Technically: a year of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths ends at the conclusion of November! That's because the First Appearance of "The Comic Book Fight Club" was one fateful December way back in 2005! After several years of dormancy, we returned to mark the 10th Anniversary with an exciting comeback! 2016 has been one long celebration ever since -- possibly the best year ever!
There were many trials and setbacks along the way, but in the end, 2016 saw the induction of several overdue characters, as well as many legendary stories! Today we spotlight the twenty most popular battles as determined by your direct traffic!
If I'm perfectly honest, Captain Marvel (aka; Ms. Marvel, aka; Warbird) isn't a character who's ever done much for me. As a superhero, she makes a lot of sense. I like the lineage from the dead Captain Marvel. The idea of an Avenger on active military service gives her something a lot of Marvel's free-wheeling vigilante heroes don't have. Unfortunately, those same hooks that give her an interesting identity, also tend to make her a better utility character for a story - not a lead. Far from Marvel's answer to Wonder Woman, most of the brushes I've had with Ms. Marvel have been pretty boring.
Something that does a whole lot for me, however, and might just give Ms. Marvel a boost on the path to becoming a legitimate Marvel Entertainment icon, is the announcement of Marvel versus Capcom: Infinite!
The debut trailer shown at PlayStation Experience made rumor reality - believers of sceptics. The fourth core installment in the gaming crossover franchise started the fight with Ryu& Mega Man on the Capcom side, Iron Man and Carol Danvers representing Marvel. An extended trailer also unveils Lilith (Darkstalkers) and Captain America.
Ms. Marvel is the most surprising of the six characters revealed so far, but given reports the game will focus mostly on Marvel's film and entertainment properties, it's easy to understand the choice. Brie Larson is already lined up to star in a Captain Marvel movie slated for a tentative 2019 release.
Admittedly, the film focus isn't the most exciting way to start expectations for a fourth game. Seeing comic book characters come to life has always been one of the great appeals of these games. Capcom's renderings of four colour costumes were superb in the 2D era. Recreations of movie designs - a little too mundane to match the manic, energetic, epilepsy inducing splendor of gameplay.
It's a little early to be jumping to conclusions about the game's minutiae/ The real alarm is the fate of characters currently operating outside the Marvel Entertainment license.
Spider-man should be safe, both as Marvel's most major mascot, and through the agreement with Sony that allowed Tom Holland to crossover into the Avengers films as the web-slinger. It'll be surprising if Miles Morales doesn't factor in somehow, as well. MvC3 characters like Wolverine, Deadpool, Dr. Doom, Magneto, Phoenix, Storm, X-23, Sentinel, Super-Skrull and Galactus are all in danger of hitting the scrapheap (in descending order), though. That also means no country for discarded past heroes like Cyclops and Cable, or eternally overlooked heroes like the Fantastic Four!
I'd like to see some of those returning, with a variety of characters available to try to fill the void of the departing stalwarts. There are an abundance of unused martial artists still at Marvel's disposal: Black Panther, Daredevil, Shang-Chi, Black Widow, Winter Soldier, Blade, Elektra, Bullseye and even Kingpin all interesting compliments to Iron Fist. With all that Defenders love, Luke Cage should finally make the cut, an adequate replacement for the likes of She-Hulk.
We'll probably get more Guardians of the Galaxy joining Rocket: Groot, Star-Lord, Gamora, Nebula and Drax all obvious choices. If they actually dare to cut Wolverine, I could see Drax playing a style similar to his. A comic inspired Ronan would make up for the disappointing movie version. Thanos seems like a no brainer -- although it looks like a Capcom infused version of Ultron might be the big bad, rather than the mad Titan.
If Ultron's the bad guy, Vision could be a natural addition in comic or movie fashion. Thinking along those lines there are winged heroes like Falcon or the upcoming Vulture, who could be fun. Ant-Man is a novelty fitting Capcom's expert gameplay. Quicksilver might be fun for speed. Scarlet Witch might pick up the slack for departing X-Men like Phoenix and Storm. Shocker would make me happy, as well -- especially a comic accurate version, rather than the movie.
Indeed, the Marvel side of the equation will be the most intriguing. As a notorious Street Fighter fan, I'll be hoping Capcom pulls some of the favourites who didn't make Street Fighter V (ie; Sagat). I wouldn't mind seeing some Muscle Bombers in there, as well.
There are a lot of other heroes I'd like to see, but there's plenty more time for speculation. In the mean time, bask in the glory of the extended trailer [embedded above], and await more Ms. Marvel!
To Fight The Unbeatable Foe! (Marvel)
Where: Amazing Spider-man #230 When: July 1982 Why: Roger Stern How: John Romita Jr
The Story So Far...
When Madame Web had a vision of her own impending death -- Spider-man was the only hope in surviving the terrifying ordeal! It was all a plot was hatched by Black Tom Cassidy and Juggernaut, who hoped the seer's powers of premonition could help them stay one step ahead of the uncanny X-Men!
