FANTASY FIGHTS: MORTAL KOMBAT/DC UNIVERSE (ROUND 7)! In the middle of April; Mortal Kombat co-creator, Ed Boon, was at the Midway Gamer's Day to lift the lid on the worst kept secret in gaming: Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe.
Running several days behind schedule means we get to mention some of the updates that've trickled out throughout the week. Among the highlights were character renders of the first featured characters; Batman and Sub-Zero. You can find them at the Worlds Collide official website, and soon, they'll be joined by a series of podcast entries discussing the game, and answering questions submitted by fans. Sure to be a much needed boost of interest with the characters announced in April exhausted.
Meanwhile; rumors persist that characters hot for selection include: Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Powergirl, and Hawkman; as well as legacy characters like a Green Lantern and a Flash. Fatigued, I'm not sure I have a clear opinion on the list, but certainly couldn't complain about seeing any of those characters. Several will appea later in our pre-selected Fantasy Fight updates, but you'll find Hawkman, and other speculation, in rounds one, two, three, four, five, and six!
The Battle... If you've been paying attention over the past month and a half, you know the Fantasy Fights have usually had some assemblance of theme tying the characters together. A common ground might be a superpower, methodology, or in this case; agenda!
Bane rose to mainstream prominance when he famously delivered the blow that broke Batman's back. The Dark Knight might have healed since, but for Bane, that career defining milestone has been hard to recover from!
For the best part of a decade Bane has bounced around mostly inconsequential storyarcs, straddling the line between villain and deeply motivated individual. Stints as a suitor for Catwoman, and member of Batman's inner circle of allies, provided the character limited periods of depth, but ultimately the character slipped through the cracks to suffer similar idignities and mediocrity to his early nineties, Superman-slaying counterpart; Doomsday.
As a member of The Society [of Supervillains] during Infinite Crisis Bane was reduced to replaying old gimmicks; a back breaking finisher sealing the death of Judomaster during the Battle of Metropolis. Disappointing as that was, it laid the groundwork for an exciting new dimension for the character, who had returned to obscurity after the company-wide crossover! In the pages of Checkmate; Bane thrust himself into a corrupted election campaign in his native Santa Prisca as an independent enforcer commanding an army of militia. The intrigue provided little more than an excuse for Bane's battle with Judomaster's son, but the addition of depth to a typically shallow nineties character was welcomed!
Political activism? Why, that's tenuous enough a connection to make for a match-up with one of MK's less impressive, recent additions! Yes! Cut from a still fresh mould of the Matrix; Darrius is on a mission to lift the illusion of smothering order, in the realm of Seido. I'm not sure he's tough enough to roll even with a post-venom serum Bane, but it was never about Darrius...
For game mechanics I'd be looking for Bane to take full advantage of new close quarters mini-modes within the MK engine. The success of a character like Bane, to me, hinges more on overall fighting style, than the flash of special moves. Back breaking slams are a given for special blows, but I'd be looking overall for a well rounded and powerful grappling style not seen in previous MKs.
The Battle... As you might have gathered from the appearance of each character in their mugshots, this is very much a match-up of asthetics, but that doesn't mean there are commonalities of attitude between these two mercenary characters.
You might argue that Deadshot is the more noble figure of the two, representing one of the more tame elements in the government sponsored, Suicide Squad; but the distinction is arbitrary. Though Kano may represent more sinister forces with the ancient criminal syndicate, the Black Dragon; he shares a similar disregard for humanity, and sense for self-preservation.
Kano's adventures through the realms have shown a penchant for thriving in pressure situations. Just as Deadshot found himself in the service of of an organization larger than he; Kano has slithered his way into the graces of the Outworld emperor, becoming a general for both Shao Kahn, as well as his successors, Shang Tsung and Quan Chi.
Interesting though these details may be, they pertain very little to the pairing. Ultimately the characters represent very different edicts. Deadshot wears his target faceplate as a tool of the trade of an assassin who never misses. Kano's prosthetic eye proves to be far less utilitarian, unless you consider being able to shoot laser beams from one's eye a specialist skill. Sloppy though Kano may be, he's far more proficient a fighter, I believe, than Deadshot.
The Battle... At this point I'm learning blogging whilst spread sheeting, downloading on iTunes, and watching wrestling DVDs on the one laptop -- not such a good idea!
What is a good idea is bringing together characters that exist within very similar circles. Such is the nature of this meeting between Black Dragon criminal, Jarek; and his crime-fighting vigilante counterpart, Nightwing!
The former boy wonder routinely clashes with criminals above and beyond Jarek's calibre, but those are typically the kinds of guys reliant upon weapons and gimmicks. Jarek, essentially an angry looking Kano, represents a great physical challenge for a character like Nightwing, even if his supreme Batman-lite training means victory is assured.
Though typically the fallible and slightly more human version of the character; Nightwing represents few in-game specialities to differentiate him from his mentor, the Batman. With a list of only around a dozen DC representatives, Nightwing's flightier fighting style, and penchant for club/baton weapons isn't going to be a ticket in. Especially given that he represents yet another character who would be best served with a depthy fighting style, rather than special moves that typify an MK character.
The Math: Nightwing Our Winner: Nightwing
BLACK ADAM [#13] :RANKING [40%] :ODDS
TAVEN RANKING: [NR] ODDS: [30%] Elder GodsTAVEN versus BLACK ADAM Strength: Black Adam 6 (Invincible) Intelligence: Black Adam 4 (Tactician) Speed: Black Adam 5 (Superhuman) Stamina: Draw 6 (Generator) Agility: Black Adam 3 (Acrobat) Fighting: Black Adam 7 (Inherent) Energy: Taven 4 (Arsenal)
The Battle... He might not be the star of a feature film [yet], or a cartoon series, but comics fans have fast become aware that Black Adam is one of the most powerful and destructive forces in the DC Universe. It was under the nurture of Geoff Johns that the character spiraled outward from his appearances [co-written by David Goyer] in JSA, to become an MVP rising star in the pages of 52 and Infinite Crisis.
It's of bitter note that I characterize the MK fanbase as trained to be far more interested in flash than substance. This is a fanbase irrevocably attracted to anything black, spikey, and murderous. Traits that make Black Adam the perfect character to rally behind, because behind the bloodthirsty, morose exterior lurks an exceptionally well developed character! In just the past few years Adam excelled to represent everything characters like Doomsday and Bane haven't.
The morally conflicted anti-hero makes a creatively contrasting foil for MK: Armageddon's introductory protagonist, Taven. This black and gold demi-god may operate on a similar power level to his Shazam powered counterpart; but true to MK's pottering characterizations, Taven comes off as little more than a hapless, hunched over pudding who plays passenger to the touring story of Armageddon.
