BLACK PANTHER versus ULYSSES KLAW

The Way It Began..! (Marvel)
Where: Fantastic Four #53 When: August 1966
Why: Stan Lee How: Jack Kirby

The Story So Far...
Wakanda celebrates the invited arrival of the Fantastic Four, but as they do, a sinister presence from the African nation's past plots against their young ruler!

Massive rampaging jungle beasts attack the unsuspecting kingdom! Animal simulations created from pure sound energy! They are weapons of revenge created by the master of sound: Ulysses Klaw!

Klaw attack Wakanda ten years earlier, killing King T'Chaka in an attempt to claim the country's deposit of rare vibranium metal! Young Prince T'Challa thwarted the attack, and must once again go on the hunt to stop the brutal arch-nemesis whose hand he once destroyed! While the Fantastic Four battle Klaw's sonic monsters -- Black Panther confronts his father's killer!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Klaw 4 (Enhanced)
Intelligence: Black Panther 5 (Professor)
Speed: Black Panther 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Klaw 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Black Panther 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Black Panther 4 (Trained)
Energy: Klaw 5 (Lasers)
Total: Draw 26 (Meta-human)

Every great hero has a villainous shadow to haunt them time and time again. Black Panther has faced many ferocious foes, but none ranks quite as highly as today's featured felon -- his brutal arch-nemesis!

Ulysses Klaw (later renamed Klaue) is the self-proclaimed Master of Sound! He was a Dutch physicist who first ventured into Wakanda to claim the world's largest deposit of a rare, valuable mineral called Vibranium.

The early encounter brought Klaw into conflict with Black Panther's father, King T'Chaka, who he murdered in cold blood! Klaw and his machine gunning men spread much death and destruction through Wakanda, but the young Prince turned Klaw's own sound blaster against him! The encounter cost Klaw his right hand and sparked a blood feud that continues into Prince T'Challa's maturity!

Klaw outfitted his damaged hand with a weapon capable of firing deadly blasts of controlled sonic force! His vibranium powered machines can even create animated objects of pure "solid sound" -- a state he himself will be converted to after the initial showdown featured in today's grudge match!

Most will (hopefully) recognize Klaw as the bizarre pink & red villain known for also rattling the likes of: The Thing, Fantastic Four, Captain America, The Avengers, The Thunderbolts, Daredevil, Carnage, and others.

Fantastic Four #53 marks Klaw's first appearance, an early incarnation to be sure. In the issue prior, we were also introduced to Black Panther, who had the entire Fantastic Four on the ropes, specifically upsetting Thing during the battle!

Without the intimate knowledge of each other's arsenals that they'd have much later, it's tough to say who has the advantage. Klaw's sound-based arsenal will one day be neutralized through the unique properties of vibranium, and other sound-based strategies. In a man-on-man struggle, the advantage seems to belong to the Black Panther. Let's see if that's actually true!

The Tape: Draw Ranking: Black Panther (#72)

What Went Down...
Knowing the jungles of his kingdom well, Black Panther leaps through the trees for the one location capable of hiding Klaw's hideous machines. Coming upon the massive cave, he effortlessly disposes of two guards and stalks toward his true target. Klaw recognizes the voice of the Prince as if he'd heard it yesterday!

Klaw turns to face his nemesis, threatening with the metal Force Glove that now replaces his broken right hand! The Panther keeps his distance, confidently stalking like his namesake as Klaw gloats about the sound converter's power!

Rather than test Black Panther's phenomenal reflexes, Klaw returns to his main machine to generate a massive sound creature: a simulation of a panther!

Instead of ironic vengeance, Klaw is shocked to witness T'Challa's speed and strength as he grapples with the sound beast! It is every bit as ferocious as the real thing -- but the legend of the Black Panther is no exaggeration!

Recognizing the true skill and might of his opponent, Klaw knows he cannot toy with the Panther. With the flick of a lever the giant jungle cat disappears!

For a more direct attack Ulysses Klaw again turns to the lethal power of his hand-worn Force Glove! He claims Wakanda's vibranium as his ultimate prize, even if it costs the lives of every tribesman who survives the Prince!

The vile invader seems to be on the verge of victory - but he has failed to learn one of the Black Panther's greatest weapons: his mind!

A brilliant scientist in his own right: T'Challa has found the switch that will send the massive sound converting machine into a fatal overload! It begins to blow itself apart! The delicate circuits burst with uncontrolled energy!

With total destruction imminent: The Black Panther makes a hasty exit -- fleeing the catastrophic explosions that bring Klaw's secret cave down upon him!

Outside, rampaging constructs that terrorized Wakanda begin to dissipate. The Black Panther joins the Fantastic Four in victory, while inside the collapsed cave, the man called Klaw finds himself still alive, and ready to take a desperate risk!

The Hammer...
Ulysses Klaw may have lived to fight another day, but there's absolutely no doubt about the victor. Black Panther defeated Klaw's sound beast, thwarted his plan, and saved his kingdom! All in a day's work for the Panther prince!

Unbelievably, even with 888 characters ranked in the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths record -- we've never gotten to Klaw!

The shifting roster of the Frightful Four meant we got real close a couple of times, but it's only now, fighting against his arch-nemesis, that we open an account for the Master of Sound!

Admittedly, part of the delay is by virtue of holding off on the exploits of Black Panther, to best dedicate the month of February to Marvel Studios' latest starring hero! It's one of the most exciting Marvel movie releases since Iron Man, but as always, we look to the comics for even greater source material!

Baron Zemo was ultimately responsible for the death of T'Chaka on screen, but as discussed in The Tape section, the bad blood that makes Klaw arch-nemesis of the Black Panther runs deep. He murdered T'Challa's father and laid brutal siege to the kingdom of Wakanda. A crime he would revisit many times again.