Much to his chagrin, the scheme sees the web-slinger in the path of the unstoppable Juggernaut! Removing Madame Web from her chair threatened her life, and led the Juggernaut to abandon his mission. Spidey wasn't about to let the villain simply walk away, though! Their first brawl across the city ended in stalemate, but now the wall-crawler has picked up the chase, leading him to a final showdown with the unbeatable foe! With the docks in sight, Juggernaut is meters from escape -- will he evade the amazing Spider-man? The classic confrontation concludes here!
Time to pick up the tab on an unresolved epic! We first tackled this classic battle back in January - surprised to find not one continuous brawl, but rather a terrific two-parter!
The collapse of a building ended their first skirmish in a stalemate, but Spider-man is back on the hunt for the unbeatable foe!
The villain in question is of course: Juggernaut. By reputation, he's known to be unstoppable -- but the profile we've built up over the last twelve months tells a very different story! In fact, in Unlimited Access #1 we saw Spidey himself team with Wonder Woman to best a crossover tag team of Juggernaut & Mantis!
Does that spell victory for the wall crawler? Well, not just yet...
Juggernaut has improved his Fight Club ranking from #330 in January, to his current ranking of #43! You don't make those kinds of gains on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths unless you've earned some wins - and we've seen some big ones!
When last we left today's opponents, Spidey was pulling himself from the wreckage of a fallen building. Juggernaut was nowhere to be seen -- effortlessly escaping the rubble to continue his unstoppable march. A clear indicator of the disparity in damage the pair suffered!
So many of the signs point toward Juggernaut being too powerful for the web slinger to stop, but hope springs eternal. Spider-man has found ways to earn wins against some powerful opposition: Rhino, Venom, Carnage, Scorpion, Grey Gargoyle, Man-Ape. In Marvel Treasury Edition #25, we even saw how his speed and agility could allow him to face down the Hulk - and survive!
History: Spider-man (1-0-1) The Tape: Spider-man Ranking: Spider-man (#2)
What Went Down... In hot pursuit of his prey, Spider-man finally catches up with the Juggernaut as he makes a steady line for the docks. The convergence of destinies comes with the sudden revelation that Spidey's fresh out of web-fluid!
The web-slinger tumbles out of the air but makes a graceful landing on top of a gasoline truck! The driver's none too pleased, but is persuaded to leave the hero be when spider-strength does some creative rearranging of a hostile crowbar.
Intent on stopping the villain before he leaves Manhattan island - Spidey jumps behind the wheel of the tanker and plots a course for Juggernaut! Spider-man gets his foe's attention by honking the horn and wedges the accelerator to the floor! An empty construction site will be the stage for the ultimate battle between unstoppable force and immovable object!
Unafraid, Juggernaut faces the speeding truck with steely determination. Man and machine collide head-on -- igniting into a massive gasoline explosion! Spider-man watches the blaze from the safety of a shield of girders, still subject to the intense heat. He dares presume the fireball incinerated Juggernaut instantly, but soon comes a dark shadow from within the flame in dispute.
Engulfed in flames - Juggernaut walks out of the fire completely unfazed! A well positioned fire hydrant topples before the heat and lumbering mass of the unstoppable Juggernaut - spewing a mighty torrent of water onto the site.
Juggernaut is literally steaming as he sets his sights on Spider-man and marks him for death! A massive clubbing fist attempts to make the threat reality. It's all Spider-man can do to leap clear of the blow, leaving those steel construction girders to take more damage!
Finding an offense to be the best defense - Spidey vaults over his hulking foe and clings to his still steaming back. His plan is to remove Juggernaut's helmet, but it just so happens it's been laser welded it shut. Revisiting old tactics, Juggernaut lumbers in the direction of a constructed brick wall. Not wanting to be slammed through it - Spidey covers the eye holes on the immovable helmet. The tactic sends Juggernaut into a literal blind rage!
Giant hands rip at Spider-man's back, but they can't gain purchase enough to pull him off! Spidey's costume tears, but the wall-crawler doubles down on his obscuring hold. He wraps his limbs around Juggernaut's massive body and does his best to absorb the blows! Juggernaut has no idea he's wandered into the middle of a recently poured foundation! As the sinking feeling becomes clear and the wet cement reaches Juggernaut's chest -- Spider-man summons the strength to leap clear!
Furiously the Juggernaut swats at the sea of cement, but in liquid form the substance shifts around his every blow! Poured forty feet thick at proximity to the river, the gradually hardening foundation sucks him down like quicksand!
Shouting bashfully all the way, Juggernaut slowly disappears beneath the bog. Against all odds - Spider-man found the means to stop the Juggernaut! The Hammer... So there it is! After a false start in our earlier spotlight, we come to an exciting conclusion: Spider-man victorious against Juggernaut! Some may quibble semantics over what it means to win a fight. The rules of pin fall, submission, or count out immediately spring to mind in response. In this instance, Spidey tactically subdued his opponent: a win by any other name!
