SUPERGIRL versus MARY MARVEL

How To Murder The Earth (DC)
Where: Final Crisis #6 When: January 2009
Why: Grant Morrison How: JG Jones

The Story So Far...
The Anti-Life Equation has been unlocked! Orion is dead! Gods walk the Earth as men! This is the final crisis!

The prophesized death of Darkseid could only be but a passing moment - the beginning of something new! The New God of evil could never truly die as he was already reborn in a mortal shell! Embedded as mortals, the evil gods wage their war on the Earth unopposed by their heroic rivals. Anti-Life justifies humanity's enslavement!

Possessed by Desaad; Mary Marvel fights on the front line as a super-soldier against the heroes of Earth. Their numbers dwindling to the Anti-Life Justifiers, the heroes coordinate as best they can against the greatest threat they've ever faced! Targeting the darkened Mary Marvel is a hero every bit her equal. Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird... It's a plane... No - it's Supergirl!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 2 (Average)
Speed: Draw 5 (Superhuman)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Supergirl 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Supergirl 5 (Lasers)


The fight fan in me loves this match-up! Two junior heavyweights - each with a 1-0 perfect record on The Comic Book Fight Club. We've seen their forebears go head-to-head in Superman #216, where Captain Marvel grappled with an Eclipso possessed Superman. It took outside interference to settle that battle. Will it be different here? Let's see if we can separate the men from the girls.

Like their counterparts, both characters are statistically very evenly matched. A certain amount of versatility gives Supergirl a slight edge in the tape, however.

Like her younger cousin, Kara Zor-El's Kryptonian genetics are enhanced by the solar energy of Earth's yellow sun. She possesses super-human strength, speed, endurance and stamina, as well as a range of amazing abilities: flight, heat vision, x-ray vision, super breath and enhanced senses. Arriving much later on Earth than the infant Superman, Supergirl remains youthful and less battle tested. Her only recorded battle on the site is a shared victory with the Green Lantern Corps & Justice Leagues during the Sinestro Corps War [Green Lantern #25]. Not a lot to go on, but showing she can hang with impressive company.

Mary Marvel isn't exactly herself at the time today's feature fight takes place. Typically she possesses the acronymic powers of SHAZAM: The wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury. As seen in her takedown of Wonder Woman in Final Crisis #3: the heroic virtues of her pantheon have been perverted by the influence of Darkseid and the evil New Gods. That's the Mary we're dealing with here. Sadistic, unrelenting - evil!

Trickery and the element of surprise were keys to Marvel's victory over Wonder Woman. Supergirl knows what she's flying into at this late stage of the Final Crisis, but can that prepare her for the brutality that awaits? Ordinarily I'd say Mary Marvel has the edge, but there are a lot of x-factors flying around. Earth may have been conquered by Darkseid's Anti-Life Equation, but hope prevails. Lets find out how it went...

The Tape: Supergirl Ranking: Mary Marvel (#139)

What Went Down...

A sickly grey sky hangs over desolate streets. The city is become a war zone. High above the skirmishes - titans clash. Supergirl and Mary Marvel are unlikely opposites of good and evil. Their aerobatic struggle cuts a line of demolition through a skyscraper. The corrupt Marvel has the upper hand.

The pair smash through the roof of a parking tower. Supergirl sends Mary back the way they came with an unseen feat of super-human strength! Mary crash lands amongst abandon traffic. Faster than she can avoid - Supergirl flies overhead with a bus. The hero spikes it down at full force, crushing the Marvel beneath and silencing her wicked tongue - at least for now.

Enraged, the dark Marvel explodes through the wreckage leaving an inside-out mess of twisted metal! Lightning surrounds her, but she no longer serves the thunder of the Wizard Shazam or his successor. She's a play thing for Desaad now!

Skyward; Mary flies into the path of a devastating blast of Supergirl's heat vision! It sends the smouldering Marvel immediately falling back to Earth. This time, somebody is waiting -- the battle damaged Black Adam!

Shazam's original fallen disciple has also been weakened by the incursion of Darkseid's forces. Once fuelled by the ancient gods of Egypt - Black Adam hears only the vile prattling of evil New Gods as his powers fade. He catches Mary in a leg hold and seeks answers, only to be brutally kicked in the face! There is no mercy left in Mary Marvel.

The moment provides sufficient distraction for Supergirl to glide unnoticed with a street light. She swings the post toward Mary, but Mary's able to manoeuvre out of serious harm. She drives her left knee into Supergirl's chin - first blood!

Supergirl retaliates - filling her lungs with air and letting it out in a mighty gust of wind! She blows Mary Marvel across the battlefield as Captain Marvel watches on. The new mighty mortal Freddy Freedman isn't much better off than Black Adam, but thinks he has enough magic left for one final gambit!

Supergirl launches herself at Mary Marvel - pinning her to the road with a bent lamp post. Possessed Mary Marvel taunts Supergirl as the heroine contemplates extreme measures to stop the out-of-control Marvel. As she does, a mob of innocent citizens consumed by the Anti-Life Equation descend upon them. So does Captain Marvel!

The young Captain Marvel swoops in and snatches Mary away from Supergirl! He's fought his surrogate sister in this condition before, but now he has an end game! Summoning the last of his magic he shouts the magic word: "SHAZAM!"

When the flash of lightning fades, a scared young girl replaces the demented agent of evil. In the arms of her friend Freddy, Mary Batson swears to do no more harm. For now, this fight is over.

The Hammer...
For coming in late with a crafty strategy to save the day, I've got to split the victory between Captain Marvel and Supergirl!

As you'll note, this was the period when Freddy Freeman dropped the boy and upgraded from Junior to big red cheese. If you're here for facts, you won't want to confuse this one for the classic Captain. He was replacing the Wizard Shazam as guardian of The Rock of Eternity at the time.

That's all well and good, but Cap Jr is an interloper in today's feature! As noted in a dropped reference during the last Hero of the Week post, there's a whole lot of superheroes on television! NBC are reportedly prepping the DC Universe B-list for their upcoming comedy Powerless, which sounds very interesting, but the show that stands high above them all right now is Supergirl!

