SHIPPING LIST: DECEMBER 04, 2008
NOTE DATE: US delays for Thanksgiving!
You can probably find complete shipping list updates on most major comics sites. Consider this an opportunity to either do all your info-shopping in the one place, or get a speculative perspective on what might be worth checking out. These are untested reads. Secret Wars on Infinite Earths can offer no guarantee or endorsement of quality. These are simply titles that may be of potential interest. Some items may ship late.

The Infinite Wars now has a gift shop!
Now you'll find Amazon purchase links to hardcovers, trade paperbacks, and other collections, not only on regular entries -- but also new releases at the bottom of the Shipping List, and now a whole catalogue of potential purchases via the Infinite Wars: Amazonian Gift Shop. [Men are also welcome!] By shopping with Amazon via our purchase links, you not only find yourself a great deal, but also sponsor future entries on the Infinite Wars.

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
The Independents...
JUL082191 ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #10 $2.99
OCT084027 BOYS #25 (MR) $2.99
AUG080026 CREEPY ARCHIVES HC VOL 02 $49.95
SEP084136 DOCTOR WHO FORGOTTEN #4 $3.99
SEP084340 DRAGONBALL Z VIZBIG ED GN VOL 03 $17.99
SEP082234 GODLAND TP VOL 04 AMPLIFIED NOW $14.99
OCT080032 HELLBOY WILD HUNT #1 (OF 8) $2.99
OCT082311 I HATE GALLANT GIRL #2 (OF 3) $3.50
OCT082259 LIBERTY COMICS A CBLDF BENEFIT BOOK (NEW PTG) (MR) $3.99
AUG080041 MAGICMAN ARCHIVES HC VOL 01 $59.95
JUL082205 NOBLE CAUSES #38 $3.50
JUL083866 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS HC VOL 01 $29.99
OCT082281 PROOF TP VOL 02 $12.99
AUG084486 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 23 $12.95

The Corporates...
OCT082468 CABLE #9 $2.99
OCT080102 EL DIABLO #4 (OF 6) $2.99
OCT082410 HULK FAMILY GREEN GENES #1 $4.99
SEP080156 JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #21 $2.99
OCT082522 MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK TP VOL 04 DIGEST $8.99
OCT082415 MARVEL ZOMBIES 3 #3 (OF 4) $3.99
OCT082430 MARVELS EYE OF CAMERA #1 (OF 6) $3.99
OCT082428 MOON KNIGHT SILENT KNIGHT #1 $3.99
SEP082361 NEW AVENGERS #47 SI $2.99
OCT080210 SANDMAN DREAM HUNTERS #2 (OF 4) (MR) $2.99
OCT080138 SUPERMAN SUPERGIRL MAELSTROM #3 (OF 5) $2.99
OCT080090 TRINITY #27 $2.99
OCT082350 X-MEN NOIR #1 (OF 4) $3.99

The Spotlight...
- OCT082381 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #579 $2.99
Amazing continues to delve into a flavoursome redux of recent history, this time grinding it's way through subterranean plots familiar to anyone who read Spidey's adventures in the seventies, eighties, and/or nineties. I can only assume consistently declining sales have ensured that it will be quite some time before we see Spider-man interacting with his post-BND universe without the company of familiar friends and foes. This time around it's Shocker -- a character I'm thrilled to see back in action (with barely a hint of tongue-in-cheek bullshit).

- SEP080111 BATMAN #682 $2.99
Is he, or isn't he? The question dangles as DC quickly follow-up Grant Morrison's RIP ambiguity with a double-size two-parter featuring a secret history of the Batman canon, as told through the lens of Alfred. Presumably this follows up on Morrison's premise that RIP was the culmination of a short few years in which Batman had experienced his entire career as we know it. Hard to really assess the story without reading through it, but RIP has certainly raised the stakes for Final Crisis. Can it possibly live up to the hype?

- SEP082338 IMMORTAL IRON FIST #20 $2.99
Anyone concerned about the transition of teams should take at least a thematic assurance from the return of the fighters of the heavenly cities. With all the Mortal Kombat traffic we've had, this is definitely a book for you people to consider! [ie; Immortal Iron Fist #11]

- OCT088007 PUNISHER MAX X-MAS SPECIAL 2008 BLOODY VAR (MR) $3.99
Punisher: War Zone hits screens December 5, so you can be sure there'll be a handful of Punisher releases as we head through the silly season. Not sure what to expect from this one, but I get a strange sense of tradition from Punisher spilling the blood of criminals during Christmas. It just makes sense.

- SEP082358 SECRET INVASION #8 (OF 8) SI $3.99
Brian Michael Bendis' exercise in job security wraps up, feeding in to the next major Marvel branding: Dark Reign. By book ending the eight-issue snorefest with a scene reminiscent of the earlier march fo the Skrull impostors, Bendis really just reminds us how little of this was necessary. We already know how most of it ends. It was fortunate Ronin was on the scene to recognise the real Mockingbird (an abductee), because otherwise we might've slaughtered these heroes thinking they were Skrulls, again. Love-senses tingling! PLUS: Norman Osborn Dark Illuminati, sad-face Iron Man, and much more time wasting! Bendis' high-concept pitch was to let other characters feel what it's like to be Peter Parker -- I don't know about the Avengers, but I sure feel like crap.

- OCT082448 SHE-HULK COSMIC COLLISION $3.99
With the shock cancellation of She-Hulk, one wonders how the sales of a special like this might influence the future. I'm uncertain what the circumstances of the cancellation are. The book sells considerably better than many other titles, leading me to suppose there might be something else looming on the horizon. Marvel has certainly shown considerable investment in the recent emergence of The Lady Liberators, perhaps an on-going? With the last issue coming in February, I'd be grabbing what you can get, Shulksters!

- OCT080104 TERRA #3 (OF 4) $2.99
I continue to be such a great fan of DC's business of legacy and logic. Geo-Force finally pops up somewhere that actually makes sense, loitering around to mentor the Earth-moving heroine, Terra! Or so I assume. I'm no kind of Teen Titans fan, but with various guest characters providing a smooth entry point (ie; Powergirl), this is a very admirable piece of work!

