IN STORES: January 23, 2008
You can probably find complete shipping list updates on most major comics sites. Consider this an opportunity to either do all your info-shopping in the one place, or get a speculative perspective on what might be worth checking out. These are untested reads. Secret Wars on Infinite Earths can offer no guarantee or endorsement of quality. These are simply titles that may be of potential interest. Some items may ship late.

Thin and Crispy...
NOV070173 COUNTDOWN TO MYSTERY #5 (OF 8) $3.99
OCT070225 GON VOL 03$5.99
NOV070182 GOTHAM UNDERGROUND #4 (OF 9) $2.99
NOV072147 IRON MAN #25 $3.99
OCT071981 MADMAN TP VOL 03$17.99
NOV072162 MARVEL ZOMBIES 2 #4 (OF 5) $2.99
NOV072195 PUNISHER #54 (MR) $2.99
NOV070197 SUPERMAN BATMAN #45 $2.99
NOV070199 SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL #11 $2.99
NOV072123 ULTIMATES 3 #2 (OF 5) $2.99
NOV072191 X-MEN FIRST CLASS VOL 2 #8 (OF 8) $2.99

The Deep Dish...
- NOV072210 ANNIHILATION CONQUEST HC BOOK 1 $29.99
I'm far from a big trade guy, but for an extravagant way to catch up on Marvel's 2007 sequuel to the cosmic reneissance, look no further than the Annihilation Conquest Hardcover!
Marvel have just announced a brand new Guardians of the Galaxy series, using an old name for the new purpose of capitalizing on properties funded by Conquest! We haven't dedicated much time to talking about it on the Infinite Wars, but I think it's been a long time coming, and am glad enough people have been on board to sponsor this move forward. I feel the team book is almost the logical step forward in keeping these characters and properties alive, and yet, I still managed to be surprised and delighted. Again, to use a comparison that's going to become exhausted over the next few months, this is everything the Spider-Offices aren't doing. Bravo!

- NOV070167 COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 14 $2.99
I haven't been reading Countdown to this point, but as things continue to ramp up in the title, I really wish I was! What kinda credibility does a guy need to get review copies from DC?
Having just read Countdown: Arena, and gleefully initiated the peculiarly enjoyable Superman-Prime into the Infinite Ranks, part of me is just a little extra charged for the war we're being promised in Countdown. Whether or not it can live up to the hype and successfully wrap up to segue into the related weekly Final Crisis title, remains to be seen!

- NOV070174 CRIME BIBLE THE FIVE LESSONS OF BLOOD #4 (OF 5) $2.99
Pockets of resistance [ie; iFanboy] can be seen putting a lot of effort into rectifying the promotions bungle of the worst series title in 2007. Set to be appropriately redubbed THE QUESTION: Five Lessons of Blood, it may be worth jumping into recent back issues to pick this up on the cheap, and dazzle your friends. While not interested at first, I have to admit, talks with Greg Rucka (conducted on WordBalloon) have helped sell me!

- NOV072015 JACK STAFF SPECIAL #1 $3.50
Y'know, loitering around the big two like we do, you'd be forgiven for being blissfully aware of my reading habits. Sure, we're running a ship built on superheroes fighting, and sure that typcially equates to Batman and Wolverine fights, but there's much more to comics than that, and we're well aware of it!
Paul Grist's quirky self-contained series, (based loosely on a failed Union Jack pitch), brings together a lot of characters and lore directly inspired by British sci-fi/fantasy heroes from the seventies, many which have inspired me through childhood reading. I'm well behind on picking up these issues from Image, boasting skillfully applied colours, but encourage others to take heed! Heck, here's where your Spider-man dollars could be going, in lieu of Spider-Boycott: 2008; the stand against bad storytelling!

- NOV072171 ORDER #7 $2.99
The Order has been an Initiative spin-off with a decent hook, but an otherwise utterly uncompelling exterior. I have serious doubts that this issue would change my mind, but for anyone whose glance is easily seduced by the appearance of a favourite character, look no further than the cover of Order #7 to produce promise of the Sub-Mariner!
Hey, it isn't all flim-flam! This seventh issue gives the series opportunity to test it's legs in the domain of the Marvel Universe, meshing a new and isolated concept with one of the longest standing conventions of Marvel comics, in Namor. Could be interesting!

- NOV072120 ULTIMATE IRON MAN II #2 (OF 4) $2.99
Then again, you can take everything I said about the Order, and chuck it.
As origins go, I felt the last Ultimate Iron Man meandered beyond any series' right. I don't know if I should expect violence, and lord knows the issue may struggle to live up to the superb Pasqual Ferry cover, but... War Machine!!!
Teeheeheeheehee!!!

COVER TO COVER: 25 NEW BEGINNINGS - Round 4!
So it was that as 2008 ticked over to begin with a new number one, we thought we'd do likewise, and spotlight some of the [in]famous first issues of series reviewed over the last two years of Infinite Wars! With one more week of C2C fives to go, we approach ever closer to the present. A lot of you are going to have read some of these issues, so how do you feel in hindsight?

Speaking of hindsight, we're looking backward and running late yet again on the Infinite Wars. Unfortunately, writing this on the Wednesday, I regrettably lament on the shock accidental death of my countryman, and upcoming big screen Joker, Heath Ledger.
We've talked previously about having some reticence about the casting, but it's undeniable that the competence of Ledger as an actor, already seen in IMAX six minute previews, had him fixing for a major rise off the back of one of the most popular comics franchises going around. Very sad! He was twenty-eight.

Infinite Crisis #1 (December 2005)
"Infinite Crisis" Johns/Jiminez
Tensions between the Justice League are at an all time high as they real from the disappearance of Martian Manhunter, and the destruction laid to their satellite headquarters by an unknown assailant.

There to assess the damages, the "trinity" of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman find themselves at odds over the course of their goals and methods. With cracks showing between the three pillars, an old foe is waiting in the wings to capitalize!

The fiend Mongul has found his moment of opportunity, but will the heroes suffer, or will it be he who tastes deadly defeat? The beginning of the event that reshaped the DCU!

Marvel Zombies #1 (February 2006)
"Marvel Zombies" Kirkman/Phillips
They came from beyond, and made contact with a young Reed Richards in the pages of Ultimate Fantastic Four, desperate to spread their plague of desperation and hunger.

From the story created by Mark Millar comes the twisting tale of a Marvel Universe overrun by a zombie plague that has claimed it's greatest heroes, and killed many others.

As one of the few super powered survivors, Magneto does his best to lead the resistance and ensure the survival of a trapped "Ultimate Reed", but with the interdimensional interloper saved, one question remains. Who'll save Magneto?!

Blue Beetle #1 (May 2006)
"Blue Monday" Giffen/Rogers/Hamner
With the crisis of the Brother Eye satellite and the armies of OMAC converts brought to an end, the crucial contribution of a new Blue Beetle goes unthanked, when young Jaime Reyes is hurled back to Earth by the mystic blue scarab.

