HAWKMAN versus SUPERMAN

A League Divided: Chapter 7 (DC)
Where: Justice League of America #200 When: March 1982 Why: Gerry Conway How: Joe Kubert

The Story So Far...
They came from beyond the stars! Many years ago, alien invaders chose Earth as the battleground for a challenge between would-be rulers! These bizarre strangers from the planet Appellax arrived as elemental vessels carried by a shower of meteors. The resulting threat of powerful monsters too great to be ignored!

 

Scattered across the globe, seven individual heroes used their unique powers to intervene: Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Superman and Batman! Combining their efforts against the final force of the Wood King, they thwarted the invasion and forged an unbreakable alliance known the world over as The Justice League of America!

 

Unbeknownst to those involved, or the many heroes who would join their ranks in the time following -- the threat from Appellax lay dormant within the minds of those who defeated them! Once triggered, the original JLA are programmed to gather the buried meteors to begin their restoration! With no memory of their subsequent allies, the brainwashed heroes must be stopped in a worldwide battle between hero and hero!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speeds)
Stamina: Superman 6 (Generator)
Agility: Superman 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Hawkman 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Superman 5 (Lasers)

Man? Myth? Alien? Hawkman represents a little bit of each! Archaeologist and museum curator Carter Hall has lived more lives than most. Passing tragically from one existence to the next, Hall is cursed to death each time he bonds with his reincarnating soul mate [see; Hawkgirl]. His perpetual legacy is a mantle of passion and heroism across time and space. Possessing Thanagarian Nth Metal from a former life, the modern day Hawkman navigates the skies in the savage battle against injustice wherever he may find it.

Nth metal allows Hawkman to fly, enhances his strength, endurance, and grants him control over giant bird-like wings. Enhancing his offensive is an arsenal of weaponry sourced from the ages of man, with particular preference for medieval maces, nets, spears, clubs and axes.

Hawkman's choice of weaponry reflects his sometimes brutal approach to the pursuit of modern justice. We saw that play out to extreme when he severed Matter Master's arm with a battle axe [Hawkman #23]. He also wasn't pulling his punches against the murderous St. Roch Creature in Hawkman #31. This aggression offers a rare edge against Superman -- whose defining strength, speed, stamina, and endurance are well established and in a class beyond!

Hawkman's shown he can go mace-to-face with super-human powerhouses in the past, but it took the aid of Hawkgirl and Monolith to put Solomon Grundy down in our only notable example [Hawkman #33]. Relying on force to carry out strategy means Hawkman lacks the tactical equalizers of a Batman, who is the golden standard for defying Superman's natural strengths [see; Old Comics Wednesday: Batman v Superman].

Batman frequently falls back on real or synthetic Kryptonite -- the radioactive mineral that is Superman's biggest weakness. Hawkman isn't known for having access to the substance, but the make-up of the Appellaxian meteor they're fighting over contains Kryptonite! Depending on the strain, it means Superman risks total vulnerability, mortality, or other side effects. Is it sufficient to tip the scales enough to give Hawkman a fighting chance? Let's find out...

The Tape: Superman Ranking: Superman (#6)

What Went Down...

Hawkman finds no pleasure in the gathering of arms for the fight ahead: A 16th century corseque, an iron mesh net, a crossbow, cranequin, and flanged mace. Tools he will need if he's to stop The Man of Steel retrieving the final Appellaxian meteor from its burial place in Greenland. A journey made in minutes by the winged warrior, who flies a parabolic arc from Midway City through Earth's upper atmosphere.

The vantage point gives him the drop on a familiar red and blue blur: Superman!

The hovering hero ensnares his prey in iron netting and draws the tri-pronged corseque. With regret, he thrusts it directly through Superman's torso! The resulting explosion of anatomy confirms Hawkman's suspicions: Kryptonite in the meteor has forced Superman to employ his duplicate robot guard!

A second Man of Steel descends on Hawkman, who's counting on his medieval weaponry to trump the sophisticated super-robotics. A bolt from his crossbow makes light work of the attacking automaton -- another explosion!

With his other weapons spent, Hawkman draws his fixed mace and braces for a third facsimile. As it descends through the clouds, Hawkman detects something slightly different about this Superman. He swings wildly to greet it with the flanged end of his mace -- only to snap it across the unphased Superman!

Unfortunately for Hawkman, he had underestimated The Man of Tomorrow's ingenuity! Coated in an almost transparent "plasta-lead alloy" - the genuine article is shielded from the harmful effects of nearby Kryptonite!

Acting under the conviction of Appellaxian mind control, Superman's super-strength is too much for the ill prepared Justice Leaguer!

When next he enters the upper atmosphere, Hawkman flies a path not of his own making! A mighty blow of Superman leaving the unconscious warrior to float as if dead on the very edge of the world. Alone and defeated... until a strange beam of zeta energy plucks him from space...

The Hammer...

Yes! You guessed it! A lucky intervention from the scientists of Rann rescued Hawkman from an uncertain fate. There's nothing uncertain about today's victor, though: Superman!

Superman is a featured hero this March as we anticipate the release of super-sequel Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, March 25th.

