ELEKTRA versus RONIN
Revolution Part One (Marvel comics)
Where: New Avengers #27 When: April 2007
Why: Brian Michael Bendis How: Leinil Yu

The story so far...
The heroes of the Marvel Universe have been wrapped up in the Civil War, but whilst acting on behalf of the New Avengers in Japan, Ronin, aka Echo, finds herself unsure of where she stands and who she can trust in the battle.

As she infiltrates the Japanese underworld under the guise of an innocent woman, she stalks them as a symbol in the form of Ronin, someone they would never suspect could be breaking them up from right under their noses.

Wise to her game, Elektra and her clan, The Hand, intervene and although Echo sends out for help from her friends, she finds herself forced to confront the deadly assassin and her undying hoardes.

Previous Form:
Elektra (#14): Elektra has victories over Bullseye and Catwoman.
Echo: Echo has not yet been featured on the site.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Elektra 3 (Trained Athlete)
Intelligence: Elektra 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Elektra 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Elektra 4 (Trained Athlete)
Agility: Elektra 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Draw 2 (Projectile Weapons)

Well, no sooner than I mention how one-sided some of our fights have been, than we get a situation like this, where you get two characters that are so-similar it's almost uncomfortable.

I'd have to be upfront and say I'm not really a huge fan of David Mack's contribution to the Marvel Universe. That's not to say I dislike Echo, I just haven't really invested the time in the character, and would say her handling beyond the introductory storyarc has probably been less than stellar.

I don't know what I would say about the Ronin suit. It might have some limited armor, but it's hard to tell if that's really anything substantial. It doesn't appear to slow her down, so I guess that levels things out.

Essentially she's maybe falls somewhere in the center of an attributes triangle that has Daredevil, Elektra and Bullseye on the three points. Certainly some of the more glaring parallels are with Elektra, but she shares traits with the two males of this corner of the universe, too. The nature of her imitative abilities -- which come from being deaf -- draw an obvious comparison to Matt Murdock's dis-able-abilities. Her abilities for execution of techniques brings Bullseye to mind.

While she seems to encompass the best of the three worlds, the character certainly hasn't earned her place in the Marvel Universe, and Elektra's far greater palette of experience gives her a massive edge.

It's up for argument to say who is the more skilled warrior. I would lean toward Elektra, but that may perhaps be because of those above listed reasons.
I feel Echo still has a ways to go before she earns initiation.

The Math: Elektra (Meta Class)
The Pick: Elektra and The Hand

What went down...
Having battered and stalked the denizens of the Japanese underworld, Ronin attracts the attentions of the assassin Elektra, and her band of Hand ninja. It was only a matter of time before this situation presented itsself.

Ronin leaps into action against the Hand, disarming some of them of their swords, ony to use the weapons on the freakish ninja creature themselves.
Ronin pops necks and slices through red robes, as the ninja burst into clouds of disgusting smoke all around her.

Elektra studies her adversary as the Ronin cuts through her hoardes.

For every ninja that goes down, there seems to be another, but Ronin remains steadfast in battle. Jumping kick, nunchaku, sweep, roundhouse kick, open palm to the skull -- Spak! Spak! Spak! -- the Hand go down.

That leaves only Elektra, and although she's ready, Ronin does not wait for her to initiate the attack.

They crash through a window out into the streets surrounding and spill into the alley below. Ronin seems to come off second, but still manages to deflect sai attacks with defensive nunchaku swipes.

Elektra blocks a kick, and slips around the jab. Another fist, and a boot find Elektra's palm and wrist, blocked and blocked again.

Ronin leaps a lunging fist, and Elektra uses the moment to retrieve her sai blades and that's the last tactical error Ronin has the opportunity to make.

Disregarding of any armor or additional protection the Ronin suit might provide, the pierce of the sai buries deep and true, finding flesh before straining against more bulk and material.

Elektra holds and then lowers her defeated opponent down, almost gently.
She pulls back at the cowl to reveal the red swelling eyes of Echo. Elektra knows her foe, and perhaps it's that, or perhaps it's the strength of her courage in battle that leads Elektra to do something inadvertently noble.

As the leader of the Hand Elektra is privvy to many things, and that includes mastery over life and death.
She orders Echo's resurrection. She will become one of her warriors, and will never lose like this again. She will live. For now.

The hammer...
For formality's sake alone, let us declare Elektra the winner!

Personally the farce that was the first Ronin saga, when it eventually arrived some months after various cover appearances (and a redesign), just dragged the character Echo further into the mire of what's to be disappointed with in comics.

Likewise, I skipped over her arc in Daredevil which interrupted part of Bendis and Maleev's run on the book. It's fair to say a mini-series probably wouldn't have sold as well as this, but it served a rare opportunity to cull a regular purchase from my list. Which again, isn't a slight to the character or Mack, but more the unfortunate handling of all these things, and having a limited budget as a comics reader.

Again we arrive at an unfortunate situation where the character is actually treated quite well, and finally it feels like there's a justification for the Ronin character to exist -- but again, there's a catch that is a little displeasing.
I think we've discussed before the disappointing nature of Brian Bendis' work on New Avengers, which has been compounded by Civil War, which left Bendis very little room to redeem his less than stellar take on the team.

Again we find ourselves in a situation where Bendis is actually displaying what makes him an enjoyable reader, but the Ronin story joins a slew of others that push the Avengers team very much to the back table.
To the credit of the issue, the latter third is dedicated to the new New Avengers -- the team that exists post-Civil War -- but it's still disappointing to see one of the better New Avengers issues featuring a tight focus on one individual character.

Wha Huh?! overlooked the existing What The...?! franchise, and it feels as though this book overlooks the pre-established [defunct] Avengers Spotlight series. A book where it would probably have felt much more at home.
Well, maybe that's downplaying the team cameo that does find it's way into the book, but never the less... Mixed feelings when it comes to rating this as an issue.

Fun to continue to diversify the characters featured in 2007, though, and also nice to get some more girls on the site. By the sheer nature of comics, and specifically fighting comics, I think we're always going to be bound slightly tighter to the male characters. Mind you, I think DC has become the greater minority on the site than females. Sorry, guys!

This was a prescheduled fight, and much to my chagrin the rampaging Ragnell was off her game, and alerted her readers to International Women's Day a few days late. So, consider this a conveniently timed belated contribution.
With the current format I like the idea of playing to some of these themes, and via Ragnell and the Written World, it was one I was aware of and awaiting.

[If YOU know of an interesting theme or topical day coming up, drop a comment and let me know! - Calendarious Mike]

With so many comics floating around, themes like these are a nice excuse to force something onto the page. I don't want to overload Fridays with Marvel contributions (in light of Mondays and Wednesdays), but there was a recent duke that fits the criteria, so maybe in a few weeks.

I guess it's kind of a topical time to be featuring women in comics, with the release of the testosterone charged military masterpiece in 300 the movie.
Certainly on both sides of the big two fences there have been efforts to introduce more female characters. Contributions like Echo, and the new White Tiger, Batwoman and Question all respectively add another little twist.

Perhaps the only unfortunate thing, and again this is something we've discussed before, is the derivative nature of their characters. Even Echo, the most individual of the four listed, shares many similarities with characters already existing, including Elektra.

In a world where we haven't seen it time and time again, the poignancy of being christened on Elektra's sai might have been there, but this just feels like another chapter in Echo's following in the footsteps of Elektra, which maybe even cheapens the first character to a degree.

One can't help but flash back to interviews where creators, like Bendis, have expressed their reluctance to involve themselves with "Frank's character", but then go ahead and do something like this. Maybe that's even the motivation.
Maybe Echo is an opportunity to have cake and eat it too, I don't know, but it's a little disappointing, none the less.
Time will tell if it becomes a ham-fisted character device, or is just the fairly logical happenings of a superheroine in the universe.

