SUICIDE SQUAD versus BLACK ADAM

Suicidal Tendencies (DC)
Where: 52 #34 When: February 2007
Why: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka & Mark Waid How: Keith Giffen, Joe Bennett & Ruy José

The Story So Far...
Black Adam's violent conquest and reign over the nation of Kahndaq has earned the ancient marvel many new enemies.

Though softened by the formation of his own Black Marvel Family; Adam's brutal public execution of would-be eco-terrorist, Terra-Man, has renewed concern and anxiety from modern world powers who do not trust or agree with his unwavering old-world brand of justice.

Amanda Waller spearheads a secret black-ops mission to sanction Black Adam during his visit to the US. Recruiting Adam's former revolutionary ally, Atom Smasher, Waller deploys the Suicide Squad to San Francisco to stage an ambush when the Black Marvels reunite with prospective Teen Titan - Osiris.

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Black Adam 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Draw 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Black Adam 5 (Super-Human)
Stamina: Black Adam 6 (Generator)
Agility: Black Adam 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Black Adam 7 (Living Weapon)
Energy: Isis 6 (Mass Destruction)
Total: Black Adam 34 (Super)

The Suicide Squad are: Plastique, Electrocutioner, Captain Boomerang, Count Vertigo, Persuader, and Atom Smasher.

A rag tag mix of new recruits and Suicide Squad regulars, but the ace in the hole is Atom Smasher. He has unique insights into their intended targets having left the Justice Society to bring Kobra to justice, and participated in the Kahndaq coup.

The Black Marvel Family are: Black Adam, Isis, Osiris, and Sobek.

Black Adam lends some of his power to Osiris in a similar fashion to Captain Marvel Jr, while Isis gains her super-human strength and influence over the natural world by wielding the magical might of the Amulet of Isis.

When Black Adam left the JSA to conquer Kahndaq he had to go through Captain Marvel, and we've also seen him challenge the likes of Superman, Superboy-Prime, and The Freedom Fighters. The Black Marvel Family is therefore well equipped to defend against most threats -- including the Suicide Squad.

Atom Smasher's familiarity and connection with Black Adam offers some hope for diplomatic resolution, but we don't review a lot of polite conversations!

The armored Persuader has gone mano-a-mano with Superman and might be able to use his Atomic Axe to knock the Marvels around, while Count Vertigo and his powers of disorientation throw them off, and make counter-attack difficult -- tactics that worked when the Squad faced Peacemaker and Major Force.

Captain Boomerang can be relied upon to hit a target if properly equipped, adding bursts of super-speed to his father's old tricks. Plastique and Electrocutioner bring their own firepower, but it remains to be seen if explosions or electricity are enough to rattle the Black Marvels! Let's get into it!

The Tape: Black Marvel Family Ranking: Black Adam (#27)

What Went Down...

Black Adam & Isis meet an ebullient Osiris carrying Sobek over the forest near Titans Tower. Their reunion is soon interrupted by a massive explosion sparked below by Electrocutioner and Plastique -- distraction for Atom Smasher!

The giant-sized Atom Smasher emerges from the forest and snatches Black Adam out of the sky while the other Black Marvels are spilled by the explosion.

The Smasher lives up to his name -- slamming Black Adam into the ground!

Black Adam punches Atom Smasher's hand away, also deflecting the insistence that he should hand himself over to a foreign US government.

Adam gains the space necessary to fly directly at Atom Smasher and deliver a knock-out blow that topples the towering figure, taking out Captain Boomerang in the woods below as his giant head hits the ground.

Adam hovers menacingly over Plastique and Electrocutioner with concern for his protege, but Osiris scrambles to his feet to plead for their lives. They repay his act of mercy with another explosion!

Isis can sense the impact of the fighting on the surrounding trees, but Persuader is unmoved by the environmental impact of his radioactive axe.

Before Isis can rectify the situation -- a sudden wave of disorientation overwhelms her. Count Vertigo makes his presence felt and sends her precious world spinning.

Persuader shoos his Suicide Squad teammate, closing in to deliver a deep gash into Isis' arm with his ultra-sharp Atomic Axe!

Osiris uses his Titans communicator to call for help as Electrocutioner is sent hurtling past him, and Isis receives yet another cut from the Atomic Axe, this time to her face!

The screams of his sister sharpen his focus as Persuader decides to disobey orders and close in for the kill. Osiris ensures the axe-man won't be successful!

The young Marvel launches himself like a flying missile and careens straight through Presuader -- cutting the axe-man's body in two!

Osiris comes to a skidding stop in the mud with Persuader's entrails still hanging from his arm.

Count Vertigo and Sobek watch in stunned disbelief as Osiris realises what has happened and falls to his hands and knees.

A downpour mixes his tears with rain as Isis comes to console him, and Black Adam directs them to a timely exit.

