THE PHANTOM versus ROUGHNECKS
(Moonstone/King Features)
Where: The Phantom #1 When: December 2003
Why: Ben Raab How: Pat Quinn

The Story So Far...
Four centuries ago the sole survivor of a pirate raid washes ashore on a remote Bengali beach. Having discovered the corpse of his father's murderer, he swears a blood oath on the man's skull to devote his life to the destruction of piracy, injustice, and cruelty.

With the help of the Bandar pygmy posion tribe, Christopher Walker transforms himself into jungle legend; The Phantom, ghost who walks who never dies! For generations the myth of the undying Phantom is perpetuated by the many sons of each Walker. Their travels carry the myth across the globe, always in staunch opposition to villainy in it's many forms, be it in the cities, or Bengali jungles.

All too often crime finds it's way to the Phantom's jungle, such as the incursion of murderers who would capitalize on the lack of materialism in tribal cultures. One of the jungle's most prominant tribes, the Llongo, find themselves enslaved as miners for the precious jewels hidden beneath their land. When a Llongo boy escapes into the jungle, the killers take hot pursuit, but the Llongo are a protected tribe, and the Phantom is rough on roughnecks!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Phantom 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Phantom 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Phantom 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Phantom 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Phantom 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Phantom 4 (Trained Fighter)
Energy Power: Phantom 2 (Projectile Weapons)


- Over four hundred years ago, Christopher Walker Jr was a shipmate on his father's final voyage when they were attacked by Singh Brotherhood pirates. Chris would be the sole survivor of the wreck, washed ashore as if by destiny onto the remote beaches of the Bengali coast. There he discovers the body of his father's killer, and swears an oath on his skull to pledge his bloodline to the battle against piracy, cruelty and injustice. With the help of the Bandar tribe, a characteristically shrouded and feared group, Walker becomes The Phantom!

The Walkers would successfully carry the tradition of the Phantom through the centuries, leading up to the most recent twenty-first iteration of the character. As with his fathers, Christopher "Kit" Walker is given his predecessor's name, born in the Skull Cave, and raised in the jungles to fullfil his role as Phantom.

Jungle life breeds an exceptionally strong man at the very peak of human physical conditioning, to the point of achieving feats akin to the super-human! The Phantom is a skilled hand-to-hand fighter also trained as a crackshot with modern pistols, which he uses to non-lethal ends. The Phantom is also versed in methods of warfare, survival techniques, tracking, and assorted other skills.
His cunning and guile has maintained the legend of the ghost who walks, who can never die. A legend made possible by the aid of friends like the Bandar; Devil, the Phantom's pet wolf; and Hero, the white stallion upon which he travels through the jungle.

- Ali Gutaale is a terrorist introduced in the Moonstone Comics licensed comics, hailing from the fictional nation of Tarakimo. Tarakimo was previously established in the 1977 story, The Tyrant of Tarakimo, which featured a selfish dictator called General Tara. The character menaced the Phantom and Diana Palmer in a follow-up tale, but is presumably unrelated to Ali Gutaale. The effort to draw upon Phantom history is by the new[ish] publisher is appreciated, if inconsequential.

The Math: The Phantom Ranking: The Phantom (#53)

What Went Down...
A shadowy figure looms in the jungle canopy as a jeep careens through the scrub, in hot pursuit of a boy who knows too much. Closing in on the child, slave traders armed with rifles line their target up, but before the gunman can shoot, something yanks him from the vehicle with a vine!

Before the three other men can figure out what's taken their fellow, a purple garbed jungle man descends from above! The Phantom throws his legs out, knocking a pistol from one of the slaver's hands, while stunning the other!

An elbow renders one of the men ineffective, while the other proves more troublesome. The slaver wrestles the Phantom out of the moving jeep, leaving the distracted driver to head straight for a tree in an explosive collision!

On the side of the road, the Phantom continues to grapple with the burly slave trader. The criminal locks in a sleeper hold, but he underestimates the Phantom's offensive capabilities, especially where such vile criminals would be concerned...

Phantom snaps his attacker's arm at the joint, before whipping him into the air with an overhand snapmare! The jungle protector offers a lecture on his legend while roughing this roughneck up, informing him that the jungles are protected.

A swift kick finishes the slaver off with a spray of blood from his mouth, leaving him grounded for a bout of interrogation. The Phantom kneels over his opponent to find out more about the team's motivations for child-killing, but finds the beaten criminal less than cooperative. Kaole, the escaped boy, steps up to tell the ghost who walks all that has troubled the Llongo tribe... But as he does -- the slaver reaches for a gun!

'When the Phantom moves, lightning stands still.' - Old Jungle Saying.

The Hammer...
By way of a jungle knock-out, your winner, The Phantom!
Now, having already noted a decline in hits over the past month, the irony of featuring a character noted for his decline in the American mainstream is not lost on me. If you're looking for someone to blame, you can thank The Fortress Keeper for stirring up my interests, and Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction for their Phantom-esque generational succession grafted to the pulp-inspired, Iron Fist.

We are, of course, running late again, which means we've missed out on the blog-wide Friday night rush of Bahlactus' Friday Night Fights. Though not affiliated with the Infinite Wars Friday Fight Night [which ironically continues to run late], we whole heartedly endorse the widespread phenomenon that is this cosmic meme! Bahlactus brings the fight, providing a whole range of links to sites, as well as prize-fight opportunities! Once you've finished cruising the Infinite Wars, head over and start drawing up a battle plan!...

So; they say it takes a 'big man' to admit he's wrong, but I'm going to completely debunk that. Phantom #1 was the first Moonstone issue I'd read, and I have to admit, upon revisiting it, it might not have been quite the disservice to the character I had remembered. Well, okay, I haven't vilified it that much, but the positives held within might have been overlooked.

The Phantom's overall obscurity, especially in the American market, has generally left me fairly sceptical about US publisher's ability to properly understand and service the legacy of the character.
Like the very worst kind of fanboy, I undeniably walk into these situations waiting to pounce on any out-of-place phrasing, or misinterpreted characterization. The disappointing truth is that this is often a justified expectation, and sadly, despite the influence of well known "Phantom Phan" and credited consultant; Dr. Bryan Shedden; the Moonstone effort falls into this trap.

Before we devolve into cynicism, I have to give Moonstone their due.
As someone who's grown up reading the Phantom's adventures on black and white pulp stock, it's a bit of a thrill to see the ghost who walks fighting in full colour, boasting high production values. The quality is uncomfortably evident in the price, but in relation to the rest of the American market, is justified and thoroughly complimentary to the art style and colouring within.