The titular theatrical rivalry has been well documented on The Comic Book Fight Club, so instead, we're pitting Superman against other heroes for something a little different. It's been another chance to knock-off some of the untapped classics, as well. Last week we finally opened the book on Kingdom Come with an often requested showdown between Superman and Captain Marvel. This week: it's another legendary issue that's been on my personal To Do pile for many years!

Justice League of America #200 is a softball choice, if there ever was one. A few years before the bitter throwdown of The Dark Knight Returns, and long before the industry made its heroes routine villains in stories like Civil War: this was a super-sized spectacular turning two generations of the Justice League against one another! A dream match scenario - even if the line-up was a little lopsided.

The story hinges on the Justice League's first adventure: told originally in 1962's Justice League of America #9. Alien combatants from the planet Appellax staged a contest of supremacy on Earth, inadvertently bringing together the founding JLA members. Secret Wars on Infinite Earths readers will know the tweaked post-Crisis version told in Secret Origins #32. The otherwise fine retelling substitutes Wonder Woman for Black Canary [vs Glass Man], and diminishes the role of Superman [vs The Crystal Creature], while also eliminating Batman.

 

In the original JLA #200 scenario, '69 recruit Black Canary is assigned the takedown of brainwashed team original Batman, featured in a 2-on-1 also involving the team's first add-on and guest star: Green Arrow. I'm quite sure we'll be revisiting the issue sometime in the future to look closer at those other contests. In the mean time, I was pretty excited to start with Hawkman.

 

Of all the JLA fights, it's quite possibly the most mismatched, but therein lies some of the appeal. Hawkman's solemn determination to face overwhelming odds and a friend taps into the underlying grittiness of the character. He's not the strongest or most naturally powerful, but he uses the unique skills he has to fight the good fight. Over the years, that developed into a brutal edge that set him apart from other heroes. Medieval weaponry in uncompromising hands.

 

It's unflattering, but on another uncompromising count, it's interesting to note this is the first Superman fight to resort to the famed schoolyard presumption: that every fight should end with the opponent in orbit.

 

Will Superman get his comeuppance? Be here next week for tag team action as the World's Finest finally team-up to take on two familiar friends turned enemies! Can't wait until then? Find more classic superhero smackdown in the Issue Index Archive!

 

Winner: Superman

(+2) #4 Superman
(-3) #35 Hawkman

OLD COMICS WEDNESDAY: REMEMBERING PAUL RYAN

The comics world was shocked and saddened this week by the unexpected passing of penciler Paul Ryan. Prolific in the early nineties; Ryan helped define the look of the Marvel Universe, contributing to lengthy stints drawing Avengers, Iron Man and most notably Fantastic Four. He most famously pencilled the landmark wedding between Peter Parker and Mary-Jane Watson in Amazing Spider-man Annual #21. More recently, Ryan had joined a lineage of legends as the most recent regular artist for King Features' Phantom comic strips. In this capacity, 66 year old Ryan was still doing fantastic work on a regular basis, syndicated around the world. He will be surely missed.

 

On a personal note, Paul Ryan was certainly a big part of my comics reading in the early nineties, and has naturally made multiple appearances on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. I'm pleased to have taken the time to celebrate him while he was here. I've long held the belief he was a little underrated for his consistent quality, draftsmanship and prominence of work. This Old Comics Wednesday, I'd like to salute the late artist with a look back at those previous features!

I was a big fan of Fantastic Four during Ryan's tenure, but I particularly recommend checking out the featured fight from Avengers West Coast #65 where heavy inks embellished his work in ways I always found very appealing. Iron Man #271 also shows his versatility as an iconic Marvel artist who drew an awesome bulky, 90s shellhead and a truly monstrous Fin Fang Foom! No one example can fully capture Paul Ryan's talents, and that's what made him so good. A fantastic eye for layouts, dynamic action, and fundamental anatomy of characters and scenes. Check them out by clicking the covers below. I hope you enjoy his work as much as I did!

HERO OF THE WEEK: BLACK CANARY (DC)
Real Name: Dinah Lance/Dinah Drake
First Appearance: Justice League of America #75 (November, 1969)
Fight Club Ranking: #43

Featured Fights:
- vs GLASS MAN: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs WOOD KING: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs DEATHSTROKE: Identity Crisis #3 (Oct 2004)
- vs INJUSTICE LEAGUE: Justice League of America #15 (Jan 2008)
- vs SINESTRO CORPS: Green Lantern #25 (Jan 2008)

Aside from the headache of negotiating each eras different incarnation of the heroine - I was pretty excited about today's Hero of the Week! Black Canary isn't a character who's been prominent on my radar since the New 52 reboot, but she may be trending toward salvation as one of its final and few stand-alone triumphs! The kicker, this week, was the release of a Black Canary EP, which has me grooving on the good vibes of an unencumbered stroke of genius.