- OCT080112 TERROR TITANS #3 (OF 6) $2.99
Terror Titans has a couple of things going for it: Namely, the Dark Side Fight Club, which is exactly the kind of thing we'd be featuring right here if we had any money. The other major selling point? The debut of Static in the DC Universe! The assimilation of Milestone and Archie superheroes has been a long time coming, and I'm sure plenty of fans of the Static Shock cartoon series will be pleased to jump head-long into this one!

- OCT082452 WHAT IF HOUSE OF M $3.99
Dear Marvel, let it go! The crossover is a black mark on history. Stop trying to clean the Bendis strewn faeces/mud off the "House of M" brand, and just move on! If this pseudo-damage control is anything to go by, are we to expect years of Secret Invasion tie-ins? The thought occurs that this has turned into a bit of an anti-Bendis daily double. I can only consider this a convenient turn of events. What do you think, readers? I call it zero-from-two. Is Dark Reign Bendis' last shot at proving himself capable of a major crossover, or do we write him off for Ultimatum?

I guess it isn't all bad. If the boysclub in editorial don't force him to put the Avengers back into Avengers titles, there'll be something worth reading. That's a compliment, people!


Know Your Trade...
OCT082537 DAREDEVIL BY MILLER JANSON TP VOL 02 $29.99
SEP082449 DAREDEVIL PREM HC YELLOW $24.99
SEP084340 DRAGONBALL Z VIZBIG ED GN VOL 03 $17.99
AUG080026 CREEPY ARCHIVES HC VOL 02 $49.95
OCT082541 ESSENTIAL WOLVERINE TP VOL 05 $16.99
SEP082234 GODLAND TP VOL 04 AMPLIFIED NOW $14.99
OCT082528 INFINITY CRUSADE TP VOL 01 $29.99
AUG080041 MAGICMAN ARCHIVES HC VOL 01 $59.95
OCT082522 MARVEL ADVENTURES HULK TP VOL 04 DIGEST $8.99
JUL083866 PROJECT SUPERPOWERS HC VOL 01 $29.99
OCT082281 PROOF TP VOL 02 $12.99
AUG084486 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 23 $12.95
AUG080189 SPIRIT TP VOL 01 $19.99
AUG080185 SUPERMAN BATMAN VENGEANCE TP $12.99

COVER TO COVER: TWENTY-FIVE UP 1984-1988!
1984-1988 Top 25
#1 Ryu (1987)
#2 Venom (1984)
#3 Ken Masters (1987)
#4 USAgent (1986)
#5 Sagat (1987)
#6 Lyja (1984)
#7 Tabitha Smith (1985)
#8 She-Thing (1985)
#9 Black Mask (1985)
#10 Death's Head (1987)
#11 Captain Atom (1987)
#12 Warlock (1984)
#13 Forge (1984)
#14 Terminus (1984)
#15 Apocalypse (1986)
#16 Anti-Venom (1988)
#17 Birdie (1987)
#18 Tombstone (1988)
#19 Cheetah (1987)
#20 Penance (1988)
#21 Catgirl (1986)
#22 Swordsman (1985)
#23 Arachne (1984)
#24 Amanda Waller (1986)
#25 Bekka (1985)
It's December once more which means, like last year, you must push the button, my friends. To send me back through time!

With nostalgia for the year that's been, we'll be we'll be throwing out an extra round of the C2C every post dated Tuesday, to glance back on the last twenty-five years of superheroes through issues plucked from our previous review cycles. Some will be undisputed classics, others seemingly insignificant chapters in the lives of sequential heroes, and others will be curiosities significant to their era.

If you find your nostalgia-wave coming on extra strong, we prescribe last year's round of flashbacks: 1983-1987, 1988-1992, 1993-1997, 1998-2002, 2003-2007.

I'm not sure I can adequately sum up the significance of these years, so instead, a top twenty-five based on our cumulative rankings, drawing exclusively from characters who debuted in this time.
Observing the list of characters you can almost begin to feel the sense of an attitude that would define the nineteen-nineties. Works like Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns, as well as those redefining series that came out of DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, set about changing the face of the industry's most traditional major brand.

Having already compiled similar lists for subsequent eras, it strikes me as interesting to look at the most significant characters to come from these years. With the lasting popularity of characters from the creative booms of the forties and sixties, the contributions of more recent years are easily overlooked. While strong new characters are an undeniable requirement for major publishers, it's worth acknowledging lasting creations like Apocalypse, Tombstone, the new Cheetah, and the heroes pictured above. Sure, it's been twenty-odd years, but a little perspective could do you youngsters a world of good.

"Old school" in comics? Talk to me when you're loitering in the forties, punks!
Hey! While you're reevaluating your own insignificance, be sure to vote in the fantasy poll!

Super Powers #5 (November 1984)
"Spaceship Earth: We're All On It!" Jack Kirby
The tyranny of Darkseid is a tale that stretches across time and space, but for the heroes of Earth, the continued scrutiny from the distant despot remains a looming threat to all existence!

In his search for power Darkseid seeks the answers to the Anti-Life Equation as a means of manipulating life as we know it! This quest brings Earth beneath the evil New God's envious eyes, whose hopes to canvas humanity for pieces of the equation bring him into regular contest with the super powers of Earth and surrounding realms!

So great does Darkseid's evil prove that even the most vile villains are forced to team with their arch-rivals in an effort to navigate reality and reassemble to hault Darkseid's march on Earth. Defeating the a New God is no mean feat, let alone one willing to crush his own men!

Uncanny X-Men #194 (June 1985)
"Juggernaut's Back in Town!" Claremont/Romita Jr
Recovery from battle with the Hellions is cut short.
When news reports make their way to the X-Mansion, hailing the return of the Juggernaut; Colossus, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Rogue and Phoenix must ready themselves for battle.

Little do they realise, the Juggernaut will not be their greatest enemy this day. Anti-mutant forces from the future have sent their agent of death into the timestream, and he is also about to reemerge.






