RED HOOD versus NIGHTWING
Battle for the Cowl: Last Man Standing (DC)
Where: Batman: Battle for the Cowl #3
When: July 2009 Why: Tony S. Daniel
How: Tony S. Daniel

The Story So Far...
The Death of the New Gods was far from an end to their epic existence. Darkseid and his siniter forces were reborn on Earth, creating a crisis that threatened to end humanity under the oppressive weight of the New God of evil and his proliferation of the Anti-Life Equation. With hero and villain under the control of his mathetmatic malfeasance and the direction of his harbinger, Libra; Darkseid appeared to have the day won, but ultimately it was a powerless human who brought an end to his reign. Batman, wielding the weapon that killed Darkseid's son, Orion, breaks his one rule, saving the Earth from it's darkest day and would-be final crisis. The cost of his success, however, is his apparent death as he falls before Darkseid's Omega Sanction, leaving a smoking husk to be retrieved and mourned by his fellows.

In Batman's city of Gotham, those who had become his family struggle with not only the loss of a loved one, but of the symbollic heroism that prevented the city of madmen from breaking. As the Dark Knight's absence from this plane of reality becomes increasingly evident, his enemies once again run rampant in the streets, spreading a plague of chaos threatening to destroy them.

Recognising the necessity for a Batman, two of the Dark Knight's former wards attempt to fill the void. In Jason Todd, there rises a lethal avenger of the night, whose methods are as deadly and unruly as those he confronts. In opposition is Tim Drake, the most recent Robin whose undying faith in Batman survives him to spur the young hero to fight to maintain the integrity of his memory. Despite his willingness, Tim Drake is not ready to be a Batman, and although Dick Grayson may have the strongest reservations of Batman's children, this very fact may be what makes him the most worthy of the role. Forced to realise this, Nightwing descends on Gotham to find his fallen brother, Jason Todd -- "Batman."

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Nightwing 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Draw 5 (Martial Arts)
Energy: Draw 2 (Projectiles)


- As a streetwise orphan, a young Jason Todd was hardened by the hardships of life in the gutter of Gotham City. Todd's first encounter with the Batman came when he tried to steal the tyres off a parked Batmobile. This would be the first of many as the wayward youngster proved his potential to become a potent force for justice or crime, leading Batman to train him as a replacement for Dick Grayson, who had abandoned the role of Robin, to become Nightwing.
Though he lacked Dick Grayson's natural athleticism, Jason Todd's years on the street had made him tough. With training from Batman he was able to attain a level of skill to rival his predecessor, but his impulsive and vengeful nature had the potential to undo him.

After a string of indescretions as Batman's "boy wonder," the second Robin fled his mentor upon learning the true identity of his birth mother. He was led into a lethal encounter with the Joker, who eventually beat him to death. Unbeknownst to a mourning Dark Knight, however, cosmic forces were conspiring to resurrect Jason Todd in the grave. Todd narrowly escaped his burial site, returning to the streets with little memory of his past, before being discovered and restored by Talia al Ghul and her father's Lazarus Pit.

Maddened by perceived abandonment, Todd teamed with another of Batman's enemies, Hush, to seek revenge. He eventually adopts the identity of Red Hood -- originally worn by his would-be killer, the Joker. As Red Hood he continues to seek revenge against Batman and his wards, whilst launching his own war against the criminals of Gotham City. Upon Batman's apparent death, Todd adopted the vacant mantle to maintain the Batman brand with new lethality.

- A talented circus performer, Dick Grayson was witness to his parent's murder when their Flying Graysons trapeze act was sabotaged, leaving his mother and father to plummet to their doom. The crime involves Batman in Grayson's life as the Dark Knight pursues the killers and takes an interest in the young orphan's life. As Bruce Wayne, Batman ultimately takes the young Grayson as his ward.

With youthful vigor, Grayson accepts training from the Dark Knight that adapts his own flair for acrobatics into a formiddable fighting base. Inspired by his circus performances, Grayson becomes the contrasting light to the shadow of the bat as Robin, the boy wonder. Together they share many adventures, but eventually the boy outgrows his childhood, and becomes a force unto himself as Nightwing.