The feelings of euphoria largely owe a debt of gratitude to the work of artist Annie Wu and colorist Lee Loughridge: dynamic duo behind the bubble gum visual assault of 2015's mid-year Black Canary relaunch. Written by Brendan Fletcher, the series has recast the sonic screaming superhero as front woman for a band of the same name -- the kind of instinctive high-concept that inspires a smile by description alone. The addition of actual music by Joseph Donovan, Michelle Bensimon and Brenden Fletcher completes a trifecta of cool all too rare from the corporate supers.

I'd probably be even more enthusiastic if this was more obviously the Black Canary of the past few decades. Characters like Dazzler and Lila Cheney have done music + superheroes before, but it's the way the concept plays with Black Canary as an established character that really appeals. The jacket, the fishnets, the wailing cry. Iconography inviting smooth sub-cultural appropriation for a consistent, but all new bubble gum punk take. Fresh wrinkles for a character who just a few years ago was thrust into the ambitious position of being the JLA's leader -- a role she probably never quite had the status to live up to. More interesting on the new path as a singer, but more interesting with history in tact.

About the only thing missing from this glorious fusion of sound and pictures is plans for an animated feature, or series. The obstacle of quality, believable music that sometimes challenges these kinds of projects -- already conquered. Strong visual direction's available in abundance. The plot? Open to adaptation, with the potential to incorporate more of the DC Universe - an always attractive option, particularly in serial. You couldn't say no to occasional guest appearances from goateed Star City crossed lover Green Arrow, could ya?

You don't have to take my word for it. Comic Book Resources has previews for the first eight issues, and probably more if you're reading this at a later date. I suggest you check them out to make up your own mind. If you like what you see, the first trade is available on Amazon. You should also consider streaming the Black Canary EP via Bandcamp.

If you can believe it, Black Canary is only the second DC Hero of the Week for 2016! The first was Superman [02/01/2016], who we'll be seeing more of Friday in this week's featured fight. Be back during the week for more flashback action inspired by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. 

<< Hero of the Week 03/14: Spider-man       [Home]       Hero of the Week 02/29: Iron Fist >> 

CAPTAIN MARVEL versus SUPERMAN

Chapter Four: Never-Ending Battle (DC)
Where: Kingdom Come #4 When: August 1996
Why: Mark Waid How: Alex Ross

The Story So Far...
They were humanity's greatest champions, but when humanity no longer wanted them, they were gone. In their place, a new generation of warriors led by Magog, whose violence promises a just world of brutal simplicity.

In the wake of this changing of the guard, a new generation of super-humans arises with little regard for humanity, or justice. Rife with anger, prejudice, personal agenda, and self-interest they wage wars where the heroes and villains are indistinguishable from one another. Violence begets violence. The children of a greatness deemed too hard to accept become doomed to relearn their history's value the hard way. The people suffer for their choice.

When hope seems lost, the heroes return as they always had in humanity's hour of need. The Justice League judges their replacements harshly, forcing them to answer for their actions. It's a dose of truth, justice and the old American way. A blast from the past. Too little, too late. An uneasy return to extremes.

An improvised gulag for the dangerous super-humans becomes a powder keg waiting to blow. The old villains remain the keepers of the match. Lex Luthor and his Mankind Liberation Front are the architects of an Armageddon designed to end all super-humans at the sound of a word, and the word is... Shazam!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Captain Marvel 5 (Professor)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speeds)
Stamina: Superman 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Superman 5 (Lasers)


It's one of the most talked about showdowns of the modern era, and one of the most requested fights by fans in ten years of The Comic Book Fight Club! A rivalry so fierce it once spilled over into the real world, testing the mettle of the courts of the late 1940s! Copyright law and the whims of the comics buying public determined their fate for decades, but the rivalry was forever redefined in 1996 by today's feature battle!

Empowered by the Wizard Shazam as a young boy; mild mannered Billy Batson need only speak the wizard's magical name to be struck by the lightning that transforms him into Earth's mightiest mortal: Captain Marvel! The wizard's gifts grant him a pantheon of powers: 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! With these powers combined, he fights evil in all its forms as a most formidable force for good -- usually.

In the future of Kingdom Come, the adult Billy Batson has been subjected to the paranoid machinations of Lex Luthor and his Mankind Liberation Front. A human endowed with the power of gods, he is a tolerable, mind controlled pawn in a suspicious human cabal's silent war against super-humankind. Steered by engineered derivatives of the insidious Mr. Mind, Captain Marvel strikes against heroes he once might have called friends: the ultimate line of defense against alien powerhouse Superman.

Thanks to Kryptonian physiology that reacts uniquely to Earth's yellow sun; Superman possesses phenomenal super-human strength, speed, endurance, laser-like heat vision, X-ray vision, enhanced senses, and more. Although advanced in age, the Superman of Kingdom Come is at the peak of his powers, surpassing most modern incarnations of the character. This makes it difficult to accurately draw on the example of past battles.

In the opponent comparison test, both heroes found themselves surprised in crossovers with Marvel's Thor! During Marvel versus DC, the god of thunder was able to interfere with Captain Marvel's magic lightning and inadvertently defeat the mortal Billy Batson. On the other hand, it was a stone cold king hit from Thor's mystic hammer Mjolnir that kayoed Superman in JLA/Avengers #1!

