ZATANNA versus ZOR
"Zor!"
Where: Seven Soldiers: Zatanna #4 When: December 2005
Writer: Grant Morrison Artist: Ryan Sook

The story so far...
In this Seven Soldiers mini-series, Zatanna has been adventuring within herself, and the world of magic, as she comes to terms with all that she is, and all she can be.

With her powers failing her, Zatanna travels with a mysterious new apprentice called Misty, who exhibits great magical potential, and has a little magic die that seems to serve her every whim.

Encountering the legendary Ali-Ka-Zoom, Zatanna learns more about her own past, and the history of her young friend, on her way to find council with seven unknown men. What she finds, is Zor.

Tale of the tape...
Like previous entries, Zatanna is a character that has been proclaimed as potentially one of the most powerful heroes in comics. Unlike a Mr. Fantastic, whose abilities rely on his special skills, and execution -- Zatanna's formula is very simple. Say it, and it happens.

Granted, it's not that simple. She has to say it backward, but over the years I can't say I've ever seen her struggle with this. As a novelty act, there are actually people in the world who do phonetically speak backward. So, with a lengthy history behind her, Zatanna really is bound by her own will and imagination.

Intelligence: 2 (Normal human)
Stamina: 3 (Strong willed)
Energy powers: 4 (Arsenal)

For a character with such unlimited potential, it's tough to nail down any kind of rating on each individual stat. Based on her tame interpretations, I have hopefully adequately represented her strengths.
Again, her magic isn't terribly well represented by the typical stats, and therefore her potential is quite a bit higher.

On the flip side, my sources tell me Zor has never appeared prior to this issue, so he enters as an unknown equation. It is quite obvious that he is of greatly significant power, and with Zatanna a little less than certain of herself, he could potentially defeat her.

As we saw in the Justice League's fight with Deathstroke, Zatanna can be swiftly eliminated by an able foe through a silencing maneuver. That said, against the unknown quantity, you'd still surely have to put your money on Zee.

What went down...
Initially Zatanna is surprised. The silhouette emerging through the fog resembles that of her deceased father, the great magician Zatara. It is, of course, not Zatara.

You'd probably never guess it, but FYI, his name is Zor!

Apparently amused by Zatanna's hopeful mistake, Zor shoots her with a couple of eye-bullets (as you do), and remarks that in her world he can make her his daughter, or do anything else he can imagine.

Zor reimagines Zatanna as though she was raised by his own hand. Perverse and spiteful. Dark and venomous. He creates Zorina, dark (and sexy) daughter of Zor.
Of course, the gag is, being a Bizarro-Zatanna of sorts, Zorina rebels against her father, "Erotser annataz ot yonna yddad!"

The formerly captured Shapeless Being serving "the new architect of the universe" is Zatanna's instrument of counter measure, using him to ensure she becomes whatsoever Zor becomes.

The two magical beings exit the physical realm, doing battle in another place. A place where reality is meaningless, and will becomes absolute.
Zor plucks a satellite from orbit and hurls it at Zatanna, only to see it caught and spat out by the heckling Justice Leaguer. She makes fun of his beard.

"Liar! It's a magnificent beard and I know you want one! Hahahaha!"

Zor hurls comets at Zatanna, and she breaks the jar that contains the Shapeless One. Reality slips farther from Zatanna's grasp, and the fight leaves the page, taking a trademark Morrison trip through the fourth wall.

Zatanna and Zor begin to battle with the very reality we're reading.
Zor tears through the panel on the page, as Zatanna struggles and falls.
The two magicians race through the very fabric of reality, and somehow Zatanna manages to get one step ahead of Zor. For a moment they wrestle as two people, in the oily scum of Slaughter Swamp.

Then Zatanna reaches out. She extends her arm toward us, and she realises she couldn't find the seven unknown men because they were there, on the outside, all along. She stands before "the time tailors".

Zor lies on a table, disected by the Time Tailors for manipulating reality beyond boundaries deemed acceptable. Zatanna is granted access to their information, and victorious, this soldier is granted one last moment with her father. The real one.

The Hammer...
I have to admit, this looked like a much better idea after Christmas when I read the mini-series and got very excited about it. My interests have waned a little with time, but it's still a fantastic book, with a fantastic character.

I think it's pretty safe to say Zatanna is unanimously victorious, being that she's the character who managed to continue her existence. Call me old fashioned, but I think existing is always a pretty good indicator of someone's status.

While my interests may have waned over time, I have to absolutely sing the praises of this mini-series. Grant Morrison needs no further introduction, but Ryan Sook is proving to be a name I'm slowly coming to recognise. His pencil work on Seven Soldiers: Zatanna is truly phenomenal, and further complimented by the inks of Mick Gray and Nathan Eyring on colours.

Of the Seven Soldiers collection of series it was only this, and Mister Miracle, so far, that caught my attentions. Without a doubt I imagine Zatanna was the most interesting of the lot. Great read!

The Fight: 3 The Issue: 6.5

NEXT WEEK: The monthly punch-up, with all the information you'll need for the upcoming DC versus Marvel/Marvel versus DC super event! Plus, the newly popular top five! Be here!

BULLSEYE versus DAREDEVIL & ELEKTRA"The Murdock Papers"
Where: Daredevil #79 When: January 2006
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis Artist: Alex Maleev

The story so far...
Two years ago Matt Murdock was attacked by his enemies, just like he'd been attacked by his enemies time and time before. This time, however, the toll of all those previous fights had been take, and this time, Matt Murdock intended to end it.

Having been humiliated and utterly defeated at the hands of Daredevil, the Kingpin finally made a move to use the information of Daredevil's secret identity.

Setting up all the pawns, Kingpin negotiates his way to a better life abroad, while manipulating the federal investigation forces into hunting his nemesis down.

The assassin Elektra returns to help prevent the Kingpin's "Murdock Papers" falling into the wrong hands, as one of only three people who know they existed. The other two people being the Kingpin himself, and the man who once killed Elektra, the Kingpin's other prized assassin.

Bullseye is back.

Tale of the tape...
Technically we're featuring the rematch before the kick-off, but these characters are so familiar with each other, I don't think showing fights out of sequence is going to affect things too drastically.

The X-factor in this particular fight is common to all three characters involved, and that's history. Elektra's as cool as they come, but it has to do something to even the best of us, knowing you're fighting a guy who's killed you. Especially the way Bullseye was able to do it, with her own weapon.

Energy powers: 4 (Arsenal)

The energy powers is a difficult category, but here the four is to represent Bullseye's incredible accuracy skills. Essentially he has access to an arsenal, making anything he can throw a weapon.

Agility: 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting ability: 5 (Martial artist)

Obviously having the agility to avoid Bullseye's attacks, or the associated hand-eye coordination to even counter them, is a tremendous advantage. Both Elektra and Daredevil each share the same rating for agility, as do they share fighting ability.

Against a marksman like Bullseye, their greatest advantage is to try to out maneuver his attacks, and then out fight him with a superior fighting discipline.
Of course, against a character as psychologically offensive as Bullseye, that might be easier said than done.

That said, on paper, the Daredevil and Elektra team would be hard to bet against.

What went down...
At the beginning of last issue, Daredevil posed a question, and got an answer when he caught a razor tipped ace of spades in mid-air -- right infront of Elektra's neck.

The story resumes with Bullseye flying onto the rooftop straddling a motorcycle, while throwing razor cards at Daredevil, Elektra, Black Widow and former special agent Angela Del Toro (the new White Tiger).

As DD looks to protect Del Toro, Elektra shows no hesitation where confronting Bullseye is concerned. She charges him, forcing them off the side of the rooftop, and down through a skylight into an office block.

Elektra continues to battle Bullseye through an eating area, avoiding a projectile hot coffee pot, while Daredevil tries to keep Del Toro out of harms way.
Though in posession of the White Tiger's amulet, DD is certain she lacks the skill necessary to fight a man as deadly as Bullseye. He proves his point, snatching the amulet away, and kicking Del Toro off the roof into a garbage laden alley below. She brakes her arm, but lives.

DD charges Black Widow with the task of protecting his wife Milla, before he joins the fray.

Inside the offices, Bullseye manages to get the jump on Elektra, and snatches one of her sai away. Pressed up against a wall, it all looks horribly familiar for Elektra, but before Bullseye can deliver the finishing blow a red billy-club hurtles into his throat.

Elektra cracks her fist against Bullseye's face, and DD makes his landing count, coming through the skylight onto Bullseye.
Bullseye is able to use it to his advantage though, turning the broken shards of glass into lethal projectiles.

Bullseye gets tossed out the window, landing on a buss in the street, but the damage is done. An innocent with a shard of glass in her throat passes. Daredevil will not let it go lightly.

On the street, DD emplores people to clear the area as he and Elektra each hurl one of their weapons at Bullseye. He's able to catch them both, and defend himself against Elektra's attack. It leaves him open to Daredevil, who slams him into the street, and catches Elektra's sai as Bullseye tosses it.