With years of experience, Grayson is as skilled a fighter and detective as his mentor. Upon Batman's apparent death, it is ultimately he who inherits the legacy of his adoptive father, and the confronting task of filling the void of a force in Gotham City that maintains the balance between chaos and order.

Math: Draw Ranking: Nightwing (#29)

What Went Down...
Having brutalized his successor as the Boy Wonder, Jason Todd drags a mortally wounded Tim Drake deeper into the makeshift Batcave formed in the decrepit subway tunnels beneath Gotham City. Garbed in an older incarnation of Batman's uniform, Drake is unwittingly traced by Oracle under the command of Nightwing.

When Nightwing descends into the bowels of the city, he finds a burning symbol of the bat -- a message from the new "Batman" that reads, "Too late." It is the first of the psychological blows to be delivered by the mad former-Robin, who hides behind the visage of Drake's disembodied cape and cowl and a microphone. Clutching his father's cape, Nightwing listens to Todd's rantings, playing right into his hands as he remotely triggers an electrical charge.

The false-Batman emerges from the shadows with gun drawn, lauding over his predecessor with the demand that he become his sidekick. Inspired, Nightwing rises and strikes the fake Batman, demanding the whereabouts of a Tim Drake he knows his opponent could not have killed, despite his claims. Firing back in the war of psyches, Grayson offers a holographic recording made by the real Batman before his death, who speaks soulfully to his former ward of his psychological state. It inspires only rage in the unhinged impostor.

Rage is something Nightwing can work with, however, as the two former-Robins come to blows. It's Nightwing who kicks the impostor as they descend deeper into the cave, striking him, enduring shards that dig into his face, and returning it in kind with a headbutt that rebreaks Jason's nose. He has a clear advantage as he thrusts his knee into Todd's mid-section, knocks him toward the ground with a right hook, and props him back up with a kick to an already bleeding face!

Despite the regular practise of innoculation shared by Batman's allies, Todd unleashes a blast of the Scarecrow's fear gas in an attempt to disorientate his rival. The inhalent fails to trigger an uncontrolled response of fear, but is enough to rattle Nightwing's concentration. The false-Batman delivers a stiff kick to the mid-section, capitalizing on his own opportunities.

Todd continues his violent guided tour through his twisted parody of the Batcave, luring a still fighting Nightwing through draped curtains as he receives a jumping kick. Far from beaten, Todd produces a remote trigger that unleashes a massive explosion as he leaps clear of the blast on the end of a bat-line cable.

Grayson escapes on his own chord, taking chase as Todd leads him toward an exit into the in-use subway tunnels. There, the false knight drops onto the top of a speeding train, with Nightwing in close pursuit.

Refusing to abandon his goals to succeed Bruce Wayne as Batman, Jason Todd attacks his counterpart's unwillingness to assume the role, even as Black Mask begins a new reign of terror in Gotham City (having already destroyed Arkham Asylum and liberated it's inmates as part of a new criminal syndicate).

Ironically, Todd removes his cape and cowl, using the mass of material as a weapon against his charging adversary. Nightwing clutches the cape and drives his boot into Todd's face, only to be swatted away with a stiff punch, forcing him to renew his grip with the cape. The clotch becomes a literal transliteration of their symbollic struggle over the mantle of the Bat.

Grayson becomes swathed in the cape, blind and seemingly ripe for a finishing blow. The lethally minded Jason Todd takes his chance, but fails to anticipate Nightwing's leap as he searches through the cape for a knock-out blow...

... As the speeding train emerges from the subway to traverse the Gotham brookes by bridge, Nightwing parts the folds of the cape and delivers a flying kick that topples his foe! Though Jason Todd successfully snags the edge of the bridge, he chooses to chance the depths below, plummeting into the shadows toward death or glory. If he survives, he will no doubt return again, as the Red Hood, or some other perverted shadow of the Batman persona.