Dark Knight Returns #3 (May 1986)
"Hunt the Dark Knight" Frank Miller
In a grim future where the heroes have been driven away by a cowardly and suspicious society - the Dark Knight returns!

Batman's revolution fuels a dichotomy within the opinions of a modern society torn between the social impacts of a vigilante whose greatest power now seems to be his branding. As a [pop]-cultural phenom, the Batman inspires and protects the weak from a new breed of street tough, the likes of which have overshadowed the once prominent freaks and mobsters.

With Batman comes the awakening of sleeping giants whose eyes delight at a chance to live again. Public opinion supports the Joker's release and so begins the clown prince of crime's last crime wave!

Incredible Hulk #335 (September 1987)
"The Evil That Men Do!" David/Ridgway
In this moody horror tale; the Hulk finds himself confronted by his dark shadow in a creature called The Stalker.

The phantasm arises by night from a troubled horror film fan much like Bruce Banner's Hulk during this period. The Stalker acts out the hidden desires and malice of it's young host, pursuing the affections of the woman Gil Jeffers admires anonymously from afar.

As the Stalker confronts the Hulk with a proposal to eliminate the presence of Bruce Banner's balancing consciousness; the Hulk finds himself confronted with the question of his true nature, and the decision to fullfil the expectations of the monster, or to walk a purer path.

Secret Origins #35 (Holiday 1988)
"Martian Manhunter" Verheiden/Steacy
This one takes us back to the grizzled days of Detective John Jones; alias for the Manhunter from Mars, J'onn J'onnz, who finds himself unwittingly transported to Earth by the aging Doctor Erdel.

With the good Doctor startled by his Martian visitor, to the point of heart attack, he leaves the alien with a final warning and well wish, making the Manhunter's first experience on Earth one of death.

Canvasing the networks of mainstream American television, the Manhunter extracts what information he can about human society. Impressed upon this blank slate is the image of the square jawed TV detective, dedicated to truth, justice, and the battle against corruption and evil in the Earth. Thus, John Jones is born, to war against crime!

MONTHLY PUNCH-UP #36 (December 2008)
Happy holidays, folks!
Another (belated) December on the Infinite Wars means another anniversary! The Comic Book Fight Club began way back in 2005 and has been kicking, punching, and energy blasting with varying regularity ever since!

The year end means a few traditions return for the site in December! If you've been reading belated content on the site then hopefully you've been among the small handful of people voting in our daily Fantasy Fight polls! This year we're deriving nineteen thematic pairings from 2008 and handing the decision over to you - the reader! Expect a full run down in posts dated late December!

Be sure also to keep an eye on our timewarp through the last twenty-five years of comics through bonus C2C, a few reviews from 2008, and of course, all the countdown to the top five characters of the year! More on happenings in the SuperStock later in the post, but first, like last year, we warm up for the December DC vs Marvel Fantasy Fights with a few top ranking fights!

The usual Marvel suspects stick around, but as you'll see from the top rated DC heroes, there's been a noted shift in the last year. In my assessment, this reflects a much better rounded year in our Friday fights and maybe even reflects on the strength of DC's year as a publisher.

ROUND 1: BATMAN versus SPIDER-MAN
Strength: Spider-man 5 (Superhuman)
Intelligence: Batman 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Spider-man 5 (Cat-like)
Fighting Ability: Batman 5 (Martial Artist)
Energy Power: Batman 4 (Arsenal)

Math: Draw 2008 Ranking: Batman (#1)

It's hardly surprising that two of the biggest icons in comics are back in the top fight for a second year. You might make topical arguments about the status of the characters, like Batman's recent post-RIP disappearance, but I see no reason to change the decision on the strength of their fighting abilities.
Grant Morrison may have gone lengths to structure history to suggest more frailty in the Batman, but as a standard of character, he remains the consumate strategist with all the necessary attributes to execute his perfect plans.

As far as this site is concerned, Spider-man had an absolutely shite year in comics, but that cannot take away from the validity of the character. Last year we focused in on the big factors of foresight vs spidey-senses, and as great as Spider-man is in a battle, rah-rah...

Our Pick: Batman

ROUND 2: SUPERMAN versus IRON MAN
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Iron Man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach-Speeds)
Stamina: Draw 6 (Generator)
Agility: Superman 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Iron Man 4 (Trained)
Energy Power: Iron Man 5 (Lasers)

Math: Superman 2008 Ranking: Superman (#2)

With the advent of the Iron Man film and his central role in the post-Civil War Marvel Universe, there's a perfectly legitimate argument that says Iron Man is probably the secondor third biggest cultural icon at Marvel comics, right now. No mean feat for a character who, a decade or two earlier, might've been considered somewhere a bit lower on the tier system.

Of the Iron Man, I don't doubt his technological capability to contain or bludgeon Superman. Over the past few years we've seen characters popping up that well and truly debunk the popular misconception that DC somehow lords their super human abilities over their Marvel counterparts.

Day-to-day interpretations tend not to do Superman the service he deserves, often in direct response to the afforementioned misconception. We've seen the effect of magic on the Man of Steel become increasingly referred to as a "weakness," while his strengths continue to be diminished.

Call me a purist, but when it comes to bending ferrous metals, I'm pretty comfortable in tipping the hat to Superman. Granted, it's been several decades since it was technologically plausible for Iron Man to literally be a man of iron, but even after the Extremis process, he's a man in a shell. A shell I think Superman could probably peel, after the expected exchange of blows.

Our Pick: Superman

ROUND 3: BLACK ADAM versus HULK
Strength: Draw 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Black Adam 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Black Adam 5 (Superhuman)
Stamina: Draw 6 (Generator)
Agility: Black Adam 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Black Adam 7 (Born Fighter)
Energy Power: Black Adam 3 (Explosives)

Math: Black Adam 2008 Ranking: Hulk (#5)

Based on the 52 World War III spin-off, and World War Hulk, this was actually one of our 2007 Fantasy Fights. Then, we chose Hulk as the victor, but it might be time to have a rethink.