The fight goes to close quarter, Bullseye pulling Elektra into defend himself from a Daredevil punch, before getting a boot in the face. Elektra fights back, and Daredevil gathers himself, driving his fist into his arch-nemesis' face.
The nose busts. Blood sprays.

With his ass in his hands, Bullseye makes a run for it, but doesn't see a truck coming at the T-junction.

His body whips around, leaving him motionless in the middle of the street. Elektra checks for signs of life, and Daredevil tells her his legs are broken, and a rib is shattered, but like always, he still lives.

Elektra seeks vengeance, but despite the evils Bullseye has committed against him, this time the Catholic Murdock shows mercy for his deadly foe.

Before he can retrieve the papers he fought so hard for, a shot is fired, taking his shoulder. A sniper shot from so far away, not even Daredevil's keen radar senses could pick it up. Of course, that's a whole other story.

The hammer...
I think it's pretty safe to say that by the end of the fight, Elektra and Daredevil emerged the victors. Unless of course you consider Bullseye's broken leg predicament to be another notch on the Daredevil belt for championing disabilities.

It's probably noteworthy that despite being one of the biggest writers in comics today, Brian Michael Bendis has not been featured on Secret Earths prior to this. That is largely because of two things -- coincidence that other titles have grabbed my attentions sooner, and also because I am often a critic of his more recent works.

Regardless of my opinion of his work as a whole, I have to undoubtedly acknowledge his Daredevil as a truly impressive comic. Not only due to the fantastic art provided by Alex Maleev, but also because of the overall atmosphere, and Bendis' ability to take Frank Miller's contribution, and continue it.
That fact is also cause for critique, but overall Daredevil has been one of the most fantastic runs of his career. I'm sorry to see it end, but the Murdock Papers has been a worthy send-off!

The Fight: 7 The Issue: 7

NEXT WEEK: A fight that actually leaps off the page! Be here in seven!

GREEN ARROW versus THE BRICK
"New Blood Part Six: Coming Out"
Where: Green Arrow #45 When: February 2005
Writer: Judd Winick Artist: Phil Hester

The story so far...
In the midst of personal battles at home with his HIV positive ward, and his son, Green Arrow has been fighting a war on the streets.

The war, thus far, has been for naught. Daniel "The Brick" Brickwell, a mutated thug with skin like stone, has been taking Star City piece by piece from under the feet of Green Arrow.

As The Brick's control spreads through the Star City underworld, it becomes obvious that Green Arrow has to put a stop to it.

Tale of the tape...
At this point the Brick really hasn't been in action all that long, so to a degree he's a bit of an unknown quantity. Still, there are some very obvious assumptions that a strategist like Green Arrow could marke.

Strength: 5 (Super strength)
Fighting ability: 3 (Street wise)

Brickwell's most obvious strength is his 'brick' hard skin, and the proportionate super strength that comes with it. In a one on one confrontation, it's his invulnerability that make Brickwell such a difficult obstacle to over come.
A heavy hitter like a Superman could probably handle Brickwell relatively easily, but as a normal human with weapons, Green Arrow runs out of options.

Even if he is able to shoot off a few arrows, there's no guarantee they'll do more than distract Brickwell.

Intelligence: 4 (Tactician)

This has to be a battle of smarts for Green Arrow. Some of his trick arrows might prove as useful distractions, but this is a battle of ego. Green Arrow's motivation is to prove to Brickwell that he wears the trousers in Star City, and if he wants to, he can slap any gangster around.

Of course, against someone with the strength, and resources of the Brick -- that's easier said than done. On paper, if Green Arrow wasn't the super trooper hero he is, you'd have to lean toward Brickwell. Particularly considering Green Arrow has taken little time to plan for this fight.

What went down...
It was an evening like any other in the Brickwell household. Daniel was discussing ways to evade the attentions of the Penguin by outsourcing his arms running, when there was an interruption. Apparently Green Arrow had stopped by.

You've got to admire a hero who knocks on the front door, and challenges his arch-nemesis. Brickwell acknowledges the gaul it took, and orders his boys to hand GA his "toys" back, so they can step outside.

"Bitch, I have not got all day..."

Four arrows stop Brickwell mid-sentence, jamming themselves into his rock hard skin just barely. Brickwell appears surprised by the force of the shots, even though they don't slow him down. GA tries to fire off a couple more, but the Brick manages to swat him before they leave the bow.

Brick challenges GA to do better, and he tries, but Brickwell shows surprising speed. He snaps an unshot arrow, and slams Green Arrow against a concrete pillar. GA spits blood in the gangster's face defiantly, and gets hurled across the lot for his troubles.

The fight continues, Green Arrow finding himself grossly outmatched as he tries to slug it out physically with the Brick. Exhausted, he gets slapped around physically and verbally.

As Brick lunges in to finish him off, GA manages to stuff one of his ball ended trick arrows down his throat. Cold and concisely he fires off a glue arrow straight at Brick's gullet.

"That's not the regular glue bomb arrow." "It's a high-grade industrial adhesive."

Brick struggles in vain, until he falls to the ground -- suffocating.

GA shows mercy, spraying the adhesive with a dissolving compound. Though barely conscious, Brickwell is allowed to live, but not before Green Arrow delivers closing words.

"And don't forget... Don't you ever forget, Mr. Brickwell... who was wearing the boots. "Bitch.""

The hammer...
This was a fight akin to Daredevil putting the "final" kibosh on the Kingpin, so it's a shame The Brick didn't have an opportunity to established himself more as a character. It had the makings of a very solid story, but ultimately fell short through creative premature ejaculation. One would assume this may have come about by editorial mandates.

Quite obviously, despite getting slapped around like a little girl's doll, Green Arrow came out the other end victorious. As far as I know, we haven't seen The Brick since. If anyone wants to let me know, that would be greatly appreciated.

I really enjoyed this issue of Winick's GA. It's been on the pile for Secret Earths entries for a while. My only real critical disappointment with the story is the fact that the book didn't have a more mature tone to it, and couldn't have built up it's urban threats. Previous issues were marred by monsters and goblins.

After this issue things get considerably more Saturday morning super heroey, but that's not necessarily a bad thing for us. No doubt you'll see more GA in the future, but this might've been the best of it.

The Fight: 6
The Issue: 6

NEXT WEEK: The hero, the villain and the lover!

RYU versus BALROG
"Super Action Series"
Where: Street Fighter II #1 When: July 1994
Writer: Masaomi Kanzaki Artist: Masaomi Kanzaki

The story so far...
Super cool wandering warrior, Ryu, has found his way to the man-made manhattan of the island, Shad.
While looking for a decent meal, he runs afoul gangsters who have been plaguing a small family owned restaurant for insurance money.

Ever the hero, Ryu comes to the aid of the sexy store manager, but not before incurring the wrath of the gang boss -- former boxing champion, Balrog!

Ryu offers Po-Lin and her little brother Wong-Mei a chance to free themselves of debt if they bet money on him to win the fight. But does Ryu have what it takes to win?

Tale of the tape...
Okay, this isn't a typical super hero clash, but using the Haseloff system of categorizing powers and abilities, hopefully these relatively human characters can be accurately shown to measure up.

Fans of the video games will recognize Balrog as a pretty big deal, especially considering this is Ryu's first fight in this particular incarnation of the manga. Although not the easiest or most versatile of playable characters in the Street Fighter games, Balrog has to be acknowledged as a big deal.

Strength: 4 (Steroid popper)
Speed: 3 (Trained athlete)
Fighting ability: 4 (Trained fighter)

Like any real prize fighter, Balrog's keys to victory are in his technique and ability to execute. While regarded as a supremely skilled fighter, Balrog is also known for his ferocity, a fact that saw him thrown out of the boxing circuit.
In a street fight, that viciousness could be his greatest weapon, combined with his incredible strength and relative speed.

Stamina: 4 (Athlete)
Fighting ability: 5 (Martial artist)
Energy: 3 (Explosives)

As a Shotokan karate fighter, you can enter into the debate of martial artist versus boxer very easily. Rather than try to split hairs, let us just assume that each have been measured by a universal standard, and that standard has ranked Ryu a more skilled fighter.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of Ryu's technique, particularly against one of the few Street Fighters unable to harness their ki, is his hadou-ken and shoryuken attacks. Balrog's strength would likely allow him to out fight Ryu through sheer power, but he has to be in close to do that.

Kicks, and energy attacks are Ryu's most likely chance, and you'd have to think it's a good one. Apart from being one of Street Fighter's most revered hero characters, he's also extremely skilled.

What went down...
Little Las Vegas! The grudge bout of the century!
"You're mine..." "Let's do it."

As the fight kicks off, Balrog takes the aggressive offensive, moving in with a barrage of punches and fancy footwork.
Ryu manages to block them all, and moves in for a roundhouse kick, but gets nothing but air.

Balrog's speed is on display as he dodges the kick, and find's Ryu dazed and confused. He unloads with a dashing uppercut, ripping the ribs of the Japanese fighter.

The pummelling continues as Balrog gives Ryu everything he's got. A flurry of high speed punches seem to be too much for Ryu, who really never got out of the gates, as he hits the mat.

