FLASH versus KID FLASH

Meet Kid Flash (DC)
Where: The Flash TV Special #1 When: 1991 Why: Mark Waid How: David Williams & Darick Robertson

The Story So Far...
When a freak lightning bolt struck police forensic scientist Barry Allen and threw him into a shelf of laboratory chemicals - his life was changed forever!

With the help of STAR Labs scientist Tina McGee; Barry discovered his body chemistry and metabolism was radically altered, granting him the gift of moving at super-human speeds!

Wearing a high-tech, heat-resistant suit designed by STAR Labs, Barry uses his powers to fight crime in Central City as The Flash! Tina continues to aide him in his mission, but when she attempts to understand his transformation further by recreating his origins in the lab -- a criminal on the run accidentally receives the same powers! Now The Flash must race to stop a super-fast crime-spree!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: The Flash 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: The Flash 5 (Professor)
Speed: The Flash 7 (Light Speed)
Stamina: The Flash 6 (Generator)
Agility: The Flash 2 (Average)
Fighting: The Flash 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: The Flash 1 (None)
Total: The Flash 27 (Metahuman)

When the nineties dawned on DC Comics - Barry Allen had already sacrificed himself to save all existence in Crisis on Infinite Earths #8. Five years had made him the stuff of legend -- that is, until television brought the Silver Age Scarlet Speedster back to life for a twenty-two episode, live-action series on CBS!

The Flash on television was a pretty respectable adaptation, enjoying the same basic origin of a lightning bolt striking the police scientist onto shelves of chemicals. There were a few key differences our Tape stats (based on an iconic definition of the character) don't reflect, though.

His speed, though impressive, was not quite what you'd find in the comics. He vibrated his molecules through solid matter once or twice, but usually relied on fast-paced antics, such as tying people up, or throwing things. The reality of it was made-for-TV special effects, but you can also put some of this down to this being pretty early in the character's superhero career.

This Flash was also susceptible to bouts of fatigue and weakness, essentially suffering from acute hypoglycemia due to his altered metabolism. He managed his blood sugar through eating, and it became less of a concern as the series progressed.

Kid Flash did not appear during the lone season. As we're about to learn, Vince Everett is a notorious juvenile delinquent skirting justice because of his young age. He's about to be charged as an adult when he runs afoul an experiment to recreate The Flash's origins at STAR Labs. The result is a second speedster!

The Flash is no stranger to going up against equals in the comics. We've seen Barry Allen race against Savitar [Flash: Rebirth #1], Lady Flash [Flash: Rebirth #2], Superman [Flash: Rebirth #3], and Professor Zoom [Flash: Rebirth #4]! On the show, he met his own genetically-engineered duplicate, Pollux, in Episode 18: the Lenny Van Dohlen starring Twin Streaks.

You'd expect inexperience to trip up any new would-be speedsters in the TV universe. Even with youthful exuberance, Everett should eventually succumb to the same metabolic weaknesses experienced in Barry Allen's early adventures.

The Tape: The Flash Ranking: The Flash (#17)

What Went Down...
Speeding criminal, Vince Everett, blazes by a patrol car with his newfound super-human swiftness. The cops manage to call ahead for a roadblock...

... but nearby road repairs provide a pile of gravel -- deadly high-speed shrapnel in the hands of a super-humanly fast pitcher! Cops dive for cover as the tearing fragments ignite gasoline tanks and cause their cars to explode!

The Flash arrives on the scene to stop Everett before he kills somebody, but finds it hard to lay hands on the junior speedster. Everett keeps on step ahead of his fast-running foe, carelessly tearing through a kid's lemonade stand!

Flash stops to catch the airborne kids and rescue their produce all in the blink of an eye! It provides the self-proclaimed "Kid Flash" the distraction he needs to come up with a name and snatch the emblem from The Flash's chest!

Exhausted by his heroics, The Flash can only watch as Central City's newest runner makes a high-speed getaway!

The Hammer...

Not exactly a triumphant foray into The Flash's television past, but I'm a little short for time this week, and I'm hoping we'll get a chance to talk more about the show in the future. Round 1 goes to Kid Flash, but Round 2 waits!

Like a lot of fans, I was pretty excited to see John Wesley Shipp back in the red suit for CW's Elseworlds crossover. We talked about that a couple of months ago in Hero of the Week. Today, I'm going all in on nostalgia!

As a big fan of the show - I actually picked up The Flash TV Special, on the cheap, a few years ago. I don't remember it on shelves in '91, so I was curious to see if it picked up the slack with a more comic-style story the TV show couldn't pull off. Kid Flash gets close, but still feels very in-keeping with the show's stripped back style of superhero action. Which is to say, what worked on the screen reads a little passé on the page.

I'm not sure I can adequately convey how excited I was when commercials started airing for The Flash. I'm not sure I'm even capable of those levels of excitement any more! I was already a Flash fan from comics, and the mostly faithful red & gold costume had me off the chain from the start!

Local airings and bed time got in the way of total immersion. I saw most of the much-hyped debut, but anything after that gets a little hazy. For memory, the series was soon bumped to a later broadcast time, and I'm not entirely certain they ran every episode. That kinda thing used to happen, but it also might just be that it was out of sight, out of mind. Fortunately, a local video store, and three pseudo-movies compiled from edited episodes filled the intervening years!

A lot of us have fond memories of renting a videotape over and over again. Since these never seemed to be widely available in retail release (where I was) - The Flash was one of mine!

As I still remember it, the movie-length pilot was always a pretty dry and laborious watch, but I was especially fond of the pulp-infused final video release: The Flash III: Deadly Nightshade.

It was tucked away with the others on a shelf near the Guyver movies, a "movie" made from two of the more superhero-centric episodes: "Ghost in the Machine" and "The Deadly Nightshade". They both featured a retired 1950s masked vigilante, Nightshade, who becomes a mentor to the TV Barry Allen.

Nightshade was a little bit like The Sandman, which probably explains some of why I always liked him, but never had any literal comic book equivalent. There's perhaps a touch of Watchmen in the way he's outed in his second appearance, cementing his retirement from costumed heroics.

The Flash's world is otherwise devoid of super-heroes. Superman and Batman only seem to exist as a double-feature at the local movie theatre -- literally.

