HERO OF THE WEEK: DAREDEVIL (Marvel)
Real Name: Matt Murdock
First Appearance: Daredevil #1 (April, 1964)
Fight Club Ranking: #9

Featured Fights:
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #132 (Apr 1976)
- vs HULK: Daredevil #163 (Mar 1980)
- vs PUNISHER: Daredevil #257 (Aug 1988)
- vs TURK: Marvel Comics Presents #19 (May 1989)
- vs SCOPE: Marvel Comics Presents #49 (May 1990)
- vs SLADE: Daredevil: Man Without Fear #2 (Nov 1993)
- vs DEADPOOL: Contest of Champions II #4 (Nov 1999)
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #49 (Sep 2003)
- vs PUNISHER: Daredevil #65 (Nov 2004)
- vs WOLVERINE: Wolverine #24 (Mar 2005)
- vs SINISTER TWELVE: Marvel Knights: Spider-man #11 (Apr 2005)
- vs JESTER: Daredevil #75 (Sep 2005)
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #79 (Jan 2006)
- vs IRON FIST: Daredevil #87 (Sep 2006)
- vs TOMBSTONE: Daredevil #90 (Dec 2006)
- vs TOMBSTONE & MATADOR: Daredevil #91 (Jan 2007)

There are a whole lot of properties vying for your attention right now, but the one with the most cut through in the last seven days is by far: Daredevil!

The sonar-sighted superhero returned to Netflix, March 18th, for a second series of thirteen hard hitting episodes -- unlucky, for some! If you were here earlier in the year [1/11/2016], you know former Hero of the Week The Punisher is Daredevil's arch-rival in the sequel series, which also introduces Elektra.

The arrival of Marvel's murderously militant vigilante has upped the stakes for the streets of Marvel Netflix, and fuelled a level of intrigue that defies mixed reviews, and the slightly cheap and nasty Netflix style. Which is to say, like a lot of praised comic book television of the moment, I tend to think the show is awaiting a harsher rethink from habitual binge viewers still soaking up the novelty.

A theme of this year's Hero of the Week has been design in live-action, which may be among the softest targets for the Daredevil show. Punisher gets the look right, remembering the death's head emblem omitted from earlier adaptations. Anyone with color trademarks is subject to compromise.

In the late nineties, fans rallied around mutual agreement that black armor was antithetical to the Daredevil character -- a sin of the time. Restoration of the iconic red look coincided with the very Daredevil renaissance that made TV a viable, exciting prospect. Armored DD was consigned to cultural regret - a touchstone for what-not-to-do. The binary costume/no costume dynamic of Frank Miller's milestone work gave superior options, ending with Miller's desire to make comics less cinematic. Fans of the time had no idea where things were going...

The 2003 feature film grappled with similar concerns of colour and proportion. They shied away from literal body armor, but arrived at a conceit of protective leather that isn't worlds apart. Both examples challenge the acrobatic nature of the character. Why hasn't he worn armor for the majority of fifty years? Because that would severely impede the skilful mobility that is his greatest strength.

2002's Spider-man gave costumed heroes permission to be bold on screen, but the Daredevil film makers were intimidated by possibility of comparisons. They shied away from vibrant reds and a clean anatomy. Zips, clips and a detached mask were the solution to breaking up the outline. Even in comics, DD had been known as the poor man's Spidey from time to time, but it's such a shame to see success be the reasoning behind a fearful decision. At that time, the black pleather of X-Men was already looking dated. A different costume likely wouldn't have improved the legacy of Mark Steven Johnson's monetarily successful movie, but as one of several better decisions - who knows?

Proposing a man walk on screen in a bright red, spandex onesie is never gonna work -- but it doesn't have to. Spider-man films are the standard barer for embellishing the human form in figure hugging costumes. Flair is the solution to giving texture to an otherwise simplistic design. It's amazing how little visual style exists in an era dominated by comic book properties! Daredevil's red should pop against thick blacks. Lighting contrast and cinematography wouldn't just elevate the classic costume, but the works in general. It should inspire composition. Film is missing romance! A study in human anatomy in motion is something I'd love to see. Life after Nolan has been too often defined by choices of what can't be done. Superheroes can do anything. They're amazing.