Since concluding his war on the Illuminati, ol' green genes has reverted back to his ever loving rampaging-self. In fact, some might say since the emergence of Red Hulk, Hulk has been dumber than ever! Yuk yuk.
Hulk's strategic magnificence was a big part of our decision last year, and let's face it -- Black Adam is one bad ass MFer! The strength/anger ratio applies to both and starts substantially higher with the Shazam powered anti-hero.

Our Pick: Black Adam

ROUND 4: FLASH versus WOLVERINE
Strength: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Wolverine 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Flash 7 (Lightspeed)
Stamina: Wolverine 6 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy Power: Flash 1 (None)

Math: Draw 2008 Ranking: Flash (#13)

This strikes me as a wonderful encapsulation of the different classes that co-exist in the Infinite Wars ranking system. Wolverine represents the great street scrappers of the superhero sluggers, while Flash stands for a superhuman level of competition. In 2009 we may very well have to reevaluate the value of Flash's energy rating, because the forces produced by the Speed Force make him one of the most powerful potentials in the DC Universe.

In a hand-to-hand showdown Wolverine takes it easy, but we don't ask fighters to turn their powers off. Wolverine's healing factor might mean he'll win the war, but the many battles before that conclusion inevitably go to the Flash, who, theoretically, could decimate entire forces in the blink of an eye.

Our Pick: Flash

ROUND 5: WONDER WOMAN versus CAPTAIN AMERICA
Strength: Wonder Woman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Captain America 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Wonder Woman 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Captain America 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: Draw 6 (Warrior)
Energy Power: Captain America 2 (Projectile)

Math: Wonder Woman 2008 Ranking: Wonder Woman (#11)

Right now we don't really know what happened to Batman, but Captain America's fate is currently set in stone: he's dead! Sure, as we roll toward the 2010 film, I don't doubt the likelihood of a Steve Rogers revival, but for the time being, we go with what we know. (Not that any of this matters!)

It's interesting that two World War II patriotic icons - clad in the American flag - would come to face one and other. Both are expert hand-to-hand combatants, but when push comes to shove, I think Wonder Woman's superhuman strength gives her a decided advantage against her super-soldier counterpart. Likewise, abilities like flight give Wonder Woman a world of maneuverability unattainable by the Captain, even when he's alive.

Our Pick: Wonder Woman

---

POINTS
[518/724]
[040/312]
[040/132]
[034/515]
[031/273]
[-12/101]
[-24/124]
[-28/200]
[-33/090]
[-34/070]
[-37/090]
[-38/103]
[-67/028]
[-82/000]TEAMS
NA (-) The Home Team
#1 (-) The Legends
#2 (+3) The X League
#3 (+4) The People's Team
#4 (-1) The Corps
#5 (+4) Makin' it w/Cap'n
#6 (+6) The Black Death
#7 (+4) Divine Judgment
#8 (-2) The Ghost Walkers
#9 (-7) X-Party
#10 (-6) The Knights of Right
#11 (-3) The DC Illuminati
#12 (-2) The Revolution
#13 (-) The Elite Fleet

Join the list! Draft a team today!2008 Fantasy League...
Apparently they liked winning, because Michael's team of Legends have come back for another taste of the winners circle -- but he won't be dining alone! Total points bump the Legends up to the top, but technically, The X League will be Michael's guests this evening!

A flood of new characters made their way to the SuperStock in November, many of them from the month's thematic Mortal Kombat franchise spotlight! You can get the whole scoop on debuts and value changes later in the Punch-Up!

The influx of new characters placed massive pressure on the lower ranks, creating an economy to rival the world financial crisis! We saw some of the biggest losses in recent months on the site which was bad news for many teams! Even those toting DC numbers weren't safe from the push as debuts crushed bonus points!

follow SuperStock at http://twitter.com

We welcome a new team for the last month of competition! The Blackfish are: Thor, Warlock, Green Goblin, Emma Frost, and Penance!

Our humble assessment is that the Infinite Wars Fantasy League was a nice idea, but impractical in the current model of the site. Next year we will likely continue the League, but rather than crushing the dreams of young hopefuls who quite reasonably picked Super-Skrull or Magneto for their teams, we'll go the fictional route!

Teams will be divised in an effort to reflect their counterparts in print! The five-man team format will allow members to be shuffled accordingly, with trades applicable in the same fashion they always have been, albeit, without awkward interaction with cheated and slightly confused players.

A preview for the 2009 Fantasy League, the Dark Illuminati: Norman Osborn, Dr. Doom, Sub-Mariner, The Hood, and Loki! Emma Frost, a prominent member of the team, will remain stationed with the Astonishing X-Men until further notice!

December's 2008 All-Stars Fantasy League Home Team:

For the final month of competition the Home Team's going mix-tape!
Rather than try to adhere to some sort of theme, we've drafted a selection of characters who've held some signifance during 2008! Admittedly, She-Hulk's entry into the Lady Liberator's isn't as prominent as the others, but screw you! We're throwing in with the Shulkster in her time of cancellation!

You might have noticed the Home Team's exorbitant income in an otherwise crappy month. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the ideal result of playing the game. By cashing in stocks (characters) and buying others tailored to that month's theme, the potential for large profit inevitably unfolds.
Without automation it was always an impractical feature, but lest we forget, the idea was to try to sponsor some sense of community on the site, as much as play a silly little number game, as explained each month:

The Fantasy League isn't an exact science. Points are derived from the daily goings on in the Infinite Wars, and refined through the Super Stock [found further into this post]. While we try to represent key events in the community, weekly comics aren't the focus of our reviews, meaning our superhero fight club resembles something like a stock market, more than a precise sports league.

There are no prizes and no real losers here. The Fantasy League is designed to build a greater sense of community around the combative corners of the Infinite Wars. You should, of course, follow team sponsor links to familiarize yourself with some of the sites in this corner of the blogosphere, because as illustrated by the league -- we're all here for pretty similar reasons.

The interactive Fantasy League will not continue next year, so there is no need to include trade information. The winners will be revealed in the next punch-up with the various characters being cashed in to create a final tally! Those who invested in lower characters who thrived throughout the year will look to close the gap with those who dominated the competition with higher ranked heroes. Groovy!