Of course, if you told me five years ago there'd be TV shows based on Green Arrow, The Flash, Gotham City PD, Hellblazer, and a DCU mixed bag featuring Atom, Hawkman & Hawkgirl -- I would've been sceptical. If you told me Supergirl would be far and away the most compelling of the lot - I might have actually laughed in your face. Coming out of 2015: the joke's on me!

Like Arrow and The Flash; Supergirl shows signs of a lineage of previous productions. Where the other two harken back to the clumsy, unflattering fears of Smallville; Supergirl recalls the airy prime time drama of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Unlike the Dean Cain/Teri Hatcher vehicle of the 90s, or even 2015 contemporaries, Supergirl seems to go far bolder into the realm of superheroes, representing characters like Red Tornado, Son of Saturn, and Martian Manhunter to thrilling effect!

Everything I've seen from the show has felt like a breath of fresh air. From the Devil Wears Prada flavoured office drama, to the glowing heroism of the lead character -- it all feels pretty on point! Some of the TV diehards may have convinced themselves a handful of references, or CG gorillas and sharks make The Flash the most 'unashamed comic book show' around - but Supergirl is the show that seems to mean it. Cape and all!

The superhero visual has been a running theme on the site in movie & TV influenced updates. The CW's efforts in Arrow, Flash and Legends of Tomorrow fall well short, in that regard. I find the half-in costume design typically much more embarrassing than the looks they're avoiding. It screams the next step in cosplaying for the Smallville kids. No such problem in Supergirl, though.

Melissa Benoist looks every bit the Supergirl in classic red and blue, with gold belt. The basic pattern echoes 1984's Supergirl film, with an upgrade in materials so everything looks a bit sturdier. It's pretty much the definitive Supergirl look, showing up inconsistent designs in the source material, including 2009's exposed mid-riff and blue skirt.

It's not often live-action adaptation gets to show comics how to do their business. That says as much about DC Comics having struggled to really do much of note with the Supergirl character. Attempts to modernize have varied - usually forgettable, or cringe worthy.

Jeph Loeb and the late Michael Turner gave us the streamlined Supergirl seen in Final Crisis, introduced as Kara Zor-El in a very awkward Superman/Batman re-introduction in 2004. Turner probably wasn't the artist to set the right tone, but the general streamlining of the character's origins and relationships helped once it was an accepted moving on. That may be a story to look at another day.

I'm sure we'll revisit more from Final Crisis, as well. If you'd like to get the jump on the full epic and see all of today's feature fight, take advantage of Amazon links provided [embedded right].

Winners: Captain Marvel & Supergirl

(+157) #89 Supergirl
(+218) #99 Captain Marvel Jr
(-149) #288 Mary Marvel
(--) #17 Black Adam [+1 Assist]
(-9) #481 Desaad

HERO OF THE WEEK: THE PUNISHER (Marvel)
Real Name: Frank Castle
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-man #129 (February, 1974)
Fight Club Ranking: #64

Featured Fights:
- vs Daredevil: Daredevil #65 (Nov 2004)
- vs Rhino: Punisher War Journal #3 (Mar 2007)
- vs The Syndiate: Punisher #5 (Jul 2009)
- vs Deadpool: Deadpool: Suicide Kings #2 (Jul 2009)
- vs X-Men: What If...? #24 (Apr 1991)
- vs Captain America: What If...? #51 (Jul 1993)

The notion that we're living in a new "golden age" of television begs serious review, but for fans of live-action superheroes on TV, it's clear to see there's never been a more fertile time. The medium in its varied forms -- including subscription based streaming services -- has become the new battleground for bulging licenses already spilling out of overbooked theatres. One of the rare characters making the crossover from big screen to small is The Punisher -- upcoming in Netflix's Daredevil Season 2, March 18th.

Where DC's properties have exploded through sprawling quantity across various networks; Marvel and Netflix are favouring a deliberate pace of premium subscription content. Daredevil's second season is the third produced by the unique partnership. This week's Friday Night Fight [The Pulse #14] was inspired by late last year's breakout addition: Jessica Jones. Each featuring Marvel's "street level" urban heroes; all Netflix series are planned to converge in an Averngers-esque crossover using The Defenders banner. Heroes for Hire Luke Cage and Iron Fist are next in line for shows.

With the four pillars of these grand designs announced back in 2013, it was no certainty any of the individual heroes would receive more than one series. The thought that there'd be room to accommodate new feature players like The Punisher seemed a bridge too far. That's exactly what's promised of DD Sseason 2, though. The Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal becomes the fourth actor to step into Frank Castle's world weary combat boots. He'll establish an antagonist for what's been described as the "Daredevil vs Punisher" series. It's a tantalizing concept for fans of the comics.

Casting choices seems to be the through line of conversation for 2015-2016. Bernthal made an immediate impact on announcement - not just for his fan courting comic-based credentials, but for his suitability for the role. The dark hair, cold gaze, and busted nose have the obvious tough guy trappings of Marvel's militant vigilante. The hard work will be in the creative direction, and a character rooted in the aftermath of the Vietnam War always poses adaptation challenges.

As noted, there have been three Punisher feature films in the past - The Punisher (1989), The Punisher (2004), and Punisher: War Zone (2008). They've all had their virtues and pitfalls.

Dolph Lundgren's '89 Frank Castle was a violent ex-cop meditating nude in the sewers when he wasn't gunning his way through the criminal fraternities of stand-in city Sydney, Australia. A low budget, turn of the decade action vehicle, it was pretty much everything you'd expect: monosyllabic, cheap, but not without its charms. Punisher's iconic skull emblem was infamously absent from wardrobe, but tonal echoes from the comics make it a uniquely enjoyable guilty pleasure. Castle's war on the mob has left them unable to defend themselves from incursion by Lady Tanaka and the Yakuza. Even organized crime couldn't escape fears the Japanese were going to buy the world! What you get is the only Punisher movie to deliver dockside ninjas, a high rise full of training assassins, and a drunk out of work stage actor turned informant called Shake (as in 'Speare).

2004's do-over bumped Thomas Jane's Frank up to Desert Storm veteran turned FBI Agent whose entire living bloodline is wiped out by the mob -- not just his wife and offspring! Jane didn't have the pencilled and inked look of Lundgren's Punisher (who's visually underrated) -- but accepted a death's head t-shirt into his life, and embarked on a one-man war that keeps the film mostly tethered to a tightly packed series of events set in Tampa. Some saw location as a major drawback, but it worked.