That mask remains a surprisingly tricky one. The tall dimensions of Ben Affleck's head provided the opposite obstacle faced by Charlie Cox. The Netflix cowl is improving, but depending on the angle, it can still look like the top half is an avalanche threatening to consume his face. Do you cast an actor for their cranium, or their art form? I'm not sure I'm really convinced by the ofay Brit the Matt Murdock I think of, but he serves his purpose in anchoring the show.

I've got mixed feelings about their slow burn approach, which chose to make a plot of the iconic DD costume, which is at least undergoing slight modification in Series 2. On the one hand, I appreciate the economy of storytelling and sense of ceremonial gravitas. On the other hand, spreading the simple things thin reminds that budget has a commanding role, and there's still a long way to go before live-action matches comics for content.

Fortunately, there's plenty of comics goodness to go around! If you're digging Daredevil you can get a choice range of past entries via last week's Old Comics Wednesday. You can find more from the Netflix heroes by following links to Punisher, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist!

<< Hero of the Week 03/28: Wonder Woman    [Home]    Hero of the Week 03/14: Spider-man >> 

CAPTAIN MARVEL & HAWKMAN versus SUPERMAN & BATMAN

Public Enemies Part Four: Battle On (DC)
Where: Superman/Batman #4 When: January 2004
Why: Jeph Loeb How: Ed McGuinness

The Story So Far...
A giant piece of the destroyed planet Krypton is hurtling towards the Earth! The humongous meteorite threatens all life on Earth, but President of the United States Lex Luthor has a plan to thwart what his government claims is a proven attack orchestrated by Superman!

 

Uniting with Batman; Metropolis' Man of Tomorrow helps devise a plan to stop the celestial threat, and undo Lex Luthor's corrupt political scheme once and for all -- becoming a wanted fugitive in the process!

 

With a bounty on their heads, the World's Finest evade attacks from some of the most notorious figures in the criminal underworld, before fending off a team of government enlisted heroes. When an accident during the fight causes mass destruction in Tokyo, the big guns of the Justice Society of America finally agree to step in to take the pair down safely and quietly at the rest of Wonder Woman. Enter the JSA's hand-picked heroes for a showdown in the snowy mountains of Japan: Captain Marvel & Hawkman!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Captain Marvel 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speeds)
Stamina: Superman 6 (Generator)
Agility: Batman 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Hawkman 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Superman 5 (Lasers)

Over the past month we've seen instances of The Man of Steel getting the better of Captain Marvel [Kingdom Come #4] and Hawkman [Justice League of America #200] individually. So what happens when the battle escalates to titanic tag team proportions? That's what we aim to find out today as the JSA deploy their two most perfectly suited enforcers for an explosive two-on-two encounter with the JLA's finest: Superman & Batman!

Captain Marvel and Hawkman know each other relatively well, but the edge of familiarity likely has to go to the defending team.

Superman & Batman don't always see eye to eye, and the reason their occasionally bitter rivalry gets so volatile isn't just rooted in difference -- but because they know each other so darn well! When they're fighting on the same side that spells bad news for any opponents! Just take a look at past skirmishes with: Darkseid [Superman/Batman #42], Atomic Skull [Superman/Batman #21], Mongul [Infinite Crisis #1], and inhabitants of a universe where they conquered the world: Green Arrow [Superman/Batman #14] and Freedom Fighters [Superman/Batman #15]!

They haven't conquered the world in today's feature, but their fellow heroes are operating under the instruction that it's a possible goal. This means Captain Marvel & Hawkman can put some of their reluctance aside when fighting. An argument can be made that this allows them to fully exploit key advantages they hold over their counterparts.