One last thing I have to praise is Lienel Francis Yu!
I don't know if it's the coolest thing in the world to admit, but I really liked his pencil work on Wolverine around the mid and late nineties, and I think this issue just completely stepped it up. In a way he's almost like a more overtly pencilled Alex Maleev, and the colour palette here kind of nurtures this feeling.

So, despite my chagrin of it being New Avengers, full credit to the colour palette and the overall presentation of the issue. Certainly it evokes some of the qualities of Alex Maleev that works so well with Bendis' writing, but Yu brings a vibrance and kinetic action that Maleev might not be able to. Just a shame it was so short!

EDIT (June 17): You are no doubt aware by now that revelations from New Avengers #31 reveal that this was not Elektra at all, but rather a well trained Skrull facsimile! Rankings have now been changed accordingly.

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 5.5

CAPTAIN AMERICA versus PUNISHER
What If The Punisher had become Captain America (Marvel comics)
Where: What if...? #51 When: July 1993
Why: Simon Furman How: Paris Cullins

The story so far...
In our world, blinded, Captain America was able to survive a brutal encounter with the Red Skull through luck and determination, but throughout the omniverse there are other worlds where he was not so fortunate.

Alive but mortally wounded, Steve Rogers demands there be a replacement in the Cap costume during the period of his recuperation. Thus, the search for a suitable substitute begins. Many men try and fail!

Astronaut John Jameson succumbs to a spell whilst in space, becoming a Man-Wolf; Robert Diamond dies at the hands of Count Nefaria; the gamma-irradiated Leonard Samson loses his mind in battle, and kills innocent civilians; and Kyle Richmond falls victim to the vampiric Baron Blood.

With his family caught in a gang-land crossfire, Frank Castle, having initial turned down the offer, now turns to the flag. As Captain America he will battle evil, but will this symbol for justice be enough for the unhinged ex-soldier?

Previous Form:
Captain America (#9): Cap has victories over Wolverine, Baron Zemo, MODOK and Bane.
The Punisher (#57): Punisher was recently defeated by Wolverine, but has a victory over the Rhino.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Captain America 3 (Trained Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Captain America 3 (???)
Stamina: Captain America 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Captain America 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: The Punisher 4 (Arsenal)


With the rare exception, we've been having quite a few statistically one-sided fights, it seems. This one definitely has a margin of measure, but ultimately I think even the most staunch Punisher supporter has to acknowledge that Cap pretty much dresses him up in frilly reds, and takes him to school.

Cap's got Castle covered on hand-to-hand combat, speed, strength and agility.
Standard weapons are moot for the shield, not to mention Cap's evasive talents, seen in many-a bullet dodging splash page.

Punisher's key to success is his moral pendulum, which swings quite a bit wider than Cap's. If there were a way Castle could endanger someone, presumably a criminal because he isn't a bad guy, then Cap may be compelled to abandon an attack/defense in the interest of preserving life.

Punisher wouldn't kill Captain America, we know that much.
Recent interpretations in Punisher War Journal even take it much farther, indicating a degree of hero worship, or at the very least, recognition for the super-patriot.

This one's Cap's, but Punny can surprise.
Like Tombstone, he plays above his weight, kids!

The Math: Captain America (Meta Class)
The Pick: Captain America

What went down...
Frank Castle keeps his distance as a member of the Avengers, and the second his back is turned, they run to Nick Fury to tell them how wrong he feels.
How when the cameras are on he seems to present a facade acceptable to the world, but behind closed doors a glimpse of the real man emerges.
When The Scarlet Witch is disturbed by the presence of another member, then you know he's probably pretty unhinged, but Fury dismisses it as little more than the stoic drive of a military man who lost everything.

While this occurs, Castle dons the garb of a new symbol he's created. Garb baring the mark of the death's head -- a warning to criminals everywhere. On this night he is not a sentinel of liberty. He is a Punisher.

This night is very different to the others, though. Deciding to abandon the limitations of Captain America, Frank Castle goes out for the hunt, leaving behind the ideals of the red, white and blue.

"There is no Captain America. Not anymore. That name carries with it too many limitations. There is only The Punisher!"

This night is very different. This night Frank Castle has excised Captain America from his soul. And now Captain America has come to get him!

The shield comes from nowhere, and the red boot that cracks across his face seems to do the same. Castle knows the silence means this man is good -- and very dangerous.

A hand chops down on the back of his neck, and on his hands and knees he finally gets a good look at his attacker. He finally gets a good look at Captain America!

Cap warns Castle that he must be stopped, and the paranoid expatriate starts to piece the puzzle together, and sees Cap is their clean-up, and he's the mess.
Rather than listen any longer Castle does the only thing he can -- he attacks.

Cap's back smashes into the scenery of the druglab, and Castle follows his body down to the ground, wrapping his hands tight around Cap's throat. He's playing for keeps. He's playing to punish America. But sometimes America isn't afraid to fight dirty!

"Uuugh! Didn't... want to resort to... his... but..."
Cap throws his right fist at the Punisher's exposed ribs, and sends him flying into the air. Castle hits the wall and staggers to his feet, grabbing his stomach. He wants to know what he's been hit with, but he'll have to hear the cermon first.

Cap unleashes his greatest weapon -- the inspiration power of a stern talking to!
And he gives Castle no choice but to listen. He comes to empathise with Castle's frustrations with the system, and even acknowledges some of the problems of the United States, but for Steve Rogers that's what being Captain America is all about. It's about being one human man who will rise above that, and be better.

Castle asks why he can't just do all that, and Cap pulls up his right sleeve with a look of distain to reveal an entirely cybernetic arm.

Just as reason seems to be breaking through to castle, machine gun fire interrupts the moment from a balcon above them.

Cap pushes Castle down and tosses his mighty shield up to the mobster.
The shield misses, but Cap follows right behind and knocks the gunman down with a thundering two-booted kick. He retrieves his shield, and calls to Castle, "You see, Castle? Subdued... but alive!"

But as he says it, he realises Castle has already disappeared.
The shattering glass makes it none too subtle where Punisher has gone. He's gone to get the scum he was there for, but when he puts the gun to the drug runner's head, his conscience tackles him. The memory of his family tackles him.
And Castle wonders if maybe there is another way.

Cap, though present, never has to intervene.

The hammer...
Well, the resolution may have gotten a little off track, but I think it's fair to say Captain America not only successfully subdued Punisher, but also picked up a moral victory!

No prizes for guessing the motivation behind this What If Wednesday! But just in case you've been living in a cave on the darkside of the moon, this is of course in response to not only Captain America's untimely death in Captain America #25, but also popular speculation that The Punisher may assume the mantle, as hinted at in the conclusion of Civil War #7.

Solicitations for War Journal playfully hint at a costume change for Frank Castle. If it isn't the red, white and blue, let's hope it's a shift to black and a trenchcoat.
Fair enough to bring him back to the superhero world, but does that really require white boots? C'mon...

Mind you, the cover to #5 suggests Castle may find himself busted by the feds, so maybe the costume change is back to prison garb. Maybe this time he could focus on doing some intelligence gathering and criminal killing, without having to worry about Matt Murdock and his blind-man routine.

Y'know, I don't really think I mind either way, but Captain Punisher is a pretty tantalizing prospect! This issue looks at the situation through the eyes of a Frank Castle who hasn't lept into his war on crime, so the heroes are relatively unfamiliar with him. What kind of animosity is he going to have to deal with mere months after being recruited to the Anti-Reg gang, only to be unceremoniously kicked out after he gunned down two allied villains at point blank?

With that in mind, how many people are going to be angry at Castle for disrespecting the deceased? For all the respect and worship Castle has, surely even he could recognise the Captain can't condone his lifestyle and methodology.