I imagine the show might've introduced lesser DC heroes if it'd continued for a few seasons, but Nightshade was the sole heroic balance to a handful of mostly toned down super-villains: Captain Cold, Mirror Master, The Trickster, and a cavalcade of technologically powered one-offs created for the show. The existence of other heroes, past or present, is left pretty much unaddressed.

Kid Flash probably would've made sense as the first expansion to the mythology of the show. A chance for Barry Allen to play mentor to a recurring guest old enough to not quite tie the sometimes-swinging bachelor down.

The Mark Waid TV Special story almost reads like a dry run for Kid Flash, but also recalls one of the episodes that revolves around another, more redeemable juvenile delinquent. That one, featuring Jonathan Brandis (Never Ending Story II, SeaQuest DSV) always seemed like it could've led to a junior speedster further down the line. Something to think about next time we reconvene!

The Flash is available in its entirety streaming on the new DC Universe platform, but if you're like me, and want to watch & own your media unedited whenever you like, you should definitely think about tracking down the DVD set released in 2006. It's been a regular in my player the past decade and well worth it! If you do it via the convenient purchase link provided - you'll ensure Amazon support the site at no extra cost!

You can find more of The Flash and friends by diving into the Secret Archive of featured fights, or by exploring links throughout this article, and others! You can also get daily links to fights by following Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Twitter and Facebook! A follow, like, share, or retweet is another great way to help support our combative corner of the web! Happy holidays!

Winner: Kid Flash
#318 (new) Kid Flash (Vince Everett)
#17 (--) The Flash (Barry Allen)

RANK & FILE: TOP 10 DEEP SEA DWELLERS

Rankings have long been the spine of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths! Based on the cumulative record of win/loss results: relevant rankings are updated at the bottom of every new featured fight -- but only for characters involved! Rank & File is a chance to compare and contrast the 900+ characters currently ranked by highlighting the ten best heroes & villains of different topical categories!

With a tidal wave of enthusiasm flooding the planet for DC and Warner Brother's Aquaman movie - it only makes sense we take a closer look at the Top 10 Deep Sea Dwellers in comics! Remember: this list is based on current win/loss results and is subject to change. Be sure to hit the comments section below to share your Top 10 favourite heroes & villains who come from the deep!

#1 Aquaman (DC)
Real Name: [Arthur Curry]
First Appearance: [More Fun Comics #73 (November, 1941)]
Recent Opponents: [Black Manta, Mera & Tempest, Ocean Master]
Featured Fight: [Aquaman versus Mercury Monster]

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has traditionally been a Sub-Mariner strong-hold, but mounting excitement for this month's Aquaman movie has invariably floated the DC hero back to the top of the ranks! It's the first time in over a decade he's outpaced the competition -- even though he infamously claimed victory when the rivals met in Marvel versus DC #2!

As the second iconic underwater superhero to emerge from comics' Golden Age; Aquaman has had many different phases and moments - not all of them favourable. Despite a history of ups and downs, he achieved rankings superiority with last month's feature fight from Adventure Comics #446! The issue is part of the rip-roaring action-adventure era of the mid-seventies, which features his iconic extended family and deadliest enemies! Some of that spirit lies within his most recent incarnations, and it will be particularly exciting to see Jason Mamoa don the iconic gold & green when he shares the screen with a few of the other characters featured further down on this list!

#2 Sub-Mariner (Marvel)
Real Name: [Namor McKenzie]
First Appearance: [Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1 (April, 1939)]
Recent Opponents: [Thanos, Thanos, Iron Man, Red Skull & Nazis]
Fight Spotlight: [Mister Fantastic versus Sub-Mariner]

Namor is one of the oldest characters in the Marvel pantheon, but that's never worked against him! He featured prominently as a guest when Stan Lee and his collaborators began the Marvel Age of the 1960s [eg; X-Men #6], before rejoining the modern world as a frequent "frenemy" of the Fantastic Four. After touring the various new series, he was re-established as a lead in Tales to Astonish, which he shared with eventual sparring partner and teammate - the Hulk!

Namor, The Sub-Mariner differed in many ways from DC's later creation. The unusual characteristic of ankle wings and the ability to fly earned him the eventual moniker of "Marvel's First Mutant". He was also a far less agreeable personality, walking the line of a dangerous anti-hero. He'd eventually be seen sporadically leading the armies of Atlantis against the surface world, and collaborating with the likes of Doctor Doom! He was even a star of the short-lived Super Villain Team-Up in the seventies, even though his role often favoured that of the heroic protagonist.

#3 Aquagirl (DC)
Real Name: [Tula]
First Appearance: [Aquaman #33 (May-June, 1967)]
Recent Opponents: [Black Manta, Mera & Tempest]
Featured Fight: [Aquaman, Dolphin & Tula versus Mera & Tempest]

The third heroine to use the "Aquagirl" moniker is also our #3 deep sea dweller! Tula was orphaned as an infant and adopted by Atlantean nobility. Raised as the Princess of Poseidonis, she remained within royal palace walls until her teens, when she first encountered the original Aqualad! She became romantically linked with Garth and a regular ally to the Teen Titans.

We indirectly saw Tula's irrepressible influence via Adventure Comics #446, where she helped turn the tides of battle with Black Manta by freeing Garth from an elaborate death-trap. She would face death herself a decade later - one of the casualties of Crisis on Infinite Earths. It was in death she made her biggest impact on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, returning during Blackest Night #2 as an undead Black Lantern who tore her former boyfriend apart! She's since been restored as part of the New 52 reboot, becoming the half-sister of Ocean Master, and regent of Atlantis.

#4 Dolphin (DC)
Real Name: [Unknown]
First Appearance: [Showcase #79 (December, 1968)]
Recent Opponents: [Mera & Tempest]
Featured Fight: [Aquaman, Dolphin & Tula versus Mera & Tempest]

Our fourth deep sea dweller was a presumed military brat during the Second World War until the American battleship carrying her was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. The unknown child was rescued from the ocean by mysterious aliens, who then used her in a series of experiments to splice human genetics with those of aquatic creatures. She survived the harrowing ordeal to live under the sea, discovered by American divers exploring wreckage in 1968.