As we saw in Superman #216: Captain Marvel & Superman match-up pretty well, but the magic strength of Hercules and power of Zeus gives Cap the slight strength advantage needed when employing his ruthless lightning ambush. Nth metal enhancements ensure Hawkman has a decided strength advantage over The Batman, as well. If he can use his medieval arsenal with impunity, even the ever-resourceful Batman could quickly find himself at a deadly disadvantage!

Switch it up and things get even worse for Batman, who won't have kryptonite to fall back on fighting the magic of Shazam, the way he usually does against Superman. Play that scenario out and the best Superman can hope for is a drag out one-on-one fight with the big red cheese. With a kryptonite meteor heading for the Earth, that's not an ideal place to be.

The Tape stats noted above show Superman & Batman have versatility over the specialist skills of their opponents, but the only way to know for sure is to let the fight play out! Let's see how it went...

The Tape: Superman & Batman Ranking: Batman (#1)

What Went Down...

Touching down with Powergirl & Katana en tow; Superman & Batman draw their plans to save a world they've been accused of threatening. Knowing the battle is far from over, they charge their juniors with a vital mission. They will not be able to execute it. A streaking red blur confirms it.

A weighted net ensnares The Batman, followed by the descending shadow of the winged Hawkman! He commands the outlaw heroes to honor their past and make it easy. Standing boldly over his fallen target, Captain Marvel echoes the sentiment -- reminding Superman he's beaten him before and will do so again.

Superman chooses non-compliance, blasting Captain Marvel in the face with an explosion of heat vision! His words scold as harshly as the heat, challenging the Captain for accepting President Luthor's orders!

While the super-powers collide, Batman gets to freeing himself from his netted prison. A cutting tool makes light work of the snare. Hawkman warns him to stay down. An interesting choice of words.

Superman and Captain Marvel come to super-human blows. The Man of Steel reviews his opponent's innate advantages. Toe-to-toe his magic power gives Captain Marvel the edge. A straight right to the jaw punctuates the point, before a stinging left follows directly at Superman's face!

Meanwhile, Batman observes Hawkman's obvious advantage: flight. As the winged warrior swoops with trademark fixed mace in hand, Batman attempts to turn the tables - firing his grappling cable around his flying foe!

The Bat succeeds in grounding Hawkman for a moment, but any advantage is short-lived -- the power of his mighty wings too great for the tensile strength of the chord! The recoil sends Batman flying!

Clearly struggling against their respective opponents: Batman calls for a "castling" strategy - a switch of King and Rook.

To facilitate the exchange, Superman catches Captain Marvel's next blow and uses the leverage to toss him in the direction of Batman! The Bat gets a kick in, directing Marvel's careening body into the snow -- while in the blink of an eye Superman goes airborne, collecting Hawkman at mach speed!

The Man of Steel heads for the Earth's upper atmosphere with a note of regret, intending for Hawkman to blackout. The veteran scoffs his target's arrogance, knowing full well what Superman & Batman are attempting. Far from done, he introduces Superman to his glove: The Claw of Horus!

The Claw draws its power from the Earth's magnetic core -- allowing Hawkman to hit Superman with the force of the entire planet! The blow sends Superman plummeting back down to Earth with extreme prejudice!

While below, Batman investigates Captain Marvel's impact. Instead he discovers young Billy Batson in the snow with a cut on his forehead. The Dark Knight checks on his opponent's mortal counterpart. When Batson whispers the magic word "Shazam" a magic bolt of lightning strikes the Earth to transform him back into the big red cheese Captain Marvel!

With Batman slumped over his shoulder, Marvel re-joins Hawkman - who stands over an unconscious and wounded Superman! Victorious!

The Hammer...

Did you see it happening? Our winners are very much Captain Marvel & Hawkman, but there's more to this story than meets the eye...

If you followed the recap, you may have noticed the absence of Powergirl and Katana - who exited just as the fight started.

 

This was the real key to victory, as Superman and Batman's ultimate goal in the fight was to ensure they were left unhindered. It's all part of a larger plot to avert the disaster President Lex Luthor has accused Superman of causing. The very reason they were in remote Japan - home to the industrious Toyman.