The Hammer...

Another bloody display of what happens when the powers of Shazam are used without caution and restraint. The violent episode pauses the players who are still conscious, allowing the Marvels to leave unopposed.

The graphic conclusion of Osiris flying through Persuader makes it almost feel like DC taking something back from Quality's cult 80s UK Kid Miracleman (aka; Kid Marvelman), but this type of extreme violence was becoming broadly commonplace at the publisher in the mid-2000s.

When Black Adam left the JSA in 2003, we saw him rip the heart from Kobra's chest, beginning a violent march that would also see him casually poke his fingers through Psycho-Pirate's head, and tear Terra-Man in two in 52 #3.

On the surface it's a lot of extreme action, but these were the actions that built a sense of anxiety & distrust about Black Adam in the public and political spheres of the DCU. The entirety of 52 is ratcheting up the tension, offering at least some examination of the consequence of choosing the brutal path.

Violence inevitably begets violence, and things will only get worse for the Black Marvel Family. The erstwhile Sobek will reveal himself as Yurrd, Horseman of Famine, who devours Osiris, and participates in an attack by the new Monster Society which will end with the death of Isis, as well.

This saga of Black Adam's journey from villain, to anti-hero, to anti-villain, and back, made him one of the most dynamic characters to track through the 2000s, and it's no surprise he's taken flight as the next live-action DC movie property. We were already talking about Dwayne Johnson's casting back in 2007!

As time marches on I have mixed feelings about the cult fandom that exploded around Black Adam, and characters like him. It's difficult to imagine redeeming a villain who resorted to the mass murder of millions, especially in these times, and as the 'Superman gone bad' concept becomes increasingly prevalent -- sometimes received without any irony -- it begins to lose its appeal.

Marvel Comics may've attached the mantra of 'with great power must come great responsibility' to Spider-Man, but it's a principle that remains fundamentally at the heart of the super-hero concept, and I appreciate stories like todays as reminders of that important principle, and as cautionary tale.

I also appreciate 52. I find myself reflecting on its effortless episodic flow, and interesting cast of somewhat disparately featured DC characters, and enjoy it all a great deal. Something I haven't found from DC Comics over the last decade.

The appearance of the Suicide Squad may be in service to the Black Adam chapters of 52, but I also enjoy that Osiris' reckless act marries well with the meta of the Squad concept. It was a mild shame to casually wipe a C-grade Superman villain from the board, but Persuader was already something of a legacy villain, so maybe the potential was still there to recover.

Atom Smasher's admission to the team feels like a deft move, as well. A nice way to continue his journey, similar in flourish to Bronze Tiger or Vixen's time with the group. Voluntary service in the name of redemption and doing good.

Once upon a time Black Adam had a similarly brief team-up with the Squad. That might be something interesting to explore sometime in the future. In the meantime, lets commit this one to the record and roll on to future endeavors!

This is officially the 700th fight featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths!

You can find them all by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of battles in order of publisher, series, and issue number. Or -- just follow links throughout posts to discover more from your favourite characters or concepts!

If you like what we're all about and want to help the site continue to grow become a supporter on Patreon! You'll get warm kudos and respect from your peers for being such a fine, discerning patron, and also unlock access to additional updates, sponsored article options, and various other things.

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

Winner(s): Osiris & Black Adam (w/ Sobek & Isis)
#22 (+5) Black Adam
#218 (new) Osiris [+1 kill]
#494 (+16) Isis [+1 assist]
#654 (+54) Sobek (Yurrd) [+1 assist]
#373 (-167) Atom Smasher
#637 (-85) Plastique
#638 (-84) Captain Boomerang (Owen Mercer)
#971 (new) Electrocutioner (Lester Buchinsky)
#972 (new) Persuader (Cole Parker)
#360 (+9) Count Vertigo [+1 assist]

TITANIA versus FANTASTIC FOUR

Tempest Without, Crisis Within! (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #3 When: July 1984 Why: Jim Shooter How: Mike Zeck

The Story So Far...
In the cold vacuum of distant space -- the sudden emergence of a space station filled with some of the mightiest heroes and villains of Earth!

Gathered together by some awesome, unknown force, they are issued a simple decree: "I am from beyond! Slay your enemies and all your desires shall be yours! Nothing you dream of is impossible for me to accomplish!"

Deposited to a planet created by this mysterious Beyonder from pieces of other worlds -- forces align to fight a war of good & evil unseen by human eyes. Leading a rabble of the disagreeable and devious: Doctor Doom seeks to enhance his forces with the creation of two new super-villains to join an attack at dawn!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thing 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Genius)
Speed: Human Torch 3 (Athlete)
Stamina: Thing 5 (Marathoner)
Agility: Mr. Fantastic 6 (Rubber)
Fighting: Thing 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Human Torch 7 (Cosmic Power)
Total: Human Torch 23 (Champion)

Plucked from the obscurity of a Denver town during The Beyonder's construction of Battleworld; Mary MacPherran was discovered by Doctor Doom and granted super-human powers using alien technology found on the composite planet.