In Superman #216, the two heroes met in a previous battle, when Superman was under the influence of the Eclipso entity. Captain Marvel had the better of the fight, before Eclipso Superman was able to catch Marvel as Billy Batson. The intervention of the Wizard Shazam and The Spectre ended the fight.

Around these parts, we acknowledge that Superman has no natural defense against obtuse magics, but do not subscribe to the theory that magic is itself a weakness. This doesn't take away from the devastating physical toll Captain Marvel's strength and "lightning ambush" technique can have, but it doesn't make it the deciding factor in this evenly matched epic!

Our hearts say Captain Marvel has the edge here, our brains say it's always down to Superman. Lets split the difference and find out what happened...

History: Inconclusive (0-0-1)
The Tape: Superman Ranking: Captain Marvel (#325)

What Went Down...

A crack of lightning strikes the Justice League's Gulag. No mere act of nature. A deliberate breach that frees the riot of raging young meta-humans inside. All part of a plan designed by Lex Luthor and the Mankind Liberation Front. A plot even the streaking red blur that is Superman is too late to stop!

He arrives to see hundreds of figures rising from the prison, before being struck down by another red blur! Captain Marvel - with the speed of Mercury! Hands on his hips, chest puffed out, the unleashed thunderer looms over Superman, an eerie smile. Earth's mightiest mortal now a confused weapon programmed only to keep Superman out of the fight.

Superman locks up with Marvel's wrists and tries to appeal to the mind that once commanded the wisdom of Solomon. He takes a mighty right cross for his troubles -- sending him hurtling across the battlefield!

Elsewhere, the struggle continues with innumerable players. Batman and his faithful join the fight. Wonder Woman fights killers with death. The heroes turn on one another. Across the world, the United Nations draw desperate plans to unleash an atomic doomsday weapon.

Superman unleashes continuous heat vision beamed directly at Captain Marvel's face! It's enough to make him recoil! While the physical battle turns, Superman continues to attack his counterpart's corrupted mind. He reaches gallantly for his former ally to say something for himself. He does...

The Marvel lets cry his magic word, but has no intention of transforming back into hapless mortal Billy Batson. Instead, with staggering speed he avoids the magic lightning of Shazam -- allowing it to strike instead The Man of Steel!

Again. Again! Again! Shazam! SHAZAM! SHAZAM!

On hands and knees, Superman is humbled by the brutal mystic bolts. His uniform tattered, blood pouring from his ears. He is just like anybody else.

Still smiling that vacant smile, Captain Marvel looms over his opponent once more. One more lightning bolt to make him hurt. One more opportunity for Superman to snatch hope from the jaws of despair.

He watches Captain Marvel through bloodshot eyes. Waits for him to say the magic word. Then springs into action -- grabbing Marvel's wrist at super-human speed! This time the magic lightning finds it target! Marvel becomes man!

His timing is perfect as his super hand clutches Billy Batson's jaw. He gives him no opportunity to utter the word again. Silence. The fight is no longer even. The calm after the storm, or merely the eye of a terrible hurricane they were too close to see?

Even in his condition, Superman now hears the screaming of the jet. He knows the sound of the death bringer flying above the clouds. A machine unlike any other, designed to deploy a multi-megaton nuclear explosive. A United Nations sanctioned final solution when humanity faces total annihilation.

With seconds to destruction Superman presses Billy Batson one more time. Compels him to measure the situation as both a man and god and make a choice about their fates. Tears answer silently. Superman lets go and takes flight without fear of being stopped. He is mistaken.

Captain Marvel springs forth once more and catches Superman by the ankle. He tosses him back toward the Earth, but continues on his flight path. Not another attack -- a sacrifice!

Cap heads off the bomb and summons his lightning to destroy the impenetrable forcefield surrounding it. A desperate gambit to trigger the blast before it reaches its target. The bomb explodes. He dies for his cause. Superman mourns him.

The Hammer...

It's been one of the most requested fights since Secret Wars on Infinite Earths began way back in 2005! Now that it's finally on the record - who actually won this epic encounter? Good question!

Through all the requests and recommendations I've received, I've seen a lot of assumptions about who wins. Captain Marvel clearly leaves a strong impression as the controlling dominator early in the fight, but a winner that does not make. Superman arguably determines the outcome when he gains the first decisive winning hold of the fight -- his hand around Billy Baton's face. He could crush the mortal man attached, but appeals to his better nature, and relents. The final offensive action is Captain Marvel's, when he grabs Superman by the ankle, and hurls him back down to Earth. Captain Marvel dies as a result, but not as a consequence of anything Superman did -- their fight was already over.

Even using a points system, it'd be tough to separate the two blow for blow. For determining the resolution of the fight, I lean toward Superman, but all actions considered, I think we must call this a draw. Neither fighter strikes a winning blow. Both choose the higher priority of stopping the U.N. bomb. A fight without a victor.

Quite a ways to come for a draw! This was the third attempt at getting Kingdom Come featured. The first few images seen above were scanned in 2012 -- the final pictures captured by a faithful flatbed scanner at the end of its light. This was also to have been the final fight featured for the 10th Anniversary, but got bumped late in favour of Doomsday's arrival in Superman #74. You'll get more of an idea why that was attractive as this month's featured fights unfold.

