He was DC's Jonah Hex in an already forgotten 2010 Warner Bros western, and is gearing up to voice Marvel's Thanos in the next installment of Avengers: Josh Brolin is basically breaking all the comic book movie rules -- adding another superhero to his fast growing oeuvre!
His third starring appearance as Cable is now confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, beginning with next year's Deadpool 2. The news ends a whirlwind of speculation that whipped up every would-be aging action star from Dolph Lundgren, to Ron Perlman. Ten months ago, even I did a pretty good job of convincing myself Eric Dane should be considered. All moot as of mid last week.
Cable is expected to lead a new era of FOX's X-Men franchise, filling the void left by Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. He's another of Marvel's testosterone fuelled mutants who were big in the nineties. Instead of claws, he's a cyborg mutant with telekinetic powers and huge guns! Did I mention he's also from the future? Oh, and his parents are Cyclops and Jean Grey. Yeah. A lot going on with this guy.
While it remains to be seen if the character can live up to expectations, it's certainly clear that Josh Brolin brings the right blend of character, stature, and star-power to give it the best chance to succeed. All that's left now is to put him in movies and avoid screwing it up!
If all goes to plan: Brolin will likely transition from Deadpool 2 to the long rumored X-Force movie, which has ambiguous ties to next year's New Mutants.
Comics fans know the New Mutants were rebranded X-Force when Cable assumed teaching duties, reshaping the young X-kids as a paramilitary group. It was a shift in direction courtesy of Cable co-creator Rob Liefeld. Early speculation suggests the film version will actually wind up being more in line with 2008's relaunch, which refashioned the team as a lethal black-ops compilation of X-Men characters, eventually including the likes of Deadpool and Psylocke.
The uncertainty surrounding FOX's plans is part of what's making them the most exciting superhero movie maker of the moment. X-Men: Apocalypse may have been a disappointment, but with Bryan Singer possibly moving away from the franchise, the future looks a little brighter. Hopefully as bright as X-Men: First Class, which still remains the high-point in the X-film catalogue.
As you can see from the Featured Fight list we're a little anemic in the Cable department, but I'm sure we can look forward to exploring the character further in the future. If you need your X-fix right now, be sure to follow links provided, and explore the Secret Archive for features arranged by publisher, series, and issue number.
Four Against Ego! (Marvel)
Where: Fantastic Four #235 When: October 1981 Why: John Byrne How: John Byrne
The Story So Far...
A peaceful day is violently interrupted by sudden tremors rippling across the entire planet! Brilliant scientist Reed Richards quickly deduces an unnatural force is enacting its will upon the Earth from beyond the atmosphere!
Without a second thought the Fantastic Four rocket into space to confront this newest threat! Navigating long, decaying tendrils they discover the horror beyond that shakes their very world to its core: Ego - The Living Planet!
With the roar of a "grinding" world Ego booms his ominous warning: He has followed a trail of dead worlds in search of his enemy. It has brought him to the "third planet" and now he means to destroy it -- and all of its inhabitants!
Tale of the Tape... Strength: Ego 7 (Omnipotent) Intelligence: Ego 6 (Genius) Speed: Human Torch 3 (Athlete) Stamina: Ego 7 (Unstoppable) Agility: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Rubber) Fighting: Invisible Woman 4 (Trained) Energy: Ego 7 (Cosmic Power) Total: Ego 38 (Cosmic)
The Fantastic Four are:Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch and Thing. Collectively they're the stars of the World's Greatest Comics Magazine! The first family of Marvel Comics! The beginning of the modern Marvel Universe, and a jewel in the comic book crown! The Fantastic Four have traversed the weirdest frontiers of space and reality -- but can even they overcome an entire planet?! Ego, The Living Planet is exactly what the name suggests!
Globe given form: Ego is a sentient entity in control of equivalent phenomena we associate with other known astronomical planetary bodies.
Ego can terraform his surface to create a multitude of environments, as well as manipulating the elements that command them, such as electro-magnetic and gravitational pull. Avoiding Ego simply isn't an option once you enter his gravity! Consider the deadly peril humanity faces from extreme environments found on our own planet: Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, lightning strikes, gas emissions, mudslides, freezing cold, searing heat -- you name it! If you thought climate change was a scary concept, just imagine the world has a mind of its own - and it really is out to get you! Ego personifies by generating a massive humanoid face on his surface, but also possesses psionic capabilities that allow him direct access to the minds of those who dwell upon him. His consciousness is facilitated by massive internal organs, namely a gigantic brain housed deep beneath his surface. Like other living things; Ego can defend himself from foreign infection with "Anti-Bodies" that manifest as humanoid creatures. If he uses more energy than his planetary body can sustain, Ego is also capable of absorbing it from sentient life on his surface, or surrounding ambient sources. He can also traverse space thanks to a giant engine attached to his south pole by arch-nemesis: Galactus!
