WONDER WOMAN & SUPERMAN versus QUEEN CLEA & BLOCKBUSTER
"Crisis in Eternity!" Chapter 2: "Crisis on a Lost Continent" (DC)
Where: Justice League of America #135 When: October 1976 Why: E. Nelson Bridwell & Martin Pasko How: Dick Dillin & Frank McLaughlin
The Story So Far...
King Kull, ancient Lord of Beast-Men, has devised a means to penetrate the fabric of space and time to invade The Rock of Eternity! He traps the gods within in a state of molecular slow-motion -- leaving humanity defenseless as he plans his ultimate revenge on modern man!
Only the god of speed, Mercury, escapes in time to warn the heroes of three worlds of the coming threat from beyond the multiverse: The Justice League of Earth-One, Justice Society of Earth-Two, and Squadron of Justice of Earth-S!
Opposing them are a small army of allies recruited by King Kull to bedevil the heroes. On Earth-Two: Queen Clea schemes to reclaim her Atlantean throne with the help of villains from three worlds. While Penguin & Ibac oversee construction of a doomsday machine, Clea & Blockbuster host Wonder Woman & Superman!
Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speed)
Stamina: Superman 6 (Generator)
Agility: Superman 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Wonder Woman 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Superman 5 (Lasers)
Total: Superman 33 (Super)
A few weeks ago we looked at Superman versus Wonder Woman, but that's not what they're all about. These legendary heroes are at their best working side by side -- and today they're forming a titanic tag team against a dangerous alliance!
Queen Clea reigns over the submerged Atlantean city of Venturia: an outpost where men are second-class citizens to physically imposing women, and efforts to conquer sister city Venturia are always on the agenda.
To aid in her plans for conquest Clea has recruited a villainous cadre from multiple Earths. She has specifically enslaved Blockbuster with a Venus Girdle to ensure the dim-witted powerhouse remains obedient to her every order!
Mark Desmond was a chemist who tested experimental formulas on himself, greatly enhancing his size and strength at the cost of his intelligence.
He's a traditional adversary for Batman, but we saw him joining the Suicide Squad in their first mission to take down Darkseid's avenging fire giant Brimstone. Its a battle that demonstrates both Blockbuster's formidable strength -- and its limits!
To that end: Blockbuster is arguably out of his weight class going up against Superman and Wonder Woman. He might be able to at least knock one of them around, but together they should be more than a match. There also remains the risk that he may break free of Queen Clea's influence and turn against her!
Wonder Woman and Superman are old pros working together many times as members of the Justice League. We've seen them triumph against Gorilla Grodd in JLA: Classified #3, and the Injustice League in Justice League of America #15.
This story is pre-Crisis, which means it's actually a crossover between two worlds: Superman hails from Earth-One, while this is the Wonder Woman of Earth-Two who we saw in JSA Strange Adventures #1 as a member of the Justice Society.
The classic Wonder Woman still relies on her invisible jet and might not be quite as strong as her modern incarnation. Will that matter? Let's take a look...
The Tape: Wonder Woman & Superman Ranking: Superman (#5)
What Went Down...
Where: Justice League of America #135 When: October 1976 Why: E. Nelson Bridwell & Martin Pasko How: Dick Dillin & Frank McLaughlin
The Story So Far...
King Kull, ancient Lord of Beast-Men, has devised a means to penetrate the fabric of space and time to invade The Rock of Eternity! He traps the gods within in a state of molecular slow-motion -- leaving humanity defenseless as he plans his ultimate revenge on modern man!
Only the god of speed, Mercury, escapes in time to warn the heroes of three worlds of the coming threat from beyond the multiverse: The Justice League of Earth-One, Justice Society of Earth-Two, and Squadron of Justice of Earth-S!
Opposing them are a small army of allies recruited by King Kull to bedevil the heroes. On Earth-Two: Queen Clea schemes to reclaim her Atlantean throne with the help of villains from three worlds. While Penguin & Ibac oversee construction of a doomsday machine, Clea & Blockbuster host Wonder Woman & Superman!
Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speed)
Stamina: Superman 6 (Generator)
Agility: Superman 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Wonder Woman 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Superman 5 (Lasers)
Total: Superman 33 (Super)
A few weeks ago we looked at Superman versus Wonder Woman, but that's not what they're all about. These legendary heroes are at their best working side by side -- and today they're forming a titanic tag team against a dangerous alliance!
Queen Clea reigns over the submerged Atlantean city of Venturia: an outpost where men are second-class citizens to physically imposing women, and efforts to conquer sister city Venturia are always on the agenda.
To aid in her plans for conquest Clea has recruited a villainous cadre from multiple Earths. She has specifically enslaved Blockbuster with a Venus Girdle to ensure the dim-witted powerhouse remains obedient to her every order!
Mark Desmond was a chemist who tested experimental formulas on himself, greatly enhancing his size and strength at the cost of his intelligence.