A huge inspiration this month is obviously the coming spectacle of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Officially in theatres March 25th, the movie pits hero against hero in their first cinematic encounter. Much like today's Kingdom Come fight, it's at the behest of Superman's brilliant arch-nemesis: Lex Luthor. The movie also marks the beginning of a cinematic Justice League, introducing Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), with Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) making smaller appearances.

With so many masters to serve, it's easy to forget the movie will launch as a sequel to 2013's Man of Steel. Since we've already covered the Batman v Superman rivalry many times before, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to double down on featuring more Superman battles. He could probably use the press. These are tough times for the Man of Tomorrow.

Batman was ultimately given first billing in what reads like a calculated move by Warner Brothers' film. Public opinion certainly seems to favour The Dark Knight, as it so often has. Superman has undergone many changes in the last few years to appeal to a broader audience, favouring murder and mass destruction in the 2013 film reboot. Director Zack Snyder insists he didn't "change" the "true canon" of the comic book incarnation. We certainly live in hope. Losing the faith of the people by participating in Metropolis' destruction isn't a great start.

Kingdom Come not so subtly pits the heroes of the Silver Age against the manic principles of early nineties comics. It uses a similar future setting to The Dark Knight Returns to comment on the creative offspring of its grim 'n' gritty 1980s.

There aren't many deliberate targets in Kingdom Come. No glaring analogies to Image Comics characters, or the like. It functions as a basic Justice League story, contributing new ideas along the way. Its meta commentary on ideologies and character creation is ultimately broad, but prescient. Those who choose the shiny, homicidal new toys without feeling or thought are doomed to face the inevitable dead end of a world without heroes, plot lines, a future, or a past.

The saddest thing about the premise of Kingdom Come's prophetic warnings was where the new generation of barren, violent, warring characters came in this decade: the DC heroes themselves.

Kingdom Come never considers the heroes bending completely to the weakness of the audience. Never indulges the prospect of a bomb that literally erases the past and the future. Ten years after Crisis, which brought everything together in a unified whole, it seemed unfathomable and unnecessary that the audience would succeed where Lex Luthor failed. A plot not only to tarnish or brainwash heroes -- but to remake reality where the smear campaign is true.

Kingdom Come, functioning as a story, saw the weathered legends tainted by the rules of the new world, but presumed their example would end with hope. The loss of characters like Captain Marvel cements their worth in a legacy of absence. They're a guiding light for the survivors to strive to be better, and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

After five years of The New 52, you could argue DC chose to become everything Kingdom Come warned against. Trashy reboots, garbled inconsistency, heroes warring in increasingly meaningless crossovers, a heroes dead pool, variant covers instead of new issues sold. A systematic unravelling of the publisher's myth-based dominance of the late 2000s in favour of a reboot of diminishing market share. Echoes of precursors to the crash of the nineties.

Here in 2016, DC are hinting at a course correct with Rebirth -- an upcoming, undisclosed brand rethink. Like the plot of Kingdom Come, it at least promises to reinstate a lost generation of earlier heroes - in this case, the excised JSA.

It will remain to be seen if this restores much needed wisdom and balance to DC Comics, or if history's heroes merely escalate tensions between the old and temporarily, tragically new. Hollywood holds sway in this decade, and their accumulation of understanding awaits individual films slated through to the 2020s. For now, they're content to smash their toys together. Let us hope they survive long enough to be part of something more.

A generation of viewers and readers has grown up believing Superman is a figure rightly resented. Too perfect, too demanding, too strong. A threat. At best, someone to challenge to a prize fight. At worst, a monster to destroy. An alien who should let his adopted father perish to remain under heel. An icon for conformity who should dress and act a certain way or be punished by public opinion. A man you will believe can die. A hero who couldn't stop the bomb.

Lets hope Dawn of Justice and Rebirth inspires us to be super-human again. We need it.

Are you ready to be super-human? Expand your horizons and go beyond the fight with Secret Wars on Infinite Earths! Discover the trials and triumphs of Superman, Batman and the Justice League by following links provided. Find even more via the Issue Index Archive! Get the full story by using Amazon purchase links and hold the universe in the palm of your hands!

From the heavy apocalypse of Kingdom Come, we return to lighter fare next week as we continue our Superman spotlight!

 

Winner: Draw
(+3) #322 Captain Marvel
(new) #379 Superman (Kingdom Come)

OLD COMICS WEDNESDAY: BATMAN V SUPERMAN!
They are the World's Finest heroes - yet their rivalry has grown into one of the greatest conflicts in modern comics! On March 25th - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will bring the world's most iconic superhero pairing to the big screen in their first major crossover! It's the start of a new cinematic DC Universe, and a fresh escalation of tension between these storied combatants.

In this week's Old Comics Wednesday special, we're looking back at the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths tradition of Batman v Superman showdowns! From Frank Miller's seminal final chapter of Dark Knight Returns, to an issue of Superman/Batman simply called Who Would Win?: We've got a selection of superfights perfect for preparing for the movie main event of 2016!

