THE AVENGERS versus THE SYMBIOTE
What If The Alien Costume had Possessed Spider-man? (Marvel comics)
Where: What if...? #4 When: October 1989
Why: Danny Fingeroth How: Mark Bagley

The story so far...
In our reality Peter Parker was able to free himself of the influence of the alien symbiote he obtained during the Secret Wars, but in another universe Peter Parker was not so fortunate.

Reed Richards was able to intervene and remove the symbiotic costume to contain it, but neither he nor Dr. Strange could prevent the creature escaping to again seek out the Spider-man once more.

The symbiote reemerges during a battle between Dr. Strange and Hulk, and wrenches the green goliath from being banished to another dimension. Combatting Strange and Hulk, the symbiote recognises an even more powerful host, and thus the incredible Hulk becomes the possessor of the black costume.

Leaving behind a frail and aged Peter Parker, the symbiote-Hulk now has the combined might of Peter Parker, Dr. Strange, Reed Richards, Black Cat and the Avengers in pirsuit of it. But will they survive long enough to stop it?

Previous Form:
Mr. Fantastic (#16): Mr. Fantastic has a victory against the Red Ghost and his Super Apes.
Hulk (#7): Hulk has tangoed successfully with the Thunderbolts and Daredevil.
Thor (#12): Thor has had victories over Captain Marvel and Super-Skrull.
Venom Symbiote (#11): The Symbiote has been possessed by Peter Parker, Eddie Brock and Mac Gargan.
The Avengers [#2]: The Avengers have battled and won against She-Hulk and the Secret Avengers.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Thor 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Genius)
Speed: Photon 5 (Super Speed)
Stamina: Hulk 6 (Generator)
Agility: Symbiote 7 (Unlimited)
Fighting Ability: Thor 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Scarlet Witch 7 (Solar Power)

Wow, we're running a bit late today, and we've got a lot ahead of us!

Sadly Peter Parker, having been sapped of his energy, suffers a death of old age before the fight can be taken to the symbiote-Hulk, but as Reed Richards would discover, he did provide key scientific theorums that, combined with Richards' thoughts, provided key to victory.

Which I suppose brings us straight to a huge advantage for the team going up against the Symbiote, and that's Mr. Fantastic. He's one of the greatest scientific minds in the Marvel universe, and one of the foremost authorities on alien life.
So you can trust that Peter Parker's research is in good hands.

You'll see the line-up of the team consists of: Mr. Fantastic, Thor, Dr. Strange, Vision, Starfox, Photon, Scarlet Witch, the Human Torch and the Wasp.

We know the symbiote has vulnerabilities to sonics and flame/heat, so presumably Photon and Human Torch are a big plus in this field. If they can get a clear shot they could potentially end the fight in one shot, so there you go.

Vision is presumably a heavy-hitter who could not be possessed by the symbiote because he's an in-organic lifeform. I don't know the specifics of that, but let us assume that the Vision's strength and varying skills of tangibility would be useful in at least slowing the symbiote down.

The symbiote is entering this fight whilst possessing the Hulk. Which means he's got a massive well of energy to draw upon, likewise, he's bringing an impressive physical strength with him. Which is a pretty big deal, because the Hulk alone could probably tackle the Avengers.

That said, the Symbiote's inherent weaknesses make him a bit of a softer target, even with the Hulk, so unless he steamrolls them, he's in trouble.

The Math: The Avengers (Total) The Symbiote (Average)
The Pick: The Avengers

What went down...
With the team seeking out the Symbiote, Thor stumbles across it revelling in the power of the Hulk, lifting chunks of Earth without a care in the world.
Thor considers alerting his companions, but the Symbiote spots him, apparently as per a premeditated plan to lure the Norse God out.

The Symbiote claims remorse for the death of Peter Parker, and claims to have achieved true symbiosis with the Incredible Hulk. He claims to be restoring Bruce Banner's mind, and be curing him of the Hulk in the process of absorbing the gamma power for himself. A fate far more beneficial than that of Parker's.

The words mean little to Thor who readies to take the Symbiote into custody, provoking the true intent of the alien creature. He spews forth his own brand of webbing, swatted away by the thunder god with the use of a twirling Mjolnir.

The Hulk-powered Symbiote manages to level Thor with a thundering left-hook, but the god assures the creature that he is far from helpless, tossing the mighty Mjolnir verily!

The Symbiote oozes away from his felled host, revealing a frail Bruce Banner where there should be Hulk. Revealing the Symbiote's claims to be true!
Thor feels a brief moment of remorse, believing himself responsible for the deaths of both alien and host, but no sooner than Banner stirs than the Symbiote leaps forth onto Thor!

Thor struggles desperately, but having absorbed the power of Hulk, the Symbiote proves to be a match for his flailing and tearing.

As the Avengers arrive on the seen Thor makes one last gesture of resistence, summoning the might of the heavens in the form of a lightning bolt to strike the creature into submission. Sadly, the only one weakened by the bolt is Thor himself.

Reed Richards attempts to sway the battle of wills with a sonic blast, but the Symbiote has already taken strength from the mighty Thor.
Dr. Strange cannot do anything without dooming Thor himself, but Reed Richards proves unwilling to do what is necessary, concerned about the effects of his Terminator-Blast on the Avenger.

Meanwhile -- the Symbiote, having subdued Thor and taken the form of a Thor silhouette with cape and black hair, flees into a cave to complete the bonding process uninterrupted. The Human Torch attempts to follow in pirsuit, and narrowly avoids death as godly lightning floods from out from the cave.

Captain Marvel [Photon] follows in, moving at incredible speed in the form of microwaves. She plunges into the torso of the alien-costume possessed Thor, but with the energy of a god he channels Captain Marvel's energy back through his hammer -- sending her hurtling back from whence she came!

Starfox manages to catch her upon her violent exit, as the team of heroes are forced to face the inevitable. Dr. Strange and Vision put forth the grim proposal -- the omin-blast terminator ray may be their only chance.

Reed Richards requests a half hour to consider another alternative. What he comes up with is enough to stir a reaction from the creature.

Black Bolt steps into the cave beneath Mount Rushmore, and solemnly stares down his foe.
The Symbiote, still struggling to take complete control over the thunder god, swares he will kill the Inhuman before he can unleash his deadly blast of sound, but he leaps too slow.

Black Bolt screams, and the sonic force emitted is enough to shatter the American landmark around them.

Thor survives, and with the Symbiote is reduced to little more than a stain.
Dr. Strange steps in to begin a spell to expell him to a benevolent dimension, when a lethal omni-blast comes out of nowhere to destroy the creature once and for all!