The FF are famous for taking on some of the biggest super-heavyweight threats in comic book history! They've told Galactus to go eat worms; turned the tides against Namor and Atlantis; forced Mole Man and his subterranean hordes back underground; and even given Doctor Doom plenty to think hard about! In Fantastic Four #358, we saw the FF overcome significant cosmic odds when they defeated Paibok the Power Skrull, and a legion of Skrull soldiers! Not quite the combined might of an entire planetary body -- but still a sizeable chunk of an inter-galactic empire who was beaten on their own imperial ship! Individually, the members of the Fantastic Four are among our highest ranked combatants: Mr. Fantastic and Thing currently round out the Top 10 at numbers 9 and 10. Their comrades aren't far behind with Invisible Woman at a very respectable #12, and the Human Torch at #14! Mister Fantastic ranks among Marvel's most brilliant minds, and that's always a key asset when the FF take on dangers from outer space! Invisible Woman's force-fields make her an asset against the unknown, keeping distance from volatile elements, and trapping oxygen if needed. Thing's phenomenal durability and strength will no doubt come in handy against Ego. The Human Torch is an ace in the hole against the organic Living Planet. How do they beat Ego? The variables are a vast many, but the easy answer is always some kind of technical gizmo cooked up by Mr. Fantastic. There's also the remote potentials for cosmic intervention from the FF's allies, such as Uatu The Watcher, who helped them drive Galactus from the Earth. The odds are arguably against them, but the Fantastic Four have an uncanny knack for defying even the most overwhelming force. Let's quit the guessing game and find out what happened when they faced The Living Planet! The Tape: Fantastic Four Ranking: Mister Fantastic (#9) What Went Down... Invisible Girl is able to deflect the brunt of a devastating force beam suddenly fired from one of Ego's "eyes"! The Living Planet has come to the Milky Way in search of his nemesis Galactus - and now he means to destroy the one planet that escaped The Devourer of Worlds' cosmic consumption! Some of the awesome energy still manages to smash against the Fantastic Four's vessel! It costs them artificial gravity - as well as their orientation beyond Ego's surface! The FF are going down - and fast! While The Thing desperately applies his skills as a pilot to level the ship's sinking trajectory; Human Torch escapes in a streaking blaze to scorch Ego's bizarre surface. He's their only hope of creating something approximating a runway! Their incredible landing brings the Fantastic Four upon Ego's strange land. Over the horizon - a gargantuan feat of engineering: the propulsion engine that allows Ego to travel through space! The strangely familiar tech becomes their target as Mr. Fantastic desperately devises a means to stay Earth's grim fate!
An uncanny psychic blast diverts the foursome from their desperate mission. Human Torch is able to catch his sister and brother-in-law, but the rocky Thing plummets from his sky-cycle like a rock! He's unfazed by the crash-landing, but Ego quickly spawns living Anti-Bodies to swarm and attack! Thing scatters the Anti-Bodies like skittles with a thrust from his mighty limbs!
Meanwhile, Invisible Girl quickly discovers translucency is meaningless when the very world she walks is her enemy! A quick adjustment in tactics launches her out of reach of the threat thanks to a rising force-field! The Anti-Bodies crowd around the column-like platform, smashing against its invisible sides. Their clustered proximity allows Mister Fantastic to surround them with his stretchable body - and fling the creatures into outer space! Before Ego can manifest more defense, the FF scrambled for the gigantic propulsion engine -- an inorganic addition to Ego that will not spawn any more attacks. A perimeter of flame buys them time, but thousands of Anti-Bodies continue to plough into the fire in an effort to reach them! Meteor-like shards of bone rain upon the foursome as they remove part of the inner workings of the engine. Recognizing Galactus' technology, Mister Fantastic has a plan. Sue Storm's force-field protects them from projectiles, and carries three of the four into a nearby pore that takes them beneath the surface!
Their journey beneath the surface of The Living Planet brings the Fantastic Four to what appears to be a brain!