The only other time I've read the twenty-first Phantom in colour was in Swedish issues of Fantomen, where the Phantom is given a blue hue. The novelty of colour helps to round out the experience of a very American production, grafting a more contemporary art style than even modern Phantom masters, like Sy Barry.
The smooth colours and confident blacks of the inking (by Ken Wolak and Dawn Groszewski) wouldn't at all be out of place in an issue of Detective Comics, complimenting a style that is respectful of anatomy, but unmistakably cartooned.

Long time readers will expect a harsher critique of the writing, which I consider to be my are of expertise, and suffice to say, that's where the criticisms come from.
One shouldn't understimate penciller's penchant for wandering and elaborating on a script, but the fundamentals of violence in this comic, which deviate considerably from the Phantom's established moral code, are evident at a script level. Responsibility for splash of blood is uncertain, but moments like the broken arm featured in our review, and later scenes showing throwing daggers, remove this story from what is familiar to longtime Phantom fans.

I'm all for change. I imagine I actually differ from most Phantom fans, noting my disappointment that, aside from an ill-fated stint by Marvel, there's never been any canonical push to introduce the Phantom's son as the twenty-second generation of the character. This is especially bothersome because, in the absence of progress, the Phantom's history has now begun to suffer similar bowing and contortion to stagnant American icons from DC and Marvel; something inherently avoidable by Lee Falk's original design, that of a mantle handed down through the ages.

It's this fine line between identity and progress that makes the Phantom such a tricky character for the uninitiated to manage. Clearly Moonstone desire to push the character into a contemporary setting, but in doing so, paint a confusing picture of the character's traditional penchant for light hearted exchange, with entirely uncharacteristic bursts of violence and darkness.

As the modern statesman of powerless 1930's mystery men; Batman is often the character by which the Phantom is measured. Batman has evolved considerably, arriving at the modern definition of the character in the 1970's, which fleshed out the dark overtones of the early Finger/Kane adventures. The 80's contributions of Frank Miller helped solidify the gim and gritty qualities of the character, largely inventing new characteristics for a character who, like many 1930s superheroes, was not at all a fleshed out entity.

This marks the crucial divergence between enduring American mystery men, and their jungle dwelling counterpart. Lee Falk's legacy is almost the world's biggest private joke, excluding an American audience that has overlooked him for other talents like Will Eisner, Bob Kane, and Stan Lee. Falk (1911-1999), still incredibly popular in Sweden and Australia, remains an amazingly progressive writer.

Superficial qualities like the presence of strong African characters, fiercely independent females, and a union-suited hero, all pre-Superman, make Falk's creation obviously special. Going just a little deeper beneath the surface reveals so much more of Falk's genius, including such a plethora of mythology around the character, I haven't been able to even begin to discuss it all between this, and a previous entry [Phantom #972].

Then there's the relationships in the Phantom's life which also spiral outward from his closest friend and advisor, Guran; outward to the Phantom's long running love interest and eventual wife, Diana Palmer, not to mention her Aunt and Uncle which play a part in the on-going cat and mouse courting which sees the Phantom so often playing the role of confused and back-footed suitor. Later in the series, and present even in the Moonstone book, are characters like the Jungle Patrol's Colonel Worubu, and his predecessor, Colonel Weeks. Not to mention fierce Phantom supporter, and eventual Bangalla/Bengali President, Dr. Lumanda Luaga. The strength of the supporting cast rolls on and on, and continues to showcase a wide number of social issues represented in Falk's writing spanning the majority of his life, right up to his 1999 death.

Devices in-built in the Phantom's origin to sustain story include, of course, the theme of succession which allows the Phantom to remain omni-present not just into the future, but also over his four hundred year past. The Phantom Chronicles, a collection of diaries maintained by each Phantom and stored in the Skull Cave, make for opportunities to tell many stories of the past Phantoms, whose interactions allowed Falk to explore elements of history and myth to which he had an affinity for. Shakespearean undertones are evident from the origin of the skull oath, and manifest more specifically in a previous Phantom's work as an actor for the historical playwright. Qualities like this are peppered throughout a canonical library of stories retelling untold tales of Phantoms past, often intertwining morals or tidbits crucial to modern day Phantom adventures.

So, to double back to the criticisms of modern day American publishers, we can see the struggles presented by such a rich history dotted not only with gimmicks and mythology, but also elements that have helped craft a very specific tone and characterization of the Phantom. Exactly how much this allows for change is open to debate, and certainly, it seems a quotient of the Phantom Phanbase continues to be obsessively dedicated to this history. Adaptations like the futuristic Peter Chung-designed series, Phantom 2040, shows the exponential potential for growth in the character, even if it does so to canonically unfeasible extremes.

Because it's so ingrained in the culture, I think the Batman/Phantom comparison makes for a delicious example. As much as Batman has come to be characterized as a gun-loathing vigilante whose methods involve fierce brutality; the Phantom is the yin to his yang, employing pistols as a non-lethal offensive, while maintaining a hard-but-fair edict of violence that is rarely considered brutal.
This quality is perhaps the most misrepresented in the Moonstone books, and though of debatable importance, does make it hard to accept this as anything close to a definitive representation.

Lord knows I'm tainted by a lifelong dream to one day write Phantom stories, but I like to think there's a balance between fandom, and the maintenance and growth of one of comics' greatest and most beloved worldwide icons.

In my experience there seems to be a lot of division between Phantom fans and other superhero comics fanatics, but it's my hope that the long overdue inclusion of the ghost who walks can attract some of our friends from Scandanavia and down under, where the Phantom has been adopted as a national icon.
As I grow increasingly frustrated with some of my experiences with Americans in the comics industry, I do find myself increasingly attracted to this vaguely exotic compromise between the US superhero, and the freedom of foreign influence. Hopefully my love of both sides of the fence can bring us all together. Awww, group hug!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 4

Moonstone's publishing schedule remains erratic at best, which means catching up on their on-going adventures of the Phantom is as easy as two trades! The first book contains the reviewed issue, plus the conclusion of "Blood Diamonds" as well as a complete other story, and bonus materials. You can then also pre-order the second book, collecting issues #5 through #11! By using Amazon purchase linkes provided on the Infinite Wars, you not only get the perfect low price to do draw your own conclusions, but also help sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars! Mmm, I love the smell of commerce in the morning!

IN STORES: March 12, 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.

The Infinite Wars now has a gift shop!
Now you'll find Amazon purchase links to hardcovers, trade paperbacks, and other collections, not only on regular entries -- but also new releases at the bottom of the Shipping List, and now a whole catalogue of potential purchases via the Infinite Wars: Amazonian Gift Shop. [Men are also welcome!] By shopping with Amazon via our purchase links, you not only find yourself a great deal, but also sponsor future entries on the Infinite Wars. So throw caution to the wind, and mortgage your future away! Hoo hah hah!