Just as Dawn of Justice will introduce the beginnings of the Justice League, so too have past comic book clashes between Batman and Superman spilled over into the rest of their universe. By clicking the covers below, you'll see fights that also include: Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Arrow, Atom, Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Kryptonite Man! Stay tuned this month for more Batman/Superman battles as well as more flashbacks inspired by Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice!

HERO OF THE WEEK: IRON FIST (Marvel)
Real Name: Danny Rand
First Appearance: Marvel Premiere #15 (May, 1974)
Fight Club Ranking: #40

Featured Fights:
- vs CONSTRICTOR & SABRETOOTH: Power Man & Iron Fist #66 (Dec 1980)
- vs UNUS THE UNTOUCHABLE: Power Man & Iron Fist #90 (Feb 1983)
- vs UNUS THE UNTOUCHABLE: Power Man & Iron Fist #90 (Feb 1983)
- vs AVENGERS: Civil War #3 (Sep 2006)
- vs DAREDEVIL: Daredevil #87 (Sep 2006)
- vs THE HAND: New Avengers #27 (Apr 2007)
- vs MIGHTY AVENGERS: New Avengers #36 (Jan 2008)

There were a handful of other small screen contenders for HOTW this week, but I really couldn't ignore the influence of one of the biggest stories of February: Marvel's reported casting for Iron Fist!

Entertainment Weekly led with the story this week, identifying English actor Finn Jones as the prospective star of the fourth live-action Marvel/Netflix series. You might know Jones best as "Loras Tyrell" from TV's Game of Thrones. I don't know him from a bar of soap. This acknowledges one of the most shocking stories you'll read on this blog all year: I've never watched Game of Thrones.

At 27, he reads a little young on first impression. Which gives me a real tough time picturing him as best bud to 39 year old Mike Colter. Colter appeared as Luke Cage in last year's Jessica Jones, and will headline a Power Man series later this year. I hate to consider the possibility that the Heroes For Hire won't be rock solid BFFs in the land of Netflix, but commitment to the expectations of the character have been sketchy throughout development. Marvel & Netflix have reportedly declined to comment on the casting, so there's still an outlying chance things are not as they seem.

Not that there's anything obviously wrong about the 6', square jawed Brit. He isn't quite the yellow-blonde martial artist I picture from the comics, but he's close enough. It's a given at this point that he's been chosen for his ability to act, but we'll want to see him fight before giving the full endorsement.

I wouldn't ordinarily consider it noteworthy, but it's also true that Jones isn't Asian.

In the build-up, some determined Asian ethnicity a desirable trait in Iron Fist's casting -- a deliberate departure from the character's cross-cultural origins. As is popular for the moment, those in favour became convinced a switch in race could be a course-correct for representation on screen. An attitude that typically disregards decades old source material, good creative, or the more impactful desire to take the opportunity to create and contribute sincere new multi-cultural icons. It doesn't say a lot for the film landscape in general, either, indulging a tunnel visioned reality where the audience is as much to blame for making Marvel Studios the only important thing in the world. More anything? More everything!

Some pushed back, questioning the sensitivity of choosing a master martial artist for Asian stunt casting. I'll assume none of the parties involved are actually partaking in the wonderful world of Chinese cinema, where representation of martial artist and Asian is expert and abundant. Perhaps once mainstream American audiences have become (re)acquainted with Donnie Yen -- upcoming in Star Wars: Rogue One and xXx: The Return of Xander Cage -- we can look forward to his name being thrown around in more racially confused circuses. Too late for The Ancient One's casting, sadly. That could've been fun and fitting. Perhaps a petition for more fair-skinned redheads to be cast in traditional Chinese films? Lets hope not.

Of course, the instinct to harness the Chinese flavour of Iron Fist's mythology isn't at all wrong. There's a fantastic opportunity to populate his world with interesting, genuine Asian characters.

Ultimately, the fusion of cultures -- Chinese & American, ancient & modern, martial arts & superhero -- has always been underlying in what makes the character interesting. A man in a world he doesn't obviously belong to, forced to earn his place and prove his worth. A conceptual vessel for cultural contrast and connection. A good man taking an earnest interest in other cultures and the world around him. Something we should all aspire to.

The new series presents an opportunity to diversify Marvel's portfolio not just with actors, but new genre content, and new visual and conceptual identity. It isn't totally unfamiliar ground: Daredevil season two is gearing up to venture further into the traditions of The Hand ninja clan. Iron Fist can take it further though, offering a more romantic flourish by placing its origin story in the environment of K'un-Lun and/or China itself. This is a story that may or may not benefit from the mountain philosophies soon to be established by November's Doctor Strange [1/4/2016], topical conditioning even if the connections between Marvel's movies and Netflix series don't pan out.

The more things have changed at Marvel, the more they've stayed the same. DD opens the door to a flagging world of martial arts cinema once prominent through to the mid-2000s. Iron Fist can kick that door down, reinvigorating a genre and giving us all something fresh to enjoy. This type of trail blazing is arguably the right lesson to learn from Deadpool. A genre investment even proven properties like Mortal Kombat (Warner Brothers) have been too timid to make. Marvel's for the taking!