The villainous origin story was revised in more explicit detail in 2005 by writer Reginald Hudlin. His take explicitly cast Klaw as a Dutch invader, recalling raw truths of real-life colonial history in Africa.

The story launched with a new #1 as Volume 4 of the Black Panther series, which may be one of the reasons you didn't read, if you were a comics fan of the mid-2000s. The relaunch officially divorced the series from Christopher Priest's cult millennium revival, and awkwardly positioned it as an undeclared - and indistinct - retcon of the classic origin stories.

The opening story arc, Who Is The Black Panther?, fashions Klaw as a new character in company with old favourites, like Batroc and Rhino. it effectively retells the backstory introduced in Fantastic Four #53, fleshing it out as a modern action-adventure of murder, espionage, and revenge. Taken on its own terms, it's an all-time great Black Panther story, and well worth checking out!

We should really wait until we get to the Reginald Hudlin story to talk more about it, but with February running out, I had to touch on it. It's one of my favourites and an admirable attempt to revamp what was done by Kirby and Lee in 1966. Which itself set a high bar for introducing a new hero into the growing Marvel Universe, and pairing him with a strong new villain, as well!

Typically timid, Hollywood has made a few more modifications to the Klaw character. One of the most noticeable will be the spelling of his name, now the slightly less literal "Klaue".

As always, it's easy to reject the perceived risk to credibility.

I'm not aware of what Stan Lee or Jack Kirby's inspirations would've been, but we know there would've been two contemporaries in 1960s New York City with the surname Klaw!

Just a few months after Ulysses Klaw was created for Marvel Comics, Irving Klaw passed away. Born Isadore Klaw, he was a New York purveyor of raunchy pin-ups, famous for propagating the image of Bettie Page. He was operating since the 1930s, and probably would've been a name known to publishing circles.

In the theatre world, there was Marcus Klaw. A producer and theatre owner of German Jewish descent, he died in 1936. You couldn't necessarily call him a contemporary of Lee & Kirby, but his Klaw Theatre was active on Broadway until being demolish in the mid-fifties. Another prominent example of the Klaw name available to the creators of the comic book villain.

So, yes, to modern American ears "Klaw" may ring false for its transliterate homonym (Claw). However, it is a real surname, and not at all unreasonable under greater scrutiny. Which is why we'll happily continue to refer to it!

You can refer to Klaw, too, when you follow character links littered throughout this post, or below in the tags section! There are thousands of featured fights to find, and many hundreds of characters involved!

You can also dive into the Secret Archive to find battles index by publisher, series, and issue number! Sharing your favourite links is a great way to support the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths! You can also get daily links to battles inspired by the topics of the day by liking and following on Facebook & Twitter!

Want to read the issue featured today for yourself? Jump onto Amazon using the purchase links provided [right] to check out collected editions! Using the link to buy means Amazon will kickback a little something to support the site at no extra charge!

Winner: Black Panther
#47 (+25) Black Panther
#844 (new) Klaw (Ulysses Klaw)

HERO OF THE WEEK: BLACK PANTHER (Marvel)
Real Name: T'Challa
First Appearance: Fantastic Four #52 (July, 1966)
Fight Club Ranking: #72

Featured Fights:
- vs THING: Fantastic Four #52 (Jul 1966)
- vs CAPTAIN AMERICA: Tales of Suspense #98 (Feb 1968)
- vs SUPER-SKRULL: Fantastic Four #6 (Apr 1997)
- vs DOCTOR DOOM: Black Panther #19 (Oct 2006)

Black Panther! Black Panther! The time for T'Challa's big screen feature is at last here, and I can't help but sing along to that awesome theme song from the 2010 BET Black Panther animated series!

A lot of folks are really waking up to the classic Marvel hero as he steps out of Captain America: Civil War into his own featured spotlight. By all accounts, it's shaping up to be a rewarding experience for all, with early reviews maybe a little too overwhelming in their praise!

Of all of Marvel's recent offerings: this has probably been the one I've been most looking forward to!

Black Panther was one of the first Heroes of the Week when the feature returned back in 2016. At that time, Ryan Coogler had just been announced as director, and Civil War was a few months away. A year and a half later, we were back again for the first Black Panther trailer, which set expectations high! Marvel flaunted the visual spectacle that is shaping up to be a key feature of the film's appeal, making it one of the most pivotal steps forward for the entire cinematic enterprise!

Of course, as long as those two years of waiting have seemed -- it's been a whole lot longer if you've been following the rumors since the late nineties!

Back then: Wesley Snipes was attached to star in what would've been a very different style of movie. Snipes' Panther always seemed like a cheque Hollywood never cashed, but we were all ultimately winners for having Blade in '98, with a Black Panther movie at long last really here!

For long time comics readers, the much-discussed "afro-futurism" of Wakanda will be less a revelation, and more a relief. Things really could've gone astray in the film's design, but first impressions suggest this could be one of Marvel's strongest efforts to create a film with an aesthetic worthy of comics. There aren't as many pipes lying around as Kirby's era, and there's no Techno-Jungle, but it's a promising follow-up to Thor: Ragnarok, at the very least.

The Dora Milaje add particularly wonderful flourishes to the picture with their red armor, while also supporting the central hero on his almost Bond-like adventure.

The scenes of Black Panther leaping through traffic in pursuit of Klaw are reason enough to go to the theatre! Sadly, Man-Ape won't don his iconic white gorilla suit, but with superhero movies making so little investment in costume design, it would be difficult to reasonably expect comic book aesthetic to supplant American cultural (in)sensitivities in the minds of the audience.

I'm personally slightly bummed that bad-guy Killmonger gets the gold highlights on his Black Panther costume. The look -- popularized during Christopher Priest's run in the late nineties, and turn of the millennium -- always struck me as a great accent to a simple, classic design. It's a very minor complaint, but something I hope might work its way into the design in future sequels.