Fans of the Public Enemies story will know Captain Marvel & Hawkman's victory is short-lived. Somewhere between the end of the fight and Superman/Batman #5, the title duo blindsided their opponents while their guards were down, in order to steal their identities. This allows the fugitive Superman & Batman to confront Luthor at close proximity, and rescue their protégés, who had responded to premature news of their capture.

It's a contrivance almost purely for the reader's sake -- just barely functional enough in the bigger picture to make its convincing execution worth the while. It got us a kickass fight between rival heroes, and gave half a subsequent issue to a fun group of young heroes. Not bad!

 

It doesn't hurt that the whole affair is deliciously rendered by a master team of artists. I'm a big fan of the world according to Ed McGuinness. He was a natural fit for Superman, and I think a surprisingly effective and maybe underrated Batman artist, as well. He doesn't do it alone, of course. He's brought to his very best by inker Dexter Vines, with perfect, wet paint colors from Dave Stewart. The end result is big, bold, powerful and wonderful to look at.

 

It's easy to forget that a Superman/Batman team-up book was a slightly sketchy proposal in 2003, especially on the back of Jeph Loeb's instrumental rekindling of the Batman v Superman rivalry that same year [Batman #612]. McGuinness played a big part in successfully selling the dynamic of character examination under big action frivolity that underscored much of Loeb's run. There's positive and negative, but it gave something back to the introspective superhero comics of the time. If DC's upcoming Rebirth intends to address things that are missing - this balance of elements, characters, fun, stakes, and Ed McGuinness' pencils are all good places to start!

 

Ironically, some of McGuinness' least effective pages take place during the Captain Marvel/Hawkman fight. The intention of certain action sequences aren't as clear as they should be. These panels leave a lot of vague, uninteresting, dead space. Some of this seems to be in service of not calling attention to Hawkman's trump card - The Claw of Horus. It works, giving the reveal impact without obviously holding his hand behind his arm, but it may've pressured the Captain Marvel "Castling" sequence into some flat panels.

 

Something I do like about the Superman/Hawkman sequence is how well it plays off the fight in Justice League of America #200. That time Hawkman was left for dead floating unconscious in space. This time he was prepared!

 

Some may argue the surprise twist in Superman/Batman #5 invalidates the victory demonstrated in today's feature, but the result is never explicitly disputed. The outcome is merely overturned by a second, unseen skirmish. By hook or by crook, Captain Marvel & Hawkman did defeat Superman & Batman as we saw. Secret Wars on Infinite Earths bylaws typically dictate results should be determined by issue cut-off. The facts of the case just so happen to support the result, either way.

 

Which pretty much takes care of that! It also wraps up our run of Superman's battles with heroes for this month! It won't be the last time we take inspiration from the March 25th release of Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice, though! There's a third hero set to play a feature role and they'll be tag teaming with one of the other most talked about heroes coming soon to theatres. If you guess this unlikely pairing -- you'll deserve a no prize! 'Nuff said!

 

As always, you can find more Superman & Batman battles by following the links, or checking out the Issue Index Archive.

Stay tuned for more Hero of the Week and Old Comics Wednesday portal picks, too! Wanna read the comics you've seen here yourself? Use Amazon purchase links provided to support the site! Be sure to tell your friends, too!

Winners: Captain Marvel & Hawkman

(--) #1 Batman

(--) #4 Superman

(+8) #27 Hawkman

(+222) #100 Captain Marvel

OLD COMICS WEDNESDAY: DAREDEVIL SEASON TWO!

A Dark Knight looms over the superhero movie landscape this month, but justice is blind on Netflix when Daredevil returns for a second season - March 18th! Causing trouble for Charlie Cox' blind lawyer turned vigilante in Season 2 is a darker edge of unlicensed law enforcement: The Punisher!

