CHEETAH versus CATWOMAN
"Chapter Four: Thursday" (DC)
Where: Catwoman: When in Rome #4 When: March 2005 Why: Jeph Loeb How: Tim Sale

The story so far...
While a killer known only as The Hangman is causing a rift between the crime families and so-called 'freaks' of Gotham; in far off Italy, Catwoman travels to Italy where she hopes to learn more of what might be her history.

Catwoman soon finds herself embroiled in a new realm of organized crime, and a plot against her, as she finds herself beseiged by the powers of the Gotham freaks. Accompanied by the Riddler, Catwoman's only other friend is an Italian assassin known as The Blonde. Together the trio circumvent the wrath of a criminal underworld that believes them responsible for the death their boss, Don Verinni, by Joker poison.

Having taken a job to steal a ring from the fortress that is the Vatican, Catwoman faces her next obstacle when the Cheetah is hired to take her out. It's a colosseum catfight as the two feline foes come head-to-head in a bitter battle to the finish.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Cheetah 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Catwoman 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Cheetah 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Cheetah 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Catwoman 4 (Trained Fighter)
Energy Powers: Draw 1 (None)


- Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva was an anthropologist who travelled to Africa to seek out the secrets of a tribe whose guardian is said to possess the powers of a cheetah.

When this guardian is killed by marauders, Minerva steps up to the mantle, but details of the mystic process mean the recipient must be a virgin, which she is not. The irregularity means the mystic powers of the Cheetah become a curse, as Minerva finds herself wracked with pain, and bloodthirsty when in the form of a human-cat.

As Cheetah, Minerva possesses strength, speed, agility surpassing any ordinary human, approaching the levels of the creature from which she takes her name. Her senses are also heightened to comparable levels to the animal.

- Selina Kyle lives a life on the streets, coming to be known as a notorious thief. Her escapades garner much attention, and eventually force the burglar to lay low, where she continues her career in crime as a dominatrix extracting information from potential victims.

Kyle gains extensive training in the martial arts, and inspired by the mysterious vigilante called Batman, adopts her own leather mask and catsuit ensemble to become Catwoman.
As Catwoman, she embarks on a career as an ambiguous entity in the Gotham City landscape. Though regularly acting as a professional burglar and occasional mercenary, Catwoman also comes to be known as a protector of Gotham's East End. She is also known to be romantically involved with Batman.

Catwoman is a highly skilled fighter at peak physical condition, with impressive physical strength, agility, and speed. Catwoman also utilizes weapons including a whip, cat o' nine tails variation, and claws contained within her gloves.

The Math: Cheetah Ranking: Catwoman (#29)

What Went Down...
Having been ambushed, Catwoman finds herself in bondage at the mercy of the super human-mutate, Cheetah. While Cheetah remains distracted by a trinket stolen from the Vatican, Catwoman uses the claws in her glove to work on the rope used to render her helpless. The distraction serves it's purpose.

With Cheetah sufficiently stunned, Catwoman leaps through the surrounding ruins, making a break with the stolen ring, whilst recapping her situation.
Her attack proves insufficient in incapacitating Cheetah, who catches Kyle's boot with her prehensile tail as she does her best to flee. Catwoman lands hard.

Cheetah leaps at the woman she's been hired to kill, only to land on an offensive boot strike from the grounded Catwoman. The two feline themed foes square off again, but Catwoman's offer of a new contract is refused.

Cheetah launches herself into an unrelenting feral attack, leading with taloned fingertips that wrap around Catwoman's throat, and slash at her chest. A break gives Catwoman room to move where she recalls training with Ted Grant, whose philosophy is to put them down, ugly or not.

Catwoman leads with a Wildcat-style boxing combination of proficient punches, but it's the mutated claws of Cheetah that score the killer blow. She buries her finger tips in Catwoman's gut, spreading crimson across the purple leather of her costume.
With her target on the ropes, Cheetah wraps her hand around Catwoman's throat and lifts her into the air with her enhanced strength. She taunts with the prospect of taking Catwoman's name when she's dead.

Despite her injuries, Selina manages to snag Cheetah's wagging tail!

With the tail in hand, she wraps it around the assassin's throat for a double dose of pain. The advantage gives Catwoman the opportunity to wrap herself to a mounted position on the villainness' back, adding extra leverage to the tail garotte.

With victory assured, a shot rings out from the distance -- The Blonde! The Italian assassin, with whom Catwoman has found herself the target of the Mafia, rushes to his ally's aid, revealing the use of a traquilizer, rather than lethal force. Cheetah sleeps. Catwoman wins.

The Hammer...
Oh my goodness. Well, this entry was supposed to be the final post last month, but it's been consecutively bumped back ever since, because I'm just so damned busy/tired. Ergo, we open the February account with a solid fight back from Catwoman, with The Blonde!

As we wrap up a rollercoaster first month for 2008, it's by no accident that we find ourselves here. I think it's safe to say that as much as any other online commentator, the Infinite Wars indulges in a healthy dose of muckraking. This entry, featuring the uncommon but welcome combination of Catwoman and Cheetah, makes no exception.

Infinite Wars mainstays will know I like to observe the so-called feminist movement, appreciating occasional mention on issue-based linksite, When Fangirls Attack. Like an idiot-grinning charicature of Larry David, I naively like to think of myself as friend to the feminist. I quite enjoy WFA's penchant for keeping readers abreast of all commentary, and sometimes find there to be very interesting and thought-provoking issues raised -- and then, other times, I see slow news days leaving pro-women blogs spinning their wheels. This is probably where the proverbial 'racist dog' ruins it for me.

Case-in-point: Catwoman #78; a Salvation Run tie-in.
If you follow the DCcomics.com link, your eyes will quickly be drawn to a graphically vivid thumbnail of cover art by fan-favourite artist, Adam Hughes.

Hughes' reputation, particularly for his pin-up covers for Catwoman, precedes him. I'm not about to argue that Adams isn't well favoured for his penchant for drawing sexy women in provocative poses.
That said, it's with some surprise I note the issue seventy-eight cover drawing allusions to a gratuitous lesbian pin-up. Surprise because, well, to be frank, I'm a heterosexual male!

The first thing I see is not only a bold graphic statement, but a teaser to the presumed fight within. Because, dare we admit it, when you fight someone, you're going to have to get close. Ewwwww cooties~!!!

After a month of Cover to Cover filler, I'm hardly going to begrudge anyone for spinning something out of nothing, but I don't doubt that there are some folk genuinely looking at this cover with distanced distaste. I don't know if this is the forum for it, but as an outsider looking in, that constantly recurring theme of America, and it's awkward relationship with sexuality and repression, rears it's head once more [albeit, as a tangent].

