MONTHLY PUNCH-UP #42 (June 2009)
Future generations stumbling across this Punch-Up entry should know the truth: I'm writing this at the very end of July. An unfortunate combination of events and technical difficulties have conspired to cripple site updates and severely beat my energy levels to dust. Although we're a disgraceful two months behind on the schedule, I remain stubbornly dedicated to working slowly through the pile of comics that's built up over the past few months.

Though lacking in energy, I'm not quite ready to pack it in, which is unfortunately what I learned to be the case of our good friends at the Fortress of Fortitude.

In the years I've been running the Infinite Wars, I can't say I've felt particularly welcomed by, or involved with, the comics blogosphere at large. Fortress of Fortitude and Infinite Wars updates may have had a minimal of overlap, but I was always very fond of the style and dedication of the Fortress Keeper, and through my readership and our occasional comments, felt it was one of the few blogs we had some connection with (which led to a review of my comic).

His perspective was of a healthy mix of modern and retro comics nostalgia, informed and informative in ways that are so often absent in comics blogs.
I enjoyed the early years of comics review and topical discussion, but was no less impressed by his later shift toward spotlighting some of the forgotten comics of the Golden and Silver Age. I hope it is still possible that archives might be added back to the now dormant site, because I feel there was a lot for people to get out of them at their own leisure. With or without those archives, it's a shame to see one of the more unique voices disappear from the landscape.

Before we get on with the show, there's the little matter of a new tradition of monthly polls! If you can flash back to May, you might remember a little event called the Eurovision Song Contest. It was in homage to the legendary "talent" show that we put our own Infinite Wars spin on it to crown the hero for all Europe in our 2009 Eurohero Contest!

Twelve heroes (and villains) of fictional European descent were pitted against one and other in an effort to crown the greatest European hero in comics.
Despite the thousands of people who passed through the site, only a modest thirty-eight of you saw fit to vote in the poll. The low numbers kept competition close, eventually presenting a hard-fought two horse race that ended with who I think was a fitting winner! The results at the final count were:

(26%) Wonder Woman (Themyscira)
(21%) Dr. Doom (Latveria)
(10%) Vega (Spain)
(10%) Union Jack (United Kingdom)
(7%) Batroc the Leaper (France)
(7%) Lilith Dracula (Romania)
(5%) Morbius the Living Vampire (Greece)
(2%) Baron Zemo (Germany)
(2%) Jack O'Lantern (Rep. of Ireland)
(2%) Rose (Italy)
(2%) Black Widow (Russia)
(0%) Count Vertigo (Vlatava)

Representatives for each European nation were selected based upon the highest ranked characters in our Infinite Wars Cumulative Rankings. I was quite surprised by some of the poll results, particularly the late charge from Dr. Doom, which I thought would've come much sooner, and been more thorough.

No doubt we'll be back in 2010 to do it all again, minus this year's winner.
It will be very interesting to see what other characters can sneak in through our rankings, and how a passing year will change people's votes. I would suspect Black Widow might poll better after Scarlet Johansson takes the role to the mainstream in next year's Iron Man 2 film. I wonder if Street Figher will have subsided enough by then to bump Vega down the list, or if Batroc can pick up a few more joke votes.

Eurohero will be an annual tradition, but to try to get some interactivity and direction into these monthly opening monologues, we'll be doing polls monthly now. Rising prices have been a regular point of topic in the Shipping Lists and in the comics reading community in general, so we're going to put the question to you in June: what is your price limit for a single issue?

I'm sure the results will shock and amaze me.
Voting will end sometime within the month and does not require registration.

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Wall Street War Journal: Market Analysis...
"Amazing" Sales Fig.
November 2007:
#545 124481 (-1.2%)
December 2008:
#581 64961 (-47.81%)
January 2009:
#582 59932 (-7.74%)
#583 352953 (+588.92%)
#584 63754 (-81.954%)
February 2009:
[#583 148805 #1/300]
#585 60286 (-5.44%)
#586 59521 (-1.27%)
#587 60118 (+1.00%)
March 2009:
[#583 20073 #96/300]
#588 61334 (+2.02%)
#589 58832 (-4.08%)
April 2009:
#590 66415 (+12.89%)
#591 60508 (-8.89%)
#592 65940 (+8.98%)
Month End: (+12.08%)Being the middle of the year, I couldn't help but start looking back over some of the stories we've featured in 2009. After dropping Amazing Spider-man last year due to the dragging weight of Brand New Day, it's been difficult to deny that the series has well and truly moved on.

This, in turn, means my interest in the subject has moved on, which makes this section a bit of a drag to update. In the coming months we might have to find a new subject to tackle, if not a whole new way of looking at the Wall Street War Journal.

Spidey is racing toward a milestone six hundredth issue with April sales indicating that the baseline might've been found. Factor in the sure to be heavily promoted anniversary issue, as well as the promise of returning classic headlining villains like Dr. Octopus, and you almost certainly have the makings of a massive boost. I would guess sales will then trickle quickly back down to the numbers we're seeing at April-end. It's a fairly predictable dance maintained by a predictable (and fickle) audience.

I've been pleased to see Spider-man back on the Infinite Wars [#585, #589], but don't expect to learn anything more from watching sales stats. It's recently come out that there's a contingency plan to reinstate the Spider-Marriage should sales dip too far. Could Mary-Jane's return in July be a part of that plan? Perhaps a year-end cliff hanger suggesting the marriage? Honestly, I'm not sure I care either way. It's a farce that is almost irrelevant to the very best aspects of the current run of Amazing. 'Nuff said?

... More MK updates?
Unfortunately, I had (another) run-in with the Blogger auto-save feature, which means a series of newsbytes I'd written throughout the month were unfortunately lost. About the only thing I really feel compelled to remember is the unfolding announcements of Warner Brother's purchase of Midway Entertainment. This, of course, includes the Mortal Kombat franchise that DC comics crossed over with in a fighting game last year. WB will absorb the property along with the development team, which hasn't had a lot of effect on the creation of the next core sequel in the MK series, it would seem.

[In July] Ed Boon has been on Twitter offering occasional references to development on "MK9" and we'll hopefully start to see something concrete in 2010. DC Comics Executive Editor was asked by Newsarama whether or not the MK franchise might be folded into the DC Multiverse, which he listed as a vague possibility. This would likely invovle internal licensing similar to the use of properties like Bugs Bunny or Ben 10, as opposed to various company properties DC themselves have taken ownership of, like Static [Shock] or Captain Marvel.