The mysterious young woman couldn't communicate and didn't know her name anyway, so the divers christened her Dolphin. Years later in Secret Origins #50, aged diver Chris Landau rediscovered Dolphin living as an attraction at Oceanworld water park. She later met Aquaman and became embroiled in Atlantean society, marrying Garth and siring a child, until she was killed during The Spectre's attack on Atlantis. She joined Garth's other love interest as a Black Lantern in Blackest Night #2.

#5 Sulumor (Marvel)
Real Name: [Sulumor]
First Appearance: [New Invaders #0 (August, 2004)]
Recent Opponents: [Wolverine, Avengers]
Featured Fight: [Invaders versus Avengers]

Sulumor didn't live long in comics, but he's burned brightly here on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths! In his first appearance Sulumor served as Atlantean Counselor to Namor during a joint invasion of Mazikhandar with a new team of Invaders. The attack brought he and Sub-Mariner into conflict with The Avengers, but ended with his installation as an Atlantean Diplomat after the surrender of political assassin and short-lived Mazikhandar leader, General Rafiq.

A strong-headed, if aggressive member of the Atleantean military ranks; Sulumor was strong enough to challenge even the bold will of Namor, earning his respect in the process. The Counselor was involved in directing a joint national strike on conspiring Axis Mundi Pterrorists, but lost his life shortly after when a Hydra controlled Wolverine took him out in New Invaders #6.

#6 Shiny Happy Aquazon (DC)
Real Name: [Kim Kimura]
First Appearance: [Final Crisis #2 (August, 2008)]
Recent Opponent: [Razzle]
Featured Fight: [Razzle versus Super Young Team]

Shiny Happy Aquazon might sound like a glib tribute to REM, but as introduced in Final Crisis #2, she's actually a second-generation amphibian Japanese heroine, the daughter of Junior Waveman Kimura. That legacy doesn't really mean much to the star-chasing celebrity superhero though. She's best known as the 'giggly, shy, and annoyingly cute' member of idle idols: Super Young Team.

SYT are spoiled, vacuous poseurs wearing referential American superhero style as fashion couture, but their total ineffectiveness hasn't stopped them attracting a legion of adoring fans. They accidentally stumbled into legitimacy during Final Crisis when they linked up with Sonny Sumo and Mister Miracle, and helped save humanity in the process. A brilliant post-modern concept tossed off by Grant Morrison, the team were spun-out into their own series, where we saw them face the evils of Tokyo nightlife.

#7 Mera (DC)
Real Name: [Mera]
First Appearance: [Aquaman #11 (October, 1963)]
Recent Opponents: [Black Lantern Corps, Ocean Master]
Featured Fight: [Aquaman, Dolphin & Tula versus Mera & Tempest]

Queen Mera originally came from Dimension Aqua: an almost exclusively submerged reality where she ruled as Queen of the kingdom Xebel. After fleeing her realm from a criminal threat, Mera abdicated the throne to remain on Earth, where she married Aquaman to become Queen of Earth's Atlantis.

Mera has been a mercurial presence in Aquaman's world ever since, coming in and out of fashion as the Atlantean monarch's wife, and mother of their ill-fated child. She firmly returned to the fold in the last decade, even starring in her own series, and is well on track to become a DC icon when Amber Heard returns to the live-action role in Aquaman.

#8 Ocean Master (DC)
Real Name: [Orm Marius]
First Appearance: [Aquaman #29 (September, 1966)]
Recent Opponents: [Aquaman, Martian Manhunter]
Featured Fight: [Aquaman versus Ocean Master]

Almost all of our best ranked deep sea dwellers have been friends & allies to DC and Marvel's highest ranking icons -- but some of comics' most famous underwater patrons are super-villains! Case in point: Aquaman's jealous half-brother Orm, whose pursuit of the Atlantean throne and bitter jealousy against his half-sibling have led him to take the moniker of Ocean Master!

Although their relationship wasn't immediately apparent in his maiden comic book voyage, their natural opposition led Ocean Master to immediately become one of Aquaman's leading nemeses! He appears as the arch-adversary threatening Atlantis in this month's Aquaman feature film played by Patrick Wilson.

#9 Tempest (DC)
Real Name: [Garth]
First Appearance: [Adventure Comics #269 (February, 1960)]
Recent Opponents: [Black Manta, Black Lantern Corps]
Featured Fight: [Aquaman, Dolphin & Tula versus Mera & Tempest]

The original Aqualad missed out on our Top 10 Teen Titans but his assist battling the dastardly Black Manta in Adventure Comics #446 means he swims against the tide into our best oceanic heroes & villains -- and why not? The Silver Age sidekick of Aquaman was once one of the most recognizable deep sea dwellers in comics!

Debuting as another half-man/half-Atlantean, he formed a heroic partnership after meeting Aquaman, and later joined Robin & Kid Flash to form the original all-star sidekick squadron: The Teen Titans! As he matured, Garth forged a legacy of his own, learning to control the current and temperature of water using ancient magicks wielded by his forefathers. As Tempest he found a family of his own with top three ranked Tula, but his lovelife came back to bite him in Blackest Night #2!

#10 Tigershark (Marvel)
Real Name: [Todd Arlis]
First Appearance: [Sub-Mariner #5 (September, 1968)]
Recent Opponents: [Sub-Mariner & Spider-Man]
Featured Fight: [Sub-Mariner & Spider-Man versus Dorcas & Tiger Shark]

Olympic swimmer Todd Arlis thought he'd receive public adoration and glory when he attempted to save a drowning man, but instead suffered a career-ending injury to his spinal chord. Not content with his lot in life, he volunteered for Dr. Dorcas' gene therapy, which spliced him with the hybrid mutant DNA of Prince Namor, and a tiger shark -- transforming him into a super-human predator!

Tiger Shark quickly left his sporting career behind in favour of delusions of grandeur that saw him pursuing the Atlantean throne. This established a classic arch-rivalry with the Sub-Mariner that continues to this very day! Namor has known many Atlantean enemies over the years, but Tiger Shark is the rare exception of a surface dweller who can match him on land and sea!

Bringing Up The Rear:
Doctor Dorcas, Aquanoids, Lord Krang, Tri-Gorr, Rommbu, Giganto, Mercury Monster, Black Manta & Attuma

Remember: The Rank & File Top 10 is determined by win/loss rankings at the time of publication. There are many more fish in the sea who could rank among the best. Who would make your cut? Don't forget you can share your Top 10 deep sea dwellers in the comments!

