COVER TO COVER: VENOM LET THERE BE CARNAGE!

Cinemas have formed a symbiotic bond with Venom: Let There Be Carnage and now you're ready to go beyond to glimpse its great knowledge! This week's Cover to Cover ventures into the violent world of Venom and Carnage to explore some of the stories that inspired their big screen rivalry!

Simply hit the covers below or scroll through for a list of battles featuring Maximum Carnage and a variety of friends & foes, including: Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, Shriek, Iron Man, Black Cat, Cloak & Dagger, Demogoblin, Doppelganger, and Morbius The Living Vampire!

Behind The Covers
1. VENOM vs SPIDER-MAN (Amazing Spider-Man #347)
2. VENOM vs GHOST RIDER (Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #6)
3. DOPPELGANGER & SHRIEK vs SPIDER-MAN (Spider-Man Unlimited #1)
4. CARNAGE FAMILY vs SPIDER-MAN, CLOAK & DAGGER (Web of Spider-Man #101)
5. SPIDER-MAN vs DEMOGOBLIN (Amazing Spider-Man #378)
6. DEMOGOBLIN vs CARNAGE FAMILY (Spider-Man #35)
7. TEAM VENOM vs CARNAGE FAMILY (Spider-Man #35)
8. VENOM vs SPIDER-MAN (Spectacular Spider-Man #201)
9. VENOM & SPIDER-MAN vs CARNAGE (Spider-Man Unlimited #2)
10. VENOM vs IRON MAN (Iron Man #302)
11. VENOM & MORBIUS vs DEMOGOBLIN (Venom: The Enemy Within #3)
12. SPIDER-MAN vs VENOM (Spider-Man Family #2)

VENOM versus SPIDER-MAN

Maximum Carnage, Part Five: Over The Line! (Marvel)
Where: Spectacular Spider-Man #201 When: June 1993 Why: JM DeMatteis How: Sal Buscema

The Story So Far...
Cletus Kasady has re-bonded with the Carnage symbiote and escaped the Ravencroft maximum security facility in a violent slaughter that spills into New York City! There he finds an adopted family of killers to take the massacre city-wide: Shriek, Doppelganger, and the Demogoblin!

After failing to stop them alone: Venom sought to rekindle a desperate alliance with his old enemy, Spider-Man -- but not even a team-up with Black Cat and the vengeful Cloak could stop the destruction! Now the heroes are fighting just to survive as a Manhattan Warehouse burns around them!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Venom 5 (Super-Human)
Intelligence: Spider-Man 5 (Professor)
Speed: Spider-Man 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Draw 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Spider-Man 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Venom 2 (Projectiles)
Total: Spider-Man 29 (Metahuman)

The fallout from Chapter Four has left our heroes worse for wear, and at each other's throats, as Maximum Carnage continues!

Carnage and his adopted family of demented killers have been left to continue unabated after triggering a dramatic warehouse explosion -- and that's enough to strain the unlikely alliance between Venom and Spider-Man!

Die hard fight fans might want to skip ahead to coverage of Chapter Six, because this isn't really a battle on the same level as their classic clash in Amazing Spider-Man #347, or even the more obscure Spider-Man Family #2.

Venom has been drastically weakened by the symbiote's vulnerability to fire, and Spidey's mind is on rescuing Black Cat from the burning warehouse wreckage.

For a self-professed "Lethal Protector" like Eddie Brock it's difficult to accept that Spider-Man would choose rescuing an ally over stopping the murder spree that could continue at the hands of Carnage and his crew.

Venom's skewed sense of justice has pitted him against various heroes and would-be allies over the years, such as Ghost Rider, Iron Man, and even DC's Superman. With an old enemy like Peter Parker an alliance is extra dicey, and his sense of responsibility for the creation of Carnage makes it all the more personal!

History: Spider-Man (1-0-1)

The Tape: Spider-Man Ranking: Spider-Man (#2)

What Went Down...

The alien symbiote drips from Eddie Brock's body like a thick ooze as he struggles to crawl through the broken beams & boarding of an unknown rock band's burning storage warehouse.

The massive fire drastically weakens the living costume that supplies Venom with his powers, but still he furiously compels Spider-Man to leave the inferno and resume pursuit of Carnage and his cadre of killers.

Spidey feels confident enough to leave Venom to fend for himself, while he goes deeper into the wreckage to rescue Black Cat from certain immolation!

Brock crawls his way out of the burning building, desperately attempting not to save his own life but those of countless others who might be killed by Carnage.

The crawl becomes a stumble as Brock rises to his feet - only to collapse back down into near unconsciousness as the building behind him explodes!

With Black Cat safely under his arm, Spider-Man soon arrives upon Eddie Brock: face down and motionless with tar-like strips strewn across his body.

They slowly begin to thicken as the symbiote revivifies and Venom regains his strength.