I suppose as capsules that represent the times and events of the United States, it's inevitable that that facet of culture is going to be absorbed. Despite the many artists who inhabit the creative landscape and cultivate a culture of exaggerated themes and reflective storytelling; precedence of outrage date back to the congressional hearings of the fifties, and the fear campaign of the seduction of the innocent. [Those interested in their comics history should do some research on Dr. Fredric Wertham!]

I guess I find fascination in a culture that willingly purveys violence the way most American products do, but has a teetering sensibility where sex is concerned.
I believe it's a popular American -ism to agree: sex sells. Lord knows that's been self-evident in recent months of Infinite Wars with an expected, (and jokingly predicted), spike in Amazon referrals for the Wonder Woman Playboy issue.

Yet, at the same time, I would make the naive assumption that the quantity of American film or comic including artistic or realistic nudity is drastically less than their European or Oriental equivalent. I mean sure, you've got your Jaime Lee Curtis, but then, that's sort of the intriguing contradiction, isn't it?

I don't want to make this an attack on the foibles of the feminist comics bloggers. Really, like most of our entries, this has an elaborate opportunity to feature this particular issue of When in Rome, these particular characters, and have some fat chewing chit-chat about topics floating in the bowl of the comics commentary circuit.

However [aka; but] -- I do tend to wonder, having browsed some of the topics bobbing up lately, if there isn't a misnomer to comics feminism.
I think the very broad context we've just talked about makes it irrefutable fact that there's an issue to be acknowledged; good or bad; of sexism, sexuality, and sexual objectification in comics. The question mark seems to be there when you start looking at specifics that differentiate the debate of quantity of superhero females versus males and similarly compared mortality rates, versus a character called Spider-Bitch.

Given how tired I am at the end of the day, I can't really commit the kind of time necessary to working through the philosophy behind villification versus due course, but it's an interesting subject to have approached.

Like our own operations, I don't doubt for a minute that so-called feminism in comics has become a theme to a blog, much like our theme of fisticuffs. Sometimes that means you're going to be clutching at straws to produce some sort of content, and I suppose that might even mean exaggerating the trivial. I just wonder if it wouldn't hurt the blogosphere to get a healthy dose of context.

On a lighter side of things, being a bit of a superhero ham, I'll probably be looking to try to grab the latest issue of Catwoman. I actually really enjoy the notion of these two characters as rivals, and would enjoy the opportunity to present a fairly interesting rematch here on the Infinite Wars!

Likewise, though uncertain, I eagerly anticipate elaboration on Mark Millar's upcoming return to Wolverine, with Steven McNiven on art chores. The series, which features the mentioned Spider-Bitch, places Wolverine in an Eastwood post-apocalyptic America where the heroes exist only as ghosts, and distorted descendents of the dreams they once represented.

I expect the series to be little more than harmless fun - something Millar is quite capable of, even if there's usually a hint of a bigger picture. I'm expecting a Kingdom Come/DKSA style take on the successor to the Spider-mantle, who exhibits the geek chic all the popular girls love, happily referring to herself as a Bitch in a playful sense, rather than any kind of woman-hating oppresive mantra.

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 5

As is all too often the case, my scanner seems completely incapable of sharing with you the glory of Dave Stewart's colours, which go lengths to compliment Tim Sale's inimitable style! If you like what you see, but want to see more, (and clearer), you can head over to Amazon! By using the links provide, you help the Infinite Wars garner favour from Amazon, which results in kick-backs and hired goon protection!
Amazon have not only When in Rome, but also the collected Dark Victory, from which the Catwoman tale spun out of! Sounds like a double-header, to me! Or for a triple, check out the original story: The Long Halloween!

COVER TO COVER: ENDANGERED SPECIES - Round 1!
So, here's the thing... Er, just to clarify, I'm using that as a turn of phrase to begin my monologue, rather than an impromptu introduction for Ben Grimm... Okay, what was I saying? Oh, right, the thing. You might have noticed the thing: a little green twelve in the side menu and something about a Technorati Authority mentioned in the Punch-Up. That's the blog credito meter that tells me if people love me.

In an effort to figure out how to get more people to love me, I put the boys in the Infinite Wars Lab to work to come up with a strategy, and this is what they've given me: Mutants. X-Men. Freaks. Bums. Stinkin' muties!!!

My xenophobic distain for those with the ability to shoot laser beams from their eyes aside; the Lab makes a good point! The recent Messiah Complex has a select few sick, sick individuals talking about X-Men in the positive for the first time in years. Consider that fuel to the fire of the dedicated legion of zombified fans reading X-Men, and it's a pretty strong demographic to tap into! So, because it's a short month, I figure I could stomach four weeks of X-Cover to Covers. Ergo;

X-Men #6 (July 1964)
"The Sub-Mariner Joins the Evil Mutants" Lee/Kirby
How do you make a mutant book interesting? PUT A LITTLE SUB-MARINER INTO IT!!! HAH! Wait, that's not the joke...

We tend to hover around the contemporary, so this was a rare look back to the dawn of Marvel comics, when Stan "the Man" Lee was doing what any fan would love to do: He started putting his favourite character into everything he did. Enter Namor, the Sub-Mariner, whose vague origins get a whole new meaning when Professor Xavier and Magneto theorize that he is in fact one of the earliest known examples of a human-mutant! Too bad ol' Spock-ears isn't so keen on joining with either team. What follows is Namor's version of "no more mutants."

Uncanny X-Men #143 (March 1981)
"Demon" Claremont/Byrne
If Stan Lee is the drunken teen who got Jack Kirby knocked-up, then Claremont & Byrne are the nurturing adoptive parents who may or may not also be a folk rock duo. Their names remain irrevocably associated with the X-books, and with good reason, too!

It's all about Kitty Pryde in this tale that features a key motiff in the X-lore. Left alone in the mansion on Christmas Eve, the phasing student has to go up against one of the toughts initiations in history: A N'Garai demon!

It's among the most popular features on the Infinite Wars, so you should check it out, if only to look cool.

Uncanny X-Men #194 (June 1985)
"Juggernaut's Back in Town" Claremont/Romita Jr
Long before he got an online reputation for calling everyone a bitch; J..ohn Romita Jr was cutting his teeth with one of the biggest names in comics, Chris Claremont. That's right, thought I was gonna say Juggernaut, didn't ya? Hah hah, fast like the Flash. Yessir!

It's an X-tale with the lot, as Juggernaut is forced to team up with his sworn enemies when the mutant-hunting Sentinel from the future, Nimrod, decides to make an exception to his mission of genocide!

Powerhouses collide, and continuing the tradition, a certain rogue has a coming of age as she stands against the android!

Amazing Spider-man #327 (December 1989)
"Cunning Attractions!" Michelinie/Larsen
Once upon a time Spider-man didn't need to make a deal with a devil to keep his secret identity. He did it the old fashioned way with spidey-senses, and a lot of webbing clothes to rooftops!