Thin and Crispy...
JAN082137 ANNIHILATION CONQUEST #5 (OF 6) $2.99
NOV072034 ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #5 $2.99
JAN083857 ATOMIC ROBO #6 (OF 6) $2.95
JAN080155 BOOSTER GOLD #7 $2.99
JAN080141 COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS 7 $2.99
DEC070188 COUNTDOWN TO MYSTERY #6 (OF 8) $3.99
JAN082194 DEAD OF NIGHT FEATURING MAN THING #2 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99
JAN082143 FANTASTIC FOUR #555 $2.99
JAN080087 GOON #22 $2.99
JAN080152 GOTHAM UNDERGROUND #6 (OF 9) $2.99
JAN080157 GREEN ARROW BLACK CANARY #6 $2.99
JAN080183 GREEN LANTERN CORPS #22 $2.99
JAN082164 MIGHTY AVENGERS #10 $2.99
JAN082193 PUNISHER #55 (MR) $2.99
JAN080151 SALVATION RUN #5 (OF 7) $2.99
JAN080174 SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL #13 $2.99
NOV072176 THUNDERBOLTS #119 $2.99

The Deep Dish...
- JAN080089 ABE SAPIEN THE DROWNING #2 (OF 5) $2.99
- JAN080091 BPRD 1946 #3 (OF 5) $2.99
Now that there's a regular schedule of BPRD titles, I can't help but have a little cry every month. Not because they haven't been good, but because they're notoriously under ordered, and every time I go to play a little bit of a catch-up, I can never string BPRD issues together. I don't do the weekly (or monthly) comic thing, and it sucks. We need a sponsor! I want to learn more about Abe Sapien's mysterious past!

- DEC072192 IRON MAN ENTER MANDARIN #6 (OF 6) $2.99
For those who don't know, we do not feature the full shipping list. Week to week I pluck some of the titles that I like and that might interest others, and throw them up here for your one-stop convenience. For the past few months Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin has been a subject of internal debate.

This is one of a handful of early tales told by writer Joe Casey who, for the most part, is certainly competent if not remarkable. The creative team could never be a draw alone, but as has been the case quite a bit lately, I've been lured by an amazing cover! And with the Iron Man movie mere months away, it probably isn't a bad way to get yourself in the mood, without having to concern yourself with post-Civil War Tony Stark, Director of PRICK!

- JAN082155 LAST DEFENDERS #1 (OF 6) $2.99
Of course, slap a wacky collective of heroes and the Defenders brand on the cover, and suddenly Joe Casey looks a whole lot more enticing! Long time readers will have by now deduced that I'm a sucker for heroes and villains with a bit of history, and a lot of name value. This time around the Defenders include the [un]likes of Colossus, She-Hulk, and former New Invader, Blazing Skull. None of this deals with the devil/new history bull! This, friends, is what's called a ticket to ride!

- OCT072015 MADMAN ATOMIC COMICS #7 $2.99
With two BPRD books and Madman, it's a pretty big week for the so-called indies!
As is almost universally the case I'm painfully behind on MAC. Actually, I only have one issue, so it's probably more accurate to say I haven't really had a chance to dive in...
Mike Allred is one of the most exciting talents around comics, and Madman is the perfect vehicle for Allred's penchant for graphically surreal adventures. If you loved X-Statix and you haven't yet had an encounter with this original creation, then do yourself a favour. If I had any money and issues of fisticuffs, you know you'd be seeing it!

- JAN082157 MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK #9 $2.99
Okay, so again, there's got to be the disclaimer that I haven't yet had a chance to have a personal encounter with this title. That said, if it even remotely lives up to the solicitation of it's many guests, then Marvel Adventures: Hulk is the perfect alternative for fans of the classic rampages of the big mean green! This month Hulk plays host to his classic gamma-irradiated sparring partner, Doc Samson!
Despite traditionally being fodder for the kids, the Adventures books from both Marvel and DC really do seem to be bringing up the rear in terms of quality. For fans frustrated by the current state of the Marvel Universe, these may just be the perfect opportunity to get a taste of classic Marvel with a contemporary spin.

- JAN082163 MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS #7 $3.99
MCP doesn't sound like it's doing so well, and given the history of anthology series in this volatile market, it probably isn't long for this world. The current version of Marvel Comics Presents does everything fans of the original would expect, and like the original, is destined to be a hidden gem long after it's been cancelled. Personally I think the comic's well worth it on it's own merits, but for enthusiasts of the Marvel Universe or particular characters, [like; USAgent, Hellcat, or Taskmaster], it's a rare opportunity to see your low-tier favourites spotlighted! Definitely a book I want to catch up on!

- JAN080171 SUPERMAN #674 $2.99
Superman gets another new creative team, and the prospects don't look any better.
Comics' most recognisable hero seems destined to flounder in the modern era as creative teams and fans alike struggle to grapple with the concept. Kurt Busiek and Renato Guedes will roll out a villain called Paragon, with the ability to match, and excede any opponent's powers. Frankly, like so much Superman over the past few years, it sounds a little tired -- but you never know!

Know Your Trade...
JAN082220 AVENGERS INITIATIVE TP VOL 01 BASIC TRAINING $14.99
NOV070237 JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL HC $24.99
DEC070246 LOBO PORTRAIT OF A BASTICH TP $19.99
DEC070250 ROBIN THE BIG LEAGUES TP $12.99
DEC070258 SHOWCASE PRESENTS PHANTOM STRANGER TP VOL 02 $16.99
JAN083712 SPEED RACER TP VOL 03 $19.99
JAN082217 SPIDER-MAN FAMILY TP UNTOLD TEAM UPS DIGEST $9.99

DAN HIBIKI versus KEN MASTERS
Round. 6 (UDON/Capcom/Shinseisha)
Where: Street Fighter Alpha Vol.1 When: 2007
Why: Masahiko Nakahira How: Masahiko Nakahira

The Story so far...
Since his victory against Sagat, Ryu has become a despondent warrior, fearful of his own power and nature as a fighter. Having taken a job as hired muscle on a drug running vessel; Ryu is picked up by Interpol when they intervene in his ship's course, and suffer the horrors of the uncontrollable dark hadou energies Ryu harbors within.

Despite fears that he may again succumb to the dark hadou, Ryu agrees to join a mission to infiltrate the underground fighting scene, where an international criminal organization called "Shadaloo" is recruiting street fighters into their ever growing army of assassins and criminals. Accompanying Chun-Li through the sewers, Ryu finds himself locked in an astral battle against the mysterious fortune-teller, Rose.