Reed Richards means to detonate a power pack removed from Ego's engine, but the pressure of the inner chamber is insufficient to be anywhere near the planet's core. Though there emits a "psychic stimulation" -- Mister Fantastic detects a decoy! Human Torch burns it and Ego is heard roaring with anger!
The heat and pressure build as the Fantastic Four journey deeper towards the centre of the planet! Remarkably, Reed Richards's malleable rubber-like body is the first to succumb to the mounting force. More sensitive to the pressure, he is to weak to lead his teammates further - forced to remain behind! An hour later, the mounting heat and pressure are making it hard for the Invisible Girl to catch her breath. Despite the struggle, she is determined to accompany her allies -- fearful they may have need of her force-fields!
The Thing isn't buying it, though. He and The Human Torch are uniquely suited to handle the heat. Knowing she cannot resist, Thing scoops Invisible Girl into his arms and launches her back toward the recovery of a cooler area! Before long, even The Human Torch is struggling to think clearly. With the pressure mounting, he has no choice to bid his old friend farewell. The entirety of their mission now literally resting on the shoulders of The Thing!
Even the mighty Thing finds himself struggling as he ventures ever deeper into Ego's planetary core. He wants to stop, but he dare not! So deep beneath the surface, the great hero has no way of knowing how close the Earth is to peril! Pressing on The Thing is confronted by an image shocking enough to stop him in his tracks even after all he has seen! Before him: the gigantic, moon-sized neural network that is Ego's one true brain! Without warning, images of the cosmos wash over Ben Grimm. Psychic flashes offering insight into Ego's past! His travels through space, encounter with Thor, and the brief inhabitance of The Wanderers upon his body's surface. Events that drove The Living Planet mad, and led Thor to stand with Galactus when attaching a propulsion engine to his surface. It was meant to send him to the darkest corners of reality, but instead powers Ego's mad lust for vengeance. Thing strains to hurl the volatile power cell at Ego's vulnerable brain - but misses! It hardly matters to Ego, however. The close call sends him into a rage, activating his south pole engine to plot a course for Earth's final doom! Only - the engine is left half-powered. Ego's trajectory becomes an arc, sending him dangerously in the direction of the Sun!
Time spent travelling through deep-space has deprived Ego of much energy. His surface stinks of decay, and in the clutches of solar embrace -- he cannot resist the gravitational pull! The Living Planet is being torn apart! Trapped deep within Ego's core - Thing's fate is no longer his to control, but all is not lost! The loss of planetary integrity is a blessing in disguise for the hero!
As Ego is torn asunder - Thing is expelled with the stuff of The Living Planet's very being! The incredible forces leave him stunned, but the Fantastic Four have already escaped the planet, and can see their courageous friend!
A final daring flirtation with death sees their rocket arc precisely toward the mayhem. Just close enough to rescue their unconscious friend without being sucked into the carnage of Ego's defeat! The Hammer... Aaaaand exhale! For a second there I thought I was about to run out of oxygen! Dare I say it? A space epic worthy of Stan & Jack? I don't think I'm blazing a trail in rating Fantastic Four #235 a classic issue! It's one of many memorable adventures from John Byrne's storied association with the characters. The kind of story that almost makes me think of Ego as a Fantastic Four villain -- even though he technically belongs to the Thor camp. If you read this week's Hero of the Week: you already know Ego will be causing trouble for Star-Lord and The Guardians of the Galaxy when Guardians Volume 2 hits theatres, May 5th! To celebrate the occasion, we're getting the drop on the space action a month early! Battles throughout April will all feature the cosmic exploits of characters starring in the movie -- and plenty who aren't, too! Case in point: When I heard Ego was going to be bad guy in the movie, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to break this story out! It's a great representation of what Ego is like in the comics, but it was also a nice opportunity to revisit the erstwhile Fantastic Four. It's kind of unbelievable to think we're living in a time when the FF aren't part of the Marvel landscape! Sure, Human Torch and Thing are floating around the mish-mash of Avengers, and other degrading brands, but the bona fide "World's Greatest Comics Magazine" hasn't been in print for around two years! Between dodgy runs in the late 2000s, and total inactivity, it's disheartening to think the joys of Marvel's "First Family" may be lost on a new generation of fans. Particularly as properties like the modern day Guardians of the Galaxy arguably owe a lot of their cosmic comedy, and family dysfunction, to the FF. Back in The Tape section, we posed the question: Can even the Fantastic Four beat an entire planet? Our answer appears to be: kinda... Thing was already minted as the beating heart of the Fantastic Four, but I tend to think of the early eighties as a time that really reinforced him as the never-say-die, courage-under-fire hero we all know and love. In 1982, Thing makes one of his all-time famous final stands against Champion of the Universe in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 [see also; Champion vs Thor]. I tend to think of today's feature fight as being a companion, but it's interesting to note that, although Thing completes the trek to Ego's core, and delivers the destructive payload: he doesn't actually succeed in hitting the target! We like to spend time on The Comic Book Fight Club debating and defining the terms of victory. That's what shapes our world famous character rankings! It was actually the mere removal of the would-be explosive power pack (from Ego's propulsion unit) that was his ultimate undoing! It meant only half of the unit was firing, and his trajectory arced unevenly into the sun!