Worlds collide when the villains united to undertake their acts of vengeance by switching it up! With little known about the web-slinger's true identity, Magneto takes it upon himself to investigate the possibility that Spider-man, like he, is a mutant! Hey dork helmet, he's a human-mutate! Totally different fillet o' fish, man! What's more, Spidey's been feeling weird, and noticing hair in funny places. That's right - he's got cosmic power, baby!

Uncanny X-Men Annual #14 (1990)
"Days of Future Present" Claremont/Adams
Okay, remember that pink guy, Nimrod?
Well, Ahab is a lot like him, only bigger, smellier, and he takes his hairstyling tips from Rogue. Otherwise, he's just another robotic mutant-killer from the future, which you tend to get a lot of when you hang out with the X-Men.

Future-folks Rachel Summers and Franklin Richards have reuinted in the past, but in doing so, brought Ahab and his chronies to our present. Major bummer!
Lucky for us, they're related to some of Earth's greatest heroes, and when they're in danger; the Fantastic Four, X-Men, X-Factor, and X-Force are ready to unite their powers! Which Ahab will turn against them. Hah! They got Punk'd!

COVER TO COVER: MAN, MYTH, LEGEND!
You've just read the February Punch-Up (featuring Hellboy) and now you're curious about mythology in superhero comics. There's nothing to be ashamed about son, we all wonder the same thing. Fortunately for people like us, there are websites like this one, that are ready to accomodate your curiosity!

Hey, come on! Get your mind out of the gutter, sicko!
This isn't a sword and sandal grindhouse! We're a classy, thought provoking comics review site, and we're here to inform and enlighten. So cast off the double entendres, and take inspiration to seek more from your heroes! Go! GO! Follow the clockwork owl, he will take you to the stories you desire!

What If? #41 (October 1983)
"What if... Destiny had not Destroyed Atlantis?" Zelenetz/Silvestri/Candido
Over sixty years the Sub-Mariner has become akin to Marvel legend himself, but it's not Namor that classifies this as a mythological treasure. Did you know that, while the specifics of the Marvel universe may be unique, Atlantis owes it's history to Greek mythology?

Truth be told, the story of hidden undersea cities is common in many different lore, but you've got to credit those Ancient Greeks for supposedly living there!

Brush up on your ancient history (*cough*) with a battle for the throne as Namor fights Attuma to the death, with the might of Neptune cheering him on from the sidelines!

Mighty Thor Annual #15 (1990)
"... Can Terminus be far behind?" Thomas/Trimpe
Hey, speaking of the Greeks, lest we forget the heaviest drinking, hairiest singing, lariest hitting demi-god that walks the Earth? Aye, tis an issue of Thor, but travel beyond the cover true believer, to unlock a tale of magic muscle up against alien sci-fi Terminus spawn!

The Termini are evolving at an alarming rate, and in doing so have faced the Avengers in successive combat! As the metallic creatures reach an impetuous teen stage, the half-human son of Zeus must commit to mortal battle!

Forget Kevin Sorbo, kids. This guy's pure Reg Park, and he's ready to kick butt, and take thou name, evil fiend!

The Demon #17 (November 1991)
"Beyond Redemption" Grant/Semeiks
Some mythology in comics undergoes unique redefining through translation, but other times, the strokes are much broader, deriving only inspiration from legend.

The Demon Etrigan is a classic impish demon whose allegiances prove vague by the will of his human host, Jason Blood, and by his very nature as a bedevilling devil.
Here the erratic Etrigan finds his poetic verse directed to Wonder Woman, an Amazon inspired once more by Greek mythology, and conceptually reminiscent of the legendary golem - clay automaton animated to protect the innocent!

That's right, folks! It's a mythology double header!

Avengers #1 (November 1996)
"Awaken the Thunder!" Valentino/Liefeld/Yaep
Step aside Hercules! Thy barbaric thuggery dost offend mine mighty liege, Thor, Norse god of thunder!

Best known for his role with the Avengers; the Marvel hero is another adaptation of a god from mythology, this time of Scandanavian origin. The Nordic gods held root in viking lore, and would be promised a place in Valhalla, hero's heaven, should they die a noble death!

Thor's mischievious half-brother, Loki, constantly seeks to undo his brother, and it's this act that brings together the Avengers for the first time! Not enough Norse myth for you? Have thee a taste of thy hammer, Mjolnir, foul naive!

Hawkman #24 (March 2004)
"Black Reign" Johns/Morales
Greek, Norse, Judeo-Christian mythology? What could possibly trump demons, amazons, demi-gods, and full-gods? Why, how about an entire PANTHEON of gods?!

That's what you'll find when Billy Batson (or Teth-Adam) shout the special word - SHAZAM! Bestowed upon them by the Wizard Shazam, these mere mortals become Captain Marvel and Black Adam respectively, bitter rivals, and champions of the Wizard!

Their powers are summed by gods whose initials make up the acronym of SHAZAM, granting each super strength, wisdom, speed, endurance, and flight. Shazam, indeed!

MONTHLY PUNCH-UP #26 (February 2008)
GROM versus HELLBOY
The Corpse (Dark Horse Comics)
Where: Hellboy: The Corpse and the Iron Shoes When: January 1996 Why: Mike Mignola How: Mike Mignola

Quick Fix...
Well, it's been four months since we've opened the month with a Quick Fix [Punch-Up #22], but this is what happens when the first of the month falls on a famous Friday! In case you're wondering, we'll be doing it again in August, so maybe we could consider this a warm up, eh?

This actually works out kinda well.
Even though we've had the opportunity to right a few wrongs in terms of content in our feature reviews, things have gotten a little too hectic to maintain a heavy load. Starting the month of with a Quick Fix, albeit of great significance, is a nice opportunity to begin a month of slowing things down, and refocusing on the fisticuffs found in comics canon!

Diversity has never been a real strong point of the Infinite Wars, but this is a review that's been a long time coming. A bit like our website, outsiders might cast misconceived aspersions about the content found within a Hellboy comic, but make no mistake reader, these are some of the most culturally significant reads to come from mainstream comics in the modern era.

There's a very simple model to a Hellboy tale, and I think some of the best do as we do, leading with a big fight around which you find the complexities of the story wrapped. Sometimes those complexities are little more than staples of the serialized genre, dabbling in interesting stand-alone concepts, or the over-arcing mystery of Hellboy's origin and purpose in this world.

We've got a lot of people coming through here for a lot of different reasons, so I won't dwell on my life story. I just want to mention a childhood fascination with mythology and legend which no doubt connects with the same parts of the brain that lapped up the history of comic book superheroes. Nevermind the fact that mainstream comics regularly dabble in the stuff, but look at the mythology created unique to the superhero universes of Marvel and DC. Whether you know it or not, you're already as interested in this stuff as I was as a kid!