Marvel's Man Without Fear has been a perennial favourite on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, so it only makes sense we cast our senses back to some classic confrontations for this week's Old Comics Wednesday! By clicking covers below, you'll find Daredevil locked in mortal combat with the likes of: Punisher, Wolverine, Iron Fist, Bullseye, Tombstone and The Jester!

Look closely and you'll also find some Daredevil Season 2 inspired bonus battles featuring The Punisher, Elektra, Kingpin and the nefarious ninja clan The Hand!

HERO OF THE WEEK: SPIDER-MAN (Marvel)
Real Name: Peter Parker
First Appearance: Amazing Fantasy #15 (August, 1962)
Fight Club Ranking: #2

Featured Fights:
- vs WIZARD & MYSTERIO: Amazing Spider-man Annual #4 (1967)
- vs DR. DORCAS & TIGERSHARK: Marvel Team-Up #14 (Oct 1973)
- vs TRAPSTER: Marvel Team-Up #58 (Jun 1977)
- vs GREEN GOBLIN: Amazing Spider-man #176 (Jan 1978)
- vs HULK: Marvel Treasury Edition #25 (1980)
- vs JUGGERNAUT: Amazing Spider-man #230 (Jul 1982)
- vs BLACKLASH: Marvel Team-Up #145 (Sep 1984)
- vs TOMBSTONE: Spectacular Spider-man #142 (Sep 1988)
- vs MAGNETO: Amazing Spider-man #327 (Dec 1989)
- vs TRI-SENTINEL: Amazing Spider-man #329 (Feb 1990)
- vs ELECTRO: Marvel Holiday Special '92 (Jan 1993)
- vs DOPPELGANGER & SHRIEK: Spider-man Unlimited #1 (May 1993)
- vs CARNAGE: Spider-man Unlimited #2 (Aug 1993)
- vs MEPHISTO: Marvel Holiday Special '93 (Jan 1994)
- vs SCORPION: Spectacular Spider-man #215 (Aug 1994)
- vs GREY GARGOYLE: Marvel: Heroes & Legends #1 (Oct 1996)
- vs RHINO: Spider-man: Blue #2 (Aug 2002)
- vs GREEN GOBLIN: Marvel Knights: Spider-man #1 (Jun 2004)
- vs SINISTER TWELVE: Marvel Knights: Spider-man #11 (Apr 2005)
- vs SECRET AVENGERS: Civil War #3 (Sep 2006)
- vs MAN-APE: Black Panther #18 (Sep 2006)
- vs HUMAN TORCH: Amazing Spider-man #543 (Jan 2007)
- vs THE HAND: New Avengers #27 (Apr 2007)
- vs SANDMAN: Spider-man Family #1 (Apr 2007)
- vs VENOM: Spider-man Family #2 (Jun 2007)
- vs GOMDULLA: Spider-man Family #3 (Aug 2007)
- vs MIGHTY AVENGERS: New Avengers #36 (Jan 2008)
- vs MENACE: Amazing Spider-man #585 (Apr 2009)
- vs SPOT: Amazing Spider-man #589 (May 2009)
- vs THE HOOD & DORMAMMU: New Avengers #54 (Aug 2009)
- vs DR. OCTOPUS: Amazing Spider-man #600 (Sep 2009)

Could there possibly be any doubts about the Hero of the Week of the last seven days? You'd have to have been living under a rock to have avoided the first-look at Marvel's co-produced revamp of Spider-man -- appearing in the latest trailer for Captain America: Civil War!

It's the long awaited introduction of 19 year old actor Tom Holland, who takes up the role from departing star Andrew Garfield, in the first partnership between Marvel Studios and Spider-movie license holders: Sony Pictures.

Holland has one line in the trailer after Tony Stark summons him to steal Cap's shield: "Hey, guys". Reactions to the character's new voice have been a bigger talking point than the line itself, but the real feature of the trailer is Spidey's latest film design [seen below], and the animation of the character.