Overall, Black Panther feels like one of Marvel's most intact adaptations to date. Martin Freeman's Everett Ross might be the only glaring change that wasn't welcome, assuming sequels can do more to build on the villains' story. I would've preferred the out-of-his-depth lawyer of the comics, but it's not enough to distract from a movie worthy of the Black Panther comics.

We just got done talking T'Challa's first appearance in comics with Fantastic Four #52! Be here for more Black Panther battles throughout February! Be sure to discover more by diving into the Secret Archive for every classic contest catalogued by publisher, series, and issue!

<< Hero of the Week 02/19: Winter Soldier   [Home]   Hero of the Week 02/05: M. Manhunter >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: MARTIAN MANHUNTER (DC)
Real Name: J'onn J'onzz
First Appearance: Detective Comics #225 (November, 1955)
Fight Club Ranking: #23

Featured Fights:
- vs BRIMSTONE: Legends #2 (Dec 1986)
- vs PROFESSOR IVO: Justice League of America #261 (Apr 1987)
- vs STONE GOD: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs WOOD KING: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs KIDNAPPERS: Secret Origins #35 (1988)
- vs DOOMSDAY: Superman #74 (Dec 1992)
- vs HILL STREET CULT: DC: The New Frontier #2 (Apr 2004)
- vs ULTRAMARINE CORPS: JLA: Classified #3 (Mar 2005)
- vs DESPERO: JLA #118 (Nov 2005)
- vs THE SOCIETY: Final Crisis: Requiem #1 (Sep 2008)
- vs GREEN LANTERN & FLASH: Green Lantern #44 (Sep 2009)

There's something different in the air at DC Comics and it might just be the change to finally do them some good! As the cacophony of Dark Nights: Metal subsides, the opportunity to tell interesting new stories with a more classic feel seems to be presenting itself. CBR features design artwork for the new Justice League line-ups coming in their No Justice series, and there's a muted flavor of intrigue that will hopefully be the antidote to some of their less focused, destructive urges of late.

Martian Manhunter emerged as an important player in Metal, and will be leading a high-profile team of Justice League aliens dubbed "Team Mystery" in CBR's preview. The group [pictured above] includes Superman, Sinestro, Starfire, and Starro.

Dark Nights: Metal may not have been everyone's cup of tea, but it feels like it's initiated the next phase of a decision making process that feels a little more traditional, and comics oriented, rather than multimedia pandering. It's there in the restoration of Superman's trunks, the elevation of heroes like Martian Manhunter and Hawkman, and the introduction of The Terrifics.

There are some other interesting team-ups coming in No Justice, with aesthetics to tie the groups together in pleasant fashion. Team Entropy and Team Wonder are looking pretty spiffy with hues of orange and purple. Team Wisdom a little less strong, but high on fun quotient.

I like seeing Martian Manhunter back in a position of prominence. It was real disappointing when the New 52 stripped him out of Justice League history. It's great to see him back saving the day in Metal! It bares repeating that David Harewood is always kicking goals as TV's J'onn J'onzz on Supergirl, as well! That's more than enough to render him this week's Hero of the Week! Hussah!

<< Hero of the Week 02/12: Black Panther     [Home]     Hero of the Week 01/29: Superman >>

BLACK PANTHER versus THING

The Black Panther! (Marvel)
Where: Fantastic Four #52 When: July 1966
Why: Stan Lee How: Jack Kirby

The Story So Far...
When the royal leader of an African nation gifts the Fantastic Four a hi-tech flying vehicle, they're invited to participate in a great Wakandan hunt. Little do they realize - it's the Fantastic Four who will be the prey!

Upon arrival they discover a nation built with the wonders of super-science and riches beyond belief! This is the remarkable kingdom of The Black Panther!

Black Panther hopes to test his fighting prowess and advanced technology against the cosmically powered might of the Fantastic Four. A gambit that begins by separating the group, leaving Thing to unwittingly stumbled into a trap that will leave him vulnerable to unarmed combat!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thing 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Black Panther 5 (Professor)
Speed: Black Panther 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Thing 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Black Panther 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Black Panther 4 (Trained)
Energy: Black Panther 2 (Projectiles)
Total: Black Panther 26 (Meta-Human)

What is this? The year of beatin' up on Aunt Petunia's favourite nephew?! We're back talking another classic case of hero-on-hero action, with the ultimate measure of power being the ever lovin' blue-eyed Thing!

This could be a slightly controversial entry, given its status as a fight-within-a-fight against the Fantastic Four. More on that in the Hammer section at the end. For now, we merely concern ourselves with a battle of speed, agility and wits against unstoppable brute strength!

Black Panther is T'Challa: Son of King T'Chaka, and rightful heir to the Wakandan throne! Black Panther lives up to the virtues of the isolated African nations rule by honing his body, senses, and mind through rigorous training.

T'Challa possesses phenomenal speed, agility, strength, and hand-to-hand technique, harnessed with an engineering mind that rivals that of Mister Fantastic! This genius not only furnishes Wakanda with technology beyond that of most modern nations, but also T'Challa himself, who hides many useful tricks within the thin lining of his Black Panther uniform!

The advanced technology of The Panther's suit was on display when he battled Doctor Doom in Black Panther #19! Perhaps more impressively, we saw his physical feats when he fought Captain America to a standstill in Tales of Suspense #98, and the Super-Skrull in Fantastic Four (Vol.2) #6!

His unassisted opposition to the Super-Skrull is the most effective example of how his fighting technique can stall even an opponent as powerful as Thing! Black Panther's stand was made brief by Super-Skrull's cosmic powers, of which Thing possesses none. As The Tape shows -- Thing is all about power!