Which I guess brings us to other popular theories, like Rick Jones or Bucky Barnes taking the mantle. Which, although there's strong opposing logic to Castle, sits with me even less well than the Punisher.

Barnes, currently the Winter Soldier [appearing Monday!], has spent the last few decades as a cyborg Russian killing machine, dedicated to everything Captain America opposes. So, having him to a complete backflip feels somewhat wasted.
Then again, apparently Ed Brubaker's entire run on Captain America has been building toward this moment, and despite the title character's assassination, we can be pleased to know the book will continue. Maybe it has all been about breeding Bucky for a switcheroo back to heroism.

Then again, perhaps a delicious irony is that Bucky has cybernetic enhancements to compensate for the injuries he sustained during the event that posed as his apparent death. Which is exactly what Cap declares Captain America shouldn't be, in this very issue of What If.
Duelling characterizations aren't really new, but it's food for thought!

I suppose I've been side tracked from the point -- Captain America is dead!
My initial reaction was really just bemusement, and wonder as to why so many people were buying into it. Then the press started to sink in, and sink in, and sink in, until it dawned on me that regardless of the inevitable reversal, this one's probably going to stick for a good while now.

Originally I was thinking maybe a storyarc, between four and eight issues, but with that much press, I can't imagine Marvel would make it known without sticking to it for a while. And even on the off chance that the story spread farther than was intended, Cap's death is going to stick as a result of that.

How do I feel about it? A few people have asked me over the week.
I'm kind of somewhere in the middle about it. I like to think I'm an advocate of moving the comics forward, but I do tend to wonder if Captain America is the guy to do it with. On the one hand he's been around the longest, so you probably knock him off before you take out your Spidey... But at the same time, he's their oldest, and unlike a Sub-Mariner or Human Torch, he's managed to endure since his come-back in the sixties!

It seems like a grosse misstep to kill-off this one.
The one everyone feels, canonically and as readers, is the embodiment of everything the heroes should be striving for. This is even the guy most readers felt was right in the argument of hero registration, even though he probably wasn't really the logical choice.

I think he'll be back... and if it isn't something spectacular, this will probably be remembered in infamy in much the same way the death of Superman is.
Otherwise, it will be another thorough disappointment for death in superhero comics. Something that manages to generate sales, even if it isn't a threat anymore.

Mixed feelings!...

The Fight: 3 The Issue: 5

BULLSEYE versus DAREDEVIL
Hardcore: Part 4 (Marvel comics)
Where: Daredevil #49 When: September 2003
Why: Brian Michael Bendis How: Alex Maleev

The story so far...
The bad blood between Bullseye and Daredevil is the stuff of legends, and as the Kingpin prepares to launch a final assault on Matt Murdock, Bullseye wants in!

What they don't realise is that Matt Murdock isn't playing the same game anymore, and things are turning around back onto the Kingpin of crime.

This is the big one as DD faces off with the man who has a history of killing his girlfriend, and is sneaking into his apartment home, where his blind wife Milla sleeps. Is it three for three, or has Bullseye missed the mark?

Previous Form:
Bullseye (#70): Bullseye has a victory and a defeat against Daredevil.
Daredevil (#5): Daredevil has victories over Tombstone, Wolverine and Turk.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Trained Athlete)
Intelligence: Bullseye 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Daredevil 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Daredevil 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Daredevil 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Daredevil 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Bullseye 4 (Arsenal)

When you talk about classic comic book rivalries, there probably aren't many that match the quality and longevity of these two. Sometimes we talk about personal or psychological advantages, but really, these two have been duking it out at high stakes for so long, there's probably nothing left in that arena.

While Bullseye would have to be considered the less proficient a fighter of the two, he has his own remarkable skills that have allowed him to go toe-to-toe with the technician that is Daredevil. Not that DD is relying on technical prowess when he fights Bullseye. This is a blood feud!

We've broached the subject of Daredevil's ferocity when fighting [Daredevil #87], but of all the opponents that inspire that rage, Bullseye has to be at the top of the list. Which, in the hands of Daredevil, is actually a good thing.
Unlike other combatants, DD might be less inclined to start making slip-ups when he's fighting with that kind of temperment. If anything, it can become an advantage for him.

Bullseye is always deadly. If it can be thrown, he can make it a weapon.
His accuracy is second to none, and he usually comes equipped with weapons of some kind, even if they're little more than shuriken.

DD's radar-senses give him a one-up on projectile attacks, but like Spider-man's spider-senses, even they can only provide so much. It's still up to the mind and body to work in unison if attacks are going to be avoided.

All of this is really for moot.
I think at the end of the day we've already seen in their previous battles [Daredevil #132, #79] that it can really go either way. More often than not, I guess you have to favour DD, but I don't know how accurate that is...

The Math: Daredevil (Meta Class)
The Pick: Daredevil

What went down...
Sneaking out the skylight, Daredevil says goodnight to his blind girlfriend, Milla, with promise of fancy and fun on a date to Lincoln Center.
Milla stretches out on the bed with a smile, but is startled by the creak of someone walking in the room. Though she can detect their presence, she does not know who it is. "Matt?," she asks, without response.

Emerging from the shadows is Bullseye, delighted at the fact that Milla is blind.
He remarks on his previous affairs with Daredevil's girlfriends, and notes that althought they served their purpose, to get under DD's skin, he was never able to savor them. They always put up a fight, and came in the heat of something else.

As Bullseye begins to make a request of the woman, a red garbed devil hurtles from the ceiling down on top of him. Daredevil grabs his foe in a hammerlock and tosses him out the window. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

The daring Bullseye lands on his feet, like he almost always does, and Daredevil pursues, fearlessly. But not before telling Milla to call the police.

DD spins in the air, swinging his boot into Bullseye's head. The trail of blood sprays faster from his nose and mouth than his own body that follows the path down to the street below.

Bullseye tosses shuriken and insults, but Daredevil expertly deflects both with the a steely star and his trusty billyclub. He retorts, not with words, but with an intentful toss of his hand-weapon.

The skilled assassin snatches the club out of the air, as he has done so many times before. He reminds Daredevil of the death of his favourite girl, Karen Page, as was the result of the last time Bullseye possessed his club.

The two engage each other in combat, Bullseye ducking a blow from the other club, but taking a bloody boot to the face for his trouble.
Daredevil asks of his arch-nemesis, again and again, "Why do you keep coming BACK here??"

With no satisfactory answer, Daredevil calls his foe by his true name. A facet of Bullseye long thought lost to history. DD calls him Lester -- and it rattles him.

Lester lashes out violently with a backhand, that sprays more blood on the road below.
He calls for an audience as Daredevil hits the mat, intent on putting on a show for the people of Hell's Kitchen.

With blood pooring from his mouth, DD grits his teeth and pushes against the Earth as it comes up against him.

"Hey, you think when you die and go to Hell, you'll still get to wear the costume?"

Bullseye looms over the hero with his own billyclub, and prepares to plunge it downward in one operatic final blow, but the Daredevil isn't beaten. He throws his leg out, and bucks his would-be killer across the street.

He follows his kicks with sordid details of Bullseye's previously unrevealed past. Factoids about his name and his prostitute mother. About his pathetic life in high school, and how he doesn't know his daddy.



He takes a mount position and pounds the mercenary again and again, spraying more and more blood still onto the night street.
Bullseye's cheek begins to bruise, and Daredevil challenges him on his identity and his connection to the bullseye symbol he wears on his head.

Pledging each ring to his loved ones, DD uses a rock to carve around the bullseye tattooed on his head. For Elektra and for Karen. He challenges Bullseye to find the courage to do what he won't. To end his miserable life and leave everyone alone.

The FBI arrive as DD looms over Bullseye with the rock, asserting dominance with a hollow threat. He offers to press charges.
Says it's that important, but it isn't necessary for a man who has found his way to fourth on America's list of most wanted criminals.