Balrog's team greet the champ as all hope seems lost for Po-Lin and Wong-Mei's, who were betting the shop on this one. However, to the shock and amazement of everyone, Ryu gets up!

"When you were in the ring, nobody ever survived your combinations.
But now, you don't even have a third of your old strength."

Balrog goes berzerk! He tosses his towel aside and charges into battle with Ryu, as the Japanese fighter berates him, lamenting on his fall from grace.

The taunting is too much for the former champion, who puts everything into his last punch - but it never connects.

Ryu unleashes his hadou-ken attack, putting the finishing move on Balrog, but the threat isn't over. An over zealous goon lines Ryu up in the scope of his rifle and fires at the victor.

Fortunately for Ryu, a mysteriouso stoic Guile emerges just in time to deflect the shot and destroy the gun. Balrog shows signs of turning a new leaf, denouncing the sniper attempt. He is gracious in defeat.

The hammer...
By his own opponent's omission, Ryu emerges as the obvious victor.

It's probably not surprising that I'm a huge fan of beat 'em up video games, and the characters therein. Street Fighter is certainly among my favourites, and this was a long time coming.
I'm pretty sure something from the UDON efforts will turn up on Secret Earths soon enough.

This particular issue serves as this month's attempt at fulfilling the 'obscure' slot. I really know very little about the origins of the book, or what became of it.
Like other beat 'em up comics, I never saw anything beyond the first issue, but I'm not certain whether it failed to make print, or just wasn't distributed.

I actualy bought this issue at the time in a supermarket magazine section.
Generally in Australia, at the time, comics were sold in newsagencys (as well as comic shops, of course), so this was quite an unusual find.

As far as I know the book itself was a Japanese reprint, that may or may not have been printed by Marvel comics. The brand printed on the cover, as you may or may not be able to see in my scan, is Tokuma Comics.
Hopefully by the time of the March punch-up, I might be able to tell you more about this little gem. It's not terribly faithful to the Street Fighter story, but it's still a favourite.

NOTE (Nov. 29, 2007): The Tokuma Shoten series has been translated and reprinted in it's original black and white unedited form, by UDON comics. If you're picking it up via Amazon, consider yourself informed!

The Fight: 3
The Issue: 4

NEXT WEEK: Green Arrow bashes his head against a brick wall!

MONTHLY PUNCH-UP #2
Alright, I think I'm getting the hang of this.

Welcome back to Secret Earths for the second of what will perhaps be many monthly punch-ups. Having added a hit counter this month, I actually know people are visiting, so... go team!

A pretty good selection of fights this month, even if I do say so myself. Perhaps garnering some of the most attention was Daredevil vs Scope, and for that reason I'm going to endeavor to mix the eras up. Not that you should hold me to that, because there are so many great comics grabbing my attention.

For anyone interested, I was pleased to be informed that Scope is in fact a character unique to the aforementioned feature story. Thanks to Vonn Hennigar for finding confirmation on that.

In case anyone hasn't noticed, I'm running a little behind schedle (contrary to the dates of these entries). Because of that, the weekly punch-up is going to take evasive action, so instead of just waffling on about a character, you're just going to get the top ten as it stands. Thanks for your patience.

March will kick off the three month celebration of the tenth anniversary of Marvel versus DC, and with any luck I'll find them time to upgrade to two entries every week, to offer some diversity. Three months is a LONG time for one theme.
In the mean time, hopefully you'll enjoy the attempt at making interesting selections for February.

The Top Five
#1 Batman (Unchanged)
Hardly surprising on a site like this that Batman would weigh in at first early, and continue to do so. That's largely due to the exposure of the character, and the successful nature of his strengths as a thinking hero. In the next coming months there will hopefully be a greater diversity, which may see this change for a time.

- Batman versus Superman
- Batman versus Superman
- Batman & Red Hood versus Captain Nazi, Hyena and Count Vertigo

#2 Captain America (+1)
Like Batman, you'd have to consider Captain America, a character known for his prowess as a fighter, as a worthy inclusion in the top five. Cap enjoyed a return to my comic collection thanks to the efforts of Ed Brubaker on a new series, but because it featured largely character driven stories, Cap may slide from the top by numbers.

- X-Men & SHIELD w/Captain America versus Wolverine
- Zombies (inc. Captain America) versus Magneto

#3 Mr. Fantastic (-1)
His gradual decline from the top ten has already begun, and you'd imagine it will continue as numbers accumulate. Generally not an active fighter, but as a member of the Fantastic Four, there's still a good chance he'll stick around. With pretty versatile powers, and the brain to potentially use them in infinite ways, Mr. Fantastic is often regarded as one of the most underrated, and potentially powerful, fighters in comics.

- Mr. Fantastic versus The Super Apes & Red Ghost

#4 Daredevil (new)
Here's a guy I'm sure will climb the ranks, just because I'm really digging the character lately. The end of Bendis and Maleev's run will no doubt inspire nostalgia, and several entries.
Like other entries, Daredevil is known for his fighting prowess, and should be considered a very valid top five fighter. Unfortunately my collection is lacking in previous appearances though, so his status could be in question.

- Daredevil versus Scope

#5 Wasp (new)
Okay, to the three or four Wasp fans out there -- I wouldn't expect her to stick around. As an unlikely offensive instrument of doom, zombie Wasp actually proved useful for something other than hasty retreat to deliver messages to loved ones. Yes, alternate reality counterparts to characters are included in the ranks to save confusion. DKR Batman is Batman, and Zombie Wasp is... well, I wouldn't want to say infront of the children...

- Marvel Zombies (inc. Wasp) versus Magneto

The Hammer...
That about wraps it up for this monthly punch-up.
As my efforts become spread thin amongst other projects this is likely the method I'll be taking each month, rather than trying to string together a monologue about a character.

With the Marvel/DC action taking over in March, I took the time to pick out four personal favourite fights for February. You've got a brick shithouse, reality bending mystic battles, old rivalries and more!

Next week: There'll be fighting in the street! Be here!

RED HOOD & BATMAN versus THE SOCIETY
"Franchise Part 2: The Away Team"
Where: Batman #647 When: January 2006
Writer: Judd Winick Artist: Doug Mahnke

The story so far...
It began when a man called Hush set into motion events that would throw the Dark Knight's life into chaos, as his foes were arranged like game pieces in formation against him.

Hush would later be revealed to be Bruce Wayne's childhood friend, Thomas Elliot, but betrayal would have two faces.

Orchestrated to disorientate the Batman further; Clayface masquaraded as the deceased Robin, Jason Todd.
When a new face in Gotham going by the Red Hood moniker, Joker's one-time alias, began stalking the streets, Batman's fears would be realised.

Alive once more by means unknown, Jason Todd began fighting a fatal one-man war against the criminals of Gotham, organizing his own sense of order.
When the villains united with Gotham's new boss, Black Mask, Jason Todd had for him one mighty enemy in the shape of The Society.

Tale of the tape...
"The Society" is a fairly broad label for what is, in this case; Captain Nazi, The Hyena and Count Vertigo.

Strength: 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: 2 (Normal human)

Captain Nazi is perhaps the most influential character in this particular scenario.
In combat he is designed to go head-to-head with the likes of Captain Marvel, which is a considerable advantage over the other human-level characters involved in this fight. He also has the ability to go uneffected by Count Vertigo's powers, which means he is potentially able to sweep the pot once Vertigo gets into action.

On the flipside, Captain Nazi could also single handedly lose the fight.
Though impressive in his own right, the animalistic Hyena is only minimally effective against disciplined and able fighters, as is Count Vertigo.

Ultimately, Captain Nazi is the lynchpin in this particular attack, and his intelligence arguably leaves him prone to attack from the tactically superior Batman. Particularly considering the history Red Hood and Batman share, offering them superior sycronisity in their fighting.

Of course, Red Hood's hostility toward the Batman could prove an issue.
You would however have to assume the administered powers of the Society would be the bigger threat, and the two would maintain alliance brief enough to thwart them.

Maybe next time, the Society should send Deathstroke, instead of having him give orders to the lackeys.

What went down...
Lured out by threat to his order of drug dealers; Red Hood is ambushed by Black Mask's Society goons. Captain Nazi and Hyena drop from the rooftops, but Red Hood is defiant in the face of adversity.

He scoffs the hired heavys, as he nimbly backflips over them and opens up with his twin pistols.

Hyena and Nazi dance in and out, taking shots at the young vigilante, between gun fire. Todd avoids the attack, but his hail of bullets barely even scratch Captain Nazi -- so he steps it up with high explosives.

The blasts topples the mighty Captain Nazi, but leaves Red Hood open to the agile and ferocious Hyena. The feral mind of the creature fixes in on the Red Hood, "Slow. Too slow. Weak and slow." "Yeah, or, y'know, stalling."

Four darts bury themselves into the Hyena's back, and the Dark Knight detective makes his presence known, dropping down from the rooftops above.
Red Hood kicks the Hyena off of him, and for the first time since his apparent death, Jason Todd sides with the Batman against evil.