The Hammer...
The winner of this bout, via the ol' bridge plunge, your new Batman, Nightwing!

With Dick Grayson's first major outing as Batman in this week's Batman & Robin #1, it seemed like a fitting time to go back and look at the moment when he really took on the mantle. The first time around the issue missed out to Punisher #5 and Super Young Team in Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance -- a potentially infamous decision, if anyone actually cared about our week-to-week reviews a couple of months after-the-fact. In the end, I think we got the best deal for variety's sake, and have adhered to any subversive philosophies the Infinite Wars might unwittingly subscribe to.

It's interesting to speculate what the importance of this issue might be to the future of the comic. As much as DC have been completely forthcoming about the continued existence of Bruce Wayne and the gimmicked trappings his "death" in Final Crisis, they've managed to achieve a certain respectability that previous stunts haven't retained. In particular, I'm thinking of the last time Batman was significantly removed from the role, when Bane broke his back, and Jean Paul Valley (Azrael) became a new Batman tailored to the style of the nineties [Batman: Knightfall].

Ironically, one can't help but get an uncomfortably nostalgic recollection of those days from Tony Daniel's work. It's difficult to criticize the fundamentals of Battle for the Cowl, but there's an intangible lack of consideration from page-to-page that suggests a penciler filling the role of writer. That might even be the case, given the focus put on the relaunch titles, and Daniel's better known career as a penciler who was indeed among those "iconic" nineties artists.

A deliberately "dark" colour palette does little to compliment Daniel's art style, which is probably the most significant provocation of a pavlovian recollection of the nineties. Nothing is subtle, as characters bumble their way through a series of action-highlights and soap opera. I have to admit, this art direction was enough to steer me clear of Grant Morrison's Batman RIP arc, which seems to have universally stumbled during the transliteration of script to comic.

Last time Morrison was involved in spearheading a major new direction, it was with the (apparently) esoteric summer blockbuster, Final Crisis. The gap between his work and preceeding issues resulted in a well covered struggle to reconcile storylines into positions required for the start of his story, something Morrison himself expressed some disatisfaction with. So, one has to wonder if Battle for the Cowl wasn't a similar insertion of connective tissue between the bold new direction of the Bat-family comics, and the illdefined details of RIP and Crisis.

Battle was promoted with images that inferred a wider cast of characters vying for the role. Instead, much like the series itself, those promotional posters seem to have been suggesting red herrings and the future landscape. It's odd that DC would spend three-plus months playing coy about the identity of the new Batman and his impostor, as both are fairly obvious choices, and suitably so. The angsty transition does little to add depth to the change, serving mostly to preview the cityscape of crime, ie; Black Mask's alleged return from the dead, liberation of Arkham, takeover of crime (again), and building feud with Two-Face and Penguin. I suppose we also got one last hurrah of the massively expanded supporting cast, which included brief cameos by the likes of The Knight, Squire, Black Canary, and Wildcat, even if they amounted to little more than gratuitous links.

Not surprisingly, the debut of Dick Grayson as Batman (and other) will wait until Batman & Robin #1. As the apparent lynchpin of the new direction, it's probably for the best that it be there that readers meet the new conditions. Certainly, it appears Batman & Robin, and other series, will continue relatively divorced from Battle for the Cowl, even if additional context might be gleaned from upcoming appearances by Red Hood, Black Mask, or Two-Face [in Batman].

As a far more natural promotional transgression than Knightfall, Dick Grayson's ascendence to the role of Batman seems assured of providing something fresh and exciting about the Batman universe. Though I'm quite content to dwell in the soggy shadows of a brooding Bruce Wayne, I'm inspired by the technicolour exuberance Morrison and [Frank] Quitely's work is already promising.
They are also surrounded by a quirky array of new opportunities, including the presumably street-bound perspective of Batman: Streets of Gotham and the Animated Series inspired, Gotham City Sirens, starring Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn, both series under the watchful eye of fan-favourite, Paul Dini.

