MAN MOUNTAIN MARKO & EEL versus HEROES FOR HIRE

Riding Shotgun! (Marvel)
Where: Power Man & Iron Fist #92 When: April 1983 Why: Kurt Busiek How: Denys Cowan

The Story So Far...
A recent near-miss with the Human Torch has led Maggia heavyweight Hammerhead back to police custody! His organized crime connections are itching to help the super-mobster fly the coup, forcing authorities to relocate him to a prison facility upstate, away from crooked ties.

Moving a villain with the super-strong ramming capabilities of Hammerhead takes a specially design maximum security containment vehicle -- and a special escort to make sure nothing shady happens on the way. Enter: The Heroes For Hire!

Iron Fist Danny Rand has accepted the gig for a reasonable fee. All he and Power Man have to do is make sure the truck reaches its destination without incident. Piece of cake, right? Nahhh! The Maggia are planning to spring their boy en route. Watch your backs, Heroes for Hire! Trouble's coming your way!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Luke Cage 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Iron Fist 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Iron Fist 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Luke Cage 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Iron Fist 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Iron Fist 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Eel 4 (Arsenal)

Total: Iron Fist 28 (Metahuman)

How do you feel about a little tag team action? We've got a couple of unranked ringers ready to take down the Heroes for Hire! They were hired to stage a jailbreak for their boss Hammerhead -- but there's a bit of history here, too!

Man Mountain Marko is exactly what it says on the label -- a mountain of a man! Michael Marko used to be an ordinary street thug until The Maggia organized crime mob fulfilled his wish for super-powers! Now his towering frame possesses greatly enhanced strength and durability, making him the perfect muscle for Maggia bosses like Silvermane and Hammerhead!

He's new to the Fight Club rankings, but has a history of harassing the likes of Spider-man, The Lizard, and even Jessica Jones in more recent years!

He's a no frills heavy, but that doesn't mean he should ever be taken lightly. He's had the better of Power Man in the past, and was thwarted by Iron Fist! He's got old beef with the Heroes for Hire -- and a new partner to help settle the score!

Edward Lavell is the second man to don the electrically powered suit of The Eel! He inherited the technology after Leopold Stryke was murdered by Melvin Potter, aka; the deadly Gladiator!

As it so happens, this is Lavell's first time out in the suit. It marks the beginning of a criminal career that will see him battle the likes of Spider-man, Daredevil, Captain America, and Black Cat!

How can the Eel stand toe-to-toe with such illustrious enemies? The suit allows him to direct electrical bolts offensively, shock anyone who makes contact, direct a current through any conductive material, and emit an electrical field. The suit keeps him insulated from electric shock -- and secretes a greasy substance that makes him as slippery as his namesake!

Power Man & Iron Fist have of course dealt with similar opponents as a pairing, and individually. In Power Man & Iron Fist #66 we saw them beat the pairing of Constrictor & Sabretooth, a follow-up to Iron Fist's solo win against Sabretooth in Iron Fist #14. Unus the Untouchable put them on the back foot in Power Man & Iron Fist #90, but they worked it out in the end.

Marko and Cage are pretty evenly matched. Eel could be tricky, using the advantage of ranged bolts of electricity to keep the Iron Fist out of reach. Fist's fast feet and flying kicks should be good for closing distance. There's another way to come at the fight, but we'll leave that for the real deal. Let's get into it!

The Tape: Heroes for Hire Ranking: Power Man (#9)

What Went Down...

Lost in the wind and road noise roaring past their ears -- Power Man & Iron Fist fail to notice a uniquely quiet helicopter hovering mere feet behind them! Its cargo: two shadowy figures ready to drop onto the speeding containment truck and move in to announce themselves: Man Mountain Marko and Eel!

Power Man is first to his feet, eager to settle an old score with Marko. The Man Mountain greets him with a wild haymaker that narrowly misses its target -- not because of Power Man's swiftness, but rather the lurching of the truck!

Iron Fist confronts the man wearing the powersuit of The Eel. The new villain introduces himself with an old attack -- arcing two electrical bursts from his fingertips to the martial artist! Iron Fist just barely escapes their charge, firing back with a high straight kick!

Cops spot the action on the truck, but can't get a straight shot at the speeding vehicle -- even if they knew who to shoot! Fortunately, Luke Cage has the fight in hand, knocking the Man Mountain down to size with an uppercut!

He towers over his old nemesis noting his silence, only to have Marko turn the tables once more with a sudden kick that sends Cage tumbling over the side!

Iron Fist fears for his partner's peril, but Eel is on him before he can do anything to help! The electric fiend's fists swat the martial artist's face. He falls at first, but a quick kip-up has him back on his feet and in the fight. Eel slips around his extended arm to get into close quarters -- slippery like his namesake!

Meanwhile, Power Man finds himself having avoided road rash by clinging to the side of the container. Marko spots Cage and comes to stomp him off, but a sudden lurch of the truck plants him on his mountain-sized keister!

Iron Fist starts to see the elements of a stalemate as he easily avoids Eel's wild haymaker. He counter-fires with a high martial arts kick that fails to hit its mark. He and The Eel may be better at staying on their feet than their heavyweight comrades -- but there's too much movement for precision strikes.

Eel reckons on the same, but comes up with an all together deadlier tie breaker.

The metal trailer is a perfect conductor for Eel's electric shocks, but the charge finds his partner when fleet-footed Iron Fist leaps above the carriage!