As a fan of the sometimes misunderstood MK franchise, I've long viewed the opportunity to adapt the series to comics as a bit of a dream gig. As much as I would've loved to have snagged the license for myself (one day), it'd be great to see DC comics give the franchise a good whirl. As much as it seems to enrage the "unique" perspective of MK fans, I would even get a kick out of seeing MK join the DC Multiverse as a standard fixture.

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Season 2009: Top Five Update...
Here on the Infinite Wars we like to play a little game of rank and review.
At the heart of the site is a series of reviews that recap the battles that embody the superhero universes as we know them. By tallying these results, we shuffle stats in the pursuit of the knowledge of who truly is the greatest hero of all.

Breaking up the cumulative grind are our yearly rankings, which give us the opportunity to observe the success of characters each year. Season 2009 is now well under way, and unlike previous years, has shown particular reflection on the grind of weekly releases. Feature fights have been diverse and intriguing!

#1 Flash (-) (5) (DC)
Battles: [6] Last Opponent: [Lady Flash]
Win Percentage: [100%] Cumulative: [#15]
2006: [DNR] 2007: [#38] 2008: [#63]

He may have made his first official return-from-the-dead in the pages of Final Crisis, but it's the more personal story of his return to life, Flash: Rebirth, that's thrust Barry Allen back into the spotlight of the DC Universe, and maintained his position at the top of the 2009 rankings!

This month, the mini-event produced a second victory over speed-cultists, this time Savitar's loyal lackey, Lady Flash. Much like the return itself, the victory came at the cost of Wally West, who successfully held the mantle of Flash for two decades, before the character was brought back by Grant Morrison (and Geoff Johns). I find it difficult to say whether or not this is a bad thing, but have certainly been surprised by how natural Allen's transition back has felt.

Rebirth #2 sees Barry Allen transformed into the personification of death for those in tune with the Speed Force -- the Black Flash. We know with certainty that this won't threaten the character's chances of sticking around, but it does raise questions about what role Barry Allen will have to play when the dead rise in July for the beginning of Blackest Night. Rebirth, in some ways, has been DC's jab at event comics before the summer Black Lantern spectacular kicks off. Will this put an end to Barry Allen's rankings prospects, or be the 2009 clincher?

#2 Wolverine (RE) (14) (Marvel)
Battles: [34] Last Opponent: [The Professor]
Win Percentage: [50%] Cumulative: [#4]
2006: [#4] 2007: [#6] 2008: [#20]

A return to the big screen in X-Men Origins: Wolverine sponsors a return to the top five season rankings for the franchise mutant. Low numbers in 2009 remind us that quality isn't everything this season, allowing the hero to slide up the charts off the back of what was a fairly mediocre showing for the first X-Men spin-off to grace cinemas.

Origins pretty much burnt up any solo goodwill for the character who enjoyed a brief spark from the Mark Millar/Steve McNiven storyline, Old Man Logan, but has largely fizzled out in the comics. Gratuitous cameos remain part of the MO for Wolverine, even if they've been reduced to a few fights in X-Force and his on-going role as a starring character in New Avengers (RE: Dark Reign). It seems unlikely that Wolvie's significance is about to improve, but you never really know what to expect from the event-season at the big two!

#3 Alpha Lantern Kraken (-1) (4) (DC)
Battles: [3] Last Opponent: [Batman]
Win Percentage: [100%] Cumulative: [#49]
2006: [DNR] 2007: [DNR] 2008: [#121]

To the best of my knowledge, we still haven't seen Kraken in the action since she was compromised by Granny Goodness during Final Crisis. Even with the action heating up in the Green Lantern titles, the Prelude to Blackest Night hasn't yet produced an appearance. Could it be the Guardians took care of their little indescretion, and she's waiting in the wings to bite them in the ass as a powered-up Black Lantern?

Wild speculation won't keep Kraken in the 2009 top five, but with the action taking place across such a wide range of titles this year, all it would take is a significant return like those coming in Blackest Night, to bump the Alpha Lantern back up the list! Then again, there's sure to be plenty of competition in DC's 2009 major event, both among the living, and the dead!

#4 Punisher (RE) (3) (Marvel)
Features: [6] Last Opponent: [The Hood's Syndicate]
Win Percentage: [50%] Cumulative: [#62]
2006: [DNR] 2007: [#163] 2008: [#347]

The 2007 relaunch of Punisher War Journal had a lot of steam behind it, bringing the murderous vigilante back to the core Marvel Universe on the back of a brief starring role in Civil War. In 2009, Marvel have attempted to recapture the magic, relaunching the Marvel Universe escapades as a Dark Reign tie-in titled simply "Punisher," while the mature readers MAX series is forced to be retitled as, Punisher: Frank Castle.

As already mentioned, the broad scope of interests demonstrated in this year's reviews and battles has meant the bar is much lower on the top five. Even so, it isn't completely unreasonable for Punisher to join the ranks in these early goings, even if heroes like Green Lantern and Batman are more likely to usurp the throne as the significant stories of the year take over. Fun, but short lived.

#5 Wonder Woman (new) (DC)
Battles: [13] Last Opponent: [Genocide]
Win Percentage: [61.54%] Cumulative: [#13]
2006: [#115] 2007: [#43] 2008: [#7]

You can look at Wonder Woman's entry into the top five rankings one of two ways. Either the status of the character warrants describing this as a long overdue ascension, or, alternatively, you recognise that the character is enjoying a unique burst of strength and character under the team of Gail Simone (writer) and Aaron Lopresti (artist). Either way, it's very nice to finally see DC's iconic Amazon represented at the top of our humble stats.

It seems unlikely, as the summer season sets in, that Wonder Woman will have any significant plotlines to drive her forward, but that might be speaking too soon. Her status as one of DC's Trinity has long been under attack, but with Batman MIA (presumed dead) and Superman off in space, being under the radar might be a blessing for the Infinite Wars competition, and for the stock value of Wonder Woman.