Hellboy brings together many of the great traditions of comic books.
Like Batman, Fantastic Four, and a good many other well known characters; Hellboy has one hoof firmly planted in the pulp genre that birthed the comic.
Generally speaking, the adventures of the BPRD agent [Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense] err more on the side of monster adventure, than detective or sci-fi pulp, but even those influences are clearly evident.

That says nothing of the superhero style arc and continuation of the Hellboy mythology, which over the years has managed to remain unintrusive as stories are broken apart into individualized sagas. For the continuity junky, recurring themes and facts are all there; but for the potentially intimidated new reader, all remains accessible as references to past stories meld with the surrounding reality of the world these characters live in.

Hellboy is strong in it's character, but given enough of a chance, an inviting world of mysterious creatures, and an even more mysterious hero. Mysterious, and instantly likeable, as Hellboy lugs the burden of his right hand of doom from battle to battle, beating up demons, nazis and monsters that could just as easily have been his ally, had he not found his way to the Allies of World War II.

In the classic tale, The Corpse; Hellboy is in 1959 Ireland where he's the stranger who wanders in from the dark to aid an isolated couple in need. It seems some rascal faeries have kidnapped little baby Alice to raise as their own, but fortunately for the Monaghans, Hellboy has come equipped with the necessary occult minerals to expose the impostor that sits in the baby's crib.

Hellboy travels to the crossroads under the Corpse Tree, where he engages in the faeries game of honor, exchanging his burly services for the freedom of the child. All he has to do is take old Tam O'Clannie, who appears hanging from the Corpse Tree at midnight, to a final resting place before daybreak. Easier said than done, as Hellboy and the clinging corpse soon find there's little room for burial, confronted by many a spirit in the congested yards.

With HB on the verge of completing his task, the burned imp who posed as Alice seeks revenge for his agonizing exposure to iron. Little Gruagach takes a key to the lake, where an ancient box holds a terrible monster prisoner: 'Grom, champion of Queen Medb, who fought Cu Chulainn in the Valley of the Deaf!'

The behemoth makes a snack of Gruagach, before setting his sights on the blood red BPRD agent. Hellboy and the corpse find themselves swatted mercilessly by the rampaging pig-monster, prompting HB to reach for his belt, where he pulls Cornelius Agrippa's charm against Demonic Animals, "Sort of 'on loan' from the Vatican library." The spiritual properties of the amulet take a moment, but soon do their job, mystically complimenting the hefty slog of the Right Hand of Doom.

KNOCKOUT!!!
Hellboy wins the fight, leaving Grom to flee, and even though ol' Tam lost an arm, Hellboy does some more fighting to get it back, and still manages to have him in the ground before sun-up. Not a bad introduction to the Infinite Wars!
Not only that, but assuming the major format shift doesn't throw a cosmic monkey wrench in proceedings, it's also that special time where the blogosphere unites in battle to appease the hunger of Bahlactus, devourer of blogs!

After you've had your fill of Infinite Wars, head over to the big man's feast of Friday Night Fights, where you'll find plenty more knockout blows from around the blogoverse!

The Fix: 5 The Story: 6
Winner: Hellboy

The Corpse, The Iron Shoes, and several other classic Hellboy tales have been collected for your convenience in "The Chained Coffin and Others", making it the perfect buy for the novice fan! That, and many other volumes are available from Amazon, where all purchase links followed lead to delicious kick-backs for us! Hussah!

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Top Artists
#1 Paul Ryan
#2 John Byrne
#3 Alvin Lee
#4 Jim Lee
#5 John Romita Jr
#6 Rob Liefeld
#7 Keith Giffen
#8 Frank Miller
#9 Claudio Castellini
#10 Tim SaleTop Writers
#1 Geoff Johns
#2 Jeph Loeb
#3 Judd Winick
#4 Ken Siu-Chong
#5 Brian Bendis
#6 Tom DeFalco
#7 Mark Millar
#8 Grant Morrison
#9 Ron Marz
#10 Ed BrubakerCreative Differences...
Alright, so here we are, moving things along.
Honestly, I don't know if you can expect to since this on a regular basis, but given the constant interest in writers and pencillers, it seems like a nice enough idea to continue on where the 2007 Annual left off.

The top ten lists speak for themselves, and are based on the results of every issue reviewed on the Infinite Wars in the past two-plus years.

If there's a creator worth talking about right now, it's probably Steve McNiven, who's creating all kinds of ruckus with work, present and future.
The artist behind Civil War will reunite with (Top 10) writer Mark Millar, as the Scot returns to Wolverine for a tale that places the berzerk mutant in a post-apocalyptic future where the heroes are dead, and a Clint Eastwood/Man Without a Name-esque Wolvie tries to deal with his part in the future, and his internal nature. The story also features inbred descendents of the Hulk, a blind Hawkeye, and a roguish successor to the Spider-man mantle, Spider-Bitch.

McNiven has also been part of the sales topping Brand New Day, joining Dan Slott on a three-times-weekly schedule for the controversial new era in publication for Amazing Spider-man. Work on these projects seems only to make a bigger superstar of a man who has commanded triple digit sales figures off the back of the hyper-realistic renderings that have made him a Marvel icon!

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Spider-Boycott: 2008 Status Update...
Twenty-seven days without Spider-man...

Civil War tapped promotional gold when it asked fans to weigh in on the fictional division between sides, choosing Captain America, or Iron Man. This time the split has been far less contrived; fanboys deciding whether or not they will continue to read a title that made a dramatic change to the established landscape by eliminating Peter Parker's marriage to Mary-Jane Watson.

Inevitably One More Day, the story responsible, has become the measuring stick for discussion about what is and isn't admirable about certian comics. In our first month we've already observed the strength of books like World War Hulk, or Green Lantern, which manage to embrace the history starring characters, whilst still pushing them into brand new directions.

It may be months, or even years, before fans reach a consensus on what One More Day/Brand New Day has meant to the history of Spider-man, but at this point, two things seem certain. One; Amazing Spider-man sales have been through the roof, quashing any fear that negative reactions and boycotts would effect the success of the maneuver. Two; Amazing Spider-man, for it's positives, is yet to feature anything that could not have been achieved with Mary-Jane; or in anyway required the intervention of Mephisto in a tale so sloppy, it has eclipsed even the reviled Clone Saga.

Without risk taking, the House of Ideas might have missed out on some of it's greatest achievements of the last decade. Alas, for all the creative balls they've shown, Marvel is a consumate corporate entity, and the all mighty dollar is ultimately the measure by which Brand New Day will be recognised. So, how is Amazing Spider-man faring through it all? We turn to ICv2.com for answers.