He's a traditional adversary for Batman, but we saw him joining the Suicide Squad in their first mission to take down Darkseid's avenging fire giant Brimstone. Its a battle that demonstrates both Blockbuster's formidable strength -- and its limits!
To that end: Blockbuster is arguably out of his weight class going up against Superman and Wonder Woman. He might be able to at least knock one of them around, but together they should be more than a match. There also remains the risk that he may break free of Queen Clea's influence and turn against her!
Wonder Woman and Superman are old pros working together many times as members of the Justice League. We've seen them triumph against Gorilla Grodd in JLA: Classified #3, and the Injustice League in Justice League of America #15.
This story is pre-Crisis, which means it's actually a crossover between two worlds: Superman hails from Earth-One, while this is the Wonder Woman of Earth-Two who we saw in JSA Strange Adventures #1 as a member of the Justice Society.
The classic Wonder Woman still relies on her invisible jet and might not be quite as strong as her modern incarnation. Will that matter? Let's take a look...
The Tape: Wonder Woman & Superman Ranking: Superman (#5)
What Went Down...
Scoping their opponents from the sky: Superman takes the lead, leaving Wonder Woman in her invisible jet above while he swoops earthbound.
He recalls the efforts of Wayne Enterprises to render Blockbuster more docile on the path to recovery, but gets a rude awakening when Queen Clea orders the hulking behemoth to punch him clean out of the air!
He recalls the efforts of Wayne Enterprises to render Blockbuster more docile on the path to recovery, but gets a rude awakening when Queen Clea orders the hulking behemoth to punch him clean out of the air!
Kneeling in the dirt Superman chides his own over-confidence, while Blockbuster grapples with the effects of having struck the Man of Steel!
The blow leaves Blockbuster clutching his own hand and complaining of the pain.
Superman sees an opportunity to strike, counting on the dim-witted villain to lack the sense to avoid an oncoming attack.
Superman swings both feet under Blockbuster's jaw with a gravity-defying kick!
The blow staggers the chemically enhanced powerhouse, but the Man of Steel has succumbed to over-confidence once more. He failed to note Queen Clea lurking in the background with a second Venus Girdle at the ready!
Before he even realises what's happening -- the golden belt of influence is clasped around his waist by a cackling Clea!
With Wonder Woman's jet landing nearby; Queen Clea slaps Blockbuster across the face and compels her slaves to confront the Amazonian arch-nemesis. The behemoth rushes to comply while Superman fights to resist the girdle's control.
Thinking fast -- Wonder Woman tosses her golden lasso over Blockbuster and stops him in his tracks. He silently trembles for a moment before succumbing to its magical influence and Wonder Woman's command to remove Superman's belt!
Now totally in thrall to Clea -- The Man of Steel arrogantly holds Blockbuster off with a single extended arm. The simplistic brute remains totally focused on removing the mind-altering belt, but he's simply no match for Superman's might!
"You got in one shot -- but that's all! Because you see -- I'm Superman... And nobody takes Superman... Got that? NOBODY!"
With one arm Superman easily lifts Blockbuster off his feet and sends him slamming violently into a nearby rocky mound!
Turning his attentions to Wonder Woman, the Man of Steel once again fights to resist the Venus Girdle. He warns he's about to attack, but as his resolve fades Wonder Woman defiantly orders him to stop -- and he does!
Queen Clea erupts with furious confusion as Superman freezes on the spot and Wonder Woman closes in to end her villainous plot with a charging uppercut!
The Amazon then liberates Superman from the Venus Girdle, noting it forces a state of obedience unto its wearer -- which can be influenced by any one!
The Hammer...
For a minute there it looked like we might have another battle between a mind-controlled Superman, and Wonder Woman, but the quick-thinking Amazon avoided conflict by hoisting Queen Clea with her own petard!
We looked at Superman vs Wonder Woman a few weeks ago, and although it can be a lot of fun to see who wins when heroes go head-to-head -- I've been craving an antidote to the increasingly common trend of hero-on-hero violence.
That seemed as good a reason as any to return to the 'Crisis on Three Worlds': a three-way crossover that subverts the once annual tradition of Justice League and Justice Society meetings by adding The Squadron of Justice of Earth-S!
You might know that particular world as the pre-Crisis home of Captain Marvel, as well as his prehistoric nemesis King Kull -- who is the arch-villain of this story!
King Kull is manipulating events from The Rock of Eternity in an effort to exact revenge against modern day humans. Queen Clea's lust for conquest over Earth-2's Atlantis creates an alliance of convenience, which also involves The Penguin and Ibac, working in addition to Clea's outmatched bodyguard: Blockbuster.
We've already seen what happens when Green Arrow catches up with Penguin, and I rather look forward to eventually taking a closer look at Ibac's fate, too.
In the mean time: It might seem a little corny that the Venus Girdle could so easily be turned against the one conspiring to use it, but I kind of appreciate the literal quality of the rules. It only forces obedience upon the wearer. Not loyalty!