Cage isn't afraid of Eel's sting, either. He gets back to the top of the container to bring the tag team tussle to a conclusion. Much to Power Man's dismay, Iron Fist thinks it's time to switch partners. He trash talks Man Mountain a little more, distracting him so much he doesn't see the martial artist flying his way!

Eel confidently slips around his new opponent and drives his fist into his back -- but it hurts him more than Power Man! He nurses his knuckles for a moment and then swings around for his trump card -- but Cage is unfazed!

Eel's charge can't rival Cage's other foes. He stalks toward the newest wearer of the Eel suit with purpose. The villain gives up. Fat lot of good that'll do him. Advantage: Heroes for Hire!

The Man Mountain is still standing and he knows all he has to do is lay one good shot on Iron Fist to even the score. The speedy martial artist makes certain to remain evasive as he moves in.

Iron Fist uses Man Mountain's height to duck under his reach and springs up at breathing distance to slam both his arms against the sides of Marko's skull!

The shaking of the truck doesn't give the attack the sting it usually would've had. Marko's still on his feet and swinging mad when Iron Fist does something drastic: he jumps off the truck! Or so it seems...

Fist feigned the suicide fall to give himself the leverage and advantage to vault back up for a devastating kick! His body pendulums up -- colliding foot first into the back of Man Mountain Marko's skull! A kayo!

The Hammer...

Was there ever any doubt? Switching partners gave the Power Man & Iron Fist the edge they needed to beat the bad guys!

Cage's strength and resilience neutralized the new Eel's electric arsenal. Iron Fist's technical skill and balance on uneven ground was more than a match for muscleman Marko!

Mixing things up is an old superhero tactic, but some fans may know it as "castling" thanks to the popular parlance of Superman/Batman #4. A sneaky chess reference from wile writer Jeph Loeb that fits the bill very well!

March on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths was destined to be a month of martial arts mayhem inspired by the release of Iron Fist on Netflix!

The live-action series is as good a reason as any to celebrate choice cuts featuring the immortal weapon. With early impressions of show coming up dour, the world will need the comics if they're to understand the joy of this classic Marvel mainstay.

If you've been around the site before, you know all about my love of second and third-string villains. Maggia meatheads fit that bill nicely, and by deploying the Heroes for Hire on a security mission, Kurt Busiek and Denys Cowan give us a nice twist on the duo's usual urban capers!

Iron Fist was the one who accepted the job, of course. Power Man's past of wrongful imprisonment doesn't exactly make him enthusiastic about a prison escort mission. The odd couple dynamic of Danny Rand's enthusiasm and stiff reluctance from Cage have been cranked up to 11 in the most recent series.

We'll take a closer look at the Power Man & Iron Fist of today in our next feature fight. For now, I was inspired to dig up today's particular fight because of the publicized announcement of a new rogues gallery in the Iron Fist series.

"The Eel of Blessed Waters" of The Seven Masters got me thinking about past foes. I gather he (or she) doesn't have anything to do with the Eel featured in today's '83 flashback, but the notion tickled my fancy any way.

Usually when I see Eel get a mention these days, it's part of a meatball collective getting their butts handed to them. I might be overlooking something with a bit more heft, but this kind of fly-by-night villain that used to be a Marvel mainstay feels more scarce. The thought of dusting Eel off to be a recurring nemesis to Iron Fist wouldn't be such a bad idea. I guess that's been the charm of the new Power Man & Iron Fist, even though it's a little more slapstick.

We shouldn't let this battle go without a mention of Man Mountain Marko. A simple bruiser with a lot of charm. I prefer the greaser look with black leathers to the disco-era tough guy in white, but it's all pretty good. Sometimes it just takes a big, strong guy! Eel isn't the most natural tag team partner, but I like that these guys at least got another run at Power Man & Iron Fist. Kinda like the more high-profile pairing of Sabretooth & Constrictor.

Man Mountain is a co-creation of the John Romita Sr era of Amazing Spider-man, which gets me wondering what the heck "Marko" did to Stan Lee!

Marvel delivered a triple threat of jerks in relative rapid fire: Flint Marko ('63), Cain Marko ('65), and Michael Marko ('69)! Did a young Stan Lee suffer a clan of miscreants like the O'Doyle brothers of Billy Madison fame? I guess Sandman and even Juggernaut showed signs of redemption, so maybe catharsis wasn't quite the order. Still, you've got to wonder!

If you noticed Hammerhead's pride of place on the cover [top], you know we'll be coming back to this issue some time in the future. Classic mobsters are one of the many categories sorely lacking in the Comic Book Fight Club Archive!

If villains are your thing, or if you're just looking for classic battles and more superhero smackdown, be sure to follow links scattered throughout the post! You can also get links to fights inspired by the day's hot topics by follow on Facebook and Twitter! Being a hero for hire don't come cheap, and a like and share can make a whole lotta difference!

Winners: Power Man & Iron Fist
#8 (+1) Power Man (Luke Cage)
#18 (+3) Iron Fist
#824 (new) Man Mountain Marko
#825 (new) Eel (Edward Lavell)

HERO OF THE WEEK: DOCTOR FATE (DC)
Real Name: Kent Nelson
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #55 (May, 1940)
Fight Club Ranking: #144

Featured Fights:
- vs MORGAUTH: JSA Strange Adventures #1 (Oct 2004)
- vs DEMONS THREE: Justice League Unlimited #14 (Dec 2005)

The big reveals for DC Comics fighting game Injustice 2 keep coming with what might be the most exciting new addition yet: Doctor Fate! The good doc was unveiled in a new trailer late last week, which delivers a promising first look at the golden age hero's fighting game debut!