Spidey gently helps a rattled Black Cat to the ground, while Venom rises to his feet, suddenly enveloped in his customary black costume. He asks about Spider-Man's success stopping Carnage -- and doesn't like the answer he gets.

Incensed by Spider-Man's refusal to leave Black Cat to "roast" -- Venom lunges at his temporary ally with talon-like claws narrowly missing his injured ribs!

They question each other's sanity and ethics, with Spider-Man deeming a decision to leave either of his allies to die tantamount to murder. It's a prospect that inspires violent ideas for reprisal in the dual minds of Venom.

Black Cat enters the fray to cool things down: "You're really a piece of work, Brock! You get mad at the spider for saving me -- then waste time trying to bash his head in, while those maniacs get farther and farther away!"

The wake-up call steers Venom's rage towards the Cat, but what bruises his ego most is that she's absolutely right. The real enemy is Carnage.

The Hammer...

The tension is ratcheting up, but I think it's fair to say this wasn't much of a fight. Venom threw the only actual punch, and the rest is verbal sparring and philosophical differences. A non-starter ended by everyone getting back on the same page -- kinda...

You might've expected Black Cat to be the hero who calls it quits after a building collapsed on her, but it's actually Spider-Man who decides the alliance isn't working out for him. He simply cannot reconcile with the cutthroat tactics Venom demands -- and Black Cat is agreeing with.

After berating her former squeeze for treating her like a lowly damsel needing rescue; Cat further chides him for choosing her life over the countless lives Carnage could already be taking elsewhere in the city.

It's a moral split that actually sees an irate Black Cat following Venom back into battle, despite a violent history together, and his total willingness to throw her life away.

The duo will reconvene with Cloak on Fifth Avenue, where arriving mere minutes after reports of Carnage's rampage will mean more lives lost to the senseless slaughter.

So far every chapter of Maximum Carnage has featured one or more big battles, but Part Five sadly scales back the serious superhero smackdown right as master of action Sal Buscema joins the party! What we're left with is a couple of short skirmishes and near misses, but there was no way I was going to skip this issue!

Spectacular Spider-Man #201 ignites the fire of the crossover by following up the explosive previous chapter with a heavy sense of consequence and drama.

The issue might see heroes and villains returning to their respective corners, but there's no shortage of action and excitement. In fact, this always struck me as one of the most impactful issues of the Maximum Carnage crossover.

It seemed like Venom and Black Cat were going to tip the scales back in favour of the good guys, but all they really did was accumulate more injuries.

The issue announces its drama with the very first page: A surprisingly cinematic opening, despite its use of a traditional 9 panel grid.

On either side of Page 1 is a column of three panels, each showing an intense close-up of a roaring inferno. They're interspersed with discrete narration boxes for creator credits. Buscema's inks generate a sense of violent animation, given blistering heat by colorist Bob Sharen's use of vivid yellows, orange, and white.

Down the centre of the page are three claustrophobic mugshots: our heroes -- each showing distinct signs of distress!

If the cliffhanger of Black Cat's torn glove poking out of warehouse wreckage got your mind racing at the end of the previous issue -- her wide-eyed grimace, face pouring with sweat, makes the danger all the more personal, and kicks the drama up a whole extra level right on Buscema's first page!

Below the cat is Venom: mouth agape, with symbiote bleeding away to reveal Eddie Brock's barely open right eye. The salivating, bulging monster responsible for so much terror in previous Spider-Man stories is gone -- reduced to a pathetic mortal barely able to act. The situation is real bad for the good guys.

Something about the destruction of that warehouse, and seeing our heroes in such a vulnerable and battered state was arresting. Spidey is already nursing busted ribs from Chapter One, which were aggravated in Chapter Two. That was also the battle that appeared to claim the life of Dagger, which we learn has left Cloak experiencing bouts of dizziness and weakness.

There's an obvious physical toll mounting throughout each issue, but the mental strain is showing, too. That will continue to permeate the story as the heroes endure further punishment, and New York City itself becomes engulfed in violent madness as Carnage's killing spree inspires a wave of likeminded acts.

When I was doing my best to cobble the event together from newsstands back in 1993 -- this was the issue that convinced me it was a story unlike most from Marvel. I didn't have the frame of reference back then, but it strikes me that the format is similar to the saga structures more common in Shonen Jump manga. There's a late era Dragon Ball Z vibe to the weight of temporary defeat, inter-personal drama, and city-wide destruction the heroes will later discover.

We love blockbuster superhero fights on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, but to put it all into perspective, it helps to take stock of the little battles, as well. Today's skirmish provides context for future installments, while also reminding us that the classic Venom/Spidey rivalry doesn't always erupt into a fight to the death.