---

Wall Street War Journal: Market Analysis...
Amazing Sales Fig.
#545 124481 (+24.11%)
#546 136109 (+9.34)
#547 108485 (-20.29)
#548 105122 (-3.1%)
#549 101112 (-3.81%)
#550 90874 (-10.12%)
#551 88084 (-3.07%)
#552 89835 (+1.99%)
#553 82648 (-8.00%)
#554 81072 (-1.91%)
#555 86902 (+7.19%)
#556 78458 (-9.72%)
#557 77057 (-1.79%)
#558 76966 (-0.12%)
#559 74206 (-3.59%)
#560 74012 (-0.26%)
#561 72372 (-2.22%)
#562 71409 (-1.33%)
#563 70792 (-0.86%)
#564 68882 (-2.7%)
#565 69182 (+0.44%)
#566 68912 (-0.39%)
#567 68130 (-0.13%)
#568 93395 (+37.08%)
#569 77950 (-16.54%)
#570 82479 (+5.81%)
#571 73682 (-10.67%)
#572 75164 (+2.01%)
October 2008:
#573 82550 (+9.83%)
#574 69069 (-16.33%)
#575 68913 (-0.23%)
Adjustment: (-8.32%)For eleven months we've been watching sales figures for Marvel's three-times weekly Amazing Spider-man, keen to observe the statistical effects of Spidey's faustian pact (which extended Aunt May's veritable immortality, for the existence of Peter Parker's marriage to Mary-Jane.)
The long threatened brainchild of current Editor-in-Chief, Joe Quesada, had questionable creative merits from the beginning, but if it worked, Quesada would surely own a place in history for reviving Marvel's poster icon.

The running tally continues stage-left, but rather than dwell on the single negative topic, we take this opportunity to look at other subjects. This month: the cancellation heard around the world -- She-Hulk!

Those coming in late might be shocked to learn the fan-favourite title will see it's last issue (in this incarnation) in February. The series enjoyed great critical success in it's first volume under Dan Slott, Juan Bobillo, and Paul Pelletier, but gained greater sales after a second volume launched with a break from the first. So, over the last twelve months, how have the numbers broken down?

She-Hulk (Marvel Comics)
[#97] (Jan 08) She-Hulk 2 #25 [23,283]
[#95] (Feb 08) She-Hulk 2 #26 [22,181]
[#92] (Mar 08) She-Hulk 2 #27 [21,421]
[#101] (Apr 08) She-Hulk 2 #28 [20,843]
[#112] (May 08) She-Hulk 2 #29 [20,678]
[#103] (Jun 08) She-Hulk 2 #30 [21,016]
[#61] (Jul 08) She-Hulk 2 #31 (SI) [36,053]
[#293] (Sep 08) She-Hulk 2 #31 (SI) [3,026]
[#62] (Aug 08) She-Hulk 2 #32 (SI) [38,069]
[#70] (Sep 08) She-Hulk 2 #33 (SI) [32,862]
[#122] (Oct 08) She-Hulk 2 #34 [22,763]

Notorious for having an uncompromising cancellation limit on their titles, any title dwindling in the twenty thousands is dangerously close to cancellation. This flies in the face of any readers claiming the book has been bouyant, even though a brief boost was seen from Secret Invasion tie-in issues. However, let us look closer, particularly at the claims that the book has outsold contemporary rivals.

Wonder Woman (DC Comics)
[#48] (Jan 08) Wonder Woman #16 [42,897]
[#42] (Feb 08) Wonder Woman #17 [41,948]
[#44] (Mar 08) Wonder Woman #18 [40,771]
[#52] (Apr 08) Wonder Woman #19 [39,489]
[#55] (May 08) Wonder Woman #20 [38,116]
[#57] (Jun 08) Wonder Woman #21 [37,086]
[#60] (Jul 08) Wonder Woman #22 [36,514]
[#65] (Aug 08) Wonder Woman #23 [35,562]
[#64] (Sep 08) Wonder Woman #24 [34,583]
[#76] (Oct 08) Wonder Woman #25 [33,583]Ms. Marvel (Marvel Comics)
[#92] (Jan 08) Ms. Marvel #23 [24,260]
[#85] (Feb 08) Ms. Marvel #24 [24,139]
[#43] (Mar 08) Ms. Marvel #25 [40,993]
[#50] (Apr 08) Ms. Marvel #26 [42,277]
[#52] (May 08) Ms. Marvel #27 [41,131]
[#230] (May 08) Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel [5,857]
[#51] (Jun 08) Ms. Marvel #28 [42,194]
[#53] (Jul 08) Ms. Marvel #29 [41,231]
[#58] (Sep 08) Ms. Marvel #30 [40,041]
[#72] (Sep 08) Ms. Marvel #31 [32,145]
[#95] (Sep 08) Ms. Marvel Annual #1 [25,628]
[#107] (Oct 08) Ms. Marvel #32 [25,892]

It's fair to say She-Hulk's nearest contemporary rivals; Wonder Woman and Ms. Marvel; have had their fair share of struggles, but even comparable issues, such as Ms. Marvel Secret Invasion tie-ins, have seen far better sales than. The numbers are pretty clear on the issue -- She-Hulk is struggling to maintain figures. The writing has arguably been on the wall, even from a perspective of maintaining the female demographic (which becomes the domain of Ms. Marvel).

I'm as disappointed in the She-Hulk cancellation as anyone else, but as you would've seen in our review of issue #30, the second volume has felt like a thorough grind. Peter David's output has been competent, but completely devoid of the charm and whimsy that made the title a must-read in 2004.

Aside from the obvious, we haven't really had any elaboration on the reasons behind the cancellation. Given the leniency to She-Hulk in the past, one wonders if new plans for the character might not be fixed to fill the void in 2009. The Lady Liberators have been a curiosity noted on the site multiple times and might yet be fodder for mini-series, or a new on-going, sometime in the new year. A vehicle such as that not only isolates the female demographic, but also provides cross-promotion potential for books like Models Inc and the new female Black Panther.