The Panther has the fighting acumen to turn strength against an opponent, but he may not have to. This fight is the Black Panther's first appearance, and it's taking place in his home arena! At this stage of the fight, he's already used his hi-tech surroundings to entrap Human Torch and Invisible Woman.

Thing is a long way from home and quite possibly out of his depth!

The Tape: Black Panther Ranking: Thing (#10)

What Went Down...

Having been repelled from the rest of his teammates; The Thing recovers by what he believes to be a refreshing pool of water. In truth, he has stumbled into one of the Black Panther's well laid traps -- dousing himself in dangerous amounts of clear, strength-sapping devitalizing fluid!

The Panther Prince seizes his opportunity -- leaping from the shadows cast by labyrinthine machinery to the unsuspecting Thing's back!

The Thing goes to ground, but lifts himself to tackle the head-on Panther. With his strength sapped, he proves far less effective than expected! Black Panther stands his ground and fires off a right hook that sends Thing staggering!

Black Panther grants Thing the opportunity to pull himself to his feet, if only for the satisfaction of knocking him back down. So weakened is the rock-skinned hero, he requires the aid of a nearby post of machinery just to stand steady.

Once back to a vertical base: Thing unleashes a mighty right hand that would rattle the toughest of opponents -- if he still possessed his incredible strength!

Once more the heroes lock-up! The Panther pays homage to Thing's undeniable courage, but cannot compliment his lack of fighting skill.

Riled up by the verbal jab; Thing puts his back into it -- charging like a raging rhino! Black Panther has no choice but to side-step the barreling brute, inadvertently sending him on a path towards a high-voltage refrigeration unit!

Panther tries to warn his opponent of the impending doom - but it's too late!

The Thing smashes into the machine, releasing a deadly deep freeze! It's only by good fortune that he survives the frost as the effects of the devitalizing fluid begin to wear off! He will be frozen solid -- but he will survive!

The Hammer...

Is that a cry of controversy I hear? Objection from the seasoned fans?

Fantastic Four #52 is, of course, famous for the first appearance of Black Panther. It's also relatively well known for The Panther's plan to challenge and defeat the entire Fantastic Four.

It's a test of tactics, tech, and technique, with a healthy helping of teamwork.

Much of the action-packed issue is dedicated to a continuous war game between the Fantastic Four and their Wakandan host. However, under careful scrutiny, and much deliberation, The Comic Book Fight Club determines that the skirmish with Thing functions as an entire fight within the framework of the larger battle.

That means at a later date we will return to review The Panther's battle with the entire Fantastic Four, providing reference to this isolated encounter. It will simply function as a tangent within the larger context of The Panther vs the FF. Similar distinction may be afforded to his brief battle with Invisible Girl, as well.

Why does any of this matter? Hey! Take a look around, buddy. Fight results are kind of the name of the game around here. Sometimes the judge's call has to be invoked to keep the Fight Club Rankings clear. There's something else, too...

Superheroes aren't a whole lot different from any conventional combat sport. When you've got a hot new prospect like Black Panther, you want to get him over by showing what he can do. Like pro wrestling, comics are in control of the outcome and the particulars of the match. So there are a lot of tools to use.

As the headlining act, the Fantastic Four are usually going to come out with the win in the end. Fifty-one issues of victory means they have equity to take a few hits from a new character. So Black Panther may not succeed in beating the team as a whole, but by creating isolated fights within the battle, there's ample opportunity to show he's the real deal.

As The Tape clearly showed: Black Panther isn't in the same strength bracket as Thing, but that kinda protects both fighters.

Supping from a random pool in an indoor environment doesn't say much for Thing's thought process, but the devitalizing fluid means his defeat comes with an asterisk -- he wasn't at the top of his game! So Black Panther gets a big notch on his belt, but Thing gets to walk away with the benefit of the doubt.

Black Panther is undoubtedly one cool character, so it made sense to give him this big debut. It clearly paid off, because he'd have many more adventures in the Marvel Universe, as a title character, and part of memorable ensembles like the FF, and the Avengers!

You can't make it on your own as a hero if you don't have some worthy super-villains to beat up. When you mention Black Panther there's one big bad guy that immediately springs to mind. He debuted in the next issue of FF, and we'll aim to take a closer look at his unique brand of villainy real soon!

We probably won't be doing month-long themes in this year's Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, but anticipation for the theatrical arrival of Marvel's Black Panther has been a long time coming! We've been saving up for it so February could get the black carpet treatment!

Need more Black Panther in your life? Follow links and tags (below) to discover more from your favourite topics - or dive in to the Secret Index to check out past battles filed by publisher, series, and issue!

Use the Amazon link provided [embedded right] to read this story for yourself in collected edition. Doing so helps support the site at no extra cost! You can also show your support by following on Facebook and Twitter for daily fight links inspired by the hot topics! Every like, share & retweet helps!

Winner: Black Panther
#72 (+55) Black Panther
#10 (--) Thing

HERO OF THE WEEK: SUPERMAN (DC)
Real Name: Kal-El (aka; Clark Kent)
First Appearance: Action Comics #1 (April, 1938)
Fight Club Ranking: #5

Featured Fights:
- vs HAWKMAN: Justice League of America #200 (Mar 1982)
- vs DOOMSDAY: Superman #74 (Dec 1992)
- vs BRAINIAC: Adventures of Superman #519 (Jan 1995)
- vs SAVIOR: Action Comics #713 (Sep 1995)
- vs CAPTAIN MARVEL: Kingdom Come #4 (Aug 1996)
- vs VENOM: DC/Marvel: All Access #1 (Dec 1996)
- vs CAPTAIN MARVEL & HAWKMAN: Superman/Batman #4 (Jan 2004)
- vs PREUS: Action Comics #824 (Apr 2005)
- vs CAPTAIN MARVEL: Superman #216 (Jun 2005)
- vs JIMMY OLSEN: All-Star Superman #4 (Jul 2006)
- vs GENERAL ZOD: Action Comics #846 (Feb 2007)

Hey la, hey la! The trunks are back! Cooler heads have finally prevailed at DC Comics and the iconic Superman is making his long awaited return in Action Comics #1000! It concludes a long, but inevitable restoration of the Superman image since it was broken down for New 52 relaunch.