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POINTS
[112/1852]
[055/0253]
[052/0888]
[016/0872]
[009/0448]
[000/1740]
[000/1740]
[-01/0671]
[-02/1529]
[-02/1527]
[-02/0201]
[-03/1173]
[-05/1084]
[-05/0879]
[-05/0501]
[-06/1368]
[-09/1563]
[-11/1990]
[-11/1859]
[-20/1439]
[-20/1296]
[-22/1090]
[-23/1934]
[-30/1493]
[-30/1037]
[-31/1912]
[-32/2361]
[-33/1348]
[-42/1337]
[-53/1776]
[-147/1344]TEAMS
#1 (+8) Super Young Team
#2 (+3) Secret Avengers
#3 (+18) Astonishing X-Men
#4 (+8) Justice League
#5 (-1) Green Lantern Corps
#6 (+1) Shadow Cabinet
#7 (+1) Thunderbolts
#8 (new) Bat-Family
#9 (+4) Shadowpact
#10 (+1) Guardians of the Galaxy
#11 (+3) Fantastic Four
#12 (-2) MI:13
#13 (+4) Outsiders
#14 (-11) The Titans
#15 (+3) Justice Society
#16 (--) Interpol
#17 (-2) Teen Titans
#18 (-12) The Network
#19 (+3) Legion of Superheroes
#20 (+4) Shadaloo
#21 (-20) Dark Avengers
#22 (new) Black Lantern Corps
#23 (+4) X-Force
#24 (-1) Uncanny X-Men
#25 (+1) Earthrealm Defenders
#26 (-1) Secret Six
#27 (-7) Sinestro Corps
#28 (-2) MK Special Forces
#29 (-10) Mighty Avengers
#30 (-1) Lady Liberators
#31 (-29) The Cabal2009 Fantasy League...
For those who came in late: last year various readers drafted characters into a fanatsy league team which accumulated points based on features on the site, and spotlights in the weekly shipping list.

This year, rather than subject actual human beings to the soul crushing inconsistency of our statistics, we're using teams inspired by the comics themselves! The company's print groups battle it out for our amusement month to month in this highly pointless game.

Strength of unity boosts Super Young Team to the top of the Fantasy League off the back of their first solo series, Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance!

Competition in 2009 remains modest, forcing the pressure of losses on most teams. Only the strongest prospects have been able to resist the flow, justifying the high cost of their characters with rare profits in May.

The Secret Avengers are arguably the big winners of this month, continuing their tenure in the top ten with all-star recruits like Hollywood's Wolverine providing a major boost. New Avengers is shaping up to be one of the better books coming from Marvel right now, maybe we'll see more. It's hard to imagine the Green Lantern Corps or Black Lanterns missing out on big points in the coming months, however, as the long awaited Blackest Night event finally arrives! Hard luck for The Cabal (via The Hood).

Substitutions & Additions:
Green Lantern Corps: Hal Jordan (out) Soranik Natu (in) [Ttl: 639]
Justice League: Black Canary, Superman, Wonder Woman, Dr. Light, Vixen (out) Green Lantern, Green Arrow, Atom, Captain Marvel, Congorilla (in) [Ttl: 971]
Secret Avengers: Iron Fist (out) Captain America (in) [Ttl: 260]

This year, the basic set-up is a little different.
Teams start with an allowance of 3515 points; five times value of the top ranked character. Five characters suitable to the team are drafted at a cost derived from their cumulative ranking at the end of Season 2008. 760 characters, means #1 is worth 760pts, working downward to #760, valued at 1pt. This new rule not only offers an immediate reflection of value, but handicaps league leaders.
This year, unranked characters will cost 355pts, a fraction over mid-range.

Subsequent points are awarded based on results throughout the month.
25pts for a win, 7pts for an assist, 5pts for a loss, and 10pts for a draw.
Additional bonuses of 5pts are awarded for spotlights in the shipping list, and other articles sporradically featured throughout the site. As with last year; the final contributor to monthly scores is the cumulative super stock, which will provide literal additions and substractions to reflect the movement in ranking.

Due to the ever changing landscape of superheroics, and characters who hold membership with multiple groups, we will attempt to maintain a delicate balance between accuracy and suitability. Again encouraging some sense of interactivity, it is strongly encouraged for readers to use the comments section to suggest appropriate trades, and/or the inclusion of new teams.

To make the Fantasy League more managable, there may be a culling process in the future months, that eliminates some teams. Once again, be encouraged to make your thoughts on the subject known in the comments section.

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Super Stock: Cumulative Rankings...
For those coming in late: the Infinite Wars was founded on a concept of reviewing superhero comics through the battles displayed within.
Results are tallied to form both annual rankings, and a cumulative tally.
These rankings bare no concrete value, but provide fun with lists and statistics on the site. The following reflects the months changes in the cumulative ranks.

BATMAN
Year One: [1940]
Season 2009: [#52]
Last Opponent: [Hush]
Dick Grayson officially steps into the mantle of Batman this month supported by a major relaunch of DC's entire line of Bat-titles. The Dark Knight has been one of the most enduring icons of the Infinite Wars rankings, but will the glory carry over to the much less prominent former-Robin? It's going to be very interesting to see how it unfolds! The student becomes the master in what has the potential to be the story of the 2009!

BATWOMAN
Year One: [2006]
Season 2009: [NR]
Last Opponent: [NA]
The "Batman: Reborn" relaunch won't just feature Dick Grayson. The entire peripheral cast of characters look likely to benefit, not the least of which is Batwoman, who rises from recent obscurity to take over one of DC's longest running flagship titles -- Detective Comics. Writer, Greg Rucka, will have the fatherly opportunity to make up for a less than admirable entry into comics that begun with mainstream press circulation of the fact that the new Batwoman is gay. After very few significant appearances since her debut in 52, this will be the make-or-break of the hero.

CATWOMAN
Year One: [1940]
Season 2009: [#92]
Last Opponent: [Red Hood]
Paul Dini will continue his work on Batman with both Streets of Gotham, and the all-girl series, Gotham City Sirens. The all-girl series will fill the void of the long since cancelled Catwoman series; co-starring fan-favourite anti-heroines from Dini's days on the animated series, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. As the reliable centre of the book, Catwoman is sure to benefit, no doubt starting with follow-up plot to her clash with Hush.

RED ROBIN
Year One: [1989]
Season 2009: [#74]
Last Opponent: [Red Hood]
Tim Drake might not be the one wearing the Batman cape and cowl, but he'll grow-up no less than his big brother, taking up the role of Red Robin in yet another of the many series launching out of the "Batman: Reborn" phenomenon. His story might be the most tangential, but if Tim Drake comes at all close to uncovering clues to the true fate of Bruce Wayne in Final Crisis, his corner might just be the most significant of all the series!