Desperate to escape the Green Lanterns for reasons unknown, the blue scarab's worst fears come true when it's the Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, who discovers Blue Beetle upon his crash landing in the desert.

Unhinged at the best of times, Gardner is driven to madness when his ring responds to the magic of the Blue Beetle, and so, Reyes is forced to defend himself, even if it isn't he who's doing the fighting!

Civil War #1 (July 2006)
"Civil War" Millar/McNiven
When the New Warriors, starring in their own superhero reality television programme, corner a group of super villains, they soon discover the perils of fighting out of their depth in the realm of pseudo-fiction.

The resulting destruction results in the deaths of thousands of school children, with consequences felt far and wide across the Marvel Universe -- the most spanning being the initiation of a registration act to catalogue, police, and properly train superpowered individuals.

Approached by SHIELD; Captain America is the first to oppose the invasive initiative that looks to unmask many heroes with families. So begins the Civil War.

Street Fighter Legends #1 (August 2006)
Double KO/Siu-Chong/Dogan
The young Japanese puro, Rainbow Mika, is fast making a name for herself with her colourful costume, and high-flying antics inside the squared circle!

When Sakura Kusanago's idol and long distance sensei; the wandering world warrior, Ryu; tells his student of the importance of experiencing different styles, it's the perfect excuse for Sakura to take in a pro-wrestling event featuring her blue and white garbed idol!

The big match features R. Mika up against an idol of her own, the Russian Czar of wrestling, Zangief, who may be about to prove the choreography of his moves is anything but fake!

COVER TO COVER: I HAVE A DREAM... TEAM!
I'm neither American, nor 'of colour', so I wouldn't presume to fully appreciate the gravitas of Martin Luther King Day, but there's a certain universal truth to that broad notion of a 'a dream.' As human beings we all have an opportunity to be touched by injustice or segregation, and in comics, where humanities best and worse traits are exaggerated, minorities of any kind become a hot topic.

I'm not going to enter into any kind of philosophical or political debate, make creative assumptions, or cast any aspersions. Instead, I invite everyone to join me in taking a look back at five issues that feature some of the top rating characters from the Infinite Wars rankings, because that's what brings us all together. That, and good old fashioned punching and kicking. HAH!

Power Man & Iron Fist #90 (February 1983)
"The Untouchable!" Busiek/Cowan
Tired of the money hungry business design of the Heroes for Hire; Luke Cage accepts a quarter from a small boy when he learns of a musclebound menace plaguing small businesses on his turf.

Helping the people soon proves difficult when he and his partner, Iron Fist, learn that the unchecked robber is none other than Unus; the untouchable Italian mutant!

After suffering an embarassing defeat at the hands of Unus and his inherent impenetrable forcefield, the Heroes for Hire take time to regroup, before going on the hunt for a rematch, and this time they've got a strategy! Sweet Christmas!

Iron Man #271 (August 1991)
"Dragon Flame" Byrne/Ryan
Replacement Iron Man, James "Rhodey" Rhodes, has inhereted the battle of a lifetime as the menace of the Mandarin returns to plague the gleeming golden avenger!

Suspicious of the identity of this Iron Man, Mandarin pits the monstrous might of one of IM's oldest foes, the ancient alien dragon called Fin Fang Foom, against the supposed impostor!

Never one to back down from a fight, Rhodey must call upon every trick in the Iron Man arsenal as he faces off against a foe whose name literally means, "He whose limbs shatter mountains, and whose back scrapes the sun!" UH-OH!

Marvel versus DC #3 (April 1996)
"The Showdown of the Century!" Marz/Jurgens
Omnipotent entities - brothers - have forced the greatest champions of the Marvel and DC universes into mortal battle, and dangling over their heads is the obligation of an entire universe's existence!

The weather goddess, Storm, soon finds her hands full as she stands face to face with the Amazonian princess, Wonder Woman! Having gained possession of the enchanted hammer of Thor, Wonder Woman looks unstoppable, at least until she surrenders the weapon in the name of a fair fight! Even without the mighty Mjolnir, Storm is forced to bring all her powers to the table in this epic showdown from the classic DC/Marvel mini-series!

Black Panther #19 (October 2006)
"World Tour" Hudlin/Eaton
It was the wedding of the decade when the ultimate superpowered couple of King T'Challa of Wakanda, aka; Black Panther, and the African X-Woman, Ororo Monroe, aka; Storm, were united in matrimony!

With royal power comes royal responsibility, and as a show of goodwill, the couple opt to tour the super powers of the world to garner relations in a world of change, suspicion, and a superhuman registration act in the United States.

First stop on the honeymoon tour is Latveria, where T'Challa begrudgingly meets with a concerned Dr. Doom, and inevitably finds discussions more than a little tenuous!

52 #42 (April 2007)
"Man Ain't Nothing but a Man" Johns/Morrison/Rucka/Waid/Giffen/Batista
John Henry Irons is the ultimate self-made man.
Though his greatest accomplishment in life may have been gaining an education that took him from the ghettos, it came with the cost of his soul, as he designed advanced weaponry eventually found in gang violence.

Having cleaned up the mistakes of his past with Superman-inspired armor of his own design, Steel hangs up the armor to return to the less perilous world of science, where he can continue to do good without endangering his family.

A sound theory; at least until work conducted for Lex Luthor is revealed to have a sinister underplot, and John Henry is forced to don the Steel armor once more to save his niece, Natasha!

FANTASY FIGHTS: CAPCOM/MARVEL ROUND 4!
In the first round of Fantasy Fights from the Infinite Wars, Marvel proved their overall superiority in fifteen seperate battles that culminated with your vote deciding their fate. Now, with DC vanquished, the Marvel Heroes are back to tangle with some old enemies: The world warriors of Capcom's Street Fighter!

By popular demand the Fantasy Fights are sticking around for seven more rounds of non-stop non-canon action! When the characters met in the video games, they were united against common goals, but this time some of Marvel's greatest fighters will be initiated as they duke it out for supremacy over the SF classics!

CHUN-LI versus ELEKTRA
Strength: Draw 2 (Average)
Intelligence: Elektra 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Chun-Li 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Chun-Li 3 (Explosives)


The Hook...
When it came to considering potential match-ups, a lot of characters came to mind. It's not at all surprising that the Capcom vs Marvel video games focused their attentions on popular Marvel characters, but there's always been that desire to see more pure fighters in the series. Lord knows it's a lasting disappointment that I couldn't find numbers to cram Batroc/Vega into the Fantasy Fights!

The solo movie left a little to be desired, but after Jennifer Garner's turn in Daredevil, Elektra has well and truly fullfiled both the popularity and the fighting skill for a scenario like this. Originally I considered her a match-up for Cammy, but ultimately I think there's more resonance between her and Black Widow.