[Dini] looks to be the writer for traditionalists craving the option of a throughline from the Bruce Wayne era, as maintained via the continuation of previous plotlines, most notably Dini's acclaimed revamp of Hush. The unique visions of each series are part of what makes the near bat-future look so promising, a steady contrast to the inevitable comparisons of Captain America's death/return.

With Flash: Rebirth providing a prelude to the event-season, which will no doubt be dominated by Blackest Night fever; you could say the Batman relaunch is DC's big second-stage of a three-pronged assault on the comics readership.

Despite my reservations about the specific quality of Battle for the Cowl, it is the literary harbinger of greater things to come, a footnote in DC's continuing ability to thoroughly impress. I think longtime Infinite Wars readers will recognise the fair shake we give Marvel, but I simply cannot fathom how anyone could disagree with the dominating volume of quality DC have been able to produce over the past five-or-so years. With so much on the way, I sincerely doubt we'll be able to keep up these weekly reviews, for the financial strain.

The Fight: 4.5 The Issue: 3.5

If you're reading the Batman: Reborn titles but find yourself curious about what set them up, by all means, be sure to check out Batman: Battle for the Cowl. The series is available collected, along with a companion edition featuring the one-shot tie-ins starring Commissioner Gordon, Man-Bat, Two-Face, Black Canary, and other characters affected by the change. All are available through Amazon, and by using purchase links provided on the site, you help sponsor future entries. The Gift Shop will also provide you with a catalogue of other collections featuring most issues reviewed in the Secret Archives, including Final Crisis -- the series featuring Batman's apparent death!

SHIPPING LIST: JUNE 03, 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...
MAR094068 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #199 $3.99
APR090766 THE BOYS #31 (MR) $2.99
APR090337 CHEW #1 (MR) $2.99
APR090731 IRREDEEMABLE #3 $3.99
APR090385 JERSEY GODS #5 $3.50
FEB094398 PHANTOM GENERATIONS #2 $3.99 [Chronicle Chamber]
MAR092463 SPAWN #192 $2.95

The Corporates...
APR090449 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #596 DKR $2.99
APR090237 AUTHORITY #11 $2.99
MAR092531 DARK AVENGERS #5 DKR $3.99
APR090143 FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH RUN #2 (OF 6) $2.99
MAR092534 MIGHTY AVENGERS #25 DKR $2.99
APR090250 PROTOTYPE #3 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99
APR090549 PUNISHER MAX NAKED KILL #1 (MR) $3.99
APR090194 SECRET SIX #10 $2.99
MAR092572 SKAAR #11 $2.99
FEB092478 ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #133 $3.99

The Spotlight...
- APR090147 BATMAN AND ROBIN #1 $2.99
If there's a book, this month, bigger than Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's first issue of Batman and Robin, I'd like to know about it. With the Battle for the Cowl behind him, Dick Grayson presumably steps confidently forward into the role of the Dark Knight detective, bringing with him a whole new approach to caped crusading! Joined by new Robin (Damian); the dynamic duo are going head-to-head with a brand new villain in a brand new way as Morrison takes full advantage of the chance to create a new era. It's difficult not to draw comparisons to New X-Men; the last time Morrison was given a wide berth when it came to reinterpreting such a mainstream brand. Time will tell if the results are as exciting, and if DC will have the courage to embrace the change without systematically erasing it's influence!

- APR090542 DEADPOOL SUICIDE KINGS #3 (OF 5) $3.99
By now, Marvel's intention to bump prices up a full dollar is well known, but that doesn't make it any easier to accept. Suicide Kings has surprised, proving to be far more than a throwaway X-Men Origins cash-in, but it struggles to justify the climbing cost. Those willing to put in the extra buck will be treated to an urban skirmish as the Merc' with a Mouth does his best to evade death. Daredevil shows up this issue as the Poolman recovers from his dealings with the Punisher -- all to the amusement of site-favourite gangster and all around nasty albino - Tombstone! A decidedly Daniel Way-free zone, but still a much more attractive prospect if your local store will bump down the price.