If you crave a more substantial struggle -- we've got you covered! You can find well over 600 featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number by diving in to the Secret Archive! Or follow links throughout this post to uncover key issues and specific topics relevant to your interests.

You can get ahead of the reading and see the whole thing for yourself by picking up a collected edition of the Maximum Carnage storyline. By using Amazon links provided to do any of your online shopping you'll not only get a convenient deal, but also be supporting the site at no extra cost!

If you're a real true believer you can support the project directly by becoming a Patreon subscriber for as little as $1 a month!Your contribution will help the site (and me) continue to thrive. As a thank you you'll gain access to extra updates, polls, and the chance to sponsor future articles!

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Winner: Inconclusive (Draw)
#2 (--) Spider-Man
#16 (--) Venom (Symbiote)
#50 (--) Venom (Eddie Brock)
#136 (+2) Black Cat [+1 assist]

RAZORFIST versus WOLVERINE

Save the Tiger Chapter 4: The Ordeal (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Comics Presents #4 When: Early October 1988 Why: Chris Claremont How: John Buscema

The Story So Far...
Madripoor: A crime-ridden island principality just south of Singapore. They say its a city for the very rich and the very poor, where everything's for sale for the right price.

Lowtown is where you'll find the worst of the worst, but the lawless streets aren't without their charms. That's also where you'll find Wolverine, mixing it up with the local riff-raff in the Princess Bar. The perfect place to get away from the troubles of the X-Men -- and find all new troubles!

The dying words of a man named Dave Chapel brought Wolverine to the bar and its co-owner "O'Donnell". Chapel was tortured and left for dead in the desert, mixed up with a local crime-lord called Roche. Wolverine's come to "save the tiger" and that means he's a direct enemy of Roche, who'll do anything to learn the whereabouts of his competition -- including torturing the out-of-towner!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Wolverine 3 (Athlete)
Intelligence: Wolverine 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Wolverine 6 (Generator)
Agility: Draw 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Wolverine 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Draw 1 (None)
Total: Wolverine 26 (Metahuman)

Logan's in a real bad place, strung up with chains and tortured by the local crime-lord's personal "Inquisitor". His healing factor has held out long enough for  a shot at escape, but that means going through Roche's personal enforcer!

Douglas Scott is one of three men to have answered to variations of the moniker Razor Fist. Like his predecessors: he eventually had both his hands surgically replaced with short swords to match the deadly fists of Shang-Chi.

An assassin of some renown; Douglas has sold his services to various criminal enterprises, including a brief membership with The Hood's Syndicate that sent him into conflict with The Punisher. He's also battled the likes of Hawkeye, Elektra, and Captain America, but when you're talking about a man with knives for hands, there's really only one hero we want to see him go up against -- Wolverine!

Crossing claws with swordsmen has produced mixed results for the X-Man over the years. His mutant healing factor will almost certainly allow him to recover from any impalements or lacerations, but it doesn't guarantee he'll win a fight.

In Wolverine (Vol.3) #20 we saw The Gorgon cut him down with a lethal precision impalement, while the vampire hunter Blade merely slowed him down with a light skewering in Blade #5. He also took a sword through the torso from old nemesis Silver Samurai in Wolverine #37, but endured long enough to claim victory.

To beat Silver Samurai he cut the swordsman's right hand off -- an effective way to neutralize the threat of Razor Fist. He also opted for evisceration against the cybernetic claws of Lady Deathstrike and The Reavers in Uncanny X-Men #205.

It's said Wolverine's adamantium blades can cut through just about anything, but not all metals are sliced so easily. When he raked his claws against the cyborg limb of Donald Pierce in X-Men #132, the arm was damaged but remained in tact.

Could Razor Fist's sword-like appendages be tempered enough to take on the best there is at what he does? We're gonna find out!

The Tape: Wolverine Ranking: Wolverine (#5)

What Went Down...

Keen for freedom from Mr. Roche's prison -- Wolverine puts aside thoughts of being rescued by the X-Men to gather his resolve to help himself.

He unsheathes his razor-sharp adamantium claws to cut loose from the chains that dangle from the ceiling. A twist and flick of his wrist is all it takes, but he drops with a heavy "THWUD" and slips into unconsciousness on the stone floor.

When his mutant healing factor helps him revive there's no way of knowing how long he was out cold. It hardly matters. The building remains unguarded and he takes his opportunity to slip out and escape through the outside garden.

Suspicions that it's all too good to be true prove founded when Razorfist breaks the silence of the night from behind a bush: "I've been expecting you, stranger."

Still bearing the wounds of torture, Wolverine steels himself and stomps toward his opponent with short links of chain still dangling from his wrists.

Razorfist swings wildly with the blade that would be his left hand, slashing at Logan's bare chest with the promise of a warrior's death. He aims to spare the prisoner further torture at the hands of his employer's Inquisitor!