Having been warned that his life would be changed by the intervention of two warriors garbed in blood red; Ryu takes Chun-Li to an official fighting arena, where just such an individual is about to fight. His oldest friend and fellow practitioner of the mysterious ansatsuken fighting style of Goutetsu -- Ken Masters; American fighting champion!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Ken 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Ken 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Ken 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Ken 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Ken 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Power: Ken 3 (Explosives)


- The son of a Hong Kong martial artist; Dan Hibiki's life becomes dedicated to a quest of revenge when his father is killed in battle with his Muay Thai fighting rival, Sagat. Against all odds Dan appears to succeed in avenging his father's death by defeating Sagat, unaware that his despondent opponent allowed him to win. Blissfully ignorant; Hibiki goes on to begin promoting his saikyo-ryuu fighting style and forming new rivalries in the martial arts arena.

A thoroughly unremarkable fighter, Hibiki's style is heavily derived from the ansatsuken method practiced by fighters like Ken and Ryu, with some additional inspiration from the Muay Thai fighting style of Sagat.
Dan is capable of limited ki manipulation with attacks such as his self-taught, short ranged, one-handed fireball, the Gadouken. More potent is his dankukyaku aerial attack, which features a triple hitting combination of kicks, easily blocked.

- Born to a wealthy American and his Japanese wife, Ken Masters is placed in the care of martial arts master, Gouken, at a young age. There he befriends and trains with a young Japanese fighter named Ryu, with whom Ken would have a lifelong bond and rivalry. Together the fighters hone their skills in the unnamed Ansatsuken fighting discipline, whilst mastering the energy harnessing attacks of the Hadou technique. When Gouken is murdered by Akuma, master of the dark hadou; Ken joins Ryu in the search for the man responsible, bringing the pair into conflict with the nefarious criminal organization, Shadaloo.

Ken is a supreme athlete, having won many martial arts competitions in his native America. His fighting style is much the same as Ryu's; featuring the Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku hurricane kick, as well as the hadouken and shoryuken energy attacks.

The Math: Ken Masters Ranking: Ken Masters (#53)

What Went Down...
Dan enters the arena to resounding antagonism from the crowd, who are retaliating to the apparent indescretions of previous fights, where Hibiki has been known to cheat to win. I'm not sure if this is really a fair depiction of a character better known for being utterly useless, but given that this is depicted as a finals confrontation, I guess those sorts of explanations are required by some... I digress...

Hibiki is somewhat taken aback by the angellic blonde who enters the ring as his opponent, drastically undermining the fighting quality that no doubt earned Ken a spot in the tournament finals. This tournament is revealed to be Ken's first official outing, leading to further taunts from the over confident Hibiki, who receives a guarantee from his opponent that he'll finish him off with a minimum of time and pain.

Ken's boastful claims appear under threat as the pink-garbed Hibiki launches into his dankukyaku flying kick the second the match starts -- or so it seems!
Ken proves more than ready for a fight, easily blocking the triple threat kick of Dan's assault!

Ken puts on a Masters-class, leaping into a rising knee that puts Dan right in a stunned ready position for Ken's own special kick attack -- the tatsumaki senpuu kyaku! The spinning kick collides for four clean strikes, knocking Dan even sillier than usual!

From the crowd, Ryu can sense an imminent victory in Ken's favour, but Hibiki's arsenal is not yet exhausted! Feeling the pressure, Dan looks to strike-out with a powerful uppercut attack modelled on Ken and Ryu's shoryuken, but before the "koryuken" can be executed, Ken counters it with a devestating fly kick!

Recognising Dan's fighting arsenal as little more than a knock-off of his own, Ken unleashes a devestating combination - the beginning of the end of his show of superiority. Looking to impress Ryu, Ken summons his ki energy for a finisher the likes of which has never been seen -- a multiple hitting shoryuken combo!

The move sends a hush through the crowd as Dan's defeated body hurls through the air, coming to a harsh and bloodied landing. Ryu in particular is left in awe, recognising the move as forbidden by their master, Gouken, for it's connection with the dark hadou.

Ken soaks in his first official tournament win as the crowd erupts into cheer.

The Hammer...
Well, after another tired day, I make the feeble gesture of giving you your expected winner: Ken Masters!

The beginning of the month has been dedicated to a lot of features revolving around boxing and competition fighting [Immortal Iron Fist #11, Daredevil: Man Without Fear #2, Phantom #927], so it seemed like a great opportunity to come back to Street Fighter, which has been a recurring feature on the Infinite Wars. In the recent past, Street Fighter's been a great hits grabber for us, in particular the now infamous Street Fighter Legends #2 review, which features Zangief's accidental groping [of Rainbow Mika]. Mmm, classy!

The significance of Street Fighter II in 1990's mainstream pop culture is undeniable.
Most of you who were alive in the middle of the decade should be familiar with a lot of the icons of the series, even by the abstraction of their commercial value. Comics fans from the era will have had specific confrontations with the Street Fighter stable when they collided with the Marvel Comics super heroes in a series of Versus games, which are still regarded to be among the very best 2D beat 'em up video games!

With Street Fighter IV on the home console horizon, some of you are going to be enjoying the repeating emergence of Street Fighter on the Infinite Wars. On the other hand, there seems to be a real divide between Japanese culture and American comics fans, who may or may not be typified by their rigid preconceptions. For the more accepting of you, I hope each time we dive deeper into the Street Fighter canon, you maybe come to see just how similar the fictional worlds of these and superhero characters can be.

Now, about those video game characters: a lot's been happening with Street Fighter IV since we last talked SF, and I kinda wish I'd jumped on that much sooner, because I've lost a little bit of the wind I had in my sails!

Top 25 Gaming Warriors
#1 Ryu (Capcom)
#2 Dhalsim (Capcom)
#3 Guile(Capcom)
#4 R. Mika (Capcom)
#5 Ken Masters (Capcom)
#6 Sagat (Capcom)
#7 Fei Long (Capcom)
#8 Raiden (Midway)
#9 Noob Saibot (Midway)
#10 Akuma (Capcom)
#11 Sakura (Capcom)
#12 T.Hawk (Capcom)
#13 Jin Kazama (Namco)
#14 Rose (Capcom)
#15 Chun-Li (Capcom)
#16 Vega (Capcom)
#17 Scorpion (Midway)
#18 Birdie (Capcom)
#19 Balrog (Capcom)
#20 Gouken (Capcom)
#21 Sodom (Capcom)
#22 Ganryu (Namco)
#23 Bruce Irvin (Namco)
#24 Dan Hibiki (Capcom)
#25 Zangief (Capcom)
Fortunately a little energizer came in the form of El Fuerte; the latest addition to the returning SFII legends.
First impressions? Well, it's nice to see Capcom following up on Abel with another character steeped in fighting styles. El Fuerte represents the lucha legion of libre wrestlers popularized by American and Asian genres of high risk, high-flying pro wrestling. In the Alpha series of games Rainbow Mika touched upon the style, but never to any thorough extent, so one might expect moves designed to take advantage of the gravity scripts inherent to 3D CG models, along the lines of trademarks from Rey Mysterio, Great Muta, Ultimo Dragon, and other well known pros.