<< Rank & File: Top 10 National Champions     [Home]      Rank & File: Top 10 Teen Titans >>

HERO OF THE WEEK: BLACK MANTA (DC)
Real Name: David Hyde
First Appearance: Aquaman #35 (September, 1967)
Fight Club Ranking: #865

Featured Fights:
- vs AQUAMAN: Adventure Comics #446 (Jul-Aug 1976)

It was tempting to talk about Sony's Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse this week, which is dazzling audiences with its multiverse of colour and animation, but for all the good it brings, I'm not immediately excited about the fresh fractures it widens with multiple cinematic Spider-Men.

For better or worse, I'm more enticed by the first-run cinematic world-building of Aquaman, which is the other major superhero release hitting theatres in December. We certainly couldn't let 2018 pass without acknowledging the glory of Black Manta! Just look at the bad ass poster shared via @AquamanShrine last month [below]!

A villain once out of favor for his over-the-top design, Black Manta now struts into cinematic live-action with a serviceable recreation complete with that oh-so bonkers, oh-so wonderful bug-eyed helmet! He seems destined to be a favourite for anyone giving the movie a chance and I can see why! Yahya Abdul-Mateen II does the honors - bringing life to Black Manta as a technologically savvy nemesis out to collect on a vendetta against Aquaman! Just look at him!!

The film has already been racking up record-breaking box office overseas, confirming record takings in China for a US release. After the blowback felt by other DCEU movies, I've got to think early release in those markets was a deliberate, deft move to temper early negativity. It's a bit of a cynical move, but unlike other films from this slate, it seems to be in service of giving a fun movie a fair go.

To would-be moviegoers sneering at yet another CG-encrusted superhero blockbuster, I would suggest the mistake was seeing many of the other ones. Monotony has been an issue in superhero movies in general, but offerings like Batman v Superman and Justice League were obvious enough to betray their failings pre-release. Aquaman hasn't been easy to read ahead of time, but certainly pitches enough to make it the one worth rolling the dice on.

I'm looking forward to seeing a visually vibrant superhero film. It's too infrequent. A less-than-harrowing adventure into strange worlds sounds like a great change of pace. Actors like Willem Dafoe and Dolph Lundgren stir intrigue and enthusiasm. Villains like Black Manta and Ocean Master stoke curiosity, with all kinds of crazy extras stuffed into trailers to suggest something fun!

Aquaman officially makes domestic United States shores later this week, flooding theatres December 21st. Make sure you don't leave before the post-credits scene! If you haven't had enough hydration you can find more Aquaman by deep diving links in Hero of the Week, the Secret Archive and more!

<< Hero of the Week 12/24: Phoenix     [Home]     Hero of the Week 12/10: Firestorm >>

HULK versus CHAMPION OF THE UNIVERSE

And They Shall Call Him... Champion! (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 When: October 1982 Why: Tom DeFalco How: Ron Wilson

The Story So Far...
The Thing has battled some of the most powerful beings in this universe and beyond, earning a fighting reputation that spans galaxies! Enter: Proja - Promoter Supreme!

Charged with signing worthy opponents to face The Champion of the Universe - Proja sees big box office potential in a match between Thing and his client! Madison Square Garden is the only arena that could stage this once in a lifetime title bout, but you can't have a main event without an undercard!

The Mighty Thor was disqualified when he brought his enchanted hammer into the boxing ring. His exit paves the way for a potential show stealer as Champion welcomes a challenger who may be the strongest one there is: The Incredible Hulk!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Champion 7 (Omnipotent)
Intelligence: Champion 2 (Average)
Speed: Hulk 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Champion 7 (Unstoppable)
Agility: Draw 2 (Average)
Fighting: Champion 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Draw 1 (None)
Total: Champion of the Universe 29 (Metahuman)

If you subscribe to the theory that Hulk is typically stronger than his cousin: there's a compelling case for Champion of the Universe being in real trouble in today's bout! After all, we've seen She-Hulk beat him cold in She-Hulk #8!

Of course, She-Hulk's win only came after an earlier, ugly beating. Her second effort was facilitated by experience gained from the prior contest, three months of additional intensive physical training, The Champion under estimating her, and an argument to strip him of the Power Gem he was guarding, at that time.

Indeed, Champion of the Universe may be a merciless combatant, but as we saw in an earlier no contest against Thor: he plays by a strict set of ring rules!

Those rules helped She-Hulk turn her fortunes around, but they may not bode well for her rampaging cousin! This is a time when Bruce Banner wields some control over a more articulate Hulk, but the more he gives into his rage, the more he loses control. That rage is the source of his upper limits of strength, but it also means he's unlikely to be concerned with threats of disqualification!

Hulk is one of the preeminent powerhouses of the Marvel Universe and could very well have the strength to challenge The Champion! We've seen him lay vicious beatings on Juggernaut [Marvel Adventures #14], Silver Surfer [Incredible Hulk #95], The Sentry [World War Hulk #5], Thor [Avengers #5], The Avengers [Avengers #4], and The Thunderbolts [Incredible Hulk #449]!

We've also seen Hulk vex cosmic powers the likes of: Thing & The FF [Fantastic Four #12], Superman [Marvel versus DC #3], Green Lantern [Unlimited Access #1], Hercules [Tales to Astonish #79], and Thanos [Infinity Gauntlet #4]. Yet it must also be noted that each of these examples has ultimately concluded in a stalemate, or even the Hulk's defeat.

Given this is purely a contest of pugilistic power and brute physical strength - Hulk is in with a shot! Though an Elder of the Universe, we've seen proof Tryco Slatterus (as The Champ is otherwise known) can be defeated. Hulk is clearly among Earth's top tier of super-human fighters, but lacks finesse. His fists are fuelled with pure fury and everything depends on focusing them on the task of proving he really is the strongest one there is! Let's see how he did...

The Tape: Champion of the Universe Ranking: Hulk (#6)

What Went Down...
No sooner than Thor has been teleported from the Madison Square Garden spotlight does The Hulk suddenly appear! He warns The Champion that anger only makes him stronger -- and he's plenty mad with the alien's actions!In a demonstration of his awesome brawn the Hulk bangs his gloved fists together - reducing the boxing gear to strips of meaningless leather!