That means Mister Fantastic and Thing played the most pivotal role in defeating Ego, but they couldn't have done it without Invisible Woman and Human Torch helping fight back the defenses of The Living Planet. In other words, if you're here for a result, you can count the entire Fantastic Four as shared winners! It's interesting to ponder how the story may've unfolded if it were written today. I wouldn't question John Byrne's grasp of the classic Fantastic Four. His story feels appropriately tinged in the hues and sci-fi trappings of early FF adventures, courting those Lee & Kirby comparisons I mentioned earlier. I do, however, wonder if super-malleable Mister Fantastic would be the first to succumb to the immense pressures inside Ego. One might suspect he could handle the effects better than the rest of his team. Then there's Invisible Woman, who doesn't appear to be using her force-fields to any great advantage. Her steely resolve is undermined by the stresses of heat, but it's a thought. Oh, and if you're wondering -- don't worry! Ego isn't completely destroyed by the encounter! He was back a few years later to take on Rom and The Spaceknights. I'm sure we'll revisit The Living Planet some time in the future. If you're missing the Fantastic Four as much as the rest of us, you can always dive into the Secret Archive to go straight to many more battles starring the team! You should also follow links littered throughout this post (or below) to discover more from characters and creators! Want to read this battle in its entirety for yourself? You can pick it up in collected edition via the Amazon link provided [right]! Doing so helps support the site at no extra cost and ensures the wars remain infinite! You can also follow, like & share daily fight links on Facebook and Twitter! Winners: Fantastic Four #9 (--) Mister Fantastic
#10 (--) Thing
#11 (+1) Invisible Woman
#13 (+1) Human Torch (Johnny Storm)
#836 (new) Ego (The Living Planet)
Monday, April 10, 2017
HERO OF THE WEEK: EGO THE LIVING PLANET (Marvel) Real Name: Ego First Appearance: Thor #133 (October, 1966) Fight Club Ranking: #DNR
Featured Fights:
- Yet To Be Featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths.
It's been a bit of a quiet week, but Hollywood continues to throw a blanket of inescapable promotion for the year's blockbuster theatrical releases. One of the most prevalently anticipated of the past few months: May's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 -- which also happens to be the inspiration for this month's featured fights here in the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!
Bad guy Ego is simultaneously the most intriguing, and most fraught hook for the colourful sequel, which follows-up a 2014 franchise-starter I can't say I was all that enthused by.
In light of other recent, sour Hero of the Week entries; I'm sure my reservations run the risk of confirming a bona fide hater of fun. However! I would argue Guardians' reputation for laughs and good times is actually sorely exaggerated! A notion awaiting the typical reevaluation that comes with every new recipient of 'best movie evarrr'. Before you reach for the pitchfork, let me explain...
Characters like Rocket, Groot and Drax are well justified as fan-favourites, but their theatrical debuts struggled to expand upon the showcase of trailer highlights in any satisfying way. Fans were better served by peripheral toys, cartoons, games, and a decade of comic books that informed the movie.
Laughs are actually few and far between throughout the finished 2 hours, and if you don't walk in already on the side of heroes, the film will give you few reasons to genuinely care.
Motivations are wafer thin throughout, especially for Ronan The Accuser, whose film version just barely resembles the comics, and is sorely lacking any definition as a driving factor to the film's climax. He amounts to one of the most shallow villains in Marvel's formulaic pantheon, adding nothing to a movie advanced by rote. Even as a new coat of paint, Ronan comic book charm.