When a character's been typified by well written and motivated decapitations and lethal eye gouges, it's kinda hard to overlook him. Black Adam has the powers of a pantheon of gods, kings, and legends, all derived from Egyptian mythology providing a precursor to the acronymic skills of his successor, Captain Marvel. The character represents a far more straight forward prospect for video game designers, offering up attacks reminiscent of Shao Kahn with super strong charging and punching both on the agenda, along with attacks like the infamous lightning ambush [ie; Legends #1].
Salivating at the immediate thought, or cynically antagonised, Black Adam is a character for MK fans to keep an eye on, even if he doesn't make the game!
The Math: Black Adam Our Winner: Black Adam
SUPERMAN-PRIME [#156] :RANKING [30%] :ODDS Legion of Super-Villains
The Battle... Having stood successfully against our previous DC selection; it's somewhat appropriate that we turn to yet another murderous counterpart to a DC hero.
Superman-Prime emerged in the pages of Infinite Crisis, having survived a similar Crisis twenty years prior, only to become insanely nostalgic for his previous life in a world where heroes were more wholesome. Prime makes a commentary on a flavour of zealous fandom all too familiar to a franchise like Mortal Kombat, which has suffered the bondage of fiercely nostalgic, and creatively barren fans. Fortunately, if that concept's a little too meta for your liking, Superman-Prime operates on a simple enough level.
Prime's special brand of insanity has taken him to all corners of the DCU in his effort to reshape the universe as he sees fit. It's this universal vision that allows the character to justify his murderous rampages as necessary evils sure to be lost in the peachy-keen universe reborn!
Daegon may be far less concerned with the stamp of his legacy or the shape of his morals, but the underlying notion of supreme power of reality remains much the same. Daegon, brother of Taven, is charged with a similar destiny to stem the superpowers of the MK universe and bring about a controlled end. The corruption of this messiah complex is mirrored in both characters, with Daegon emerging into the world sooner than intended, only to pursue his own goals and alliances with the likes of Shinnok, ruler of Hell.
Though undoutedly the sharper of the two demi-god brothers, I'm not sure I can Daegon lasting against the immense power of a character who, on paper, dwarfs even the character he parallels [Superman].
Not particularly notable outside of the comics fanbase of the last couple of years, Superman-Prime seems an unlikely, if very suitable, inclusion in the game. Despite differing from his elder predecessor with key abilities like an immunity to Kryptonite and a reality-defying suit of armor; Superman-Prime amounts to little more than an alternate skin for any Superman model. With more characters on offer, Superman-Prime might've factored in to the universe faring story of Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe, but as is, he's just redundant.
The Math: Superman-Prime Our Winner: Superman-Prime
The Battle... You can't tell me a character named Sand wouldn't be right at home with the likes of Sub-Zero, Reptile, and Smoke! Silly names aside, Sand has a lot going for him as a character in a Mortal Kombat video game, even if he represents an incredibly unlikely inclusion, coming from a corner of the DC Universe not terribly well exposed to the movie-going fans MKvsDC is sure to appeal to.
As a boy Sandy Hawkins was the adopted sidekick of the Sandman, but a series of catastrophic circumstances saw the boy turned into a monster, and eventually back into a man that resembled something in between. Cured of the scientific mishap that turned him into a silicoid monster; Hawkins discovered he now had the ability to manipulate silica compounds, and his own altered structure.
Among Sand's altered arsenal is the ability to generate seismic shocks, explaining the thematic cue that brings him into conflict with Tremor!
Like No Face; Tremor made his only appearance in the PSX-exclusive adventure flop, MK: Special Forces. Throwing down against Jax in the game; Tremor joins the long list of characters donning the trademark MK ninja suit, this time with a mustard "brown" that renders him little more than a burly, unwashed Scorpion; albeit with abilities reminiscent of Jax' own seismic pounds. As a member of the Lin Kuei fallen into the ranks of the Black Dragon; Tremor remains a hotly debated character amongst fans eager to see him finally break through to the core cast.
Tremor's exactly the kind of villain the clandestine Sand might run across in his recon operations away from the JSA. Versatility and power no doubt give Sand the edge in not only a fight, but as a prospect for in-game presentation.
Joining a subdued version of the already tested seismic slam are potential abilities like a visually striking, sandy particle dissolve good for a teleport or attack; as well as options offered by the gas/stun gun. Visually promising, if not technically revolutionary.
The Math: Sand Our Winner: Sand
Sunday, June 01, 2008
MONTHLY PUNCH-UP #30 (June 2008) IRON MAN versus WONG-CHU Iron Man is Born! (Marvel) Where: Tales of Suspense #39 When: March 1963 Why: Stan Lee & Larry Lieber How: Don Heck
Quick Fix... Iron Man: The Movie is now officially a part of history. Having grossed more than five hundred million dollars worldwide, the picture has been a considerable triumph for Marvel Studios' first outing as a production company, garnering both financial and critical acclaim for this politically charged adult adventure!
The film details the still-relevant origins of a character born from the decadence of a weapons manufacturer who finds himself held captive by the enemies of the United States. While the film updates the concept's 1960s origins, turning the Vietcong into something more topical, the details remain much the same: Tony Stark builds a suit of armor to save his life (in more ways than one).
Last month we took a look at the comic book reference for the film [Iron Man #5] which was part of Warren Ellis' redefining storyarc, Extremis. The arc had the responsibility of not only redefining Iron Man for the modern age as a techno-organic hybrid being, but also flashed back to modernize the origin beyond even previous revisions.
In the original tale; Stark visits the Asian battlefields out of necessity. With the communist guerrilla soldiers far outnumbering their freedom-loving counterparts, it's the introduction of Stark's patented "midget transistors" that enable the Americans to maximize the bang for their buck, converting artillery into easily transported handheld devices.
When Stark accidentally activates a trip wire in the Vietnam jungles, he seals his fate, suffering a near fatal wound that famously lodges shrapnel dangerously close to his heart. Differing is the much less motivated capture of the industrialist, who is taken by an opportunistic soldier seeking reward from the guerilla tyrant, Wong-Chu! Wong-Chu proves better informed than his lackey, forcing Stark to spend his final hours designing weapons for the tyrant.
Being imprisoned with the famous physicist, Professor Yinsen; Stark has the opportunity to use the scrap provided to fashion a suit of armor that both hold the life-threatening shrapnel away from his heart, and also grants him the fantastic powers of a one-man arsenal!
In the moment of truth, Professor Yinsen sacrifices himself to provide sufficient enough distraction to allow Tony Stark to disappear into the night. This allows the armored warrior to formulate his return to the guerilla's camp, where, upon his return, he finds Wong-Chu indulged in a little hand-to-hand dominance of his lackeys.