The Black Widow has her revenge. The Symbiote is a menace no more.
What if... the Symbiote had bonded with Spider-man?...

The hammer...
The winners, of course, are Black Bolt, Black Cat, and the Avengers. As the possessed tools of the Symbiote, Thor and Hulk share the defeat. Sorry to all fans concerned.

I've left it literally until the eleventh hour today, and it was quite a big one. Lots of heroes and statistics to consider with this one.
I like to think the majority stock our United States viewers have means I'm safe. It's still Wednesday for yourselves, but here, I'm a little disappointed with myself. Sorry to let you guys down.

Jokes aside, those who aren't in-the-know might be interested to know that while the Symbiote appeared four years prior, Venom had his first appearance barely a year prior to this issue. Which, I thought was slightly interesting.

With the Spider-man 3 feature mere months away, it's interesting to note that Venom hasn't reverted to the over exposed schedule he featured throughout the nineties, at the height of the character's popularity. Perhaps understandably so, Marvel has made efforts for most previous features to capitalize on the mainstream exposure of the characters, pumping characters like Green Goblin, Dr. Octopus, Dr. Doom and others into the books.

Most recently Sandman has certainly felt this injection in popularity, appearing in various versions of the Spider-man books including the core titles, and also the Marvel Adventures series, aimed at young, movie-going readers.

Venom, currently worn by the Scorpion, has had a smooth bonding with the Symbiote, which has developed a personality quite distinctly different from the power-hungry super villain of this particular issue of What if...

During the exchange of the symbiote the creature's concerns were less focused on the consumption of energy, as much as they were seeking out a 'good roommate' for a host. Someone strong, with likeminded interests, but who would maintain control of their faculties, unlike Hulk and Thor in this feature.

Which I guess just highlights the dangers of alien symbiote costumes, kids.
Sure, sometimes they might seem like your friends, but they can snap and turn on you in a second. Leaving you behind a frail, white-haired husk with your best years snatched before you could have them!

I'm enjoying the Gargan take on the character and his inclusion into the new Thunderbolts team written by Warren Ellis is one of the more enticing elements of the book. I don't think it's been what anyone would have imagined when announcements paired Ellis and Thunderbolts together. Something a little more bombastic and exciting was certainly what came to mind for me, particularly when big names like Bullseye, Venom and Green Goblin were coming out.

Still, it'll be interesting to talk more about that in the near future!

For the time being, keep the hits coming!
It's been a pleasure to see plenty of new and old visitors alike!

Oh, before I go -- note the Mark Bagley pencils!
Certainly one of the most iconic pencillers to work on the character in the last ten years, made particularly recognisable via Ultimate Spider-man and a slew of Marvel/Spider-man merchandising. Check it out, kids. History!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 5

WINTER SOLDIER versus WOLVERINE
Origins and Endings: Part IV of V (Marvel comics)
Where: Wolverine #39 When: April 2006
Why: Daniel Way How: Javier Saltares & Mark Texeira

The story so far...
During the Second World War, Bucky Barnes was sidekick to Captain America and tommy-gun wielding posterboy for the war against the Nazis! His will was almost as indominitable as his mentor's, and like the hero he was, he died fighting the fight... Or so it was thought.

In the time between then and now, Bucky Barnes' frozen body was recovered by the Russians. Lost limbs were replaced with cybernetics, and the boy called Bucky was reprogrammed to become the heartless assassin called Winter Soldier.

As the Winter Soldier he performed many assassinations and murders throughout the years, even as the Cold War came to an end. He would inevitably cross the path of old associates and friends of friends. One such mission brought him into contact with the Wolverine, where he would killed his wife and unborn child.
Revenge is a dish best served cold...

Previous Form:
Wolverine (#3): Wolverine has victories over Lobo, Lady Deathstrike, Silver Samurai and Blade.
Winter Soldier: The Winter Soldier has not yet been featured.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Trained Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Wolverine 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Wolverine 6 (Generator)
Agility: Wolverine 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: Winter Soldier 3 (Explosives)


Wolverine is the best there is at what he does, but what he does is ugly.
Winter Soldier was once a shell spraying monkey boy, but the Russians trained him up real good to be a finely tuned [cyborg] killing machine!

So, how do you break this one down?
Bucky's development puts him in a class perhaps even above Captain America. His cybernetic enhancement increases his strength capacity (by a half), he's had all manner of tactical training, and perhaps most important is the fact that he's willing to employ all of his skills in the most devious of ways.

Wolverine's no stranger to crossing certain lines, and he too is said to have the training of a soldier, samurai, special operative and various other disciplines.

I guess it's a surprisingly even fight, really.
Keys to victory kinda go out the window. I could talk about the advantage of getting the drop could favour them both, or talk about healing factors and guns and explosions and whatever else. But it would be for moot, and I'm running late...

The Math: Wolverine (Meta Class)
The Pick: Wolverine

What went down...
So Wolvie's got the word out that he's looking for the Winter Soldier, and hitched a ride with some smugglers all the way to Serbia just to make it nice and easy.
Because in Serbia, Winter Soldier find YOU!

Heading for the bar for a quick drink becomes difficult when a sniper shot strikes Wolverine in the head above his eye. Gushing blood helps blind him as he goes on the hunt, claws extended.

The sniper, quite obviously Winter Soldier, is no dummy.
Wolverine heads to the location of the shooter to find a fully functioning printing press complete with ink and paper smells in the air, and the audible ruckus of pounding machines. Thus negating the tracking advantage provided by his senses.

Bucky looms in the shadows brandishing a knife, and finally springs his attack as Wolverine stalks past him. He stabs him in the back. Those Russians sure know how to play dirty! Dirty like a fox!

Covered in ink to further mask his scent (and apparently not dying of asphyxiation), Bucky follows the ambush, snapping up his foe with handcuffs, pinning both of Wolverine's greatest weapons behind his back.

Wolverine slips into a berzerker rage as the inky Winter Soldier falls into his peripheral vision. He charges and pays for his lack of discipline with a thundering kick to the back of the head.

Put down hard, the Soldier pushes the knife deeper into his side with his boot, and then grabs Wolverine by the hair to anchor him while he retrieved his blade.
The tiny knife appears to cause many more problems than being impaled on a sword did in the past. [Blade #5]

The Soldier puts a blade to Wolverine's throat with a promise for a near death experience for the immortal mutant, but he underestimates the lengths the primal rage pushes Wolverine to.
Being clutched by the hair, Wolverine whips his head forward willingly, leaving a chunk of hair behind, but taking a chunk of arm into his jaws.