Visual identity has been a through line for Hero of the Week this year. As much as I'd like to see some authentic Chinese fabrics and designs in the depiction of a screen K'un-Lun -- what I'd really love to see is Iron Fist's yellow and green. The slippers, the huge collar, the plunging neckline - probably too much imagination to ask of the same adults fumbling in the dark for true cultural understanding. A character who might encourage Daredevil to ditch the 90s style armor for the flexibility of a live-action red onesie? Be still, my beating heart! We'll dare to dream.

Iron Fist probably won't hit streaming services until next year, but with Power Man Luke Cage on his way, I'm sure we'll sideswipe the other Hero For Hire along the way. If you're not real familiar with either character and want to know more, be sure to follow the featured fight links at the top, or character tags littered throughout. You can also find many more stories in the Issue Index Archive!

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DAREDEVIL versus PUNISHER

The Bully (Marvel)
Where: Daredevil #257 When: August 1988
Why: Ann Nocenti How: John Romita Jr

The Story So Far...
When Alfred Coppersmith lost his job to computerized machines, he perceived his enemy as all around him. In retaliation, he lashed out at everyone all at once - spiking over-the-counter aspirin with deadly cyanide!

To a man like former marine Frank Castle, spiked medication is like firing a random bullet into a crowd. It's an act of guerrilla warfare staged in the urban jungle of New York City. Hell's Kitchen is his new frontline, and as The Punisher he's the special operative to bring the bad guy down - by any means necessary!

 

Punisher's tactics have never sat well with Daredevil. As a lawyer by day, he invests his faith in the criminal justice system. He won't allow a disturbed man to be put to death. Even if it means stepping between Coppersmith and a bullet, making an enemy of The Punisher!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Daredevil 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Punisher 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Daredevil 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Daredevil 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Daredevil 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Daredevil 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy: Punisher 4 (Arsenal)

This week we're taking the fight to the streets! Under different circumstances they would be fighting side by side against a common enemy. Two sides of the justice scale - driven against one another by a code of ideals!

Matt Murdock dedicated his life to upholding the law in the courts as a lawyer by day, while by night he uses his radar senses and martial training to enforce it as the vigilante Daredevil. Murdock may be blind, but just like justice, he sees all! Those who escape the right in one walk of life run the risk of meeting him in the other!

Frank Castle dedicated his life to upholding the law as a soldier of the United States Army. Once home, the weed of crime claimed his loving family and he redirected his skills in warfare to enforce lethal justice as the vigilante Punisher!

When matched against one another, there's no denying Daredevil has the edge. His finely honed mastery of martial arts combined with the radar sense he developed after toxic waste took his sight surpasses the hand-to-hand training of The Punisher. We saw that in a previous encounter between the two, where Daredevil handily dealt the winning blow in as show of skill and athleticism [Daredevil #65].

The opponent comparison test highlights the differences between both men. In battles with Deadpool: Daredevil suffered defeat when Deadpool was able to exploit his selfless, heroic nature [Contest of Champions II #4]. On the other hand, Punisher's amoral approach and willingness to utilize the methods of the villain allowed him to soundly trounce the merc' with a mouth in Deadpool: Suicide Kings #2. Similar weapons-based tactics even helped The Punisher overcome rampaging powerhouse Rhino! [Punisher War Journal #3]

Against the criminals they both stalk, The Punisher's lethality makes him a formidable foe. Is he willing to go the distance against a man whose differences hinge on his unwillingness to take a life? Lets find out who the better man is...

History: Daredevil (1-0-0)

The Tape: Daredevil Ranking: Daredevil (#9)

What Went Down...

On a New York City rooftop, The Punisher holds a man above his head. His name is Alfred Coppersmith, but it hardly matters. He's just another criminal caught in the scope of the crazed vigilante. On any other night it would be any other scumbag. Perched moments from death, the only reprieve is a man who dares to be a devil. One shot to save a life - hinging on a blind man's aim.

An order to hold gets Punisher's attention. Daredevil pitches his billy club and catches him some place high. It weakens his hold and he drops Coppersmith hard on his head. Not as hard as it would've been on the pavement below.

Daredevil approaches and Punisher catches him by surprise with a fist to the gut. Hunched over like prize fighters they stare each other down. Punisher's the first to break his gaze. Something about Daredevil's cold stare turns even his eyes away. DD makes him regret it with a stiff left into a hard right cross.

The fight is on and it's on Daredevil's terms. Fists fly and hit their mark. He takes Punisher's trigger finger away with a shot that makes his arm a dead weight of muscle. Another body blow, another cross. The killer goes down.

Punisher evens things out with a sweep kick that hooks Daredevil's knee. With the tables turned Punisher can go for his knife. He only needs one good arm to plunge steel into flesh. Assuming Daredevil's quick reflexes don't roll the target out of the way. They do, and DD swings his arm back to club the back of his opponent's head. Castle eats the concrete roof. There are no rules here.

