived up to their claim, earning a tactical victory against a young and unprepared Spider-Man. The reader, of course, knows all is not as it seems, but in this first outing, Spidey only has fleeting suspicions about the true nature of Mysterio, and his talent for simulating super-powers.

It's a fairly standard introduction for a classic Spider-Man villain. Even in his second appearance, we saw Vulture get a similar win in 1963's Amazing Spider-Man #7. It's the dramatic set-up for a tense rematch later in the issue.

I'd like to think readers of the time may not have had absolute certainty Spidey would come out on top in the end, but they probably did, and had fun seeing how he did it, any way. I sure did!

It's been much tougher for Quentin Beck to get respect in the intervening decades. His defeats have had a way of overwhelming his fleeting successes.

Fans of a certain age seem to have either loved the fantastical fish-bowled felon - or hated him. Like a lot of dyed in the wool fans, I've always come down on the side of affection. I love the classic Steve Ditko design, and the core concept.

Mysterio may be best associated with smoke and mirrors, but his penchant for deception and false realties only seems to lend itself to growing relevance.

The way we consume media should easily be reflected on the way Mysterio distributes it. Smart phones and virtual reality headsets are the kinds of ever present vehicles that invite Mysterio into all of our lives.

False narratives of so-called "fake news" and the growing concern of gullibility and confusion among average consumers plays directly into the schemes and means of Mysterio as a super-villain. These concepts don't even need to be pushed into the realm of science-fiction to exploit the concept of Mysterio as a very real, very dangerous character, perfectly suited to our times.

Of course, smoke and mirrors are still pretty fun, too.

Jake Gyllenhaal brings plenty of smoke to the big screen with his version of Mysterio appearing in Spider-Man: Far From Home. It looks like the movie appears to be paying some homage to the original story seen in Amazing Spider-Man #13, which is nice to see. Especially with the dome on!

Mysterio's deceptive skill has been extended to marketing for the movie, which presents Gyllenhaal as a powerful inter-dimensional hero accidentally brought to the MCU by Thanos, and the events of Avengers: Infinity War. We can all assume much of what Mysterio claims will be a lie, but I'm sure moviegoers will enjoy seeing how Spidey comes out on top in the end.

If you'd like to see how they did it in the classics, and reconnect with the original (and best) Mysterio, you can do so by checking out the collected Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2! Using the Amazon purchase link provided will get you a top deal on paperback and help support Secret Wars on Infinite Earths at no extra charge! That's no illusion!

Find more Spider-Man smackdown by following links throughout this post, or by diving into the Secret Archive! There you'll find every featured fight indexed by publisher, series, and issue! You can also get daily links to featured fights by following on Twitter and Facebook! Be sure to throw a like or share this way!

Winner: Mysterio
#377 (+264) Mysterio
#2 (--) Spider-Man

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]

HELLBOY versus CAMAZOTZ

Hellboy in Mexico or, a Drunken Blur (Dark Horse)
Where: Hellboy in Mexico When: May 2010
Why: Mike Mignola How: Richard Corben

The Story So Far...
On mission in Mexico in 1982; Hellboy and Abe Sapien take shelter from the heat in an abandoned villa. Inside, a wall of photographs and news clippings tell the weaving tale of various superstars of lucha libre, surprisingly, including a trio photographed in the company of Hellboy!

HB shares the story of a grim experience he had in 1956, when he and two rookie BPRD agents -- Hendricks and Murphy -- were sent to Mexico to make a dent in the dense supernatural activity troubling the desert. It was in one of these small towns that Hellboy first encountered the triplets on a tour of the wrestling circuit, where they earned food and money for alcohol.

The trios path changed when before a match they visited a local church, only to find the priest murdered by undead horrors that plagued the area. The brothers saw a vision of the Virgin Mary that told them to leave their life of wrestling, and turn their powers to the vanquishing of monsters. Thus, they teamed up with Hellboy, who had been abandoned by his BPRD colleagues, who were too disturbed by what they'd seen to remain with the organization.

The monster-hunting foursome made merry times as they dealt defeat to the devilish fiends lurking the desert, but their drinking would leave one of the brothers unstuck. Stumbling into the night, Esteban was attacked and abducted by the dark vengeful forces that lurked in the gloom. Hellboy and the remaining two enmascarados interrogated and tortured the night creatures for information, but turn up nothing until a poster of a horrific new wrestler emerges. A bloody challenge is painted in red over a photograph of an ancient temple: El le espera Hellboy. ¡Venga solo! He waits for you, Hellboy. Come alone!