No Yakuza assassins in 2004, though. Only a comic-inspired turn by pro wrestler Kevin Nash as "The Russian" that's nicely over-the-top in its stripey, seven-foot absurdity. As opposed to 2008's War Zone, which fumbles its many impressions of the violent comic world to finish with an unpleasant, unengaging mess inspired by Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy if it was a fraction of the budget and on suicide watch. Which was a shame, because Ray Stevens nailed the character in a great many respects - and Seinfeld's Wayne Knight completed dream casting as Microchip. It also gave us the first name-villain: Jigsaw. No gains to note from that.

With Marvel back in charge of their gun toting maniac, the hail of bullets has the opportunity to hit targets they've missed to date. Throwing the character into the world of Daredevil is a great chance to both define the character, yet do something all together new. If successful, the feature player could develop into his own starring character, either in series or another shot at movies. I'm hopeful this can be a great new outing for the character, and that hope makes Punisher the Hero of the Week.

If you were a fan of the original HOTW run on 1up.com, or just want to see who was featured in past instalments, you can now use the links below to track back chronologically through the entire archive. The unwritten rule is no hero will be repeated in a year, so there should be some nice variety. There'll be more variety during this Friday Night Fight, but I think we'll see the influence of more superhero TV. Hope to see you then!

<< Hero of the Week 01/18: Black Panther  [Home]  Hero of the Week 01/04: Doctor Strange >>

KNIGHTRESS versus OWL

Finale (Marvel)
Where: The Pulse #14 When: May 2006
Why: Brian Michael Bendis How: Michael Gaydos

The Story So Far...
Married life has been good for Luke Cage and Jessica Jones. With a new born child, the pair are reminiscing about the good old days - like the first time they met!

 

Jessica was in a dark place at that time in her life. Her ordeal with The Purple Man had left the former Jewel despondent and clinging to life as a costumed protector by the thread of her need to hit something.

 

Adopting a grim new identity for her final shot at being a superhero, Jones became Knightress! Prowling the city by night, she sets her angry fists on the criminal called The Owl. Little did this bird of prey know, his deal is in danger from a pair of Heroes for Hire as well!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Jessica Jones 5 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Jessica Jones 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Jessica Jones 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Draw 1 (None)


There's a slim chance you might be wondering who this Knightress character is. If you are - you may know her better as Jewel aka; Jessica Jones.

After a very nasty run-in with The Purple Man; Jones turned her back on a brief career in the superhero game, but not before taking one last stab at it under the guise of Knightress. This was her dark and moody eighties period, inspired by similar costume changes of the time, eg; Spidey's black threads.

How'd she become a superhero? Oh, you know how it is. An accident involving radioactive chemicals killed her parents and put young Jessica in a coma. A while after she woke up - she discovered the accident also gave her super-strength, endurance, and the ability to fly. Flight never quite worked out so well, but her other powers have meant mixing it up with super-villain bruisers has never been a problem. Bad news for The Owl!

Leland Owlsley once lived large as "The Owl of Wall Street", but a penchant for criminal dealings ended his days in trading, and spawned a career as a would-be master of organized crime! To facilitate these criminal aspirations he invested in a serum, which granted him a limited ability to glide.

Continued body modification and self-inflicted mutations have given The Owl increased gliding ability, sharpened teeth, lighter bones, improved reflexes, greater strength and physical resistance, keen hearing and vision, and a taste for mice. The Owl also favors wrist-mounted talons as his weapon of choice.

Neither character has had an overwhelmingly stellar career, but it's fair to say The Owl has had significant staying power as a player within the urban criminal underworld. It's the very domain Jessica Jones turned her back on, but she wasn't out of the game at the time of this encounter -- and she's looking for somebody to hit!

Jones' impressive strength puts her in a class above The Owl. To combat that, Owl's best bets are relying on goons, environmental hazards, and dirty tactics. Since it's hard to find good help any day, and this fight's taking place during a meeting with tetchy rivals, Owl is on the back foot. Jones is emotional here, which could make her reckless. Lets see if that's an equalizer...

The Tape: Knightress Ranking: Draw (Not Ranked)

What Went Down...

Stalking the night for something to hit: Knightress follows the sirens to a high-speed chase with The Owl. He may have given the cops the slip, but his secret rendezvous will never the less be interrupted! Knightress favours the warehouse skylight as a means of entry. Owl's contacts blame him for the trouble. Both sides look for a way out while Knightress starts swinging at goons.

Power Man & Iron Fist crash the party to hold down the fleeing crooks. In the commotion, Knightress doesn't notice The Owl sneaking up behind her from within the shadows...

Blade drawn, Owl slashes Knightress across the back! A dirty move, but effective. For a moment, she drops to her hands and knees. Owl orders his men to stop fighting and run. His opportunity has past. He shouldn't have poked the bear. Now he's going to get the claws!

As Owl attempts to make his getaway - Knightress catches him by the hair. The swooped look may have worked for Wolverine, but Owl's probably regretting it as he's tugged and launched into the air by his fanned follicles!

Owl comes back down to earth safely - presumably thanks to his gliding abilities - and throws a forearm in Knightress' direction. She blocks it and lets out a blood curdling roar of anger. Owl is running so scared, he doesn't even notice he's charging headlong into the waiting fist of Power Man!

Good thing he's called The Owl, 'cause his face is gonna be flat for a while!

The Hammer...

With a surprise one-two finish, I'm calling the winners Power Man and Knightress!

Iron Fist isn't chopped liver, but he'll have to wait for an unlikely spotlight on his and Power Man's secondary struggle (with the other mob goons) to pick up any stats. It ain't easy being green (and yellow), man.

Meanwhile, did anybody enjoy that as much as I did? Wow! There's just something about going back to the Marvel streets that really hits the spot! I love a good recurring B-grade villain and Owl is about as B (or C) grade as it gets. Hope we can get back to him again.

My selection is, of course, inspired by Marvel's big year of Netflix series - specifically Jessica Jones. The breakout 2015 live-action show stars Krysten Ritter as today's featured heroine, with Mike Colter making his first appearances as Luke Cage. Cage is next on the slate for his own Netflix serial, with Iron Fist somewhere not far behind, so there's some nice symmetry to it all, even if Ritter never appears as Knightress.