Of course, it is only a temporary defeat for Juggernaut. Whether the concrete hardens, or remains soft, he will eventually find his way out of the quagmire. In fact, we know this quite specifically, because we've seen Juggy taking out his frustrations after the fact, when he fought Colossus in Uncanny X-Men #183! A sense of consequence is one of the things I like most about Juggernaut's appearances in the eighties. Amazing Spider-man #230 is part of a sequence of events that leads Juggernaut into the barroom brawl with Colossus, a rematch against Spider-man & The X-Men both, a team-up against Nimrod, a trip to Muir Island, more fighting with the X-Men, incarceration in Britain, and a fight with Captain Britain (and Excalibur) we featured earlier this year. None of it is too dense, or obliquely dependent on reading all the issues. There's just a nice consistency to Juggernaut's appearances throughout the decade. Read in succession, it's almost like discovering a separate series away from the pages of Uncanny X-Men and the like. Rewarding for fans - but not necessary to appreciate the issues as they're presented. Delving into stories and milestones like these has been one of the joys of returning to Secret Wars on Infinite Earths this year. As has picking up the tab on a well known brawler like Juggernaut! A perennial powerhouse of the Marvel Universe: Juggernaut has always been a popularly sought after character on the site. The classic and curious battles we've featured over the last twelve months have helped elevate him from a site ranking of #761 - to the Top 50! A much more fitting data sample. There are still many more battles to observe, and I hope we'll be able to get to them all. I recently discovered the joys of late nineties issues of Spider-man, where John Romita Jr revisited this classic rivalry, among others. I think we also have some unfinished business with the Hulk! In the mean time, take advantage of links included throughout this post for your convenience to discover more from your favourite characters, creators, or series. Check out the Issue Index to dive deeper into all previous entries into the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths! If you'd like to read this issue for yourself - check out the collected edition via Amazon link provided [right].
If you like what you see on this, or any other entry, be sure to scroll the bottom and hit that G+1 button, or just share the link with your friends! Every little bit helps keep the fight infinite! Winner: Spider-man #2 (--) Spider-man
#43 (--) Juggernaut
Monday, November 28, 2016
HERO OF THE WEEK: FLASH (DC) Real Name: Jay Garrick First Appearance: Flash Comics #1 (January, 1940) Fight Club Ranking: #128
Over the past few weeks a flood of readers have been coming to Secret Wars on Infinite Earths to read more about Savitar. He was Speed Force cannon fodder when Barry Allen made his dramatic 2009 return in Flash: Rebirth #1, but has emerged as a major villain on The CW's Flash series, albeit in customarily compromised form. He may be some readers' Hero of the Week, but I'm finding much more appeal in another character appearing on the show - The Flash!
Now, when I say The Flash -- I don't mean the pencil neck geek running around in the maroon pleather. I mean the other guy. The one with the heroic jaw line and the tin hat. The one the show says hails from Earth-3, but is really a version of the guy who started it all. I'm talking about Jay Garrick - the one and only, bona fide, genuine, original, Golden Age Flash!
There isn't a lot that gets me excited about the cosplay melodrama of CW superhero TV, but every now and then they glance a character or idea that almost makes it seem worthwhile. Jay Garrick is one of those and I'm pleased to see he's become a recurring character -- especially in a time that's been rough on Golden Age DC heroes. It's just a shame he wasn't part of the plan from the very start!
Back when news first broke that The Flash was coming back to television, John Wesley Shipp's involvement was an exciting prospect! He was a pretty good Barry Allen in a very commendable live-action version in 1990. It would've been a real blast if Shipp could've simply reprised his role opposite a show starring Wally West! It would finally be a chance to do multi-generational superhero stories without needing to make it all up! Ready-to-watch classic TV as ultimate backstory!
What went down is a disappointing mess, but I suppose it worked out in the end. Shipp started on the show as Barry Allen's hapless father (framed for his wife's murder). Somewhere along the way he became Jay Garrick. Why two unrelated characters (from different universes) look exactly the same is anybody's guess. Of all this show's many flaws, that's probably among the least. If it means a new generation meets the 75 year old hero and keeps him alive a little longer - I'll take it!
Although, this nonsense about the hat not being his? Blasphemy!
And They Shall Call Him... Champion! (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 When: October 1982 Why: Tom DeFalco How: Ron Wilson
The Story So Far...
When the clock strikes Clobberin' Time there ain't nobody better than the ever lovin' blue-eyed Thing! As a charter member of the Fantastic Four he's had the duty of bruising with some of the meanest, toughest fighters in the galaxy - and it's earned him quite a reputation!
Enter: Proja - The Promoter Supreme!
Charged with signing worthy opponents to face The Champion of the Universe - he sees big box office potential in match between Thing and his client! Madison Square Garden is the only arena that could stage this once in a lifetime brawl, but you can't have a main event without an undercard!
Stepping into the ring to challenge The Champion first is a God of Thunder! Will he upstage the Elder of the Universe, or find himself humbled by a being even greater than a god? Let's get ready to rumble!