Entertainment Weekly has the scoop, delivering the first triumphant image of the properly panted Superman, and a celebratory announcement for the return of classic numbering! While it might be said this isn't the most dynamic image to sell the return -- it's still a pleasing sight to behold!

DC's New 52 line-wide reboot will always endure as a regrettable lapse in the continuum of their comics. It would've been such a pleasure for Action Comics to reach the rare milestone of 1000 issues without the need for creative numbering. When DC re-launched in the mid-eighties with Crisis on Infinite Earths, the publisher had the good sense to continue Action and Detective Comics uninterrupted. In 2011, the milestone was near enough to see renumbering was a poor choice, regardless of any temporary spike #1 may appear to provide.

Action Comics #1000 is promising lots of big things, including the first story by former Marvel writer Brian Michael Bendis, and a cavalcade of stars including Richard Donner, Paul Dini, Dan Jurgens, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Tim Sale, and many, many more!

With some of the positive signs seen last year [HOTW: Cyborg Superman, Sinestro] it's feeling like the winds of change are blowing fresh air into Superman in 2018! Exciting times!

<< Hero of the Week 02/05: Martian Manhunter     [Home]     Hero of the Week 01/22: Mon-El >>

HAWKMAN & CAPTAIN COMET versus SINESTRO

Endgame... Plus Two (DC)
Where: Secret Society of Super-Villains #5 When: January-February 1977 Why: Bob Rozakis How: Rich Buckler & Vince Colletta

The Story So Far...
A battle between The Secret Society of Super-Villains and their evil New God masters has left the city battleground coated with rubble. Buried beneath the mess is Captain Comet -- returned hero of the 1950s whose confusion brought him in league with The Society!

Emerging from the urban wreckage, Captain Comet discovers another space hero trapped underneath -- The Green Lantern! No longer mistaking him for a foe, Captain Comet accompanies Hal Jordan to the Justice League Satellite HQ.

There, Superman and the JLA verify the incredible story of Captain Comet's uncanny return! The old hero isn't the only one to have left the ranks of Manhunter's Secret Society of Super-Villains, though!

A satellite alarm signals the disgruntled attack of Sinestro on The Society's Sinister Citadel in San Francisco! With GL on monitor duty; Hawkman recruits Captain Comet to stop Sinestro's earthquake revenge!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Captain Comet 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Captain Comet 6 (Genius)
Speed: Captain Comet 5 (Super-Speed)
Stamina: Sinestro 6 (Generator)
Agility: Sinestro 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Hawkman 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Sinestro 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Captain Comet 34 (Super)

A clash of classic DC icons in less than iconic combination! It's always a pleasure to see an oddball match-up like this, but we also welcome a new player to the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths rankings that provides a real wildcard!

Hawkman's ties to the Justice League (and planet Thanagar) mean he's no stranger to beings from outer space. Even so, when it comes to the tyranny of Sinestro -- usually that's the jurisdiction of his arch-nemesis: Green Lantern!

Familiarity is a factor, but Sinestro's yellow power ring has much the same limitless potential as a Green Lantern's. He can project and create yellow hard-light constructs based on infinite imagination. That makes him a dangerous foe for even the best evenly matched member of the Green Lantern Corps!

Decades later we'd see Sinestro at his deadliest when he got the better of Green Lantern and Green Arrow in Green Lantern: Rebirth #4. More worryingly for Hawkman, he also put down winged-hero Black Condor during The Society's brutal ambush of The Freedom Fighters [in Infinite Crisis #1]!

The long-range and breadth of Sinestro's abilities are a big problem. In theory, Hawkman's one yellow bird cage away from being quickly outmatched! Not that the cosmic might of a Qwardian yellow ring is going to stop him fighting!

Hawkman's famous combative tenacity could be a key to an upset victory. We saw him quickly stop Matter Master in Hawkman #23, using aggression and weaponry to put a stop to a comparable threat. We've also seen him fight valiantly against several strong opponents. He kept Doctor Fate frustrated in All-Star Squadron #4, and went down swinging against Superman in Justice League of America #200! He even took tough guy Solomon Grundy down with a little bit of help from friends [in Hawkman #33]!

Captain Comet is a newfound friend in this battle, having recently defected from The Secret Society of Super-Villains after being tricked into their ranks. He's a lost hero from the 1950s who spent the last couple of decades having adventures in outer space!

With powers awakened by a passing comet; Adam Blake naturally possesses a genius mind capable of telepathic intuition, telekinetic mental projection, mind reading, defensive shielding, and psionic blasts! He also commands impressive physical attributes of super-human strength and durability! Not quite as powerful as Superman, but arguably more versatile in his strange powers!

Captain Comet and Sinestro should be relatively evenly matched.

The Captain can circumvent energy constructs with his telekinetic powers, and use his uncanny intuition to work around what's coming. His powers take a certain amount of focus and strain, though. Sinestro could still pose a threat with the benefit of instant-access to his abilities. That's where the loose man of Hawkman really becomes a benefit!

It's a fight that could go either way, but my money's on the heroes! The stats seem to agree. Let's quit the speculation and see what happened...

The Tape: Hawkman & Captain Comet Ranking: Hawkman (#31)

What Went Down...

The Justice League Satellite teleporter sends Hawkman and Captain Comet to the city skies of Earth in a mere instant! There, they materialize behind an unsuspecting Sinestro in time to stop his destructive rampage!