As is (sadly) customary, the live-action version differs from the original in a variety of ways. It's interesting casting. I like Ritter in general, but she strikes me as a significant departure from the everywoman of the comics. Ritter seems to bring a natural 'tude that's just a bit too punk for the Jessica Jones of the comics. She isn't a traditional beauty, but has a striking quality that makes her stand out from a crowd. Even her hair tells a very different story.

Casting comic book characters in live-action is almost always a divisive exercise. Comics are an indulgently visual medium. Visual codes and iconography are valuable tools. The image holds a great deal of importance. No matter the justification, this doesn't change in the conversion to the so-called "real world". Sometimes it's just a matter of whether or not the new idea is good enough to subvert the old. Audiences have become very forgiving toward the formula. We used to loathe Hollywood for its lacklustre representation of our characters. After decades of distortion, some now demand this approach.

For me, the appeal of Jessica Jones relies a lot on the superhero world that movies still aren't fully comfortable with. Creator Brian Michael Bendis has earned a bit of a reputation for the things he destroys, or tears down, but in Jessica Jones, he made a worthy contribution.

The character as originally conceived was nearly a revamped Jessica Drew. That could've been a valid relaunch for a languishing character of limited appeal. As I write this, I wonder if the raven-haired Krysten Ritter wouldn't look more at home in Drew's skin. It hardly matters. The two Jones are different sides of the same scenario -- a resistance to superheroes. In live-action, the character is a budget conscious, unintimidating, costumeless figure that asks a minimum of the audience's suspension of disbelief. In the comics, Jones is a failed superhero of no consequence, who's been provoked to reclaim her humanity. She exists to confront the superhero concept from another perspective. At once wanting to escape the Marvel Universe, yet constantly finding it thrust upon her.

 

The Knightress persona seen in the final issue of The Pulse represents one of the interesting little flicks of the wrist that allow Jones to participate in the very world she comments on. Always just a bit ordinary, her costume choice looks like the kind of Kitty Pryde tribute cosplay a well meaning adolescent might come up with. That sash, screaming of a touch of Phoenix. Dorky cosplay ala; John Byrne. A sly comment on an era, fans, and creators who're somewhere overlapping the three.

I see a lot of Phil Sheldon (Marvels) in the basic concept. Created in 2001, Jones was stitched into Marvel's history through a series of secret events. She had a high school crush on Peter Parker. Tony Stark was indirectly responsible for her Daredevil-like origin. The coming of Galactus impacted her recovery. Spider-man influenced her career as a superhero. Another view, somewhere beyond and more lasting than Sheldon's Eye of the Camera. More individual, too.

I also can't help but think of another character with a 'secret history' created just a year before Jones: The Sentry. Readers of Bendis's New Avengers know the hoax hero for his bumpy "return" to the Marvel Universe, but long before that he was presented as a lost Stan Lee creation unearthed in 2000. In truth, it was a high concept gimmick by Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee, which spawned a string of one-shots and a mini-series detailing the lost adventures of Marvel's answer to Superman.

The Sentry differed from Jessica Jones in Alias in that he was the opposite end of the spectrum - an escalation of the superhero universe. His secret history had a similar array of ties to established figures, but his connections were presented in senior terms. He was an inspiration to, or best friend, to the likes of: Hulk, Mr. Fantastic, Spider-man, and the X-Men. Dr. Doom's better, the ultimate hero - save for his 'Marvel headache' of mental illiness and a villainous alter-ego called The Void. It was a lot of fun in isolation, but doomed to fail without the finesse, characterization, and social commentary that buoyed Jessica Jones to lasting significance beyond the initial Marvel MAX series.

Bendis has said using Jessica Drew in the MAX series would've condemned Alias to be non-canonical. Were it not for the quality of work and the balance of ideas -- I think that could've been the case, regardless. Instead, Marvel gained an interesting, well realized new character introduced the right way, who endures to this day. A still recent example to be taken note of, particularly if you're the type concerned about gender politics.

 

The Pulse #14 was the final issue in the Alias follow-up. You can find it collected via the Amazon link provided [right].

Winners: Luke Cage & Knightress

(+2) #14 Luke Cage
(new) #275 Jessica Jones
(new) #767 The Owl

HERO OF THE WEEK: DR. STRANGE (Marvel)
Real Name: Dr. Stephen Strange
First Appearance: Strange Tales #110 (July, 1963)
Fight Club Ranking: #62

Featured Fights:
- vs Baron Mordo: Strange Tales #111 (Aug 1963)
- vs The Infinity Mind Gem: New Avengers: Illuminati #2 (Mar 2007)
- vs Queen Veranke & The Hand: New Avengers #27 (Apr 2007)
- vs The Mighty Avengers: New Avengers #36 (Jan 2008)
- vs The Hood & Dormammu: New Avengers #54 (Aug 2009)

There can be no doubt about which hero dominated the mindspace during the first days of 2016!
Marvel's Sorcerer Supreme is scheduled to cast a spell on theatres early November. Consequently, the caped mystic entered pre-release hype in the last week of the year with a commanding presence on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. It was an adequate introduction to British star Benedict Cumberbatch as the next big screen Marvel hero: Doctor Strange.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Ant-Man (2015) are already proof positive Marvel Entertainment has the power to take the unlikeliest of comics and turn them into viable mainstream franchises. Never the less, Strange will be a further experiment in how far the Disney/Marvel movie machine can venture away from formulaic superheroes. More than Captain America: Civil War; this "Phase 3" solo vehicle arguably shoulders the burden of initiating recovery from a financially dominant, but creatively uninspiring Avengers sequel. Saturation is just one of the enemies Strange could thwart.

Differentiation will be a mixed agenda for the big screen Doctor Strange. A lot of the heavy lifting will likely be left to a new palette of visual effects. Casting is taking a major role too - for better, or worse. Film versions of The Ancient One and Baron Mordo are on course to veer significantly from their comic book inspirations. It's par for the course for major franchises, who already have one foot out of their origins, and have become the battleground for a social course correction for the United States.