Which means Chun-Li kinda gets left with the scraps here.
They're both expert fighters with some association to law enforcement, even if Elektra's turn with SHIELD does little to balance the ambiguity of her character against Chun-Li's role as an Interpol "goodie." If you really wanted to find thematic commonalities, there's also the fact that each have sought revenge for the murder of a father, Chun-Li's mission bringing her to Bison, while Elektra first came to blows with Daredevil under said circumstances.

Regardless of the trinkets of their character, this would always be a fanatstic fight between two iconic female characters!

The Math: Chun-Li Ranking: Elektra (#35)

The Battle...
If you go by the last round [Cammy/Black Widow] you can use that logic to steer to a pretty clean conclusion between these two, as well.

Behind the over-the-top qipao lurks a relatively subdued character in Chun-Li. She's the atypcial vendetta-cop, professional, but extra motivated by personal revenge. In the world of Street Fighter that could easily leave her without any kind of ki arsenal, but lucky for her, she's got some fireball action to go with the yup-yupping flurry of the super-fast lightning kick combo.

While equally bizarre in dress, Elektra is a little less flashy.
Her moves don't have fancy names, and aren't elaborate displays of martial arts or light shows. Elektra's an assassin of the highest degree, and when we refer back to the last battle of assassins, we come down to a basic representation of two-dimensional character traits.

Chun-Li, though a proficient fighter and lead protagonist, could not quite be regarded the 'best there is at what she does.' Elektra, on the other hand, operates on a premise of being, yes, prone to death, but when not dying, a master assassin with no equal. Ergo, you do the math.

Again, this is going to be a fiercely choreographed battle between two skilled fighters capable of throwing a wide variety of limbs in deadly ways. Elektra is presumably not going to be out to kill Chun-Li, but failing more specific descriptions, the lengths she is willing to go to may give her some edge.

The Hammer...
Okay, well, there's something to consider!
The math has failed to accurately calculate the last two results. After two years, could this be the first definitive signs of the patented Haseloff system cracking, or is this a betrayal of a higher order? One thing's for sure: You can help decide the fate of the Street Fighters and Marvel Heroes by voting in the poll!
There's only one more weekend before the finale, and though the Capcom characters are making a late charge, Marvel's dominance looks untested!

Interesting futures lie in wait for each of these characters, interestingly enough. Elektra, having already tasted feature film success, will be joined by a solo-faring Chun-Li when she breaks out the blue and yellow in a Street Fighter film unrelated to the previous! The film, starring Kristin Kreuk in the title-role, will presumably play closer to what we know of Chun-Li, placing the femme fatale on a quest for justice.

Likewise, in the comics, a new series of UDON's Street Fighter Legends will coincide with the film, and Street Fighter IV video game release, spotlighting Chun-Li. Hardly surprising that one of video game history's first major female protagonists would be at the centre of this new reneissance of Street Fighter action!

Meanwhile, over at Marvel, things are a little bit quieter.
While Elektra has had her time in the sun, the inevitable question being asked in the lead up to Marvel's Skrull Invasion line-wide event will be -- Where is Elektra, and when was she swapped? The answers may lie in the pages of the disgracefully delayed Might Avengers, but until those issues have caught up, we live in wonder [and joyous distain for Bendis!].

WINNER: ELEKTRA

2 versus 2

FANTASY FIGHTS: CAPCOM/MARVEL ROUND 3!
In the first round of Fantasy Fights from the Infinite Wars, Marvel proved their overall superiority in fifteen seperate battles that culminated with your vote deciding their fate. Now, with DC vanquished, the Marvel Heroes are back to tangle with some old enemies: The world warriors of Capcom's Street Fighter!

By popular demand the Fantasy Fights are sticking around for seven more rounds of non-stop non-canon action! When the characters met in the video games, they were united against common goals, but this time some of Marvel's greatest fighters will be initiated as they duke it out for supremacy over the SF classics!

CAMMY WHITE versus BLACK WIDOW
Strength: Black Widow 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Black Widow 2 (Projectiles)


The Hook...
We're running catch-up here, and I'm running on empty, so we're not going to mess around too much with this one. The formula for putting characters together has been about trying to create resonance and as a result of that, viable pairings of characters. That's particularly addressing something like the Capcom/Marvel video games that have characters like Hulk, Spider-man, and Mephisto, up against the slightly pedestrian Street Fighters.

The premise between these two is simple: They're both assassins, they're both highly skilled fighters, they're both involved in sub-sections of espionage in their universes, they've both been tied up with mind-control and all that sort of jazz.

The Math: Black Widow Ranking: Black Widow (#74)

The Battle...
As I said, I'm not really inclined to dwell on this too long.

We've got two characters with extensive histories in fighting. Essentially their roles are defined in their corners by their ability to out-fight, out-maneuver, and generally be very proficient assassins. Like we've talked about recently [Captain America #4], bringing two characters like this together creates an awkward friction between respecting the reality of their skills, and maintaining the on-going survival of the characters.

If we accept the conceit that neither character is ordered to kill here, we just have to hammer out who wins the hand-to-hand. It might expose an ignorance, but I'm going to say Black Widow, maybe by the (historical) numbers, has shown more signs of weakness and incompetence. I can't really go into specifics, but I'm just going to say on the whole, Cammy has maintained that two-dimensional reputation better.

I think the depiction of the fight, like some of our other close ones, really needs to service a lot of acrobatic and skilled close quarters fighting, but in the end, I expect Cammy to out maneuver Black Widow.

The Hammer...
You'll notice a complete lack of pictures here.
We haven't really had an opportunity to take a look at either character, and I'd be honest that part of that is due to relative disinterest in the characters. I think there's a good chance we'll get to see Black Widow in the near future if we manage to get back into Daredevil, but I couldn't say for sure.

I think something that's let Black Widow down in particular has been her being shoe-horned into the superhero world. If Marvel could maintain interest in something like a Checkmate, you could imagine Black Widow joining a cast of characters of varying significance. I guess it hasn't been that long since SHIELD titles and things of that sort have been tried, though, so maybe that's not such a great insight.

Looking forward to Street Fighter IV, it'll be interesting to see Cammy make an assumed come back. The reveal of a new character, the first of several female balances, has sparked a lot of debate amongst fans regarding the nature of a "good" Street Fighter character, and whether or not there's a place for suited assassins in this universe.

I'm not entirely decided, but I do tend to feel Crimson Viper [the new character in question] deviates from the classic formula more than I want. Cammy is being used as a justifying argument, but I think there issues both on a broader asthetic level, and more specific notes of concept. Really, I'm not up to getting into that, so you'll just have to track some of those arguments down yourself.

Be sure to make your voice heard by dropping comments if you agree/disagree with the results here, and check in with the poll in the right menu! Who should win overall? Can the Street Fighters come up to the level, or do the Marvel Heroes have their number with those crazy powers?