In truth, the hours of training and waiting have been a constant struggle for the man within the beast - Dr. Bruce Banner! As his resolve has weakened, his rage has stewed to the boil - blurring into madness as he finally takes the ring and begins a berserker charge toward his adversary!

It would surely be a main event worthy of the biggest marquees across the known galaxy -- but The Champion of the Universe is no mere barroom brawler! He deems this mindless Hulk unworthy of the contest he offers.

With but a raising of his gloved hand, Champion once again expels an opponent from the ring. The match is over before it started. Another No Contest!

The Hammer...
Oh, what might've been! If this were any other series, perhaps Hulk v Champion would've been one the biggest fights in Marvel Comics history! Alas, the green goliath was not the star of Marvel Two-In-One - and fated for an early exit.

Unlike the previous Thor fight; there were no actual blows exchanged during this battle, but a statement of intent was clearly made by the Hulk, and Champion initiated his method of avoidance. All of that is to say: this fight will go on the record as an inconclusive no contest (equal to a draw).

That means, to this point, The Champion has eliminated: Sub-Mariner by disinterested forfeit, Doc Samson by training injury, and Thor & Hulk by variations on disqualification and no contest. That sounds like an inauspicious start to the tournament, but it's all in favour of building to the main event!

When we next return to Madison Square Garden and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 - we'll get our first taste of pure pugilistic power when Sasquatch steps into the ring for a bona fide battle! We've also got Colossus, Wonder Man, and Thing waiting in the wings to take the challenge of the Champion of the Universe!

Sasquatch may not be your usual headliner from the Marvel Universe, but in the eighties, he and Alpha Flight were a cult force to be reckoned with! Canada's fuzzy, transforming answer to the Hulk has also been mixing it up lately in Marvel's current genre-bending super-hero/horror series: Immortal Hulk. Rest assured, it'll be a lot of fun to come back to his battle with The Champion!

It feels like next year is going to get a little cosmic, so providing all goes well, we might start getting some valuable data on the Elder known as Tryco Slatterus. To this point, his impact on the rankings hasn't been particularly impressive. He's exactly the kind of character Secret Wars on Infinite Earths was made to investigate - and that means big things lie ahead!

Technically Season 2019 begins here! Be sure to check out The Champion's recent entry into Hero of the Week, and vote for your favourite battles in the 2018 Feature Fight Recap! You can also keep your eyes on the Secret Archive for future updates and explore links throughout this post to discover an exciting multiverse of classic combat and superhero smackdown!

Show some love and make more discoveries by follow Secret Wars on Infinite Earths on Twitter and Facebook! That's where you'll find daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day. A like, share, and retweet is a great way to help spread the battlecry! Happy holidays, true believers!

Winner: No Contest (Draw)
#6 (--) Hulk [+1 draw]
#319 (+2) Champion of the Universe [+1 draw]

HERO OF THE WEEK: FIRESTORM (DC)
Real Name: Ronnie Raymond
First Appearance: Firestorm #1 (March, 1978)
Fight Club Ranking: #886

Featured Fights:
- vs BRIMSTONE: Legends #1 (Nov 1986)
- vs BRIMSTONE: Legends #2 (Dec 1986)

What a weekend! Narrowing it down to just one Hero of the Week has not been an easy task!

We had announcement trailers for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3 and Mortal Kombat 11 at The Game Awards on Friday! The first official trailers for Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame, and Spider-Man: Far From Home, (the latter, albeit, only witnessed by those attending a Brazilian Comic-Con)! There was also last night's broadcast of the first part of the hotly anticipated CW Three-Part Elseworlds crossover featuring previously discussed HOTW The Flash!

With all of these incredible multimedia heavyweights throwing haymakers from the hip -- what ultimately piqued my interest? It turned out it was something from comics! More specifically: Firestorm - The Nuclear Man, who had a major moment in this week's Doomsday Clock! Read on if you don't mind spoilers!

The highlight came in last week's Doomsday Clock #8, where Firestorm became embroiled in the "Supermen Theory", which supposes hostile military conspiracy is responsible for the high density population of super-powered individuals in the United States.

Newsarama documented the key events - most notably Firestorm's pursuit of Pozhar - which resulted in the accidental transmutation of everyone in Moscow's Red Square into glass. This unusual event, along with Superman's attempt to pacify Russia, has apparently brought them to the brink of war.

The political thriller has obvious overtones reminiscent of Watchmen, functioning quite openly as a controversial pseudo-sequel and crossover, but the eighties reference also seems to extend to the pre-New 52 DC Universe, where Firestorm and Pozhar were significant players, emerging together out of the American/Russian tensions that played a major role in late-eighties, post-Crisis DC Comics.

The more DC Comics can evoke the spirit of better days, the more interested I'm certainly going to be. We've been looking back at the period more often on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, including two noteworthy episodes in this year's featured fights, from Suicide Squad #6 and Suicide Squad #43.

There's still a twinkle of hope that the entire exercise of Doomsday Clock, and its largely unnecessary exploitation of the Watchmen brand, might at last be walking back the damage done with Flashpoint and The New 52. At the very least, it's bringing the Golden Age heroes and the Justice Society of America back into the picture, which is welcome.

Whatever the end goal is: I got a real kick out of Firestorm being back in the spotlight, mixing it up with old enemies (and friends), and having a heroic moment as he reached into the matrix of his powers to restore human beings who were turned into glass.

Yes, I also enjoyed the People's Hero of Russia callously shattering those same people as they and military tanks rushed to attack a Superman desperate to protect the very lives they were ending. Somehow that just didn't seem in the spirit of Hero of the Week. Maybe if Stalnoivolk shows up, eh?

If you like late-eighties DC Comics, be sure to check out the 2018 Feature Fight Recap and vote for those Suicide Squad battles I mentioned. The Top 20 fights of Season 2018 will be crowned this month. All you have to do is click those links as many times as you like to register a hit for the respective battle! Vote for as many fights as you like - as often as you like!

<< Hero of the Week 12/17: Black Manta      [Home]     Hero of the Week 12/03: Daredevil >>

ANNUAL PUNCH-UP: 2018 FEATURE FIGHT RECAP

Technically the Secret Wars on Infinite Earths season begins and ends in December! That means it's time to reflect upon a big year of featured fights from the last twelve months! We had an eclectic mix of heroes & villains who were taking movies, comics, and video games by storm in 2018. There were major milestones revisited - and tributes paid to some of the industry legends who sadly left us.