- APR090195 SOLOMON GRUNDY #4 (OF 7) $2.99
The fight-filled sleeper hit of 2009, Solomon Grundy, looks to take an unexpected turn as the continued involvement of his old arch-nemesis, The Green Lantern, steers Grundy into brand new directions -- namely, the suburban Scott residence! Alan Scott is supposed to be watching over the beast, but thanks to the Demon, the Golden Age hero has been out of the game. Now Cyrus Gold, gripped by his dim-witted Grundy persona, is on a path to destroy the source of Green Lantern's power -- the starheart lantern! If you've got any appreciation for superhero fisticuffs, you really need to be reading this series!

- APR090166 SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #4 (OF 12) $2.99
The boffins of the DC Universe are apparently a clever and creative lot. I mean, if the concept is to be believed, then the creation of a brand new planet would probably be a concern for intergalactic peace keeping agency, the Green Lantern Corps. Right? Right! Everybody's favourite GL of Sector-2814, Hal Jordan, is checking in on New Krypton, but will the recently released Kandorians be ready to accept their jurisdiction, or will the Guardians order action against General Zod and the newly appointed military Commander, Kal-El? The tensions of responsibility to the Corps and the League should make this a super-charged encounter between two of DC's biggest modern icons!

READ THE PREVIEW - VISIT THE SITE - BUY THE COMIC
Know Your Trade...
APR090602 CAPTAIN AMERICA FIGHTING CHANCE TP VOL 01 DENIAL $19.99
MAR090182 GREEN LANTERN CORPS SINS OF THE STAR SAPPHIRE TP $14.99
MAR090190 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA TP VOL 03 INJUSTICE LEAGUE $17.99
JAN092563 MMW ATLAS ERA JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY HC VOL 02 VAR ED 118 $59.99
JAN092564 MMW AVENGERS HC VOL 09 $54.99
MAR090212 OCEAN TP NEW EDITION $19.99
JAN092571 PUNISHER MAX HC VOL 05 (MR) $34.99
APR090593 SHE-HULK TP VOL 09 LADY LIBERATORS $14.99

THE SHADOW INITIATIVE versus ROUGHHOUSE & BLOODSCREAM
Avengers: The Initiative Disassembled Part 4 (Marvel)
Where: Avengers: The Initiative #24 When: July 2009
Why: Christos N. Gage How: Humberto Ramos

The Story So Far...
When tragedy claimed the lives of hundreds of children in Stamford, Connecticut, the reckless superheroics of the New Warriors were blamed for instigating the violence perpetrated by the villain, Nitro. Thus, the call to register and police the use of superpowers became the championed cause of Tony Stark, aka; Iron Man.

Whilst battling his heroic opponents in the streets, Stark pushed forward the Superhero Registration Act which helped usher in the Fifty States Initiative -- a program to train young heroes under experienced veterans and guarantee the presence of a superhero team in every American state.

Within the Initiative organization itself is a secretive special operatives branch dubbed the Shadow Initiative. Their activities remain top secret and denied by all levels of the Initiative, allowing them to operate in secret for specific missions. Such an objective leads the group, under the leadership of Taskmaster, to Madripoor, where they track the traitorous Initiative alumnist, Hardball. With the Initiative closing down under assumed control by Norman Osborn, the Shadow group are on their own against the mercenaries of a town without law.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Roughhouse 5 (Superhuman)
Intelligence: Taskmaster 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Bengal 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Bloodscream 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Bengal 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Taskmaster 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Typhoid Mary 4 (Arsenal)


- The Shadow Initiative are: Taskmaster, Constrictor, Bengal, & Typhoid Mary.

With the appointment of Tony Stark as Director of SHIELD on the back of plans to register and train all known super-powered heroes, the Fifty States Initiative is passed to ensure a superhero team for every American state. The Initiative pays special attention to the next generation of heroes, erecting a training facility in Stamford, where the tragedy that sparked concerns about hero registration first occurred. Camp Hammond was named after the late Human Torch and is decicated to training the next wave of American heroes.