Strong aesthetics should've picked up the slack for the films other failings, but wide shots only seem to linger when there's nothing much to look at! Blade Runner, this didn't need to be, but its obvious adoration for movies of the same era really should've informed a stronger consideration for the environment of the galaxy itself. Star Wars may be part of an elevator pitch for Guardians, but the movie learns none of its marketable lessons. Good design is implied, but rarely delivered. Repeatedly abandoned for character close-ups, and other less interesting subjects. Lost in an unfocused haze.
"Unfocused" is the prevailing criticism of the 2014 movie. Where some films reward repeat viewings, Guardians can only hope to reinforce its sparsely laid legacy of comedy & characters through expectant repetition.
It's disappointing that it shows the most disregard for comics of any Marvel-made movie, but its biggest failings aren't as an adaptation. It disappoints as a movie.
Fortunately, all this criticism means there's little confusion about what made Guardians of the Galaxy a breakout success. Hollywood traditionally demands a sequel repeat its forebear on a larger scale, and Volume 2 has the opportunity to confidently hone in on the best aspects of the first.
The comedy should play stronger throughout, the characters should get better defined, and the galaxy should visually benefit from the monetary investment that comes with success. Even if Marvel are said to be a tad on the stingy side.
Yes. Some may profess sequels can never truly surpass the original, but these lean times of superhero blockbusters have been particularly good for disputing that: X-Men 2 was a better version of X-Men at a time when conventional cinematic rules still counted for something. Avengers: Age of Ultron was an imperfect improvement upon the lackluster Avengers. Even Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a more satisfying movie than The First Avenger, despite having its own problems, too.
Guardians Vol. 2 can follow in the footsteps of improving Marvel sequels, and when it comes to leading with a satisfying villain, it may have already addressed that particular problem...
We've known for quite some time that classic Marvel villain Ego would play a major role in Vol. 2.
Kurt Russell seems a slightly unlikely choice to play The Living Planet, but we're yet to see anything resembling a planet mass. Indeed, the genre star of 80s classics like Big Trouble in Little China is instead a perfectly cast, referential choice for Star-Lord's much discussed mystery father.
Sadly, these details bear no resemblance to their comic book counterparts. On the page, you wouldn't really care who fathered Peter Quill - its just some guy. You'd also have to do some serious digging to find classic Ego sauntering about as a man. I'm not aware of any human/planet cross-breeding, either, but I wouldn't want to judge anyone's life choices too harshly.
I'm certainly not entirely opposed to the concept of Ego nurturing a humanoid avatar. It doesn't do much to maintain what makes the character unique, but it also isn't completely unheard of. We'll talk more about precedent later this week in our featured fight. For now, I'm going to assume at least somewhere in the movie, Kurt Russell is a CG face on a planet. If Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer taught us nothing else, it's that you've gotta deliver on the cosmic Kirby weirdness!
Either way, Kurt Russell is an instant plus for Volume 2 and a good reason to give it a shot!
His screen presence has always been rock solid, with definitive results found in his collaborations with John Carpenter. Movies like The Thing and Escape From New York have always owned pride of place in genre cinema, but hold special relevance within toady's nostalgic pop culture. From these sources alone, Russell commands charisma, comedy, and credibility as an character-driven action hero, who should be fresh in the audience's collective mind. That can only help Guardians.
As father to Star-Lord; Russell feels like a genuine casting choice more than a cheap stunt.
Had Disney called up Harrison Ford from the set of Episode VII, the callbacks to Indiana Jones and Han Solo would've made sense, but also been a little too on-the-nose. Russell scratches that itch well, without reducing it to a nothing more than a reference. This should be a good character performance -- something Ronan sadly never was.
It could still be another disappointment, but hey. It's Hero of the Week, and I'm just happy to be talking about an interesting character we haven't spent much time on!
If you're interested in Ego The Living Planet as he exists on the page, I strongly urge you to be here Friday for our featured fight! If you're reading this entry some time after the fact, just hit this link to go to Ego's greatest hits on The Comic Book Fight Club! You can also dive into the Secret Archive to check out featured fights catalogued by publisher, series, and issue number!
In the latest Hero of the Week we've been discussing the trials of introducing new creations into an established comic book universe. There's certainly no one way to ensure success! DC Comics spent the Silver Age and beyond proving there's life after first generation heroes, but Marvel's latest efforts to replace popular icons of the last fifty-some years have proven to be an exercise in self-defeat!