I find myself bouncing back and forth between unbridled excitement, and bitter scepticism.
The reveal of a French mixed martial artist named Abel brought me back to joy after the bitter deviation of a new character like Crimson Viper, whose design and concept was heavily removed from the classic concept of proficient fighters from around the world.

Just as Abel's release was coloured by Crimson Viper, I find El Fuerte reflecting off of Abel. Measuring the characters on a cumulative scale, Abel suffers from the follow-up of an equally uninspired visual, in the surprisingly dull looking Mexican luchador.

Capcom have a history in the wrestling genre with the Slam Masters series, which featured around the same time as Street Fighter II, boasting a more outlandish cast of professional wrestling characters. With such a pedigree behind them, the bland design of El Fuerte is especially disappointing, and given game director Yoshinori Ono's history as co-creator of Fighting Evolution's, Ingrid; one can't help but wonder if the desires of fans and the strengths of the series might be lost on the current creative team.

Love or hate Crimson Viper, it's impossible to deny that there's an investment in the character both in terms of visual, and in the in-game construction of her movements and reality. That said, the character really brings back horrible memories of Street Fighter III, where the bulk of the cast was bumped for characters depicting more outlandish qualities, rather than anything familiar to a nation or established fighting art.

With Abel, upset fans were treated to something more traditional with a character who wears his nation on his sleeve (literally!), and boasts a very traditional martial arts asthetic. That said, the character manages to be a pale comparison of cartooned characters like Ken, Ryu, or Sagat, each steeped in their martial arts history, but heavily developed into individual characters.
Maybe one should be more forgiving. Maybe it would be more just to recognise the potential for evolution in characters like Abel and El Fuerte, but for such a prominent series... I guess there's an expectation for more immediately inspiring results.

Rival beat 'em up franchise, Sega's Virtua Fighter, introduced gamers to fictional lucha libre El Blaze, who comes adorned with Rey Mysterio inspired regalia in what undoubtedly made for a more immediate impact.
I don't want to sound overly negative, because I'm definitely looking forward to Street Fighter IV. At the same time, discourse should never be something frowned upon, even if I'm a little off my game and maybe not quite articulating the historical references to the extent I wish I was.

The big news over the past few days is a countdown hinting at information about the new Mortal Kombat, which, if the case, means the American market is about to be flooded with franchise beat 'em ups! The selection; ranging from Soul Calibur, to Tekken, and now the previously promised eighth Mortal Kombat; promises to give Street Fighter IV a run for it's money, at least in Western markets.

I'm not doing terribly well here, but I want to give a minute to Masahiko Nakahira's work on Street Fighter Alpha, because it somewhat resonates with some of issues regarding the creative course of the games.

Where Yoshiniro Ono might have a slightly confused passion for moving the series forward, Nakahira pays homage to the games and their history through his story which is very nearly an adaptation of the Street Fighter Alpha video game.
You really get an appreciation for Nakahira's attention to detail when you break down something like this fight between Dan and Ken. Certain concessions are made for the sake of the story. Dan's given an implied fighting credibility by his position in the tournament final, which is fairly atypical of his character, but is, as noted, explained away by a spate of cheating. Breaking down the mechanics of the fights and scenes, even away from the trademark moves, really shows an almost slavish attention to the game and it's animated sprites.

Another noted change [for the sake of story] was the development of the shoryuken, a staple of the games, as a move connected to the dark hadou.
Nakahira does well to create a cohesion with otherwise silly concepts, like evil Ryu, developing the unwritten conclusion of the first Street Fighter game, which sees Ryu scarring Sagat with the finishing punch [interpreted in Street Fighter #1], as the first awakening of the dark hadou in Ryu.

Nakahira pays a delightful respect to the first game's boss and subsequent stalwart, Sagat, recasting him as an unbeatable villain in his legendary showdown with Ryu. Unlike frustrated scenes like the SFII animated movie, Sagat dominates the Japanese fighter, defeated by the shoryuken as a last resort, rather than a finishing blow on an embarassing defeat.

Nakahira recalls this kind of strength in his Street Fighter III: Final Ryu, where Sagat's journey continues despite the character's omission from the third official installment - a fact that again points to Nakahira's fantastic understanding of the of the brand. An understanding that seems to have alluded many Capcom teams that have taken over the franchise with the dissolving of the original teams. There's probably more to be said about that, but for now, it's a wrap. Night guys!

EDIT: Once again, I failed to mention that the top twenty five is provided by cumulative rankings determined over two years of Infinite Wars. Take them with a pinch of salt, and understand they only represent a focused interpretation.

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 6.5

As always Amazon links are provided for your convenience, just incase you should decide you've found yourself so thoroughly tittilated, you feel like making an impulse purchase. By using the purchase links provided, you help sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars, which is really very nice of you. Mwah, mwah.

TIGER'S BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER
versus STEEL PHOENIX
The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven: Part 4 (Marvel)
Where: Immortal Iron Fist #11 When: January 2008 Why: Matt Fraction & Ed Brubaker How: David Aja

The Story so far...
In the ancient hidden city of K'un-Lun, it's denizens prepare themselves for the undying tradition of the Tournament of the seven Heavenly Cities, held every eighty-eight years when their planes align; thus sucking Daniel Rand into a plot of intrigue and mystery centuries in the making!

At the source of Iron Fist's plight is Davos, the villain once known as the Steel Serpent. An exile of K'un-Lun, Davos is resurrected by one of the enemy cities, K'un-Zi, in an effort to destroy the long thought dead sixty-fifth inheritent to the Iron Fist mantle; a drug-addled vagabond and survivor of the First World War, Orson Randall.