This week the gloves are on! We've got ourselves the first battle in a bona fide boxing tournament! The prize on the line is the Undisputed Championship of the Galaxy! It's a honor just to be selected to fight for the title. Let's take a closer look at our powerful pugilists!
In the blue corner is the challenger! Hailing from the realm of Asgard, he is a member of The Avengers and the Norse God of Thunder! With a Comic Book Fight Club record of 6-7-1, I give you: Thor!
We know Thor loves a fight, so he's gonna take this challenge head-on. He's one of the toughest guys in the universe. We've seen him fighting the likes of Juggernaut, Hulk, Destroyer, Super-Skrull, Superman, Captain Marvel - no problem! Strength and toughness aren't going to be a issue - but there are some gaps in his game that could really cause him some problems.
For one, this is a competition setting. There are rules. If this were a guy like Hercules, I'd have more confidence in adapting to the format. Usually Thor's in touch with the elements, he's got the sky at his back, and a battlefield to use. Here, he's gotta stay grounded. He's gotta work within the intimacy of the squared circle. Most problematic of all: he's gotta put the hammer down!
We saw separation from Mjolnir cause Thor to come unglued against Beta Ray Bill [Thor #337], and even Ghost Rider was able to use a thrown hammer to his advantage [Avengers #214]. A spell cast by Odin means if Thor's separated from the hammer for more than sixty seconds - he will revert to the human form of Dr. Donald Blake! A major factor in the loss to Bill!
Technique and form could be a real problem for Thor. He's a brawler, a warrior. Against an army of trolls, he can rely on barreling through them. Against today's opponent, he's going to face finesse and a scientific approach to boxing. He may be able to take a few blows, but he'll have to rely on haymakers to finish the fight quickly. A risky strategy that could leave him open to a clinical dissection!
Fighting in the red shorts is the champion! An Elder of the Universe, he possesses the might of the power primordial! To this point, he has beaten the very best the cosmos has to offer! With an unblemished record, he is recognized in all known systems as Tryco Slatterus: Champion of the Universe!
The Champ has had eons to perfect his fighting technique, and possesses the strength and power to carry it off. His reputation speaks for itself, but it doesn't include a lot of known experience with Earth fighters. That could lead him to under estimate the competition, although it isn't his usual modus operandi.
Many years after this tournament we know he'll be in possession of the Infinity Gem of Power, and its removal will be key to allowing She-Hulk to get the better of the Champion in a rematch fight [She-Hulk #8]. No such dependency or technicality is present here. The Champion is still very close to his prime!
Ordinarily, diversity of offense would be Thor's tape advantage. Under the circumstances of this special prize bout, The Champion has to be the overwhelming favourite. The hammer separation factor is a huge disadvantage!
The Tape: Thor Ranking: Thor (#23)
What Went Down...
At the champion's prerogative Thor waits alone in the ring for the impending match. A dazzling burst of energy signals the arrival of his opponent - a towering vision draped in a hooded gown, title belt around his waist!
Thor instantly recognizes the fighting pedigree of the Elder - a warrior born, in his words. Champion hears his thoughts. As they meet in the centre to receive the referee's instructions, The Champion dismisses Thor's inner musings and his claims of godhood. Enough to compel Thor to embrace "unnecessary" combat!
The bell rings, prompting both fighters to move in from their corners. They square off, Thor making the first move with a wild left! He finds only air as The Champion effortlessly side steps the blow!
The Champ takes full advantage of Thor's attempts at slugging, moving in fast to clobber the thunderer with a glove to the face! Speed and finesse are clearly in Champion's favour!
Thor, still in possession of his enchanted hammer Mjolnir, uses a two-fisted grip to thrust the mallet into Champion's mid-section. The mighty blow sends the aggressor stumbling backward -- vulnerable to a follow-up strike!
Pressing the advantage, Thor announces the pure power he faces in Mjolnir! With an all mighty toss, the hammer hurtles toward the unarmed boxing champ -- who makes no attempt to avoid it!
Instead, Champion stoically admires the formidability of the weapon flying directly at him. it then disappears -- mere inches from impact! Deemed unbefitting of the ring, the hammer is exiled by Champion to the unnamed expanse of a far-off nether dimension!
Thanks to Odin's enchantments - the hammer reappears within the gloved grasp of a stunned Thor! The Champion chooses to respect the inherent link. The referee disqualifies Thor for his use of an illegal weapon. In an instant, he is returned to Chicago with hammer and garb restored.
The Hammer... By the rules of the contest: Champion of the Universe is winner via disqualification! You cannot throw a hammer in a fist fight. Lesson learned!
We don't necessarily adhere to the same strict standards of unarmed combat on The Comic Book Fight Club, so this is a battle that requires further deliberation.
On the one hand, Champion is the controlling influence that ends the fight. He halts Thor's hammer, banishes it to another universe, then sends hammer and opponent back to Earth. A reasonable argument for Champion's victory, but one that ultimately rests on avoiding the fight.
For that reason, our record must show that the meeting between Thor and Champion ended in a no contest - or a draw! They both struck offensive blows, but there was no outcome. A battle to be revisited one day in the future, with any luck!