Hawkman orders Sinestro to halt his attempts to topple a building that is in actual fact The Sinister Citadel -- home to The Secret Society of Super-Villains!

Though surprised by the sudden arrival of the two heroes, Sinestro scoffs at their order to cease and desist! He uses his yellow power ring to form a massive energy fist around Hawkman's trademark fixed mace -- then with an effortless gesture uses it to knock Hawkman out of the sky!

The blow damaged Hawkman's anti-gravity belt, leaving him helpless to prevent his plummet towards Earth. Fortunately, Captain Comet turns his attentions toward rescuing his new ally -- even as Sinestro escapes into outer space!

The hero from another age succeeds in catching Hawkman by the wings, bringing him to a safe landing on the street below. There, he notices the Sinister Citadel on the verge of toppling over! Once again - he springs into action!

It takes Captain Comet's fullest concentration to push against the entire weight of the lurching skyscraper! Though requiring incredible effort, he succeeds in restoring the citadel to an even keel!

The Captain regroups with Hawkman and offers to give him a lift so the seasoned Justice Leaguer can stay in the fight with Sinestro. Comet guides him by the arm into the sky, forming a bubble of air on the way to allow them survival in the vacuum of space!

The pair catch up with Sinestro somewhere between Earth and Mars and call for his surrender. The chase ends when Sinestro turns to fly directly at his enemies!

The attempted collision is cut-off by Captain Comet, who locks up with Sinestro in a wrist and knuckle lock! The villain gloats that while he may control his hands, the energy constructs of his yellow ring cannot be stopped!

Sinestro manifests a vise around Comet's skull and slowly begins squeezing!

The seasoned space-hero remains stoic, focusing his concentration on mentally keeping the vise from closing! His efforts prove fruitful!

A sudden swing of both fists sends Sinestro snapping violently into his own weapon! A kayo victory!

The Hammer...

Y'know, I thought I was looking forward to a fun match-up for Hawkman, but our fine feathered friend didn't make much of an impact on this one. The victory clearly belongs to Captain Comet!

I've been jamming to Flash Gordon over the holiday break, so the retro sci-fi of Captain Comet actually sits perfectly well with me.

Comet doesn't really strike me as having the gritty panache I associate with Gordon, and the comic strips by Alex Raymond, but the comparison is fun when you think about Flash's relationship with Hawkman's pulp forebears.

Comet got a visual update for his return to DC Comics in the seventies, but you can still clearly see fifties sci-fi all over him. In fact, it's rather nice that the period was allowed to remain a defining piece of the character's backstory.

Usually I seek clean, recent artwork to represent characters in those little mugshots I make, but every now and then there's a character so wrapped up in an era I like to go retro. The Captain Comet portrait above is drawn by Carmine Infantino, seen on the cover of Strange Adventures #9 -- his first appearance!

If I were calling the shots, I'd probably revert the character's design back to that original uniform! As '50s spacemen go, it isn't necessarily a stand-out, but in 2017 that's a look that Captain Comet can completely own!

It's rather astounding to think the character continued well into recent decades. He's remained a part of DC's space fabric in books like L.E.G.I.O.N., Mystery in Space, and The Rann-Thanagar War. You may even remember Captain Comet from his role in Kingdom Come as the warden of Superman's gulag! I'm told he's even floating around (in some fashion) in the DC Universe of The New 52!

Recent years not withstanding; I kinda see Captain Comet as a blueprint for the best way to handle a guy like Captain Marvel. Both are heroes who has a place among the modern pantheon, but work better not as generic equivalents of similar characters, but as torchbearers for the out-of-vogue styles of the eras that defined them. The once standard: now unique within a modern context!

I've had a lot of fun talking Captain Comet's return to the "modern" DCU. If you got a kick out of it too, you might like to check out The Secret Society of Super-Villains yourself! By using the Amazon link provided [right], you support the site with your collected edition purchase at no extra cost!

Take your own journey through the years by visiting links throughout this post, or tagged below. Or simply dive into the Secret Archive to check out previous featured fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue number!

Follow on Facebook and Twitter to get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day! A like, share and retweet is another great way to help the wars remain infinite!

Winner: Captain Comet (w/ Hawkman)
#308 (new) Captain Comet
#31 (--) Hawkman [+1 assist]
#118 (-15) Sinestro

HERO OF THE WEEK: MON-EL (DC)
Real Name: Lar Gand
First Appearance: Superboy #89 (June, 1961)
Fight Club Ranking: #DNR

Featured Fights:
- Yet To Be Featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths.

Hero of the Week has dedicated a lot of space to lamenting the designs of TV's current crop of live-action superheroes. There's been plenty to criticize, with an endless parade of off-the-shelf cosplay, and colorless bodysuits. I like to say Supergirl is 'the good one' when referring to these shows, but even with their many indulgences, the show is sometimes prone to shying away from the goods.

It was a notable let down when Season 2 ended without dressing Mon-El in a simple, but tasteful version of his well known comic book outfit. Red, high-collared suit with a blue cape doesn't seem to be much to ask for, especially when Supergirl looks so awesome, and episodes went out of their way to discuss his need for an appropriate costume!

I don't usually make a habit of throwing stones at creators on social media, but when Season 3 started promotion I voiced some dismay. A couple of days of later? Previews for the CW mid-season line-up and our first look at Chris Wood kitted out in a costume of Valor!

CBR highlighted the new look - and why wouldn't you? It feels a little overdue, but it's exactly the kind of splash of colour you'd hope to see from a show this fun!

They've made some minor modifications to the body of the costume, but there's nothing much to complain about. Which probably makes it all the more disappointing that the other members of The Legion of Super-Heroes don't look quite so good.