This year you can vote for the best battles featured in 2018! All you have to do is revisit your favourite fights by hitting the recap links below! The battles with the most hits will be part of our Annual Top 20 Cover to Cover coming in the next two weeks! Some real gems went under the radar, so be sure to use social media links to help spread the word! You can vote for as many battles as you like, as many times as you like! So go forth and discover!

#1 Captain Marvel versus Thing (Captain Marvel #26)
#2 Deadshot versus Enchantress (Suicide Squad #6)
#3 Hawkman & Captain Comet versus Sinestro (Secret Society of Super-Villains #5)
#4 Black Panther versus Thing (Fantastic Four #52)
#5 Black Panther versus Ulysses Klaw (Fantastic Four #53)
#6 Wolverine versus Black Panther (Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions #3)
#7 Bronze Tiger & Vixen versus Stalnoivolk (Suicide Squad #43)
#8 Jessica Jones versus Scorpion (Alias #23)
#9 Captain Marvel versus Superman (Action Comics Annual #4)
#10 Superman versus Orion (Action Comics #586)
#11 Fantastic Four versus Gladiator (Fantastic Four #249)
#12 Nova & Drax versus Annihilation Wave (Annihilation #1)
#13 Iron Man, Thor, Firelord & Sub-Mariner versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#14 Hulk & Drax versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#15 Vision, Sub-Mariner & She-Hulk versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#16 Thor, Doctor Doom & Firelord versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#17 Wolverine versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#18 Scarlet Witch, Cyclops, Iron Man & Vision versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#19 Cloak versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#20 Firelord & Drax versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#21 Terraxia versus Iron Man (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#22 Spider-man & Thor versus Thanos & Terraxia (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#23 Nova versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#24 Quasar versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#25 Captain America versus Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4)
#26 Deadpool versus Cable (New Mutants #98)
#27 Lady Deathstrike versus Domino (Domino #2)
#28 Spider-man versus Electro (Marvel Knights: Spider-man #3)
#29 Kingsize versus Wasp (Marvel Super-Heroes #3)
#30 Spider-man versus Vulture (Amazing Spider-man #7)
#31 Doctor Nemesis versus Giant-Man (Marvel Comics Presents #114)
#32 Ghost versus Iron Man (Iron Man #239)
#33 Guy Gardner versus Eradicator (Action Comics #688)
#34 Aquaman versus Ocean Master (Adventure Comics #444)
#35 Venom & Morbius versus Demogoblin (Venom: The Enemy Within #3)
#36 Juggernaut versus Deadpool & Siryn (Deadpool: Sins of the Past #3)
#37 Spider-man versus Mister Negative (Amazing Spider-man #621)
#38 Steel Serpent versus Iron Fist & Spider-man (Marvel Team-Up #63)
#39 Typhoid Mary versus Daredevil (Daredevil #255)
#40 Supergirl versus Martian Manhunter (Adventure Comics #450)
#41 Venom versus Spider-man (Amazing Spider-man #347)
#42 Venom versus Ghost Rider (Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #6)
#43 Solomon Grundy versus Bizarro (Solomon Grundy #2)
#44 Aquaman, Tula & Dolphin versus Mera & Tempest (Blackest Night #2)
#45 Deathstroke versus Robin (Uncanny X-Men and New Teen Titans #1)
#46 Hulk versus Fantastic Four (Fantastic Four #12)
#47 Aquaman versus Black Manta (Adventure Comics #446)
#48 The Flash versus Rag Doll (Justice League of America #196)

You can find more superhero smackdown and classic contests by checking the Secret Archive for a full index! Stay tuned to the main page for more updates as Secret Wars on Infinite Earths continues!

HERO OF THE WEEK: DAREDEVIL (Marvel)
Real Name: Matt Murdock
First Appearance: Daredevil #1 (April, 1964)
Fight Club Ranking: #13

Featured Fights:
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #132 (Apr 1976)
- vs HULK: Daredevil #163 (Mar 1980)
- vs TYPHOID MARY: Daredevil #255 (Jun 1988)
- vs PUNISHER: Daredevil #257 (Aug 1988)
- vs TURK: Marvel Comics Presents #19 ((May 1989)
- vs SCOPE: Marvel Comics Presents #49 (May 1990)
- vs SLADE: Daredevil: Man Without Fear #2 (Nov 1993)
- vs DEADPOOL: Contest of Champions II #4 (Nov 1999)
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #49 (Sep 2003)
- vs PUNISHER: Daredevil #65 (Nov 2004)
- vs WOLVERINE: Wolverine #24 (Mar 2005)
- vs SINISTER TWELVE: Marvel Knights: Spider-man #11 (Apr 2005)
- vs JESTER: Daredevil #75 (Sep 2005)
- vs BULLSEYE: Daredevil #79 (Jan 2006)
- vs IRON FIST: Daredevil #87 (Sep 2006)
- vs TOMBSTONE: Daredevil #90 (Dec 2006)
- vs TOMBSTONE & MATADOR: Daredevil #91 (Jan 2007)

After three seasons on Netflix: Daredevil has officially been cancelled! The news came via Deadline, who reports Marvel may still have plans for Charlie Cox and the live-action series, which joins Iron Fist and Luke Cage on the chopping block. Jessica Jones and The Punisher are expected to follow suit, once already-produced third and second seasons debut for the respective shows.

High cost of production and plunging ratings have been the most cited cause for the break, but diverging interests have been developing between Marvel and Netflix for quite some time. Long awaited confirmation of a Disney streaming service signaled the end, but a struggle appeared to be brewing when Netflix made surprise moves in 2017 to purchase Mark Millar, and all his foreseeable Millarworld comic book creations. This included a venture into the publishing world.

Some assume Daredevil could play out unresolved plotlines on the Disney+ platform, but there's no shortage of options ahead. A continuation would be one way to encourage an existing Netflix viewer-base to explore the new alternative, but Netflix have made it known the various existing Defenders shows will continue to be available, suggesting the library could be tied-up for a little while. Disney are also already banking on three high-profile mini-series spinning out of their film division.