Pre-One More Day
AUG2007 #7 Amazing Spider-man #543 [106,485]
AUG2007 #43 Sensational Spider-man #40 [52,180]
AUG2007 #61 Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man #21 [44,661]

One More Day
SEP2007 #2 Amazing Spider-man #544 OMD [146,215]
OCT2007 #2 Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man #22 OMD [110,405]
NOV2007 #7 Sensational Spider-man #41 OMD [100,300]
DEC2007 #2 Amazing Spider-man #545 OMD [124,481]

We are, of course, on the negative, instigating something of a boycott, at least from featuring the character who dominated our character rankings through 2007. It was a result of that performance that, despite the boycott, saw Spider-man appear at the beginning of the month [Marvel Knights: Spider-man #1], which hopefully puts our negative sentiments into some sort of perspective.

All too often it's the rabid quotient of the fanbase that screams boycott the second creative powers instigate change, or shift something the vocal minority have a particular affinity for. As the subject becomes increasingly complicated, and the philosophies of the consumer become hotly debated, it's almost difficult to make any kind of satisfying statement that isn't tainted by someone else's folly, or yet another persons outrage.

It was on a recent episode of the talkshow/podcast, Fanboy Radio, where BND writer Dan Slott played a game of avoidance and polite disagreement with host Scott Hinze. Hinze, well known for his softballs and tied tongue, makes an attempt post-show to verbalize the creative concerns of a readership. Concerns which, in a way, really don't concern Slott, but are none the less attached to him.

It's an interesting listen that I specifically wanted to recommend to all of you with an invested interest, either way, in the Spider-Boycott situation.
Ultimately, Hinze can't be criticized too harshly. Like anyone else trying to maintain a fruitful relationship, he ultimately backs down from a Slott who seems otherwise unconvincing in his justifications for OMD. Chances are we might even get to hear another Dan Slott episode as a result of that; not to mention the many other major guests FBR has engendered, including serious heavyweights like Alan Moore, Stan Lee, Mike Mignola, Zack Snyder, and many more.

I know from my own recent attempts to branch out into the interview process, you can't expect results if you're going in with anything but a promotional spot. Sure, you might find someone willing to engage you, but it's unlikely, and from their perspective, pretty reasonable.

That said, to bring it back to the subject, I'd love to hear from any of you who give/gave the Dan Slott episode a listen, and get your thoughts. I know at the time it provoked a lot of poignant thoughts that I've since forgotten, and don't have time to recall. Maybe next month. In the mean time, I'd love to hear your opinions, because the only certainty right now is that nothing's going to change as long as Marvel makes these kinds of numbers. Which might even be okay!

---

The 2008 Top Five...
Alright, leave your shame at the door, fanboy.
You know you love it you slags, and you cannot wait to see how we've opened up the account in 2008. Yes, that's right, the Infinite Wars top five rankings.

A new year brings with it a whole realm of possibilities, and honestly, at this early stage I cannot even begin to imagine who the break out favourites are going to be. Obviously this is a year where Iron Man, Batman, and Joker all headline major motion pictures, the former two already commanding major presences over the course of the cumulative rankings. Hey, isn't Hellboy supposed to factor in somewhere there, too? If 2007 proved anything, it's that the movies control more than Spidey's web-shooters! [which are mechanical again, FYI]

This year we were smart enough to give our year-end top five the first bite at the cherry, but as these things go, you're going to see some surprise entrants into the top five. Try your best not to recoil, and remember, we don't contrive the results, and inevitably come year end only the worthy will endure. Yeah, you're worried, aren't you? Well, if you've scrolled down far enough, you already know the first nasty shock that awaits...

#1 The Gorgon (new) (Marvel)
Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [Wolverine]
Win Percentage: [100%] Features: [1]
2006: [NR] 2007: [NR] Cumulative: [#85]

Okay, so this isn't exactly an auspicious start to the year's rankings, but unlike 2007's patchwork start, I like to think these characters earned their brief stay at the top. And brief it will be, because, I hope not I'm not spoiling anything here, but, The Gorgon died at the end of a twelve issue storyline. The tally of those appearances just doesn't cut it.

He was actually turned to stone by his own mutant powers whilst fighting Wolverine in a Medusa finish, but now I'm spoiling the specifics of what will inevitably make for a future entry. The point I'm building to is that there isn't even a question mark over this guy, who had deep ties to the Hand, because I'm pretty sure they can resurrect dust. Well, I guess I don't know that for sure...

Elektra took control of the Hand at the conclusion of that story, which suggested the Hand might be a subversive force for good, but when we next saw them, Elektra was leading the charge against the vigilante Ronin in Japan, with very few questions asked by fans. That sinister turn was revealed to be the machinations of a Skrull impostor, which now leaves us wondering exactly how long Elektra was replaced, and what her true fate was. Could the similarly "resurrected" Ronin in fact be a Skrull plant within the New Avengers team? We're led to believe no.

But anyway, regardless of his Kevin Bacon ties to the Marvel Universe, the Gorgon may manage a stay in the top five for another month or two, but this Mark Millar creation has a finite lifespan. In a few months things should be righting themselves in the top five.

#2 Drax (new) (Marvel)
Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [Thanos]
Win Percentage: [100%] Features: [1]
2006: [NR] 2007: [NR] Cumulative: [#99]

Okay, another abberation, but at least this time it's a character with miniscule, but lasting chances to sustain a top five position.

I guess because we try to maintain some sort of throughline that touches on core movements at the major two superhero houses, the future of a C-list cosmic character is limited. Then again, Marvel remains commited to the Annihilation corner of the Marvel Universe that we've been so late in recognising [on site].

A gathering of characters from the two Annihilation events will make up a new version of the Guardians of the Galaxy. At this point Drax isn't among them, but an on-going series is the perfect platform for the man who killed Thanos to bob up in. Because really, even in death, Thanos isn't out of the picture, y'know!

#3 Spider-man (-2) (18) (Marvel)
Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [Green Goblin]
Win Percentage: [69.46%] Features: [35]
2006: [#2] 2007: [#1] Cumulative: [#1]

Spider-Boycott: 2008 may be in full swing, but commitment to format means the web-slinger adds another month to his stay in the top five. In our first year Spidey didn't show up until April, so really, this is far less intrusive in affairs than you might think.

With a cartoon and some buzz around the revamped comic, it's hard to say whether the boycott will come to an end because of an acknowledgment of one of the worst stories of the decade, or because of peer pressure to represent the zeitgeist of 2008. Either way, Spidey's getting a little vacation time for the foresseable future, and after dominating 2007, I don't think that's so terrible!

#4 Crossbones (new) (Marvel)
Class: [Champion] Last Opponent: [Captain America]
Win Percentage: [50%] Features: [2]
2006: [#NR] 2007: [#252] Cumulative: [#184]

I have to admit, there's something just a little pleasing about two villains making the top five. Sure, this is kind of the cheat round where anybody's elligable, but that doesn't make it any less fun.

By their nature, villains very rarely have the win/loss record to compete with their honorable adversaries. Crossbones played a crucial part in scoring one of the biggest wins for villain history, aiding in the assassination of Captain America [the now legendary, Captain America #25].