WEREWOLF BY NIGHT
Year One: [1972]
Season 2009: [#26]
Last Opponent: [Night Shift]
The seventies horror icons are back, not just in Marvel Zombies 4, but also in the pages of New Avengers, where Brother Voodoo will receive the mantle of Sorceror Supreme! Werewolf by Night bounces off the Midnight Sons' zombie battles to claw his way over two hundred ranks!

BROTHER VOODOO
Year One: [1973]
Season 2009: [NR]
Last Opponent: [NA]
He's been tagged as Earth's new Sorcerer Supreme, so it's only a matter of time before Brother Voodoo steps into the spotlight with the Eye of the Agamotto to prove why he was chosen. His career might be finite and might not hit it's highest notes until 2010, but you can be sure Brother Voodoo will have something noteworthy coming up in New Avengers and probably afterward, as well!1. Batman (-) (DC)
2. Spider-man (-) (M)
3. Iron Man (-) (M)
4. Wolverine (+2) (M)
5. Superman (-1) (DC)
6. Hulk (-1) (M)
7. Captain America (-) (M)
8. Mr. Fantastic (-) (M)
9. Daredevil (-) (M)
10. Thing (-) (M)
13. Wonder Woman (-) (DC)
15. Flash (+6) (DC)
18. Ryu (-1) (C)
19. Sub-Mariner (-1) (M)
24. Catwoman (-) (DC)
28. Green Lantern (-) (DC)
29. Nightwing (-) (DC)
30. Phantom (-) (KFS)
32. Red Hood (+23) (DC)
33. Green Lantern (-1) (DC)
35. Martian Manhunter (-1) (DC)
42. Morbius (+22) (M)
49. Alpha Lantern (-1) (DC)
50. Ken Masters (-1) (C)
53. Robin (-1) (DC)
54. Aquaman (-1) (DC)
56. Deadpool (-14) (M)
61. Cyclops (+36) (M)
62. Punisher (+255) (M)
63. Dr. Doom (-3) (M)
71. Green Lantern (-2) (DC)
87. Green Lantern (-2) (DC)
100. Hawkeye (-1) (M)
109. Werewolf by Night (+229) (M)
130. Black Mask (-2) (DC)
150. Phantom Stranger (-2) (DC)
161. General Zod (-2) (DC)
187. Hellboy (-1) (DH)
189. Jin Kazama (-1) (N)
200. Eradicator (-1) (IDW)
210. Green Lantern (-1) (DC)
250. Abel (-1) (C)
253. Son of Satan (new) (M)
254. Jennifer Kale (new) (M)
255. Mike Haggar (new) (C)
256. M. Excellent Superbat (new) (DC)
257. B. A. Lantern Boy (new) (DC)
258. S. C. Lolita Canary (new) (DC)
259. W.S.S. Lightning Flash (new) (DC)
265. Gambit (-8) (M)
274. Sinestro (-8) (DC)
276. Superboy (-8) (DC)
296. Harley Quinn (-7) (DC)
300. Vixen (-7) (DC)
301. Poison Ivy (-7) (DC)
303. Mongul II (-7) (DC)
304. The Hood (-123) (M)
319. Two-Face (-8) (DC)
320. Solomon Grundy (-8) (DC)
322. Mr. Hyde (-46) (M)
327. Tombstone (-8) (M)
350. Spot (-7) (M)
356. Wolverine (-7) (M)
360. Alfred Pennyworth (-7) (DC)
366. Com. Jim Gordon (-7) (DC)
400. Fader (-7) (M)
446. Z-Pool (ammend) (M)
447. S. Happy Aquazon (new) (DC)
448. Nemesis (new) (DC)
449. T.O. Morrow (new) (DC)
450. Liu Kang (-11) (Mid)
500. Patriot (-11) (M)
550. Deluge (-11) (M)
590. Black Hand (-11) (DC)
600. Matador (-11) (M)
609. Jack Staff (-11) (DEP)
613. Zsasz (-11) (M)
650. Empress (-11) (DC)
700. Snap Trap (-11) (DC)
712. Dansen Macabre (new) (M)
713. Digger (new) (M)
714. Needle (new) (M)
715. Tatterdemalion (new) (M)
716. Lady Flash (new) (DC)
717. Brothers Grimm (new) (M)
718. Brothers Grimm (new) (M)
719. Microchip (new) (M)
720. Razor Fist (new) (M)
721. Grizzly (new) (M)
722. Razzle (new) (DC)
723. Genocide (new) (DC)
743. Penguin (-23) (DC)
749. Sabretooth (-49) (M)
750. Iron Patriot (-24) (M)
756. Quicksilver (-23) (M)
757. Magneto (-23) (M)
758. Dan Hibiki (-23) (C)
759. Lizard (-23) (M)
760. Zangief (-28) (C)

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- Mike Haseloff; War Monger-in-Chief
You can also find Mike on 1up.com, blogging tangents about gaming!

May Hit Count: [12272/234203]* (+7.5%)
* Hitcount reflects some content dated May.

GENOCIDE versus WONDER WOMAN
Rise of the Olympian Part 7:
Compound Fracture (DC)
Where: Wonder Woman #32 When: July 2009
Why: Gail Simone How: Aaron Lopresti

The Story So Far...
Created as a living weapon of pure malevolence by Cheetah and the scientists of The Society, the creature known as Genocide has successfully bested Wonder Woman and her Justice League allies in their every encounter.

As a dark mirror to the Amazonian warrior for peace, Genocide has spread death and destruction to everything she touches, using the Lasso of Truth as a weapon of negative psychic energy to manipulate and disorientate Wonder Woman and her friends.

Having fought off the advances of Zeus' new chosen warrior, Achilles, she now returns her attentions and fury to the evil mirror using her own gifted Lasso as a weapon against the ones she loves. Having learnt the dark truth about Genocide, only one Amazon can survive, but will it be Wonder Woman?

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Genocide 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Wonder Woman 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 5 (Superhuman)
Stamina: Genocide 6 (Generator)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Genocide 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Genocide 3 (Explosives)


- The creature called Genocide was designed as a weapon of pure malevolence, fashioned by T.O. Morrow and the most brilliant and deranged scientific minds within the membership of The Society. Approved during Libra's reign over the union of villains, and overseen by Cheetah, the golem-like creature was created using a similar mystic ritual to animate clay with life that gave birth to Wonder Woman. By collecting samples of soil from the darkest corners of the Earth, the taint of genocidal attrocities committed over the past one hundred years embued the creature with vile inclinations when given life by the magic of Felix Faust.