Cumberbatch isn't an obvious choice for Dr. Stephen Strange, either. The character of the comics has always had a certain warmth, humor and suave charm about him. Not entirely dissimilar from Tony Stark - moustache, and all. Cumberbatch has certainly shown screen charisma and a sense of humor, but he more naturally services the aloof aspects of the character, in a fringe manner. The performance will likely be a few steps removed from his work as BBC's Sherlock, but like most things, it remains to be seen how much will resemble the character of print, past or present.

It's hard not to get excited by the images released to Entertainment Weekly. Visually, there are more changes. For all intents and purposes, this appears to be a costume that can rightly lay claim to "capturing the spirit of the character" -- a cliché all too often untrue of movies. The red cape, the blue body, the Eye of Agammoto. Even the whitened temples are in the hair! Probably the result of some violent or magic trauma. Like Tony Stark, he's traded the moustache for a more contemporary goatee. Hey! Fair enough. An instantly recognizable Dr. Strange by any other name!

Perhaps the only thing more exciting than the costume is the magic! Or rather, the visual representation of magic. Magic circles and runes have become popular in the past few years, and they're here on the cover of Entertainment Weekly! Marvel are promising a unique visual and conceptual experience for this film. Investing in occult iconography is a great step to adding visual flair and distinction to the world of Strange. I liked it in the comics - and I like it here!

I also like that Marvel seem to be touting magic as a selling point, rather than running from it.

 

Trepidation over meshing magic esoterica and superhero pseudo-science was broached all those years ago with Thor. The film version of Asgard and the Norse gods ultimately played it somewhere down the middle - more Wizard of Oz than Lord of the Rings. This many movies later, I'm sure most will agree they could've -- and maybe should -- go further. Doctor Strange may be their first step toward doing so.

 

That makes Dr. Strange the first Hero of the Week for 2016! I'll be singling out characters from time to time who are turning heads, or catching my attention. I hope you'll take the opportunity to use the links at the top to reconnect with some of the HOTW's past battles on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. I'm hoping to initiate a couple of new characters into the rankings with this Friday's Fight Night. Hope to see you then!

<< Hero of the Week 01/11: Punisher       [Home]       Hero of the Week #23: Spider-man >>

FLASH versus ANTI-MATTER CANNON

A Flash of the Lightning! (DC)
Where: Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 When: November 1985 Why: Marv Wolfman How: George Perez

The Story So Far...
Ten billion years ago, a mad act of godlike impetuousness set into motion events that would threaten all of reality! The Oan scientist Krona dared to witness the creation of the universe and in doing so triggered the existence of a second, mirrored duplicate: the Anti-Matter Universe!

In this reality of darkness and evil there would be born a creature on the planet Qward known as The Anti-Monitor. Through his many meditations he would come to notice his counterpart born simultaneously in the world of positive matter. Sensing this existence he sought to snuff it out -- igniting a perfectly matched war with his brother that sent both into dormancy with the strike of a final powerful blow!

Billions of years later, another seeking the secrets of the origin of all things unleashes chaos anew. In exposing his matter universe to anti-matter he condemned it to total destruction! This Pariah watches on as The Anti-Monitor reawakens and draws his plans against an entire Multiverse!

Worlds will live. Worlds will die. Great heroes will fight to defend their world and the worlds of others. Those that fall may never come to realize the true threat they faced. Reaching out from beyond space Anti-Monitor faces few. The Flash will witness this face of evil and the weapons he assembles. The Flash will fight.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Anti-Monitor 7 (Omnipotent)
Intelligence: Anti-Monitor 6 (Genius)
Speed: Flash 7 (Lightspeed)
Stamina: Anti-Monitor 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Flash 2 (Average)
Fighting: Flash 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Anti-Monitor 7 (Cosmic Power)


Oh, boy! Flash -- what have you got yourself into this time?...

It's not often The Comic Book Fight Club features an inanimate object, but that's the target in today's classic fight! The Anti-Matter Cannon is, of course, a tool of the Anti-Monitor: a being of immense cosmic power who needs to be evaded if our hero is to be successful. Since quantifying the machine would be a little on the underwhelming side, our Tale of the Tape demonstrates the threat posed by its master -- who looms nearby with the home field advantage!

If anyone can reach a target before being detected -- it's the Flash!
He moves as quick as his namesake -- applying his skills in more ways than just moving quickly between Point A and Point B! As well as reaching speeds beyond sight; Flash can vibrate his molecules with enough intensity to allow them to pass through solid matter! It's all thanks to the lab accident he suffered in his career as police forensics scientist Barry Allen. This put him in touch with the phenomena known as the speed force! The rest is a red blur of comics history.

We've only seen a small slice of Barry Allen's adventures as the scarlet speedster on The Comic Book Fight Club, but he's come up against some impressive foes along the way! When the alien Appelaxians arrived on Earth, Flash took out Fire Giant and Wood King in a double header that launched the Justice League [Secret Origins #32]! He also outran Superman [Flash: Rebirth #3], and helped Batman rough him up in The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1! Even Green Lantern couldn't keep up - his ring just too slow when Flash was tricked into attacking in Green Lantern #44!

Of course, when it comes to demonstrations of power it's hard to top Anti-Monitor! His only previous appearance on the site had him at the center of a cosmic war, where it took The Guardians of the Universe to stop him [Green Lantern #25]!

In today's battle: Flash has taken the precaution of keeping Anti-Monitor pre-occupied by cajoling Psycho-Pirate into turning The Thunderers of Qward against their master! This leaves Flash alone with their creation -- the Anti-Matter Cannon: a machine harnessing concentrated anti-matter. His goal is to infiltrate the core and reverse the energies until they overloard. A gambit that will very likely kill him, even if he succeeds. Lets see how he did.

The Tape: Anti-Monitor Ranking: Flash (#15)

What Went Down...
Qwardian Thunderers shower an already damaged Anti-Monitor with bolts of lightning. All part of a distraction plan hatched by The Flash! With the threat neutralized, he races toward the smooth metallic shell of the Anti-Matter Cannon! Vibrating at intense speeds he phases into the core chamber and stands in awe of its power source: concentrated anti-matter!

At close proximity, Flash feels his energy draining. He knows if he doesn't act quickly he'll be too weak to save the universe -- but if he does act, it will very likely mean his life! With so much at stake, the hero has no choice.