WINNER: CAMMY WHITE

2 versus 1

SENTRY versus HULK
The End of World War Hulk (Marvel)
Where: World War Hulk #5 When: January 2008
Why: Greg Pak How: John Romita Jr

The story so far...
After an emotionally unstable Scarlet Witch unleashes her powers in an event that threatens reality, and tears Earth's mightiest heroes apart; a secret sect of superhero powers dubbed, The Illuminati, are forced to reconsider the potential threats they harbor within their own number.

Recognising the erratic rampages of the Hulk as a longstanding and overlooked threat on their back porch, the group, though morally divided, conspire to lure the jade giant into a craft that will rocket him into deep space. Their message is one of peace, but for the Hulk, it is the beginning of a dark period in his existence.

After crash landing on the planet Sakaar, the Hulk becomes a gladiatorial warrior amidst an ethnically diverse alien community. He rises through the combative ranks and recovers from his initial wounds to become the new ruler of Sakaar, leading a rebellion by might. As King, Hulk would find love and sire an heir to his throne, but his happiness would sour when the ship that brought him to Sakaar detonates in an explosion that kills thousands, and sets off an environmental chain of events that would destroy the planet.

Rallying the survivors, the Hulk leads his Warbound to Earth where he seeks revenge from Reed Richards, Tony Stark, Dr. Stephen Strange, and the other heroes he believes responsible for the carnage. Hulk gives the innocent time to clear, and swiftly takes Manhattan, and defeats the heroes, leaving America only one man to turn to. Their saviour -- the Sentry.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Sentry 2 (Average)
Speed: Sentry 6 (Mach Speed)
Stamina: Sentry 6 (Generator)
Agility: Sentry 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Hulk 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Sentry 7 (Cosmic)


- After years of unwitting exile, ordinary man, Robert Reynolds, comes to recall a fantastic serum of unknown properties that long ago granted him the power of one million exploding suns, giving birth to The Sentry!
His return to the world of superheroes is short lived when, with the help of his forgotten best friend, Reed Richards, he comes to realise that his arch-nemesis, The Void, is infact an evil half of his dual identity. Thus, as The Void threatens to return to destroy America, Reynolds is forced to again make the ultimate sacrifice, utilizing his super-computer CLOC, and Dr. Strange, to wipe his memory from the globe once more.

Years later, a breakout at the superhuman prison The Vault forces the Sentry to come out of exile, having agreed to imprisonment after the accidental murder of his wife. A far different vision of Bob Reynolds emerges, and through the transferred knowledge granted to a comics writer, the heroes soon learn of a mental disease planted by Mastermind, responsible for Sentry's transgressions as The Void.

Though still troubled by his fear and anguish, the Sentry rejoins the superhero community as a member of the Avengers. His ill-defined powers include; super strength, durability, speed, energy blasts, space travel, and other.

- Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, a slight and insignificant scientist, lives slavishly dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, as funded by the United States military.
Though Banner justifies his goals as means for peace, he becomes one of America's leading weapons designers after inventing a gamma radiation bomb.

During preperations for a test launch in the desert, Dr. Banner spots a reckless youth on the testing ground, and in a moment of magnificence, knowingly throws himself on a bullet that would grant a far crueller fate than death.
Bitterly aware of the Communist conspiracy of his fellow scientist, Banner struggles to usher he and the boy to safety while his colleague continues to countdown the launch.

After succumbing to an ordinarily lethal doses of gamma radiation, Dr. Banner soon finds himself undergoing a horrific transformation. Originally by night, but soon triggered by rage or unease, Banner discovers the superhumanly strong alter-ego within himself, dubbed simply - the Hulk! As the Hulk, Banner's brilliance is reduced to a childlike lumbering, while his slight frame conversely comes to possess size, strength, and durability never before imagined.

Hulk has no specific known weaknesses, but is fiercely protective of the few who earn his favour. Though generally good hearted, Hulk is prone to wild rages and varied personalities, including the calculating persona adopted during his time on the planet Sakaar, where he adopts a military savvy.

The Math: The Sentry Ranking: The Hulk (#8)

What Went Down...
With the greatest heroes of the Marvel Universe already defeated and awaiting torture, the President of the United States has no choice but to turn to the unknown quantity that is the mentally disturbed "golden guardian", the Sentry.

Able to break through Sentry's own insecurities and fears, the President inspires the hero's immediate travel to Manhattan, where he unceremoniously greets his "old friend" with a torpedo dive that sends Hulk rocketting through several prominent architectural structures!

At his most powerful, the Hulk emerges from the rubble to warn his former ally away from his fight. Desperate for an opportunity to release his power, the Sentry mournfully disagrees, before exhibiting yet another propelling blow.

With the stakes rising exponentially, the Hulk sends a final stern warning to the men he has come to punish. He tells them to flee, but to never forget all that had transpired in the war they had provoked. With that, the Sentry catches up to his opponent, and the clash of the two powers levels the makeshift gladiatorial space that was once Madison Square Garden.

The devestating blow is but the first, as the Sentry soaks up his first real physical encounter since his return. The Hulk's blows are unrelenting, creating blinding bursts of energy and unexpected spatters of blood as his giant green fist collides and breaks the golden aura of the Sentry.

The Hulk's earth-shattering blows sponsor a spark of light from deep within the Sentry. As blood pours from cuts on his face, the Sentry's eyes begin to glow with pure golden energy, forcing a smile over the typically repressed hero. The storm that comes would devestate all life, had Manhattan not already been evacuated.

From a safe vantage point, the Hulks allies and enemies alike watch in awe of the Sentry's powerful display. With the wave of city-destroying energy dissipated, the power of a million exploding suns becomes more focused, a twirling tornado of golden light, with the Sentry at the centre.

The Warbound do their best to aid the fallen Hulk, whilst realising their own lives may depend on a unity previously unimaginable. Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic conspire to bring down the weapons of the world, but it is the Hulk who rises from the ashes ready to again face the Sentry's unwavering powers.

The Hulk leaps into the storm of energy, where the Sentry asks him if letting everything go alway feels so good. The Hulk does not answer, content to suffer through the skin searing energies to collide with his former-ally, once more.

Amidst the malestrom, the Sentry throws several punches that swat and pound the Hulk like a ragdoll. Physically, the Sentry appears almost unmoved, but though he may be embattered, the Hulk's strength appears equally undying.

Sentry remarks on the irony of their role reversal, recalling a time in another life when he was the one who strived to calm the Hulk down. Fast becoming the out-of-control destructive quantity, Reynolds willingly takes his licks as the Hulk silently drives his powerful fist again, and again, into his opponent's face.

Suspended in an endless swirl of energy decimating New York City, the two powerhouses remain locked in immortal combat. Tied up, they throw their best at one and other, sensing the beginning of the end, the Sentry farewells his former partner. Whether or not it is arrogance, is hard to say.