I'm not totally sold on the slightly robotic, in-helmet voice, but it's an otherwise enjoyable depiction based on what we've seen. NetherRealm Studios being what they are, they've fiddled with the generally simple design that serviced the character since his introduction in the 1940s. Given their penchant for straps, shoulder pads, flaps, and other clutter, it's a tasteful adaptation. The gold is nice, and extra panels of armor and patterns are kept to a relative minimum. The faint gold on his stomach reads a little like an unfortunate food stain beneath his armored bib -- but it's not too bad.

The aesthetic appeal of Doctor Fate's helmet is always a pleasure and should be more than enough to excite a neophyte gaming audience about the character. I'm a little less confident in what the story mode will put forward.

One of the most critical flaws of the much praised Injustice: Gods Among Us was its half-hearted plot and characterization. It remains the toughest aspect to sell, even though it tends to be one of the most lauded on release. A lot of reviewers and fans have already begun to turn on the first games flimsy premise. Here's hoping greater investment can be made to up the quality and DC Comics reference.

I'm not holding my breath, but I like enough of what I'm seeing to make Doctor Fate our Hero of the Week! With any luck we can back that up some time in the future with a few more featured fights. The two battles (noted top) tap into Fate's charming affiliations with the JSA and Justice League, but do little to feature the hero like he should be! One of many for the To Do List, methinks!

Injustice 2 is out in two months, coming May for PS4 and Xbox One. With any luck we'll get a chance to look more closely at some of the interesting new characters. If that isn't enough for you, why not flash back to the last time Doctor Fate made the grade as a 2009 HOTW! You can also find plenty more DC Comics heroes & villains in action by following links and diving into the Archive Index! The Lords of Order compel you!

<< Hero of the Week 03/13: Iron Fist     [Home]     Hero of the Week 02/27: Wolverine >>

SABRETOOTH versus IRON FIST

Snowfire (Marvel)
Where: Iron Fist #14 When: August 1977
Why: Chris Claremont How: John Byrne

The Story So Far...
A message from Colleen Wing sends Danny Rand trekking across the border to Canada in a dash to help his friend!

She's been employed as a bodyguard while Rand-Meachum lawyer Jeryn Hogarth investigates a plot to rip the company off. Good thing, too! Hogarth's getting dangerously close to the answers he seeks -- and someone isn't happy about it!

A thirty-minute helicopter ride over Banff takes Colleen and Danny to their destination: a remote chalet where the mercenary Sabretooth awaits their arrival! They escape the killer and his henchmen, but are forced to endure the cold of a night on the Rockies before they can make their return to save Hogarth! Death awaits as Iron Fist faces Sabretooth mano-a-mano!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Sabretooth 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Sabretooth 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Sabretooth 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Iron Fist 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Sabretooth 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Iron Fist 3 (Explosives)
Total: Draw 28 (Metahuman)

Everybody knows Sabretooth is one of Wolverine's deadliest enemies! A little less well known: that he started out mixing it up with a completely different hero! We're in for another classic Marvel milestone in today's feature fight!

There's a good chance you know the basics about the mutant called Victor Creed. He possesses an accelerated mutant healing factor, claw-like finger nails, phenomenal strength, heightened senses, and generally impressive physical constitution. He also has an uncanny acumen for violence and animal savagery.

Creed's true history is muddled. That's thanks in part to time spent with the Weapon X project - notorious for implanting false memories. It's believed he exhibited mutant traits at a very young age. He killed his brother, remaining chained in the family basement where his father would rip the canine teeth from his mouth. A repeated ritual thanks to his uncanny healing abilities.

This generally lousy childhood started Sabretooth on a blood stained path to a life of pain and misery. Some time after leaving Weapon X, he began applying his lethal skills to life as a mercenary. It was a job in the Canadian rockies that first brought him into conflict with his frequent foe: Iron Fist!

Danny Rand had his own troubling childhood experiences, but emerged a very different man! Born to a wealthy entrepreneur; Danny was the heir apparent to a fortune -- and a secret martial arts legacy!

His father Wendell was once adopted by Lord Tuan of the mystical city of K'un-Lun! During a pilgrimage back, Wendell's business partner sent him plummeting to his death. His wife Heather soon died protecting their son from starving wolves. Alone in the mountains, the boy was discovered and taken in by the denizens of K'un-Lun. There, he began training under Lei Kung the Thunderer.

Rand's rigorous martial arts training turned him into an immortal weapon! At the appropriate age, he was put through the rites of the Iron Fist, defeating the  great dragon Shou-Lou to be imbued with incredible mystic power!

We've seen Iron Fist use his super-charged punch to: Send tough guy Unus the Untouchable flying through the air [Power Man & Iron Fist #90], rip through a few Hand ninja [New Avengers #27], and kayo a giant Agamotto possessed Luke Cage [New Avengers #2]! We've also seen his martial arts take care of Sabretooth before - in Power Man & Iron Fist #66!

Sabretooth's hand-to-hand game definitely lacks the finesse of Iron Fist's kung-fu, but that doesn't mean he's outmatched. We may've seen him lose fights in Wolverine #50 and the X-Men movie, but he could generally be characterized as a more calculating combatant than the sometimes reckless Wolverine!