Flash does what he does best and begins to run. He contemplates all the things he's fighting to save. His loved ones, the present, the future - the universe! He feels his legs grow heavy and tired, but still he pushes harder. Faster!

As he rushes against the flow of anti-matter his mind wanders - or does it sharpen? He thinks of loving parents. Of his nephew, the Kid Flash Wally West. His beloved Iris. Of friends: Ralph & Sue Dibny, Hal Jordan. Of the people he knows he must leave behind. He hopes they'll understand his sacrifice as pain sears through him. Still he runs faster!

The Anti-Monitor senses the disturbance. He knows the cause. The Flash has already succeeded in destroying the cannon's outer casing. Its energy blasts out, rendering the machine useless! Anti-Monitor curses the speedster. What can even he do to a deadman? Faster and faster - The Flash runs!

Was it the Anti-Monitor opening a temporal portal, or merely the intensity of The Flash's speed that dislodged him in time? He feels himself slipping backward. He witnesses events that have already occurred - Kid Flash, The Joker, Batman!

Flash's face begins to wrinkle and wither. There's no stopping now! The Flash has run at speeds never before reached! His body is failing! Still he runs!

The Anti-Matter Cannon explodes! The Flash fades to nothing, The world is saved -- for now, at least. The Flash will run no more. Barry Allen is dead.

The Hammer...

So -- who won? We've deliberated over results similar to this one in the past. The Flash clearly destroyed the Anti-Matter Cannon, but he died doing so. Can he therefore really be called a winner? The ruling here is: yes. It may not be pretty, but in this circumstance, self-sacrifice was a valid and successful winning tactic. For his role in constructing the life or death scenario, the record will show Anti-Monitor credited with Flash's death, even though he was not directly involved.

Quite the way to start the new year - no?

Tackling the Death of Superman last week [Superman #74] inspired me to come back to one of superhero comics' earliest examples of an event driven character death. For a quarter of a century, the consequences of Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 managed to stick! When they killed Barry Allen they meant it -- and the impact of his heroic demise was second only to its legacy.

In some ways, I think this is a rare example where today's fight log makes the actual event look a bit more impressive than it actually was. What you see above takes place over all of four pages. There's some set-up early on, and perfunctory action immediately preceding, but it all boils down to a small moment for such a beloved character's end. Of course, that is part of the point. Barry Allen is alone and there's no logical way any of his loved ones will know what happened, or why. There's emotional gravitas in that, but George Perez is also packing so much into his layouts, the drama is a little bit removed.

I mentioned the importance of legacy. Over the years that followed Crisis on Infinite Earths - this moment in particular would become a touchstone of DC Comics mythology! The sacrifice of Barry Allen was epic in its importance! Sure, he saved the day, but that happens every month. The reverence subsequent stories paid elevated four pages into the most important moment in modern comics history. Which is probably why it managed to stick for twenty-four years!

The passing of the torch to Wally West -- The Flash from 1985 to 2010 -- was an obviously important part of keeping the story alive. Wally West's graduation from Kid Flash to red suited new generation made a world of sense, and always felt in tribute to the hero whose stories spanned the Silver Age: 1956-1985.

For me, some of the greatest myth building around The Flash's death came from a retellifng in Secret Origins Annual #2 (1988). There, the mythic drama was heightened in every sense! The late great Carmine Infantino drew a speeding Flash leaving his material body -- becoming an abstracting ghost of energy.

In the Secret Origins version, Flash is chasing the Anti-Matter Cannon's true power -- a tachyon moving at many hundred times the speed of light! Visualized dditions like these better quantified The Flash's objective and transforming reality. As in Crisis, his speed becomes so great he starts to move backward through time, re-experiencing his life in reverse, until he's pure energy -- a living lightning bolt! Which, as fate could only have it, strikes a police forensics lab and a man called Barry Allen.

As myth building goes, I always loved the idea that the moment of Flash's death could simultaneously be the genesis of the lightning bolt that sparked his origin! It's an optional extra from a fantastic story: written by Robert Loren Fleming, and vitally depicted by Infantino.

As to whether or not it was worth tearing this mythology down to bring the Barry Allen Flash back in Final Crisis and Flash: Rebirth -- I'm torn.

Wally West was The Flash when I started Secret Wars on Infinite Earths ten years ago. At that time, the only comic book deaths you could count on were: Bruce & Martha Wayne, Uncle Ben Parker, Gwen Stacy, Bucky, Jason Todd and Barry Allen. All characters who've been exhumed in one fashion or another, with perhaps the exception of Uncle Ben.

The negative of undoing The Flash Crisis death is the simple loss of an amazing moment, and a shining example of how our heroes of yesterday can graduate to become the legends of today. Of course, I'm the first person to lament the loss of The JSA and other classic characters. In fact - one of the strange ironies of life after Barry Allen was the solidification of the "Speed Force" mythology and the strengthening of Jay Garrick's generational influence as the first Flash.

As a reader of less than thirty years, Wally West was The Flash throughout most of my lifetime, but reprints and back issues meant Barry Allen was The Flash I knew best. In that respect, he's still the definitive article - a cut above the new kid. So, I can understand the appeal of bringing him back. Especially when the issue is the Green Lantern equivalent, where Hal Jordan was never surpassed by the otherwise serviceable Kyle Rayner. Restoring the iconic Silver Age version there was a no brainer! Aren't both things equal?

Perhaps the biggest disappointment is everything that came after Flash's return.

Eighties maxi-series events like Crisis (and Secret Wars) canonized the infliction of the modern comics crossover. The nineties burnt it out with tangled webs, only for the double-ohs to dig it up and find a more measured approach. Years of event based storytelling broke the camel's back and started a diminishing cycle of meaningless temporary deaths, and clumsy high-concept reboots. The Death of Superman arguably has more to answer for that -- the proverbial "Pandor's box" -- but it's all inter-connected. Or at least, it used to be.

In 2009, Flash was ultimately a harbinger for another Crisis-like catastrophe -- the much less interesting and read Flashpoint. Which, like Crisis, rebooted the DC Universe as "The New 52" -- but unlike Crisis, further complicated the DC reality and interrupted iconic versions of the character already refined by post-Crisis reordering. Now everything is an event - and nothing is an event.