Brainiac 5 suffers from the kind of color-muting that so much of Supergirl stands in defiance of. The bright green, blonde "Brainy" of comics is replaced by a zombie-grey malformation with fright wig. Saturn Girl also appears to have forgotten to wash her whites and darks separately, generically without the more iconic pink and white!

I enjoy the energy and indulgences Supergirl does offer, so our Hero of the Week has to be the best of them. I hope the other Legionnaires can look forward to similar improvements, and perhaps we just skip the disappointment all together, next time. Supergirl is just too cool for this crap!

<< Hero of the Week 01/29: Superman     [Home]     Hero of the Week 01/15: Black Widow >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: BLACK WIDOW (Marvel)
Real Name: Natasha Romanova
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #52 (April, 1964)
Fight Club Ranking: #76

Featured Fights:
- vs TITANIUM MAN: Iron Man #316 (May 1995)
- vs SECRET AVENGERS: Civil War #3 (Sep 2006)
- vs SECRET AVENGERS: New Avengers #36 (Jan 2008)

Today's Hero of the Week has been a long time coming! Variety reported mid-last week that Disney and Marvel Studios are finally moving forward on a Black Widow spin-off film!

It's a development many fans have been talking about since 2010, when Scarlett Johansson first debuted the role in Iron Man 2. She's been a staple of the ensemble Avengers movies ever since, also appearing in Captain America: Winter Soldier -- a featured role reminiscent of the character's co-starring habits in various comic books.

Black Widow's staying power as a title character has wavered over the years, but with a smaller line-up of established film properties, and Johannson's noted star-power, it only makes sense to leverage the role into a broader box office.

Political intrigue and espionage were facets of the Captain America sequels, but that's where Black Widow can really provide a point of difference in the Marvel portfolio. Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron alluded to Russia's notorious "Red Room" and her origins as an elite spy. Audiences have been given an abundance of reasons to want to see more!

The unfortunate aspect of delaying the character's breakout is that we're on the verge of Jennifer Lawrence starring in Red Sparrow -- another Cold War-tinged spy thriller about a Russian ballerina cum super spy. The overlap is probably coincidence given the tropes of the genre, but it puts the pressure on Black Widow to find ways to be original. Of course, with a gamut of Marvel characters to draw upon -- including the Winter Soldier -- there's plenty to differentiate.

The strength of the Marvel property will also likely help mitigate another drawback of timing - the fact that Johansson starred in the clustermuck of Hollywood's adaptation of Ghost in the Shell. There are vague similarities, but honestly, but the time Black Widow is ready to take centerstage, most of the world will probably have forgotten the missed opportunities of the live-action misfire.

Will Marvel and Disney have the teeth to make the most of a Russian spy thriller? It would be nice to at least see the tropes of the genre push them to a Bourne Identity style film. It may not exploit the material to its fullest, or most original extent, but at least that could provide a satisfying trek away from the repeating formula of most Marvel movies. Emphasis on could. We shall see!

<< Hero of the Week 01/22: Mon-El       [Home]      Hero of the Week 01/08: Enchantress >>

DEADSHOT versus ENCHANTRESS

Hitting The Fan (DC)
Where: Suicide Squad #6 When: October 1987
Why: John Ostrander How: Luke McDonnell

The Story So Far...
When the Soviet Union proposes a trade with the United States for a controversial novelist's freedom; The Suicide Squad are called upon in secret to extract the prisoner right from under their noses!

It was a politically charged mission to Moscow none of them wanted to take, but the ingenious plan of new recruit Oswald Cobblepot, (aka; The Penguin), makes the trip behind enemy lines seem possible! There's just one catch: Nobody thought to ask Zoya Trigorin if she wanted to be rescued!

A hostile prisoner throws the mission into disarray -- much to the delight of Enchantress! With the Soviet Army closing in fast, Colonel Rick Flag has no choice but to order Deadshot to bring the wild witch down when she goes rogue!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Deadshot 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Enchantress 5 (Professor)
Speed: Deadshot 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Enchantress 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Deadshot 4 (Trained)
Energy: Enchantress 6 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Enchantress 24 (Champion)

Floyd Lawton is Deadshot by name, Deadshot by reputation -- but can a bullet from the assassin's gun really pierce the magic veil of the Enchantress? That's what we're here to find out in a battle of Suicide Squad teammates!

We have, of course, seen another Squaddy take down Enchantress in a previous instance: Bronze Tiger was on-hand to make sure she played nice when the team went up against Brimstone in their inaugural mission [Legends #3].

Deadshot's aim was true, successfully taking Brimstone down with the use of a specialized laser weapon. The next mission was also a success for Deadshot, who defeated Manticore in a deadly close-quarters battle [Suicide Squad #2].

There's no denying Deadshot is a master marksman, but not quite every shot is a bull's eye! His very presence with the Suicide Squad is a result of being captured by The Flash, who was too fast for Deadshot's draw [in Legends #1].

No hero has gotten under Lawton's skin quite as thoroughly as Batman! Their multiple run-ins include Deadshot's very first outing, when he posed as a masked vigilante to oust The Bat. He nearly pulled it off, but as in most of their clashes, it ended in Deadshot's defeat. His eventual comeback in Detective Comics #474 is one such example.

Enchantress doesn't have the hand-to-hand fighting prowess of Batman, nor his unique insights. She does, however, possess a broad spectrum of magic powers as a witch that should be able to deal with most guns and munitions.

Without specialist weaponry, Deadshot seems pretty out of his depth against Enchantress. His greatest strength lies in long-range sniping to get the drop on an unprepared Enchantress. That's how Bronze Tiger closed similar odds.

Enchantress was supposed to impersonate novelist Zoya Trigorin while the Squad extracted her from Russia, but with the mission thrown into chaos, she's completely off the leash. That bodes well for Deadshot, who can capitalize on her distraction. Will it work? Let's find out...