He doesn't have the healing factor Wolverine does to rely too heavily on it. Instead, Sabretooth favors his considerable strength and ferociousness to overwhelm opponents when he can. That was the plan when he stalked Jubilee through the X-Mansion [Adventures of X-Men #7] and went after Wonder Girl while fighting the Teen Titans [Unlimited Access #3]. This also demonstrates his tendency toward preying upon weaker attachments, which means Iron Fist's wounded travelling partner Colleen Wing could become a tactical target.

When all is said and done, it's more than likely to be a battle of skill and strength, fist and claw. Whoever finds the means to strike first with their special move will likely be the winner. Let's see how they managed...

History: Iron Fist (1-0-0) Ranking: Iron Fist (#32)

What Went Down...
With costumed minions preparing a massive chopper for extraction, Sabretooth toys with his target inside his chalet. The mission is almost over, but his hyper-keen senses detect something amiss with the body-suited soldier who should be Garrett. Gunshots outside confirm Sabretooth's suspicions.

The merc' sees Colleen Wing burst from their alpine compound, leading an escape of prisoners work for his target! A sudden slash of Sabretooth's claws exposes the chest of the suspect soldier -- exposing a winged dragon brand!

Recognizing his opponent for a super-hero, Sabretooth asks for a name. Iron Fist complies, introducing himself with a thrusting palm strike!

Sabretooth absorbs the blow and is on his feet in seconds! Iron Fist notes the villain's staggering speed as Sabretooth demonstrates his strength. He swats aside solid furniture like it was nothing!

The mercenary dashes forward and Iron Fist barely reacts in time to stay out of reach! Injuries from recent battles have taken their toll. Fortunately for him, action on the helipad outside has unforeseen results! The women working for target Hogarth destroy the massive hulk -- causing an explosion that shatters the windows of the chalet some fifty meters away!

Iron Fist dives across the room to shield Hogarth from falling shards of skylight, while Sabretooth makes a break for the rear exit!

There's nothing but glacier beyond the chalet, but the hero rushes to make pursuit any way. His hubris is his undoing as he leaves the cover of the interior for the glaring white of snow and sunrise! Iron Fist is snow blind!

Talons slash across Iron Fist's back as he struggles to get to grips with the white void now engulfing him! The escape was all a ploy -- Sabretooth's plan to use the familiar environment to trick his foe. A tactic that worked!

Another swing of those deadly claws take a swatch of fabric from Iron Fist's abdomen. He can block out the pain, but without knowing where Sabretooth is there's no way to make superior technique his advantage against the speedy power house! He swings wildly, missing his mocking target by a mile!

Over confident Sabretooth taunts Iron Fist to try again. The pause gives him time to charge the living weapon that is his right fist -- but harnessing his chi for a single knock-out blow is risky. Still exhausted from past battles and a night on the mountain, he can't afford to gamble that much energy!

Iron Fist snaps out of his thoughts as Sabretooth moves in for another attack. A wild swinging blow clips the hero's hip! He's woozy and needs to act!

Remembering the training he received as a boy under Lei Kung, Danny reaches out with his other senses. He hears heavy feet cross snow and at the speed of thought he acts -- thrusting his leg into Sabretooth's unsuspecting body!

The blow forces Sabretooth lurching forward. Iron Fist keeps close, using their contact to send the villain flipping to the ground with a hip toss!

The sudden turn in the fight gets Sabretooth mad and that makes it all the easier to hear, smell and feel him coming! A charging attack becomes an effortless side step and throw for the master martial artist!

Sabretooth's own momentum sends him flipping onto his head and neck! He staggers to his feet with threats of evisceration - providing Iron Fist the audio guide he needs to pinpoint his target for an all mighty knock-out blow!

The right-cross chin checks Sabretooth into next week! For all his ferocity and strength, the mutant mercenary is out cold on the snowy mountain!

The Hammer...
Still blind: Iron Fist reacts to the sound of someone approaching behind him. He has no idea he's swinging wildly at Colleen Wing! She ducks the attack and finds out the reason for it. Hey, no sweat! The snow blindness is temporary! All's well that ends well! Mostly...

Iron Fist #14 may be memorable as the first appearance of Sabretooth, but the series only had one more issue before it faced permanent cancellation. An on-going sub-plot involving Steel Serpent would have to be picked up in Marvel Team-Up, before the flagging Power Man series was rechristened Power Man & Iron Fist with issue #50.

Power Man & Iron Fist gave us many great years of one of comics' greatest buddy teams, but its a bittersweet example of the harsh trials of publishing. Iron Fist actually ended after a pretty strong handful of issues that boasted The Wrecking Crew, Captain America, Boomerang, and the X-Men in guest roles!

It would've been interesting to see where the series might've progressed with this level of promotional integration into other Marvel properties. I'm particularly jazzed by Boomerang and Sabretooth appearances. Yes, I do have a particular taste for a certain brand of second string villain. It also sets a tone for Iron Fist as a developing character that just strikes me as interesting. I suppose that's what we saw brought out more when he teamed permanently with Power Man.

Sabretooth, of course, goes through significant development after starting out here. A year or two ago, Erik Larsen was soliciting suggestions for examples of villains who started with one arch foe, and made a lasting transition to another.

Sabretooth comes immediately to mind as one of the best examples of a villain exchange. He would be irrevocably become associated with Wolverine and the X-Men, but not before Sabretooth's rivalry with Iron Fist escalated into the tag team arena! If you were paying attention to The Tape section, you'll have already found the link to Power Man & Iron Fist #66 -- Sabretooth's next grudge match with the Fist, alongside new partner Constrictor!

That partnership would last a few more appearances, before Sabretooth began meandering his way toward the Mutant Massacre, and an enduring arch-rivalry with Wolverine. It won't surprise regular readers to hear me romance those early chronological appearances, spread across multiple series.