Captain Nazi rips a post from the street, and swings it like a giant club at the dyanmic duo. They each dodge, and Red Hood dives at Batman, not to attack, but instead to execute a maneuver they've each practised dozens of times. A maneuver they honed as Batman and Robin.

Red Hood tosses razor tipped projectiles, and Captain Nazi blocks them easily with his forearm, as he was supposed to, leaving him vulernerable for the Batman to toss attaching explosives to his chest. He drops the powerline post, as he is again toppled by explosion.

Captain Nazi still stirs, but before either Batman or Red Hood can finish him, the world begins to swirl.
"Damn it to hell. There's three of them."

The floor rushes upward to meet their faces, as the effects of Count Vertigo's powers of disorientation take effect. Powers designed to affect the eyes and ears, attacking the physical rather than mental. Thus, Batman drops shields over his eyes and ears. Contingencies designed for the likes of the Scarecrow, but just as effective here.

Switching to sonar, Batman directs Red Hood toward the equally affected Hyena, while he tackles Count Vertigo, clutching only fabric. Not a miss timed step, but rather an ingenious piece of planning.

As Captain Nazi - unaffected by Vertigo's powers because of cybernetic implants - attacks the Red Hood, he's able to toss darts charged with hard stimulants at the feral Hyena.
The Batman swoops down, and using Vertigo's fabric to mask his own scent to the creature, he beats Hyena into a frenzy. Until he follows the scent back to Vertigo, and is pulled back before he goes beyond incapacitating the Count.

Nazi still has Red Hood wrapped up, forcing Batman into a stand-off with his grappling gun. Nazi calls his bluff, but Red Hood mercilessly recognizes the potential to end it, and drives a tazer into Nazi's cybernetics.

Red Hood mocks the Batman for his apparent surprise at the lethal resolution to the fight.

"Did you actually think this would go any other way?! Just be happy I only killed the Nazi!"

Red Hood chastizes his former mentor for his predictability, as he scales a fire escape, making his escape. The alliance of convenience, ended.

The hammer...
I have to acknowledge, this issue was a little while coming, because it's been one of the fights I've been most impressed with out of all the comics I've read recently. That's pretty high praise, considering all the mayhem going on in the respective Marvel and DC universes, which are largely the focus of Secret Earths.

Needless to say, Batman and Red Hood won this one.
As always, if anyone has any dispute to that, they should feel welcome to drop a comment.

I've really been surprised just how much I've been enjoying Winick and Mahnke on the flagship title. Winick's initial offering, with the Scarecrow, really didn't do a whole lot for me, but with the new on-going structure the title really has me tickled pink.

One of the most attractive elements I've found, is just the allusion of structure in Gotham right now. I often drift into rants about what I call a chess board continuity, where even if every piece isn't in play, it's still on the board. This, to an extent, is exactly that, and I'm enjoying it a great deal.

Perhaps the only thing more exciting than all the action, will be the conclusion to the on-going tussles between Batman, Red Hood, and Hush.

Stats:
Red Hood - Kill; with tazer to electronics. (Captain Nazi)

The Fight - 6
The Issue - 5.5

NEXT WEEK: Street fighting! Don't miss the punch-up!

MAGNETO versus ZOMBIES
"Marvel Zombies Part 1 of 5"
Where: Marvel Zombies #1 When: February 2006
Writer: Robert Kirkman Artist: Sean Phillips

The story so far...
As previously seen in Mark Millar's Ultimate Fantastic Four, in an almost identical alternate reality, the heroes have succumbed to a deadly plague that renders them little more than zombies.

With food supplies running thin in this world, Reed Richards attempted to reach out to his counterpart of the Ultimate universe, to lure him into a trap. Eventually the Magneto of this bizarre world was able to thwart plans of immigration, trapping the evil Fantastic Four in another dimension, but damning himself to remain with the infected in his own.

Tale of the tape...
Though infected with a zombie plague, this world really isn't so different from our own... well, y'know... their Magneto isn't, at least.

By and large most of Magneto's strengths are much the same, however in this particular scenario he is considerably drained, considering he's already taken part in events prior.

Stamina: 6 (Generator)
Energy Powers: 6 (Mass Destruction)

This stamina rating is obviously not at all indicative of the punishment Magneto's strength has already taken, but it does reflect his uncanny ability to constantly find something more in the most dire of situations.

Though in ruins, the fact that Magneto faces his adversaries in a city is no small factor. With a limitless supply of metals at his whim, Magneto potentially has at his fingertips an entire arsenal of ammunition. Which means if he can stay alive long enough to gather his energy, he's a pretty good chance.

Of course, staying alive is considerably easier said than done, when a dozen super heroes want to maim and eat you. Super heroes like; Daredevil, Spider-man, Moon Knight, Giant-man, Captain America, Luke Cage, Angel, Wolverine, Nova, Falcon, oh yeah, and the Norse God of thunder - Thor.

As daunting as that sounds, on paper, Magneto is always a very good chance.

What went down...
So... Magneto, dented helmet and all, stumbles around infront of some of the most powerful heroes undead. Not exactly a place you want to be, but then, there is that cuty of metal I was talking about...

Magneto summons up his strength and hurls anything he can find at the closing zombies. Shang Chi, Nova, Thor, Nighthawk, Cyclops, Daredevil and Moon Knight all take damage, giving Magneto the chance he needs to flee. Let's be honest, when you're in a city overrun by super powered zombies, cowardly is probably out of the equation.

Spider-man, out of webfluid, falls behind leaving Captain America to take pursuit to Magneto - shield in tow. I'm pretty sure the accompanying image should adequately inform where that headed. Metal shield, good one, Cap.

Magneto takes the shield and runs, finding temporary refuge in an alley amongst the ruins of New York City.

While laying low, the mutant master of magnetism receives word from Asteroid M, which has presumably survived zombie incursion. Intending to find a way to reach his satellite base, Magneto heads for the cover of the sewers, but [Not like this!] he's spotted by zombie Hawkeye.

Magneto decapitates the archer with Captain America's shield, but not before taking an arrow to the gut for his trouble.
Cap is there to retrieve his shield, giving Magneto the opportunity to toss him aside, as more zombies arrive on the scene.

Magneto uses the very arrow sticking out of him, as a weapon, sending it hurtling through Thor's throat. With the little strength he still has, Magneto fights for his life, whipping a car door at Giant-Man, before pulling a building down on he, and others.

Sadly, it's the least threatening of the former heroes that goes unchecked.
Under ordinary circumstances Wasp's offensive abilities in the field are questionable, but here she is the unseen missile that is Magneto's undoing.

As she grows to human-size and chomps down on his neck, the other heroes prepare to take their pound of flesh. As the zombies fight over their meal, Magneto is helpless to watch them tear him apart.

"I HOPE YOU CHOKE ON ME!!"

Thor and Hulk play tug-of-war with Magneto's body, Hulk eventually pulling his leg off. The heroes have their long overdue fiest, and one of the most powerful mutants on the planet is no more.

The hammer...
Magneto got eaten, so I'd have to think the zombies probably won this fight... Yeah... if you want to dispute that result, by all means, drop a comment!

I've been focusing a lot on fairly recent comics, and I have to admit, this was among the books I got only last month, for Christmas.
There's a very good reason for that, and that's by and large beause the comics have just been so damned good.

The novelty alone made this too attractive a comic to pass up, regardless of execution, which was pretty reasonable. It's an interesting concept, because it's so obvious. When I first heard about the UFF arc, my initial reaction was the mundane realization that nothing quite like mass zombie attack had ever really been done in big-two super hero comics.

In the delicate world of franchises and fickle fans, I can see why something like this might not work in the core universes, so I'm quite pleased with this mini-series on principle alone. It's one of the few praises I've had for Marvel over their last year of decimation of quality.

The Fight - 5.5
The Issue - 5

NEXT WEEK: Tag team action - Batman and Robin? Be here!

DAREDEVIL versus SCOPE
"White Messiah"
Where: Marvel Comics Presents #49 When: 1990
Writer: John Fligueroa Artist: Ron Wilson

The story so far...
This is probably a particularly obscure choice, considering it's only an eight page short story from an issue of Marvel Comics Presents. That's probably largely the appeal of it, because I've been focusing on fairly recent stories.

It's a hot time in the old town, as Daredevil pursues a tip from his good friend, Tony.

Very little about this case is any different than others. Men who deal in drugs and money, meeting at a remote dock location, where they believe themselves to be unseen. This time, however, it's Daredevil who is mistaken, as his stealth is challenged by the man called Scope, nicknamed so for his escape from everyone from the NYPD, to Interpol.

Tale of the tape...
I don't pretend to be any kind of Daredevil afficianado, but I've always liked the character, and with Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev on the title, I've grown to be a fan. That being the case, and Daredevil being one of the better fighters in the Marvel universe, this is the first chance to list a character who will probably show up on Secret Earths more than once.

Daredevil's prowess as a fighter is, of course, quite well documented, which directly contrasts his opponent on this particular occasion. As far as I know Scope had never appeared prior to this short, and has never appeared since, which is probably part of the appeal of discussing this story.