This edition of Cover to Cover is dedicated to some of the newer characters we've featured along the way. These creations were all introduced in the year 2000 or beyond! Were they successes, or failures? By clicking the covers below, you'll be able to reach your own conclusions!
(Marvel)
Where: Guardians of the Galaxy #25 When: June 2010 Why: Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning How: Brad Walker
The Story So Far...
Back-to-back incursions of Annihilus and his Negative Zone Annihilation Wave, as well as Ultron's Phalanx, has left the fabric of space severely damaged and unstable! With reality itself hanging precariously in the balance: the hero Star-Lord has taken it upon himself to form a new group of heroes known as The Guardians of the Galaxy! Together, they fight to protect the universe, and monitor the threat of dangerous anomalies! This time the threat has come from one of their own! Succumbing to his evil half, Adam Warlock has become the dreaded Magus! The Guardians pursue him to the planet Sacrosanct, where his sinister scheme has employed The Universal Church of Truth -- but things are not all as they seem! An illusion of Magus' defeat has masked his escape, tricking The Guardians into believing some of their most loved members have fallen. Worse still, The Church has been guarding a reanimation cocoon meant to return one of the universe's deadliest threats! With Sacrosanct in ruin, The Guardians arrive to discover a foe they hoped never to face: The Titan Thanos lives again!
Tale of the Tape... Strength: Thanos 6 (Invincible) Intelligence: Thanos 5 (Professor) Speed: Gamora 4 (Olympian) Stamina: Thanos 7 (Unstoppable) Agility: Groot 6 (Rubber) Fighting: Drax 7 (Living Weapon) Energy: Thanos 6 (Mass Destruction) Total: Thanos 34 (Super)
Here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths we use our own scientifically developed numerical scale to measure the typical powers & abilities of heroes and villains. Each statistic on The Tape is assigned a moniker to help personify a broad reference for that level (ie; Intelligence 5 - Professor). For the most part, this system has served us well, but occasionally catchall references let us down... Thanos may fall into our "Super Class" category, but history shows he is a threat on a cosmic scale! So grand are his dark designs against life that his plans are as likely to endanger worlds as they are the entirety of reality itself! "The Mad Titan" is named for his birthplace on the moon of Saturn, where a colony of super-powered Eternals was known to settle. Deviant mutation gifted Thanos incredible powers at birth, but also a predisposition towards obsession with death. He amassed further power through strenuous augmentation to feed his desires for death and conquest. Eventually, he turned this power against his own people -- obliterating even his own mother with callous disregard! So total is Thanos' devotion to death that when he met its personification he fell madly in love. Subsequent efforts to court Death as his mistress have led Thanos to genocidal extremes. His most famous exploit: forging The Infinity Gauntlet in order to reshape the universe -- including decimating half of all life!
We've only seen Thanos a few times on The Comic Book Fight Club, but each appearance has placed him in ominous company! He sought to manipulate the newly bestowed powers of Kyle Rayner in Green Lantern/Silver Surfer, making a patsy out of Terrax in the process. When the Marvel and DC Universes collided in DC versus Marvel #4, he stood beside Darkseid against an all-star assembly of Avengers and The Justice League! When the two universes were briefly merged: Thanoseid created a nightmare vision of evil that vexed Thorion -- the godly fusion of Thor and Orion! Despite this awesome level of cosmic might, Thanos is not quite inherently immortal. His Titanian origins grant him considerable durability and nigh eternal life, but it was only during a period when Death denied him entry into her dominion that he was truly unkillable. Indeed, for today's battle he has had to be resurrected from death inflicted by one of his opponents! The Guardians of the Galaxy are:Star-Lord, Mantis, Moondragon, Gamora, Drax, Groot, Rocket Raccoon, Jack Flag and Bug, with Major Victory. This rag tag group of heroes was brought together by Star-Lord in order to protect against the effects of fissures in space caused by Annihilation, and subsequent cosmic events. Appropriately enough, it was in Annihilation #4 that Drax The Destroyer succeeded in fulfilling his life's goal to extinguish the life of Thanos! This makes Drax an obvious punch-hitter for The Guardians, whose only other physical power house is the Planet X "Flora Colossus" known as Groot. Groot's regenerative and adaptive abilities make him a versatile contributor to the team's combat formations. Moondragon packs a hefty punch thanks to her high-level psionic capabilities, too. Thanos is highly resistant to mental attack, but her telekinetic powers offer strong physical opposition. Barring environmental factors, the rest of the team can really only hope to provide support against a threat as dangerous as Thanos! The Tape: Guardians of the Galaxy Ranking: Drax (#172) What Went Down... On the planet Sacrosanct: The Guardians of the Galaxy discover a world in ruin. Rocket Raccoon's scanners can find no signs of the planet's once bustling population. Moondragon's telepathic mind probe has no better luck. The absence of life was the only clue they needed. The presence of an old adversary catches in Drax The Destroyer's throat like "ashes on the back of my throat". An explosion draws the heroes towards danger -- and an unexpected reunion with old friends: Mantis, Gamora, Cosmo, and Major Victory! The pleasure is short lived. Rampaging right behind them is the source of the chaos: Thanos!