Daredevil hooks in a full nelson, but Punisher hoists him off his feet into an overhead toss. DD lands nimbly on his feet, but the break is enough time for Punisher to go for his gun. The stakes are rising fast!

The man in red goes back to the gut -- thrusting a kick deep into the death's head logo! The blow triggers a bodily chain reaction that relinquishes Punisher's grip on his sidearm. The desired effect. An enforcement of honor.

Daredevil presses the advantage, raining down a left to the jaw. He follows with a right, but Castle is under it. His shoulder dips and he counters with an quick uppercut. DD goes with it and fires back with an elbow to the gut.

Recovered, Alfred Coppersmith has been taking in the fight. It's the greatest battle he's ever seen. Better than a ringside seat in Madison Square Garden! He could've made a getaway any time -- should've -- but is transfixed by what he thinks to himself is downright superhuman. Then he remembers Punisher's gun.

The heroes stop fighting long enough for Daredevil to plead his case one more time. They're still too distracted to see Coppersmith pick Castle's pistol up. DD wants to take Coppersmith to court. Punisher wants him dealt with. They wonder where he went and as Coppersmith announces himself behind the handle of the gun, he contemplates crippling them to make an escape.

Then Daredevil deals with him. Faster than Coppersmith can think with a flick of his wrist and the toss of a billy club. Lights out for the bad guy. Non-lethal. Next time they see each other it'll be blind lawyer Matt Murdock ready to plead his case to the courts. This time, justice will be served.

The Hammer...

In the matter of moral debate and the course of justice, it's clear Daredevil won out this time. We're more concerned with the outcome of physical superiority, and on the terms of what's presented we must call this a draw!

This story has an overlap with events depicted in Punisher #10. Perhaps in a future instalment we'll explore this fight and the rivalry between Punisher & Daredevil in greater detail. For now, we leave it there.

That leaves us free to acknowledge that todays featured fight was inspired by Daredevil Season 2 coming to Netflix on March 18th. We tackled the subject last month in a Hero of the Week entry [Punisher], and this was the last opportunity to see the rivalry play out in the all in important comics medium before we dive into a month of other hero-on-hero battles.

I find myself becoming less enthused about the live-action version the more its revealed in promotion. On paper, Jon Bernthal makes a solid Punisher, but the show, like so many live-action offerings, simply lacks the commitment to giving the experience a totally unique feel. I'd have to watch the show to fairly comment on the content, but the first bites with the eye are underwhelming. In today's knock down, drag out comic book fight the battle is described as super-human -- equal to the greatest prize fight, but greater in effort. Magnificence is something these shows all too often shy away from. I hope they surprise me.

John Romita Jr owns much of the magnificence of Daredevil #257. His attention to storytelling ensures the fight is blow by blow coherent, choreographed - but also making use of the visual comics medium. You'll notice most panels featured above lack backgrounds. A coincidence of selection that does not capture the overall use of layouts, or the way the story -- told from Alfred Coppersmith's perspective -- weaves in and out of comic book, and tunnelling POV focus.

Though far from a carbon copy, the influence of the best remembered Daredevil writer/artist of the eighties is everywhere. You can get a sense of a consistent visual language from the few panel selections featured from Daredevil #163 in a past feature. Frank Miller looms large over the character to this day, let alone in 1988 when today's feature was published. There are key differences that separate the late eighties from Miller's work that demand special attention, though.

In 2016, we've been hitting on a lot of characters and stories that haven't been featured in ten years of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. I'm very excited to finally induct Ann Nocenti into the site canon!

Nocenti is an influence who doesn't get enough credit for advancing Daredevil from the noir-tinged isolation of Miller's deconstruction and rebirth. She was a writer who did an honourable job maintaining the Miller Hell's Kitchen, but played in two worlds, allowing the epic urban hero to co-exist with the Marvel Universe. Where Miller's ideas are the definitive source of inspiration behind live-action adaptations, the best of Nocenti's run may never see a screen. It's too often wholehearted in its dedication to being a wonderful comic book.

While we highlighted the main event advertised on the cover, a lot of the issue is dedicated to the on-going development of Typhoid Mary - a Nocenti & Romita Jr creation. If Miller's Elektra can't make it to the screen in tact, you can bet your bottom dollar the deliciously bubble gum, punk-rock apocalypse of 1988 Mary will never stand a chance!

I was reminded of Typhoid Mary's exploits last December, while reviewing Savage Dragon #7. Now that we've opened the page to Ann Nocenti, I'm sure we're one step closer to getting to that good stuff. In the mean time, I'm going to leave you with but a vague taste of my gushing enthusiasm.

As always, you can join me in the reading circle by taking advantage of the Amazon link provided [right]. Shopping via the link will help support further exploits in The Comic Book Fight Club. You can find all past exploits in the Issue Index Archive.

Be here next week as we tackle one of the reader's most requested hero on hero fights of all time! Another modern classic battle bumped from our 10th Anniversary spotlight! Check back during the week to catch any additional updates, including the Hero of the Week - and tell your friends!

Winner: Draw

(--) #9 Daredevill
(--) #64 Punisher