Agent Driver, an adversary with which Murdock had developed a report, wants to talk to him about Kingpin, but Daredevil's night is over. Daredevil's won.
And Wilson Fisk -- the Kingpin -- is a matter for tomorrow.

The hammer...
Well, in one of the most intense victories of his career, Daredevil emerges victorious on this night!

This was certainly one of the fights that's been easiest to invest in in terms of the summary. I think what makes it so superb is it's relative subtlty. The power of the blows are pretty irrelevent to the kicks and punches. They're just there as expected dressing, but really, what gives this fight such power, is the street-bound humanity of it.

Daredevil, with grit teeth, is really fighting Bullseye on this Hell's Kitchen street, with everyone too frightened in their rooms to dare interrupt the mood. They're irrelevent and it's better that way. It's just about Bullseye and Daredevil and all the bad blood they share. They let it -- literally.
It oozes out of them onto the street, and more still as they exchange the verbal barrage of throat gripping truths. Bullseye has his moment, but Daredevil delivers everything and more on him. He even elaborates on the character's history.

It's rare that I would look to Bendis for a benchmark in canon, but I really like what he reveals about Bullseye here. He's one of those villains who, when it came to getting an origin, has sort of never really comfortably absorbed one take. So you end up with various bits and pieces, and I didn't read the slow-release mini-series Daredevil: Target, so I don't know if that's the source from which Bendis is inspired, but I think what he uses, so very little, is just right.

I like to think of this character on the most base of terms, because that makes him all the more threatening. At the risk of dragging myself into this, in some ways this Bullseye is inspiration for my character The Russian Man, who likewise is a man with a lot of blood on his hands, but with an snivelling past.

Bullseye, like the Joker, kinda shifts between histories of extrapalatory training and mediocrity. I think both characters benefit from the low key non-origins. It makes them all the more frightening and threatening know the only thing that seperates them from us is the will to do terrible things.

Another great aid to the story is the artwork, which is a little stiff around some areas. This isn't the best drawn Daredevil fight sequence, but it's the best emoted. Maleev brings with him an awkwardness that comes with such photo realistic work (presumably built from source), but it brings great benefit to crafting a subdued, emotive hyper-reality about everything.
It's stylized enough to be beautiful, but it's lowkey enough that it feels real.

Bendis gets full credit for the writing here. Some of it plays against Maleev's strengths, but as with most of his work on Daredevil, it makes good use of his work. Which really owes a great deal to colourist -- Matt Hollingsworth.
Maleev's efforts could not have the stylistic weight they do without the brilliance of the mostly muted colour palette.

When I think of the few things I didn't like about the Daredevil movie, one of those things is probably the costume. A minor note throughout the Maleev/Hollingsworth run is undoubtedly the simplicity of the costume, and the vibrant red/black contrast put on it. That is Daredevil, for me.

Perhaps the only glaring problem with this issue, I find, is the fact that it wraps Bullseye up so brilliantly... It feels like he shouldn't be seen again for quite some time, and those of use reading Brubaker/Lark's DD of course know, he's pretty immediately thrust back into the picture.

It isn't a terrible problem, but in the bigger picture it certainly affects the way one should recognise Brubaker's work.
It does, however, highlight one of the issues with Bullseye's roll in the new Thunderbolts series under the pen of Warren Ellis. Highlighted is Bullseye's status on America's Most Wanted list, which uncomfortably rubs up against the idea that Bullseye could be a government trump card.
Not to say the United States hasn't slept with the enemy before, mind you...

We'll probably see more of the Hardcore storyarc in the future, with a couple more great DD battles that come out of it -- including the climactic showdown with Wilson Fisk; aka the Kingpin of Crime.

The Fight: 5.5 The Issue: 6.5

THE TRAPSTER versus SPIDER-MAN & GHOST RIDER
Panic On Pier One! (Marvel comics)
Where: Marvel Team-Up #58 When: June 1977
Why: Chris Claremont How: Sal Buscema & P. Marcos

The story so far...
Whilst heading home, Peter Parker and Mary-Jane Watson find themselves in for a treat when they discover a film crew rolling outside of Peter's Chelsea residence.

Amongst the film crew is Johnny Blaze, playing the role of Stunt-Master.Blaze, stunt cyclist extraordinaire, is of course the alter ego of the demon spawn dark hero known as Ghost Rider, the spirit of vengeance!

Filming begins, but a routine stunt goes wrong when Blaze's front tyre is ensnared by an unseen adhesive shot atop one of the cars he's bunnyhopping.
The force of his momentum tears the front tyre from the cycle, and Johnny Blaze makes the change from man, to Ghost Rider!

Webbing comes to the demon's aid at the last second, but when Spidey finds himself snared by thick paste, will the spirit of vengeance return the favour?

Previous Form:
The Trapster (#64): The Trapster has both a victory and defeat as member of the Frightful Four.
Spider-man (#2): Spider-man has victories of Scorpion, Kraven, Tombstone and others.
Ghost Rider: Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze) has not yet been featured.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Spider-man 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Spider-man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Ghost Rider 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Ghost Rider 3 (Street Wise)
Energy Powers: Ghost Rider 5 (Lasers)

When you break it down, this is a hilariously one-sided fight.
The Trapster doesn't even break a twenty overall, which makes him one of the few feature characters to fall into the Human Class. Which is bad news bears when you're up against not one, but TWO superhero studs.

Like various more street level characters, Trapster certainly has the ability to play above his stats. Granted he isn't a Tombstone, but the versatility provided by his super-durable adhesive paste is a fairly hefty tool.
Along with various offensive applications, it comes in pretty handy for your run of the mill incapacitation through bondage, and can even throw up defensives like a super sturdy quick-dry wall.

Of course, even with that said, if we take a look at the opposing keys to victory you have a smorgasboard of ways for Ghost Rider and/or Spidey to take him apart. Webbing, hellfire, super strength, nearby sea, flaming hellcycle... That isn't even breaking it down to measure how each talent can beat him.

Honestly, The Trapster is in deep water in this one, which is probably the reason he never gets any respect. Aim low, Pete. Aim low.

The Math: Spider-man & Ghost Rider
The Pick: Spider-man & Ghost Rider

What went down...
Having saved Ghost Rider from a messy crash, Spider-man finds himself entangled in the sticky paste of The Trapster!

Ghost Rider summons his hellcycle so that he might pursue the villain, while he recounts the tale of his arrival to Spider-man from atop his Anti-Grav Platform.

During a daring escape from custody, the Wizard freed his Frightful Four friends with the use of one of his many crafty contingencies, concealed within a dummy tooth.
As they left, The Trapster spied a newspaper that featured an article on the Johnny Blaze film, and decided to stretch his legs with some payback for a previous meeting.

While Trapster blows his own trumpet, Spidey makes his move, shooting a web line to the front of Trapster's floating platform.
With a safe anchor he puts his weight into applying pressure on the long strand of hardened paste, and manages to break it!

Though his arms remain bound, Spidey uses his web-line to swing up onto the platform, and delivers a devestating kick to the face of the villain formerly known as Paste-Pot Pete.

Staring down the barrel of the paste gun, Spidey tries to swat it away with his pinned arms. He proves unsuccessful, and the Trapster shows some developing enginuity, using a magnesium flare in his belt to blind the web-slinger.

Blinded, Spider-man is left a sitting target to even the Trapster, not known for his bruising.

The punch sends Spider-man hurtling off the Anti-Grav platform, toward the streets below, but fortunately the Ghost Rider was still entow.

Imitating a move he picked up from the Human Torch, Ghost Rider drives his cycle in a tight circle, creating a vortex of hot air that slows Spider-man's descent, and allows him the chance to catch the falling hero!