The ultimate elevation of Sabretooth is arguably a testament to the beneficial staying power of co-creator Chris Claremont. Admittedly, we've been romancing his considered approach to comics a lot over the last couple of years. Characters like Juggernaut and The Reavers have also benefitted from developmental through lines created by Claremont.

If you were here last month, you would've been enjoying four classic contests from the canon of Wolverine with heavy influence from Claremont! Which made today's spotlight the perfect way to advance to a March of martial arts mayhem!

With Logan in global theatrical release today; we're moving on to the immortal weapon in honor of his live-action debut on Netflix! The new series Iron Fist goes live March 17th, introducing the final piece of the Netflix Defenders puzzle!

In the coming weeks we'll be looking at a few more memorable moments from Iron Fist's past and present! If you can't wait until then - be sure to follow any of the various links provided throughout this post. Or dive in to the Immortal Issue Index to find past featured fights organized by publisher, series and issue!

You can get daily links to classic battles inspired by the topics of the day by liking and sharing The Comic Book Fight Club on Facebook and Twitter! If you want to read the featured issue for yourself, use the Amazon link conveniently supplied to help support the site at no additional cost!

Winner: Iron Fist
#21 (+11) Iron Fist
#867 (-4) Sabretooth

HERO OF THE WEEK: WOLVERINE (Marvel)
Real Name: James "Logan" Howlett
First Appearance: Incredible Hulk #181 (November, 1974)
Fight Club Ranking: #4

Featured Fights:
- vs DONALD PIERCE & HARRY LELAND: X-Men #132 (Apr 1980)
- vs HELLFIRE CLUB: X-Men #133 (May 1980)
- vs DEATHSTROKE: Uncanny X-Men & New Teen Titans #1 (1982)
- vs NIMROD: Uncanny X-Men #194 (Jun 1985)
- vs LADY DEATHSTRIKE: Alpha Flight #34 (May 1986)
- vs LADY DEATHSTRIKE & REAVERS: Uncanny X-Men #205 (May 1986)
- vs DRACULA: What If...? #24 (Apr 1991)
- vs THE PROFESSOR: Marvel Comics Presents #83 (Aug 1991)
- vs CAPTAIN AMERICA: Captain America #405 (Aug 1992)
- vs MAGNETO: X-Men #25 (Oct 1993)
- vs LOBO: Marvel versus DC #3 (Apr 1996)
- vs ONSLAUGHT: Onslaught: X-Men #1 (Aug 1996)
- vs SABRETOOTH: X-Men (Jul 2000)
- vs DEATHSTRIKE: X-Men 2 (May 2003)
- vs XORN: New X-Men #150 (Feb 2004)
- vs THE HAND: Wolverine #20 (Dec 2004)
- vs DAREDEVIL: Wolverine #24 (Mar 2005)
- vs INVADERS: New Invaders #6 (Mar 2005)
- vs X-MEN: Wolverine #25 (Apr 2005)
- vs WINTER SOLDIER: Wolverine #39 (Apr 2006)
- vs BLADE: Blade #5 (Mar 2007)
- vs SABRETOOTH: Wolverine #50 (Mar 2007)
- vs THE HAND: New Avengers #27 (Apr 2007)
- vs ARCHANGEL: X-Force #5 (Sep 2008)
- vs THE HOOD & DORMAMMU: New Avengers #54 (Aug 2009)
- vs LUKE CAGE & AGAMOTTO: New Avengers #2 (Sep 2010)

It's somewhat inevitable that Wolverine would factor heavily into a comics blog dedicated to the art of superhero fighting. What is Wolverine if not an unstoppable killing machine? Well, funny you should ask. That seems to be an overriding facet of the hero's cinematic finale in Logan -- in wide theatrical release next week, March 3rd!

"Logan" will forego the testosterone soaked, guttural growl of Wolverine's greatest hits to tell a tale of the ageless mutant at the end of his world. Trailers paint a bleak picture of quiet desert, a world in decay, and a hero reduced to an aging drifter. It pulls its basic cues from Mark Millar's 2008 apocalyptic opus Old Man Logan, replacing blind Hawkeye with senile Professor X, and the madcap conquests of Red Skull et al with the looming mortality of Wolverine.

A pensive tone promises deep introspection on the character's fictional failings, but the biggest questions it raises may be of the cinematic legacy of Hugh Jackman. The Australia dynamo, who first took up the role 17 years ago in X-Men, says it's the last time he'll unsheathe the claws. As always, he affably sells it as their best effort to make a movie worthy of the character -- openly acknowledging they haven't quite hit the mark. Many expect this to be the best yet, but as trailers expose it as a more conventional film than first thought, I find myself reflecting more heavily on what might have been.

One of the questionable disappointments of Jackman's departure is the fact that we'll never get to him in the costume. 2013's The Wolverine seemed the time to do it. That movie took Wolverine into a world of deep tradition and ritual that would've allowed the flared mask the luxury of some samurai-styled significance. There actually is a deleted scene involving the mask, excised from the end of the movie. Tease, though it does, I would argue there were far more egregious omissions from the story of Wolverine's time in Japan.

The most frustrating moment was the fight with Shingen Yashida, where matters of the sword are solved with adamantium claws. The Wolverine of the comics strived to be worthy of a samurai code, choosing the sword as a matter of honor and discipline. In the movie, he remains an animal, taking far too little from his time in Japan. Though widely touted as the best outing for the character at the time, it was ultimately another under achiever, lacking the substance it promised, and the spectacle it justified. Villains Silver Samurai and Viper were especially misused, leading to another disappointing Third Act fight in a superhero movie, sorely lacking in gravitas and meaning.