Within the Initiative organization itself is a secret special operative unit dubbed the Shadow Initiative. The original line-up included Bengal, Trauma, Constrictor, Mutant Zero, and the Scarlet Spiders. Their activities are strictly denied by the Initiative, which, upon the dissolving of SHIELD after Tony Stark was ousted by Norman Osborn under allegations of corruption, leaves the group stranded in the field under the leadership of late recruit, Taskmaster.

- Born in sixteenth century London; Zachariah Ravenscraft served as a physician on board a ship captained by Sir Francis Drake. During a battle with the Spanish galleon, Ravenscraft was mortally wounded and forced to seek the medical aid of a shaman named Dagoo. Using the mystic arts of necromancy, Dagoo saved the surgeon's life with a potion that transformed him into an undying creature similar to that of a living vampire. As Bloodscream, Ravenscraft lives an immortal life, using his powers to nefarious ends, whilst ever searching for the blood of an immortal to complete the potion to restore his humanity at the price of mortality.

Roughhouse is descended from a race of Asgardian trolls, but the details of his origins remain unknown. He possesses the superhuman strength and endurance associated with his lineage, but is said to carry the scars of an abusive childhood beneath his shaggy exterior.

Bloodscream and Roughhouse formed a working partnership on the island of Madripoor, where they were employed as muscle for the crime boss, General Coy. Despite being defeated in Madripoor by Wolverine, the pair have renewed their partnership throughout the years, working as mercenaries and arch-rivals of the clawed mutant.

Math: Shadow Initiative (Ttl) Bloodscream (Avg) Ranking: Constrictor (#566)

What Went Down...
A deluge of rain floods the streets of Madripoor where the members of the secret Shadow Initiative come face-to-face with the mercenary characters that populate this lawless town. Bloodscream & Roughhouse - a pseudo-vampire and troll - old names in the ranks of Madripoor's rogues and hoods.

Barrelling down on the squad leader, Roughhouse sends Taskmaster hurtling into the surrounding urban facade, shrugging off the coiled grappling of former villain-for-hire, the Constrictor. His rampage continues in the direction of the source of the metallic tendrils -- leading Constrictor to wrap his coils around the troll's throat.

Meanwhile, Bengal and Typhoid Mary contend with the vampire-like menace of Bloodscream, whose immortal condition allows him to withstand multiple lethal blows from the sword-wielding femme fatale.

Bloodscream, duelling blade-to-blade with Mary, succeeds in disarming her of the deadly katana, but with a killing blow in sight, his ignorance of Mary's unique abilities prove his folly. Utilizing her pyro-telekinesis, she summons her sword, cutting off Bloodscream's head along with his finishing stike.

With their adversaries seemingly subdued; the Shadow Initiative are forced to come to terms with their predicament as an abandoned cell amidst SHIELD's disassembly. With an entire island of mercenaries, and Hydra on their tail, the group face overwhelming odds, but as Bloodscream soon informs them, they are yet to completely overcome their present opposition.

The pseudo-vampire reattaches his head and attacks an unsuspecting Typhoid Mary. By snatching her arm, he invites a psychological break from the unstable assassin. She ignites the villain and herself with her pyrokinetic flames.

The assault levels yet another potentially lethal attack on Bloodscream, whilst forcing Taskmaster to turn his attentions on a teammate. Effectively victorious, the master fighter calms Mary and orders Constrictor to relinquish his dominance over Roughhouse, redirecting concerns to a conclusion. No longer bound to SHIELD, the group suggest a truce, defecting to HYDRA -- or so it seems...

The Hammer...
Admittedly, the aftermath of the fight presents something of a stalemate scenario, but based on the battle, we declare the Shadow Initiative victorious! Special note: Taskmaster and Bengal didn't get real involved in the scrap, so we'll put them down as assists.