The Trapster comes around for a second shot, but Ghost Rider blasts a vengeful burst of hellfire toward the villain. It damages the platform heavily, but not enough to prevent Trapster steering toward refuge aboard a docked Navy carrier.

Spidey breaks free of his shackles, and leaps into action with the Ghost Rider.
GR is first onboard the boat, jumping from an elevated highway atop his hellcycle.

[Paste-Pot] Pete is waiting with his paste gun ready, building himself a hardened wall directly in the path of the netherworldly rider!
Any ordinary biker may be thrashed, but the Ghost Rider is able to leap from his flaming hellcycle as explodes in a burst of flame, before summoning it once more so that he may land directly on it!

Trapster so perturbed by being outmatched, doesn't even notice that he flees right into the waiting fist of the amazing Spider-man! The victory, however, is brief, as finely tuned spider-senses warn Spidey of an incoming attack from one of the sailors aboard the ship.

Ghost Rider once more comes to the web-slinger's aid as the seamen open fire.

Meanwhile, The Trapster seeks to commandeer a jet as means of distraction to facilitate his escape. He starts the F-14 rolling toward the West Side Highway, and only Spider-man's fantastic leaping prevents certain disaster.
Using his webbing and some quick thinking, he pulls the plane harmlessly into a nose dive off the bow of the carrier.

Ghost Rider corners the fleeing Trapster aboard the ship, and prepares to deliver unbridled vengeance, but Spider-man is forced to intervene at the last second!

With his prey pinned against barrels of fuel, Ghost Rider could be endangering the entire crew with his flaming retribution. Or so Spidey believes!

The Ghost Rider, unrelenting, blasts jets of hellfire at the villain with little regard for the surroundings. Trapster collapses to the ground, gripped in a figurative hell in his mind.

Ghost Rider callously reminds Spider-man that his hellfire has more poperties than merely the physical. Spider-man is unable to subscribe to his vicious means of penance, thus the two part ways, with Ghost Rider bitterly reminding his ally that he is what he is. A demon spawn spirit of vengeance.

The hammer...
Despite their uneasy resolution, Ghost Rider and Spider-man emerge victorious! What a team!

A rare milestone on the site comes with this entry!
This is officially the one hundredth post on the website, which is a pretty big deal by anyone's book! Traffic's slowed down a little, but we've come a long way from the first post, so a big shoutout goes to all of you coming back regularly! Cheers!

Now, as far as reasoning for this post, I'm going to admit this was purely a grab at scoring some hits off the feature film. I haven't seen it, but I know it's got a lot of new readers interested in the character, and hopefully this can add to the experience of discovering the character on the page!

I personally don't think the character really came into his own until the Ghost Rider mantle was passed to Dan Ketch, as opposed to Johnny Blaze, who's the GR featured here and in the movie.

At this point in the character's history he sort of feels like a weird superhero, with a very non-chalant reference to an infernal backstory, and off-the-cuff throws to Satan. By the eighties and nineties I think we start to see the character falling into a more unique niche, and finding weight on the nature of his character, as opposed to just being a superhero guest star.

You'll notice the threat of hellfire is fairly regular here. It's not until the nineties that he develops trademark moves like the penance stare, and diversifies into the chains and flame attacks.

You probably see some of that in the movie, but being a PG-13 film, it really doesn't root the character in the same scene I like to think of him as appearing in. This is a character that inhabits the seedier side of the Marvel universe, mingling with similar characters like Morbius and Dr. Strange and Blade.

Of course, during that period of the Dan Ketch Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze still gets a look in, albeit as a man. Although, as you may have discovered if you've begun investigating the character in the comics, Johnny Blaze has again taken up the curse of the Ghost Rider. And I'm not about to pretend I'm above movie tie-ins [hello!], but it will be very interesting to see the Dan Ketch character breached within the pages of those books.

Of course, the vehicle for this Ghost Rider feature was the original secondary Spider-man title; Marvel Team-Up. I don't have a great collection of Ghost Rider books, but this is one that's been on the pile for a while, so it seemed like an opportune moment to throw it up there.

As has been discussed in the Punch-Ups, 2007 is really fixing to be a Spider-man month here on the site, I think. That's probably a trend that will continue, and hopefully you can forgive me! I'm trying to reserve Friday for some versatility, but there's just so much still to come!

Keep the hits coming folks!
If you've played the Ultimate Alliance video game, you'll know Monday is all about Bullseye, and it's one we've been waiting to see since the beginning of the site! Stick around for it! Cheers!

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 4

THE PUNISHER versus THE X-MEN
What If... Wolverine had become the Lord of Vampires? (Marvel comics)
Where: What if...? #24 When: April 1991
Why: Roy Thomas & RJM Lofficier How: Tom Morgan

The story so far...
When the X-Men battled the menace of Count Dracula, it was only the strength of character of Ororo Monroe, Storm, who had been possessed by the fiend, that saved the lives of the mutant team. But what if Storm had remained under Dracula's spell?

In a world where just that has happened, Dracula finds more than he bargained for when he returns to raise the defeated X-Men from the dead.

Wolverine proves too strong a will for Dracula contain, and ultimately slays him, making the X-Man the new lord of vampires. Having mastered the powers of the vampire, Wolverine and his vampires go on the rampage. They declare into their number heroes and villains alike, whilst destroying anyone who is deemed a potential threat -- including Dr. Strange, who falls at the hands of the Juggernaut.

Though dead, Strange remains in his astral, and recruits one of the last 'super' humans alive to his cause: Frank Castle -- The Punisher.

Previous Form:
The Punisher (#53): The Punisher debuted recently with a victory over Rhino.
Wolverine (#3): Wolverine has had team victories against Nimrod and Xorn.
The X-Men (#1): The X-Men have victories over Magneto, Xorn, Nimrod, Wolverine and The Lizard.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Juggernaut 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: The Punisher 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Nightcrawler 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Juggernaut 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Nightcrawler 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Cyclops 5 (Lasers)

Hey, didn't I tell you there would be more Punisher in the future? Oh, yes!

Okay, under ordinary conditions there's no doubt about this -- The Punisher is totally screwed. This particular gathering of X-Men includes: Colossus, Nightcrawler, Cyclops, Storm, Juggernaut and Kitty Pryde, with the final threat being the big boss - Wolverine; lord of vampires.

The Juggernaut or Colossus alone are a big enough deal alone, with their super strength and durability factoring in at levels far and beyond the Punisher's wild imagination. But then you pile on top of that the tactical and ranged attack Cyclops brings to the table, the stealthy application of a ruthless Nightcrawler into the field, and the defensive/offensive potential of Shadowcat -- and you've got yourself a pretty formidable team-up of mutant vampires.

The Punisher isn't alone in this war on the undead.
Though he was tactically removed from the equation early in the piece, the presence of Dr. Strange lingers to coach Frank Castle in the best means to attack this mystic-borne offensive.

Which is actually a neat segue just to mention, this entry was prompted by a recent feature [Blade #5], in which Blade threatened to turn Wolverine into a vampire. Something, due to the psuedo-science of the matter, I think Wolverine's healing factor could've dealt with.
I did cite this issue as an example of opposing logic, and it should be noted that this outbreak is of the mystic variety. That is, the more traditional curse of the vampire, which I can handle. Immune systems generally don't get in the way of logic-defying magic spells and whatnot.

This highlights the potential advantage gained by the aid provided by Dr. Strange. I mean, if you're going to need a mystic solution to a pretty widespread problem, who better than Earth's Sorceror Supreme?

Plus, let it never be said that Frank Castle isn't an industrious murdering lunatic! Just recently we saw him come up with means to take down Rhino [Punisher: War Journal #3], which is well into the field of Colossus and Juggernaut territory.