Winter Soldier uses his cybernetic arm and pounds the back of Logan's skull, with Wolverine eventually forced to relinquish his grip. With his wrist bloodied, the Soldier is flipped by the grounded Wolverine, and as the X-Man cum Avenger looms over him, he shatters his way free of the handcuffs.

Just as a fair fight appears imminent, a feminine voice comes out from the gloom and snaps Wolverine out of his insane rage. She fires off a few shots.

Two shots to the heart drop him down against a printing machine. Bummer!
The Winter Soldier chastises his rescuer. Pffft. He just wanted the win to go to his name, alone.

The hammer...
Well, despite a shakey finish, this one goes to the Winter Soldier and his mystery accomplice. If anyone wants to clarify who she is, that would be most appreciated. In the mean time, I'll look into it.

So, I know what a lot of you are probably thinking.
When the Winter Soldier rolls over for Marvel Ultimate Alliance Mondays, straight off the back of Captain America's death, you'd think I might go with the more topical showdown of Bucky vs Cap.
Well, much to my chagrin, this is the only issue I have that involves Winter Soldier actually fighting someone. I'm hoping to change that, but that will await a call from the comic store, so, sorry to disappoint.

Suffice to say you wouldn't be the only one disappointed. As the time may suggest, this wasn't an easy one to sit down and write. As fun as it is to see Wolverine establish new nemesis in history, this just isn't an inspired piece of writing. Likewise, as I probably mentioned during the other feature from this story [Wolverine #37], I'm really not crazy about the art, or the colour palette.

About the best thing to come out of this storyline was something I stumbled across reading New Avengers #28, last night. An issue which features the New Avengers in Japan, where they seek refuge at the home of the Silver Samurai, who appears to be in something of a depressed funk after losing his hand in the afforementioned issue.
So, I have to say, that was a very pleasant piece of continuity. After the clash in #37, I honestly expected it to be palmed off somehow via a cybernetic hand, or some other nonsense along those lines.

I've mentioned before that, of the two sidekicks that returned, this site probably leans further toward Red Hood. For whatever reason I've responded to the Red Hood's transition back into the DC universe much moreso than I have Bucky's.

I mentioned during Cap/Punisher [What if...? #51] that I personally feel bringing Bucky around from a cold blooded Russian assassin to a potential replacement for Captain America is too steep an arc. I think just the fact that he's a working SHIELD agent now is disappointing, and that's probably part of what splices my feelings about the two characters. Jason Todd has not only maintained his villainy, but integrated it into the existing world quite naturally, particularly in the Winick run on Batman.

In Ultimate Alliance Winter Soldier shows up early in a pretty dull role.
I don't remember how much we got into it in the Punch-Up, but as far as a gaming experience goes, you're probably not going to buy this if you don't have an affinity for the characters already. Maybe if you're looking to meet a bunch of characters in one interactive fell swoop, there's incentive there too, but the gameplay, and particularly the story are not inspired.

As with many of the many characters featured, Winter Soldier is little more than a lowly pawn in this new incarnation of the Masters of Evil. A group led by a cuckoo for Coco Puffs Dr. Doom, which is never a characterization I'm a fan of.
Thus, that trickles down to guys like ol' Bucky Barnes here, who are probably playing below their weight. And yeah, for all the characters that are there, so many aren't, like Tombstone, whom I'm sure you're all thinking of right now.

Anyway, that's Winter Soldier for now. Might see him again in the future.

The Fight: 3.5 The Issue: 3

NEXT WEEK: It's Radioactive Man and the Thunderbolts!

ELEKTRA versus RONIN
Revolution Part One (Marvel comics)
Where: New Avengers #27 When: April 2007
Why: Brian Michael Bendis How: Leinil Yu

The story so far...
The heroes of the Marvel Universe have been wrapped up in the Civil War, but whilst acting on behalf of the New Avengers in Japan, Ronin, aka Echo, finds herself unsure of where she stands and who she can trust in the battle.

As she infiltrates the Japanese underworld under the guise of an innocent woman, she stalks them as a symbol in the form of Ronin, someone they would never suspect could be breaking them up from right under their noses.

Wise to her game, Elektra and her clan, The Hand, intervene and although Echo sends out for help from her friends, she finds herself forced to confront the deadly assassin and her undying hoardes.

Previous Form:
Elektra (#14): Elektra has victories over Bullseye and Catwoman.
Echo: Echo has not yet been featured on the site.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Elektra 3 (Trained Athlete)
Intelligence: Elektra 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Elektra 3 (Trained Athlete)
Stamina: Elektra 4 (Trained Athlete)
Agility: Elektra 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Draw 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Draw 2 (Projectile Weapons)

Well, no sooner than I mention how one-sided some of our fights have been, than we get a situation like this, where you get two characters that are so-similar it's almost uncomfortable.

I'd have to be upfront and say I'm not really a huge fan of David Mack's contribution to the Marvel Universe. That's not to say I dislike Echo, I just haven't really invested the time in the character, and would say her handling beyond the introductory storyarc has probably been less than stellar.

I don't know what I would say about the Ronin suit. It might have some limited armor, but it's hard to tell if that's really anything substantial. It doesn't appear to slow her down, so I guess that levels things out.

Essentially she's maybe falls somewhere in the center of an attributes triangle that has Daredevil, Elektra and Bullseye on the three points. Certainly some of the more glaring parallels are with Elektra, but she shares traits with the two males of this corner of the universe, too. The nature of her imitative abilities -- which come from being deaf -- draw an obvious comparison to Matt Murdock's dis-able-abilities. Her abilities for execution of techniques brings Bullseye to mind.

While she seems to encompass the best of the three worlds, the character certainly hasn't earned her place in the Marvel Universe, and Elektra's far greater palette of experience gives her a massive edge.

It's up for argument to say who is the more skilled warrior. I would lean toward Elektra, but that may perhaps be because of those above listed reasons.
I feel Echo still has a ways to go before she earns initiation.

The Math: Elektra (Meta Class)
The Pick: Elektra and The Hand

What went down...
Having battered and stalked the denizens of the Japanese underworld, Ronin attracts the attentions of the assassin Elektra, and her band of Hand ninja. It was only a matter of time before this situation presented itsself.

Ronin leaps into action against the Hand, disarming some of them of their swords, ony to use the weapons on the freakish ninja creature themselves.
Ronin pops necks and slices through red robes, as the ninja burst into clouds of disgusting smoke all around her.

Elektra studies her adversary as the Ronin cuts through her hoardes.