The eerie trenchcoated figure emerges from the gloom to boldly accuse the war monger as a coward, before revealing himself to be much more than the easily dominated underlings that fearfully obey him!
Wong-Chu reveals his true colours, terrified by the lumbering menace of this weird Iron Man, to whom he proves no match. Using the enhancements of his suit, Stark easily hoists the tyrant over his head, sending him into a spin before launching the villain into a humiliating landing amongst the scrub.
Wong-Chu orders the distruction of the Iron Man, but as with modern versions of the origin, the armored hero shrugs aside attack from his quaint captors, turning his advanced arsenal against them.
Wong-Chu attempts to flee deeper into the compound, but soon realises he has done little more than isolate himself, as the Iron Man commandeers announcement systems to send the guerilla army into the jungle in panic. Unwilling to let the enemy escape, Iron Man uses the armor's lubricant oil as an excelerant to put an end to Wong-Chu, who is caught in the blast of an ammunitions bunker.
The Fix: 4 The Story: 4 Winner: Iron Man
Looking to brush up a little on your Iron Man history? Why not check out the Iron Man Omnibus? By using purchase links provided on the Infinite Wars, you not only benefit from the convenience and pricing of Amazon's extensive range, but also help sponsor future entries in the site! Take that, communists!
POINTS [118/197] [072/140] [030/069] [-02/164] [-03/215] [-06/104] [-12/071] [-13/067] [-15/066] [-16/058] [-16/123] [-17/174] [-22/018]TEAMS #1 (+8) Divine Judgment #2 (+9) The Black Death #3 (+10) The Revolution #4 (-1) The Legends #5 (-4) The People's Team #6 (-1) The Knights of Right #7 (-1) Makin' it w/Cap'n #8 (-) X-Party #9 (-2) The X League #10 (-) The Ghost Walkers #11 (-7) The DC Illuminati #12 (-10) The Corps #13 (-1) The Elite Fleet
Join the list! Draft a team today!2008 Fantasy League... Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourself as we prepare to crown the second Infinite Wars Fantasy League monthly winner! Give Blade the team MVP, because it was on the back of his Super Stock jump that Divine Judgment smoked the opposition in a dramatic shift of fortunes!
Working against the majority of teams was a disappointing economy for the Infinite Wars Super Stock in May. Limited reviews mean limited points, and while that pushed losses to minimal double digit scores, it did very little for the victors of the month.
Iron Man's movie-month did favours for a lagging Revolution team who, despite making the top three for the month, continue to bottom-out below the 100pt ceiling. They'll be cursing the successes of franchise inductees from Mortal Kombat, who currently propose some of the most promising free agents. The Legends will be watching keenly through June to see if Hulk-sponsored fortunes can secure an overall rankings boost over the still leading People's Team.
Speaking of Fantasy League trading tips: It's come to my attention that someone has been posing as Machine Man on Twitter to offer insider-trading tips. This artificial lifeform is a malicious cheat claiming to have gained access to the SuperStock. While his point values are eerily accurate, he is not to be trusted! He is a drunk and wishes only to pervert the course of the Fantasy League through insightful recommendations!
Meanwhile; those of you reading wo haven't drafted a team should do so right now! Head over to the debrief where you'll find the information needed to begin drafting your team. Unfortunately a sliding schedule meant we haven't been able to recruit as actively as the previous month, but there's still plenty to be gained from consigning a team! Niche franchises like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter remain completely available, along with a variety of heroes and villains of different statures.
The Fantasy League isn't an exact science. Points are derived from the daily goings on in the Infinite Wars, and refined through the Super Stock [found further into this post]. While we try to represent key events in the community, weekly comics aren't the focus of our reviews, meaning our superhero fight club resembles something like a stock market, more than a precise sports league.
There are no prizes and no real losers here. The Fantasy League is designed to build a greater sense of community around the combative corners of the Infinite Wars. You should, of course, follow team sponsor links to familiarize yourself with some of the sites in this corner of the blogosphere, because as illustrated by the league -- we're all here for pretty similar reasons.
The Fantasy League can be as involving or stagnant as you like it to be, and every month you get the chance to spend your points on perfecting your team. The sign-up post will keep you informed when it comes to the availability of characters (those already drafted are struck out).
The category restrictions of the draft are now replaced by point values for those already playing. Everyone must have five characters on a team, but you can now sell a character (at half value) to use your points to draft new characters. This is where it gets a little complicated, because it's just too time consuming to post full lists for the values of characters each month. You can request a character value in the comments section of this post, before trading through e-mail in the same fashion as your original drafting.
Values are based upon the total number of characters in the Super Stock rankings, with character dropping a point in price from top to bottom. Currently we have 539 characters ranked, making that the value of top-ranked character; Spider-man. If Daredevil is ranked #10 that values him at 530, Wonder Woman (#40) is 500, Darkseid (#176) is 364, She-Hulk (#231) is 309, and so on. Unranked characters are a flat 100 points, making them mixed investments, given no movement return on their first month of entry.
To keep proceedings fluid; all trades should be completed within three days of the Punch-Up. If you're happy with your team, or not keen on over complicating things, just sit on your stocks and let them mature! I think the Fantasy League has been a very fun addition to the site, and hope to see more teams emerging in the coming months. If you're already reading/playing, suggest it to a friend!
Spider-Boycott 2008: Week 23 Bitten by a radioactive spider; Peter Parker gains the proportionate strength, speed, and agility of a spider. After the death of his Uncle Ben, Peter learns that with great power must come great repsonsibility. Thus, this tortured hero launches himself into a selfless career as Spider-man!
The Amazing Spider-man earns the attentions of many enemies, but when the Kingpin launched an attack on his foe, Peter's Aunt May was caught in the crossfire! With the elderly May in critical condition, Peter proves unable to find sufficient aid from his superpowered fellows, leading him to accept an unlikely deal from devil, Mephisto: Erase the romance and marriage to Mary-Jane Watson, and save the elderly woman's life.
It was the premise for a story that had been brewing off-the-page since the promotion of of Joe Quesada to Editor-In-Chief. Ultimately the task befell J. Michael Straczynski in a story that will go down in Spider-man infamy. Five decades into the history of this character, a poor excuse for a story saw this deeply responsible man make a deal with a devil to save a frail old woman. In reality, the move was little more than a nostalgia driven cop-out for the development of a character that had matured and grown with earlier audiences.
The result was Brand New Day, the follow-up that relaunched Spider-man with a revised history more garbled than the revisionist standard of Crisis on Infinite Earths. The erasure of Spidey's big screen romance was allegedly to refresh and simplify the character, but instead resulted in a vague deconstructed history, and the return of standards and motiffs thirty-years old.