Logically, against the sum of these characters, Punisher really is the longshot. I don't think I could pick him and still claim this section to be pure, but like Tombstone, Punisher is a guy who plays above his weight.
He's not quite in the field of Batman, but the guy can plan like a fox, and has a knack for coming up with the weaponry to carry out his ruthless plans.

Wolverine is really the big bad of this picture, running the show as the Lord of Vampires with not only his classic mutant resiliance and adamantium laced claws and skeleton -- but he also has the mystic strengths of the vampire. Metamorphosis into wolves, bats, and various other forms, as well as mist. Of course, this also brings with it the vulnerabilities of the vampire. Something Wolverine hasn't really ever had to deal with.

The Math: Wolverine and The X-Men
The Pick: The X-Men

What went down...
With his interactions with Dr. Strange providing renewed direction, The Punisher makes his way to Bleecker Street, the residence of one Sanctum Sanctorum, home to the former Dr. Stephen Strange and all his [un]earthly posessions.

As dusk arrives, Castle mows down the black clad wannabes of The Dark Order, a group of humans seeking to become humans. The brief struggle provides just enough time for the sun to set, which reveals the menace of the vampiric X-Men.

Storm and Cyclops go on the early offensive, firing off their respective projectile attacks, but the cloak of levitation provides Castle the maneuverability he needs to survive the assault.

He attacks the group with his arsenal of customized weapons, starting off with an entre of garlic grenades, before serving up a main course of silver bullets.
The hail of ammunition takes out the stunned Cyclops and Nightcrawler.

With his daily quota of silver shells spent, Dr. Strange offers a pep talk in light of Castle's negative outlook, but the stoic Punisher is in it for the hard yard.
While they chat, Storm in batform swoops down to attack the Punisher, but his silver-lined gloves prove more than a match. He tears her vampire wings to shreds, and fills her body with silver bullets before she even hits the ground.

Colossus, enraged by the slayings, charges in on the Punisher, toting the strength of his organic-steel skin as more than a match for his silver.
Punisher can't argue, but produces a cannon filled with holy water that boils even the chromed exterior of the mighty Colossus.

Punisher's natural physique and conditioning are enough for him to avoid the oncoming attack of the unstoppable Juggernaut, as he throws the weight of his crimson fist at him.

In an awkward position, Punisher finds himself with the weight of the Juggernaut looming over him. "I'll soon crush your silver gloves -- and the hands inside them -- like an eggshell!"
The Eye of Agamotto provides the opposing point, penetrating even the magical shielding provided by Juggernaut's Cyttorak powers. He's sent packing aflame.

Thus, with the Sanctum Sanctorum in sight, the final threat presents itself -- Wolverine; Lord of the Vampires!

He pops his claws and leaps into the fray, slicing Strange's cape away from Punisher's shoulders. Along with it goes the Eye of Agamotto, and Castle is down to his traditional, albeit modified, arsenal.

He fires off a round from his gun, but Wolverine's ability to turn to mist leaves him hitting nothing but dead-air. As Wolverine taunts him he throws his gun down and challenges the former X-Man man-to-man.

The Punisher remains a wile and worthy foe, even stripped down to weapons as quaint as a silver knife blessed -- by a priest!

He grapples with the stunned Wolverine, wrestling him toward the threshold of the spell-protected home of the former Sorceror Supreme.
Castle plants his silver-lined glove in the face of the mutant-vampire, and struggles to push him through the door, finally succeeding!

In the lion's den the Vampire Lord is considerably weakned.
Wolverine is able to block Castle's knife attack with his claws, but succumbs to something as mundane as a stiff left that sends him reeling into the wall.

Battling their way toward the room which contains the The Darkhold, which contains the fabled vampire-destroying Montesi Formula, Wolverine's strength continues to fade, and Punisher flaunts his superiority.
He plunges his knife into Wolverine's gut, leaving him to stagger back like little more than a wounded pup.

With Wolverine helplessly on the back foot, Castle towers over his prey and finally prepares for glorious victory, but at that moment -- a twist!

Her phasing powers apparently granting her intangibility even to Strange's magical spells, Kitty Pryde pops up through the floor to come to Wolverine's aid.

The teen X-Man interrupts just as Castle is in mid-swing, thus he is unable to stop the follow through as she again becomes tangible to push against him.

With her decapitated head before him, even The Punisher is shaked and disturbed by his actions. Perhaps finding resonance with the death of his own children, he pauses, contemplating the severity of his actions, and this leaves an opening.

In a rage, Wolverine plunges his adamantium claws deep into the Punisher's gut.

Any conventional armor he may have been wearing beneath his costume is moot against the cutting strength of Wolverine's razor sharp claws.

The Punisher bleeds out onto the floor, but victory comes at a terrible cost.
Mourning over Kitty Pryde's headless body, Wolverine perhaps regains a glimmer of humanity not seen since he had fallen to the vampire's bite.

The spirit of Dr. Strange leaves Frank Castle's lifeless body, and compells Wolverine to put an end to the carnage wrought by the evil he had absorbed.
Evil passed down from Vampire Lords long before he, or even Dracula.

Though he is barely able to speak it, Wolverine recites the Montesi Formula, and brings an end to vampires everywhere. They fall in the streets, and like a bad dream, fade from existence, leaving only their victims.

The hammer...
Though his X-Men were defeated, the winner of this bout, Wolverine! With assists going to all those X-Men, without whom it could not have happened. Yes, even though Wolverine ultimately redeemed himself in the end, by destroying himself.

As far as starting out What If Wednesday goes, I think this is a pretty damned fantastic way to go!

I was, as mentioned, prompted to feature this in light of references made during the Blade entry, but this also just happens to be one of the many issues of What If...? I look back on fondly. To this day it remains a point of distain when I recall recently appointed EIC, Joe Quesada's mention, during the cancellation of Mutant X, that alternate reality comic books just weren't relevent.

Further making that a bitter pill was the introduction of Exiles, but thank goodness he finally saw light. We may no longer have an on-going series, but the fifth week What If events have at least been a glimpse at what once was.
You'll probably see a couple of the last lot of What Ifs popping up in a Wednesday soon.

Though I'm trying not to adhere to any kind of will-sapping schedule, next week should be a lot of fun as we take a look at an issue of What If that has become particularly topical in light of Civil War. [And it features Punisher again!]

I had a couple of things in mind I wanted to talk about, but I've since forgotten them, and I'm up against the Wednesday deadline now, so I'll try probably keep this brief.

Setting himself up in 2007 to be a semi-regular appears to be The Punisher, who is a character I never really appreciated until these more recent years.
In my formative comic reading, I could never really get into a guy whose chief role seemed to be wandering around the docks stabbing and shooting goons.
Which, in hindsight, isn't such a bad thing, but I think as a kid it was mostly these kinds of stories, that had a lot of colourful spandex around them, that allowed me to at least be aware of the character.

As a Spider-man guest star, from his first appearance, to things I read and enjoyed like the David Michelinie/Erik Larsen team-up, Punisher was most relevent to me. I never really read War Journal or anything, although, I remember being quite transfixed by the image of a battle-damaged Castle riding a jetski with a setting sun for a backdrop.

Anyway, because of this disinterest in the character, I don't have a great many appearances by the character, but it's a joy to use Wednesdays to feature the character a bit more. There's a joke to be made by fanboys about What If stories forcing the Punisher in without justification, but more often than not I think it works. And that's the testimony of a guy who didn't care for the character anywhere, but!

Also, if you enjoyed seeing the Dr. Strange corner of the Marvel Universe, stay tuned for the regular Friday update where we're going to be featuring a first-timer on the site! It's not the Doc (who gets the loss here), but hopefully sometime soon we'll get some Strange up here, too.

Also feel free to drop a comment, with unregistered users now able to do so!