For every ninja that goes down, there seems to be another, but Ronin remains steadfast in battle. Jumping kick, nunchaku, sweep, roundhouse kick, open palm to the skull -- Spak! Spak! Spak! -- the Hand go down.

That leaves only Elektra, and although she's ready, Ronin does not wait for her to initiate the attack.

They crash through a window out into the streets surrounding and spill into the alley below. Ronin seems to come off second, but still manages to deflect sai attacks with defensive nunchaku swipes.

Elektra blocks a kick, and slips around the jab. Another fist, and a boot find Elektra's palm and wrist, blocked and blocked again.

Ronin leaps a lunging fist, and Elektra uses the moment to retrieve her sai blades and that's the last tactical error Ronin has the opportunity to make.

Disregarding of any armor or additional protection the Ronin suit might provide, the pierce of the sai buries deep and true, finding flesh before straining against more bulk and material.

Elektra holds and then lowers her defeated opponent down, almost gently.
She pulls back at the cowl to reveal the red swelling eyes of Echo. Elektra knows her foe, and perhaps it's that, or perhaps it's the strength of her courage in battle that leads Elektra to do something inadvertently noble.

As the leader of the Hand Elektra is privvy to many things, and that includes mastery over life and death.
She orders Echo's resurrection. She will become one of her warriors, and will never lose like this again. She will live. For now.

The hammer...
For formality's sake alone, let us declare Elektra the winner!

Personally the farce that was the first Ronin saga, when it eventually arrived some months after various cover appearances (and a redesign), just dragged the character Echo further into the mire of what's to be disappointed with in comics.

Likewise, I skipped over her arc in Daredevil which interrupted part of Bendis and Maleev's run on the book. It's fair to say a mini-series probably wouldn't have sold as well as this, but it served a rare opportunity to cull a regular purchase from my list. Which again, isn't a slight to the character or Mack, but more the unfortunate handling of all these things, and having a limited budget as a comics reader.

Again we arrive at an unfortunate situation where the character is actually treated quite well, and finally it feels like there's a justification for the Ronin character to exist -- but again, there's a catch that is a little displeasing.
I think we've discussed before the disappointing nature of Brian Bendis' work on New Avengers, which has been compounded by Civil War, which left Bendis very little room to redeem his less than stellar take on the team.

Again we find ourselves in a situation where Bendis is actually displaying what makes him an enjoyable reader, but the Ronin story joins a slew of others that push the Avengers team very much to the back table.
To the credit of the issue, the latter third is dedicated to the new New Avengers -- the team that exists post-Civil War -- but it's still disappointing to see one of the better New Avengers issues featuring a tight focus on one individual character.

Wha Huh?! overlooked the existing What The...?! franchise, and it feels as though this book overlooks the pre-established [defunct] Avengers Spotlight series. A book where it would probably have felt much more at home.
Well, maybe that's downplaying the team cameo that does find it's way into the book, but never the less... Mixed feelings when it comes to rating this as an issue.

Fun to continue to diversify the characters featured in 2007, though, and also nice to get some more girls on the site. By the sheer nature of comics, and specifically fighting comics, I think we're always going to be bound slightly tighter to the male characters. Mind you, I think DC has become the greater minority on the site than females. Sorry, guys!

This was a prescheduled fight, and much to my chagrin the rampaging Ragnell was off her game, and alerted her readers to International Women's Day a few days late. So, consider this a conveniently timed belated contribution.
With the current format I like the idea of playing to some of these themes, and via Ragnell and the Written World, it was one I was aware of and awaiting.

[If YOU know of an interesting theme or topical day coming up, drop a comment and let me know! - Calendarious Mike]

With so many comics floating around, themes like these are a nice excuse to force something onto the page. I don't want to overload Fridays with Marvel contributions (in light of Mondays and Wednesdays), but there was a recent duke that fits the criteria, so maybe in a few weeks.

I guess it's kind of a topical time to be featuring women in comics, with the release of the testosterone charged military masterpiece in 300 the movie.
Certainly on both sides of the big two fences there have been efforts to introduce more female characters. Contributions like Echo, and the new White Tiger, Batwoman and Question all respectively add another little twist.

Perhaps the only unfortunate thing, and again this is something we've discussed before, is the derivative nature of their characters. Even Echo, the most individual of the four listed, shares many similarities with characters already existing, including Elektra.

In a world where we haven't seen it time and time again, the poignancy of being christened on Elektra's sai might have been there, but this just feels like another chapter in Echo's following in the footsteps of Elektra, which maybe even cheapens the first character to a degree.

One can't help but flash back to interviews where creators, like Bendis, have expressed their reluctance to involve themselves with "Frank's character", but then go ahead and do something like this. Maybe that's even the motivation.
Maybe Echo is an opportunity to have cake and eat it too, I don't know, but it's a little disappointing, none the less.
Time will tell if it becomes a ham-fisted character device, or is just the fairly logical happenings of a superheroine in the universe.

One last thing I have to praise is Lienel Francis Yu!
I don't know if it's the coolest thing in the world to admit, but I really liked his pencil work on Wolverine around the mid and late nineties, and I think this issue just completely stepped it up. In a way he's almost like a more overtly pencilled Alex Maleev, and the colour palette here kind of nurtures this feeling.

So, despite my chagrin of it being New Avengers, full credit to the colour palette and the overall presentation of the issue. Certainly it evokes some of the qualities of Alex Maleev that works so well with Bendis' writing, but Yu brings a vibrance and kinetic action that Maleev might not be able to. Just a shame it was so short!

EDIT (June 17): You are no doubt aware by now that revelations from New Avengers #31 reveal that this was not Elektra at all, but rather a well trained Skrull facsimile! Rankings have now been changed accordingly.

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 5.5

CAPTAIN AMERICA versus PUNISHER
What If The Punisher had become Captain America (Marvel comics)
Where: What if...? #51 When: July 1993
Why: Simon Furman How: Paris Cullins

The story so far...
In our world, blinded, Captain America was able to survive a brutal encounter with the Red Skull through luck and determination, but throughout the omniverse there are other worlds where he was not so fortunate.

Alive but mortally wounded, Steve Rogers demands there be a replacement in the Cap costume during the period of his recuperation. Thus, the search for a suitable substitute begins. Many men try and fail!

Astronaut John Jameson succumbs to a spell whilst in space, becoming a Man-Wolf; Robert Diamond dies at the hands of Count Nefaria; the gamma-irradiated Leonard Samson loses his mind in battle, and kills innocent civilians; and Kyle Richmond falls victim to the vampiric Baron Blood.