The site has been without Spider-man for five months, and at this point the Boycott is more incidental than ever. I have very little interest to discuss or read what has been an uninspiring relaunch of the Spider-man title(s). This running section of the Punch-Up is now mostly academic, an exercise in tracking the monetary response measured by camps of fans each with strong opinions.
This modern gestation of a post-internet industry seems to be in the second stages of it's development. Vocal minorities now represent the basless claims of the blindly positive, as much as unmotivated shit-stirrers and provacateurs. While the sales figures are not indicative of quality or relevance, they provide some assemblance of a mean average of opinion. I'm not terribly interested in Amazing, but I am interested in the reactions to this continued fiasco.
As easy as it would be to claim validation through the continued decline in sales on the title, this is generally accepted as an industry standard. The fickle nature of the medium now portends inevitable numerical slips to be made up in cyclical revamps of major titles. Brand New Day represents exactly this phenomena.
A fifty-seven percent drop from launch figures isn't terribly attractive to see on paper, but it's worth remembering Marvel priorities are currently shifted toward the mainstream cash cow Iron Man has presented, and the upcoming movie-sponsored feature of the Hulk. Comic-driven priorities are also similarly directed away from the web-slinger, despite his Avengers connection to the Invasion.
A shameful bump in sales comes from the guest-appearance of Wolverine and the increasing popularity of fan-turned-writer, Zeb Wells, and artist, Chris Bachalo. Not bad, considering these details have contributed very little to Amazing's continued status as a trio of top twenty entrants. Industry-wide dips in monthly sales have contributed to that ranking, but the real acid test will probably come from the fully fledged release of both Secret Invasion and Final Crisis -- the summer events from the major two companies.
It continues to be an interesting subject to follow, but I'm not sure we're really seeing any conclusive result, either way. My relative disinterest has kept me mostly removed from opinion, but if you'd like to scroll down to drop a comment, I'd love to hear any opinions now that BND is into it's second quarter!
The 2008 Top Five... The comics fanbase may border on utter bemusement, but it's safe to say Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe has well and truly arrived on the Infinite Wars! Responsible for a substantial amount of traffic this month, I've thoroughly enjoyed inducting the American response to the previously featured Street Fighter franchise, but never during our one-way discussions did I anticipate an arrival to the Season 2008 top five!
External influences continue to be a major effect on the Infinite Wars, but the critical acclaim of the Iron Man feature film was not as accurately reflected as I had hoped. Interrupted scheduling meant only two of the intended four Iron Man features made it to the site, and with this month seeing the release of Incredible Hulk, one now wonders if the balance can be restored.
Summer blockbusters at the boxoffice are accompanied by world-spanning events in the comics. Secret Invasion and Final Crisis have now officially launched, and will be a major component entering the June drift.
Old faithful weighs in as expected, despite feeling the pressures of a month off! The heat of his World's Finest chum may be daunting, but the Dark Knight proves staying power with looming influences like July's Batman Begins sequel, a major comics event in "RIP," and small screen projects including the movie tie-in anime, Gotham Knight, and a new adventure series for the kids, Brave and the Bold!
The hot rumor is that Batman narrowly avoided the fate of one of our other top five contenders, but it's difficult to know for sure whether or not rebel Scot, Grant Morrison, ever actually intended to follow through on the title of his current Batman arc. Popular belief suggests Warner Brothers intervened on the behalf of the international golden goose, but one finds it hard to imagine even Morrison daring to off one of comics' most enduring and creatively blessed icons.
It's the status of the character that no doubt leaves few comic fans surprised by Oscar-buzz surrounding the post humous performance of Heath Ledger as the Joker. An honor rarely bestowed upon superhero adaptations, the award would not be out of place, at home with critical response for some of the greatest Batman works, including those that have influenced the film(s).
Superman rides a wave of DC dominance in Season 2008, to join Batman at the top of MK versus DCU sponsored stakes! The two account for the the only DC characters confirmed, thus far.
On the comics front, Superman's enjoying the revisionist touch of Geoff Johns, whose simplicity of context has recently touched upon strong outings for Zod, Bizarro, and now Toyman! DC's third year-long weekly series, Trinity, also promises to pair Superman together with his JLA colleagues, Batman and Wonder Woman, for a spotlight series that may or may not connect to Final Crisis.
Superman's role in the universe-spanning crossover seems uncertain to me, but perhaps that's more due to ignorance than irrelevance. FC: Superman Beyond promises to put a personal spin on the event for DC's iconic first hero, but early impressions suggest the trinity may be the first heroes to be pacified in Libra and the New Gods' march on the superhero community. Fortunately with James Robinson waiting in the wings, the character's future seems secured!
Capitalizing on the open field of Season 2008; a Mortal Kombatant achieves what the Street Fighters couldn't in the latter parts of Season 2007, when they were sponsored for a top five ranking!
Hype surrounding the November release of the unlikely crossover video game has been a real boost to proceedings on the Infinite Wars. Amidst the crop of multi-coloured ninjas and Shaolin warriors, it can almost be easy to forget the iconic vision of the four-armed silhouette of original sub-boss, Goro!
It seems fitting that the former MK-champion lead the pack, even if I can't help but feel some ambivalence toward the achievement. From the video game world all the major franchises are looming, and recent updates to Street Fighter IV have balanced out issues to make the franchise once again a strong contender for the top spot. Whether or not MK can match that remains to be seen, but the comics connection of the DCU ensures there'll be plenty more MK to come!
Stay tuned: Goro will appear in the final round of MK/DC Fantasy Fights at the end of the month!
Friends, I regret to inform you that the Martian Manhunter passed during the week. The much discussed death occurred at the hands of Libra, as per the solicitation of forgotten rival, the Human Flame.
The death seems likely to quash the sustained presence of the Martian Manhunter in the top ranks of Season 2008, but we might yet see more from the hero in the coming months. One tends to assume the death will be elaborated upon in the pages of a tie-in book, given how brief the one-page death sequence was in Final Crisis. As much as I dread the notion of a checkpoint mini-series, it seems fitting that the Manhunter's final tale be told, be that in the pages of Justice League of America, or even the upcoming tribute to the character, Final Crisis: Requiem.
The Manhunter from Mars has seemingly had his head on the chopping block for quite some time. Rumors of the Martian's death circulated heavily throughout the course of Identity Crisis and Infinite Crisis, much to the chagrin of longterm fans. Despite being an unceremonious end to a much beloved character, I can't help but feel a sense of calm about the death. Maybe it's the lingering back door of New-New Gods or Black Lanterns that has me anticipating a return; or maybe I simply feel the character was given opportunity to prove his worth, but failed to do so under the [mis]direction of recent events like the ill fated solo-title.