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 6

SCORPION versus SPIDER-MAN
The Predator and the Prey Part One: The Monster Within (Marvel comics)
Where: Spectacular Spider-man #215 When: August 1994
Why: Tom DeFalco & Mike Lackey How: Sal Buscema

The story so far...
A millionaire China magnate and a genetically altered supervillain may not seem like obvious kindred spirits, but when Phillip Cussler Sr. emerges in the sewers to a raging Mac Gargan (aka; the Scorpion), the two strike up an unlikely relationship.

Cussler employs Scorpion's strength and criminal guile, with the promise that he can give the Scorpion the necessary guidance and cool-headed strategy to find purpose and strategy in combatting his problems, and the Spider-man.

With the Daily Bugle acting on behalf of Cussler Jr in the search for his father, Spider-man hopes to foil Scorpion's apparent hostage situation, unaware that Cussler is masterminding financial attacks on his own heirs. Also unaware that the Scorpion has a new power... strategy!

Previous Form:
Spider-man (#2): Spider-man has previous victories over Kraven the Hunter, Tombstone and Man-Ape.
Scorpion (#34): Gargan previously fatally defeated a disguised Space Phantom with the Venom symbiote.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Scorpion 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Spider-man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympic Sprinter)
Stamina: Scorpion 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Scorpion 3 (Street Wise)
Energy Powers: Scorpion 3 (Explosives)

Spidey's on-going rivalry with Scorpion is a pretty traditional off-setting of characters that are similar, yet so very different.

I guess you could equate these two to being something along the lines of Sabretooth and Wolverine. Scorpion, whose powers are arachnoid in theme also, is generally the larger and more powerful of the two, but Spidey's grit, determination, speed, and agility are generally the defining advantage in combat.

Likewise, Mac Gargan, as well spelled out in the intro, has never been a great thinker. Spidey, as is the case with many-a villain, is able to out strategize the Scorpion, to attain victory even in the most dire of circumstances.

Scorpion's key to victory is always his strength and raw aggression, which stems from a deep, personal hatred for the wall-crawler. He's mellowed with age, but Scorpion has always been a character of pathos who willingly thrusts his failings on Spider-man [and occasionally the man who funded his creation - J. Jonah Jameson -- Masterminding Mike].

Though possessing of amazing physical ability, Spidey is almost always portrayed as the far more agile and speedy of the two, lacking the cumbersome accessory of a prehensile tail. This, couple with strength capable of matching the Scorpion, makes Spidey the favourite every time, even on those occasions when the Scorpion comes equipped with an acid or plasma blast stinger.

The Math: Spider-man (Meta Class)
The Pick: Spider-man (Could you not?)

What went down...
Having levelled an assembly of some fifty-odd hired goons, Spidey trapses his way through the filthy muck of the sewers, cautiously aware of the apparent planning put into this plan. A plan that began with Scorpion's retreat into the sewers.

Scorpion charges into the fray, colliding with Spider-man at high speed!
Despite the brilliance of his coaching, Scorpion falls into the villainous folly of revealing his plans, remarking over confidently on the advantage he takes in the confined space of the sewers. Space that narrows the field of Spidey's maneuverability!

The two clash fist against fist, as Scorpion quizzes the web-slinger on the lack of quipping and witty banter. He gets an answer with a wild roundhouse that sends him flying. "Lettin' your fists do the talkin', ain't you?"

Scorpion retorts, using his tail to flick a chunk of solid concrete wall in Spider-man's direction. The silent Spider-man gladly meets it with a fist, sending shattered shards outward around him.

Distracted by the cries of Scorpion's henchman, attack elsewhere, Spider-man narrowly leaps an attack from the Scorpion's deadly tail.

With Spider-man pinned down and playing into the Scorpion's plan, he declares an end to the shenanigans. Unfortunately, it isn't he who puts the punctuation on the fight.

Spider-man channels all the stress and hate he's experienced over recent life events, which include Aunt May having a life-threatening stroke, and Scorpion suffers for it.

A thunderous left reigns down, following by a jaw breaking right uppercut, and another, and another, and yet another still, until Scorpion goes down like a bag o' bricks.

Thus, Scorpion stands exhausted, but victorious, despite the wile training of one Phillip Cussler Sr.

The hammer...
The winner by knock-out, and still champeen-- Spider-man!

Actually, I've got to say, despite my willing indulgance in Spider-man stories from the nineties, this result is unintentionally hilarious.
I guess it could be counted as a positive that it avoids the conventions of story telling, completely disregarding the build-up of Scorpion's renewed perspective and strategy.

This is a two-parter, but it really has very little to do with the Scorpion in the second chapter. So while you may have been expecting a triumphant Scorpion in part-one, what you actually get is yet another humilation for the Scorpion.
Which is kinda hilarious, if a little unfair to a character of such great potential.

These days you'll find Mac Gargan still in the super villain game, despite rediscovering his humanity in this issue (again thanks to Phillip Cussler), mooching around inside the slimey, symbiote-y togs of the Venom costume.

Some fans scoffed the turn of events that saw Scorpion discard his classic evil green, in favour of the contemporary glitz of oily black and crazy teeth -- but I actually kinda like it. Even if it's only superficial, it somehow feels like progress!

That said, I have to acknowledge a feeling of nostalgia whilst reading this issue. I actually hadn't read it in a while, and just grabbed it off the pile knowing it would fill the Scorpion quota for the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance theme we're running on Mondays.

I kinda miss even this version of the character, which is maybe not quite the original type for the character, but is still kinda close. These days Mac Gargan has lost himself to the Venom character, I think.
During the story that established the switch, Millar maybe wrote him a little less specific than he might otherwise have, servicing the story more than the character [Mark "Civil War" Millar service story over character?! Surely not! -- Muckraking Mike], which probably lent following characterizations to do the same, selling the Venom concept.

Of course, there's a canonical precedent for a change there, too, I suppose.
A character does give of themselves when bonding with the symbiote, but it's perhaps not usually this jarring. Because, yes. There is a Scorpion shaped green hole in comics now, and it won't be filled by anyone but Mac Gargan, but you know what? I wouldn't want it any other way.

Onward ho might Mac, as you become a new man and member of the Thunderbolts! Hoooooo!

If you're one who takes note of the tags, you'll notice the Clone Saga getting a mention. This is one of several issues that sort of ran as precursor to the story proper, featuring a C-story with a familiar looking chappy with the proportionate size, strength and agility of a spider, who manages to keep his face obscured until a couple of issues later. [The chap, of course, being Ben Reilly -- the original Spider-Clone, and brief replacement as Spider-man.]

And that, my friends, is about the sum of it!
Been a pleasure talking comics with you, and I'll see you Wednesday!

The Fight: 3.5 The Issue: 5

STEEL versus LEX LUTHOR
Man Ain't Nothing But a Man (DC comics)
Where: 52 #40 When: April 2007
Why: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka & Mark Waid How: Keith Giffen & Chris Batista

The story so far...
Lex Luthor's everyman project appears to have discovered means of granting normal human beings fantastic powers through the use of an injectable meta-gene therapy.

The only side effects appear to be the development of superpowers, and in the case of John Henry Irons, the armored hero once called Steel, this means literally becoming a man of steel.

When his powers begin to dissipate, Irons realises Luthor's meta-gene not only has finite potential, but also a potential 'off-switch', which leads to the deaths of several experiment subjects. Thus, Irons shrugs off a bitter depression, and dons the Steel armor once more to confront the evil Lex Luthor.

Previous Form:
Steel (#18): Steel has victories over well known supervillains; Plasmus and Metallo.
Lex Luthor: Luthor had a cameo during Batman's battle with the OGRE droid.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Steel 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Lex Luthor 6 (Genius)
Speed: Steel 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Steel 5 (Marathon Runner)
Agility: Steel 2 (Average Human)
Fighting Ability: Steel 3 (Street Wise)
Energy Powers: Lex Luthor 4 (Arsenal)

The tape paints a pretty clear picture of how we rate Luthor on our scale.
As a guy who's arguably a top-tier DC villain, Luthor rates deceptively low, but regular visitors to the blog will be accustomed to how characters are capable of playing above their weight.