With his family caught in a gang-land crossfire, Frank Castle, having initial turned down the offer, now turns to the flag. As Captain America he will battle evil, but will this symbol for justice be enough for the unhinged ex-soldier?

Previous Form:
Captain America (#9): Cap has victories over Wolverine, Baron Zemo, MODOK and Bane.
The Punisher (#57): Punisher was recently defeated by Wolverine, but has a victory over the Rhino.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Captain America 3 (Trained Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Captain America 3 (???)
Stamina: Captain America 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Captain America 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Captain America 6 (Warrior)
Energy Powers: The Punisher 4 (Arsenal)


With the rare exception, we've been having quite a few statistically one-sided fights, it seems. This one definitely has a margin of measure, but ultimately I think even the most staunch Punisher supporter has to acknowledge that Cap pretty much dresses him up in frilly reds, and takes him to school.

Cap's got Castle covered on hand-to-hand combat, speed, strength and agility.
Standard weapons are moot for the shield, not to mention Cap's evasive talents, seen in many-a bullet dodging splash page.

Punisher's key to success is his moral pendulum, which swings quite a bit wider than Cap's. If there were a way Castle could endanger someone, presumably a criminal because he isn't a bad guy, then Cap may be compelled to abandon an attack/defense in the interest of preserving life.

Punisher wouldn't kill Captain America, we know that much.
Recent interpretations in Punisher War Journal even take it much farther, indicating a degree of hero worship, or at the very least, recognition for the super-patriot.

This one's Cap's, but Punny can surprise.
Like Tombstone, he plays above his weight, kids!

The Math: Captain America (Meta Class)
The Pick: Captain America

What went down...
Frank Castle keeps his distance as a member of the Avengers, and the second his back is turned, they run to Nick Fury to tell them how wrong he feels.
How when the cameras are on he seems to present a facade acceptable to the world, but behind closed doors a glimpse of the real man emerges.
When The Scarlet Witch is disturbed by the presence of another member, then you know he's probably pretty unhinged, but Fury dismisses it as little more than the stoic drive of a military man who lost everything.

While this occurs, Castle dons the garb of a new symbol he's created. Garb baring the mark of the death's head -- a warning to criminals everywhere. On this night he is not a sentinel of liberty. He is a Punisher.

This night is very different to the others, though. Deciding to abandon the limitations of Captain America, Frank Castle goes out for the hunt, leaving behind the ideals of the red, white and blue.

"There is no Captain America. Not anymore. That name carries with it too many limitations. There is only The Punisher!"

This night is very different. This night Frank Castle has excised Captain America from his soul. And now Captain America has come to get him!

The shield comes from nowhere, and the red boot that cracks across his face seems to do the same. Castle knows the silence means this man is good -- and very dangerous.

A hand chops down on the back of his neck, and on his hands and knees he finally gets a good look at his attacker. He finally gets a good look at Captain America!

Cap warns Castle that he must be stopped, and the paranoid expatriate starts to piece the puzzle together, and sees Cap is their clean-up, and he's the mess.
Rather than listen any longer Castle does the only thing he can -- he attacks.

Cap's back smashes into the scenery of the druglab, and Castle follows his body down to the ground, wrapping his hands tight around Cap's throat. He's playing for keeps. He's playing to punish America. But sometimes America isn't afraid to fight dirty!

"Uuugh! Didn't... want to resort to... his... but..."
Cap throws his right fist at the Punisher's exposed ribs, and sends him flying into the air. Castle hits the wall and staggers to his feet, grabbing his stomach. He wants to know what he's been hit with, but he'll have to hear the cermon first.

Cap unleashes his greatest weapon -- the inspiration power of a stern talking to!
And he gives Castle no choice but to listen. He comes to empathise with Castle's frustrations with the system, and even acknowledges some of the problems of the United States, but for Steve Rogers that's what being Captain America is all about. It's about being one human man who will rise above that, and be better.

Castle asks why he can't just do all that, and Cap pulls up his right sleeve with a look of distain to reveal an entirely cybernetic arm.

Just as reason seems to be breaking through to castle, machine gun fire interrupts the moment from a balcon above them.

Cap pushes Castle down and tosses his mighty shield up to the mobster.
The shield misses, but Cap follows right behind and knocks the gunman down with a thundering two-booted kick. He retrieves his shield, and calls to Castle, "You see, Castle? Subdued... but alive!"

But as he says it, he realises Castle has already disappeared.
The shattering glass makes it none too subtle where Punisher has gone. He's gone to get the scum he was there for, but when he puts the gun to the drug runner's head, his conscience tackles him. The memory of his family tackles him.
And Castle wonders if maybe there is another way.

Cap, though present, never has to intervene.

The hammer...
Well, the resolution may have gotten a little off track, but I think it's fair to say Captain America not only successfully subdued Punisher, but also picked up a moral victory!

No prizes for guessing the motivation behind this What If Wednesday! But just in case you've been living in a cave on the darkside of the moon, this is of course in response to not only Captain America's untimely death in Captain America #25, but also popular speculation that The Punisher may assume the mantle, as hinted at in the conclusion of Civil War #7.

Solicitations for War Journal playfully hint at a costume change for Frank Castle. If it isn't the red, white and blue, let's hope it's a shift to black and a trenchcoat.
Fair enough to bring him back to the superhero world, but does that really require white boots? C'mon...

Mind you, the cover to #5 suggests Castle may find himself busted by the feds, so maybe the costume change is back to prison garb. Maybe this time he could focus on doing some intelligence gathering and criminal killing, without having to worry about Matt Murdock and his blind-man routine.

Y'know, I don't really think I mind either way, but Captain Punisher is a pretty tantalizing prospect! This issue looks at the situation through the eyes of a Frank Castle who hasn't lept into his war on crime, so the heroes are relatively unfamiliar with him. What kind of animosity is he going to have to deal with mere months after being recruited to the Anti-Reg gang, only to be unceremoniously kicked out after he gunned down two allied villains at point blank?

With that in mind, how many people are going to be angry at Castle for disrespecting the deceased? For all the respect and worship Castle has, surely even he could recognise the Captain can't condone his lifestyle and methodology.

Which I guess brings us to other popular theories, like Rick Jones or Bucky Barnes taking the mantle. Which, although there's strong opposing logic to Castle, sits with me even less well than the Punisher.

Barnes, currently the Winter Soldier [appearing Monday!], has spent the last few decades as a cyborg Russian killing machine, dedicated to everything Captain America opposes. So, having him to a complete backflip feels somewhat wasted.
Then again, apparently Ed Brubaker's entire run on Captain America has been building toward this moment, and despite the title character's assassination, we can be pleased to know the book will continue. Maybe it has all been about breeding Bucky for a switcheroo back to heroism.