A second downward strike with his right-hand blade cuts through Wolverine's gut and presses the mutant onto the back foot.

Weariness from a day of torture overwhelms Wolverine. His mind is lost in a sea of utter fatigue as he struggles just to think -- let alone fight!

Razorfist delivers a straight shot with his right blade that sends Wolverine's head violently snapping back. The blow takes its terrible toll.

Wolverine's body is heavy with exhaustion and can no longer obey. He's finished and he knows it -- even before Razorfist plunges his blade into his throat!

A primal scream of pain enters the air and Wolverine collapses into the roaring stream behind him. The river carries his body to a nearby waterfall.

Razorfist puts a blade to his forehead and salutes his fallen foe, lamenting the circumstances of their meeting. He would've liked a fairer fight against a worthy adversary. Instead, his report to Mr. Roche will tell of a prisoner slain in escape.

The Hammer...

You can safely assume the conclusion wasn't as fatal as Razor Fist thinks. In a few issues Wolverine will be back on his feet, and ready for a rematch without the burden of having been tortured for a day prior.

Your mileage may vary, but I like a Wolverine that doesn't shake off that kind of abuse in an instant. The Inquisitor clearly did some very unpleasant things, leaving him with wounds to the body & arms, and a bloody nose. Nasty stuff.

I'm also very fond of Razor Fist. We're talking about this battle because a version of the villain has made his live-action debut in Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings, but I've had this issue sitting on my desk for what must be years now.

Who doesn't want to see Wolverine and Razor Fist go at it?

Sure, it might be argued that the outcome of a fair fight is a foregone conclusion. Razor Fist isn't really in Wolverine's league, even though he could be in the right story. It's just such an appealingly simple, almost dumb concept. A battle of the bladed fists. It hits different than his fights with Sabretooth or Lady Deathstrike.

Of course there's really no denying that the Razor Fist concept teeters on the absolute brink of absurdity. Most fans tend to skew a tad scatological when pondering the practicalities of replacing your hands with razor sharp blades. In the script for Marvel Comics Presents #4: Chris Claremont settles for working an obligatory joke about how he can dress and feed himself into Wolverine's internal monologue.

Other stories have shown Razor Fist surrounded by dedicated servants, or concubines. I rather liked John Romita Jr's revised mid-nineties design that outfitted him with cyber-prosthetic hands. It was a compromise that didn't take away from the graphic conceit of honking great knives where his hands are, but borrowed somewhat from the overhanded concept of Wolverine's claws.

The classic design reminds me of something you might've seen from the eighties G.I. Joe toy line, but it mustn't be forgotten that Razor Fist comes from the world of Shang-Chi and The Master of Kung Fu series.

He may look a little silly, but he's part of the tradition of Enter the Dragon and the villainous Han, albeit a little lower in station. He's a martial artist with a Bond villain gimmick that probably shouldn't be taken as lightly as he is.

Now that we've opened the door to Razor Fist I hope to come back to further explore some of his later exploits in the Marvel Universe. Even in obscurity he found himself into some pretty interesting situations.

I also hope we'll get a chance to return to the atmospheric realm of Madripoor, which could be a significant location for the newly announced Wolverine video game for PlayStation 5! A lot of interesting things to unpack there!

In the mean time: if you'd like to take a tour of Madripoor on your own time you can find the entire 10-part Save The Tiger story collected in Marvel Comics Presents: Wolverine Vol. 1 and Epic Collection Wolverine: Madripoor Nights. Use the Amazon purchase links provided below and you'll not only get yourself a choice cut delivered to your door -- you'll also help support the site!

If you want to hasten some of the plans mentioned earlier, or just enjoy what the site is all about, you can become a Patreon supporter. As a thank you for your support you'll receive special acknowledgement and access to additional updates, voting polls, and your choice of future sponsored articles!

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 600 battles and ranked more than 1000 characters! You can find more of them all by following links throughout this post and others, or by exploring the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number!

Get free daily links to battles inspired by the hot topics of the day by subscribing on Twitter and Facebook. Don't forget to like, fave, and share posts, and keep your eyes peeled for the week's top trending battles every Sunday!

Winner: Razorfist
#411 (+461) Razor Fist (Douglas Scott)
#5 (--) Wolverine

COVER TO COVER: THE SUICIDE SQUAD!

By now you may've seen The Suicide Squad in cinemas or streaming and the odds are in your favour if you're looking for more from your favourite expendables! This week's Cover to Cover is all about Amanda Waller's big screen brigade and their comic book counterparts. Simply hit the covers below or scroll through for a list to get the lowdown on a rogue's gallery of recruits.

Our lineup includes Rick Flag, Bloodsport, Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Enchantress, Bronze Tiger, Savant, and more. Place your bets and see who survives when they take on Peacemaker, Superman, Batman, Deathstroke, Black Canary, their first target: Brimstone -- and each other!