From this tainted Earth was born a creature as powerful as Wonder Woman, only as despicable as she is kind. Genocide possesses abilities additional to Wonder Woman's strength, speed, and endurance, including using the Lasso of Truth as a conduit to amplify negative psychic energy. Through this technique Genocide can channel concussive blasts, amplify negative emotions, and cause erratic behaviour.

- Commanded by the Greek gods to carve a child from clay; the Amazonian Queen, Hippolyta, bore witness to the animation of this child as her daughter, Diana. The child was enchanted with abilities comaprable to those of the gods themselves; fantastic speed, strength, agility, and endurance. With the teachings of Gaea and the peaceful Amazon warriors to guide her, Princess Diana grew to be their greatest champion, as powerful as she was gentle -- Wonder Woman!

When the Princess was of age she was the natural choice of the warrior women of Themyscira to carry their message of of peace and harmony to the world of man. There, she served not only as a diplomat, but as a founding member of the Justice League whose legend grew to be one of the greatest heroes on Earth.

Math: Genocide Ranking: Wonder Woman (#13)

What Went Down...
Crash landing in the busy streets of Washington DC's business district, Wonder Woman leaves a streaming crater from her crash landing. Responsible for her sudden descent - Genocide - a twisted version of herself tainted by the dark magics of Ares and her deadliest enemies. With only a moment's pause, Wonder Woman compells local law enforcement to clear the area, doing her best to protect the innocent from the carnage that will be unleashed.

Moving at incredible superhuman speeds, Wonder Woman charges along the main street with the conviction of a hero out of patience. She brings both fists colliding into either side of the head of a flat-footed Genocide, following rapidly with an elbow to the jaw, and raking nails that rip Genocide's spiked visor from her face.

Urbana crumbles as Wonder Woman charges Genocide's body through cement and ponders the necessity death might play under the stakes at hand. Genocide is not ready to go down without a fight, however, reversing the momentum with a swing of Wonder Woman's hair! The evil creature defies any expectation of stupidity, denying Wonder Woman's ability to out-think her. References to the torture of Etta Candy - WW's friend - and knowledge to be used to hurt others become Genocide's weapons in a secondary psychological assault.

With superhuman strength, the creature tosses Wonder Woman like an overgrown discus with sufficient force to penetrate a nearby bus. The toss leaves a clump of the Amazon warrior's hair clutched in Genocide's hand, held with a grim boastful prophecy of Wonder Woman's death.

Genocide's actions had made as many enemies as Wonder Woman's had friends, inviting the interference of Agent Tom Tressman and TO Morrow pilotting an invisible helicopter from the Department of Metahuman Affairs. With the best of intentions they fire a missile into the empty street, but even unconventional weaponry, such as a probability bomb invented by Amos Fortune, proves grossly inefficient against the evil Morrow helped to conceive. The dust stirred by the explosion helps to obscure Genocide's retrieval of a populated city bus -- which she hurls as her own missile toward the copter!

Before Wonder Woman can take flight to save her fellows, Genocide snags her ankle and drags her back down to Earth. The grappling, however, serves to bring Wonder Woman into close quarters, where she unleashes a fierce left-right hook combination. With the beast staggered, she pulls the tiara from her head, using the sturdy metal to slash violently at Genocide's throat!

While Genocide clutches her gushing throat - Wonder Woman leaps to the aid of the bus full of people, forsaking the helicopter to crash. The Shield emerges to help evacuate bystanders to safety, but a recovered Genocide is able to retrieve Tom Tressman from the chopper wreckage. She uses the stolen lasso of truth to force upon Tressman revelations about Wonder Woman's true feelings toward him, crushing hopes of romance.

Wielding her tiara as a weapon once more, Wonder Woman charges, slashing Genocide's arm to break the tendons that control her grip on Tressman. With the Agent freed, Wonder Woman delivers an uppercut that props the monster into the air. From there, she clutches the stunned beast and flys hard and fast for the Earth's outer atmosphere. It is the beginning of her end game!

Flame engulf Amazon and abomination alike as they burn on a pointed reentry.
Fighting on the way down, the duo crash through the Earth to the subway system below, where serendipity brings a speeding train to collide with the monster.

Unrelenting in her follow through, Wonder Woman takes full advantage of the train, catching the airborne creature to fly it back toward the streets. A fist provides the punctuation to drive the fiend through layers of concrete to the surface. Even so, such a blow is still insufficient to finish the power concerned.

Genocide strikes back with another blow, fighting as if the stakes were of a terran fist fight, rather than the high speed airborne struggle they are locked in. They continue to trade blows, a choike hold, a polish hammer, an elbow to the nose, and a headbutt that finally puts the beast on the back foot.

Emitting a regret detected by the creature's tainted use of her lasso, Wonder Woman leaps around onto Genocide's back and in spite of the terror and conflict inflicted upon her and her friends, apologises. With storm clouds gathering to provide a dramatic backdrop, Wonder Woman clutches the lasso of truth in her fists and rips it from Genocide's body, reclaiming it from the tainted golem.

The agony, or perhaps even mythic implications, of the lasso's removal is enough to send Genocide's limp body hurtling toward the ocean depths below. Wonder Woman could save her, but chooses not to. It is a revenge fitting for a monster whose sole purpose was to spread the evil it was born from. This, however, is not the end for Genocide. Eventually Wonder Woman attempts to recover the body, but finds none, for it has already been claimed in the name of Ares.

Genocide will return.

The Hammer...
Well, for the second time actually, I give you your winner: Wonder Woman!

Yes, I actually already wrote the last third of this article a few days ago, but a nasty mishap with a loose sleeve, a touchpad mouse, and Blogger's auto-save function, meant I faced the demoralizing task of doing it all over again. As you can imagine, the first version was much better.
Still, in taking some time to find the positive, I realise it's given me opportunity to reflect more upon the details of these closing thoughts.

As tends to be the case, there was a bit of a patronizing tone to the original discussion I wrote. It's a bad habit I'm sure I share with many other commentators who feel the need to constantly discuss Wonder Woman like it's a puzzle that needs solving, rather than a comic series to be reviewed.
What probably doesn't help is the fact that: Wonder Woman needs fixing.

She isn't necessarily broken, but as a franchise, WW just isn't performing to a standard that you would expect of a character generally sharing banners and lunchboxes with Superman and Batman -- DC's superhero holy "Trinity".