With the Sentry's words comes a renewed charge from the Hulk, who trivializes the labels that will be peeled on and off of Sentry. As they each pound away at the other's bloodied and bruised bodies, the Hulk reflects, declaring saviours and destroyers as irrelevant, "Allt that matters... is what you choose."

The Sentry's explosive powers burst again in a glare of blinding white.
When the energy finally begins to dissipate two figures can still be seen fighting within. Now Earthbound, the images clear, revealing not the visages of monstrous destruction, but instead, two men, and then. Peace.

A quiet thank you escapes from the swollen lips on Robert Reynolds' malformed face, before he collapses at the feet of the victor. Confused, the Warbound observe for the first time the slight stature of Bruce Banner, prompting one of the warriors to remark, "Today. Finally... The Hulk knows who he is."

The Hammer...
In what I have to say might just be one of the most amazing and raw fist-fights I've ever witnessed in a comic book, Hulk emerges the last man standing! Which really doesn't do the Sentry any credit in his canonical debut to the Infinite Wars, a worthy loss!

I've been feeling a bit like a survivor of this kind of battle over the past week, so we're running a few days behind schedule. To whet your appetites over the delay I dropped a post that contained big green letters reading "epic." I think a lot of reviewers have been well within their rights to express disatisfaction with a mini-series that was destined to underwhelm, but I have to say, in isolation, this final issue deserved that kind of hype.

I was disappointed not to have World War Hulk on the site sooner, but even glimpses of the first issue couldn't prepare me to imagine what we were missing out on. Conceptually, I don't think the promise of Hulk being angrier than he's ever been ever had a chance of reaching the logical conclusion it demands - but damned if Greg Pak hasn't done his best with what he had.

There's been a lot of criticism in reference to The Sentry in general, but again, World War Hulk earned a lot of harsh remarks for what many regarded as an inevitable conclusion. If you were one of those people, I'd love to hear from you, beause now that it's passed, I think at least half should be eating their words.

As a consumer you can observe a lot of large, yellow panels, each spread lavishly across high-gloss paper with very little specifically depicted. As a consumer you could feel the $3.99US pricetag over values the content, but I must say, it really does set the mood for what is just such an epic encounter. Actually, even in the writing, this seems to me to be an issue desperate to be so much more.

If one is willing to acknowledge any validity to the theory that Sentry is too powerful, this issue is the one to relish in it. I wish the circumstances were different, because had the Sentry been a more active proponent of the Marvel Universe, this issue almost feels like it's staged for his last hurrah. As it is, with Mighty Avengers lagging disgracefully behind schedule, I don't think we even know the fate of the character post-WWH.

It feels like World War Hulk should've been built around this fight.
It feels like that could've given the eventual shuffle of agendas a greater resonance. Instead of quickly rearranging everyone to be vaguely on the same page, a more structured approach could've given this outcome emphasis.
Sure, it's strong as a spur of the moment thing, but as an inadvertent shift of villain, something more specifically designed to reacquaint the Hulk and the heroes really could've mapped out a more palatable future.

Then again, if this is what the standard will now be for the Hulk's return, it's hard not to wish for a world where the new Hulk film wasn't farther into the future, allowing the inevitable return of Banner to get the weight of a couple of years of absence. Y'know, a planned absence and return, as opposed to a Thor scenario, where the character returns with a whimper...

... But we're getting distracted.
If the Sentry really is too powerful to regularly operate in the Marvel Universe, this scenario of extreme power shouldering extreme responsibility seems like a perfectly Marvel way to have emphasised his reticence as a willing agoraphobic.
Although, to reiterate, I just think it's a shame the past five years of Marvel comics couldn't have been as well organized as their Distinguished Competition; giving Sentry more time to be an active and struggling component, providing the perfect vehicle for the character to be forced to exercise his powers, and become the accidental villain of the piece, ending in his unceremonious death [or at least, extended exit, ala Hulk's fate].

But then again, this is World War Hulk, and the Sentry is probably just as much an unsolicited distraction as JMS' Thor is! This is our chance to take a look at the last of the top ten characters of 2007, and look forward to 2008: a year that will not be green, but rather, glow furiously with red - just as a certain Bruce Banner did, as he entered a deep sleep in a containment chamber beneath the Mojave desert...

Right now safe bets for the mysterious "Red Hulk"; who made his debut in a new series created by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness; is the seemingly mortally wounded Rick Jones. Rick Jones, who was wearing a red jacket at the time he was stabbed by the traitor to the Warbound, Miek.
The identity of this Hulk, who has already had a lethal encounter with a former antagonising mainstay of the Hulk universe, is the subject of the first storyarc, and the task of an investigative Doc Samson. We'll probably have an opportunity to talk more about that sometime in the near future.

A bit less likely to show up is the slightly less interesting spin-off, Skaar: Son of Hulk. I have to admit, as someone who skipped World War's precursor, Planet Hulk; the outerspace stuff really doesn't hold much interest for me. But then again, I have to at least give it kudos for much the same as everything else coming out of World War Hulk.

Sure, we've seen Hulk go on rampages against the heroes before. In fact, a recent Cover to Cover entry, designed to prime you for this fight, highlighted some of the previous battles featured that involve a hero fighting the Hulk.
While no one is giving World War Hulk credit for pitting Hulk against his fellows, it's undeniable that the story not only takes it to a level I don't think we've ever seen, but also provides a launching pad for development of the character over the next couple of years. The on-going has even served up a Hercules on-going!

Why, particularly if I don't like it all, is this significant?
Because it's the kind of creatively savvy business decision another Stan Lee co-creation has been sorely lacking. This series, which is really an action blockbuster piece of fluff, manages to not only eclipse, but I think embarass the entire effort that has been: Spider-man's Brand New Day. It may get tiring, but I'm sure this is a point that will continue to be made in the coming months.

And with that, we wrap things up here. If you've got a comment, as always, I'd love to hear from you. I may be a bit under the weather, but if we can right the ship, we'll be heading into unknown territory "next week", as we leave behind the 2007 top ten. It should be very interesting to navigate through a landscape completely devoid of Spider-man entries! Hah! It might take a little while for things to right themselves, so I appreciate the patience.

Also; you might have noticed a blurb in the right hand menu after you voted in the Fantasy Fights poll. I've run across some folks out there using some of the images from the site, and while I'm not too worried about that, I'd really appreciate it if you can all throw links back on things like that. It not only acknowledges the effort put into the site, but also helps us grow. Cheers!

The Fight: 6.5 The Issue: 6

Missed out on World War Hulk like me? Thought you didn't care, but have found your interests piqued? Why not head over to Amazon? By using purchase links you not only sponsor future entries on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, but also navigate your way to an affordable way to catch up on missed comics!
Amazon has a wide range of titles often at ranging discounts, and with special incentives on US shipping! Boy, when I grow up, I hope I can be an Amazon! Wait... That's not what I...