Fresh from a reanimation cocoon: The Mad Titan explodes through fire and ruin, blasting deadly beams of energy from his eyes and hands! The heroes can only run as the naked, snarling behemoth shatters the earth beneath their feet! Mantis fills Star-Lord and Jack Flag in on previous attempts to contain the feral, recently returned Thanos. His resurrection seems to have been a reluctant one, which cost the lives of not only The Universal Church of Truth who reanimated him -- but also the hero Phyla-Vell. Madness begets madness. In her grief, Moondragon turns to face the monster who killed her lover and has threatened so much of her life. Thanos greets her with mindless rage and more raw energy projections. She erects a telekinetic shield to defend herself, but his power is alarming in its scale!
Moondragon seeks mental reinforcement from Mantis or Cosmo, but is instead defended from giant clubbing fists by the shield of Captain America! Not by the soldier of distant past, but by a displaced future hero known as Major Victory!
A seemingly stunned Thanos pauses for just a moment as his massive hands begin to smolder. It seems hope is lost for the heroes, but Star-Lord, Rocket, Drax, Groot are there with guns blazing to give their friends time to retreat! The hi-tech weapons succeed in stopping Thanos for a moment. When the dust settles: his feral rage returns -- expressed in a massive wave of cosmic energy! The Guardians narrowly avoid certain death by ducking just beneath the power blast! Not all of them intend to shrink away from the deadly Titan, though! With little warning: Groot towers above the battlefield, swinging a piece of a destroyed building like a might club!
The structure smacks into Thanos, but fails to knock him down! The Titan fires back with a shot to Groot's humanoid trunk, but the Flora Colossus endures to bring his massive wooden fist slamming down into Thanos' naked back! Any other foe would be down for the count, but from his hunched position The Mad Titan locks both hands together to deliver an all mighty, cosmically charged uppercut that knocks Groot off his feet! While Rocket tends to Groot, who's down for the count; Gamora theorizes that Thanos has actually reclaimed true invincibility! Before The Guardians arrived, her Godslayer sword was broken against his skin! Drax disregards the story.
The Destroyer launches a frontal assault against his arch-nemesis! He absorbs untold energies fired at his back, averting Thanos' gaze with a right hand that closes one of his energy spewing eyes! With options fast dwindling, Star-Lord assesses the situation with Mantis, and reaches a dire conclusion. While Jack Flag and Bug run distraction to try to save their falling comrades -- Peter Quill strolls casually into the path of danger! Star-Lord's cavalier attitude makes more sense when he produces the cracked, but still gleaming hope of a Cosmic Cube! Its light breaks through Thanos' mindless rage, drawing the purple beast toward its familiar power. It was given to Peter Quill by Kang The Conquere. A trump card in the battle against the threat of Magus. It was broken and almost spent, but it still has one last charge for defeating Thanos!
The Cosmic Cube unleashes its final power in an awesome burst of blinding light! When it ceases: The Mad Titan lies smoking in the dirt - alive, but defeated! In a barely conscious state, he finally mutters his first ominous words: "You... Forced Me... To live again... For that... E-Everything... D-Dies..." The Hammer... From the clutches of defeat escapes Star-Lord thanks to the awesome might of the Cosmic Cube! Though none of the other Guardians of the Galaxy could ensure victory themselves, they all played a valid part. For that, they each receive an assist stat. Find out what that means for their positions on the Fight Club Rankings at the bottom of this post! We have a lot of significant debuting characters in today's featured fight! The Guardians came to peak significance during our dark years, emerging in their current form from the cosmic revival initiated by 2006's Annihilation. There were a few years of overlap, but we just never got around to them. Until now!