I certainly feel there's a lot of missed opportunity, but at this point, don't feel terribly final about the limitations now put on that. If anything, the death of the character might finally free him up for something with a bit more effort and vision behind it. Maybe even something that isn't about fire...
#5 Iron Man (RE) (9) (Marvel) Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [War Machine] Win Percentage: [60.87%] Features: [23] 2006: [#3] 2007: [#3] Cumulative: [#3]
If you could have only one character waving the flag for the Marvel Universe right now, I dare say Iron Man would have to be first call!
The success of last month's feature film has rocketted Iron Man into the mainstream stratosphere! Licensed toys and merchandise has helped Iron Man become a household name to degrees I'm not sure he ever has. Sure, there've been cartoons, and a member of the Avengers certainly has his place, but the quality of the movie is a license to be part of a cultural phenomenon!
I might have expected Iron Man to rank higher this month, but that's not to say the armored hero's year is over. For comics fans, the film is merely the culmination of events which have seen the character gain perpetual momentum as a leading figure in the Marvel Universe. Arguably beginning around Avengers Disassembled, the explosion of movie tie-ins are merely the canonizing point of Iron Man's ascension to perhaps the most senior role within the fiction. In a strange way, one might even say he's replaced Captain America, in that respect.
Still very much his own character, the Director of SHIELD is dead centre in the Secret Invasion, not only as a responsive unit, but as a catalyst for the event [New Avengers: Illuminati #1]. One wonders if the year might not end with the downfall of this monumentous figure whose many roles have gradually begun to accumulate dirty secrets, and sinister associations.
Cumulative Super Stock...
Darkseid may be biding his time with the machinations of the Dark Side club, but he's made his move in the rankings! [Super Powers #5]
The Hammer... Well, I'm not going to lie to you, folks. Scheduling conflicts have dramatically taken their toll on the uber-hobby that is Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, but with a little patience, you can still look forward to more of the same play-by-play reviews and fisticuffery (even if the insightful commentary is a little on the shabby side).
Incredible Hulk officially hits cinemas June 13, and like last month, we'll be bringing you weekly materials including all-new HulkC2C and some great new reviews featuring the jolly green goliath!
All that plus more from the Fantasy Fights and Smash Hits, and we count down to more exciting themes coming to the site with The Dark Knight and the 2008 Summer Olympics looming in the coming months. The latter in particular should be the perfect excuse for feats of strength, speed, and skill, all interpreted in superhuman ways!
It's been another record breaking month in the hits, so I definitely have to thank you all for your patience and continued support. If you're just joining us, keep coming back, take a look around the Secret Archives, and tell a friend! The site not only offers a lot of pseudo-archival fun and discussion topics, but also provides a public service for those of you engaged in heated debate; like the guys who wondered if Blade could beat Ghost Rider! As we head into the second-half of the year, I hope I can continue to enjoy your company, and maybe count on your support in other areas. [*cough*Buy the damned comic!*cough*]
- Mike Haseloff; Commanding Officer Mike Haseloff is a little known writer who considers himself a student of the comics medium. Bombarded by comic books as a child, Mike now turns into a hulking powerhouse any time justice may be wronged, seqeuential events may fail to line-up, or television programs resort to stale and lazy writing.
May Hit Count: [11656/104803] (+11%)
Saturday, May 31, 2008
SMASH HITS: PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS
Paul McCartney & Wings - Magneto and Titanium Man (1975) In a month of Iron Mania it would be a terrible faux pas to overlook the 1975 single from Venus and Mars, especially having already featured the song that has nothing to do with the character; Black Sabbath's, Iron Man.
A notorious comic geek, McCartney features a nefarious plot pairing the ferris fiends, Titanium Man and Crymson Dynamo, with the master of magnetism himself, Magneto!
McCartney's grating penchant for naff-pop may not make this a must-have track on the iron iPods of enthusiasts, but it's a fun tribute to the cultural significance of the medium and it's mythos.
With band footage scarce on YouTube, this fan-made video plays substitute, casting the unnamed female robber as the Black Cat by combining clips from the 1990's Spider-man cartoon, with shots from the static mid-sixties cut-and-paste anthology, The Marvel Superheroes.
Friday, May 30, 2008
IRON MAN versus WAR MACHINE Friends... And Other Enemies (Marvel) Where: Iron Man #310 When: November 1994 Why: Len Kaminski How: Tom Morgan
The Story So Far... Suffering a life-threatening condition that rendered his nervous system on the brink of collapse; Tony Stark fakes his death in order to retreat from the world, and his many enemies, in an effort to isolate himself during the pursuit of a cure.
Eventually Stark reveals his ruse to the world, but not everyone is pleased to see the playboy billionaire industrialist back among the living. After decades of struggle and servitude, including lengthy bouts as a substitute Iron Man; James Rhodes takes exception to be excluded from Stark's inner-circle of aids. Despite the industrialist's best efforts to patch their relationship, including the indefinite pledge of the War Machine armor to his partner, they are unable to reconcile.
Simmering tensions continue between the pair, eventually reaching boiling point when Rhodes finds himself in need of aid from the inventor of his damaged suit. Embittered and unwilling to put aside their differences, Stark opts to decommission the War Machine, but Jim Rhodes has other ideas...
Tale of the Tape... Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible) Intelligence: Iron Man 5 (Professor) Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete) Stamina: Iron Man 6 (Generator) Agility: Draw 2 (Average) Fighting Ability: Draw 4 (Training) Energy Power: Draw 5 (Lasers)
- While on a field tour to observe the effects of weaponry designed by his corporation for the United States military; billionaire industrialist, Tony Stark, soon finds himself face-to-face with the bold consequences of his actions. Caught in a rebel booby trap, Stark suffers a near fatal wound that lodges a piece of shrapnel inches from his heart. The rebels take Stark hostage to demand he apply his genius to the design and construction of weapons built from their limited resources. In doing so, they provide Stark the means to construct a suit of armor that preserves his heart, and turns him into an invincible Iron Man!
Stark's mastery over technology allows him to bring his designs home, where the availability of rapidly upgrading technologies allow him to continue to refine the build to become increasingly mobile and efficient. Stark soon dons the Iron Man armor on a regular basis, not only as insurance against his life threatening injuries, but as an opportunity to atone for the wanton destruction delt by his weapons of death. Stark protects his secrets through the duality of a secret identity, projecting to the world the image of Iron Man as a hi-tech bodyguard.
Advancements in Stark's arsenal have advanced to a point where he has now undergone cybernetic synthesis on a genetic level. The armor now not only provides him with superhuman strength and an array of offensive weapons, but also gives Stark full wireless control over the armor and other peripheral devices, as well as access to information databases, including SHIELD resources under his control as Director of SHIELD. Iron Man remains a staple of the Avengers roster.