If we eventually get a chance to play catch up, Bucky's assumption of the Cap mantle is probably going to make for a suitable switcheroo, but for now we'll bask in the success of villainy. Then a shiney red, white, and blue ass kicking can sort things out later.

#5 Mr. Fantastic (-1) (7) (Marvel)
Class: [Champion] Last Opponent: [Mole Man]
Win Percentage: [62.5%] Features: [16]
2006: [#14] 2007: [#4] Cumulative: [#7]

In fiction it's a little bit cheesy, but in the Infinite Wars it can be down right frustrating. The Fantastic Four, love them as I may, are a package deal, as seen at the conclusion of Season 07 when the entire team shoehorned their way into the annual top ten.

A vote for diversity would see a break from their cosmic adventures, but with Dwayne McDuffie wrapping up a solid run for a change of hands to Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch? Yeah, that's going to be a tough sell!

No boycotts here folks, as Reed Richards clocks an unlikely stay in the top five at the year's turnover. Solidarity is going to make Richards and the gang the team to beat, and with an active year ahead of us, they might just give hot favourites Iron Man and Batman a run for their money!

---

Cumulative Super Stock...

Crossbones shoots up the chart
with an unlikely victory over an
arch-rival! [Captain America #4]1. Spider-man (-) (M)
2. Batman (-) (DC)
3. Wolverine (-) (M)
4. Iron Man (-) (M)
5. Hulk (+1) (M)
6. Captain America (-1) (M)
7. Mr. Fantastic (-) (M)
8. Superman (-) (DC)
9. Thing (+1) (M)
10. Human Torch (+1) (M)
11. Invisible Woman (+1) (M)
12. Daredevil (-3) (M)
15. Ryu (-) (C)
27. Dhalsim (-) (C)
28. Green Lantern (+23) (DC)
49. Guile (-1) (C)
50. The Spectre (-1) (DC)
52. Ken Masters (-) (C)
53. Green Lantern (+91) (DC)
62. Wonder Woman (-1) (DC)
86. The Gorgon (new) (M)
99. Drax (new) (M)
100. Phantom Stranger (-1) (DC)
145. Superman-Prime (new) (DC)
150. Blade (-4) (M)

Massive spinal injury drops current Thunderbolts
director, Green Goblin, to the bottom of the
ranks! [Marvel Knights: Spiderman #1]151. Thanos (-79) (M)
161. Sinestro (-71) (DC)
184. Crossbones (+157) (M)
185. Lex Luthor (+140) (DC)
200. She-Hulk (-8) (M)
250. Arc (-8)(M)
268. Robot (new) (DC)
300. Nimrod (-7) (M)
350. Giganto (-5) (M)
400. Saviour (-5) (DC)
426. Kryptonite Man (new) (DC)
427. The Sentry (new) (M)
428. Moondragon (new) (M)
434. Green Goblin (-171) (M)
435. Moleman (-171) (M)
447. Lizard (-10) (M)
448. Taskmaster (-10) (M)
449. Dan Hibiki (-10) (C)
450. Zangief (-10) (C)
451. Magneto (-10) (M)

---

The Hammer...
Well, there you have it folks!
It's been another big month of the Infinite Wars, and as fantastic as it would be to keep that up, we're going to deliberately scale things back a fraction in February.

It dawned on me, as masses of traffic from various avenues streamed through, that the many alternative entries were overshadowing what the site is really about: Fights, reviews, and discussion. These things were being lost amidst the other stuff, and that, plus time and energy calls for a cut back!

That said, there's no reason you can't expect the same brand of glory that you've come to expect from Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. Actually, I'm always hovering around different ideas to try to improve things, and I may just finally bite the bullet and finally get around to making an even bigger task for myself by attempting to write and draw some sort of fisticuff-filled web strip to feature here, on the Infinite Earths.

I guess the hard thing about a decision like that is, not only time and energy, but also the fact that I don't draw. You've seen my crude little napkin sketches in the occasional Comik-Politik doodle, and let's be honest, I'm no Mike Mignola!
As a writer keen to break into the comics writing industry, there's also always that concern about how things are going to reflect on you. I don't doubt some of the dialogues we engage in here sass the wrong people. In fact, simply by referring right now as a good many in the industry as maladjusted and fickle, is going to be hurting my chances. That's the frustrating thing about this industry -- you never quite know how, when, or why people are going to take something.

So, by engaging in an attempt to supercede the great frustration of the collaborator, am I going to do more harm than good? It's a conundrum wrapped in a pickle friends, and it's something that will have to be sorted out.

In thinking about what would be appropriate for such a project, I've come constantly back to the notion that it has to be an action strip. This is a site about fisticuffs, and therefore there should logically be some kind of combat model built into the strip. It doesn't have to be nothing but action - because lord knows I can't draw that - but that has to be the foundation.

It was with some pleasure that I noticed the Infinite Wars popping up in a blog entry on mainstream gaming site, 1up.com.
Our coverage of the Street Fighter franchise has been paying in dividends amidst the hype for the upcoming Street Fighter IV, and I couldn't be more delighted. As a site that connects with a good many fringe investors, I hope we can tap more into that SF/Gamers readership, making more entries as popular as Street Fighter Legends #2.

I don't know how much authority I have as an SF commentator, but Noe V's 1up article refers to the Infinite Wars to give me more credit than I probably deserve. Reticent reviews of UDON's SF licensing never quite went as far, as confidently, as Noe V, to say that they are lacking in written substance, instead focusing on visual trinkets and references to the games.

Noe V's article is part of a series designed to discuss some of the manga work UDON are now translating for American audiences, but his point is where I may just take inspiration for a webstrip. There's a tendency to discount a video game property for it's capacity to exist in a story driven medium, be that film, television, or even comics. We've seen in the Infinite Wars the deviations taken by Tokuma Shoten, who recast Shadaloo as a lawless man-made island [Street Fighter II #1].

I, maybe out of naivity or arrogance as a little known writer, that kind of "conventional wisdom" is absolute bunk, and maybe this is an opportunity to try to prove that. Noe V goes on to discuss Final Ryu, a manga centered around the trials of Street Fighter III, and describes it as the ultimate take on Street Fighter in print. I haven't yet had the chance to read it, and will relish the chance to match that in my own, lawsuit avoiding way. Martial arts comics have died down, this is a chance to take a look at how that might change.

Aaaaaand hopefully, if this even works, I'll be able to do it with all of you.
I've got to say, despite having another record breaking month of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, I was a little disappointed. I wasn't disappointed in "turtle", who did his/her part by linking to the Infinite Wars review of Nextwave #2.
I haven't been disappointed in Bahlactus, because he regularly sponsors our fisticufery and antics despite my repeated drunken threats to destroy him with the Uncanny Fantastic Ultimate Ultimate Nullifier.