Luthor's speciality is in his intelligence, and that's how he's able to duke it out with the likes of Superman. The only problem with that is that in the bredth of his abilities, there isn't a lot more to pad out his potential in a fight.

Luthor's advantages are in his technology, like the powersuit, which was deemed too irregularly used to effect his strength rating. Likewise, his seemingly endless access to hired minions and other external aids are perhaps his greatest tools in a confrontation with any character, without even getting into something like his masterminding the gathering of The Society.

Steel's a character of great determination and intelligence, but against the likes of Luthor his greatest advantage may come down to brute strength.

Against the likes of Luthor, regardless of what arsenal has been called upon, Steel's potential to be a raging bull would probably be the key to victory, gaining the momentum-based victory.

The Math: Steel (Meta Class)
The Pick: Steel

What went down...
Having fought his way through Everyman and had his armor shattered whilst wearing it, Steel barges his way into Luthor's top story office with the use of his unique sledgehammer.

There, Luthor waits confidently with Natasha Irons, Steel's neice, beaten and well restrained. Her cries of warning are too late, as John Henry walks straight into a Superman style blast of heat vision.

Luthor, only coming to terms with his newly aquired powers, shifts to X-ray vision, gleefully enjoying his new abilities whilst examining his own skeleton.

Steel, unwavering, leaps back at Luthor literally steaming from the previous attack, with the fire sprinklers activating above.

He drives his hammer down atop the skull of the villainous former-President, but it is for moot.
The force of the blow piledrivers Luthor into the very floor, but as Luthor himself exclaims, he feels no pain from the potentially lethal blow.

Thigh-deep in the floor, Luthor wrenches the hammer from Steel's hands with but one of his own, and drives the handle shaft through Steel's exposed mid-section, impaling him on his own weapon.

As Dr. John Henry Irons pulls the hammer from his own gut, Luthor hovers out of his rut, striking his opponent with a fist packing super strength.

He swats Steel with an open backhand, taking delight in sending him through the wall, despite having only barely touched him.

Luthor professes his maniacal plans of world domination to the restrained Natasha Irons, noting the absence of the world's greatest heroes as opportunity to capitalise on the vaccuum of uncoordinated heroes.

To Luthor's surprise and chagrin, Steel again staggers back into the field-- a changed man. Luthor's self-obssession has full restored the man who built the armor, and John Henry Irons is again a man who recognises the value and reason for men who would be called super heroes. Men who fight for something more than themselves.

Luthor compells Steel to give up, "You have four broken ribs and a ruptured appendix. Your small intestine is leaking fecal matter into your bloodstream. Trust me... I have X-ray vision."

Despite his greivous injuries, Steel shows the determination of his namesake, holding his ground.

Luthor flies at the hero, who hurls his hammer seemingly in vain, as Luthor uses his explosive heat vision to blast a hole through the ceiling.
The hammer, as it turns out, actually strikes the mechanical chair which holds Steel's neice hostage. Set free, the female who once donned Steel armor of her own is able to recognise that Luthor's 'failsafe' for disrupting the exo-gene powers was an electrical pulse, and deduces that the atomic power source housed within Steel's hammer could permanently render the powers inert.

On the rooftop, Steel disengages his robotic hand, which explodes around the super-durable neck of Lex Luthor, who is coming to terms with the influx of sound and sights with his new heightened senses.

He doesn't hear Natasha fiddling with her uncle's hammer on the floor below, but he does feel it, as his body comes crashing down, bound once more by the laws enforced by gravity.

With the tables turned, Luthor spouts desperate threats as the fitter, more powerful of the two men declares his moral superiority.

Steel reveals that the everyman gene treatment was toxic, and would have killed Luthor in six months had his neice not nullified it's effect.

With the Teen Titans gathered below, the giant L atop the Lexcorp building comes crashing down to the evacuated ground floor.
Standing mightily atop the building, a triumphant pair of heroes, each barers of the Steel legacy, and victors over a would-be tyrant.

The hammer...
The winner by knockout, with the assist from his neice-- Steel!

Regular readers will know I've been on a kick of more recent comics lately, and I'm pleased to finally be a part of 52. I'm not sure I could have ever pledged my dollar to a year's worth of weekly comics, but I think I picked the right time to pop in for a visit. It sounds like things are wrapping up on a strong note, and certainly when I read the solicitation for what turned out to be nearly an all-Steel issues, I was chuffed!

If you track back to the one or two previous Steel appearances on the blog, you'll discover that he's one of my favourite DC characters, inspite of his relative obscurity. As one of the lead characters in the second-tier push of 52, I'm certainly very pleased with the concept, and the push to bring a guy like this back. I just wish we could be seeing him in active duty in the other One Year Later DC Universe titles.

I picked up four issues of 52, weeks thirty-nine through forty-two, and I've certainly been impressed with the quality of the books. The back-up origin features are a nice touch, particularly with what seems to be an effort to customize the artist to fit the character. #42's Green Arrow feature with Scott McDaniel art is a notable occasion, McDaniel being the current on-going artist on the character.

The art is probably what most sceptics would have been epecting to see suffer under the load of such a heavy schedule, but it looks to me like it's been handled brilliantly. The price of rotating artists seems to be well worth it, with Keith Giffen's direction seemingly giving the series an appropriate throughline. Although, I imagine a great deal of credit has to go to the inking and colouring teams, who although different, seem to be similar enough, perhaps by design, to maintain a consistency that prevents jarring from issue to issue.

It's difficult for me to really say how I feel about the broader scope of the 52 story, having only read the two issues, thus far. I'm certainly the type of reader who has no bones about jumping into the middle of a story, but I could see how it might benefit from a recap page of some sorts. Simple decduction and a willingness to go with the story should be enough to leap in, but is probably a rare trait among modern readers, and they may find themselves uncomfortable.

The anthology style in some of the issues is interesting, and I wonder if it may have made weekly reading a little tedious. Like some popular TV shows, it feels like it's only letting out insignificant movement in the story through dribs and drabs, but certainly it delivers in an issue like forty, which dedicates a great deal of time to wrapping up one of the plots.

One would imagine the combined might of Johns, Morrison, Rucka and Waid would be enough to place the necessary value on each of the stories.
Presumably the involvement of each writer overlaps, even if they tackled their own stories, or moments throughout the saga of 52.*

I'm struggling with what I could really say here that is something you don't already know. It's very much a what-you-see kind of book, and I can't elaborate a great deal. It doesn't excel, but it is strong enough that it's difficult to criticise.

I guess I leave you with the hope that DC isn't over extending itself with the announcement of Countdown, which will run every week for a year, this time rolling down from fifty-two down to one, in reverse order.

I hope post-52 we can see John Henry Irons back in active duty as Steel, and I hope the events of the new Countdown will not affect that.
Speculation has the regularly appearing 'multiverse' theory bobbing back up for Countdown, but I'd like to think DC and the writing team that is steering the cohesive ship are wise enough to recognise the negatives that far outweigh the potential cons.

I've poo-pooed the theory in the past, and I'll continue to do so, but I wonder what Countdown will entail. Certainly the promotional artwork has a lot of people talking, and I wonder if the featured heavy-hitters of the DC universe aren't indicative of a 52 style book that recaps the journies of the major heroes who were deliberately omitted from 52. As opposed to the theory that it represents the segregation of the heroes into their own universes.

Here's hoping!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 5

* The presumption that the writers crafted an overall outline for the story as a group is the reasoning for each writer being credited for this entire issue, which features only one storyline.