If you read The Tape section of this entry [above], you know Champion of the Universe did eventually entertain another tournament of opponents! That one ended in a back-to-back rematch with She-Hulk. It was one of the highlights of Dan Slott's first and most exciting year with the heroine. One of many loving references in the series to the Marvel Universe and its storied history.
It's easy to see why Slott would go back to The Champion and his original premise. Across the many stories about aliens looking for a fight, Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 ranks top among them! Remarkable, then, that it hasn't been revisited more often!
There was at least one fantastic follow-up issue that shows Thing recovering in the hospital. A fun story about other heroes keeping villains at bay, only for the Sandman to sneak in and... share beer and cigars with his wounded foe!
What's always been missing, in my mind, was title lineage. To the best of my knowledge, there was never a rematch between Thing and The Champ. Nor any notable title defenses by Thing. Champion's status as an Elder of the Universe would instead lead him into grand cosmic plots involving the Power Gem, or a scheme to destroy Galactus. The story of his championship comeback - a missed opportunity, in my mind!
Of course, if you know nothing else about this famous issue, it's that main event between The Thing and The Champion that's kept readers talking for decades. It was a legendary highlight that demonstrated the heart and determination fundamental to the character of Benjamin J. Grimm! An instant classic! One that overshadows the rest of the issue!
Only the studied fan will know that Champion challenged Thor, as well as a short list of other powerful Earth heroes. I hope in the coming months we'll be able to follow the tournament to its conclusion.
No matter how brief, each bout tells the reader something interesting about the fighter. Prince Namor never even gets in the ring, royally refusing to indulge "such folly". Doc Samson comes up short in the training stages - a fine brawler, but a man of the mind - not the fist. Hulk, Sasquatch, Colossus, Wonder Man and Thing make up the rest of the card. Written and arrangement very much in the booking mindset of any good pro wrestling event, complete with consideration for what each result means to the character on exit.
In the case of Thor - I love the attention to detail given to his need to remain in possession of his hammer. If he hadn't brought Mjolnir into the ring, he would've had sixty seconds before reverting to Dr. Donald Blake - no match for The Champ! An easy way of avoiding any difficult questions. Thor is swiftly taken out of the running without ever actually losing. Convenient, smart!
Future readers can find out if those subsequent battles have made it onto The Comic Book Fight Club by following character links, or diving into the archive of the Issue Index! Arranged by publisher and series, it's as easy as scrolling down to Marvel, Marvel Two-In-One, and selecting the appropriate issue numbers!
This entry concludes our big November of fisticuffs inspired by the release of Doctor Strange! In theatres now, the movie caps things off with a cameo by Chris Hemsworth's Mighty Thor. Read all about that in our recent Hero of the Week spotlight and stay tuned for more as we crawl toward the end of a massive 10th Anniversary Year of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!
Winner: No Contest (Draw) #23 (--) Thor [+1 draw]
#309 (+5) Champion of the Universe [+1 draw]
Monday, November 21, 2016
HERO OF THE WEEK: THE CHAMPION (Marvel) Real Name: Tryco Slatterus First Appearance: Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 (1982) Fight Club Ranking: #314
There were a couple of cult Hero of the Week contenders making comic book comebacks, this week! The Spot was a close call: a fairly surprising villain for the new Jessica Jones series! Yea, though the madcap portal master poses a thrilling contender, he was no match for the return of the man we once knew as the Champion!
For those who may not know: Tryco Slatterus is an ageless cosmic pugilist better known as Champion of the Universe! He's one of the ancient Elders of the Universe: alien beings who are among the oldest creatures in existence!
Other well known Elders include Taneleer Tivan aka; The Collector, and En Dwi Gast - The Grandmaster. You'll known the latter from last week's Thor spotlight, where we discussed his role in the original Contest of Champions, and the potential for Jeff Goldblum's portrayal in an upcoming movie. More important to know: Each Elder possesses phenomenal cosmic powers they apply to personal obsessions. In the case of Champion - strength, endurance and fighting prowess make him an accomplished intergalactic competition fighter!
To date on The Comic Book Fight Club, we've only featured Champion's back-to-back cult clashes with She-Hulk. His most famous fight came on debut in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7, when he found a worthy challenger amongst Earth's mightiest mortals in The Thing! There were several other warriors chosen to take him on, one of which we'll be looking at in this week's Friday Night Fight!
Ol' Slatterus is our Hero of the Week because he's back in the pages of Thanos #1! He's looking a little Lobo with that spiked up hair drawn by Mike Deodato [pictured above], running errands for Thane - son of Thanos. I prefer my Champion to be in the ring fighting, rather than escorting, but it's never the less quite exciting to know he's back in the spotlight, with some potential for significance!
Of course, it'll be hard to meet the high bar of that original Marvel Two-In-One Annual! One of - if not The - greatest examples of an issue about an alien gladiator challenging our hero(es)! More on that when we take in the first of several fights - Friday!