Thus, Hellboy enters the ring to meet the challenge of his lost friend. Esteban is no more. Now there is only -- ¡Camazotz!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Hellboy 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Hellboy 5 (Professor)
Speed: Hellboy 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Hellboy 6 (Generator)
Agility: Hellboy 2 (Average)
Fighting: Hellboy 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Hellboy 3 (Explosives)
Total: Hellboy 31 (Super)

By now you probably know the story: Hellboy is the half-demon Anung Un Rama, born to a human witch, Sarah Hughes, and the demon Duke of Hell, Azzael. As his past unraveled, it revealed dueling destinies that would deem him the beastly bringer of the Apocalypse, or the rightful holder of Excalibur.

Summoned to Earth during World War II by Rasputin and the Nazis, Hellboy was found & raised by American Allies. He's not much for destiny, instead lending his stony Right Hand of Doom, and incredible strength, to pummeling monsters, righting wrongs, and investigating the strange as a parnaormal investigator.

Hellboy's been sorely underrepresented in The Comic Book Fight Club, but his lone appearance from The Corpse and The Iron Shoes, demonstrated impressive strength and fighting prowess as he vanquished the war monster Grom!

Esteban had once been one of three wrestling brothers who travelled Mexico, but when they discovered a murdered priest before a match, the trio were greeted by a vision of the Virgin Mary. She encouraged them to leave wrestling and become monster hunters, and so, they teamed with Hellboy, who had been sent by the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) to investigate and combat rampant evil activity prevalent during the 1950s.

Baring a tattoo on his chest of a flaming heart wrapped in thorns, Esteban was the brother that befriended Hellboy the closest. After a night of drinking with the demon and his brothers, Esteban left the safety of their villa. Ambushed by the creatures of the night, he was transformed into a vengeful luchador beast with the head of a bat, and a serpent wrapped black heart where his tattoo had once been. He became Camazotz -- a corrupted beast clad in black, with the power to grow great bat wings during his battle in the demonic squared circle.

There are clearly emotional stakes behind this fight, but Hellboy knows when it's time to get down to business. He's more brawler than catch as catch can, and 1956 is reasonably early in his monster battling career, but he should be up to the test of the grappling Camaztoz. Let's see how it went...

The Tape: Hellboy Ranking: Hellboy (#228)

What Went Down...
With an audience of the undead watching in decayed anticipation, Hellboy enters the eerie arena without the company of Esteban's brothers - as ordered.

Green flames spew from the four turnbuckles of a ring already occupied by Camazotz. Hellboy enters, reaching out to his friend, probably knowing some of the truth that lurks beneath his new black fanged mask, "How you doing, kid?" Camazotz announces himself in response, rising with a muscled physique from beneath his black cape.

The bell rings, sounding the beginning of the match! Camazotz wastes no time launching himself at Hellboy's corner, giving HB only a hair's breadth to maneuver out of his way! Camazotz' powerful fist shatters the flaming ornament atop the turnbuckle behind him -- a fact that will have grim significance later.

Hellboy strikes Camazotz in the back with his right hand of doom, but the lucha shows great grappling skill, turning Hellboy's momentum against him with a toss to the ropes.

HB charges angrily off the ropes, but catches an elbow to the brow for his trouble! The point of the elbow busts him wide open!

A seated senton bomb furthers the punishment to a floored Hellboy!

Hellboy staggers to his feet and tries to reach out to his friend with words, but they are again met with contempt. Camazotz takes HB unawares with a head scissor leg lock from behind that flows smoothly into a modified frankensteiner!

Hellboy lies on a mat garnished with his own demon blood, struggling to rise to his feet. While does, Camazotz peels away his black mask to reveal the snarling head of a bat! It is a fate that twists the spirit of Esteban into a vengeful creature without mercy for a friend who failed to save him!

A single bodyslam is not enough to satisfy Camazotz' misery, resulting in a second punishing slam that returns HB to the mat an instant later!

Camazotz poses for the decrepit crowd that chants his name. He sprouts the wings of a bat in place of human arms. It is a decision that turns the bout, giving Hellboy the space he needs to deliver a shocking diving uppercut with the stoney right hand of doom!

A mournful Hellboy takes a boot to the face, accepting responsibility for his absence that fateful drunken night. He grabs a handful of black singlet tights. With the knowledge that there is nothing more he can do to save Esteban, HB uses his leverage to bring Camazotz thundering down over the jagged turnbuckle destroyed at the beginning of their bout!

Impaled on the post, Camazotz reverts to the gentle, but bloodied form of Esteban. The eerie smoke-filled arena goes dark and empty as Esteban utters his final grateful words, "Gracias, mi amigo. Grac--"

Hellboy is there to the final moment, holding his friend's hand through the ropes when the fire and light finally goes out.

The Hammer...
The winner of this bout as a result of a knock-out: Hellboy!