Then again, perhaps a delicious irony is that Bucky has cybernetic enhancements to compensate for the injuries he sustained during the event that posed as his apparent death. Which is exactly what Cap declares Captain America shouldn't be, in this very issue of What If.
Duelling characterizations aren't really new, but it's food for thought!

I suppose I've been side tracked from the point -- Captain America is dead!
My initial reaction was really just bemusement, and wonder as to why so many people were buying into it. Then the press started to sink in, and sink in, and sink in, until it dawned on me that regardless of the inevitable reversal, this one's probably going to stick for a good while now.

Originally I was thinking maybe a storyarc, between four and eight issues, but with that much press, I can't imagine Marvel would make it known without sticking to it for a while. And even on the off chance that the story spread farther than was intended, Cap's death is going to stick as a result of that.

How do I feel about it? A few people have asked me over the week.
I'm kind of somewhere in the middle about it. I like to think I'm an advocate of moving the comics forward, but I do tend to wonder if Captain America is the guy to do it with. On the one hand he's been around the longest, so you probably knock him off before you take out your Spidey... But at the same time, he's their oldest, and unlike a Sub-Mariner or Human Torch, he's managed to endure since his come-back in the sixties!

It seems like a grosse misstep to kill-off this one.
The one everyone feels, canonically and as readers, is the embodiment of everything the heroes should be striving for. This is even the guy most readers felt was right in the argument of hero registration, even though he probably wasn't really the logical choice.

I think he'll be back... and if it isn't something spectacular, this will probably be remembered in infamy in much the same way the death of Superman is.
Otherwise, it will be another thorough disappointment for death in superhero comics. Something that manages to generate sales, even if it isn't a threat anymore.

Mixed feelings!...

The Fight: 3 The Issue: 5

BULLSEYE versus DAREDEVIL
Hardcore: Part 4 (Marvel comics)
Where: Daredevil #49 When: September 2003
Why: Brian Michael Bendis How: Alex Maleev

The story so far...
The bad blood between Bullseye and Daredevil is the stuff of legends, and as the Kingpin prepares to launch a final assault on Matt Murdock, Bullseye wants in!

What they don't realise is that Matt Murdock isn't playing the same game anymore, and things are turning around back onto the Kingpin of crime.

This is the big one as DD faces off with the man who has a history of killing his girlfriend, and is sneaking into his apartment home, where his blind wife Milla sleeps. Is it three for three, or has Bullseye missed the mark?

Previous Form:
Bullseye (#70): Bullseye has a victory and a defeat against Daredevil.
Daredevil (#5): Daredevil has victories over Tombstone, Wolverine and Turk.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Draw 3 (Trained Athlete)
Intelligence: Bullseye 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Daredevil 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Daredevil 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Daredevil 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Daredevil 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Powers: Bullseye 4 (Arsenal)

When you talk about classic comic book rivalries, there probably aren't many that match the quality and longevity of these two. Sometimes we talk about personal or psychological advantages, but really, these two have been duking it out at high stakes for so long, there's probably nothing left in that arena.

While Bullseye would have to be considered the less proficient a fighter of the two, he has his own remarkable skills that have allowed him to go toe-to-toe with the technician that is Daredevil. Not that DD is relying on technical prowess when he fights Bullseye. This is a blood feud!

We've broached the subject of Daredevil's ferocity when fighting [Daredevil #87], but of all the opponents that inspire that rage, Bullseye has to be at the top of the list. Which, in the hands of Daredevil, is actually a good thing.
Unlike other combatants, DD might be less inclined to start making slip-ups when he's fighting with that kind of temperment. If anything, it can become an advantage for him.

Bullseye is always deadly. If it can be thrown, he can make it a weapon.
His accuracy is second to none, and he usually comes equipped with weapons of some kind, even if they're little more than shuriken.

DD's radar-senses give him a one-up on projectile attacks, but like Spider-man's spider-senses, even they can only provide so much. It's still up to the mind and body to work in unison if attacks are going to be avoided.

All of this is really for moot.
I think at the end of the day we've already seen in their previous battles [Daredevil #132, #79] that it can really go either way. More often than not, I guess you have to favour DD, but I don't know how accurate that is...

The Math: Daredevil (Meta Class)
The Pick: Daredevil

What went down...
Sneaking out the skylight, Daredevil says goodnight to his blind girlfriend, Milla, with promise of fancy and fun on a date to Lincoln Center.
Milla stretches out on the bed with a smile, but is startled by the creak of someone walking in the room. Though she can detect their presence, she does not know who it is. "Matt?," she asks, without response.

Emerging from the shadows is Bullseye, delighted at the fact that Milla is blind.
He remarks on his previous affairs with Daredevil's girlfriends, and notes that althought they served their purpose, to get under DD's skin, he was never able to savor them. They always put up a fight, and came in the heat of something else.

As Bullseye begins to make a request of the woman, a red garbed devil hurtles from the ceiling down on top of him. Daredevil grabs his foe in a hammerlock and tosses him out the window. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

The daring Bullseye lands on his feet, like he almost always does, and Daredevil pursues, fearlessly. But not before telling Milla to call the police.

DD spins in the air, swinging his boot into Bullseye's head. The trail of blood sprays faster from his nose and mouth than his own body that follows the path down to the street below.

Bullseye tosses shuriken and insults, but Daredevil expertly deflects both with the a steely star and his trusty billyclub. He retorts, not with words, but with an intentful toss of his hand-weapon.

The skilled assassin snatches the club out of the air, as he has done so many times before. He reminds Daredevil of the death of his favourite girl, Karen Page, as was the result of the last time Bullseye possessed his club.

The two engage each other in combat, Bullseye ducking a blow from the other club, but taking a bloody boot to the face for his trouble.
Daredevil asks of his arch-nemesis, again and again, "Why do you keep coming BACK here??"

With no satisfactory answer, Daredevil calls his foe by his true name. A facet of Bullseye long thought lost to history. DD calls him Lester -- and it rattles him.

Lester lashes out violently with a backhand, that sprays more blood on the road below.
He calls for an audience as Daredevil hits the mat, intent on putting on a show for the people of Hell's Kitchen.

With blood pooring from his mouth, DD grits his teeth and pushes against the Earth as it comes up against him.

"Hey, you think when you die and go to Hell, you'll still get to wear the costume?"

Bullseye looms over the hero with his own billyclub, and prepares to plunge it downward in one operatic final blow, but the Daredevil isn't beaten. He throws his leg out, and bucks his would-be killer across the street.