There's a tendency to look past the on-going series toward fabled projects like Adam Hughes' All-Star Wonder Woman, or Grant Morrison's promise to make-up for Wonder Woman's diminished role in Final Crisis with a story of her own. Like a lot of other readers, I'm thrilled by the prospect of a special project like those, (particularly Morrison's), but is this really the tactic to elevate the character to the status she deserves?

I wouldn't say there's been an excess of pressure on Gail Simone, but it's difficult not to look at her work with added scrutiny. Like every writer who tackles the character, [Simone] shoulders the baggage of previous attempts to revamp the series for a modern audience. Though not in the echelon of A-list writers, Simone's work has garnered cult fandom sufficient enough to make her appointment to the series feel like a statement. It hasn't appeared nearly as conceited a shift as recent efforts, like the ill fated white bodysuit secret agent escapades in Allan Heinberg and the Dodsons' relaunch, but there's a feeling that Simone has been given the opportunity to elevate her own status off the back of recentering the Wonder Woman title.

Aaron Lopresti's clean and (usually) attractive artwork might not boost the book into the top ten sales as instantly as other names, but he does well to serve the return to good old fashioned superheroics that defines this run.
There's a sense that maybe Simone (and/or DC editorial) is trying to hang the hat of the title on an epic that balances elements from various periods, combining mythology with superheroes. I don't know how successful the story is at building the gravitas it aims for, but it feels so much more productive by investing in this type of basic forward movement, rather than sitting, waiting for the short-lived fruits of a messiah like Hughes or Morrison. In this respect, Simone has arguably been the writer picked to oversee the most successful incarnation of the series in recent times. One that doesn't indulge an unhealthy obsession with creating the next important 'graphic novel' or Dark Knight Returns for Wonder Woman.

It isn't all glowing praises, however...
Genocide, the character who stars in this particular issue, is just a little too ridiculous to be the kind of heavy-hitting villain Wonder Woman has lacked. Like some of the worst characters to come out of the nineties, Genocide boils down to spikes, a gaudy costume, and a bad attitude. She is to WW what Doomsday was for Superman, and Bane for Batman. Not that this character had the misfortune of actually being sold as indefinitely successful against her prospective foe, unlike those villains that killed and crippled DC's other leading heroes. I guess there are some advantages to being the struggling icon, particularly when your creator had the foresight to mandate a regular publishing schedule.

Time will tell if Genocide becomes one of those wacky creations that finds artistic balance through later context, or is damned to the annals of shame like the many burly harbingers of doom that came before her/it. [I'm still a little unclear on the revelation of the whole future-tainted-Wonder-Woman situation...]

I like Wonder Woman as a character a great deal, so it's nice to at least feel compelled to buy the comic. From our pseudo-sports league perspective, Wonder Woman's finally fighting her way into the top ranks, but you need only look at our archive of reviews to see how little of that has come from the Wonder Woman series itself. It's a predicament that speaks to the nature of Wonder Woman's struggle as a marketable hero, always present by association (ie; JLA), but never quite successful as a solo presence. Who knows if we'll ever actually get to see that long promised Wonder Woman feature film, or if it'll avoid the pitfalls of being mindless drivel with Hollywood's latest 'hot young thing' in an invisible plane and star-spangled panties. You'll forgive me if I consider Megan Gale a massive Australian bullet dodged, pretty though she may be.

I don't know if Rise of the Olympian will be the trade paperback [*ahem* "graphic novel"] that everyone will have to have on their shelf, but it's produced some of the better issues I've seen in recent times. It might be a bit of an underhanded compliment, but by being slightly less ambitious than previous revamps, it feels like things are finally heading in the right direction. It'll take time before I look at Wonder Woman as a must-read from month to month, but it's been fun at least indulging in some Amazon fisticuffs with super-villains. More than I could have said of other recent tales. [Don't tell Greg Rucka I said that!]

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 4.5

Gail Simone and Aaron Lopresti continue their run on Wonder Woman monthly. Unfortunately, at the time of this posting, I was unable to find any collected editions containing this issue, but you'll find previous chapters of "Rise of the Olympian" in the trade posted to the right (containing issues #20-#27). You'll also find plenty of other stories, including a few with Wonder Woman in them, in the Infinite Wars Amazon Gift Shoppe. If Wonder Woman were to endorse any online store, I'd like to think Amazon.com would be the most fitting. Not only that, by using purchase links provided on the site, you help sponsor truth, justice, and future reviews! Check out the Secret Archives or character tags at the bottom of posts to navigate your way to more materials.

SHIPPING LIST: MAY 28, 2009
Mountain Dew® is proud to introduce Game Fuel:
Two limited-time-only flavors inspired by the
hit video game World of Warcraft.Choose Your Side with Alliance Blue, or Horde Red. Only from Mountain Dew® Game Fuel™, get a free 14-day-trial of World of Warcraft, or an in-game battlebot pet.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.

Advertise here! Contact for more!
The Independents...
FEB094438 2000 AD #1633 $4.50
MAR094402 2000 AD #1634 $4.50
MAR094066 ARCHIE #597 $2.50
MAR092444 ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN #16 $2.99
MAR092424 DEAD AT 17 ULTIMATE ED TP $24.99
MAR094079 DELLEC #0 $1.99
AUG082238 ELEPHANTMEN HC VOL 02 FATAL DISEASES $34.99
MAR094037 GLAMOURPUSS #7 $3.00
NOV082260 GODLAND #28 (RES) $2.99
MAR092411 POWER UP GN $12.99
MAR090069 USAGI YOJIMBO #120 $3.50

The Corporates...
MAR090198 BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #5 $2.50
MAR092538 DARK REIGN ELEKTRA #3 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
MAR092542 DARK REIGN HOOD #1 (OF 5) DKR $3.99
MAR090131 FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH INK #1 (OF 6) $2.99
MAR090135 GOTHAM GAZETTE #1 BATMAN ALIVE $2.99
MAR092573 IMMORTAL IRON FIST #26 $2.99
MAR092574 INCREDIBLE HERCULES #129 $2.99
MAR090158 JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #27 $2.99
MAR090159 LAST DAYS OF ANIMAL MAN #1 (OF 6) $2.99
MAR092553 MS MARVEL #39 DKR $2.99
MAR090216 STARCRAFT #1 $2.99
MAR090142 SUPERMAN #688 $2.99
MAR092514 ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS HULK #6 (OF 6) $2.99
FEB092578 WOLVERINE #72 $2.99
MAR090169 WONDER WOMAN #32 $2.99