It's a somber, emotional finish to an otherwise fun and over-the-top high-concept special from the Hellboy universe! A very nice treat for anyone celebrating Cinco de Mayo [in 2010], which is something I wouldn't usually expect from American comics. Pretty cool, guys!

As a longtime fan of comic books, pro wrestling, and mythology, I was probably always going to have a pretty good time reading this book. Even so, it's as a Hellboy fan that I felt it really triumphed, overcoming some of the displeasing aspects that had led me to shuffle the character down in my priorities by 2010.

I found some of the short episodes of the mid-to-late 2000s a tad souring. It's always exciting when Mike Mignola takes up dual writing and art chores, but at times the 2005 two-parter The Island crossed a threshold beyond his fine, atmospheric stillness, into something that felt a tad under written. Although, I do wonder if I need to go back and give this another look...

Hellboy in Mexico sees Richard Corben assume art duties, and he does a very fine job indeed. I wonder if he's a wrestling fan. The match itself doesn't ask a whole lot of the artist, favouring a more cartoony impression of wrestling, but he has some legitimate moves in there.

Corben's Hellboy looks uncannily consistent with the Mignola model, especially in the journey leading up to the fight. Scenes of quiet menace radiate with a slightly different look to Mignola's, but a very similar energy. It's all good stuff!

You cannot under estimate the importance of colorist Dave Stewart to the Hellboy production. The sense that this story is consistent with earlier volumes can almost certainly be credited with to Stewart's influence. I love the way his colours remain vivid against muted backdrops of faded yellow desert and blue nights. His colours are evocatively textured, but never get too dry. A personal preference. There's a graininess that reminds me of Mexican movies and print.

The world of lucha libre is a rich and colourful mythology unto itself, possessing many of the costumed charms of comic superheroes, as well as the myths and legend that typically populate Hellboy stories. I love the way Hellboy effortlessly visits this world as seamlessly as he does European horrors. It's a lot of fun!

The myth of the giant bat is something I remember reading in a previous Hellboy story, I don't remember which. It doesn't really matter. There's a sense that all of these stories relate to a bigger tapestry of recurring and overlapping ancient traditions, and that's good enough. Sometimes it's better when these stories retain some of their mystique. Sometimes it's nice to learn things along the way. I would say this is true of comics in general, but it can be especially enjoyable in the weird, shadowy realms visited by Hellboy.

You might be interested to know the name Camazotz is drawn from Mayan mythology. It's a bat god, or demon, whose name roughly translates to mean 'death bat'. There's a story of twin heroes who enter the bat's underworld domain, only for one of them to lose their head to Camazotz. It doesn't exactly foretell the fate of Hellboy's Esteban, but lends weight to his possession, enmeshing ancient myth with iconography of vampires, black turkeys, bootleg pop culture, and lucha libre wrestling. The best kind of comic book melting pot!

I particularly liked the little touches, like the wrestling and movie memorabilia that appears at the beginning and end of the twenty-eight page issue. Mexican cinema's version of Lobster Johnson is a real hoot, capturing the pulpy vibe of the region's original and bootleg culture that the masked Camazotz feeds into.

There's just something about discovering this kind of stuff from other cultures that can be fascinating. I dig the way Hellboy accommodates and gravitates toward these sometimes forgotten pulp realms. Indeed, as much as I was excited to read continuing adventures when BPRD became a monthly on-going series; Hellboy in Mexico is a great example of a truly satisfying one-shot that offers variety without the need for any continuity with last month's issue.

Anyone with a fondness for the traditions of the material will probably have a good time, like I did. It's a heartfelt story from Hellboy's past, but I'm reluctant to say that it's an issue for everyone. At the end of the day, it lacks the broad appeal and variety offered by some Hellboy tales. At the same time, as an introduction to all the material, it's also a pretty soft and genuine start point.

For me, this was exactly what I wanted in a big week of comics. Indulgent in all the right ways, but still a very friendly and fun one-shot special. Great stuff!

I'm told Camazotz makes an appearance in the new Hellboy movie - now in theatres. It looks like it's still a far cry from the Hellboy movie I'd like to see, dipped in black Mignola shadow and stylish visuals, but still. It's nice that they seem to be cramming in more of the comic book monsters!

The movie was also a great excuse to exhume today's featured fight, which was mostly salvaged from a draft originally written back in 2010! It's shameful that there's been so little Hellboy on the site to this point. Hopefully we can get back to the Right Hand of Doom a little sooner! Perhaps I'll get a chance to give The Island a second look some time, to see if I need to give it a rethink!

If you'd like to think more about Hellboy's lucha libre adventure in Mexico, you can find today's featured fight included with several other stories in the Hellboy In Mexico or Hellboy Vol. 11: The Bride of Hell and Others collections!

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Winner: Hellboy
#93 (+135) Hellboy [+1 kill]
#880 (new) Camazotz