Behind The Covers
1. SUICIDE SQUAD vs BRIMSTONE (Legends #3)
2. SUPERMAN vs BLOODSPORT (Superman #4)
3. BRONZE TIGER vs RAVAN (Suicide Squad #2)
4. DEADSHOT vs ENCHANTRESS (Suicide Squad #6)
5. RICK FLAG vs BATMAN (Suicide Squad #10)
6. SUICIDE SQUAD vs PEACEMAKER vs MAJOR FORCE (Suicide Squad #28)
7. BRONZE TIGER & VIXEN vs STALNOIVOLK (Suicide Squad #43)
8. DEADSHOT vs BLOODSPORT (Batman & Superman: World's Finest #10)
9. BATMAN vs HARLEY QUINN (Harley Quinn #25)
10. BATMAN & CATWOMAN vs HARLEY QUINN (Batman #613)
11. DEATHSTROKE vs BIRDS OF PREY ft SAVANT (Birds of Prey #90)
12. BATMAN vs JOKER ft. HARLEY QUINN (Batman #663)

DEATH-DEALER versus SHANG-CHI

Flesh of my Flesh (Marvel)
Where: Master of Kung Fu #118 When: November 1982 Why: Doug Moench How: Gene Day

The Story So Far...
A deck of cards spilled by the assassin Death-Dealer reveals the Honan fortress of Wang Yu-Seng -- alter-ego of the international criminal mastermind Dr. Fu Manchu!

For Shang-Chi, the Chinese retreat is a homecoming. The Master of Kung Fu spent his formative days training within its walls. Beckoned by a note left with one of his father's hideous scientific creations, he parachutes in for a final showdown with the man who literally wants his blood to enhance the Elixir Vitae -- serum of youth and vitality!

Accompanied by MI6 agents, Jack "Blackjack" Tarr and Clive Reston, Shang-Chi defeats the many loyal factions of Fu Manchu in the so-called "Madness of the Running Beasts". It will be but one of many challenges faced when Shang-Chi confronts his past and his destiny, where the villainous Death-Dealer waits!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Draw 2 (Average)
Intelligence: Draw 3 (Straight A)
Speed: Draw 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Draw 4 (Athlete)
Agility: Shang-Chi 4 (Gymnast)
Fighting: Shang-Chi 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Death-Dealer 3 (Explosives)
Total: Draw 24 (Champion)

Li Ching-Lin was a double-agent embedded within MI6 who was secretly working for Fu Manchu. His brutal methods made him a priority target for the British intelligence agency, who soon deployed Shang-Chi to take him out!

In his original incarnation: Shang-Chi was the son of Sax Rohmer's controversial literary villain Fu Manchu, and an American woman who was chosen by the fiend for beneficial genetic characteristics.

He was trained intensively from birth to be a master of multiple forms of martial arts: Fu Manchu's living weapon! However, on a mission he soon learned his father was not the hero he'd claimed to be, and swore to destroy his evil empire!

In doing so, Shang-Chi chose to align himself with Denis Nayland Smith, and MI6, entering a world of espionage and adventure. He travelled the world fighting evil, crossing paths with a parade of assassins and killers from its four corners.

Li Ching-Lin received the codename Death-Dealer from his master, wielding a sword of three blades, and wearing a costume with the death's head for a mask.

He fought Shang-Chi multiple times in England, and although he isn't as proficient a fighter as the Master of Kung Fu, his disregard for humanity and use of modern arms, such as grenades, has made him an incredibly lethal adversary.

We know from a much later battle that Death-Dealer sired a son of his own. Huo Li (LI Huo) took up his father's vendetta and tracked Shang-Chi to Hong Kong, but the son was unsuccessful in his bloodfued. Did his father fare better? If you've read about that encounter you already know the answer! Let's take a look...

The Tape: Draw Ranking: Shang-Chi (#334)

What Went Down...

Penetrating deep into Fu Manchu's Honan fortress, Shang-Chi becomes lost in the chamber of his own thoughts as he confronts the secrets of a room forbidden to him during his formative years.

Inside the silent quarters is evidence of a life lived in parallel -- a genetic clone raised exactly as he was -- but that isn't all that lurks within these shadows...

Shang-Chi's blood streams through the air as a stinging pain snaps him out of deep thought.

The martial artist has allowed distraction to enter his mind and paid the price on the sharp edge of Death-Dealer's blade!

The assassin lunges with his three-pronged sword, but Shang-Chi side steps -- driving his elbow into the Death-Dealer's stomach. A good counterstrike, but the assassin never the less pushes him towards the fire of a nearby incense brazier.

The tall ,torch-like stand impedes his movement as Shang-Chi pivots away from his attacker. Death-Dealer responds with his free hand, delivering an overhanded chop into Shang-Chi's naked shoulder while also raising his sword!