It's difficult to tell if Logan will deliver on its ponderous proclivity. Donald Pierce is ultimately an odd choice for an arch-villain, and by its very nature, it sets out to be something other than the definitive experience with the Wolverine character.

If The Wolverine falls short of its potential as a definitive solo adventure, it may be left to X-Men 2 to be the best cinematic outing for the character. Bryan Singer never brought himself to approximate the joy of the comic book aesthetic, but with the siege of the X-Mansion, he unleashed a more ferocious Wolverine familiar to readers. The image of Jackman leaping from the mansion second floor, arms and claws extended, was classic Wolverine. Plot lines involving his mysterious past with Weapon X - another beat that kept him closer to the character on the page.

The bubbling molten metal and machines boring into his body. The naked man running into Canada's snowy wilderness, bloody claws extended. Expressions of confusion, anguish, rage. Short flashbacks told us everything we really needed to know about Wolverine's origin, yet the temptation of something like Barry Windsor-Smith's Weapon X was incredibly strong!

The fever dream of Wolverine's memories were one of the biggest hooks of X2, and some of the most memorable scenes of the first film. Acid visions of Jackman strapped down and sinking into a coffin-sized vat were undeniably compelling, but nothing killed the appeal of that story more than X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The first solo outing supplanted what should've been a lay-up for FOX, but turned into the hole every installment since has been trying to crawl out of! A brief, helmeted cameo in the otherwise uninspiring X-Men: Apocalypse proved for one fleeting moment than a 90 second Vine could be more enjoyable than a multi-million dollar blockbuster.

From a personal perspective, the brown costume of the eighties is the thing I would've most liked to see make it to the big screen. I still kinda hope it might bust out in the third act of Logan for his final stand, but that seems against the James Mangold sensibility, underscored by the meaning he was unwilling to give it in The Wolverine.

The biggest regret of the films will always be that they never delivered on the Weapon X movie they promised from the start. Jackman floating in an Empire style tube of water wearing that big crazy helmet. Eyes obscured by the full visor of an absurdly big piece of hardware! Giant rooms full of computers and scientists, explosions and terror as the test subject escapes. The inhuman personification of Wolverine's suffering: The Professor -- despicable until his final comeuppance.

This concludes our month long spotlight on Wolverine! The mutant hero sits poised on the verge of making the leap to the Top 3 in the Fight Club ranks! He jumped Hulk to take #4 earlier te month, and another win would've toppled Iron Man as well! With the shellhead hovering on the horizon in Spider-man: Homecoming, an injection of relevance could be on his way! We'll be looking at another iron willed hero in March. There's a special Wolverine connection in our next featured fight - so stay tuned for that!

<< Hero of the Week 03/06: Doctor Fate     [Home]     Hero of the Week 02/20: Cheetah >>

LADY DEATHSTRIKE versus WOLVERINE

Wounded Wolf (Marvel)
Where: Uncanny X-Men #205 When: May 1986
Why: Chris Claremont How: Barry Windsor-Smith

The Story So Far...
When Yuriko Oyama killed her father, she inherited more than the ample estate of his industrial fortune. The legacy of Lord Dark Wind passed to her as well, and although she hated her father, she was honor bound to defend the family name. This is how a burdened daughter became Lady Deathstrike!

Travelling to America to collect on her father's debts, she inadvertently discovered the mutant Wolverine. Her father's process had been used to fuse unbreakable adamantium metal to his mutant bones, but this was not done honorably. The unique method was stolen by Weapon X by Oyama!

So Lady Deathstrike fought the Wolverine, intent on cutting the ill gotten metal from his body. Even with an army and highly advanced katana, she could not defeat the skilled X-Man. So she went away to remake herself an augmented warrior like him. Now Deathstrike is deadlier than ever before - and her revenge will be a dish best served in the New York winter!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Lady Deathstrike 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Wolverine 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Lady Deathstrike 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Wolverine 6 (Generator)
Agility: Lady Deathstrike 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Reavers 4 (Arsenal)


At last we weave the strands of a tangled history! Wolverine has defeated each of today's opponents before, but the legacy of his brutal victories is their unlikely union -- and the extremes they'll undertake to have their revenge!

Lady Deathstrike used to be Yuriko Oyama: daughter of a fanatical Japanese industrialist who discovered a method for bonding adamantium to human bone. She hated her father, Lord Dark Wind, but after killing him, accepted the burden of his tainted honor, and personal army.

Honor should have led Deathstrike to a bloodfeud with her father's assassin Bullseye. Instead, attempts to track the stolen metal of his bones led to the mutant Wolverine. In Alpha Flight #34, Deathstrike recognized the X-Man's skeleton as a product of stolen knowledge. She attempted to reclaim Weapon X's handiwork, and her father's honor, by cutting it from Wolverine's living body! Heather Hudson helped ensure Deathstrike and her samurai army left unsatisfied, but the defeat only intensified Oyama's obsession.

Her father's hi-tech katana and samurai clan had failed, so Lady Deathstrike submitted herself to Spiral and The Body Shop. There, she was stripped of her humanity to be rebuilt with cyber-organic enhancements. Her fingers became long bladed talons as she was remade into a living weapon!

To go with her new metallic body, Deathstrike was connected with a new army of mercenaries who themselves are cyborgs. The Reavers are: Murray Reese, Wade Cole & Angelo Macon.