(Spider-Boycott 2008: Sales Watch)
Amazing continues to be a pretty straight forward scenario.
It wouldn't take a brilliant analysis to observe the massive drop-off after New Ways to Die; the story that reintroduced Eddie Brock as the radically revamped Anti-Venom, and also pitted he and Spider-man against the Thunderbolts -- government sponsored Initiative team featuring classic Spidey sparring partners, Scorpion, Bullseye, and their team leader, Norman Osborn.

Shocker marks a continued return to classic Spider-man, but failed to garner the interest of the always popular symbiote villain(s), and Green Goblin. A month later, the numbers drop-off continues to follow the same dramatic arc.
One would expect Dark Reign promotion to boost sales sometime in the future, but as we enjoy the continued presence of classic Spidery villains, the thought remains that all of this could've been achieved without a haphazard revamp to the Spider-man mythology. We'll likely end our Spider-Boycott heading in to the next year, but don't expect a sudden influx of Amazing features. That's unlikely.

---

The 2008 Top Five...
Season 2008 continued through November to be all about diversity of characters. Sure, much of that diversity was a parade of Mortal Kombat characters, but as we head toward the end of our third year, we now have over 650 characters ranked on the site. Not too shabby!

As we play a drastic case of catch-up we'll be trying to throw in mentions for the Punisher (re: War Zone, the new film), as well as issues we never got around to talking about with a 2008 publication date. All of these will help decide the year-end stakes that make this section of the site so interesting each year. The Dark Knight has guaranteed it will end in a double victory for Batman, who has now all but secured the top spot of 2008 and the year-end cumulative top spot, also.
The diverse spread has meant the top ten, however, remains highly contested...

#1 Batman (-) (33) (DC)
Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [Darkseid]
Win Percentage: [70.27%] Features: [37]
2006: [#1] 2007: [#2] Cumulative: [#1]

In 2007 we expected a quiet year from our first Infinite Wars champion, but second place wasn't what we had in mind. The cultural phenom of The Dark Knight has been punctuated with a post-humous Golden Globe nomination for Heath Ledger's Joker. We now entertain the prospect of a major Academy Award nomination from a superhero adaptation - a feat rarely secured by films of the action/adventure genre, let alone superheroes.

It's undeniably been a Batman year and I've thoroughly enjoyed featuring the character throughout. Batman remains a truly diverse creation handled in a wide variety of ways by the custodians of the legend. Grant Morrison's RIP evaluated the dark knight detective in ways we aren't used to and has left the character in a limbo state concerning his mortality. Final Crisis holds the answers that will probably be revealed early in 2009 (due to delays), but the impact has already been made. Will Batman die? I have my doubts, but finding out should be fun!

As already mentioned, Batman has secured the top spot for 2008, as well as the year-end cumulative ranking, having finally taken it back from his boycotted rival, Spider-man. One would expect, given his absence from upcoming DC storylines, Batman will have another quiet year in 2009, but on the Infinite Wars, that might just mean we watch him battle for a top five spot all over again!

#2 Superman (+2) (11) (DC)
Class: [Cosmic] Last Opponent: [Darkseid]
Win Percentage: [59.26%] Features: [27]
2006: [#7] 2007: [#13] Cumulative: [#4]

Heading in to 2008 we knew certain characters, particularly those hitting the big screen, would be characters to watch, so it's with little contrivance that Superman lands in the top five in the home stretch!

Geoff Johns and James Robinson continue their Superman reneissance, with the radical shift of 2008 actually being Superman's departure from Earth! New Krypton introduced the citizens of the bottled city of Kandor into the DCU, unleashing a wave of Kryptonian powers into a world they could embrace, or destroy. How all this ties in to the departure, I do not know, but it's sure to be as interesting a year for Superman as it is the other icons shaken by Final Crisis.

The Man of Steel's surprise turn in Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe has been a major sponsor for his success on the Infinite Wars in 2008, but as one of the biggest superhero pop culture brands in the world, it seems fitting that he finally work his way toward the top. The fight for second spot remains hotly contested, however, and he's got some heavy-hitting competition vying for the rank!

#3 Shang Tsung (new) (Midway)
Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [Earthrealm Warriors]
Win Percentage: [62.5%] Features: [8]
2006: [NR] 2007: [NR] Cumulative: [#18]

Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe was a great chance to bring a crossover brand to the site, but one might assess the success of Shang Tsung on the top five as misproportionate to the game itself.

As a fan of the MK franchise since the release of the first game, it's been a pleasure to discuss and share details about the franchise that might be lost beneath it's reputation for being dated and silly. Like Street Fighter in '07, MK took on a life of it's own, being a rare opportunity to make anything resembling a complete catalogue of a character's battle history.

We didn't get that complete, but Shang Tsung's prevelance in the MK mythology makes for a monumentous debut in the Infinite Wars rankings! Succeeding Goro, who featured earlier in the year, it's fitting to at least see a playable character from the recent MKvsDC make it to the list. The big question now will be if the comics contemporaries will be able to rise to the challenge before the end of the year, to reclaim a bit of honor on the Comic Book Fight Club!

#4 Iron Man (-2) (15) (Marvel)
Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [Zombies]
Win Percentage: [64%] Features: [25]
2006: [#3] 2007: [#11] Cumulative: [#3]

Destined for the top five heading in to 2008; Iron Man richochets off of major status in the comics, as well as a host of multimedia crossover properties that made the character a household name!

Robert Downey Jr's turn as the playboy superhero earned a surprising reception despite what could fairly be described as a stock-standard superhero film. The actor's ability to infuse the character with all the necessary charm and vigor has made Iron Man one of the strongest properties Marvel currently has, launching both an animated DTV feature, and an animated series, in 2008.

The heirarchy of film success places Iron Man second to Batman, but with one month to go, we can't guarantee that placement! Even less certain is the future of 2009 as Dark Reign hands the keys to the Marvel Universe over to Norman Osborn, an industrialist who poses a dark shadow to Iron Man's previous Director of SHIELD. No longer the lynchpin, this might be the year to make his move!