He follows his kicks with sordid details of Bullseye's previously unrevealed past. Factoids about his name and his prostitute mother. About his pathetic life in high school, and how he doesn't know his daddy.



He takes a mount position and pounds the mercenary again and again, spraying more and more blood still onto the night street.
Bullseye's cheek begins to bruise, and Daredevil challenges him on his identity and his connection to the bullseye symbol he wears on his head.

Pledging each ring to his loved ones, DD uses a rock to carve around the bullseye tattooed on his head. For Elektra and for Karen. He challenges Bullseye to find the courage to do what he won't. To end his miserable life and leave everyone alone.

The FBI arrive as DD looms over Bullseye with the rock, asserting dominance with a hollow threat. He offers to press charges.
Says it's that important, but it isn't necessary for a man who has found his way to fourth on America's list of most wanted criminals.

Agent Driver, an adversary with which Murdock had developed a report, wants to talk to him about Kingpin, but Daredevil's night is over. Daredevil's won.
And Wilson Fisk -- the Kingpin -- is a matter for tomorrow.

The hammer...
Well, in one of the most intense victories of his career, Daredevil emerges victorious on this night!

This was certainly one of the fights that's been easiest to invest in in terms of the summary. I think what makes it so superb is it's relative subtlty. The power of the blows are pretty irrelevent to the kicks and punches. They're just there as expected dressing, but really, what gives this fight such power, is the street-bound humanity of it.

Daredevil, with grit teeth, is really fighting Bullseye on this Hell's Kitchen street, with everyone too frightened in their rooms to dare interrupt the mood. They're irrelevent and it's better that way. It's just about Bullseye and Daredevil and all the bad blood they share. They let it -- literally.
It oozes out of them onto the street, and more still as they exchange the verbal barrage of throat gripping truths. Bullseye has his moment, but Daredevil delivers everything and more on him. He even elaborates on the character's history.

It's rare that I would look to Bendis for a benchmark in canon, but I really like what he reveals about Bullseye here. He's one of those villains who, when it came to getting an origin, has sort of never really comfortably absorbed one take. So you end up with various bits and pieces, and I didn't read the slow-release mini-series Daredevil: Target, so I don't know if that's the source from which Bendis is inspired, but I think what he uses, so very little, is just right.

I like to think of this character on the most base of terms, because that makes him all the more threatening. At the risk of dragging myself into this, in some ways this Bullseye is inspiration for my character The Russian Man, who likewise is a man with a lot of blood on his hands, but with an snivelling past.

Bullseye, like the Joker, kinda shifts between histories of extrapalatory training and mediocrity. I think both characters benefit from the low key non-origins. It makes them all the more frightening and threatening know the only thing that seperates them from us is the will to do terrible things.

Another great aid to the story is the artwork, which is a little stiff around some areas. This isn't the best drawn Daredevil fight sequence, but it's the best emoted. Maleev brings with him an awkwardness that comes with such photo realistic work (presumably built from source), but it brings great benefit to crafting a subdued, emotive hyper-reality about everything.
It's stylized enough to be beautiful, but it's lowkey enough that it feels real.

Bendis gets full credit for the writing here. Some of it plays against Maleev's strengths, but as with most of his work on Daredevil, it makes good use of his work. Which really owes a great deal to colourist -- Matt Hollingsworth.
Maleev's efforts could not have the stylistic weight they do without the brilliance of the mostly muted colour palette.

When I think of the few things I didn't like about the Daredevil movie, one of those things is probably the costume. A minor note throughout the Maleev/Hollingsworth run is undoubtedly the simplicity of the costume, and the vibrant red/black contrast put on it. That is Daredevil, for me.

Perhaps the only glaring problem with this issue, I find, is the fact that it wraps Bullseye up so brilliantly... It feels like he shouldn't be seen again for quite some time, and those of use reading Brubaker/Lark's DD of course know, he's pretty immediately thrust back into the picture.

It isn't a terrible problem, but in the bigger picture it certainly affects the way one should recognise Brubaker's work.
It does, however, highlight one of the issues with Bullseye's roll in the new Thunderbolts series under the pen of Warren Ellis. Highlighted is Bullseye's status on America's Most Wanted list, which uncomfortably rubs up against the idea that Bullseye could be a government trump card.
Not to say the United States hasn't slept with the enemy before, mind you...

We'll probably see more of the Hardcore storyarc in the future, with a couple more great DD battles that come out of it -- including the climactic showdown with Wilson Fisk; aka the Kingpin of Crime.

The Fight: 5.5 The Issue: 6.5

THE TRAPSTER versus SPIDER-MAN & GHOST RIDER
Panic On Pier One! (Marvel comics)
Where: Marvel Team-Up #58 When: June 1977
Why: Chris Claremont How: Sal Buscema & P. Marcos

The story so far...
Whilst heading home, Peter Parker and Mary-Jane Watson find themselves in for a treat when they discover a film crew rolling outside of Peter's Chelsea residence.

Amongst the film crew is Johnny Blaze, playing the role of Stunt-Master.Blaze, stunt cyclist extraordinaire, is of course the alter ego of the demon spawn dark hero known as Ghost Rider, the spirit of vengeance!

Filming begins, but a routine stunt goes wrong when Blaze's front tyre is ensnared by an unseen adhesive shot atop one of the cars he's bunnyhopping.
The force of his momentum tears the front tyre from the cycle, and Johnny Blaze makes the change from man, to Ghost Rider!

Webbing comes to the demon's aid at the last second, but when Spidey finds himself snared by thick paste, will the spirit of vengeance return the favour?

Previous Form:
The Trapster (#64): The Trapster has both a victory and defeat as member of the Frightful Four.
Spider-man (#2): Spider-man has victories of Scorpion, Kraven, Tombstone and others.
Ghost Rider: Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze) has not yet been featured.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Spider-man 5 (Super Strength)
Intelligence: Spider-man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Ghost Rider 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Ghost Rider 3 (Street Wise)
Energy Powers: Ghost Rider 5 (Lasers)

When you break it down, this is a hilariously one-sided fight.
The Trapster doesn't even break a twenty overall, which makes him one of the few feature characters to fall into the Human Class. Which is bad news bears when you're up against not one, but TWO superhero studs.

Like various more street level characters, Trapster certainly has the ability to play above his stats. Granted he isn't a Tombstone, but the versatility provided by his super-durable adhesive paste is a fairly hefty tool.
Along with various offensive applications, it comes in pretty handy for your run of the mill incapacitation through bondage, and can even throw up defensives like a super sturdy quick-dry wall.