Got an ancient, unending hunger for combat? Hey! You've come to the right place! Secret Wars on Infinite Earths: The Comic Book Fight Club is all about seeking the champion of all universes - one fight at a time! You can find a massive archive of comic book battles in the Secret Issue Index! Come back regularly to check for updates, and help spread the battle cry by telling your friends!
Of Monsters And Magicians (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Adventures #14 When: May 1998 Why: Ralph Macchio How: Andy Kuhn
The Story So Far...
Cain Marko is best known to the world as the unstoppable Juggernaut -- but when his powers begin to fade, he finds himself in danger of losing his super-strong identity!
Juggernaut's only friend in the world is Black Tom Cassidy, and the Irish super-criminal has heard a rumor that just might help his shrinking friend!
The Crimson Gem of Cyttorak that first gave Marko his magical might is said to be in the hands of a magician living in Greenwich Village. When the pair strong arm his aid Wong, they gain entry into the Sanctum Sanctorum, and an audience with Earth's Sorcerer Supreme himself: Dr. Stephen Strange!
Strange is indeed in possession of the artefact that can recharge the Juggernaut, but little does the villain realize, there is another guest in the Sanctum whose phenomenal strength could match even his. He appears to be meek Dr. Bruce Banner, but when you make him mad, he becomes a Hulk!
Tale of the Tape... Strength: Hulk 6 (Invincible) Intelligence: Dr. Strange 5 (Professor) Speed: Hulk 4 (Olympian) Stamina: Juggernaut 7 (Unstoppable) Agility: Dr. Strange 3 (Acrobat) Fighting: Hulk 6 (Warrior) Energy: Dr. Strange 6 (Mass Destruction)
Throughout November we've been looking at the exploits of Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, but sometimes the key to being a good leader is knowing when to delegate! Good thing Dr. Strange has a very wide talent pool of secret allies to pull from!
You could forgive the Doc for looking for a little assistance when tangling with a foe as powerful as this! Fortunately for him, his Sanctum Sanctorum attracts a wide array of friends and foes, luring this time the frail form of Dr. Bruce Banner, better known to the world as the incredible Hulk!
Popular conceit is that Hulk's strength increases the madder he gets - and nothing makes him madder than an opponent he can't beat! Some feel that implies limitless strength, but here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, we have always subscribed to the belief that Hulk's mortal body has a limit to the power it can produce, or contain. That's okay, though!
As evenly matched opponents go - Juggernaut and Hulk are a couple of the greats. Any fight could go either man's way! Let's not forget that Hulk has Dr. Strange in his corner, though -- and there's one special detail in this encounter that undoubtedly gives the heroes an edge!
Juggernaut has come to the Sanctum Sanctorum because his magical strength has been dwindling. He's literally wasting away -- needing to make fresh contact with the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak to recharge his powers! When the fight breaks out, he has done that, inadvertently spilling into the dimension of Cyttorak himself, but
It isn't a standard necessity for the character. Just one of those uncommon afflictions that introduces a little vulnerability. When the fight begins he has been recharged - and spilled into the dimension of Cyttorak, himself. However a shred of doubt about his power remains, and that's all Hulk and Dr. Strange should need! Let's check it out...
The Tape: Hulk Ranking: Hulk (#6)
What Went Down... With Wong held hostage by Black Tom Cassidy, the unstoppable Juggernaut penetrates the inner chambers of The Sanctum Sanctorum. Responding to the shrinking villain's plea, Dr. Strange produces the crimson Gem of Cyttorak -- only to be swatted aside as Juggernaut greedily snatches it away!
Unassuming scientist Bruce Banner watches from the threshold as a beam of red energy escapes the gem above an unconscious Sorcerer Supreme. Seeing the emaciated Juggernaut for the villain he is - Banner dives into the fray!
The tackle sends Banner and Juggernaut plunging into a portal emitting from the ruby. Black Tom contemplates the error of their plan as his associate disappears into the void of another dimension! Inside the other realm, Juggernaut's body swells as it bathes in the raw magic of Cyttorak! He revels in a power like he's never felt before! Standing large and super-charged, he fails to notice the ghostly presence looming behind him!
A blast of mystic energy gets the Juggernaut's attention! It seems Dr. Strange's unconscious state was not a result of physical harm -- but rather, a plan to open the interdimensional doorway and entrap the Juggernaut with his astral form!
The Juggernaut starts charging toward his ectoplasmic foe, but strange claps his hands together and fires a beam at the at his feet. The spell causes the very ground to rise up around the Juggernaut -- but his unstoppable strength is too great to be held for long!
Strange attempts a more direct approach, conjuring a gigantic medieval pincer -- but Juggernaut catches its pointed ends, and shatters the weapon with his phenomenal power! As he stalks toward the astral spectre, Strange realizes the powers Juggernaut receives from this realm could place him in mortal danger!
Seeing the man who helped him in peril, Bruce Banner gives in to his inner anxiety and rage. In an explosion of muscle and anger, he shatters the calm bestowed by the mystic and unleashes the incredible Hulk!