The skull-masked killer prepares a downward strike with the middle blade of his sword, but Shang-Chi grabs the brazier and swings it wildly!

The fire whips across Death-Dealer's body and the burning embers begin to ignite the dark materials of his costume!

The white "death-mask" rapidly burns away, revealing Li Ching-Lin's face -- twisting with agony as his body is engulfed in flame!

Death-Dealer's lone scream tapers into a "bubbling moan" as his spasming body disappears into the raging fire.

The writhing body dances into the "whining" flame and Shang-Chi holds his head in his hands for just a moment, struck by the awful sound.

The martial artist's back straightens as he steels himself for the tasks ahead and accepts his role in dealing death to the Death-Dealer: a killer who has come for him many times before, but will enact his brutality no more.

The Hammer...

I was surprised and thrilled when 2009's Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu One-Shot introduced a new character called Huo Li, (LI Huo in Chinese naming convention), whose backstory specifically connected with the original run of Master of Kung Fu.

Marvel's short-lived black & white retro specials obviously owed a debt to their roots in the 1970s, but I hadn't expected anything quite so detailed from its throwback reference. After all, that issue in particular was one that featured the decisively nineties creation and noughties phenomenon, Deadpool, on the cover.

Li Huo carried his father's three-bladed sword in the name of revenge, but otherwise required very little specific knowledge about Death-Dealer: a character who first appeared in Master of Kung Fu #115 and, as we've seen, only made it as far as three issues before meeting his grisly demise at the hands of Shang-Chi.

The fight with Li Ching-Lin is only one panel more than a single page, but it certainly leaves an impression. Such is the sometimes fast and cruel nature of Shang-Chi's world, which owed a heavy debt to the lethal kung fu and espionage genre films of the sixties and seventies: also a peak period for Sax Rohmer's 1913 creation, Dr. Fu Manchu, in cinema, portrayed by Christopher Lee.

Although the controversial pulp villain was embedded in Marvel canon as Shang-Chi's father, the creation of the Deadly Hands of Kung Fu and Master of Kung Fu comic book series, as well as their starring character, is most specifically tied to the legacy of Bruce Lee.

The fusion of modern kung fu and Ian Fleming style espionage is right there in 1973's Enter the Dragon -- released theatrically right around the time Marvel created Shang-Chi for the December cover-dated Special Marvel Edition #15. 

In the film: Bruce Lee's character is persuaded to collaborate with British intelligence by attending a martial arts tournament on an island that doubles as the fortress lair for an international crime baron. It's a James Bond plot with a slightly harder edge and fighting you can actually believe in. Bruce Lee's specialty!

Fast-paced kung fu action may've made Lee an international icon around the world, but on the comic book page these references could sometimes read a little bit dry, so it's always welcome to see costumed enemies like Death-Dealer add a little extra colour and spice to the martial arts-spy action.

I absolutely love the iconic simplicity of Death-Dealer's design and character, cut from the same cloth that inspired G.I. Joe's revamp in 1982.

The ever-present threat of death may have complimented the pulp atmosphere of Shang-Chi's adventures, but it seems a real shame a character like Death-Dealer was so casually killed off. He's exactly the kind of remorseless costumed killer that could've outlived his Fu Manchu ties to become a staple Marvel mercenary.

To the best of my knowledge: Li Huo hasn't made any subsequent appearances since his debut in the black & white one-shot, either. Which gives me some shred of hope that he might yet make a return to comics wearing his father's regalia, especially now that a version of Death-Dealer is set to appear on the big screen in Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

No doubt we'll be taking a closer look at more of the comic book originals that have inspired the movie, but if you'd like to get more of Death-Dealer's story, you can find the entirety of his existence in The Hands of Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu Omnibus Volume 4.

By using the Amazon purchase link you'll not only get yourself a good deal delivered to your door, but also make sure Amazon sponsors the site at no extra cost to you!

If you enjoy what we're all about and would like to support the project more directly you can become a Patreon subscriber. As a thank you for your generosity you'll receive access to additional updates, voting polls, and customizable article options such as your own sponsored topic for Rank & File!

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured well over 600 battles and ranked more than 1000 characters! You can find them all by following links throughout posts, or by exploring the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue number!

Get free daily links to battles inspired by the hot topics of the day by subscribing on Twitter and Facebook. Don't forget to like, fave, and share all the updates, and keep your eyes peeled for the top trending battles and more!

Winner: Shang-Chi
#106 (+228) Shang-Chi [+1 kill]
#961 (new) Death-Dealer

SUICIDE SQUAD versus PEACEMAKER versus MAJOR FORCE

"Death Game" (DC)
Where: Suicide Squad #28 When: May 1989 Why: Kim Yale & John Ostrander How: John K Snyder & Karl Kesel

The Story So Far...
A conspiracy known as "The Janus Directive" has ignited a secret war between rival covert military departments: Task Force X, Project: Atom, and Force of July.