#5 Hulk (-2) (12) (Marvel)
Class: [Meta] Last Opponent: [Zombies]
Win Percentage: [57.69%] Features: [26]
2006: [#6] 2007: [#10] Cumulative: [#5]

Hulk holds on with a titanic grip, and equally massive sales figures, to round out the final count before 2008's top heroes are declared!

As a key component of crossover film speculation, Edward Norton's Bruce Banner hit screens in what was probably a mediocre Hulk film, but a success as far as mainstream audience reaction goes. Avoiding the disappointment of Ang Lee's representative psycho-drama; Incredible Hulk accurately captured the character's uncomplicated modus operandi in Season 2008. Subtext has been nowhere near the character as he rampaged against Abomination on screen, and Rulk on page.

The Jeph Loeb/Red Hulk revolution has failed to deliver, in our punchy eyes, promising simplistic fun, but delivering a prematurely punch drunk series of stupidities. Disturbing penetration of the high charting sales giant was seen through Loeb's writing work on Heroes, but no longer part of that team, we might just hear less about the astoundingly moronic series. Hulk's future looks vague, at best, but by 2011, we expect the fan to be full force once again.

---

Cumulative Super Stock...


Kano races up the pyramid
with mixed results, stringing enough
success to leap 156 ranks!
[Mortal Kombat: Armageddon]1. Batman (+1) (DC)
2. Spider-man (-1) (M)
3. Iron Man (-) (M)
4. Superman (+1) (DC)
5. Hulk (-1) (M)
6. Wolverine (-) (M)
7. Captain America (-) (M)
8. Mr. Fantastic (-) (M)
9. Thing (-) (M)
10. Invisible Woman (-) (M)
13. Black Adam (-) (DC)
16. Ryu (-) (C)
18. Shang Tsung (new) (Mid)
20. Wonder Woman (+20) (DC)
21. Catwoman (-2) (DC)
23. Green Lantern (-1) (DC)
25. The Phantom (-2) (KFS)
27. Shao Kahn (new) (Mid)
32. Goro (-3) (Mid)
33. Sonya Blade (-1) (Mid)
35. Hawkgirl (+24) (DC)
37. Deadpool (-3) (M)
38. Nightwing (-3) (DC)
41. Flash (-3) (DC)
44. Dhalsim (-3) (C)
45. Green Lantern (+24) (DC)
46. Ken Masters (-4) (C)
47. Johnny Cage (+6) (Mid)
48. Noob Saibot (-17) (Mid)
50. Aquaman (-6) (DC)
52. Sheeva (new) (Mid)
55. Dr. Doom (-6) (M)
56. Wasp (-6) (M)
57. Raiden (+29) (Mid)
59. Robin (-7) (DC)
61. Black Canary (+28) (DC)
83. Dr. Light (-11) (DC)
86. Kurtis Stryker (new) (Mid)
91. Ronin (-6) (M)
92. Kano (+159) (Mid)
97. Kintaro (new) (Mid)
100. Dark Claw (-5) (DC/M)
133. Hotaru (new) (Mid)
150. Firebird (-6) (M)
173. Hellboy (-6) (DH)
175. Jin Kazama (-6) (N)
176. Rose (-6) (C)
194. Onaga (new) (Mid)


Vixen's two-fisted approach
sees her slamming her way up the
SuperStock with the Justice League!
[Justice League of America #15]195. Firestorm (new) (DC)
196. Red Arrow (new) (DC)
197. Geo-Force (new) (DC)
198. Black Lightning (new) (DC)
200. Chun-Li (-10) (C)
202. Deathstroke (-114) (DC)
204. Kitana (new) (Mid)
205. Gambit (-11) (M)
206. Quan Chi (new) (Mid)
215. Kenshi (new) (Mid)
242. Bo' Rai Cho (new) (Mid)
243. Sub-Zero (new) (Mid)
244. Vixen (+282) (DC)
245. Poison Ivy (-63) (DC)
248. Marvel (-16) (DC)
250. Darkseid (-59) (DC)
255. Punisher (-17) (M)
261. Two-Face (-17) (DC)
262. Lex Luthor (-39) (DC)
263. She-Hulk (-17) (M)
267. Cheetah (-22) (DC)
268. Scorpion (-20) (Mid)
269. Joker (-17) (DC)
270. Kung Lao (new) (Mid)
271. Baraka (new) (Mid)
286. Reptile (new) (Mid)
288. Smoke (new) (Mid)
289. Jade (new) (Mid)
300. Northstar (-22) (M)
313. Emma Frost (-22) (M)
350. Squire (-22) (DC)
363. Red Tornado (new) (DC)
364. Amanda Waller (new) (DC)
370. Bekka (new) (DC)
371. Liu Kang (-115) (Mid)

Giganta finds herself
outclassed fighting below her weight
with Black Canary and the JLA!
[Justice League of America #15]374. Jax (new) (Mid)
375. Sing (+167) (Mal)
376. Sang (+167) (Mal)
391. HusH (-35) (DC)
400. St. Roch (-34) (DC)
450. Sun Boy (-34) (DC)
464. Shocker (-34) (M)
500. Hammer (-34) (DC)
534. Jack Staff (-33) (DEP)
550. Valkyrie (-33) (M)
599. Morgauth (Ammend) (DC)
600. Baroness Blood (-30) (DC)
601. Li Mei (new) (Mid)
602. Shinnok (new) (Mid)
603. Reiko (new) (Mid)
605. Kabal (new) (Mid)
606. Cyrax (new) (Mid)
607. Nightwolf (new) (Mid)
608. Ermac (new) (Mid)
609. Sindel (new) (Mid)

Gorilla Grodd plummets
down the ranks, facing extinction after
battling Wonder Woman and the JLA!
[Justice League of America #15]612. Rain (new) (Mid)
614. Fatality (new) (DC)
616. Killer Frost (new) (DC)
617. Cheshire (new) (DC)
618. Shadow Thief (new) (DC)
620. Mr. Freeze (new) (DC)
624. Mileena (new) (Mid)
628. Bane (-46) (DC)
643. Kobra (new) (Mid)
644. Gorilla Grodd (-114) (DC)
645. Giganta (-168) (DC)
648. Norman Osborn (-51) (M)
650. Taskmaster (-55) (M)
651. Zangief (-55) (C)
652. Quicksilver (-55) (M)
653. Magneto (-55) (M)
654. Dan Hibiki (-55) (C)
655. Lizard (-55) (M)

---

The Hammer...
We've been dramatically behind schedule here on the Infinite Wars, but the positive side of things is that you're still getting regular instalments of content. Thanks to everyone who has stuck with us throughout the year. Your support is much appreciated and hopefully rewarded through our niche tangents and superhero smackdown. You can continue to help the site (and maybe get my attention) with PayPal donations, Amazon purchases, or maybe even the purchase of my oft mentioned comics series, KMI.