- When US helicopter pilot James Rhodes found himself shotdown behind enemy lines, he could never have imagined the way his life would be changed. Having just escaped the clutches of his kidnappers, an armored Tony Stark stumbled upon Rhodes in the jungle, and as Iron Man, helped aid their mutual rescue.
Promised employment as a pilot by Iron Man's "employer", Rhodes fullfilled his obligations with the US military, before taking up the offer. As an employee of Stark Industries; Rhodes developed a close relationship with Tony Stark persisting through the playboy's battle with alcoholism, and the reveal of his identity as the armored avenger, Iron Man. This relationship leads to Rhodes donning the Iron Man armor himself for extended periods, before eventually inheriting a specialist suit dubbed, the War Machine.
As War Machine; Rhodes possesses much the same abilities as Iron Man, including dramatically enhanced strength, endurance, onboard tactical systems, and advanced weaponry. Though subject to variation, the War Machine was originally idenitifed by it's increased durability and arsenal of weaponry.
The Math: Iron Man Ranking: Iron Man (#3)
What Went Down... Having been confronted by his once best-friend [in War Machine #8], Iron Man uses a trigger word to deactivate the War Machine suit. To his surprise, the override proves ineffective, the result of one of Rhodes' few customizations in the light of a previous encounter with similar results.
War Machine springs from his back, launching into a devestating blow that topples the Iron Man with authority! Rhodes challenges Stark to take him down the old fashioned way, to which his rival seems happy to pledge the original flavoured armor. A blast of repulsor rays soon explains his indulgence.
The Mandarin secretly observes the battle with glee, factoring his own machinations into the equaton, while the two armored heroes continue to mercilessly stretch the limits of their suits. Stark continues his assault with little forethought for the intervention of more conventional enemies, unleashing the physical brutality of the suit's strength enhancements, as well as his patented repulsor ray blasts.
Iron Man presses his dominance, taking full advantage of maneuvrable superiority to attack the War Machine in flight with a dropping kick attack. The pair battle across the Stark Industries compound, taking the battle airborne when Iron Man launches himself with a missle-like tackle!
The pair spiral around each other, heading skyward as Iron Man continues to batter the War Machine like scrap metal. Having suffered a majority of the violence, Rhodes finally turns the tables on his counterpart, returning the battle to earth with a super-charged toss!
An Iron Man-shaped crater gets a little deeper as War Machine descends earthbound, colliding with the floored Iron Man with maximum impact! Now suddenly on the ropes, Iron Man suffers a two-pronge attack of a devestating left hook that launches him into the air, and an emotional piledriver regarding Stark's perceived betrayal with his faked death.
With a hint of regret, Iron Man reminds that he's suffered considerably less damage throught the course of the fight. A repulsor blast topples the looming War Machine, but even as the pair anticipate their counter measures, a third party enters the fray to blast them both with a focused EMP!
Bethany Cabe, former girlfriend of Tony Stark and head of Stark Enterprises security, shows on the scene to put a stop to the lunkheaded feud between the armored heroes. Her strategy pacifies the situation, but goes pear shaped when the opportunity for verbal resolution is interrupted by the arrival of the Mandarin!
The Hammer... When it comes to superheroes, you don't always get a clear cut resolution to a fight. In such circumstances it's up to the experienced discretion of the Infinite Wars judges to determine whether a fight be deemed a draw, or awarded on points. The latter is the case here, with Iron Man having held a dominant control throughout the fight, despite an aborted conclusion. No thanks to Bethany Cabe!
For those of you wondering what went down between IM, War Machine, and the Mandarin, you should scoot over to our review of Iron Man #312! Or, if you're too lazy to do that, rest assured that all any troubled relationship really needs is the healing intervention of an insane, mystic, technophobic, ecological terrorist!
This lagging entry into our month of Iron Man provides an interesting bridge between the developing interplay between Tony Stark and James Rhodes in the feature film; and the tumultous relationships experienced by Tony Stark in the pages of Marvel comics over the past few years.
PR and distracting mini-series have managed to gradually smooth over some of the malice felt toward the Iron Man character, post-Civil War. Well documented was the divide in the Marvel Universe that, though not necessarily intended, painted a politically reactionary Stark as the antagonist to Captain America's ideaological rebel. Stark was arguably in the right, certainly from a real-world perspective, but never the less, you couldn't argue that the management of situations went considerably pear-shaped, even if only taking into account the fatalities of heroes like Black Goliath, and Cap himself.
Agree with the politics or not, we've discussed previously the notion that the volatile turn in Stark's relationship with his fellows (like Captain America), and the absorbed perspective from which he approached the situation, was not at all out of character. In the case of his rivalry with War Machine, I dare say it was Stark who had the emotional high ground, but I think this is just one of many back issues that lend weight to the theory that Iron Man has always been a self-absorbed user.
More pertinent to the point is the backstory between Rhodes and Stark, which includes Iron Man's character-defining battle with alcoholism, and his reliance upon, and abuse of his friendships. As by extension of his alcohol abuse, Stark has long had a penchant for pulling supporting characters into his problems with a self-important gravity.
Splinters in the Rhodes/Stark relationship go back quite a ways, dealing certainly with issues of inadequacy in the former. Division between the characters, however, never struck me as quite as real as after Stark faked his death. Given that the industrialist was isolating himself to cure a life-threatning condition, it's difficult to fully relate to Rhodes' reaction, but when you consider the unnerving decades of dedication and servitude Rhodes had shouldered, the emotional response at least benefits from the weight of that history.
Like steps from a pamphlette, Stark attempts to smooth the situation over by buying off his friend, but it's not to be.
I do wonder how these relationships will evolve for the flim version of the characters. While the subject didn't seem to be particularly prominent, director Jon Favreau didn't particularly shy away from the prospect of a poignant onscreen battle with alcohol for Robert Downey Jr. One wonders if the inherent distance between the film versions might lend to a similar breakdown and physical confrontation. Fanboys certainly know to expect Terrence Howard in the armor sooner or later, with the film telegraphing such intentions with wanton regard for the fourth-wall.
I think one of the most intriguing struggles for these films will be the balance between suspension of disbelief, and the continued consistency of the Iron Man franchise. While there are plenty of IM villains to go around, most tend to revolve either around the juxtaposition of the fantastic to IM's technology, or flatout knock-offs that pit tech V tech -- something already achieved with Iron Monger. If indeed another armor war is to feature, you'd have to think it should carry some sort of additional weight, like an internal rivalry between Stark and Rhodes.