Fight fans can expect to find battles with Iron Man, Black Bolt, and Dr. Strange, as well as many more exciting confrontations that may just find their way to upcoming Infinite Wars entries!

EARTH-38

Yesterday we broached the subject of the streamlined DC Multiverse - or "Megaverse" - which consists of fifty-two seperate universes defined by each alternate Earth. DC has already mobilized the concept considerably, and I was disappointed to discover that Earth-38 had been identified in the pages of Countdown: Arena, defined by an Atomic Knight Captain Atom.

We don't do Brother Eye spotlights very often, but to date we've usually used it to focus on the canonized history of a character, and then branched out to discuss potential concepts. This time around we're going a little broader and opening up discussion to the prospects of an entire alternate universe, recasting the now established Earth-38 on the basis of a missed opportunity. Pleased be sure to note that this is not a canonical notation of DC's Earth-38. If you are looking for factual notes, you can no doubt find those through Wikipedia, or Google.

The Pitch...
When DC confirmed through the conclusion of 52 that it was streamlining the Multiverse, specifically to canonize various abandoned Elseworlds and debut new concepts as well, it was hard not to get a little excited. As readers we had the prospect of a whole range of new and nearly new toys -- for the writers involved, an opportunity to build something special from the ground up, with the benefit of hindsight.

With the alternate universe tale, Marvel Zombies, as a platform, we've discussed in the past a desire for greater design in alternate universes. With the Fifty-Two Earth Megaverse taking a centralized position, it was my hope that DC would not only turn loose contract talent like Grant Morrison, but also look to fresh talent to dedicate their time to fostering one particular Earth.
I'm not going to presume to know how much planning has gone into developing each Earth, but on the surface, it generally appears many have been slapped together on very thin concepts.

With so many Earths to construct, I felt a concept that really could've been well explored was the notion of time versus fiction. It's a common debate and proves particularly applicable to the DC Universe, which has sponsored a great many characters with traditions dating back to the thirties, and forties, when superhero fiction was solidifed.
Notions of pseudo-realistic development have been explored in titles like The Golden Age, or John Byrne's Generations, but both ultimately surrender to the time lapses typical of comics, to extend the presence of certain figures. Likewise, they share much in common with their vintage counterparts, and that's where I would have loved to have seen deviation for Earth-38.

The proposal here has not been entirely fleshed out, but essentially it's about turning contemporary storytelling to golden age ideals, and developing the DCU in a way not viable for a corporate entity. Concept aside, I just love the notion of really justifying an extra Earth by seperating it from what is and isn't possible form a franchized fiction.

The Story...
It's not by accident that we choose Earth-38 as our designation, because it's in 1938 when this universe becomes noteworthy. The conceit of this evolving planet is philosophically connected to Superman and the influence he had as a seminal superhero character, and inspiration for characters that followed from National (DC) comics. While it doesn't necessarily bow to that established fiction, or rigidly mirror real world events, it draws inspiration from those.

Literally, or conceptually, an alternate Earth is defined by the placement of three key characters; Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Over the coming weeks we will attempt to relate the formative story of our Earth-38 through these characters, and the intricacies of their emergence as public figures.

- Superman (Kal-El; aka Clark Kent)
1912, in distant outerspace, the advanced planet Krypton is racked by natural disaster and a lethal plague. Crippled by political beurocracy, fear, and the looming shadow of mistakes of the past, this technologically advanced race faces extinction due to the indecision of it's elders.

A prominent scientest named Jor-El recognises no future for Krypton with the planet's thermonuclear core inevitably charged to detonate. With that, he utilizes illegal technologies developed by his mentor, Jax-Ur, to propel his infant son into the gulf of space. Kal-El is bundled into a tiny ship with trinkets, encyclopaedias, and memories of the planet Krypton, designed to ensure their legacy lives on.

The rocket is piloted toward a planet with a viable environment for survival, using an AI technology developed by Jax-Ur and Jor-El called the Bilateral Reckoning Navigation Chip.
The BRNC is designed to allow sophisticated three-dimensional celestial navigation, but a malfunction in it's infancy that led to the destruction of one of Krypton's moons, is what leads to the outlaw of space travel that sealed Krypton's fate.

The ship AI discovers Earth, and comes to crash land on a farm in 1913 Kansas.
A simple farmer, Jonathan Kent, investigates the disturbance on his land, and upon hearing the sounds of a crying infant, scolds his hands attempting to breach the cortex of the pod. Eventually able to pry it open with a shovel, he and his wife Martha do their best to care for the child, who remains remarkably unharmed. For the next two days the couple care for the boy, and retrieve various items from the pod.

The Kents prove suspicious, but compliant, when authorities from the Nation's Capital come to investigate. When quizzed about approaching the "meteorite" they nervously deny doing so, fearful of what the government may do with a child from the heavens. The church-going Kents concoct a story about a child born out of wedlock to Martha's sister, and inadvertently adopt the child with the aid of their community.

Christened Clark Kent, the boy lives a fairly typical childhood on the farm, oblivious to his birth in the stars. The Kents come to learn of Clark's complex history through strange solar powered notebooks taken from the Kryptonian pod. The computer-books contain informations on Kryptonian life, technology, and current affairs, and while the Kents choose to keep this from Clark, unbeknownst to them, the artifacts contain traces of Kryptonite radiation that stem the fantastic qualities hidden in the boy's alien physiology.

On the thirteenth anniversary of when the Kents found Clark, he enters pubescence and comes to need the aid of seeing eyeglasses. Over the next few years Clark's growth is sponsored by decades of exposure to Earth's yellow sun, and as the Kryptonian artifacts' contamination disipates over the years, Clark begins to grow stronger, faster, and more astute than many of his fellows. By his fifteenth 'birthday', the Kents finally reveal to Clark his true origins.

Though the young man experiences a serious crisis of his faith; his adoptive parents provide a supportive atmosphere that allows him to quickly come to terms with his history. Grounded by a humble parentage, Clark suppresses his abilities with rare exception, resisting the temptation of greed, to only use them to subversively help those in dire need.

This quiet servitude leads Clark to feel distanced from humanity, and despite a relationship with local girl, Lana Lang, his natural curiosity leads him to desire observation of more. He attends a Kansas university, and after several years of study, opts to leave his parents' farm to pursue an internship at the Metropolis newspaper, The Daily Planet. There, Clark continues to quietly observe humanity, and learn more about the world he has come to call home.

In an effort to remain inconspicuous, Clark recalls a childhood of afternoons spent in the library where he would devour books through his spectacles. Though the sight difficulties presented during his development of heat and X-ray vision had subsided, he continues to wear glasses, and adopts an awkward bookworm persona to remain underestimated and ignored by his fellows.
Prolonged exposure to kryptonite residue on the farm led Clark to develop something comparable to a human allergy. Although he had already manifested a range of superhuman abilities, he finds them increased exponentially while in distant Metropolis, making his secret powers all the more difficult to contain.