Believing the Hulk to be summoned by Strange's magic, Juggernaut accepts the challenge. A chance to prove who the strongest in the world really is!
The two behemoths collide -- the unstoppable force meeting the immovable monster! A green hook chin checks the Juggernaut. He fires back with an unstoppable uppercut! Hulk drives both fists down atop his foe. Juggernaut fires back with a left cross of his own. Hulk throws another punch back his way. Two evenly matched powerhouses locked in a call-and-reply conversation of combat!
Seeing no end in sight: Dr. Strange plants a suggestion in the simple mind of the Hulk, urging him to direct his blows in the direction of a distant temple. An almighty blow sends Juggernaut flying in the intended direction.
At the foot of the enormous idol is another gleaming gem of Cyttorak! Seeing a chance to boost his powers to even greater heights: Juggernaut reaches out for the ruby. At first, it has the intended effect - flooding his massive body with rippling waves of energy! Triumph turns to horror as Juggernaut is consumed by the unending raw power! He shrieks for help as his body bursts with light and he disappears!
In Juggernaut's place appears the visage of the entity Cyttorak! He chastises Earth's Sorcerer Supreme for trespassing upon his realm, but also expresses a begrudging gratitude for his prior role in dispensing with Mindless Ones. For that, Cyttorak agrees to return Stephen Strange and Bruce Banner to Earth. Juggernaut, however, will not be so fortunate. He must be punished for meddling with primal forces beyond him!
The Hammer...
After careful deliberation: Hulk & Dr. Strange will share the victory, with an invaluable assist from Cyttorak! Hard times for Juggernaut, who quite clearly picks up another defeat. Fans of The Comic Book Fight Club will be excited to know the result means Hulk rises from #6 in the rankings, to #4! He super-leaps new #5 Wolverine, and pushes Superman out of the Top 5, down to #6! Scroll to the bottom of this entry for the full character rankings update.
Despite its impact on our ranks, not all fans will be rushing enthusiastically to quote this particular example of the Hulk defeating the unstoppable Juggernaut.
Marvel Adventures, for those who may not know, was a consolidated out-of-canon series spinning out of the various comics inspired by Marvel's cartoons. Throughout the early to mid nineties; X-Men, Spider-man, Fantastic Four, Iron Man and Hulk all graced the small screen in starring animated series. The quality of the animation varied, but for the most part, they were excellent, faithful introductions to the wonderful world of Marvel Comics.
Many episodes adapted famous stories from classic comics. On rare occasions, the cartoons even crossed over with one another! Dr. Strange was one such hero to go between series, appearing in a Spider-man episode in '96, before making his way into the second series of Incredible Hulk, in '97. The whole phenomenon first closed the loop on itself in 1992, when Marvel published issue #1 of X-Men Adventures. Throughout its four year run, the series would adapt episodes of the cartoon to comics. It sounds a little silly, but it was a 90s commerce solution to an influx of cartoon viewers becoming comics readers. The barrier to entry was low, and familiarity bred the cool kids who skipped out-of-continuity stories, delving deeper into the on-going canon!
Convoluted production issues on the third series of animated X-Men saw episodes shuffled to meet deadlines, censorship and run time. Volume 3 of X-Men Adventures adapted The Phoenix storylines central to the cartoon, but left many stories unrepresented. Instead, a subsequent launch of Adventures of the X-Men began a new era of telling original stories only partially inspired by the world of the cartoons. Marvel Adventures continued this with a revolving cast of cartoon inspired heroes and villains, often in combination.
Considering the state of Marvel Comics from '96 to '98, these simplified and iconic versions of characters had a real place on racks. In Adventures, fans could get fun, done-in-one stories away from convoluted events like Ben Reilly as Spider-man, the Heroes Reborn reboot universe, and so on. I may have been enjoying those stories at the time, but I certainly appreciated these alternatives.
If classic heroes and villains weren't selling point enough - there was the wholly unique art style of Andy Kuhn! You may know him these days from series like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or Firebreather. In the mid to late nineties, his big, bold, exaggerated art style gave Marvel's characters a unique contemporary look, and helped define the identity of Adventures branded comics!
Of course, being so identified with the Adventures ghetto probably didn't do him a lot of favours in the dismissive eyes of regular Marvel readers. He's found his way into books like Secret Avengers in recent years, but in my opinion, Kuhn remains significantly underrated! An artist I'd love to see more of.
We may get to more Kuhn in the future, but for now, we conclude a month of celebrating Doctor Strange! The Sorcerer Supreme has been the subject of our November battles, and is in theatres now!