Falcon & Winter Soldier, Scarlet Witch & Vision, and Loki are all set to utilize characters from the Avengers film pantheon, delivering the Marvel Universe to an extended television format in ways ABC's Agents of SHIELD -- and the Netflix dramas themselves -- never did. Their isolation and adult tone gave the Netflix shows some broad appeal, but a dearth of characters and reference also led to some of the greatest criticisms. Their value moving forward may be in parts, rather than shows.

The expansive implications of Avengers: Infinity War highlighted a desire to see Daredevil and his TV kin within the larger Marvel context. Indeed, if there were any way to continue on with Daredevil, the most desirable would probably be a team-up with Spider-man!

Sony have been talking up a crime-filled future of Spider-related films, building up prospects for the Black Cat, Tombstone, Silver Sable, and more. It would be awesome to see Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin assume his place at the top of that organized crime world!

To date Marvel haven't typically gone very hard with their properties, but the potential to be more interesting is being foisted upon them. The original film Avengers are increasingly flirting with an exit, and the winds of change present the potential to restock the movie tent-pole with characters whose history has already been told. Daredevil and the Netflix characters could usher in an era of New Avengers, or even bolster supporting casts, such as Iron Fist in a sequel to Doctor Strange.

If history has told us anything, it's that the most exciting prospects probably won't pan out. The future is never the less uncertain. Marvel is preparing to welcome X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Silver Surfer back into their fold via the FOX acquisition. With Daredevil and the Netflix characters now at loose ends, the future feels very uncertain. Which is good enough to make DD the Hero of the Week!

<< Hero of the Week 12/10: Firestorm    [Home]    Hero of the Week 11/26: Aquaman >>

FLASH versus RAG DOLL

Countdown To Crisis! (DC)
Where: Justice League of America #196 When: November 1981 Why: Gerry Conway How: George Perez & Romeo Tanghal

The Story So Far...
In an effort to destroy his nemesis Superman, Ultra-Humanite forms a Secret Society of Super-Villains across two worlds. His goal: to orchestrate the capture of ten key heroes who will upset the balance of worlds - resulting in the orchestrated destruction of his own!

Earth-1 is home to a Justice League of America led by the youthful Superman, while Earth-2 boasts seasoned veterans of the Justice Society and a matured Superman. Despite a meeting between the heroes of two worlds, they are blissfully unaware of the forces plotting against them!

The Society's efforts have already led to the capture of Earth-1's Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Batman and Earth-2's Hawkman and Hourman! Now the wicked Rag Doll, and recently unretired Monocle, set their sights on Earth-2's Flash with the world only 40% away from cosmic annihilation!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Flash 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Flash 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Flash 7 (Light Speed)
Stamina: Rag Doll 6 (Generator)
Agility: Rag Doll 6 (Rubber)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Rag Doll 2 (Projectiles)
Total: Flash 26 (Metahuman)

As the golden age Flash: Jay Garrick was the fastest man on Earth-2! Exposure to strange vapors unlocked the speedster's unique powers, later linked with the same esoteric Speed Force that fuels Barry Allen and Wally West!

How do you beat a guy who can move faster than you can see? A lot of villains have tried, but few methods have been as unusual as Rag Doll's!

If you've ever had a friend who was double-jointed, you've seen first-hand how a person can bend fingers and limbs the wrong way. In the case of Rag Doll: Peter Merkel was born triple-jointed -- allowing him to twist and contort his every joint into bizarre and impossible configurations!

Most notably: Rag Doll can compact his body into impossibly tight spaces. With such phenomenal natural pliability has also come a super-human quality to absorb impacts! The flow of his flexible limbs isn't super-fast, but he's been shown to react quick enough to twist between the flight path of gunfire!

Rag Doll's known to carry guns himself, and even though The Flash is faster than any speeding bullet, he can occasionally be caught by surprise! We saw Sandman use powers and terrain to chin-check Flash in 2004's JSA #64.

Rag Doll can exploit any nook or cranny in a given environment, allowing him to hide in plain sight and launch attacks on unsuspecting victims. He may look like a goofy child's toy, but it turns out Rag Doll is actually quite deadly!

The Tape: Flash Ranking: Flash (#143)

What Went Down...

A red & blue streak blazes a trail along a Keystone City dock at dusk. The Flash racing to meet an anonymous police tipster with information about Rag Doll!

Hidden between wooden crates, and obscured by hat and coat, the informant points Flash in the direction of a ship: The Lazy Sue. The speedster leaves with thanks in the blink of an eye -- never noticing the villainous Monocle!

It only takes a few more beats for Flash to have scoured the entire vessel and come up empty -- or so he thinks!..

It soon dawns on The Flash that his old enemy Rag Doll can hide in smaller spaces than any ordinary man! The realization comes with seconds to spare as the folded Rag Doll leaves his hiding place in a ventilation cowl and opens fire!

Flash reacts with super-human speed, blurring out of the line of fire and towards the protruding tube! He returns fire with a knife-edged chop thrown at speeds high enough to cut right through the rusting metal structure!

Rag Doll manages to escape injury and makes a leap for the cargo hold! The hero estimates the plunge at a leg breaking forty feet, but soon remembers the "rubber-jointed freak" won't suffer a scratch from the fall!

To avoid injury himself, Flash swings his hands fast enough to create two focused jets of downforce that glide him safely to the level below.

Before the speedster can begin his search of the hold - he spies a waiting bundle of dynamite amongst the cargo. It explodes -- launching the unprepared hero into the air with a devastating blast!

The Flash crashes back down to the hold with his helmet clanging beside him! The explosion leaves the hero unconscious as Rag Doll stands unscathed over his nemesis, gloating about his powers of resilience in victory!

The Hammer...

It was a plan that worked to perfection: Monocle lures The Flash to the trap - Rag Doll blows it up! Eloquent in its simplicity, and devastatingly effective at scratching one of the major heroes off The Secret Society of Super-Villain's hit list of two worlds!

This was part of the annual crossover between Earth-1's Justice League of America and the Justice Society of Earth-2. Ultra-Humanite is the mastermind, plotting to surgically remove key heroes in the hopes of creating a cosmic imbalance that will destroy his world. If you know anything about the Ultra-Humanite: you know he won't mind relocating!