The Spotlight...
- MAR092533 AVENGERS INITIATIVE #24 DKR $2.99
Throughout 2009 at we've gradually been seeing the lasting effects of Civil War undone as Dark Reign puts the fear of the boogey man into the power-run-amok concept. The Initiative, born directly of decisions made under the Stark regime of Civil War, was always going to be one of the most direct transition points for this shift of "status quo" in the Marvel Universe. Colliding the Thunderbolts model that has been an under current of Dark Reign -- the Initiative and it's morally ambiguous trainers now become a potential private army for Norman Osborn's HAMMER agency. That is, of course, assuming the wolf-in-sheep's clothing doesn't decide to devour Taskmaster and his Initiative allies. This is one of those books that had great high concepts, but just never looked seasoned to my tastes. With previews showing off Taskmaster and the gang -- and that flavour of B-list villains that Dark Reign's been great for -- I'm ready to finally take a look.

- FEB090180 GREEN LANTERN #41 $2.99
It's been one of the hottest titles of the last few years, but I've got to admit, two years of anticipation for Blackest Night has begun to weigh heavily on Green Lantern. As much as the War of Light has condensed massive amounts of introductory concept into the pages of the series, it just feels like we're dragging our feet a little ahead of the main event. GL Corps has been the stand-out title, housing much of the major battling between the different Corps of light. That said; with the twist that there is in fact only one Orange Lantern, and the knowledge that Hal Jordan will probably be grabbing one of those rings, it's an intriguing situation to be in. It's just a shame the balance of plotlines has maybe erred a little too far in favour of this one. Not that Geoff Johns hasn't done well to keep a tab on B-plots.

- MAR092535 NEW AVENGERS #53 DKR $3.99
The search for the new Sorcerer Supreme continues in New Orleans as Brother Voodoo emerges as the chosen candidate! With Son of Satan on hand for the battle with The Hood, you just can't escape the on-going revival of seventies icons a lot of the current crop of writers probably have reverence for. It's great to see Brother Voodoo elevated above a punchline, and the story's actually been energetic and character-filled enough to distract from the fact that we're losing Dr. Strange (as Sorcerer Supreme). Hopefully the demotion is a blessing in disguise for the Doc! Maybe he can finally get back into some stories without the baggage and fear of being Marvel's totemic magic-guy! It's Marvel, so we can probably expect him back in the position in a couple of years. Am I right?...

- MAR092601 X-FORCE #15 XMW $2.99
Intellectually, everything about this book is wrong. I know this.
With the brief exception of the Mike Allred (X-Statix) abberation, X-Force is historically a highly dubious 100+ issue series best known for being the golden goose of Rob Liefeld's tyrannical empire. Worse still: poster-villain of that very period - Stryfe - is apparently the driving force behind these issues. Yet, for some bizarre reason, this might actually be the most interesting X-book out there right now. I don't quite understand it, myself.

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
Know Your Trade...
JAN090226 DC LIBRARY ROOTS OF THE SWAMP THING HC $39.99
MAR092424 DEAD AT 17 ULTIMATE ED TP $24.99
AUG082238 ELEPHANTMEN HC VOL 02 FATAL DISEASES $34.99
MAR092668 ESSENTIAL X-MEN TP VOL 09 $19.99
MAR092658 GHOST RIDER DANNY KETCH TP ADDICT $19.99
MAR092659 INCREDIBLE HERCULES TP LOVE AND WAR $14.99
MAR092623 MMW AMAZING SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 02 $24.99
JAN092562 MMW ATLAS ERA JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY HC VOL 02 $59.99
MAR092411 POWER UP GN $12.99
FEB090209 ROBIN TEEN WONDER TP $17.99
FEB090215 STATIC SHOCK REBIRTH OF THE COOL TP $19.99
FEB090219 WONDER WOMAN LOVE AND MURDER TP $12.99
MAR092630 X-FORCE PREMIERE HC VOL 02 OLD GHOSTS $19.99
DEC082421 X-MEN HC INFERNO $75.00

QUICK FIX: RAZZLE vs SUPER YOUNG TEAM
This Is How We Do It (DC)
Where: Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #1
When: July 2009 Why: Joe Casey How: ChrisCross

THE TAPE...
Strength: Razzle 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Most Excellent Superbat 3 (Straight A)
Speed: WS Sonic Lightning Flash 6 (Mach-Speed)
Stamina: WS Sonic Lightning Flash 5 (Marathon)
Agility: Shy Crazy Lolita Canary 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Most Excellent Superbat 4 (Trained)
Energy: Big Atomic Lantern Boy 5 (Lasers)

Math: Super Young Team
Ranking: Draw (Not Ranked)

THE FIX...
Longtime readers know 2009 has been something of an experiment for the Infinite Wars, marking the first year we've actually followed the goings on of the weekly shipping list, as it happens [albeit, severely behind update schedule]. In many ways, this has been the concept of the comic book fight club living up to it's claim. In our monthly punch-up updates, the top five has gradually morphed around the biggest hits of each week, creating a reflection on superheroes that's been more topical, if not more accurately reflective of their successes in comics.

Unfortunately, by waiting for the best hits of the week, it means we've all but lost touch with subjects like the 2008/2009 mini-series epic, Final Crisis.

You'll need a good memory to recall just how the hype-bubble of anticipation built around DC's summer epic, only to burst amidst thoroughly disappointing confusion and mediocrity from readers.

A mere storytelling device -- one you would have thought readers from the internet age could've appreciated; rapid fire observation of 'the important bits' -- managed to completely kill the buzz that surrounded unique concepts like; Jack Kirby's returning forgotten hero, Sonny Sumo, and the Japanese heroes with powers of pop-culture, The Super Young Team.

Unfortunately, by not getting past the second issue in our reviews of Final Crisis, we haven't had an opportunity to really dig in to all the wonderful possibilities that the series presented. Sure, we managed to get out some articles about what the Justice League could've looked like post-FC [Justice League: America, Resistance, Task Force, International]; but the passion and excitement the story stirred has somewhat passed us by -- a fact that already speaks volumes about the effect Final Crisis Aftermath is having...