Stamina: 5 (Marathon Runner)
Agility: 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting Ability: 5 (Martial Artist)

DD's greatest skill as a super hero is his martial arts training, and condiitioning that allows him to execute his attack to the fullest extent. That, coupled with his keen radar senses, make for a stealthy and effective fighter, greater than perhaps even the Batman.


Being a somewhat mysterious threat, Scope can be assessed only superficially as a large, presumably powerful man, with a lotta henchmen, who have a lotta guns. Nothing DD hasn't tackled before, so you'd have to think Daredevil, lurking in the shadows, would have overwhelming odds in his favour...

What went down...
"Gentlemen, before we proceed, there's someone behind those boxes..."

The mysterious criminal called Scope tips his boys off to Daredevil's presence, as he lurks behind some crates, surveying the situation with his radar senses.
As the villains turn their machine guns toward his hiding place, Daredevil is forced to spring into action.

Daredevil is swift and confident, knocking at least six nameless goons down with various strikes, and pressure point attacks. The high-caliber weaponry forces him to be precise, and efficient.
With the pawns flattened, Daredevil gives Scope a chance to make his move.

The gangster opens his trenchcoat, revealing two metallic baseball bats - his weapons of choice.

Daredevil senses the metal by the heat they emit in the summer's night, as Scope twirls them in anticipation. DD tosses his billy club, striking one of the bats dead centre in mid-twirl. Scope mocks the statement.

As DD retrieves his club, Scope makes his attack, nailing him with both bats.
The Daredevil recognises the threat, "This guy is too big -- too powerful!" and acts on it accordingly. He throws his legs out from his grounded position, and turns it around, his boots finding jaw.


He holds nothing back, taking Scope out with old fashioned fists. Nothing fancy.
Then Scope fights back with another weapon. His words cut deep, as he draws parallels between he and Daredevil. He calls them brothers, and reveals himself to possess a radar sense similar to DD's own, even though Scope is sighted.

Though the battle is over, the war rages on as the police arrive to take Scope away. Daredevil's justice is served, but Scope's words stay with him.

"You, The Punisher, all of you white messiahs can think about something... the harder you push, the harder the streets push back. The image of the future isa child of the streets, rising and spitting in your masked face."

The hammer...
This might not be as obscure an issue as I think it is, but it's got a dear place in my heart. This is actually one of the few comics to survive my childhood through poor treatment (despite many good intentions), moving, and just unfortunate accidents. The latest chapter in the life of this comic has seen the tattered cover slip away from the staples that bind the book's pages together.

Even though I enjoyed this rendition, I've never been a huge Wolverine fan, although I was a very big fan of Erik Larsen's Spider-man through the late eighties, and early nineties. As a younger reader I actually remember being attracted to this comic purely because of the cover, which is very similar to another old favourite, with Punisher in-tow (an issue of Amazing).

As far as the fight goes, I think we can forego the moral victories and safely award the win to Daredevil. Though Scope put up a good fight, and could potentially do it again, this was a short story, and Daredevil put him down quick.

I don't really know if Scope ever appeared again, even though he threatened as much. A quick glance at ManWithoutFear.com turns up no mention of the character, and I can't say I ever remember hearing from him again. Of course, as I said previously, I'm no Daredevil afficianado.
If anyone knows more about Scope, drop a comment and fill me in!

Assuming he didn't ever show up again, and no one resurrects him any time soon, he's definitely a character I'll keep in my back pocket as I climb towards the goal of writing. I think he's a superb character, and really sticks in my mind, as part of this obscure, but memorable story.

The Fight: 3.5
The Issue: 4

NEXT WEEK: Magneto faces perhaps the greatest threat to mutant supremacy, ever! Be here Friday!

SUPERMAN versus BATMAN
"Hush Chapter Five: The Battle"
Where: Batman #612 When: April 2003
Writer: Jeph Loeb Artist: Jim Lee

The story so far...
Someone has it out for Batman. Someone good.

Hush, Jeph Loeb's return to Batman, and Jim Lee's return to monthly comics work. This was the year long maxi-series that had everybody asking questions about who was out for Batman, and how they were so successfully manipulating the pieces against him.

Already the victim of battling a mutated Killer Croc, and having undergone brain surgery, you'd think Batman had reached the worst of things to come. That was, of course, before the mysterious Hush brought Metropolis into the picture. Before Poison Ivy entered the picture, and before Superman fell under her influence.

Tale of the tape...
For Secret Earth's readers, this just might be the rematch of the century.

Last time we talked about two very different characters. Characters that were much older, older than their ages even, aged by a world far darker and stark than anything the DC universe has seen. Earth-2 Superman's head would probably explode, if he saw the DKR universe, and how pathetic his counterpart had become.

In this particular scenario, things are very different.
Superman's weaknesses largely remain the same. He's still a boy scout, and what's left of his homeworld is still poison to him. Of course, the major difference is, this time Superman's not himself. This time Poison Ivy has her mits into him, and he's not particularly inclined to talk things out anymore.

The other difference is, this wasn't arranged.
Batman didn't have time to rig a suit to the city's power, and he didn't have time to plant his allies. Hell, he doesn't even have the familiar shadows to retreat into.
Metropolis, the city of light and purity doesn't favour the Batman, even if he is with Catwoman.

What went down...
Half way through Jeph Loeb's annual mega event, Hush was really starting to heat up, and things were only getting bigger.

Love or hate the conclusion, one thing remains irrevocably impressive about the character who was introduced to us, as Hush. He did the unthinkable, he didn't just recruit a massive Bat-villain team-up, his scheme was precise as surgery, and as big as art. As big, as Metropolis. As big as Superman!

As the dust settles, the Superman lowers himself to the ground, with Poison Ivy by his side. Hopefully that's information enough for you to realise Superman has become the victim of the vivacious villainess.

Apparently the glowing red eyes are more than just jazzy artwork as directed by Jim Lee, and coloured by Alex Sinclair. It tips Batman off to an incoming attack, giving him necessary time to hurl Catwoman out of harm's way, and disappear underground, into the water exposed by Superman's burning blasts.


Batman's most unbeatable asset is his mind, and ability for preperation.
From that wonderful belt of tricks, the Dark Knight produces two tiny oxygen filters, flicks over to nightvision, and turns on his boot sole propellors, and they're on their merry way. Just the usual fare for a night on the town with a lady.

The Superman's will is strong, he resists the command to kill, but Poison Ivy offers a reminder of her power. It's questionable whether even a super man can resist the lure of Poison Ivy, but Batman's plans largely rest on it.

Both he and Catwoman make their way through led-lined Lexcorp sewer systems, and prepare for the impending attack. From his belt, Batman produces something once entrusted to him by the man he's about to attack - Lex Luthor's Kryptonite ring.

Bats sets up a series of explosives, and clarifies his plan with Catwoman, "Any of the three of them." "It'll be the gal. If we want to get a reaction from him, it has to be the gal."

I don't think it tales the world's greatest detective to figure out who the three are. Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, and "the gal" - Lois Lane.

As thunderous blows echo and roar through the tunnels, Catwoman springs into action, leaving Batman to pay the piper.
As resistent to X-rays as lead is, Superman is inevitably able to bust his way into the systems.

Batman, Kryptonite ring at the ready, welcomes his Finest counterpart with a right, sending the Superman reeling. With super speed the ever present threat, it's evident Superman is still able to resist Ivy's control.
As futile as it is, Batman tries to use that resistence to break through. He warns that he opened a gas main, rendering heat vision out of the question, with an entire city block at risk of total destruction.

Sonics are next, rattling the super hearing of Krypton's last son.
He still has the clarity of mind to unleash his arctic breath, freezing the Batman's ring baring right hand. The Dark detective, ever ready uses a flare to blind his opponent, giving him the opportunity to fire his grappling hook, and leave Superman for dust as he lunges for the electric mains.

"Clark. About the gas main -- I lied."

Supes fries, blacking out the city.
It's not enough to slow the Superman down, though. In fact, the pain actually serves to rattle him enough to get angry. As he bursts out of the ground, Batman has only one option left - the gal.


High above the street, Catwoman teeters with Lois Lane held hostage.
"You can save her. Or fight me. It is your choice."

Of course, Lois has the stroke of genius to choose a flag pole as her time of resistence, elbowing Catwoman in the gut. Batman assures himself that if it were necessary, Catwoman could catch her - but it isn't.

The boy scout prevails, and Ivy's hold is broken.
The rest is history. Ivy goes back to Arkham, and... Krypto makes an appearance.

The Hammer...
Well, whatta ya know? Batman wins, again!

Alright, as far as rematches go, this probably wasn't the most unpredictable, but it was still a bloody good fight.

Actually, predictability was probably an unfortunate monkey on the back of the Hush twelve part storyline, but it wasn't all bad. In fact, taking each chapter as it came, it served it's purpose. It generated sales and hype, and it was very enjoyable.

This was the event that lured me to DC for the first time since I was a small child. I haven't looked back since, so I certainly owe this series that much.
I think breaking this issue down, it really accomplishes the narrative that some of Millar's fight issues failed at.