For the most part it's the classic Spider-man attire you know and love - which is always good to see! I like that they've deviated from Sony's approach to the webbing motif, making it part of the costume, as opposed to separate three-dimensional piping. The challenge will be how well the exceptionally thin lines read on film. The vertical array of the classic webbed motif is actually two sets of thin lines meeting side-by-side. I wonder if that's to help the visual consistency in longer shots. I do wonder if thicker black lines might have been better, but it's no real complaint.

The biggest change is probably the eye lenses, which appear to have some range of movement in the black frame! It's always been a stylistic conceit of the comics that the expressionless mask would be allowed to emote for the reader. I'm surprised to see an attempt to translate the idea to the reality of live-action film. It seems unnecessary, even if it's visually interesting. On closer inspection, it seems mechanical layered shutters create the effect, rather than actual emoting.

Given Spidey's position on Team Iron Man, and Peter Parker's interest in photography, you could speculate about an innovative explanation that builds the relationship. In the comics, Civil War's Spidey/Iron Man team-up gave us red and gold "Iron Spider" armor. Hi-tech lenses pale in comparison, but I'm not sure how I feel yet. It seems early in the life of the character, who's effectively starting over, to establish a relationship. The visual feels John Romita accurate. Smaller than the giant eyes of the eighties and nineties that I slightly prefer, but clean and visually appealing.

About the only real complaint I could register based on the brief preview are the go-faster stripes. The inclusion of thick blue bars that break-up the red sections of the classic costume seems odd, to me. The kind of arbitrary flourish Hollywood likes. A reason for somebody to feel like they did their job "designing" the new look? I don't know. It seems counter-productive to finally deliver a more comic accurate design, only to add an arbitrary new element. It gives it a look of off-the-shelf sports gear. That played into the last generation of the film origin. Maybe it will play in the third, too.

What ever the case: the trailer has given me things to think about, and shown me enough to know I want to see more. Which is generally the purpose of a trailer...

For every unqualified raving lunatic with an axe to grind, there is the inevitable equal opposite, who insists nothing can be gleaned from a three minute clip.

It pays to remember trailers are released for public scrutiny, and are by definition there to be judged. Previews are usually arranged carefully and released by the studio to garner interest in purchasing the movie. Established licenses and properties give studios built-in interest to work with (or against), but this self-perpetuating fan culture should never extinguish the need for film makers to impress, excite, or entice. If you're following pre-release material, but leaving all critical thinking until the moment you've left the theatre, you may want to reconsider brain function linked to basic human survival.

Of course, there's no denying the Sony/Marvel deal makes reality most fanboy's dreams to see the comics come to life.

It feels right to see the company mascot at home in the middle of the action. His original Civil War role seems largely unnecessary for a successful adaptation, but it hardly even seems to be about that.

It's another phase in the unprecedented assembly of a live-action universe. One still brimming with promise: to be tapped next July (2017) in the first Spider-man solo movie under the studio partnership. Where things go after that is anyone's guess!

I'd love to see the classic Spidey/Daredevil New York dynamic explored, but tonally the two properties seem incompatible in their current states. Re-casting Tom Holland as the young Peter Parker seems limiting in ways Andrew Garfield avoided, but with news he successfully auditioned opposite Marvel's newest Punisher - Jon Bernthal [HOTW 01/11/2016] -- anything seems possible!

Bernthal says the Spidey/Punisher tapes exist, and it's hard not to get a buzz out of the thought Marvel executives have a reference for their chemistry on film. Punisher's expected to get his own Netflix series spinning out of the Daredevil Season 2 appearance, but the idea of a touring character doing guest spots in various projects is a twist yet to be fully broached. A frontier Spidey opens.

Captain America: Civil War is officially in wide theatrical release May 6, 2016. Rest assured there'll be plenty of action inspired by the movie right here in May! March belongs to another hero-on-hero rivalry, but be here during the week for more from the Marvel House of Ideas!

<< Hero of the Week 03/21: Daredevil       [Home]       Hero of the Week 03/07: Black Canary >> 

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. 

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