Randall teams with his successor, Danny Rand, in an effort to prepare him properly for the ancient tournament. In battle, Orson Randall falls, but not before passing on the power of his chi to Danny Rand, who uses it to successfully oppose Davos who himself has consumed the spiritual energies of his benefactor's daughters, the girls of Crane Mother. Davos has also forged an alliance with Hydra, and with plans to destroy the legacy of the Iron Fist and K'un-Lun, the Steel Serpent redeclares himself the Steel Phoenix; champion of K'un-Zi!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Steel Phoenix 4 (Steroid Abuser)
Intelligence: Draw 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Tiger's Beautiful Daughter 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Steel Phoenix 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Tiger's Beautiful Daughter 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Steel Phoenix 6 (Warrior)
Energy Power: Tiger's Beautiful Daughter 2 (Projectile)

- Born in the mystic hidden city of K'un-Lun; Davos is the destined son of proud warrior, Lei Kung the Thunderer. As his father was before him, Davos is trained in the martial arts disciplines kept secret by the citizens of the Heavenly City for millenia, making him one of the deadliest hand-to-hand fighters in the world.
Ultimately Davos' arsenal is undermined by his jealousy for outsider rival, Daniel Rand, who becomes the preferred student of his father. This leads the warrior down a path of darkness, earning him the name of Steel Serpent, when he fails to prove himself worthy of the legendary Iron Fist.

Davos is able to escape death by the mystic intervention of the Anomoly Gem.
Resurrected in the service of Crane Mother, of K'un-Zi, Davos becomes more powerful than ever when he consumes the fighting spirit of Crane Mother's daughters. His chi mastery not only drastically increases his physical strength, but also enables him to unlock many new fighting techniques, part of his arsenal as a warrior of K'un-Zi and the rechristened, Steel Phoenix.

- Tiger's Beautiful Daughter is one of the immortal warriors chosen to represent one of the Seven Heavenly Cities in the ancient tournament held to determine the rotation of each secret city's presence on Earth. She is anything but modest, content to fight with her face guarded, while much of her body remains exposed.
Her weapons of choice are tiě shān, or, steel fighting fans.

The Math: Steel Phoenix Ranking: Draw (NR)

What Went Down...
The two fighters enter the arena with adjudicating elder, Son of Oprhans, who grants Davos opportunity to reveal his newest tattoo markings, unveiling himself as Steel Phoenix of his newly adopted city, K'un-Zi.

The bad blood inspired by Davos' treachery is immediately evident as Tiger's Beautiful Daughter shows no intimidation, mocking the consumption of the Crane Mother's harlot daughters. Though redubbed phoenix, Davos responds with a wicked tongue befitting of a serpent.

The verbal exchange is quickly replaced by the confrontation of these two martial arts warriors. Their opening blows, though impressive, fail to meet in a stalemate of acrobatics. Tiger's Beautiful Daughter fares the best, her evasive technique allowing for an agile recovery that embarasses the self-declared Phoenix.

TBD's blows punish Davos with brutal efficiency. The fighting fans slice through the exposed mid-section of the K'un-Zi fighter, before spraying his blood from an equally unprepared bicep, which could've been far better served with an offense!

Davos takes his lumps, retaliating against his opponent's physicality with an unforgiving shot to the brow. The punch fails to do any specific damage to impair the sight of the boastful warrior woman, who makes Davos pay for his missed opportunity with a toss her fan: which slices his hand off at the wrist!

Tiger's Beautiful Daughter berates Steel Phoenix for his disgraces, boiling him down to little more than a bullying child. Clutching his bloody stump, Davos swears bitter revenge, promising to make TBD pay for her transgressions.
It does not take long for the bill to arrive...

Having summoned his powerful chi, the Steel Phoenix rises from the ashes of combat, manifesting for himself a glowing replacement hand! With the energies swirling, he unleashes the devestating attack of the steel phoenix blow!

The strength of the Steel Phoenix' blow sends Tiger's Beautiful Daughter airborne across the arena grounds. Davos, burning with energy, lets out a roar of gloating as TBD struggles to yield in a pool of her own blood. Still seething with rage, the Steel Phoenix denies mercy, driving his fist into the base of his opponent's skull in an ordinarily lethal blow! Davos wins.

The Hammer...
Fullfilling the requisites of a martial arts movie villain, Steel Phoenix wins with what probably should've been a "fatality!"
As morbid as it sounds, I'm almost disappointed to report that, unless I'm mistaken, Tiger's Beautiful Daughter actually survived to appear, albeit heavily bandaged, in the following issue.

Now, if I were to attempt to incite some sort of controversy with a single turn of phrase, I'd say that yes, the Infinite Wars absolutely advocates violence against women, but that's just because we advocate violence in superhero comics in general [Discussed; Superman/Batman #15].
It just doesn't feel honest to have this character - who is already the instrument of communication for the depths of threat present - to walk away from that, even with the vagaries of "immortal" being thrown around. Speaking of immortal...

Top 25 Martial Artists
#1 Batman (DC)
#2 Wolverine (Marvel)
#3 Daredevil (Marvel)
#4 Ryu (Capcom)
#5 Catwoman (DC)
#6 Green Arrow (DC)
#7 Iron Fist (Marvel)
#8 Deadpool (Marvel)
#9 Dhalsim (Capcom)
#10 Red Robin (DC)
#11 Robin (DC)
#12 Elektra (Marvel)
#13 Kitty Pryde (Marvel)
#14 Nightwing (DC)
#15 Hellcat (Marvel)
#16 Batroc (Marvel)
#17 Guile (Capcom)
#18 R. Mika (Capcom)
#19 Ken Masters (Capcom)
#20 Sagat (Capcom)
#21 Bullseye (Marvel)
#22 Ronin (Marvel)
#23 Deathstroke (DC)
#24 Black Canary (DC)
#25 Fei Long (Capcom)As with most things that reference history, there's bound to be some common ground - some overlap. Still, it's hard to flick through the pages of The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven, and not think of Mortal Kombat. Now, before you get the wrong idea, I don't actually think of that as an insult! I mean, sure, you need only look at mine, or anyone else's reviews of MK comics to know how dreadful their efforts have been, but that's just the point: this is a Mortal Kombat comic done very well!

This is anything but outright plagiarism, with a very thick Marvel B-story running behind the shennanigans of the martial arts tournament epic. In the background, the culmination of economic espionage has seen Hydra come closer to entering K'un-Lun for destructive means. Tied up in the mission of rescue and protection are Luke Cage, and the gals from Nightwing Restoratons!

Still, for all the unmistakable trimmings of a Marvel superhero story, there's no two ways about it: When I read this comic, I'm thinking about Mortal Kombat, and everything it could be with the right creative team!

Tiger's Beautiful Daughter screams Kitana to any fan of the beat 'em up video game franchise, recalling the purple garbed ninja's trademark veiled face and steel fighting fans. The same steely determination one would expect from the Edenian princess of the video game lore also remains.
Of course, really, what Matt Fraction [and Ed Brubaker] have successfully done is return Iron Fist to his martial arts genre roots, layering in various tropes commonly associated with: classic Hong Kong cinema; flamboyant history, myth and legend; and, of course, maybe even some of the genre mish-mash that's come out of Western sources, like, Mortal Kombat.