It's nice to finally get competition for June underway after a string of delays pushed this writing back to the start of August. Content is content, in my opinion, but it would be nice if we could gradually work toward being contemporary in our references. I like to think slightly obscure issues such as this will be a valued resource to future readers, but right now, you're probably more interested in more current developments. Assuming, of course, you're actually reading Avengers: The Initiative.

A couple of years into publication, it seems obvious that The Initiative is one of those sleeper titles people will talk about in the future. Born out of the squabble event of Civil War, the series has managed to touch upon each significant Marvel event since, making it one of the most relevant titles to the pulse of the Marvel Universe. Secret Invasion set-up Norman Osborn's rise to power in Dark Reign, a political scenario that connects very specifically to this series, and appears to be right at the top of the agenda of Year Three of the series.

If there was a strength to this title from day-one, it was it's inherent connection to high-concept reflections of Marvel's editorially driven events. Over the past few years, it's been DC that have taken control of their universe-wide "continuity," connecting sequential consequence in ways once considered the domain of Marvel, but no longer. The Initiative is the custodian of this notion, creating many of it's own unique curiosities, (such as the Iron Spiders), whilst remaining a constant reflection of the shifting sands of the shared universe around it.

I have to admit, this has been one of those series that's krept into my frame of interest with regularity, but constantly fell relegated to more "significant" titles through financial elimination. Finally, a quiet week persuaded me to lay down the comparatively reasonable $2.99US, in the interest of getting an overdue taste.

Like the old ham I am, I was attracted to the combination of the six characters involved in today's feature battle. Taskmaster in particular is one of those characters that's long called for a regular role, but for whatever reason, has regularly been overlooked by the powers-that-be. It might've taken a complete overhaul of the political landscape of the Marvel U -- one that's inevitably to be short-lived, probably not far into 2010 -- but at least it finally happened. Makes good sense, too, given Taskmaster's history as a trainer (of folks like USAgent).

I don't know how well it syncs up with their previous developments, but it's also a lot of fun to drift back into the grimey world of Madripoor and bump into forgotten B-listers like Bloodscream and Roughhouse. Particularly in a year that featured Wolverine under the film-inspired spotlight, it's kinda cool to know these slightly cheesy nineties icons are still running around to be used in the future. It's the kind of attention you like to see from the corporates, actually taking full advantage of their lengthy history and universe of characters. Bloodscream might not be a trademark cashcow any time soon, but we seem to have gotten past our phase of eighties-inspired urban stoicism to indulge again in the magic of comics.

Much like Dark Avengers; Avengers: The Initiative will now effectively extend the Thunderbolts concept as Norman Osborn holds his Dark Reign over the Marvel Universe. Whether or not the wolf-in-sheeps-clothing era will be the end of this series remains in the hands of Marvel's dedication to utilizing the unique nature of the series, and promoting it sufficiently. Christos Gage and Humberto Ramos, as creative names in a sychophantic market, are a pretty decent vote of confidence for the title, following Dan Slott and his collaborators.

Ramos' kinetic cartoon style probably won't endear to traditionalists, but this is the kind of title that's arguably laying the foundations for future generations of readers. Osmosis on the internet has probably led a lot of youngsters to adopt the cross-eyed confusion of those who genuinely struggle with the concept of the shared superhero universe, but those more open-minded cartoon networkers are exactly the kind of demographic that Ramos' style could speak to -- inducting them into the Marvel Universe with some of the most interesting tangential characters. Which is how many of us got into this gig twenty-or-more years ago.

For the modern-traditionalists, if you're knee-deep in Dark Reign and considering the Initiative, it might just be worth your while to check this out. 'Cause with a special ops team all to his own, y'just know Osborn's going to get up to no good!

The Fight: 3.5 The Issue: 4.5

To get the whole transition of The Initiative from SHIELD control, to HAMMER, check out the Disassembled collection available in hardcover, and soft TPB at the end of the year. By taking the initiative to use Amazon purchase links provided on the site, you help sponsor future entries of the Infinite Wars. You'll find plenty more collections in the Gift Shop, which features editions containin most issues reviewed in the Secret Archives. Thank you for your patience.

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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)

---

- 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.