Over January our Technorati authority dropped to a staggering twelve.
This is unacceptable, and the only people who can change it is you, the readers! If you have a blog, know of a blog, or want to get a blog, it's your duty to help purvey the message of the Infinite Wars. Spread the word, use the character tags, throw bricks with reviews wrapped around them. Do whatever it takes to boost that Technorati rating to what it rightfully should be!

There's a big fat no-prize in it for you!
And hey, if you're on message boards, they're another great place to use the Infinite Wars as thorned shuriken of review-factoid-justice, should the opportunity present itself. Good day to you, my War Mongers!

- Mike Haseloff; Commanding Officer
Mike Haseloff is a little known comics writer with the fantastic ability to ramble at great length about very little. Given the opportunity, he will literally chew your ear off, if only to add it to his necklace. Mike Haseloff never spent time in Vietnam but regularly has flashbacks to scenes of 1950s Vietnam where there's a greaser party and everyone's rocking around the clock. He also appears remorseless and unmoved by Apollo's death, "If he dies, he dies."

January Hit Count: [9870/65474] (+2586)

FANTASY FIGHTS: CAPCOM/MARVEL ROUND 7!
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!

M.BISON versus IRON MAN
Strength: Iron Man 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Iron Man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Bison 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 6 (Generator)
Agility: Bison 2 (Average)
Fighting Ability: Bison 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Draw 5 (Lasers)


The Hook...
If you didn't much like Tony Stark through the recent Civil War, then you're going to love this hook. In fact, chances are, you're already salivating for better or worse as it dawns on you that we're comparing Tony Stark, Director of SHIELD, to the dictatorous villain of the Street Fighter universe -- Bison.

Actually, that's probably the extent of it.
While Tony Stark pressed the issue of the superheroes registering with SHIELD; Bison popularly employed cyborgs in the Street Fighter II movie to monitor the movements of martial artists in the street fighting circuit. Their machinations, though motivated from different perspectives, were designs of domination.

Bison's arsenal of technology is typically more subtle, machines such as the psycho-drive are responsible for complimenting his own energy based "psycho power." Bison, as leader of Shadaloo, has also engaged in extensive programs involving brainwashing and cloning, both key to Cammy White's veiled origins.

During the Civil War, Iron Man was involved in cloning the deceased Norse God, Thor; while also acting in secret as a member of the Illuminati.

The Math: Iron Man Ranking: Iron Man (#4)

The Battle...
Much like Superman/Sentry, the outcome of this one was left to you guys.
Like that scenario, I tend to think Bison/Iron Man could go either way. Personally, my leanings are toward Bison, but I might be letting my arcade notions of the characters get in the way of the scale of what goes on the page.

Given their positions in respective organizations, you almost imagine this kind of confrontation would be almost impossible without some kind of accompanying succession of skirmishes, or a surrounding battle involving minions and heroes.

Despite a statistical divide, Bison's not going to have any trouble matching the physical power of the Iron Man armor. In fact, it's hard to imagine Bison entering this kind of fight any other way than as the confident intimidator. No doubt the swapping of verbage would precede any fisticuffs, and it would probably involve Bison's proliferating about the strength of his psycho power, and the futility of Tony Stark's retorting claims to stop him.

Bison's going to be cagey at first, controlling the fight through evasion and taunting as the Iron Man armor darts for ghostly remnants. A homing weapon fired forces Bison to cease the cat and mouse tactics, even though it fails to connect, easily deviated by psycho-manipulation.

The contemporary politics of Iron Man could probably lead him to formality of ordering Bison a final chance to surrender, which he's going to pay for, lest characterization disguise the fact that Bison can fight.

The Shadaloo boss launches into an acrobatic display of sommersaulting kicks and offensive aerial descents laden with psycho energy. The heavy attacks rattle Stark, exposing his more limited fighting skills. Bison gets a little cute, pausing to mock the beseiged Avenger who retaliates with a wreckless repulsor blast.
Bison frustrates IM further, deflecting the bast straight back at him.

With his opponent on the ropes, Bison prepares to finish the fight with his patented finishing move, the psycho-crusher. The energy supported dive smashes a rising Iron Man, and though his armor sustains substantial damage, Tony Stark manages to rise once again.

It's here that the endurance of the invicible Iron Man's armor sees him over the line. Analytical systems help Stark time his retaliation as Bison again launches into a psycho-crusher, this time flying face-first into a full blast chest beam!
Iron Man continues, attacking the toppled Bison full power with more unfettered blasts.

Iron Man is unrelenting, blasting Bison into the ground with a certain satisfaction. While SHIELD agents, I don't know, dismantle the psycho-drive? Iron Man pummels the Shadaloo boss into submission the old fashioned way, before taking him into custody for imprisonment in the Negative Zone.

The Hammer...
Well, there you have it!
Even though we roughly doubled votes from sixteen to thirty-seven, there seems to be a distinct Marvel bias here, because once again you've decided it should be Marvel that triumphs over adversaries in the Fantasy Fights!

I think we've had a lot of fun with imaginary battles, but after a slow recovery in January, I think we'll try to bring the focus back to what the Infinite Wars are all about: Canon fights and lengthy dialogues and discussions!

That's not to say we've seen the last of the Fantasy Fights. No, sir!
While we normalize over February, I want to hear from you guys! February will be our opportunity to open the forum (or comments section) to the War Mongers who've already thrown a request or two my way.

This entry, along with the upcoming February Punch-Up, will be your opportunity to submit Fantasy Fights by request! Simply cook up an interesting combination not already covered, and come up with a hook a paragraph or so long to tell us all what makes this such a juicy combination! Remember, you don't have to be a registered Blogger to comment, so everyone's welcome!

While you guys are coming up with those, I'll be heading to the Punch-Up!
Stay tuned for the first top five of 2008, along with Spider-Boycott: 2008 discussion, more on Street Fighter, and all the action in the Super Stock!

WINNER: IRON MAN (67%)
3 versus 4

IN STORES: January 30, 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...
SEP070214 BATMAN THE MAN WHO LAUGHS HC $19.99
NOV070172 COUNTDOWN TO ADVENTURE #6 (OF 8) $3.99
NOV070168 COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 13 $2.99
NOV072140 DAREDEVIL #104 $2.99
NOV072143 FANTASTIC FOUR #553 $2.99
NOV072146 HOUSE OF M AVENGERS #4 (OF 5) $2.99
NOV070211 JSA CLASSIFIED #34 $2.99
AUG072018 MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #6 $2.99
OCT070200 MANHUNTER TP VOL 04 UNLEASHED $17.99
OCT070185 SPIRIT #13 $2.99
SEP072008 SUBURBAN GLAMOUR #3 (OF 4) $3.50
NOV072122 ULTIMATE X-MEN #90 $2.99
NOV070275 Y THE LAST MAN #60 (MR) (NOTE PRICE) $4.99

The Deep Dish...
- NOV070194 ACTION COMICS #861 $2.99
I think when it comes to the Legion of Superheroes you either love them, or absolutely hate them. Of the two, I've always erred on the latter, so it's taken a while for me to really decide how I feel about this arc. The ever-competent Geoff Johns says he wants to do for Superman what he did for the Green Lantern. I'm still not entirely convinced, but after the crawl of his Donner collaboration, it's no mean feat to garner any interest by the fourth part of a Legion story!