In 1938, whilst covering the signing of the Civil Aeronautics Act as a Planet reporter, Kent discovers a shocking connection to his alien past. Further probing uncovers the existance of his Kryptonian pod, which remains in military custody decades later. Desperate to reconnect with his past, Clark Kent fashions a colourful alien disguise from the blanket he was wrapped in at birth, and storms the military base holding the ship.

Clark's unceremonious incursion of the base raises the alarm, and he soon finds himself in a stand-off with US soldiers. Senior officers manage to talk him down, and formerly introduced as Kal-El, he is talked into joining the military as they face growing unrest in Europe, and the prospect of a second World War. Project Superman sees the birth of an icon, and in his cape and S branded suit, Kal-El becomes a public force for good, and an inspiration to the American people. So begins Earth-38...

COVER TO COVER: BLACK REIGN, DARK AGE!
In the bridge between season 2006 and 2007, one conflicted character in particular stood out. As one of the stars of DC's ground breaking weekly event series, 52; Black Adam became one of the most talked about characters in '07.

As we now look forward to a new year and the sponsorship of new favourites, we take a look back at the unofficial MVP from DC comics, and his journey in a new age of comics. Follow as Black Adam leaves behind redemption with the JSA to gather his own band of powers, capable ot dishing out his harsh brand of justice.
Follow as this path of blood leads to his home, where he will again come to be regarded as King, and begin a black reign destined to end in tragedy.

JSA #51 (October 2003)
"Prince of Darkness Coda" Goyer/Johns/Kirk
Having spent a brief period with the Justice Society of America; Black Adam leaves behind their interpretation of justice and being reformed, intent on delivering his own brand of penalty to those who would commit evils.

Joined by Brainwave and the Atom-Smasher; who was previously convinced by his JSA colleagues to spare the life of eco-terrorist, Kobra; Adam seduces the innocent with the prospect of bloody vengeance, and excites the morally ambiguous with carnage and bloodlust.

So begins Black Adam's dark path toward a destiny that will bring he and those he claims to protect, nothing but misery.

Hawkman #24 (March 2004)
"Black Reign" Johns/Morales
Hawkman and the Justice Society rush to the Middle Eastern nation of Kahndaq; home to Black Adam, and in a former life, the warrior now called Carter Hall.

There, Adam and his band of superhumans stage a coup against the dictators that rule with fear and corruption.
Discontent with the sullied memories of the once glorious land; Adam is unforgiving in his quest for justice, and shows little grace to the JSA, with whom he held membership.

Captain Marvel is there to tame his dark counterpart, but on Adam's home turf, even the mighty Marvel may prove incapable of curbing Teth-Adam's war.

Infinite Crisis #1 (December 2005)
"Infinite Crisis" Johns/Jiminez
As ruler of Kahndaq, Black Adam finds himself face-to-face with political conundrums inherent to the region which is populated by international criminals and the corrupt.

In the interests of his people, Adam forms a relationship with a newly gathered Society of Super Villains, unaware that the Lex Luthor banding together his brothers, is in fact an impostor from a forgotten alternate Earth.

An unwitting pawn in Alexander Luthor Jr's broader machinations; Black Adam proves a willing harbinger of the coming crisis to his universe's existence, and an all too efficient weapon in the slaughter of the Freedom Fighters.

Infinite Crisis #6 (May 2006)
"Touchdown" Johns/Perez
Betrayed by the Society of Super Villains, Black Adam is soon freed of the shackles that bind him to Alexander Luthor Jr's reality shaping Anti-Monitor tower.

Though too late to prevent the contribution of the Marvel magic, Nightwing and Superboy manage to free Black Adam from the structure. None too pleased with The Society, Adam willingly turns on his allies, beginning with the jestering manipulator of emotions, Psycho-Pirate.

Unable to manipulate Black Adam in a state of focused distain, Psycho-Pirate finds himself grossly outclassed.
"No more silly faces." 'Nuff Said!

52 #45 (May 2007)
"Every Hour Wounds, The Last Kills" Johns/Morrison/Rucka/Waid/Batista/Igle/Giffen
With the Crisis averted; Black Adam returns to Kahndaq and soon finds his nation again faced with peril.

Having adopted an extended royal family in a similar spirit to Captain Marvel's; Adam soon finds the ones he has come to love beseiged, along with his loyal subjects, by an unseen assailant.

When these Horseman of Apokalips succeed in killing his family, the total of Adam's powers is restored, and he willfully turns it to the slaughter of the villains. Though Death may run, he is unable to hide from the black marvel.

SUPERBOY-PRIME versus BLACK ADAM
Touchdown (DC)
Where: Infinite Crisis #6 When: May 2006
Why: Geoff Johns How: Phil Jiminez, Jerry Ordway, George Perez, Ivan Reis (If you know which, post a comment)

The story so far...
Long ago a crisis tour the fabric of reality asunder, giving birth to a new age of fact, and universe of heroes reborn.
Unbeknownst to even those aware of events, a pocket dimension housed a band of survivors from the infinite earths, where for decades they have watched.

Disatisfied with the darkness that has befallen their counterparts of Earth-One, these heroes of old have escaped the confines of their self-imposed exile, and come to usher in a new reign of existance in the universe, even if each member has a different goal in mind.

Manipulated along with the entire villainous community; Black Adam soon discovers he is little more than a power source for the world altering machinations of Alexander Luthor Jr (of Earth-Three). With the lives of millions at stake, the dark Marvel turns on the villains, and after destroying Psycho-Pirate, directs his attentions to the out-of-control Superboy of Earth-Prime...

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Black Adam 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Superboy-Prime 6 (Mach Speed)
Stamina: Superboy-Prime 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Black Adam 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Black Adam 7 (Born Fighter)
Energy Powers: Superboy-Prime 5 (Lasers)


- Once, long ago, a technologically advanced civilization lived in a period of utopia sustained by the people's own magnificence. Despite their brilliance, the people of the distant planet Krypton would condemn themselves to a destiny of self-destruction, determined by cosmic conspiracies far beyond them.

Thermonuclear energies from deep within the planet's core simmered to the surface, resulting in a plague that killed thousands of Kryptonians. Despite fair warning, the elders of this civilization were unable to relinquish a total ban on space travel, decreed after the destruction of one of their two populated moons, the result of weapons testing by the scientist, Jax-Ur.

Jax-Ur's colleague, a kind man named Jor-L, would reluctantly imprison his mentor in a pocket dimension of non-space dubbed, the Phantom Zone.
Having learnt of his planet's doomed fate, but unable to change the whims of his seniors, Jor-L went about ensuring the Kryptonian legacy by using his technology to teleport his only son, Kal-L, to a world eventually dubbed Earth-Prime.