Each suspects the other of plotting the attack, but the first shots were fired by Amanda Waller, whose pre-emptive counterstrike decimated The Force of July at the hands of her Suicide Squad. An act that arouses the suspicions of her allies in Checkmate.

The intelligence agency deploys Peacemaker to intervene in an assassination plot to safely detain Dr. Heinrich Megala of Project: Atom. Now their headquarters in the Koning Industries building is ground zero for a meta-human frontal assault as Project Atom's Major Force and the Suicide Squad launch separate attacks!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Major Force 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Lashina 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Vixen 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Major Force 6 (Generator)
Agility: Vixen 5 (Cat-Like)
Fighting: Lashina 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Major Force 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Major Force 32 (Super)

Usually battle lines can be drawn between two sides, and indeed this fight does start as a one-on-one encounter, but the intrusion of a definitive third-party has led to a Secret Wars on Infinite Earths first -- a three-way conflict!

The Suicide Squad are: Vixen, Duchess, Shade the Changing Man, and Count Vertigo. They're charging into the middle of a violent showdown between Project: Peacemaker's top man, and the sadistic military powerhouse of Project Atom.

Peacemaker is a bit of an ironic moniker. Christopher Smith was imprisoned for war crimes when he was directed by erroneous military intelligence to massacre a village of innocents. He was paroled on the condition he join Project: Peacemaker - an elite, secret anti-terrorism police force.

The son of an Austrian Nazi war criminal; Smith is haunted by visions of his father that compel him towards extreme acts of personal success. He channeled this into atoning for he and his father's crimes, using his family fortune for philanthropic charity work, and to fund his activities as the extreme soldier Peacemaker. He's working as a freelance agent of Checkmate at the time of today's battle.

Major Force is another cast-off of the military-industrial complex. US Air Force Sergeant Clifford Zmeck was court-martialed and convicted of murder & rape, but found a reprieve from a life sentence via Project: Atom. After their failures coating another test subject in alien metal and exposing him to a nuclear blast, they gave Zmeck a triple layer and attempted the experiment again.

Zmeck also appeared to perish in the blast, but was actually caught in the same Quantum Field that claimed Nathaniel Adam, thrusting them both into the future whilst fusing their bodies with the alien metal, granting them flight, super-human strength, speed, durability, and quantum energy blasts.

The Suicide Squad should be able to pin down the gun-toting, jet-packing Peacemaker, but Major Force represents a major challenge for all parties involved.

Duchess, who is in actual fact the New God Lashina, might be able to withstand his strength and power blasts. Vixen can also add extra muscle by channeling the strength of an elephant & rhino like she did when defeating the Russian super-spy Stalnoivolk in Suicide Squad #43.

Shade the Changing Man and Count Vertigo attack perceptions by projecting a vision of fear, and disorienting sonic pulse, respectively. Peacemaker's helmet might be able to repeat Batman's method for blocking out Vertigo's powers, but Shade's M-Vest could prey upon his visions. We'll just have to see how either interacts with the quantum powered Major Force!...

The Tape: Suicide Squad Ranking: Vixen (#74)

What Went Down...

In the wreckage of the Koning Industries building, Major Force gleefully awaits the attack of Peacemaker. He's coming in hot -- jet-packing through the sky with high-powered blaster at the ready!

Peacemaker hones in like a heat-seeking missile -- blasting Major Force through the air with gun blazing!

Major Force rolls with the blow, regaining his footing with a sadistic smile as he charges both hands with dark quantum energy and delights at the prospect of a new "playmate".

He slams his hands together, sending bursting shocks blasts into the sky, but Peacemaker manages to rocket above the danger and remain focused!

Before Peacemaker can make good on his threat to kill Major Force -- the Suicide Squad arrives to pacify the conflict with extreme prejudice!

Vixen orders Count Vertigo and Shade the Changing Man to target Peacemaker, who doesn't immediately open fire on the unknown assailants.

He quickly gets an answer to their status when Vertigo engulfs him in a disorienting field that causes him to lose his bearings and head into a downward spiral!

Shade keeps the pressure on Peacemaker as he crash lands into the wrecked Koning building. His strange M-Vest projects a warped vision of Wolfgang Schmidt in SS uniform -- the imaginary picture of his father that haunts Peacemaker!

Rattled by the sight, Peacemaker is defenseless as Shade swoops around him and extends a massive projected fist from the cackling Nazi!

Duchess follows Vixen's direction to target Major Force, keeping him distracted by stepping up with a powerful hand cannon of her own devious design.

The Major welcomes the weapon, confident his alien metal shell can withstand the blast.