This second volume of the series launched in 2008. It redefined Guardians of the Galaxy for a whole new generation, whilst building towards the worldwide licensing phenomenon brought about by their first theatrical outing in 2014! The majority of these characters existed for many years before assembling as part of the new team. Some were major characters as recently as the nineties, but others had to be plucked from relative obscurity. Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon might be fan-favourites today, but it wasn't that long ago that few even knew who they were, let alone wanted to hear more about them! From today's perspective, it's strange to think the cosmic wings of the Marvel Universe had ever fallen out of favour. Yet, even a former headlining hero like Silver Surfer was struggling for sustained relevance in Marvel's publishing line-up of the 2000s! Peter David's work sustained an unlikely Captain Marvel run with Genis-Vel in the title role for two years. Thanos was a steady presence in a variety of series as well, including solo stories, and Marvel's The End. Though acclaimed and/or beloved, these were exceptions drifting to the margins as Marvel Knights pushed an urban renaissance through series like Daredevil, and the company started bifurcating into the stripped down, movie inspired Ultimate line. The first character to really get a sniff at a revival was Drax The Destroyer in 2005. A four issue mini-series introduced his transformation from the green & purple Hulk wannabe of Jim Starlin Infinity events -- to a red-tattooed Vin Diesel knock-off, seemingly inspired by Pitch Black. When it came time to launch the all-out Marvel cosmic revival shortly after Drax; the publisher used the same mini-series format to lend heft to their binding Annihilation event. Tie-in titles starred well known cosmic characters of long time notoriety: Nova, Super-Skrull, Ronan The Accuser, and Silver Surfer. The likes of Peter Quill, Gamora, and even Drax and Thanos, were reserved for the core six issue Annihilation series. They weren't exactly afterthoughts, but their brief appearances were littered amidst the chaos, sharing limited pages with the tie-in stars, other characters, and big villain Annihilus. Certainly a far cry from the starring line-ups of 2017! The apparent death of Thanos in Annihilation #4 was a shocking moment. It removed one of Marvel's biggest cosmic players, drawing a line in the sand between the new Annihilation era of Marvel cosmic -- and the colourful excesses of The Infinity Gauntlet, and its subsequent sagas. The Mad Titan had mellowed over the years, fashioned into a less malicious cosmic philosopher. His return in 2010 began a revivification of the classic villain, now one of Marvel's top bad guys thanks a 2012 post-credits teaser in the film Avengers. With a few seconds of purple sneer, Thanos was elevated to top tier status, forecasting an arrival that won't hit cinemas until May, 2018! May 5th, 2017 will see the theatrical release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. We're getting ready for the cosmic adventure a month early, dedicating all featured fights in April to the heroes and villains of space! We've started the action with an epic of cosmic proportions! If you'd like to read the battle and preceding issues for yourself, use the Amazon purchase link provided to get the collected edition! Doing so helps support the site at no extra cost to you! If you want to read about more exciting cosmic battles, be sure to follow links throughout this post (or below), or dive into the Secret Archive to reference hundreds of past features by publisher, series & issue! You can also follow on Facebook and Twitter to like & share daily links inspired by the fight of the day! A galaxy of comic book combat to suit all your needs! Winner: Star-Lord (w/ Guardians of the Galaxy) #306 (new) Star-Lord
#352 (-44) Thanos
#140 (+32) Drax [+1 assist]
#518 (new) Groot [+1 assist]
#519 (new) Major Victory (Vance Astro) [+1 assist]
#520 (new) Rocket Raccoon [+1 assist]
#521 (new) Bug [+1 assist]
#522 (new) Mantis [+1 assist]
#523 (new) Gamora [+1 assist]
#539 (+131) Moondragon [+1 assist]
#540 (+46) Jack Flag [+1 assist]
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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!
HERO OF THE WEEK: CABLE (Marvel)
Cable is expected to lead a new era of FOX's X-Men franchise, filling the void left by Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. He's another of Marvel's testosterone fuelled mutants who were big in the nineties. Instead of claws, he's a cyborg mutant with telekinetic powers and huge guns! Did I mention he's also from the future? Oh, and his parents are Cyclops and Jean Grey. Yeah. A lot going on with this guy.
Strength: Ego 7 (Omnipotent)
Strength: Thanos 6 (Invincible)