There are a lot of fun villains in this one that've been slightly forgotten, or just overlooked. A recent spotlight in Hero of the Week got me thinking more about the original comic book Rag Doll, who hasn't featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths yet. I figured I'd pull this issue off my desk and take a closer look.

It's a nice quick showcase of what makes Rag Doll work as a functioning high-concept super-villain. He's hiding in the shadows right under the hero's nose, then he strikes with total impunity - unafraid of the shock of an explosion!

It's a good transposing of the old children's dolls that always seem to survive a plane crash or similar human crisis. I'm in favour of updating the design of the character to enhance the creepiness, but there is a charm to such a ridiculous visual. If blowing up Flash wasn't bad enough for you, he robbed a bank with guns blazing in the prior issue. A nice subversion of an innocent image.

Now that we've seen the original Pete Merkel in action, we'll have to find time to get Junior on the books. The 2005 Simone/Eaglesham creation reinvented the concept by cranking up the creepy weirdness, and doubling-down on the body horror of surgically acquired triple-joints. A nice updated, made all the more appreciated by keeping the original in tact. In fact, papa Doll hates his son!

Not such a great showcase for Jay Garrick, who's played a little too absent minded for my taste. All part of moving the three-issue story along with enough gravitas to threaten A-list assemblies from two worlds.

The tradition of the JLA/JSA meet-up essentially starts with 1963's Justice League of America #21. It became a regular staple of the seventies and early eighties, before it kinda became redundant once Crisis on Infinite Earths consolidated all properties in one continuum.

Justice League of America #196 is titled the "Countdown to Crisis". Before there was a Crisis on Infinite Earths, there were crises on multiple Earths.

I've always been of two minds about the idea. It's obviously a lot of fun to have two generations of heroes meet. Nice that the tradition ensures it's going to happen sooner than later. I just kinda prefer that they're all living on the same world. It loses a little bit of the sense of importance, but it also never gets silly as the years go by. It's also nice to have a DCU populated with all these great characters! When Jay Garrick was a recurring part of The Flash's world, that was great! When he was having his own adventures in JSA - even better!

If you want to cross between time and space, you can do it by picking yourself up a collected edition via Amazon! Today's story can be found in its three-issue entirety in Crisis on Multiple Earths Volume 6. If you shop with the link provided, you help support our Secret Earth that hosts The Comic Book Fight Club!

You can find more featured fights and superhero smackdown by diving into the Secret Archive! There you'll find the many Earths of DC, Marvel, and beyond! Be sure to follow links throughout this post to discover more wonders relevant to your favourite topics!

You can also follow Secret Wars on Infinite Earths via Twitter and Facebook for daily links to fights inspired by the topics of the day! Liking and sharing battles is a great way to support the site, so be a pal!

Winner: Rag Doll (w/ Monocle)
#317 (new) Rag Doll
#322 (-179) Flash (Jay Garrick)
#545 (new) Monocle [+1 assist]

HERO OF THE WEEK: AQUAMAN (DC)
Real Name: Arthur Curry
First Appearance: More Fun Comics #73 (November, 1941)
Fight Club Ranking: #20

Featured Fights:
- vs OCEAN MASTER: Adventure Comics #444 (Mar-Apr 1976)
- vs BLACK MANTA: Adventure Comics #446 (Jul-Aug 1976)
- vs MERCURY MONSTER: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs WOOD KING: Secret Origins #32 (Nov 1988)
- vs SUB-MARINER: Marvel versus DC #2 (Apr 1996)
- vs ULTRAMARINE CORPS: JLA: Classified #3 (Mar 2005)
- vs DESPERO: JLA #118 (Nov 2005)
- vs MERA & TEMPEST: Blackest Night #2 (Oct 2009)

We've been paddling in the Aquaman pool on-and-off for a couple of months now, exploring uncharted waters in anticipation of next week's theatrical release. WB has unleashed the final trailer, officially signaling our Hero of the Week's imminent arrival - December 5th! Check it out below:

It's been tough to get a precise read on the film, but I'm very much enjoying the visual spectacle and promise of a unique flavor! It's been a while since Hollywood embraced its tradition of the deep sea epic. The vibrant colours of an underwater environment have instantly imbued Aquaman with an unique aesthetic that comic book movies have too often lacked!

The underwater kingdoms and creatures look pretty good for what is, presumably, a mostly CG creation. There's every hope Atlantis and its neighbouring civilizations can succeed where similar films have failed. This is already looking more exciting than Green Lantern's dimly lit Oa, and slightly more stimulating than the dry fantasy realms of 2012's underrated John Carter. I'm a fan of the cool palette, complimented with sea creature neons. It all looks very well realized and palatable.

Efforts to bring Jason Mamoa's Aquaman more in line with a classic comic book design have been much appreciated, as well. The gold and green looks fantastic! Even Amber Heard looks pretty great in Mera's simple fish scale suit, with vivid red hair! The only fear for Yahya Abdul-Mateen's helmeted Black Manta is that there might not be enough of him in the final cut! He looks incredible!

Even if there's some lingering uncertainty - it's been a welcome change of pace to have genuine curiosity about a DC film after the ominous misery of most of their other offerings. Indeed, the stink of Justice League could've been a real detriment, but by doubling down on what makes Aquaman unique, the movie has positioned itself to be the most enticing of the bunch!

It also helps that this will be a rare example of WB & DC beating their competition to the punch. Aquaman will claim the waters before Disney & Marvel are able to make use of the much discussed Sub-Mariner license. Given the unflattering comparisons of Justice League to Avengers -- and DC's entire model for building a shared cinematic universe -- that's no small relief!

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has traditionally been a Sub-Mariner stronghold, but even we've succumbed to Aquamania! Friday's feature fight win not only pushed Aquaman into the Top 20, but also marks the first time in the history of the site we've ranked Aquaman above Namor!

The majority of Warner Bros' slated productions involve more offerings from their proven properties [Harley Quinn, Joker, Wonder Woman], but I remain of the long held belief that drilling into faithful cinematic versions of less travelled characters could be the best way to combat Marvel Entertainment's milquetoast dominance. It certainly seems to have worked for Sony's Venom, and is well on the way to delivering the same for Aquaman. Let's just hope the movie's actually good!

<< Hero of the Week 12/3: Daredevil     [Home]     Hero of the Week 11/19: Rag Doll >>