I hope everyone is having a happy new year! If you've enjoyed the return of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths I hope you'll help get the word out that we're back and fighting in 2016!

Winner: Flash
(+2) #13 Flash
(--) #489 Anti-Monitor [+1 kill]

JUSTICE LEAGUE versus DOOMSDAY

Countdown To Doomsday! (DC)
Where: Superman #74 When: December 1992 Why: Dan Jurgens How: Dan Jurgens & Brett Breeding

The Story So Far...
It came from out of the blue! A hulking monster clad in green garb and binding tubes! The severity of its hidden face -- completely alien in the surrounding countryside. It's reason for being -- obscured by mindless carnage!

The Justice League had no way of knowing what they were confronting when they intercepted a call for help from an inter-state highway! They couldn't have anticipated the sequence of events they would trigger -- events that will change their world forever!

With Blue Beetle barely clinging to life, Maxima is compelled to leave the fight to usher him to safety. In her place, Superman arrives to aid the league in their effort to stem the monster's destruction! The Man of Steel will not face any ordinary alien menace on this day. This is the coming of Doomsday!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Doomsday 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Superman 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speeds)
Stamina: Doomsday 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Martian Manhunter 7 (Unlimited)
Fighting: Doomsday 7 (Born Fighter)
Energy: Guy Gardner 7 (Cosmic Power)


Justice League America are: Booster Gold, Guy Gardner, Fire, Ice, Bloodwynd and Superman. Otherwise occupied are Maxima and Blue Beetle (Ted Kord): the latter of which was injured in a preceding skirmish with Doomsday.

Ah! Major comics properties in the 1990s... A decade that demands clarification in the Tale of the Tape, as much as analysis! As you've already seen: the Justice League were a far cry from the "Big Seven" roster you may be more familiar with. Even Superman is here as a tagalong drawn in by the fighting - and not part of the active line-up! For the uninitiated, there are a few other important differences in character to note.

Former Green Lantern Guy Gardner wields a Qwardian yellow power ring at this stage of his career -- better known in the future as the weapon of the Sinestro Corps! The mysterious figure known as Bloodwynd is in actual fact Martian Manhunter, who is impersonating a lost hero under the mind-altering influence of the Blood Gem. The true Bloodwynd is trapped inside with the demon Rott.

It's a bit of a mixed up time for the JLA, but they're by no means at their worst. In terms of firepower they're stocked with: Booster Gold's super-strong, super durable powersuit from the future, Guy Gardner's experience as a Green Lantern and the diverse properties of his energy ring, Bloodwynd's mystic powers via the Martian Manhunter's own blend of super strength, invulnerability, mental powers and more. Fire commands green flame and is capable of reaching states of intangibility. Ice is probably the weakest member offensively, but even she offers strategic advantages with the use of ice magic.

Each member has their own individual weaknesses, but what they lack as a whole is cohesion. In battle with Doomsday, Guy Gardner may be their pinch hitter, but his brash attitude and fearlessness means he can be isolated, or even redirected against his teammates. Martian Manhunter's vulnerability to fire could be exploited with Fire on the team, and Ice will need to be on her toes as well, especially surrounded by so much super-powered muscle!

It's impossible to separate this match-up from its inevitable end. This is part of The Death of Superman - a story that implies an end. Doomsday's primary threat at this stage of the game is physical. He's a sadistic, invulnerable brute with a penchant for punching, and throwing large objects. Ordinarily, that's a day at the office for Superman -- but Doomsday's Kryptonian history, and steeled origins through cruel evolution mean he's uniquely suited to withstand most physical threats.

Conventional wisdom says Bloodwynd/Martian Manhunter may be the best way to deal with Doomsday. The mystic Blood Gem can create illusions, teleport the possessor, and project fear through the "Sentence Stare" -- valuable tools in turning Doomsday against himself. Likewise, the Martian's natural telepathic potential could also be used to assault Doomsday's mind, although given his mindless bloodlust, it's impossible to know if he could be manipulated in any meaningful way. His rage may be too great! Let's see what happened...

The Tape: Superman Ranking: Superman (#6)

What Went Down...

A domestic scene like any other. A broken family, tempers flare. A sense of normalcy rudely interrupted by the shattering of glass and the limp body of the heroine called Ice!

The rest of the Justice League are unconscious or indisposed. Ice stands alone against a monster who moments earlier matched the league with one arms tied behind its back! Thrown miles from the fight - the hero of the future Booster Gold bumped into Superman. He introduces The Man of Steel to the concept of the threat by giving it a name: Doomsday!

Arriving on the scene: Superman fearlessly confronts the monster - taking a body blow from its free arm chest-on! The monster recognizes a need to up the ante, leaning back to unleash a kick that winds The Man of Steel, and sends his limp body hurtling through the nearby housing project!

With Superman out of the way, the monster turns his attentions back to Booster Gold. He grabs the hero by the skull and introduces his face into a nearby tree! Booster's suit tech cushions the blow, but he's still left slumped on the stump.

As if drawn to suffering, Doomsday explodes into what remains of the demolished project home. He gravitates toward Ice - unconscious inside the house when it collapsed! He drives his fist down and laughs at the cracking.

Just as the beast set eyes on an innocent woman and her baby, Superman rallies to knock it back! Superman pledges to cover her escape as the available members of the Justice League rejoin the fight! With Booster Gold, Fire, Guy Gardner, and Bloodwynd at his back - Superman leads a frontal assault!

The assembled Leaguers focus their fullest powers on their rampaging foe! Superman's heat vision, Fire's flame, Booster Gold's energy gauntlets, Guy Gardner's yellow power ring, Bloodwynd's eye blasts! They give it their all!

The maelstrom of energies obscures Doomsday in a haze of pure power and smoke! It gives the injured occupants of the demolished home their opportunity to escape, but as Fire begins to flicker out, and Booster's power cells deplete, the horrifying truth begins to emerge. Gardner can't imagine anyone surviving their efforts. Survive Doomsday has! And with his restraints broken by the blast, he is unbound for the first time - and ready to attack!

Doomsday rushes the league -- too fast to be avoided! The alien behemoth's charge launches the heroes across the battlefield!