I'm a big War Machine fan, and it's nice to come back to the character! I haven't been reading Avengers: Initiative, but I'm sure for those of you looking to get more of the character, it's nice to know it's out there. I certainly hope the character can be reintegrated into a more prominent role in the Marvel Universe, akin to the titular role he held during this period of comics.
I wouldn't argue against War Machine's role as an Initiative trainer, but I do have a special affection for the superhero side of these characters. What can you do?
The Fight: 5 The Issue: 5
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Thursday, May 29, 2008
QUICK FIX MEGAMIX: BLOOD & THUNDER #3! The Art of War (Malibu/Midway) Where: Mortal Kombat: Blood & Thunder #3 When: December 1994 Why: Charles Marshall How: Patrick Rolo
Quick Fix... Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost, Lost! Today we'll be talking about the island tournament of Mortal Kombat, and while that might not have anything to do with the season finale of the ABC sci-fi/drama, I really wanted to take advantage of that fat Lost web-traffic...
With useless gratuity out of the way, I now officially welcome you all to the latest instalment of our running reviews and discussions of Mortal Kombat.
Reflecting on a month where reviews have been tough to come by, I'm almost a little disappointed we've dedicated so much time to the video game franchise. Apologies to those of you who've been coming by hoping for more iron in your diet in the proclaimed Invincible Iron Month. Hopefully our back catalogue specials will have at least contributed to whetting our apetite.
I don't want to be too apologetic. Over the past month I've been very conscious of the split audience I've been talking to, and as much as the loyalties of this website are to comics, I feel I should be doing more to champion the Mortal Kombat cause. Since the announcement of November's Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe, I've done plenty to document the cultural insignificance of this once mainstream phenomena, and the accompanying disinterest of comics fans. What I haven't done terribly well is describe what's great about the franchise that has kept my interests since the first game, released in 1993.
I suppose full disclosure is in order. I like to consider myself a pretty savvy individual, with well grounded criticisms and opinions, but I'm not without my predelictions. As is self-evident, I have a special penchant for combat, and I take absolutely no issue with the simplicity of a narrative dependent on the interactions of two (or more) opposing forces. I like the art of fighting.
Fortunately, Mortal Kombat manages to deliver substantially more in the story department than would otherwise be associated with it's under achieving, two-axis gameplay. Important, given the few admirers the series has earned within the hardcore gaming community, even with recent advancements.
Though far more technically sound; rival narratives, like the more successful Japanese Street Fighter, can be typified by the underdeveloped method of communicating ideas through individual characters. Contrary to this genre-established tradition; Mortal Kombat takes far more ownership of it's concepts and story, delivering serialized epics comparable to the checkpoint storytelling of major comic book events, like Infinite Crisis or Civil War.
Within the larger themes of interdimensional world domination are the personal struggles that develop the characters and embue the sense of verisimilitude within these fantastic situations. These details have inevitably propelled the Mortal Kombat franchise forward into it's most involved incarnations. Spin-off stories tackle everything from; the origins of Scorpion's predicament as a tortured soul; to the law enforcement duties of the Jax, Sonya, and the Special Forces; the manipulations of the eventually resurrected Dragon King; and more.
These finer details that have really made the MK story a valid piece of fictional history are the product of cumulative effects. The departure of creative co-creator, John Tobias, though often connected to the downfall of the series, arguably allowed the franchise to blossom under new creative direction. Though crucial to laying the groundwork, it's fair to say the natural state of circumstances worked against Tobias and the makers of the first games. Though definitive in the MK canon, the specifics of many important details derived from the early games were retrofitted, and certainly not elaborated upon in detail accessible to the everyman playing at the time.
It's here I think we find the disconnect between MK's once mainstream fandom, and today's smaller, dedicated fanbase. Though not everyone's vice, the story remains one of the most important pieces of the MK puzzle, evidenced brutally by responsive outcry for the announcement of Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe, perceived by many fans as a frivilous, post-Armageddon interruption.
I can't help but wonder what difference might have been made had the details of the Mortal Kombat epic been more accessible to mainstream audiences. This rather conveniently segues into our review of the comic books, which, though a quaint opportunity to see the characters moving in a narrative environment, offers examples of what not to do when translating the MK story.
Running terminally late; I want to get on to the review/play-by-play portions of this meandering and garbled entry, but consider this a conversation to be resumed at a later point. Sometime in the countdown to the November release of MKvsDC we may revisit these points in relation to the influence and involvement of the Threshold films.
- SIANG versus GORO Alright. Things have been a bit hectic here on the Infinite Wars, so I've got to stretch it out a little before resuming. Crick, crack, creeak. That just about does it, but I should offer a stern health warning to all of you! Before continuing on to the [mis]adventures of the character Siang, everyone should indulge in some thorough stretching.
It would be fair to say 1994 had it's share of gems! Real 2 Real released I Like to Move It; Pulp Fiction made Tarantino an undisputed name in film history; we finally found out what would happen if Venom fought Iron Man; and the beat 'em up video game genre enjoyed some it's highest heights with titles like Mortal Kombat II and Street Fighter II permeating throughout the pop culture landscape to reach heights unparalleled.
Comics were teetering between the repercussive harmony of post-grim and gritty superheroics, and the Image-funded shitfest of over developed anatomy and splash pages. At some point all the companies were guilty of selling out to a movement now much maligned, but only Malibu managed to bring together the very worst qualities of mid-nineties comic books, and the video game franchises we know and love.
So foul were their efforts that Capcom ordered the cancellation of a Street Fighter series, infamously identified by scenes of Ken Masters' scalping at the hands of Sagat and the villains of the series. Violence familiar to MK proved to be little more than flash and style - if you can call it that - over substance.
Enter Sing and Sang: vengeful twin martial artists chosen to represent the forces of Shaolin in Mortal Kombat. As individuals they were great fighters, but together they could fuse into one super-powered green-mohawked fighter called Siang!
You can probably start to see that aformentioned disconnect... Series star and in-game five-time champion, Liu Kang, finds himself little more than an accepted tag-along for what amounts to a repetitive distraction. Think, though you might, with modern consideration, that Siang would surely be put in such a position to somehow elevate the importance of the central cast, or present some sort of dilemma by which Liu Kang could be baptized.
Alas, no.
Fans of the series surely sigh a breath of relief as Siang, much like Lt. Lance before him, is unceremoniously removed from Malibu's stablein his first fight. They'd be wrong to get too comfortable, though, as this is not only a comic, but also a Mortal Kombat licensed property, which means Siang is down, out, but sure to return...
By six degrees of seperation you might connect previous issues to Street Fighter Alpha, if only for the fact that the sinister tournament master intends to gather fighters for nefarious purposes underground. You might remember fighters were disappearing in previous entries [Blood & Thunder#1, #2].