I can't claim to be any kind of expert on Japan, but I know enough about the potential of vague archetypes to anticipate the prospect of any degree of filtered Japanese pop-culture references in "our" Western corporate comics -- particularly in the hands of a competent and mindful writer. Despite the obvious dominance of American super-heroes; there was a wonderful international awareness about Final Crisis, one that seems to be of the many strengths of writer Grant Morrison, who helmed the series, and created the Super Young Team who were actually first divised (apparently) during his time on 52, along with the Chinese super-human government heroes seen in 52 and Checkmate, Great Ten.

What we ultimately got in the pages of Final Crisis was a glimpse -- a tease of a concept that was crying out for elaboration. A Final Crisis Sketchbook gave eager readers the chance to learn more about the story behind the story of the Super Young Team, but it seemed unlikely a corporate company could invest in such a niche concept, let alone find a writer competent enough to carry it off. For the time being, it looked as if the characters would live and die within the span of a few issues, not unlike Sonny Sumo's initial four-issue career in Forever People.

Enter Joe Casey: well-known buddy to Morrison and previously boy wonder to the Scot's stylish 2001 revamp of the X-Men franchise for Marvel ["New X-Men"].

Morrison - described as 'taking a break from superheroes after Final Crisis' - might not have been tackling his creations straight away, but given the past success found with Casey's tandem work on X-Men; not to mention his own penchant for modern writing and referencial story beats; things looked good when DC announced their line of four single-title Final Crisis Aftermath series. Sure, some of the excitement of the initial series has dissipated, but that could always be recaptured by new stories with the characters, right?...

While the passion to articulate the words might have faded, I still maintain that Final Crisis was one of the most significant and delightful series we've seen from DC or Marvel this decade. It played with the superhero platform (super-genre) in so many ways and on so many levels that it really had the potential to be looked back upon as a landmark moment for the industry. It could have been a handbook for what's expected of company comics, providing wholely acceptable and fiction based easy-outs for the the awkward pressures of franchise maintenance, all while embracing, revelling in, and embellishing the superhero concept.

Super Young Team were a part of expanding the horizons of the American superhero, giving it a chance to be reobserved with a double-whammy of outside influence, and outsider interpretation. I would've loved to have been reading a high intencity comic revelling in the hi-tech landscape of Tokyo City, soaking in the bright lights reflected off super-sentai helmets, all while awaiting a cliffhanger ending to a battle with kaiju monsters from space. Concepts as iconic as any Gotham City showdown with mentally ill clowns, but with an extra spice added to our steady consumption of a diet of superheroes.

Alas; while Casey latches on to the vaguely metatextual observations introduced by Morrison across the entire Final Crisis story, it lacks any of the imagination or exotic context to give it an extra spark. Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance goes so far to as actually position the Super Young Team in American management, with American party guests, dancing in their American (styled) headquarters.

Nothing about the energy of the issue -- of which there is plenty to go around -- feels as if it connects with those original concepts. Also disappointing, but not without it's blessings, is the absence of the short-lived fan-favourite and ally of Super Young Team, Sonny Sumo, who seems to have faded back to obscurity after his brief liaison with stardom throughout the latter half of 2008.

Structurally, Casey puts together a reasonably fulfilling first issue script.
I've griped in the past about certain styles and issues that have fallen well below what I would expect of a professionally written first issue, but this one bounces straight into it's ideas with generous helpings of introduction and some action.

On the action front (around which we structure posts on the Infinite Wars) -- the Super Young Team confront their first post-FC nemesis on the dance floor.

While a drunken Rising Sun shouts more [RE: Final Crisis #2] about the virtues of the previous generation and the unqualified power of Generation Y; the super-human promoter of Super Young Team's coming out party starts trouble when he demands unrestricted access to Shiny Happy Aquazon's pants.

As a side-note; before the promoter literally transforms into a scaley-beast, he makes a reference to his opinion that anime and manga as fads are over.
While that might be true to some extent, at least in the United States; it feels like an unfortunate kick in the face of exactly what this issue needed. I can't help but wonder if this was a deliberate reference by Casey to his direction, or just a subconscious attitude seeping through into the pages he was writing.

When the intentionally lame-named Razzle reveals himself to the audience, Shiny Happy Aquazon snatches the liquid from nearby drinks to construct an aquakinetic weapon (that's her power, duh). Before she gets a chance to use it, however, the jealous secret admirer, Big Atomic Lantern Boy, fires off a blast of radioactive energy from his funky chest porthole!

While Aquazon pines about having her moment of glory stolen, the rest of the team leap into the very public display of action. Well-Spoken Sonic Lightning Flash uses his legitimate super-speed to whip Razzle into a frenzy, leading Shy Crazy Lolita Canary to deliver a modulated sonic scream that sets the skeezy villain up for a flying martial arts kick delivered by Most Excellent Superbat.

As you can no doubt tell from the colourful panels above, it's a pretty decent little action scene, far more than we might have expected of the poseurs whose biggest powers in Final Crisis seemed to be being Japanese and having a car.

ChrisCross does a nice enough job with the art, even if what he has to draw isn't terribly exciting in the scheme of expectation. Vast expanses and generic extras are mostly occupied by an a spectrum array of colour provided by Snakebite.
Those (disco) colours, and the haze that accompanies them in some scenes, can be seen in all of the panels above, perhaps most graphically applied to the shots of Big Atomic Lantern Boy and Most Excellent Superbat.

This, by no means, is a bad comic book, but after everything we were inspired to imagine, it inevitably falls flat. Creating superheroes from the familiarity of the medium and the referencial methods we use in comics strikes me as a way of the future, but this is not how you take them forward.

An appearance by the ghostly image of a mythic legacy character - "Ultimon" - is one of the high points that promises something a little more ethnic of the next issue, but there's a danger it only ties back to a more American conspiratory plot-twist. There are clear signs here that the four-issue mini-series has a specific story to tell that will involve conflict around the world, but I'd much rather be seeing an on-going series written by Grant Morrison. Something quite unlikely, should the book fail to sell strongly. Tragic irony.

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 3.5
Winner: Super Young Team
(w/ Shiny Happy Aquazon)

You'll find collected editions of Final Crisis Aftermath and the original Final Crisis series available online at Amazon! These, and collections featuring other issues reviewed in the Secret Archives, are available in our Mecha Magnificent Online Store. By using purchase links provided on the site, you help sponsor future entries in the Infinite Wars.
In coming months we will no doubt return to Final Crisis to elaborate further on issues not yet reviewed on the site. Stay tuned!