Discovered alone in a forest by Jerry and Naomi Kent; Kal-L becomes their adopted son, whose history remains a complete mystery to them. Even so, fate has it that they name their new son Clark, despite the name's association with a popular fictional superhero called Superman.

The passing of a comet awakens Clark Kent of to his Kryptonian powers, and drawing power from Earth-Prime's yellow sun, he becomes Superboy!
By escaping exposure to Krypton's radioactive remnants, he evades it's weaknesses, whilst sharing the same powers as his Earth-One counterpart.

Anguish over the destruction of his home at the hands of the Anti-Monitor, and decades sealed in a pocket dimension, eventually lead Superboy to become a villain to the people of Earth-One, where his zealous quest for nostalgia makes him Superboy-Prime. Armours based on the Anti-Monitor's enhance his powers, supplying him direct with yellow based energy.

- In ancient Egypt, the Wizard Shazam grows weary of his duties and comes to recognise the need for a champion to rid the Earth of the evil that infests it.
Impressed with the deeds of an Egyptian Prince, Teth-adam, he grants him the powers of a pantheon of Egyptian gods, his powers being: the stamina of Shu; the swiftness of Heru; the strength of Amon; the wisdom of Zehuti; the power of Aton; and the courage of Mehen. Their initials spell Adam's magic word, Shazam!

Alas, Adam is seduced by evil, and overthrows his Pharoah to earn the name of distain: Black Adam. Despite his power, Adam would disappear after his betrayal of the Wizard, to resurface thousands of years later when he would be reincarnated at an archaelogical dig. This resurrection eventually gives the immensly powerful Adam an opportunity to repent, turning his massive strength, speed, and endurance to a complicated new life in modern times.

The Math: Black Adam Ranking: Black Adam (#13)

What Went Down...
Having been freed of Alexander Luthor's Anti-Monitor Tower, and killed Psycho-Pirate [Infinite Crisis #6], Black Adam finds himself the target of renegade, Superboy-Prime, who delights at the challenge he presents.

Not inclined to compromise, the betrayed Black Adam prepares the fullest of his strength, with little inclination to show mercy on the murderous teen.
Having successfully faced Superman in combat, Adam procedes with an arrogance he soon regreats, as the Superboy of Earth-Prime reveals a distinct difference between he and his senior counterparts.

Suffering the blows of a legitimate powerhouse, Superboy-Prime feigns greater sensitivity, playing to Adam's understanding of the regular Superman.
Powered by the armor modelled after the Anti-Monitor's, Superboy easily recovers from Adam's mighty blows, and retaliates with a punch that sends the dark Marvel hurtling across the battle scene.

Adam's trajectory sends him so far into the air his proximity to the Anti-Monitor Tower becomes too distant to sustain him in the neutral plane. Though still ready to battle, Black Adam finds himself in the strangely unfamiliar Earth-S, transported back to his original Earth. A fate no longer accessible to Superboy, who remains insanely desperate to return home.

The Hammer...
So, after a year of sponsorship we finally got Black Adam a decent mugshot. Too bad it couldn't come with a victory over the ever-topical Superboy-Prime!

Gosh, there's so much to talk about here, and a lot of it has very little to do with Adam, whom we've covered considerably throughout 2007. You can probably stay tuned if you're looking for more on him, but in the mean time, it might interest you to know Black Adam was among the top ten characters of 2007, which get first bite at 2008!

Strangely enough, despite this being the first appearance of the character in the Infinite Wars, we actually have a sub-clause concerning Superboy-Prime and the existence of significant alternate-universe counterparts. [For a taste of the unwritten rule book, check out the Doombot Decree!]

If you're a first time reader of the Infinite Wars you'll be a little in the dark, so let me fill you, and even the unwitting long timers on the situation.
Amidst the many things we do here, monitoring the results of superhero fights is chief among them. By tabulating those results we accumulate a sports league style layout for our yearly reviews, and a running tally for the overall feature that seeks to measure the fighting prowess of the major superheroes and villains.

In a genre constantly in flux, certain contingencies are in place to allow us to operate with fluidity. One of those is the rule to measure alternate universe counterparts [like Dark Knight Returns Batman] as connected variations of a character.
That is to say; if DKR Batman defeats the Joker, the stats for both results are attributed to Batman and the Joker as a generic. Likewise, this allows us to visit film and television versions of characters without an excess of labels.

Superboy-Prime, as a topical example, provides us an exception to the rule that recognises the interactions of a unique alternate version, and dubs it necessary to consider them as individuals. This not only acknowledges the canonical relevance of a characater like Superboy-Prime, but also prevents dead-results from a confrontation with our Earth-One Superboy.

Another example of the rule, for Marvel fans, might be the Exiles version of Calvin Rankin, aka; Mimic, who crossed over with the Marvel Universe proper, and also possesses differentiating distinction from the original character.

Of course, while we tried to think of everything, the convoluted nature of comics fiction, which is constantly in flux, throws us some curve balls. DC went to lengths to make things very difficult with their recent streamlining of the multiverse, with a new fifty-two Earth layout originally referred to as the megaverse, (by Grant Morrison, one of the influential writers behind it).

This newly specific Megaverse meant exploration between worlds, many of which are dervied from famously abandoned Elseworlds tales, was infinitely more approachable. Interdimensional travel has been a core concept explored with the recent Countdown weekly series, and it's many spin-offs, including Arena.

Arena represents our problem in a nutshell, because this story, built solely around gladiatorial combat - perfect for the Infinite Wars, brings together triplets from the Megaverse. This means we now have to decide whether or not three versions of Superman deserve individual recognition, or should remain under the original alternate universe rule.

If you've made it this far through the garbled discussion about alternate universe, then you're probably a savvy or at least interested War Monger (reader), and are the perfect person to help the decision. Scroll down a little to the comments section where we'd love to get your opinion on whether or not Megaverse counterparts deserve individual recognition, or if we should be selective with who deviates from central characters in the ranks.

In the mean time, I would imagine we can all stay tuned for more on Superboy-Prime, who you'll notice has been tagged as Superman-Prime.
Legal disputes between DC and the estate of Superman creator, Jerry Siegel, have resulted in widespread avoidance of the Superboy name. This meant not only a last hurrah for "Conner" in Infinite Crisis, but also a not at all out-of-character promotion for the self-absorbed Prime. More on those events, in the not too distant future...

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 7

The Black Adam/Superboy-Prime fight represents a very tiny piece of what is an overflowing book. In a previous review we gave the issue seven for the unashamed investment in DC history and future, with a buttload of content coming from this single issue. Infinite Crisis has shaped much of the DCU as we know it now, and is a must-read for anyone looking to understand the greater context of Countdown, and all other events currently occuring. A great way to catch up is by picking up the collection at best-price from Amazon -- and by using the link, you help sponsor future entries thanks to Amazon kick-backs! Whamee!