I think Loeb's success with furthering the story through this particular fight, really comes from the relationship between the two characters, and the ramifications the fight has on the larger threat. If Hush could manipulate and control Superman, what else could he do to as suburban a hero as Batman?

As a fight, it was a little brief, but it did what it set out to do.
This wasn't at all the DKR fight, if anything it's an obvious son-of-DKR. Does Loeb owe a lot of his successes to Frank Miller? Maybe, but I think this fight really stands on it's own.
It moves within the confines of this established world, and doesn't utilize the luxuries of manufactured convenience that the DKR fight had.
The fight: 5
The issue: 4

Stats:
Poison Ivy - Posession by mind control. (Superman)
Batman - Multiple critical blows. (Superman)
Catwoman - Assist; kidnapped Lois Lane as distraction.

MONTHLY PUNCH-UP
So, there you have it. Another year of comics behind us.
I could delve into the hits and misses of the past year, but this blog has only one month's worth of entries behind it, so I figure it might be a little soon for that.

Assuming I don't have a drastic change of heart, the monthly punch-up will come at month's end, and zoom in on one of the many characters covered.
Entires are roughly made every Friday, and generally feature fights at random, with the occasional theme.

Naturally you can expect a lot of the usual suspects turning up. Batman, Hulk, Daredevil, Superman and kin, but with any luck things won't become too tired and repetitive.

In the coming year I hope to elaborate further on discussing the comics, to keep this more than just a simple recap. I would very much like to provoke conversation on the various comics, but I guess that's going to depend on time, energy and material.

Beginning with March this year we will be celebrating the tenth anniversary of one of the greatest battles (on paper) in comics history. I am of course referring to 1996's monumental event - DC versus Marvel/Marvel versus DC.
If any fights are going to spark debate and conversation, it's probably going to be one of these!

As should always be the case, anyone amazing enough to be reading the site should feel welcome to recommend a fight to be covered. The third entry made this month, The Justice League vs Deathstroke, was actually recommended on several occasions via posters on a message board I frequent, so it really can happen.
Of course, this blog is largely reliant upon my humble collection, so don't get your hopes up.

Of course, discussing the past, present and future isn't the sole purpose of the monthly punch-up. Believe it or not, I'd actually like to try to make Secret Earths an interesting site. Which is why it's going to deteriorate into a list of stats, and silly role playing, every month. If you have any better suggestions, yeah... I could really use them.

Spotlight...
Real Name: James "Logan" Howlett
First appearance: Incredible Hulk #181 (1974)
Group affiliation: Avengers, X-Men
Enemies: Sabretooth, Omega Red, Magneto

Wins: 1 Losses: 1 Ties: 0
Assists: 0 Kills: 5 Rank: #4

Strength: 3 (Trained athlete)
Intelligence: 4 (Tactician)
Speed: 3 (Trained athlete)
Stamina: 6 (Generator)
Agility: 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: 6 (Warrior)
Energy powers: 1 (None)

Fight history:
- Wolverine versus The X-Men w/ Captain America and SHIELD
- Wolverine versus The Invaders

As the guy with the most fights behind him, I guess it seemed like a pretty logical place to start. I know, I know... Wolverine, it's terribly clichè, but what can I say? I'm a website starting out who wants to whore the guy out as much as Marvel do, besides! Blame Millar for putting the guy through such a compelling storyline.

Each week I try to analyze the potential of the character in his given situation in the tale of the tape section. So, I'm not going to waste time repeating that info here, as tempting as it is. For these spotlights, I figure I'll try to shepherd my enthusiasm for comics into talking about the characters.

Wolverine's not a bad character to start with.
Even though he's certainly not one of my favourite characters. In fact, I'm going to cut straight to the chase and acknowledge being one of the guys who's just fed up with seeing Wolverine everywhere, and in everything.

As a kid I really didn't read much in the way of the X-Men, so it really wasn't until the early nineties that I became familiar with Wolverine. I remember being incredibly fond of the 1990 [pre-Uncanny] X-Men annual, and always thought he seemed like a more interesting character than I had given him credit for in a back-up story.

The benefit of fifteen years of hindsight really crushes the control, and leadership I thought I saw in the character at that point, as Patch. I guess the problem with becoming such a popular character was that he would essentially be frozen stagnant, or victim to ill conceived gimmicks.

In the mid-nineties the Fatal Attractions crossover really caught my interests, and I remember one of the most spectacular things I'd seen in such a mainstream comic was Wolverine popping his bone claws for the first time.
Holy geez, it's really not that shocking, but at the time it blew me away. A massive picture of Wolverine on his knees, with blood gushing down from his... little claw hole thingys.

Wolverine #75 is probably one of my favourite Wolvie stories, if for no other reason than that moment of total helplessness. It was really quite a thrill too, because this was a time when I had no access to the internet, and didn't read any of the rumor magazines, or anything. So, the conclusion to Magneto ripping the adamantium off his bones was really up in the air. Very exciting!

I missed out on the instant sell-out, Origin, and didn't revisit the character until Grant Morrison's New X-Men. As someone who wouldn't call himself an X-Men fan, I guess it's interesting that for a few years I'd be buying pretty much just an X-title, Mutant X, and be brought back in a big way by Morrison's X.

I think Morrison's treatment probably earns it's praises largely away from Wolverine, who really gained very little from New X-Men other than acknowledgment of his true name (as learned in Origin), and the Weapon Plus bombshell.
Obviously Weapon Plus was a really big deal, but in the grand scheme it really meant very little. Especially to the quality of Morrison's fantastic work. Work that I might even call the greatest X-Men of all time.
I thought the deconstruction of everything Morrison set up was the first of many bitterly disappointing decisions to come from the House of Ideas, which have yet to be rectified.

As evidenced by the fight entries for Wolverine, I came back to have a look at the Millarchy of Enemy of the State, and Agent of SHIELD.
I think it's fair to say these storyarcs offered far less than Wolverine's brief spotlight in New X-Men, but sometimes it's just nice to be reminded exactly what it is that Wolverine is supposed to be best at.

Apart from supplying this litle page with all manner of fodder, I think Millar really succeeded in stripping Wolverine down to the ferocity so many love, and let it rip. As flimsy a story it was, it supplied one of the rare instances where Wolverine could actually go on a killing spree. Really fun to read from time to time!

Next week: THE REMATCH: Superman versus Batman!

THE TOP FIVE
1. The Batman
2. Mr. Fantastic
3. Captain America
4. Wolverine
5. Green Arrow

WOLVERINE versus THE INVADERS
Where: New Invaders #6 When: March 2005
Writer: Allan Jacobsen Artist: Jorge Lucas

The story so far...
Those visiting SWIE will remember back to our first installment at the beginning of the month, highlighting one of the exciting chapters of the Enemy of the State storyarc by Mark Millar.

With the New Invaders title on the brink of cancellation, it seemed apparent that a gratuitous guest appearance by Wolverine, as part of an Enemy of the State crossover would be a last ditch effort to assess the viability of the book.

The political struggles in the oil rich nation of Mazikhandar continue, and the Invaders are there as part of the US/Atlantean joint effort to take care of the synthetic Pterrorists. The Invaders' victory ironically curbs invasion, and leaves the Nazi Masterman out of favour with Baron Von Strucker, master of the Hydra.

Displeased, Strucker dispatches an assassin to do away with the failed loose end...

Tale of the tape...
As was the case last time, Wolverine again faces fairly over whelming odds.
Although a much smaller unit than the collective of X-Men and SHIELD operatives that we last rated Wolverine against, the Invaders pack a particularly potent punch.

Now, I should admit, I am an avid fan of this series, and the grossly underrated Sub-Mariner. In certain circles I am known and regarded as the Namor guy, but in cases such as these I think impartiality is a virtue most important.
Now, let me tell you about how great Namor is...

Strength: 5 (Super strength)
Fighting ability: 6 (Warrior)

The Sub-Mariner's fighting skills aren't as refined as Wolverine's, which include a range of hand to hand martial arts, and extensive Samurai training. However, the Atlantean ruler has honed his effectiveness over the years, clobbering everything from the trivial, to the downright omnipotent.

Occasionally Namor's hard headedness, and wanton regard for himself have been known to be his downfall. It is perhaps here that the two characters, both known for their brash, loner attitues, begin to diverge.
Namor's incredible mutant strength allows him the luxury of taking a beating from the likes of Thing and the Hulk, where Wolverine can be swiftly subdued.

Of course, though Namor leads the charge, he's not alone.
Accompanying him are two competent forces in their own right: the US Agent and Blazing Skull, possessing their own unique skills.

US Agent posseses some of the same attributes as Captain America, who already has a defeat over Wolverine, but let's be honest. If a team beat the crap out of Wolverine, pretty much anyone could be there to put the finishing blow down.

Intelligence: 4 (Tactician)

Wolverine is the underdog on paper, largely due to the versatility and stature of a character like Namor. If he were able to systematically eliminate the distractions of Blazing Skull, and US Agent, he'd still have overwhelming odds to overcome. Of course, that's what he does, and he is the best there is...