The Tape: Enchantress Ranking: Deadshot (#114)

What Went Down...
An explosion rings out from the Novogorod Psychiatric Hospital. The mission has gone bad. Real bad! The Suicide Squad regroups in the snow covered woods just outside, while The Enchantress delights at the opportunity for chaos!

With Russian troops rapidly closing-in; Colonel Rick Flag is forced to make an urgent decision about the witch flying overhead. With time running out, he turns to Deadshot with a non-lethal order to shoot.

Deadshot feigns concern that he may not be able to bring Enchantress down without accidentally killing her. Flag puts a gun to his head and warns him not to miss!

Unaware of the conspiring gunmen below; Enchantress is completely unprepared when she hears the sudden explosion of Deadshot's rifle!

The searing sting of the bullet follows in an instant. Struck in the head, The Enchantress plummets from the sky to the thick floor of snow below.

Flag orders Nightshade and Nemesis to collect the body. A dark smile creeps over Deadshot's face as he assures the Colonel his shot was made to order -- on target and non-lethal.

Enchantress is groggy when Nemesis lifts her from the snow by the shoulders. He demands to know her name, but she instinctively refuses! If spoken, it will return the wicked witch to the darkness -- restoring innocent June Moone.

So Nemesis tells her she's June Moone: a spy who will be shot on sight! The barely conscious witch denies this, too. With time running out he leans over her face and asks who she really is. At last she says it: "Enchantress!"

The Hammer...
This one may challenge your definition for a "fight", but the fact is: some conflicts end not with the throwing of fists, but with the firing of a single bullet! Such is the stock & trade of Deadshot!

As we build a bigger profile for Deadshot, it'll be interesting to see what his strike-rate as a marksman is really like. The reputation of killers in comics doesn't always match-up to results. Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see what today's win does for his overall fight rank!

Today we're here to track the movements of Enchantress, whose early tenure with the Suicide Squad provided one of the great sub-plots of the first couple of years. It loosely inspired elements of the 2016 movie, but as with most things in that adaptation, the source material was not well represented.

The premise is simple: The Suicide Squad are a band of convicted villains operating as a black-ops team to work-off their sentences. They're guided by trusted agents like Rick Flag and Bronze Tiger, but the criminal nature of most of the team means there's always an underlying tension of mistrust.

Enchantress is arguably the most openly hostile of the group, but she's tethered to the pleasant alter-ego of June Moone, who volunteered her services.

Moone initially has enough sway to keep the wicked witch in check, but every time Enchantress is summoned, her dark powers grow. The threat that she'll turn on the team is always there, but the trade-off is that her magic is one of the Squad's most powerful weapons, and sometimes can be directed.

Inevitably, this dangerous game means various members of The Squad are forced to take Enchantress down once her work is done.

We saw this in their inaugural mission, when Enchantress saved the team from being scorched by the flaming aftermath of Brimstone -- only to immediately turn on them! Bronze Tiger became the first teammate to shut her down.

Comics being what they are; there are different flavours to the various times Enchantress is thwarted. The next time we visit the theme it will probably seem vaguely comical, but each indignity is only building toward the inevitable.

The reader knows Enchantress' power and hostility is growing, and the tension that mounts is one of the great threads weaved into the tapestry of John Ostrander's early Suicide Squad!  It could've greatly enhanced the film had they taken it in the same direction, rather than abruptly making her the arch-villain of the first film. One of many mistakes.

If you're looking for more Suicide Squad, or follow-up entries, be sure to check out the Secret Archive. You'll easily find featured fights indexed by publisher, series, and issue! If you just want to read these issues in their entirety for yourself, you can support the site by using the Amazon link provided!

You can also follow Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Facebook and Twitter to get daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day! A like, share, or retweet is a much appreciated way to show support!

Additional Note: Assist stats will be recorded for Rick Flag for ordering the hit, as well as Nemesis & Nightshade, who helped ensure Enchantress switched back to June Moone. These details were important to securing Deadshot's triggerman victory.

Winner: Deadshot
#66 (+48) Deadshot
#846 (-314) Enchantress
#383 (--) Rick Flag [+1 assist]
#420 (+75) Nemesis (Tom Tresser) [+1 assist]
#527 (new) Nightshade (Eve Eden) [+1 assist]

HERO OF THE WEEK: ENCHANTRESS (DC)
Real Name: June Moone
First Appearance: Strange Adventures #187 (April, 1966)
Fight Club Ranking: #532

Featured Fights:
- vs BRIMSTONE: Legends #3 (Jan 1987)
- vs BRONZE TIGER: Legends #3 (Jan 1987)

The DC fighting game Injustice 2 has unveiled its latest downloadable character and it's the wicked switcheroo-witcheroo we know as Enchantress!

The new trailer is on Mortal Kombat Online and showcases some of the sinister sorceress' attacks, which include player-possession, summoning spells, and other interesting magic based powers. Mortal Kombat X players will recognize some of the tricks from characters like Quan Chi and Shinnok -- no surprise given Injustice is from the makers of Mortal Kombat!

One of the most pleasing things about the new trailer is that it shows a more comic book friendly design. Injustice 2's gear system means other attire options will be available, but it's nice to see them avoiding the strangely deviant design choices of 2016's Suicide Squad movie! The strange synthesis of South America and Asia had its appeal, but didn't connect to the character of the comics.

Of course, I'll be hoping enchanted gear includes tasteful black leggings, fashionably tailored green shawl, a red scarf, and the classic pointed green hat. Because Enchantress was never better than that first year or two she was brought to us by Ostrander & McDonnell!

I've been romancing the eighties Suicide Squad series, so this one tickles my fancy. It was a natural choice for Hero of the Week, and later this week we may just have something from the classic comic, as well. Keep an eye out for it! Update: From trailer to comic, check out Deadshot vs Echantress!

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