By this, the third issue, any assemblance of an actual tournament goes out the window when the characters are gathered in Goro's dungeons. Scorpion's full-page arrival at the end of #2 proves to be little more than tedious filler, the vengeful spectre opting to free his blood enemy, rather than fight him...
This eventually leads to an impromptu fusion dance as the Kombat warriors wander the labyrinthine halls beneath Shang Tsung's island. The mini-mixxed duo launch a fly kick assault on the four-armed Goro, who welcomes the opportunity to secure the rare feat of two corpses for the price of one.
Given that Kung Lao is the last direct descendant of Earth's last champion, it's always seemed a little insulting that Liu Kang was chosen over him to represent Earth in it's most crucial entry. Imagine then, how Kung Lao must feel, after this green and gold mook was chosen!
I do not know what Charles Marshall and Malibu were thinking when they devised such a prominent inclusion to the series, but if you weren't a Goro fan before, hopefully you are now...
The Fix: 3 Winner: Goro (Fatality!... Sort of...)
- RAIDEN versus GORO Shang Tsung's treachery, part of a distracting plot introduced by Malibu revolving around a magic book of riddles, does not go unnoticed by Earth's protector god, the phonetically challenged, Raiden.
Since he's an all-seeing god, you've got to assume he didn't care much for Sing and Sang (aka; Siang), either, because it's not until they've been mortally ripped apart that the thunder god shows himself!
A lightning bolt precedes the god's entry, which prompts a macho exchange between the thunder god and Shokan champion. Goro absorbs a lightning blast and mocks Raiden's powers, lumbering at him with evil intent. The barbaric assault proves ineffective in battle with a god who can teleport himself.
Challenged as a coward, Raiden finds himself joined by the mortal warriors of Earthrealm. Not a terribly constructive gesture for proving one's bravery, nor a conclusive end to the battle between god and champion!
The Fix: 3 Winner: Draw
- LIU KANG, SONYA BLADE, SUB-ZERO, JOHNNY CAGE, KANO, HYDRO & RAIDEN versus GORO Having thrown in with Raiden; Liu Kang and Sonya Blade are the first to step up to the champion. Somewhat suitable, given that Liu Kang is supposed to be the champion of the series, and the one to defeat Goro. Of course, depending on what you pluck from the game series, Kang actually becomes champion after beating Shang Tsung... Which has a shakey logic, because Goro's champ...
Never the less, the pseudo-tournament continues in the bowels of Shang Tsung's dungeons. Kang connects with a flying kick that leaves Goro open to an ice blast from Sub-Zero. Mirroring elements from the game, Goro blasts free from his icey pause, providing the heroes no time to score a free hit.
Enraged, the Mortal Kombat champion begins a rampage against the insolent warriors, beginning with a devestating swat that sends Cage, Sub-Zero, and Raiden sprawling! Then, with Sonya clutched in a vice-like grip with one hand, Goro uses the other to slap one of the Lin Kuei warriors around a little.
Just as Shang Tsung arrives to enjoy his warrior's dominance the four-armed warrior begins to disappear! Neither the sorceror, nor Raiden, are able to explain the phenomena, but it buys the necessary time to abandon the underground courtesy of an escape blasted by the thunder god!
Mohawks, chains, flames, dodgy art, foil variant covers, bad writing; as the ultimate in shameful nineties experiences, you should be able to guess Goro's fate. Yes, that's right. The first in a small collection of crossover mini-series and one-shots, padding out the Mortal Kombat story with more brilliant Malibu-originals, and a few new colours to add to the ninja tally. Awesome!
The Fix: 3 Winner: Draw
The Hammer... At this point Blood & Thunder has featured a sum of two official fights in the Mortal Kombat tournament. Given the implied importance of the rules, one would imagine that would be some measure of problem. That's nto the only qualm to be derived from these early issues though, and since I'm supposed to be offering positive remarks about the franchise, I should probably mention some of the assumed details from the official game canon.
John Tobias certainly seems content to support much of the pre-tournament scenes as depicted by Malibu. In fact, in an official collector's edition comic for the first game, scenes are almost identical, including the scuffle between Cage, Kang, and Kano [Mortal Kombat: Blood & Thunder #1].
To Malibu's credit, even today details of the first game's events are sketchy, and with the addition of highly debated additions; like 2005's Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks; very little has been streamlined through recent revisions.
It's generally accepted that post-tournament catastrophe sees the island crumble, taking with it Kano, Sonya, and Goro, who were engaged in mortal combat, along with Johnny Cage. Cage survived to be picked up by Jax and his Special Forces rescue team, in scenes bridging the gap between the first and second games. These events also ultimately connect to in-game backgrounds revealing the unplayable Kano and Sonya in bondage.
We also know Scorpion caught up with his mortal nemesis at the tournament, and indeed successfully returned the favour of his death with a fatality of his own. This beat was revealed in the second game with the introduction of the dead Sub-Zero's younger brother, a more heroic successor to the family mantle of the legendary cryomancer. More recent additions, discussed previously, led to the reveal that the elusive all-black secret character, Noob Saibot, was actually the dead Sub-Zero reborn as a mysterious wraith with the Brotherhood of Shadow. An ironic end for the character whose rivalry with Scorpion was galvanized whilst served Brotherhood patriarch, Quan Chi.
Scorpion's continued presence is likewise elaborated upon through the interference of the necromancer, Quan Chi. As per the original description of Scorpion's curse, it was not only his own death, but the extermination of his family and clan that keeps him bound to unrest, the latter being the responsibility of Quan Chi, and not Sub-Zero and the Lin Kuei as originally thought.
Finally, and perhaps most important, is Liu Kang's victory in the tournament. Details of whether the Shaolin Monk battled anyone, let alone defending champion, Goro, are unclear, but we do know he was successful in both defeating Shang Tsung, and securing an official tournament victory. A victory that prevented the lawful invasion of Outworld's forces, but began a plot of deception to lure the Earthrealm warriors to an Outworld tournament - Mortal Kombat II.
These are but some of the intricately layered details that have made up fifteen years of Mortal Kombat history. I don't expect to convert the unimpressed with this checklist of confirmed events, but I hope it can at least provide a gateway to a story that seems to have been mistranslated, and ultimately lost to mainstream audiences. In the lead-up to Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe, I can at least hope to appeal to the sensibilities of those already invested in indulgences of this nature.
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Secret Wars on Infinite Earths: The Comic Book Fight Club -- dedicated to reliving and reviewing the best and worst of super hero slugfests!
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In the middle of April; Mortal Kombat co-creator, Ed Boon, was at the Midway Gamer's Day to lift the lid on the worst kept secret in gaming: Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe.
The Fix: 4 The Story: 4
#1 
#2 
#3 
#4 
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
The Mandarin