What went down...
"Gurgk!"

It's one hell of a way to make an entrance.
Wolverine makes his presence known, gutting Sulumor (aka Charlie Tuna), Namor's Atlantean advisor from behind while he's talking to Blazing Skull.

With his reservations tamed by Hydra's brainwashing, Wovlerine savagely attacks US Agent.
Blazing Skull comes to the rescue of his fearless leader, and loses a forearm and leg for his troubles. It seems to be so rare that we actually get to see Wolverine inflict these kinds of wounds, so it's quite nice.

It's now that business really picks up.
The involvement of Blazing Skull and US Agent really forces this to be listed as a fight against the Invaders, but the real crux of this fight is all about Namor.

Fighting Namor is never a good idea, but getting him stark raving furious by killing one of his own? That's the bullseye equivalent of priceless.

Wolverine takes the punches, and rakes the claws over Namor's face.
Hydra's control has unlocked Wolverine's greatest potential, and apparently that also includes some sadistic quipping. He licks the blood from his claws, and remarks, "Mmm. Sushi."
Fair enough.

Namor applies his vastly superior strength to the fight, swatting the pocket sized Canuck away with a conveniently present girder.
There's an argument to call the fight here, but it's not over until it's over.

The Sub-Mariner goes in pursuit of the possessed X-Man, finding him quite some distance away, amongst the tanks and machinery of the Mazikhandar.
Intent on his goal to assassinate the Necromancer scientist that failed his master, Wolverine decides to go through Namor... and is surprisingly successful.

Wolverine slices a tank of oil open, and then drives his claws directly into the Sub-Mariner's abdomen. Any other man would be dead right then and there, and without the aid of his fellow's, Namor very well could've been.

US Agent, arriving by helicopter, prevents a killing blow, sending Wolverine back with a hail of bullets from a machine gun. Using his spiked shield, US Agent swats Wolverine back into the puddle of oil he let spill, and ignites it with his gun.

Proud to the end, Namor protests US Agent's interference, on the edge of death.

A flaming Wolverine emerges from the fires, about ready to tear the universe a new arsehole, as Blazing Skull lifts Namor and US Agent to safety.

Hydra agents arrive to cancel Wolverine's mission, and redirect his priority to the events of the Enemy of the State core issues occuring in the Wolverine title.
US Agent tends to the mortally wounded Namor, finally having earned respect from the pointy eared bastard of a monarch.

The Hammer...
This is a series that really didn't get the shot it deserved, and it seems people that checked it out post-cancellation in trade enjoyed it. This issue does absolutely no justice to what was a truly different, and exciting book from Marvel. Something fresh, in a time when Marvel was quickly losing me as a reader.

Where the fight is concerned, this is an incredibly difficult fight to call. While Sub-Mariner clearly out muscled the clawed Canuck, Wolverine never stayed down, and inflicted some serious blows.

I think it's reluctantly that I have to acknowledge, Wolverine got the better of the Invaders, in what was very nearly a draw.
Like the JLA/Deathstroke confrontation, the final result was relatively inconclusive. What sets them apart is that in this particular battle, Wolverine was never convincingly put on the back foot. He got smacked around, but he never stayed down.

So there you have it, the first month of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths behind us, and a new year ahead.
Tomorrow you have to look forward to what will regularly be a month's end recap, taking a look back at what's happened, and who stands where. As some eagle-eyed readers will remember, part of this blog's purpose is an exercise in discovering the potency of characters' effectiveness.

Also watch out for potentially new fun, and hopefully some more fun comics discussion.

Happy Holidays, and a have a good New Year, all. Ciao!

The Fight: 4 The Issue: 4 [July 17, 2006]

Stats:
Wolverine - Kill. (Sulumor)
Wolverine - Mortal injury; cuts off right forearm. (Blazing Skull)
Wolverine - Mortal injury; cuts off right lower leg. (Blazing Skull)
Wolverine - Kill. (Colonel Mutasim Zai'id)
Sub-Mariner - Knockout blow; with girder. (Wolverine)
Wolverine - Mortal injury; claws to gut. (Sub-Mariner)
US Agent - Critical blow; machine gun. (Wolverine)
US Agent - Critical blow; oil explosion. (Wolverine)

BATMAN versus SUPERMAN
Where: The Dark Knight Returns #4 When: June 1986
Writer: Frank Miller Artist: Frank Miller

The story so far...
The future is a grim and gritty place.
The heroes have been driven out by a world that watched them with envious eyes. There are still whispers though. Rumors of a Superman puppet to the administration, and if you walk down the right alley, into the right bar, you just might find someone who knows him.

For Bruce Wayne the silence is deafening, and inevitably the Dark Knight returns to Gotham, in a time when he may be needed the most.

His return is not without it's cost. Though he rises to defeat the menace of the Mutants gang, old foes reemerge to take a last shot at their enemy. Two-Face and Joker make a stand, but prove to be nothing more than chapters in the Batman's legacy.

The true enemy is within. The Batman has rattled the cages of the wrong people, and now they have sent their Superman to stop him.

Tale of the tape...
If you're young enough, this might actually be your father's Batman, but ironically this Batman is the influential father to current interpretations of the Dark Knight.
Time has been relatively kind to Bruce Wayne, but he's definitely feeling it in his old age. Not to say life is peaches and cream for Superman in this dark future.
Before the fight, boy blue averts nuclear disaster by detonating it, and robbing himself of the solar powers he draws upon, via a nuclear winter.

Slice it anyway you like, this is the god damned Batman.
A Batman so typically atypical of Frank Miller's work; deliciously stripped to the core of his being. This is perhaps a more potent Batman than any seen since. A Batman driven, and focused in a way our current multi-tasking Batman seems incapable of.

Intelligence: 5 (Professor)
Stamina: 5 (Marathon runner)

For the Batman this is what it all comes down to.
David beats Goliath solely on the principle of his ability to account for, and effectively counter, the advantages presented against him, and by extension, the willpower to make it happen.

Strength: 6 (Invincible)
Speed: 6 (Speed of sound)
Stamina: 6 (Generator)

For Superman, it's probably a fight that on paper should be in his favour.
The legend of the oft despised infallible Batman has arguably been grossly over exaggerated, and ultimately, clouded the interpretation of Batman's abilities on a logical plane.

Reading a recent issue of Infinite Crisis, it was qui enjoyable to see a prime example of Batman's brittle humanity put to the forefront. With the DC trinity standing in the rubble of the Justice League sattelite, the villain Mongul does away with Superman and Wonder Woman, leaving Batman at his cosmic-level mercy.

Weakened or not, Superman is still Superman.
His weaknesses are Kryptonite; something more accessible than you might think; and his heart and Kansas razed good nature. Where the scales tip is the fact that these fallabilities fall right into the hands of an embittered industrialist-genius, with an emotional tie.

What went down...
Well, for the most part, I'm guessing most of us know what goes down, even if we haven't read this all important and influential chapter of The Dark Knight Returns.

As previously arranged, Superman shows up at Crime Alley, right on time. The place where it all began, and where it just might end for our grizzled anti-hero.

The welcome wagon comes in the form of six hunter missles, activated by the x-rays Superman uses to survey the area.
Anytime the Batman's role as a master strategist comes into question, this is without a doubt one of the finest examples of exactly how absurdly obvious his abilities are.

Carrie Kelly, aka Robin, is there to continue battering the great white dope as he hits the ground a block away from the target. The batmobile, more reflective of a military attack vehicle is light work for a man more powerful than the pounding surf.

True to form, Superman's first approach is to negotiate with the Batman. He probably asks him to give in to reason, and return to the shadows, away from the sight of the politicians that now control the last son of Krypton.
His words falls on deaf ears, though, protected by heavy armor and sound proofing. Perfect protection for unleashing a sonic assault, that gives the Superman a nosebleed, barely five minutes into the fight.

Using a street lamp, the Batman taps into the city's power to power his hulking armored suit, and fry the Superman's brain.

The Batman's resolve is strong, even when his helmet is ripped from his head.
He throws massive, technologically enhanced fists, defiant to the end, as Robin makes a getaway with the police moving in.

As the fight drags on, Superman busts three ribs.
"You're just bone and meat... like all the rest."

Distracted by the choppers, the back-up is slow to react. With one arm remaining, the Green Arrow waits in the wings with the final piece.
Batman distracts Superman with acid, and despite getting plugged in the leg - Green Arrow makes the shot.

Hanging upside down from a fire escape ladder by his legs, using his teeth to pull the bow, Green Arrow makes the shot - synthesized kryptonite.

With the kryptonite the clincher, the Batman pummels his better into submission. He reminds him of everything they've stood for, and everything they've begun, and as his heartbeat slows, Bruce Wayne makes sure Superman remembers who bested him.

Then, he dies.

The Hammer...
Of course, as we all know, Batman's death fell right on midnight by his own design. Though his back to the concrete by fight's end, Batman not only bested Superman in battle, but also proved to be the superior force for inspiration.