It's also nice that Wonder Woman had the opportunity to resolve the situation somewhat peacefully. Sure, she still kayoed Clea with a sock to the jaw, but she remains a warrior for peace, looking for simple non-combative solutions. I like it.
I also enjoy seeing heroes work together to resolve problems in a relatively short amount of time. This fight spans a brisk four and a half pages of spine-busting action. Dick Dillin uses the page space pretty well with classic layouts.
I'm a little less keen on some of the complications that come with the pre-Crisis multiverse. Modern canon recast the Earth-Two Wonder Woman as Diana's adventuring mother Queen Hippolyta. In these original printings it was very much the Wonder Woman we all know and love.
Because of that fact we consolidate these characters in the records unless there's a specific reason to consider them otherwise. Which means this victory will push Wonder Woman into the Top 10!
If you'd like to see today's battle for yourself you can find it collected in Crisis on Multiple Earths Volume 4! Use the Amazon purchase link provided to do any of your shopping and you'll not only get a great deal -- you'll help support the site at no extra cost!
You can also support the site directly on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. As a thank you for donating you'll receive access to extra updates, voting polls, and even custom featured articles at the higher levels.
Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured over 650 battles and is counting down to ranking our 1000th character! You can check out some of the ranked fighters in the 2020 Rankings Recap, or just revisit the Top 20 Fights of 2020 and Featured Fight Recap. Or explore the Secret Archive for a complete index of every featured fight organized by publisher, series, and issue number!
Subscribe and follow on Twitter and Facebook to get free daily links to superhero smackdown inspired by the topics of the day! You never know who or what might show up. Don't forget to like and shares battles while you're there!
Winners: Wonder Woman & Superman
#5 (--) Superman
#10 (+1) Wonder Woman
#362 (-56) Blockbuster
#940 (new) Queen Clea
We looked at Superman vs Wonder Woman a few weeks ago, and although it can be a lot of fun to see who wins when heroes go head-to-head -- I've been craving an antidote to the increasingly common trend of hero-on-hero violence.
That seemed as good a reason as any to return to the 'Crisis on Three Worlds': a three-way crossover that subverts the once annual tradition of Justice League and Justice Society meetings by adding The Squadron of Justice of Earth-S!
You might know that particular world as the pre-Crisis home of Captain Marvel, as well as his prehistoric nemesis King Kull -- who is the arch-villain of this story!
King Kull is manipulating events from The Rock of Eternity in an effort to exact revenge against modern day humans. Queen Clea's lust for conquest over Earth-2's Atlantis creates an alliance of convenience, which also involves The Penguin and Ibac, working in addition to Clea's outmatched bodyguard: Blockbuster.
We've already seen what happens when Green Arrow catches up with Penguin, and I rather look forward to eventually taking a closer look at Ibac's fate, too.
In the mean time: It might seem a little corny that the Venus Girdle could so easily be turned against the one conspiring to use it, but I kind of appreciate the literal quality of the rules. It only forces obedience upon the wearer. Not loyalty!
It's also nice that Wonder Woman had the opportunity to resolve the situation somewhat peacefully. Sure, she still kayoed Clea with a sock to the jaw, but she remains a warrior for peace, looking for simple non-combative solutions. I like it.
I also enjoy seeing heroes work together to resolve problems in a relatively short amount of time. This fight spans a brisk four and a half pages of spine-busting action. Dick Dillin uses the page space pretty well with classic layouts.
I'm a little less keen on some of the complications that come with the pre-Crisis multiverse. Modern canon recast the Earth-Two Wonder Woman as Diana's adventuring mother Queen Hippolyta. In these original printings it was very much the Wonder Woman we all know and love.
Because of that fact we consolidate these characters in the records unless there's a specific reason to consider them otherwise. Which means this victory will push Wonder Woman into the Top 10!
If you'd like to see today's battle for yourself you can find it collected in Crisis on Multiple Earths Volume 4! Use the Amazon purchase link provided to do any of your shopping and you'll not only get a great deal -- you'll help support the site at no extra cost!
You can also support the site directly on Patreon for as little as $1 a month. As a thank you for donating you'll receive access to extra updates, voting polls, and even custom featured articles at the higher levels.
Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured over 650 battles and is counting down to ranking our 1000th character! You can check out some of the ranked fighters in the 2020 Rankings Recap, or just revisit the Top 20 Fights of 2020 and Featured Fight Recap. Or explore the Secret Archive for a complete index of every featured fight organized by publisher, series, and issue number!
Subscribe and follow on Twitter and Facebook to get free daily links to superhero smackdown inspired by the topics of the day! You never know who or what might show up. Don't forget to like and shares battles while you're there!
Winners: Wonder Woman & Superman
#5 (--) Superman
#10 (+1) Wonder Woman
#362 (-56) Blockbuster
#940 (new) Queen Clea