If you read this week's spoilerific Hero of the Week spotlight, you know the Doctor Strange movie has an intriguing surprise cameo. That's going to fuel our final feature fight - next week! It's a forgotten classic, so you won't want to miss it! If you have, be sure to dive into character tag links or the Issue Index Archive! You'll find hundreds of features if you do! Winners: Hulk and Doctor Strange (w/ Cyttorak) #4 (+2) Hulk
#22 (+10) Dr. Strange
#43 (--) Juggernaut
#504 (new) Cyttorak
Monday, November 14, 2016
HERO OF THE WEEK: THOR (Marvel) Real Name: Thor Odinson First Appearance: Journey Into Mystery #83 (August, 1962) Fight Club Ranking: #22
We've known for quite some time Thor will return to the big screen this time next year in Thor-: Ragnarok. It'll be Chris Hemsworth's third outing in a Thor solo film, this time guided by cult New Zealand director: Taika Waititi (What We Do In The Shadows). We don't know a whole lot about the film itself, but fans were treated to an early glimpse in a mid-credits cameo scene in Doctor Strange!
Rumors abound that Thor and Loki will be together in Midgard, seeking the aid of Dr. Strange along their journey to find missing Odin. How significant The Sorcerer Supreme's contribution will be remains to be seen, but for a viewer who's found the past two Thor films to be among Marvel's least interesting, the crossover will be welcomed!
Thor: Ragnarok is also expected to feature Hulk in the gladiatorial guise found in 2006's Planet Hulk. This might be the workaround to Marvel's difficulties creating another Hulk solo film, said to be tied to licensing agreements with Universal Pictures. How exactly it compliments a Thor film is a big question. Fans of Marvel animation will remember a Thor cameo in the animated Planet Hulk movie, with Beta Ray Bill substituting for Silver Surfer in the story's centerpiece arena battle. The Surfer was another casualty of tangled film rights, which will inevitably interrupt any adaptation.
Planet Hulk begins when The Illuminati resign themselves to ejecting the rampaging beast into space. They are: Mr. Fantastic, Iron Man, Professor X, Prince Namor, Black Bolt and Dr. Strange. Mr. Fantastic and Professor X are characters tied up at FOX, but the rest are within the Marvel Entertainment pantheon, Namor's rights becoming clearer earlier this year.
There are several ways the Marvel movies may attempt to adapt Planet Hulk. Jeff Goldblum will appear as a version of The Grandmaster. This Elder of the Universe is best known for his interest in high stakes games. The best known of these is the original Contest of Champions, which saw various heroes plucked from their lives and pitted against one another in competitive combat.
Turning a Thor film into a version of Contest of Champions could be a terrific way of shaking off the monotony of past installments' weak villains. Characters confirmed to be in the film include: Hulk, Loki, Heimdall, Hela, Valkyrie, Skurge, Miek and Dr. Strange. Could these be combatants in a grand tournament scenario? Might we see more characters cameo in a test run for Avengers: Infinity War?
It's an exciting concept. Almost too good to be true! Marvel have a lot of cost effective options if they need to populate a tournament bracket, though. Ways of avoiding the expense of big name stars!
CG creations like Iron Man, Groot or Abomination could be transplanted from other films with or without recorded actor dialogue. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is another movie filming this year, with characters like Drax, Gamora, Nebula or Star-Lord suitable for the game. Especially when you consider Benecio Del Toro's Collector is another Elder of the Universe, who previously appeared after the credits of Thor: The Dark World in what seemed like a preview to Guardians of the Galaxy, but may have far greater implications. Indeed, all of these details could be building to the much anticipated arrival of Thanos, Infinity War, and the gathering of the Infinity Gems!
If Thor: Ragnarok does go down this path, I'd love to see Beta Ray Bill among the warriors introduced! The original Walt Simonson issues that introduced the hero [eg; Thor #337] could arguably be a Thor film unto themselves, but opportunities may be scarce as the Marvel movies move in new directions. Any Beta Ray Bill is probably better than none. A character who could be a major find for Disney, with potential to spin-off into Guardians of the Galaxy, Infinity War, some future Thor film, or perhaps even a CG movie all his own!
The Kree Captain Marvel could be another character introduced in a cosmic tournament - a way to introduce elements that will ultimate construct the Carol Danvers version in a 2019 starring film.
All wild, unfounded, fanciful fan theories -- but a whole lot more exciting than anything the last two Thor films threw down for anticipation! Thor: Ragnarok arrives in theatres November 3, 2017. You can catch a glimpse of the God of Thunder in theatres now in Doctor Strange!
Can't wait that long? November has been all about Dr. Strange! Follow links littered throughout this Hero of the Week update to find more Marvel moments, battles, and spotlights! Go even deeper into the Secret Archives to search featured fights by publisher, series and issue number! Stay tuned to Secret Wars on Infinite Earths as we wrap up the month with a forgotten classic Thor battle!
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War Plans
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Secret Origin
Secret Wars on Infinite Earths: The Comic Book Fight Club -- dedicated to reliving and reviewing the best and worst of super hero slugfests!
Mike Haseloff has been reading comics for over twenty-five years, has invested his time, money and imagination into his own independent projects, and remains passionate about discussing the medium in various ways!
Strength: Juggernaut 6 (Invincible)
Strength: Champion 7 (Omnipotent)
By the rules of the contest: Champion of the Universe is winner via disqualification! You cannot throw a hammer in a fist fight. Lesson learned!
Strength: Hulk 6 (Invincible)