According to Batman these days, the last time Superman really inspired anyone was when he died. Batman's death was purely strategic, allowing him the retreat, and the opportunity to strike again.

This is definitely one of the greatest of comic book rivalries, and this is the battle that embodies it. This is the fight that shows just how hard it is to keep a good Batman down.

Apologies for being a little late. Hope everyone had a fantastic, violent Christmas full of dream match ups!
Next week another opportunity for the enemy of the state to step up to the plate, the 'dues ex', Wolverine. Then the end of month/year update. Ciao!

The Fight: 7 The Issue: 7 [July 17, 2006]

Stats:
Robin - Executed distraction. (Superman)
Green Arrow - Critical blow; kryptonite arrow. (Superman)
Batman - Multiple critical blows. (Superman)
Batman - Faked own death.

THE JUSTICE LEAGUE versus DEATHSTROKE
Where: Identity Crisis #3 When: October 2004
Writer: Brad Meltzer Artist: Rags Morales

The story so far...
Sue Dibny has been murdered, and this single death is sending shockwaves that touch each and every hero in the DC Universe.

With the most analytical and tuned heroes turning up no evidence, and a hyper technological security system showing no signs of forced entry, most of the League begin investigating the obvious suspects; teleporters, magicians, shape shifters, but one group has a different theory.

This is the event that changed the playing field, making it clear that the innocence of the past was nothing but a sham. These select few go in search of Dr. Light, a now-bumbling villain that had found his way to the Justice League satellite and raped Dibny years earlier.

Revealing their dark past, Green Arrow admits that the League had used Zatanna's magic to erase portions of the villain's minds pertaining to the secret identities of the heroes. The heroes did only what they needed to, until Dr. Light, when they crossed the line, and altered his personality forever.

Tale of the tape...
Deathstroke is really quite a scary villain for a lot of reasons, one of those being that controlling 90% of his brain function makes him pretty difficult to define. I'm not sure anyone could tell me exactly what potential 90% brain function would unlock. As it is, it just seems to make him an incredible tactician and fighter, which I guess means he's more in tune with his body and mind.

Intelligence: 4 (Tactician)
Fighting Ability: 7 (Born fighter)

Deathstroke is officially the first character to rank a seven on the Haseloff system for fighting ability. This is purely based on the determination of the advantage of his brain power, which is poorly reflected by his intelligence rating.
Though perhaps vaguely ill-defined, Deathstroke's powers must be recognised as making him an extremely impressive foe.

This particular arrangement of the Justice League roughly consists of; Hawkman, Green Arrow, the Flash, Black Canary, Atom, Green Lantern, Zatanna and Elongated Man. Not the most impressive line-up we've seen of the JL, but without a doubt still a competent mix of seasoned veterans, and incredible powers.

Even on his best day, one has to question the odds for Deathstroke to defeat that collection of heroes. The sheer strength of numbers tends to lend itself to someone getting the jump on him, while he tries to eliminate them.

This is an opinion, of course, that has particular relevence for the way they fight is choreographed.

What went down...
This really is the ultimate in fights as far as breaking it down for this particular section. It's so easily disected into neat little pieces that I can literally deliver a beat by beat account of what occured, without missing a pip. Of course, this approach is also one of the most glaring criticisms.

Having already taken care of Elongated Man at the end of the previous issue, Deathstroke is pretty keen to make sure everyone understands it is his fight, as per the terms of his agreement with Dr. Light. Terms involving a hefty sum of money.

The Flash, quite naturally, is the first to act.
Deathstroke's 90% function doesn't outdo Batman in the anticipation department, but it's still impressive. He sets off a series of C-5 plastique charges infront of him, prompting Flash to attack from behind. Of course, this move leaves Flash skewered on Deathstroke's rather ample sword.

Attacking the next biggest perceived threat, Deathstroke goes straight for Zatanna, tapping her liver with a well placed shot, drowning her reversed incantations in vomit. Not terribly pretty, but damn effective.

Hawkman and his long-range threat is the next targeted, and naturally Hawkman meets it with a suitable amount of controlled aggression. Apparently he was ready to fight, but not ready to have his wing harness cut from his chest.

Why Hawkman wouldn't be ready for such an attack, absolutely baffles, and this is no doubt where the fight starts to break down.

Continuing down the line, he flows into an attack against Green Arrow, with bow cocked the entire time, as he tracks his high speed target. Deathstroke's greater reflexes allow him to swat the incoming arrow away, before taking a swing at the archer himself. As Green Arrow ducks the swing, he realises that the projected target was the tails of his arrows.
As the feathers fly, Green Arrow's stock in the fight plummets, his arrows now rendered relatively useless. (Or are they?)

Black Canary prepares to unleash a sonic scream, but Deathstroke is a man who thinks of everything, coming prepared with an airtight rubber mask. He bags the Canary's head, tying it tight around the neck, and cuffs her arms behind her back for good measure.

With the backstory of Dr. Light's rape on Sue Dibney, there's actually a very disturbing potential to this panel, where he is seen lurking in the background, with Canary's bikini-fishnet clad buttocks taking precedence in the foreground.
I've read that the themes of interpreted misogynism caused a minor outcry from fans, but I think finding an objectification of women in comics is both dramatically late, and in this case, perhaps a little faceitous.

On with the fight, Deathstroke scans the battlefield for the Atom, who I must say has the nifty trick of getting forgotten. If I were the opponent to the Justice League reading this issue, I would have the little bugger bouncing around in my eardrum by now.

Again, that incredible capacity for anticipation and execution is on display, as Slade anticipates Atom's microscopic attack, and using his advanced vision blasts him with electrons and protons in a beam of a laser pointer's light.
The Atom 're-bigulates' just in time to knock Hawkman right between the eyes, as he was rising to his feet after his previous fall.

By now, there's a very real argument that it's been far too easy to take each JLer one by one. No matter how fast Deathstroke's reflexes are, and how advanced his planning, it's tough to believe the Green Lantern could have been standing idle for this long.
Granted, Kyle Rayner doesn't have the experience of the other heroes, but he's no kid anymore.

Slade locks up with Rayner, who foolishly decides it's suddenly a good idea to become a fist fighter, and gets four broken fingers for his trouble.

One assumes ninety percent brain function must give Deathstroke a pretty impressive will power, as he grips the broken hand and tries to wrestle control of the Green Lantern's ring away from him.
Of course, on previous occasions Rayner's ring has been shown to only respond to himself, and a select few of his fellows, but the injuries sustained, and Deathstroke's incredible willpower make for a feasible argument for the deadlock.
Green Arrow attempts to make some of his own luck, and shows that he's more than a one-trick pony. With his arrows no longer viable projectiles, ol' Ollie goes the low tech approach, and stabs Deathstroke in the eye.

Sent into a murderous rage, Deathstroke loses his cool, calculating advantage, intent simply on killing Green Arrow. Let's face it, with that goatee, and pathetic disguise, it's a place we've all been.

Getting the snot beat out of him long enough to let League pull themselve's together, Green Arrow buys the time necessary for the heroes to finally make a joint attack. They each grab a limb, and wrestle for it. Of course, this scene prompts a flashback for the previously mindwiped Dr. Light, where he recalls a similar instance involving himself.

The mind wiped villain has something of a meltdown, bursting into a blazing light of rage.
When the heroes come-to, they're on their arses, infront of Superman no less. Faux pas!

The Hammer...
When I first gauged potential interest in some of the greatest fights in comics of all time, this was actually the fight mentioned the most. Hopefully the few reading this website will be pleased that it made the list promptly.

As mentioned earlier, my biggest criticism would have to undoubtedly be the delivery of the fight, which suggests that no Justice League hero was able to intervene during the systematic elimination of member after member. Perhaps the toughest pill to swallow is the fact that Green Lantern, a hero who quite regularly scoops villains up in bubbles, could be left as an oversight until the very end. The neglect shown is only further exasperated by the decision to have Green Lantern, posessor of anything he can imagine, enter into a fistfight with a quite obviously dangerous threat.

Maybe the ball falls on Morales, whose art seems shakey in places, or maybe Meltzer isn't the world's greatest fight writer. Hey, they can't all be Mark Millars.

As far as calling the fight, I'd have to say I think this result was inconclusive.
Deathstroke definitely had the battle in his hand, but Green Arrow did enough to redeem the Justice League, and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
In light of that, I'm going to have to call this the first draw.

If you have any dispute, feel free to drop a comment.
Stay tuned next week for a showdown of blockbusting proportions, not Christmas themed, but truly a gift worthy of the holidays. Until then, some stats. Ciao!

The Fight: 6.5 The Issue: 5.5 [July 17, 2006]

Stats:
Deathstroke - Severe injury inflicted by sword. (The Flash)
Deathstroke - Critical pressure point blow. (Zatanna)
Deathstroke - Subdued with bag and cuffs. (Black Canary)
Deathstroke - Critical blow with laser pointer. (Atom)
Deathstroke - Severe injury; four broken fingers. (Green Lantern)
Green Arrow - Severe injury; stabbed eye with arrow. (Deathstroke)
Dr. Light - Present, but did absolutely nothing but watch.