His spiny fists free to do their wicked work, the monster again targets a now vulnerable Booster Gold. Clutching his throat he throws a furious right hand, and lets out another "Ha!" with a rising left. Doomsday then drags Booster to the nearby wrecked family car and slams his head shut in it!

Blinded from the earlier battle - Guy Gardner can only hear Booster's bones as they break. He's too slow to aim his ring and hope for the best. Doomsday tosses Booster's broken body and eliminates the meagre threat.

Superman and Bloodwynd fly in for a two-front assault, but Doomsday is prepared to neutralize that threat, as well! A couple of well placed, unbound backward jabs stop both powerhouses in their tracks -- and send Bloodwynd's eye beams wildly off target!

The stray blast ignites a powerful fire. It isn't long before the flames reach the housing project gas line. The resulting explosion engulfs everyone present in a raging inferno! Ironically, Fire is knocked unconscious in the chaos.

Unaffected by the heat - Doomsday launches himself skyward. Superman sees his leap and takes pursuit, but with the Justice League and the endangered family home owners vulnerable he has no choice but to abandon the chase!

They will meet again soon enough...

The Hammer...

With Superman the only Justice League hero still conscious, yet tactically neutralized, I have no choice but to call Doomsday the winner! I don't think the brutalized JLA will be able to disagree!

It's an explosive victory for the villain's long awaited Secret Wars on Infinite Earths debut, and a big finish to a massive month of 10th Anniversary celebrations!

Back at the beginning: I promised to mark the occasion with a mix of modern classics and frequently requested favourites. Doomsday has consistently ranked among the most sought after characters - and it's The Death of Superman that is the reason why! Admittedly, it's the big final showdown that's usually the one people want to see, but I couldn't help but go for something a little less obvious.

Doomsday is on the verge of making the leap to the big screen in next year's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In the movie, their version will confront the seeds of what is to become a film universe Justice League. Since people often forget the Justice League had a noteworthy role in the original introduction of Doomsday -- this seemed like a natural place to start Doomsday rolling!

I have to admit, it took all of ten years to get here because it's a bit of a double-edged sword. The very thing that makes the character notable is also the thing that makes him somewhat uninteresting. The headline is ultimately what's most important: The Death of Superman. By introducing a never before seen brute to fit the task, DC Comics created a character who seemed utterly perfunctory.

In 1992, the stunt was unique enough to receive global press. On the one hand, it seemed inconceivable that there wouldn't be any more Superman comics published by DC. On the other hand; the explosion of the Image style, X-Men, and other flavours of the fast moving early nineties had unflinchingly challenged Superman's playground relevance. In an era of sound and fury signifying flashy change, DC had promised a death. Barry Allen was still dead. Superman's movie cred was in the toilet. Believing them was a strong option.

The Death of Superman is still one of the highest selling comics of all time. It opened the Pandora's box of public execution, and "dramatic change" as sales pitch on a scale unlike any other.

Supes didn't stay dead for long. A few years later, newspapers were covering another stunt -- Superman goes electric. With that, the box arguably slammed shut. Nobody believed Electric Superman would last. If DC weren't going to kill their mascot off, they sure as heck weren't going to keep something that stupid going for long. They'd managed to snap Batman's back and turn Green Lantern into one of their biggest villains along the way, but it all started to seem as pointless and desperate as it was. Readers got wise. Sales plunged.

Attitudes toward crossover events of the nineties seem to have changed over the course of the last ten years. There's always been an audience, but when "big two" comics doubled down into the 2000s on more sophisticated storytelling and characterization, the sins of the chromium age were ready to be cast out.

The aggressive rejection of crossovers and stunts threw the dead super-baby out with the bath water. It hadn't all been bad! By the middle of the decade, an inevitable rethink was coming. Green Lantern: Rebirth paved the way by undoing the one nineties stunt that stuck - Hal Jordan as super-villain. The 20th anniversary of Crisis on Infinite Earths kicked the 'event' doors wide open soon after with Infinite Crisis. 2009's Blackest Night and Final Crisis escalated line-wide events almost as far as they could go. In 2011, they finally killed the DC Universe. Doomsday returned in varied forms. The early nineties struck back with a vengeance.

Given the perfunctory nature of the original Doomsday, it's easy to see why the idea would be repurposed. In his acclaimed All-Star Superman, concept wizard Grant Morrison transcribed the language of Doomsday as supreme threat into a more insidious, soul destroying genetic weapon. In isolation, it was an exciting, thoughtful way of repurposing the power of an attack through the lens of wacky, Silver Age pop and modern man's fear of the Superman. If it didn't invent the concept of a genetic Doomsday, it certainly popularized and validated it with a finesse lacking in subsequent versions. Just another wacky transformation for Jimmy Olsen. Another sci-fi contingency weapon run amok.

If trailers and scuttlebutt are to be believed, the movie Doomsday will use a similar premise to adapt the corpse of Man of Steel villain: General Zod. If it can be done to Zod, it can probably be done to fellow Kryptonian Superman. This has been the case in New 52 comics, where Doomsday became a Jekyll & Hyde proposition - a virus infecting Superman's genes. A validation of the resentment toward the ultimate superhero. The hero as monster. An on-going assassination of character. The death of the myth, if not the Superman.

I never really viewed The Death of Superman with quite the disdain of my peers, but I can understand the pessimism. I certainly had my share of doubts as it was all unfolding, and I came to view characters like Doomsday as avatars for shallow, if forgivable times. I avoided a lot of the worst of the 90s with budget conscious reading, and in that respect, I always felt I was ahead of the curve. Now that stunts like The Death of Superman seem to inform so much of the modern approach to DC comics and movies, I'm starting to wonder if it was the intolerant naysayers who really saw the writing on the wall.

The legacy of the story has become undeniable as the reading of sales statistics seems to overwhelm long term thinking, and the strengthening of home brands. The short dollar is king. Invest in reader anxiety. Hollywood high rolling on a monthly schedule.

I'm pleased to have finally opened the book on this landmark, much requested story! I'm sure we'll explore more facets of its unique importance sometime in the future. In the mean time, I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Thanks for joining me for a big month of anniversary superhero smackdown! If you'd like to see more in 2016, be sure to leave a comment and keep diving into the infinite archives!

Winner: Doomsday