The Kirby Martin Inquest is avaible online for the low price of $1.99!
It is the first issue in what will hopefully develop into the first of many series, but your support is vital!

Make sure you keep voting in the Fantasy Fight polls -- which do not require registration (*ahem* looking at the hundreds of people who never click vote).

That about does it! Stay tuned as we count down to the year-end annual crowning of an Infinite Wars champion and all the fun of 2009!

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
Ciao for now!

- Mike Haseloff; Commanding Officer
He knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men.

November Hit Count: [9483/166803] (+8.7%)
Hit count may reflect late October content.

COVER TO COVER: SPORADIC INVASION!
Wow! Remember that time the Skrulls infiltrated the entire Marvel Universe and used their machiavellian powers to confuse, divide, and conquer the heroes using their guile, intelligence, and subterfuge? No? Me neither.

At the beginning, it had all the promise of a Skrull invasion done to the fullest extent possible, but instead, Marvel's line-wide Secret Invasion crossover has come to an inauspicious conclusion failing to do much more than set up the next event. Dark Reign allegedly springs from the consequences of the Invasion, but anyone reading a small handful of peripheral titles (ie; Thunderbolts) would probably tell you that's a lot of retro-justifying fooey!
Instead of a true universe-wide infiltration, we now find ourselves reflecting on a central plot sloppily bookended by scenes that seem to highlight some of the glaring weaknesses of the story, devoid of irony or self-awareness. It seems the only success the Skrulls endeared in their "invasion" was the disruption of any shred of cohesion in key titles, like Mighty Avengers.

Financial crisis and a fast-emerging sense of good judgment meant the Infinite Wars never got around to touching upon the "Secret Invasion," and I can't say I feel any regret.

If you're anything like me and are feeling the sting of disappointment, fret not!
We might've done it once before, but in the interest of delivering old fashioned Skrully goodness, we serve up for you a host of previous features starring those shape-shifting aliens. Sure, it might not be the grandious thriller Secret Invasion wasn't, but at least we aren't wasting eight-issues of overpriced paper on it. Ohhh! Feel the Skrully-Human Torch-cloned burrrnnn!

Incredible Hulk #374 (October 1990)
"No Autographs" David/Keown
If you thought the Skrulls were new to disguised infiltration, then you have a lot to learn, friend!

Watch as the Hulk, Rick Jones, and Betty Ross come face to face with an incursion led by none other than Kl'rt; the Super-Skrull champion granted the powers of the Skrull's most hated Earthbound enemies -- the Fantastic Four!

Typical human compassion not found in the warrior-born Skrull elite... is on full show, as Rick Jones endures the psychological torture, while, as Bruce Banner; the Hulk walks helplessly into the alien invader's trap, lured by the helplessness of a lost little girl. It's clobberin' time!?


Fantastic Four #358 (November 1991)
"Whatever Happened to Alicia?!" DeFalco/Ryan
After the Beyonder's secret war, the Fantastic Four's Thing opted to stay behind and continue his adventures. It was this act that nearly put a vital snafu to a secret plan launched by the Skrulls to infiltrate their enemies team.

Posing as Thing's blind girlfriend, Alicia Masters, the Skrull soldier named Lyja was forced to take a harsh turn, steering the affections of the Masters girl to an unlikely suitor -- Johnny Storm!

When Thing returned he eventually learned to live with the loss of his love, and was witness to the marriage vows of Johnny and Alicia, or so they thought. With Lyja revealed, the furious Johnny Storm leads the Fantastic Four on a mission to space to retrieve the captive Alicia, but little does he know the overseeing officer in the matter is a Skrull familiar, yet very different...

Mighty Thor #465 (August 1993)
"Holy Sacrifice" Marz/Zick
When Adam Warlock took possession of the Infinity Gauntlet, he sought to attain ultimate indifference of judgment by expelling evil and good from his body.
These portions became the beings known as The Goddess and The Magus, respectively.

Though the Goddess was borne of good, she sought resolution against a sinful universe. Thus, she reached out to those mighty and of faith, and gathered them as her army against evil, and those who did not believe.

Though much of the Skrull race was persuaded by the Goddess' touch, the Super-Skrull was not so easily manipulated. Disgusted by the mania of peace that had been bestowed upon his people, he sets out on a mission of war.
A mission that would bring him into conflict with one of the Goddess' most powerful followers -- The Mighty Thor!

Fantastic Four #6 (April 1997)
"Retribution" Lee/Choi
Reborn in a pocket universe created by Franklin Richards; the Fantastic Four are destined to relive their origins all over again as they unwittingly encounter familiar shadows of the past, also reborn in this new world.

Accosted by Victor Von Doom, a student from Reed Richards' days in college; the Fantastic Four and Black Panther find themselves the reluctant guests of castle Doomstadt. There, Doom is holding a mysterious chromed alien hostage, but this is not the limit of the extraterestrial presence.

Hidden within SHIELD and disguised as Agent Wyatt Wingfoot; a cosmically sleeper soldier of the Skrull empire has finally exploited his position, an alliance with Doom allowing him access to the herald of the Skrull Throneworld's destruction. Betraying Doom to use his machines, Kl'rt has absorbed the Surfer's cosmic power, and now prepares to turn his imitative Super-Skrull abilities against him.

New Avengers #27 (April 2007)
"Revolution" Bendis/Yu
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.