Of course, even with that said, if we take a look at the opposing keys to victory you have a smorgasboard of ways for Ghost Rider and/or Spidey to take him apart. Webbing, hellfire, super strength, nearby sea, flaming hellcycle... That isn't even breaking it down to measure how each talent can beat him.

Honestly, The Trapster is in deep water in this one, which is probably the reason he never gets any respect. Aim low, Pete. Aim low.

The Math: Spider-man & Ghost Rider
The Pick: Spider-man & Ghost Rider

What went down...
Having saved Ghost Rider from a messy crash, Spider-man finds himself entangled in the sticky paste of The Trapster!

Ghost Rider summons his hellcycle so that he might pursue the villain, while he recounts the tale of his arrival to Spider-man from atop his Anti-Grav Platform.

During a daring escape from custody, the Wizard freed his Frightful Four friends with the use of one of his many crafty contingencies, concealed within a dummy tooth.
As they left, The Trapster spied a newspaper that featured an article on the Johnny Blaze film, and decided to stretch his legs with some payback for a previous meeting.

While Trapster blows his own trumpet, Spidey makes his move, shooting a web line to the front of Trapster's floating platform.
With a safe anchor he puts his weight into applying pressure on the long strand of hardened paste, and manages to break it!

Though his arms remain bound, Spidey uses his web-line to swing up onto the platform, and delivers a devestating kick to the face of the villain formerly known as Paste-Pot Pete.

Staring down the barrel of the paste gun, Spidey tries to swat it away with his pinned arms. He proves unsuccessful, and the Trapster shows some developing enginuity, using a magnesium flare in his belt to blind the web-slinger.

Blinded, Spider-man is left a sitting target to even the Trapster, not known for his bruising.

The punch sends Spider-man hurtling off the Anti-Grav platform, toward the streets below, but fortunately the Ghost Rider was still entow.

Imitating a move he picked up from the Human Torch, Ghost Rider drives his cycle in a tight circle, creating a vortex of hot air that slows Spider-man's descent, and allows him the chance to catch the falling hero!

The Trapster comes around for a second shot, but Ghost Rider blasts a vengeful burst of hellfire toward the villain. It damages the platform heavily, but not enough to prevent Trapster steering toward refuge aboard a docked Navy carrier.

Spidey breaks free of his shackles, and leaps into action with the Ghost Rider.
GR is first onboard the boat, jumping from an elevated highway atop his hellcycle.

[Paste-Pot] Pete is waiting with his paste gun ready, building himself a hardened wall directly in the path of the netherworldly rider!
Any ordinary biker may be thrashed, but the Ghost Rider is able to leap from his flaming hellcycle as explodes in a burst of flame, before summoning it once more so that he may land directly on it!

Trapster so perturbed by being outmatched, doesn't even notice that he flees right into the waiting fist of the amazing Spider-man! The victory, however, is brief, as finely tuned spider-senses warn Spidey of an incoming attack from one of the sailors aboard the ship.

Ghost Rider once more comes to the web-slinger's aid as the seamen open fire.

Meanwhile, The Trapster seeks to commandeer a jet as means of distraction to facilitate his escape. He starts the F-14 rolling toward the West Side Highway, and only Spider-man's fantastic leaping prevents certain disaster.
Using his webbing and some quick thinking, he pulls the plane harmlessly into a nose dive off the bow of the carrier.

Ghost Rider corners the fleeing Trapster aboard the ship, and prepares to deliver unbridled vengeance, but Spider-man is forced to intervene at the last second!

With his prey pinned against barrels of fuel, Ghost Rider could be endangering the entire crew with his flaming retribution. Or so Spidey believes!

The Ghost Rider, unrelenting, blasts jets of hellfire at the villain with little regard for the surroundings. Trapster collapses to the ground, gripped in a figurative hell in his mind.

Ghost Rider callously reminds Spider-man that his hellfire has more poperties than merely the physical. Spider-man is unable to subscribe to his vicious means of penance, thus the two part ways, with Ghost Rider bitterly reminding his ally that he is what he is. A demon spawn spirit of vengeance.

The hammer...
Despite their uneasy resolution, Ghost Rider and Spider-man emerge victorious! What a team!

A rare milestone on the site comes with this entry!
This is officially the one hundredth post on the website, which is a pretty big deal by anyone's book! Traffic's slowed down a little, but we've come a long way from the first post, so a big shoutout goes to all of you coming back regularly! Cheers!

Now, as far as reasoning for this post, I'm going to admit this was purely a grab at scoring some hits off the feature film. I haven't seen it, but I know it's got a lot of new readers interested in the character, and hopefully this can add to the experience of discovering the character on the page!

I personally don't think the character really came into his own until the Ghost Rider mantle was passed to Dan Ketch, as opposed to Johnny Blaze, who's the GR featured here and in the movie.

At this point in the character's history he sort of feels like a weird superhero, with a very non-chalant reference to an infernal backstory, and off-the-cuff throws to Satan. By the eighties and nineties I think we start to see the character falling into a more unique niche, and finding weight on the nature of his character, as opposed to just being a superhero guest star.

You'll notice the threat of hellfire is fairly regular here. It's not until the nineties that he develops trademark moves like the penance stare, and diversifies into the chains and flame attacks.

You probably see some of that in the movie, but being a PG-13 film, it really doesn't root the character in the same scene I like to think of him as appearing in. This is a character that inhabits the seedier side of the Marvel universe, mingling with similar characters like Morbius and Dr. Strange and Blade.

Of course, during that period of the Dan Ketch Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze still gets a look in, albeit as a man. Although, as you may have discovered if you've begun investigating the character in the comics, Johnny Blaze has again taken up the curse of the Ghost Rider. And I'm not about to pretend I'm above movie tie-ins [hello!], but it will be very interesting to see the Dan Ketch character breached within the pages of those books.

Of course, the vehicle for this Ghost Rider feature was the original secondary Spider-man title; Marvel Team-Up. I don't have a great collection of Ghost Rider books, but this is one that's been on the pile for a while, so it seemed like an opportune moment to throw it up there.

As has been discussed in the Punch-Ups, 2007 is really fixing to be a Spider-man month here on the site, I think. That's probably a trend that will continue, and hopefully you can forgive me! I'm trying to reserve Friday for some versatility, but there's just so much still to come!

Keep the hits coming folks!
If you've played the Ultimate Alliance video game, you'll know Monday is all about Bullseye, and it's one we've been waiting to see since the beginning of the site! Stick around for it! Cheers!

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 4