Also lying just beyond these pages are more of those inescapable pulp keynotes, this time branching from Iron Fist's true world origins as a character sharing historical inspiration with Amazing Man; a Bill Everett character thirty years Iron Fist's senior. Those ties quickly inspire further incorpoation, with the Orson Randall character bringing in many of the cues associated with characters like The Phantom and The Shadow, who were each part of a time when the Orient was regularly glamorized for it's mystery and mythological intrigue.

All of these things help to build something exciting and expected of a contemporary take on the character, who got his start in the 1970s as part of the phenomenon of a martial arts boom, in part sponsored by the likes of Bruce Lee.

As both a superhero and martial arts fanatic, I loved this comic.
After the initial issues I had become fairly complacent with my interest in this series. As much as I love and want to see the Iron Fist character remain bouyant within the Marvel Universe, on a strapped budget, it was hard to find enthusiasm for what was shaping up to be another greytoned, stoicly competent read with Brubaker on the cover. Ironically, Brubaker himself cites his involvement on the title as gradually dwindling, perhaps explaining the joy of more recent shifts, not necessarily evident in Brubaker's other, more urban works.

Regardless of the means to the ends, I'm really pleased to see something like this coming from Marvel. Not just that, but to be hearing it's praises sung, because as much as it is a superhero comic, this is something very different for mainstream readers. It's long been my dream to produce martial arts comics, and a result like this, so legitimate, almost makes it feel like a possibility!

As already alluded, Matt Hollingsworth's presence is felt, and it's with mixed feelings. The colourist who famously contributed to the gritty tone of Daredevil during both Alex Maleev and Michael Lark's stays on the book, becomes a little familiar for my tastes. I'm frustrated because as familiar as it's all getting, much like the stagnance of some Brubaker scripts, it's undeniably suitable.

Tipping the work over the scales is an exciting flashback sequence detailing the trevails of Davos' attempts to overcome the shadow of Daniel Rand, eventual sixty-sixth successor to the Iron Fist mantle. Pencilled by the ultra smooth Kano [not to be confused with the Mortal Kombat baddy!], the pages almost taken on the quality of a whole other comic, good for those who, like me, really felt like that was a bonus to the book, but not so much for those happily dwelling in the issue's grainy stoicism.

I want to come back to Iron Fist!
After dragging my heels through recent entries on the Infinite Wars, I'm reinvigorated, excited all over again largely by, of all characters, Steel Serpent!
Somewhere between the fascinations of characters like Black Adam and Batroc the Leaper; Steel Serpent is an otherwise forgettable villain from Iron Fist's past, revamped for the modern age with a wonderful surrender to the material.
I don't doubt if you haven't already, you might be finding yourself intrigued by the presence of this villain, and I hope very much to be able to bring you more of this martial arts menace's escapades, both new and old!

For now, we wrap things up, getting a good start to the week!
I can't help but notice our already humble traffic has slipped over the past few weeks, and while I do what I can to ensure more of the same great comics discussion and insight, take up this challenge: Find someone online or in person that you chat to about comics, and throw http://secretearths.blogspot.com/ down in front of them as a challenge to wax superheroes, and superhero smackdown!

EDIT: I neglected to mention that the top twenty-five martial artists included earlier in the update is representative of characters cumulative status in the Infinite Wars rankings. Though deductions can be derived, this is not a full proof information method of characters and their abilities. Links provided offer greater insight into source materials, and character histories.

The Fight: 5.5 The Issue: 6.5

"The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven" is still wrapping up, so if you don't think you can wait for the Trade Paperback, then head out to a good comics retailer where you'll find the latest back issues on the shelf! Want to know when more's coming? Keep an eye on the Infinite Wars on Wednesdays when we run down what's hot on stands from the Shipping List! Not quite convinced? What to jump into Iron Fist in a more mature format? Hey, by preordering with Amazon using the purchase links provided, you help support the Infinite Wars and future entries! Links are provided here, and in the brand new Secret Wars on Infinite Earths: Amazonian Gift Shop! Mmm, balmy!

COVER TO COVER: INFINITE WARS (ROUND 2)!
Okay, so there's the obvious things; longer character notes, more image scans, lengthier discussion pieces. A lot has cosmetically changed in two years of Infinite Wars, but on this journey of self-reflection, what have we really learnt about Secret Wars on Infinite Earths as not just a fight competition, but as a blog.

A frustration I've found from some comics communities and blogs is that they become repetitive, if not predictable. I get a little tired of the same self-conscious ironies of character based gags [not naming names *cough*Batroc*cough*], and weekly fawning over the usual suspects, whose names seem to be more important to some folks than the contents of their written work.
So what do those blanket criticism have to do with us? Well, even if occasionaly guilty of falling into that same trap, I like to think looking back on early entries in the Infinite Wars, we're anything if predictable. Though not reviewing weekly releases means we fail to capitalize on strong regular readerships, I'm content that we're doing something unique, and interesting.

I fully submit that the Infinite Wars is not without it's own faults. I sometimes wonder if better efforts could be made to engage with you, the reader, who remains mostly anonymous, despite an open comments policy. I wouldn't look that gifthorse in the mouth, mind you, given that I rarely have to rise to any specific criticms, or unfounded harassment.

Batman #612 (April 2003)
"The Battle" Loeb/Lee
Infinite Wars Fight File: #00006
It's a rivalry that's become a significant moment in comics history, and is certainly always a big deal when it comes to the Infinite Wars. This, in the scheme of our records, is the rematch after the DKR battle.

Batman and Catwoman are on the ropes as Superman, controlled by the botanical influences of Poison Ivy, pursues them with violent intentions. The Batman, as is oft the case, is forced to use his knowledge in the battle to make use of the Metropolis geography, and the inherent weaknesses that lie within Superman's home territory.

This, so much like the DKR fight, is about the brilliance of Batman, and proves that Gotham only went so far in his victory of the Man of Steel!

Marvel Comics Presents #49 (1990)
"White Messiah" Fligueroa/Wilson
Infinite Wars Fight File #00007
Daredevil joins the Infinite Wars in what was destined to be a strong outing for the character in Season 2006! This induction of the character comes from an unlikely source as we present the MCP short story White Messiah, which introduces the analogous super-villain, Scope, who has never appeared beyond this eight-page short.

As an aspiring comics writer, I've always thought of Scope as one of my holstered secret weapons, should I ever reach acclaim enough to touch Daredevil, or the criminal underworld of the Marvel Universe. Now, if that were to happen, then you've got a significant spoiler here, but I like to think this can be a fun secret between me and my pals from back in the early days of the Infinite Wars!