The trio were almost killed as Hellfire Club Guardsmen fighting Wolverine in X-Men #133. Their life threatening injuries made them perfect recipients for cybernetic enhancement supplied by Donald Pierce. They remained closely affiliated with The Inner Circle for a time, before joining other Reavers in Australia, under the command of Pierce and Lady Deathstrike.

History favors Wolverine in combat against these four foes, but this is the first time he's faced Lady Deathstrike as a cyborg! Will her transformation into a killing machine finally bring her revenge? Let's see what happened...

History: Wolverine (2-0-0)
The Tape: Wolverine Ranking: Wolverine (#4)

What Went Down...
Winter in Manhattan's Lower East Side becomes a blanket of snow as the street succumbs to a sudden blizzard. Lost in the downpour and gusting winds, a baby sitter could be forgiven for mistaking the zip of ammunition for the stinging cold.

The city is no place for a lost little girl - but Katie Power is no ordinary child! She staggers through the snow searching for her sitter, Miss Randolph, but comes upon another familiar face instead: "Mr. Logan" -- The Wolverine!

Already suffering wounds from an earlier beginning to the attack; Wolverine is reduced to a bleeding, shirtless savage. Words fail when concerned police arrive on the scene. He can only clutch the child and growl, unable to warn them of the danger stalking through the snow. He runs.

Frightened and confused by her adult friend's state, Katie uses the powers of Energizer to stop them in their tracks! Her energy ball blasts Wolverine onto his back, and  frees her from his grip. She takes the time to recharge her powers and figure out her next move. Afraid to lose him, she hoists Wolverine over her tiny shoulders, and searches for a phone to contact Power Pack or the X-Men.

A taxicab with an accommodating driver offers relief for the child's burden. A story about her uncle and some thugs falls short when a hail of high-powered gunfire rips through the cab!

The Reavers mean to bring death upon them all, but Wolverine has the wherewithal to hurl the driver and child clear before the car explodes! He keeps running, scooping the terrified little girl in his arms as fire engulfs the street!

Gunshots chase them as Wolverine vaults over a wooden fence. They fall wildly into a sunken, snow covered work yard. Katie feels blood at her nose and lashes out with angry words. She takes them back and is rewarded with Logan's first coherent speech of the siege. He recognizes the girl better than he does himself. She cannot understand his Japanese dialect, but his brain is almost healed.

The super-powered girl switches from uniform to warm clothes, offering Logan her choir robe. Broken English signals his returning faculties. They huddle together, but a shining light warns of the arrival of The Reavers!

The heroes run for cover. Wolverine orders his temporary ward to trust that he's healed enough to handle the fight. He dissuades her from a lethal path and orders her exit. Then he uses the terrain to his advantage and lies in wait.

Wade Cole closes in on Wolverine's proximity - unaware his target is lurking right beneath him! Obscured by the cover of slats, Wolverine thrusts his clawed arm into the unsuspecting torso of the cyborg above!

Lady Deathstrike orders the last mercenary standing to find Katie Power and take her hostage. Murray Reese has been at it long enough to know it's never that easy. Wolverine is on him in an instant, so he whips around an unloads his hi-tech weapon at point blank. Against the healing mutant - it's no good.

If radio silence didn't tell Lady Deathstrike of Reese's fate, Wolverine emerges to confirm it. In her soul, she knew it would end this way. A crossing of inhuman swords in one final bloody showdown. It begins.

The newly made cyborg slashes her claws across Wolverine's face! He questions the honor of continuing her father's legacy. She will accept no alternative.

They swing and stretch limbs like dancers. A lunge pushes Deathstrike's bundled claws across the outer edge of Wolverine's exposed torso. A swing of her other hand swats back across his waiting face. He jerks forward once again as claws bury in his gut. She takes full advantage - driving the other set into his back!

She boldly proclaims the end of Wolverine's life -- but he rejects it! He knocks her away, summoning the energy of his own choice to live or die!

This time adamantium claws cut through Deathstrike's gut. They slash at her chest and slice at thighs. Cutting and hacking at a complex network of wires and microchips, Wolverine unmakes what was recently made.

The warrior's façade broken and tattered, Lady Deathstrike's soul is laid bare -- and even Wolverine is shocked by what he sees!

Adamantium bones, claws and a mutant healing factor were all thrust upon the man called Wolverine, but the inhuman monster before him was a creation of choice. In her obsession, Yuriko Oyama has truly succeeded Lord Dark Wind.

Defeated, Deathstrike asks her nemesis to complete her failure with death. Though tortured by her role in reducing him back to a savage state he thought he'd left behind -- Wolverine refuses. Neither man nor animal could justify such a kill. She begs for mercy. He tells her to earn it. The fight is over.

The Hammer...
I like to think Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has something to offer as an information resource, but the fact of the matter is, you're only getting a window into the complete reading experience. I'll always encourage an interested reader to pursue and seek out the complete story themselves.

That may never be more true than with Uncanny X-Men #205 -- an issue that mere panels & text cannot do justice!

The images featured in today's entry may hint at the basic blows in isolation, but it's the complete composition of page layouts by Barry Windsor-Smith that make this issue a bona fide X-Men Classic!

With the turn of every page comes the temptation to squint. Such is the effective way in which snow whips across the page in every panel!

Winter is only part of the story. It's not the cold that draws me in when I read this issue. It's the danger! The hazy silhouettes stalking on the periphery. The light flare of their gun barrels. The darkly determined forms marching through a veil of snow.