Force absorbs the almost point blank blasts straight to the torso, laughing as each of three rounds does almost nothing to impact him.

He takes great delight in taking his "shot", first punching Duchess in the face with a straight right, then delivering a side kick to the stomach, and finishing the combo with a close range uppercut!

Duchess wipes her mouth with a forearm and tosses away her gun. She tells her teammates to proceed with their mission while she takes care of her "meat".

"Hah! I finally found someone who won't break the first time I hit him! Okay worm -- let's match fists!"

A wild right hook checks Major Force across the jaw with a KRAK!

Lashina follows with a high kick -- maybe a roundhouse -- unaware that across the battlefield Peacemaker is watching.

Crawling through the wreckage, he imagines his father's chastising. It spurs him onward, first to his knees and then back toward his gun. He'll prove his isn't a weakling by lining up both his enemies and making the shot!

A massive explosion erupts a blaze around the battlefield as it blasts through the crumbling Koning building and topples Duchess, Major Force, and even the weakened gunman -- but was Peacemaker really responsible?!

His two awesomely powerful targets are first to stir. Major Force tries to get off the ground, cracking wise: "Oof! What was in that last punch, baby?"

Duchess doesn't take credit for the blast, but finishes him off with a rabbit punch!

Vixen and Shade emerge from the raging inferno carrying a badly wounded Count Vertigo. Turns out he caught a face full of explosion when the Squad's true target -- the diabolical Doctor Heinrich Megala -- blew up. A suicide-doppelganger!

The forcefield of Shade's M-Vest kept Vertigo from being fatally wounded, and allows the rest of the team to walk away having won the battle, if not the war.

The Hammer...

The Suicide Squad clearly emerges victorious -- even if their ultimate objective to detain Doctor Megala wasn't achieved.

Per the standard format we could have reviewed this as the Suicide Squad against mutually hostile targets Peacemaker & Major Force.

I generally prefer to keep the battelines drawn down two sides, but in this one it just felt a bit more interesting and honest to acknowledge a three-way conflict. Peacemaker and Major Force never even inadvertently collude, with the former lining up his shots against MF and Duchess right until the end.

It's actually a key plot point that everyone's at each other's throats: The Janus Directive is an 11 issue crossover weaving through the pages of Suicide Squad, Checkmate, Manhunter, Firestorm, and Captain Atom. It's a paranoid superhero-thriller that turns DC's various military and intelligence agencies against one another in a private war.

If you're acting under the misapprehension that any era of comics was apolitical, the post-Crisis DCU will be a particularly rude awakening. These comics were rife with political intrigue and commentary, and there were plenty of politically motivated and analogous agencies to get involved in The Janus Directive!

The first shots are fired when Amanda Waller fingers either The Atom Project or The Force of July for planning a violent power play against their departmental rivals at Task Force X: overseer of the Suicide Squad.

She doesn't know which agency it will be, and seeks to recruit Checkmate and Project: Peacemaker as part of a pre-emptive counterstrike led by the Squad.

"The Wall" refuses to reveal the source of her information, and the extreme nature of her actions arouses suspicion from Checkmate, turning them against her as the conflict escalates -- and with good reason, too! She's actually enacting plans revealed by a doppelganger who was supposed to have replaced her!

Waller initiates the Janus Directive to avoid alerting the conspirators that she's thwarted their replacement attempt, while also using covert resources, such as Manhunter, to uncover the mastermind behind it all: Kobra!

It might sound a little complicated, but it's a testament to the complimentary relationship between the various DC series involved, many written by John Ostrander, and the value packed into each issue at the time. This is a certainly crossover that enhanced each series it overlaps with, injecting colour and extra excitement into sometimes more sedate worlds.

Suicide Squad is and was a jewel in the crown of the time, and I find myself coming back to it regularly with greater appreciation. A lot of its strength is in the ebb & flow of A & B plots, accumulated reference, and the flexibility of the material to blend espionage, costumed super-heroics, and everything in between.

It's kind of awesome that we're looking at an issue that casually brings together a gun-toting earthbound New God in camo pants (Duchess, aka; Lashina), a Charlton acquisition (Peacemaker), and an oddball Steve Ditko creation (Shade the Changing Man). Fruits of earlier stories and a little happenstance.

I hope to take a closer look at some of these characters in the future, but if you'd like to draw your own conclusions you can find the entire crossover collected in the Suicide Squad Vol. 4: The Janus Directive.

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Winners: Duchess, Shade the Changing Man & Count Vertigo
#191 (+370) Lashina (Duchess)
#348 (new) Shade the Changing Man
#366 (+266) Count Vertigo
#617 (new) Doctor Megala Imposter [+1 assist]
#73 (+1) Vixen [+1 assist]
#959 (new) Major Force
#960 (new) Peacemaker