Marvel Zombies #1 (February 2006)
"Part 1" Kirkman/Phillips
Infinite Wars Fight File: #00008
The phenomenon that spawned an entire range of merchandise from Marvel Comics shows up early in Season 2007! Spinning out of the ground breaking storyarc in Mark Millar's Ultimate Fantastic Four, the zombies descend upon the self-sacrificing Magneto, whose efforts proved crucial in saving the Ultimate Universe from certain doom.

Unfortunately for the master of magnetism, that leaves him well and truly up the creek without a metallic paddle! Thus far the Zombies have been unstoppable, but as one of the most powerful mutant forces on the planet, could Magneto be the one to turn the tables?

... With a five issue mini-series on the line, we doubt it!

Batman #647 (January 2006)
"The Away Team" Winick/Mahnke
Infinite Wars Fight File: #00009
The Infinite Wars love affair with the work of Judd Winick and Doug Mahnke on Batman begins here! This proves the first taste of what was an unforgettable run of sorely missed versimilitude in Gotham City!

The return of Jason Todd from the grave is causing Batman much more than elevated psychiatric bills. Taking the original identity of his murderer, the Joker, Jason begins his own campaign of pain for the criminal underworld of Gotham, which has recently fallen under the control of the East End menace, Black Mask.
Todd has his own set of rules, but when Black Mask gets desperate, he may just be forced to join Batman in battle against the united Society of Villains!

Street Fighter II #1 (July 1994)
"Battle 02: Little Las Vegas" Masaomi Kanzaki
Infinite Wars Fight File: #00010
In February 2006 noone could've fully appreciated the love of Street Fighter that would eventually become evident in the last quarter of 2007. It all begins here with a preview into the world crafted by Masaomi Kanzaki, where the man-made island of Shad plays host to an entire world of street fights, and organized crime.

The wandering world warrior, Ryu, has arrived in Shad to prove his might against the other fighters of the big tournament, but before he gets there he's going to have to settle some scores with new friends. The fallen champion boxer, Balrog, has challenged Ryu to a fight for interfering in his "insurance" business, and Ryu has told his new friends to bet the house on him. Will they regret their choice?...

COVER TO COVER: A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING!
Y'know, there's been a bit of a recurring theme in most of the entries in the Infinite Wars recently. I mean, you've got our pending series of Secret Origins features; you've got all the hooplah surrounding The New Frontier; and this week we dove into the trademarked Miller version of the Daredevil origin [Man Without Fear #2]! If this were a hallucination, it would undeniably be a mass phenomena!

I find it interesting that superhero comics continues to be a genre incapable of leaving it's history alone. Prominent creative forces; like writer/editor, Denny O'Neil; regularly refer to the histories of popular characters [such as Batman] as being 'perfected', in a state of flux, rather than interference. Batman is, of course, one of the most successful examples. Within the Bat-catalogue alone are some of comics' greatest retellings, many of which are based on adventures from the early 1940's. Coming from the past twenty years alone are stories by visionary talents like Frank Miller, Alan Moore, and Jeph Loeb.
Join us in looking back on just a few such tales, and think about what some of your favourite redressed stories might be!

Secret Origins #35 (Holiday 1988)
"Martian Manhunter" Verheiden/Steacy
This one takes us back to the grizzled days of Detective John Jones; alias for the Manhunter from Mars, J'onn J'onnz, who finds himself unwittingly transported to Earth by the aging Doctor Erdel.

With the good Doctor startled by his Martian visitor, to the point of heart attack, he leaves the alien with a final warning and well wish, making the Manhunter's first experience on Earth one of death.

Canvasing the networks of mainstream American television, the Manhunter extracts what information he can about human society. Impressed upon this blank slate is the image of the square jawed TV detective, dedicated to truth, justice, and the battle against corruption and evil in the Earth. Thus, John Jones is born, to war against crime!

Batman: The Long Halloween (February 1997)
"Christmas" Loeb/Sale
In Batman's first year he has come to regard very few men as friends. Gotham City has become corrupt, but despite this fact, and the riddled presence of crime families, Bruce Wayne believes the city is not beyond saving. Of similar mind are newly appointed Commisioner of Police, James Gordon; and Gotham District Attorney, Harvey Dent.

The pact between the trio of powers becomes fractured when Dent is implicated in a spate of murders involving various prominent figures in the Gotham Underworld. The crime families become embroiled in a war with the "freaks" of Gotham, as the mysterious Holiday hunts the criminals. The presence of this murderous force of nature draws the attentions of Gotham's premiere freak, the Joker, who decides to dedicate his own twisted intellect to solving the crime. At the top of his Christmas naughty list? Harvey Dent...

DC: The New Frontier #2 (April 2004)
"Fun City" Darwyn Cooke
Paranoia of the 1950s has pushed the heroes of the Golden Age into the shadows, as they refuse to relinquish the veil of anonymity that allowed them to protect the very people who have turned on them.

New heroes emerge to fill the void left behind. Heroes of a new age and a new frontier, each with their own strange powers and abilities. Among them, a league of personalities destined to be drawn together in the face of evil; Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Batman, Adam Strange, Green Lantern, and the Flash.

Demanding their presence are the endless fiends who would perpetrate super powered crimes. When Captain Cold attacks a society bash in Las Vegas, the Flash responds not only as a crimson beacon of heroism, but as the concerned lover of an endangered gal!

Batman: The Mad Monk #1 (October 2006)
"Dark Moon Rising" Matt Wagner
The Batman's war on crime in Gotham takes a strange turn. With the recession of the organized crime families comes new threats, more bizarre than anything he has ever faced before.
Emerging elements of a fantastical and occult nature begin to trouble the Dark Knight, while the so-called "freaks" continue to make their presence known.

Batman's sordid relationship with the costumed thief, Catwoman, continues, while he tracks the presence of a murderous cult that has strange ties to a vampiric leader called, the Mad Monk!
Batman seems off his game, and though Jim Gordon remains an ally, the lone vigilante doubts himself as he begins to suspect the involvement of the neuro-toxin created by his arch-nemesis, the Scarecrow!

X-Men: First Class #2 (December 2006)
"The Bird, the Beast, and the Lizard" Parker/Cruz
Professor Charles Xavier has become intimately familiar with the growing threat of mutation within the human species which proposes terrifying theories of extinction and genocide. He knows this subject so well because he himself is a mutant - a telepath - capable of reading and manipulating the thoughts of those around him.

Aware of the great responsibility of his power, Professor Xavier does his best to control his powers, and begins recruiting gifted youngsters such as himself, so as to share his knowledge with a new generation.

As the X-Men they become his students, while secretly donning uniforms as a paramilitary uprising against the forces of evil. Though humanity would fear and loathe them, they fight to protect them just the same.