- NOV072136 AVENGERS INITIATIVE #9 $2.99
From start to finish I have not been able to decide whether I care, or not.
Sounds like some great concepts, but the question of whether the glue is there to hold it together has kept it off my list purely by priority. Despite being utterly obnoxious during a recent Fanboy Radio interview, Dan Slott's probably brought me back around to wanting to have a taste.
[That interview will come up again in the Feb Punch-Up, so give it a listen!]

- NOV070187 BATMAN #673 $2.99
Grant Morrison does the unthinkable, and brings the Batman back from a painful crossover that effectively put the nail in the coffin of a character I couldn't get enough of three or four years ago. The Scot's run continues to be a subject of contention, but this issue, which explores early themes in Batman's career (while the Dark Knight lies in a near-death coma) looks interesting!

- NOV070180 BLACK ADAM THE DARK AGE #6 (OF 6) $2.99
Haven't yet read it, but want to very much!
He was our 2007 sponsored MVP, and I really hope the conclusion of this series can mark some sort of return to the DCU for Black Adam. Sure, there were glimpses in Countdown, but I really want something substantial now that the internal journey is supposedly over.

- NOV072137 CAPTAIN AMERICA #34 $2.99
Even if you buy into our 'Lazy Brubaker Syndrome' theory, you have to agree that that comes with high points. If ever there was a time to buy Captain America, it was probably number twenty-five, but if you don't have a time machine, now is the time! Bucky steps up to the Cap mantle, and presumably we get to see some [attention retaining] stuff happen!

- NOV070206 GREEN LANTERN #27 $2.99
It's nice not to have a meaningless lull post-Sinestro Corps War, but one can't help but wonder if some recovery time might've been nice. We've already talked about the potential to overdo it with the Corps concept [hah!], but I at least applaud the fact that Johns isn't wasting any time or space with GL! Apparently this ties in to the lead up to Final Crisis. Let's hope that prophecy/end of the current universe leaves us with prophetic egg on our infinite face.

- NOV072154 MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #32 $2.99
I'm no Western fan, but... Wild West Ben Grimm?
The kid-friendly Adventures line continues to demand attention!

- NOV072166 NEW AVENGERS ANNUAL #2 $3.99
Poor Tigra. Poor, poor Tigra.

- NOV072178 WHAT IF SPIDER-MAN VS WOLVERINE $2.99
An alternate universe tale where the late eighties clash between Wolverine and Spider-man ends with Peter Parker's death? Friend, to me, he's already dead. Spider-Boycott: 2008!

COVER TO COVER: 25 NEW BEGINNINGS - Round 5!
It's the fifth week special, which means we've crossed the threshold of another month of Infinite Wars! Heading into the home stretch, why not join the time travel as we look back at past reviews of issues that did as we're all doing -- start afresh with a brand new number one!

Moving through the issues chronologically, we naturally come to the end of the line with a crop of fairly recent issues you yourselves may have read. With the benefit of hindsight, how do you feel they measure up, and were they strong platforms from which these series launched, or were they doomed from beginning? Why not let us know, and talk about your own favourite #1s!

If you missed out on the journey, don't fret fanboy!
Here, for your convenience, a go-to guide of this new set of Infinite Wars back issue diversions: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4! You can also use the Cover to Cover tag to browse your way to any number of odds and ends.

Beyond! #1 (September 2006)
"The Great Beyond" McDuffie/Kolins
"Slay your enemies and all you desire shall be yours! Nothing you dream of is impossible for me to accomplish!" is the decree that rings out as the motley gathering of Spider-man, Venom, The Hood, Kraven, Wasp, Hank Pym, Medusa, Gravity and Firebird, find themselves trapped aboard a spaceship headed for the Beyonder's planet. The omnipotent entity, who has apparently been testing low-grade groupings for years, is at it again!

And all too happy to claim the prise of his greatest desires, Mac Gargan; the new host for the Venom symbiote; sees his objective right in front of him! But what exchange has been made to save the web-slinger from Venom's sting?!

Batman and the Mad Monk #1 (October 2006)
"Dark Moon Rising" Matt Wagner
Matt Wagner returns with a sequel to his critically acclaimed mini-series, 'The Monster Men.' Continuning on in the tradition of Year One, Wagner places Batman in the earliest year of his career, in an ever-changing Gotham full of greed, corruption, and villainy.

Catwoman, up to her old tricks robbing jewellery stores, provides a distraction as the Dark Knight Detective maintains his presence patrolling the Gotham skyline.

This story, inspired by a Golden Age Bill Finger classic, introduces old ideas into a contemporary canon! After Catwoman, Batman will puzzle his way to a strange cult led by a vampire called - the Mad Monk!

New Avengers: Illuminati #1 (February 2007)
Bendis/Reed/Cheung
2008 will be the year of the Skrull as Marvel unleash their latest intrigue based universe-wide crossover, Invasion!

It all starts here as the cabal of super powered leaders, dubbed 'the Illuminati', gathers during to take it upon themselves to confront the Skrull empire in secret, and warn them off any further invasions of Earth.

Unfortunately for them, the Skrulls don't take kindly to intimidation tactics, and are about to turn the tables on this group of Avengers in a way that will rock the Marvel Universe decades later. The Skrull Invasion has come again, and this time they will be undetectable!

Spider-man Family #1 (April 2007)
"Catfight" Van Lente/Manfredi
The super-anthology serves up a brand new story featuring an early confrontation between the superheroine Hellcat and soon-to-be Spidey foil, the Black Cat!

These two feisty feline femme fatales are about to come head-to-head on the grounds of a museum where the Black Cat intends to put security to the test. Little does she know Chicago has their own brand of Manhattan style defender, and she's about to turn her powersuit on an unsuspecting burgler!

It's quite literally an all-out CATfight, and when the flur finishes flying, you won't believe how this one ends!

Omega Flight #1 (June 2007)
"Alpha to Omega" Oeming/Kolins
When the composite powered entity called The Collective slaughtered Alpha Flight it looked like that would be the end of the Canadian super-team. Not so, however, as threat of spill over from the American superhero civil war threatens those across the Northern border!

Not content to leave the property lie, the Canadian government offers the initiative one last attempt to work, resulting in the formation of Omega Flight!

Charged with rebuilding the team, Sasquatch awaits the arrival of USAgent and Arachne, but there's just one catch. The Wrecking Crew might KILL him before then!