There's actually no real mystery to who these shadowy hunters are. We're given a full glimpse of Lady Deathstrike and her minions in the opening pages. It's the emergence of a freshly built cyborg. The human villain of Alpha Flight #34, driven by obsession to remake herself in Spiral's Body Shop.

Deathstrike seeks assurances that the procedure can be reversed, but Spiral knows it's a lie. This will become the definitive vision for Lady Deathstrike moving forward. A woman who discarded her humanity in order to become one of Wolverine's deadliest enemies.

The other cyborg mercenaries were well known to readers at the time, but it's the first time they teamed with Deathstrike. Collectively they'll come to be known as Reavers. That's a name you might recognize if you're seeing Logan in theatres - in wide release March 3rd.

Sadly, Lady Deathstrike doesn't seem to be among the cadre of cyborg villains (led by Donald Pierce) in the highly anticipated cinematic finale. A dash of arch-nemesis that might've been welcomed in the dusty ode to Old Man Logan.

We've already lamented the disappointment of Bryan Singer's vision for the character in X-Men 2. If your only frame of reference for the character is the pristine beauty of Kelly Hu as silent henchwoman - you're missing out.

In many ways, the film version was the antithesis of the villain: stripped of her passion, conflict, and the choice of self-inflicted bodyhorror it led her to. Lady Deathstrike is ultimately a very Japanese high-concept, channeled through an American aesthetic. More Tetsuo than Iron Man, but also more Christmas lights & plastic chips than the slick, cyberpunk futurism of manga's best in the '80s.

It strikes me that it's a little bit punk that the fight is already under way when it begins. If you were wondering where Angelo Macon was in the recap, he's already a casualty when we catch up to the action. That's also why Wolvie's in such rough shape when we first bump into him.

Our entry point -- Energizer (Katie Power) -- is one of the members of Power Pack: a rainbow swirl of super-powered tykes right out of the most bubblegum '80s Saturday mornings! Don't worry, though. Wolverine made her promise to cover her ears and eyes while he gutted the nasty cyborgs! (That's a little bit punk and a little bit manga!)

That's just about all we have time for this week, but it's worth noting that we're folding in the off-page action into a continuum. If you scroll to the bottom of the page you'll find rankings updates for Macon and the assist for Energizer.

I have to imagine we'll find our way back to Power Pack some time in the future. I certainly hope we'll be back to talk more Lady Deathstrike. In the mean time, if you want to discover more from those characters, or many other topics, be sure to follow links littered throughout this post!

You can also dive into the full Secret Archive to browse ever featured fight by publisher, series and issue number! If you're looking for a little spontaneity, be sure to follow on Facebook or Twitter to get daily links inspired by the day's topics! An easy-breezy like and share will help support the site!

If you want to go the extra mile, or are just looking to get a first-hand look at the issue featured today, take advantage of the Amazon purchase link provided [right]! Doing so helps keep the Wars Infinite at no extra charge! Mmm! That's good schpiel!

Winner: Wolverine (w/ Energizer)
#4 (--) Wolverine
#515 (new) Energizer [+1 assist]
#834 (-510) Murray Reese
#835 (-513) Wade Cole
#836 (-513) Angelo Macon
#859 (-23) Lady Deathstrike

HERO OF THE WEEK: CHEETAH (DC)
Real Name: Barbara Ann Minerva
First Appearance: Wonder Woman #7 (August, 1987)
Fight Club Ranking: #372

Featured Fights:
- vs CATWOMAN: Catwoman: When In Rome #4 (Mar 2005)
- vs FREEDOM FIGHTERS: Infinite Crisis #1 (Dec 2005)
- vs JUSTICE LEAGUE: Justice League of America #15 (Jan 2008)
- vs CATWOMAN: Catwoman #78 (Jun 2008)
- vs WONDER WOMAN: Wonder Woman #29 (Apr 2009)

The freight train of Injustice 2 is well and truly picking up speed on the track of an April release. The mystery of the playable game roster is quickly becoming solved with a slew of trailer reveals, most recently the Valentine's Day showcase of four femme fatales: Here Come The Girls!

Catwoman and Poison Ivy have finally stepped into view, alongside previous HOTW Black Canary, but the one I found myself most jazzed to see was: Cheetah!

The classic Wonder Woman villain isn't necessarily one of the most anticipated characters, but she comes as a harbinger for a lot of things I'm pleased to see. First and foremost: I'm pleased to see NetherRealm Studios resisting some of their lesser design impulses, offering up a faithful and tastefully understated incarnation of the character. The temptation to layer armor plates over the speedy villainess has been resisted -- at least until players choose their way through the Gear System.

The original Injustice had a solid DC Comics roster, but the game itself was pretty short on comic book reference. It's nice to see the sequel roster digging deeper into the pantheon for a more eclectic mix of playable characters. The fact that we already have the likes of Atrocitus and Supergirl, with Swamp Thing also revealed this week, paints a promising picture for a fun blend of characters.

It was fun to see Cheetah and Catwoman in the same gameplay footage. There'll be obvious appeal to throwing down with arch-nemesis Wonder Woman, but if you've seen Cheetah's more recent battles with Catwoman [see the list of links above] -- you know how that can be fun! I'd also get a kick out of testing Cheetah's quickness against The Flash, thinking of other more recent skirmishes.

I still can't call myself a total convert for Injustice, but they're building a case for what could be a very fun addition to the DC video game canon! That's enough to make Cheetah Hero of the Week!

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