As Titania she gratefully received super-human strength, durability, and stamina, further bolstering Doom's forces in the Secret Wars against Earth's mightiest heroes -- and a few of his conspiring contemporaries as well!

The Fantastic Four are: Mister Fantastic, Human Torch, and Thing.

The foursome is actually a trio -- unaccompanied by the Invisible Woman, who stays safe at home, heavily pregnant.

Further depleting the ranks is the unexpected transformation of The Thing into his human alter-ego of Benjamin Grimm. It marks a noted loss of strength for the seasoned threesome as they find themselves under surprise attack from an unfamiliar adversary!

Ordinarily Thing would probably go head-to-head with Titania without too much issue, but it'll be up to Mister Fantastic and Human Torch to fend for themselves and their powerless friend. A rare, but not unheard of predicament.

Though generally known for his smarts, Reed Richards can stretch his abilities to combat - particularly when the family's involved.

We saw Reed rough up the Sub-Mariner during a jealous grudge match in FF #412, and outfight the Super-Apes in a dramatic lone stand during FF (Vol.3) #3. Of course, he also found himself twisted and tossed aside by the likes of Hulk in FF #12 and FF #374, and the impossibly powerful Gladiator in FF #249.

In her first outing it remains to be seen if Titania is as strong or durable as those high-level competitors. She's certainly highly motivated and eager to test her strength. So let's see what happened...

The Tape: Fantastic Four Ranking: Mister Fantastic (#11)

What Went Down...

There are no obstacles awaiting Doctor Doom as he pilots a flying ship filled with an army of villains towards the heroes' headquarters. Unchallenged -- he prepares them for ramming speed and crashes directly into the undefended complex!

From the heart of the sprawling facility Doom strikes -- directing The Wrecker to his mission to free Kang, Enchantress, and The Wrecking Crew from imprisonment -- while the other villains spill outward to cause maximum mayhem!

The first heroes alerted to the assault are the Fantastic Four -- now a threesome, with the powerless human form of Ben Grimm standing to his feet as Human Torch and Mister Fantastic spot the disturbance outside.

The very window they're peering through betrays them as Titania comes calling.

Her newfound super-human strength gets its first test drive as she smashes the exterior wall into the large table seating the FF!

Only the Human Torch remains conscious, nursing a broken arm and ribs as he points his right hand toward the attacker and douses her in flames!

The blazing fire engulfs Titania, deterring her just long enough for the Human Torch to blast his way through the floor, allowing he and his fellows to drop to the safety of the lower levels.

Titania stands ready at the hole's edge -- a job well done.

The Hammer...

I suppose I should take a moment to bask in the collective sigh of relief now that Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars is finally on the record!

In the age of SEO you might've presumed it would be one of the first things featured on Secret Wars on Infinite Earths, but life online wasn't always about being so damn obvious, and I've always preferred to go where whim takes me.

Once we finally crossed off Crisis on Infinite Earths, Secret Wars obviously started burning up the To Do list -- and let's be honest: It has always been a point of interest that I've wanted to get to. I just never imagined this is where we'd start!

With Titania making her live-action debut in She-Hulk on Disney+, it felt like the right time to finally dig into the famous Marvel maxi-series, which essentially came together to sell some action figures, but also introduced a few enduring ideas and new additions to the Marvel pantheon.

Titania's first official fight in print wasn't exactly a barn burner, but she makes a heckuva strong impression with her total bamboozling of the Fantastic Four!

Today we might think of her as more of a She-Hulk villain, but it makes sense that her first conflict might be with the FF. After all, she was granted her super-human strength by Doctor Doom, and was itching to prove herself with worthy combat.

It's actually one of several small skirmishes breaking out, by happenstance, as Doom deploys his villainous troops to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting heroes while The Wrecker recovers prisoners.

That element of tactical deployment and human-resource management is one of the things that makes Secret Wars appealing. It won't quite achieve the status of a true war story with super-heroes, but it at least flirts with the concept beyond a clumsy series of indistinguishable fights transparently advertising a toy line.

She-Hulk happens to be the next target featured after today's fight, surprised by another Secret Wars debutante - Volcana. Proximity that perhaps subconsciously alludes to the characters' future associations, including She-Hulk's admission to the Fantastic Four as a stand-in for The Thing, who'd already subbed out in the pages of Fantastic Four #265.

A lot of what makes Titania enduring is here right from the start.

As soon as she receives her powers -- a painful process that requires whole-heartedly embracing them at risk of destruction -- she has a costume ready, and  comes up with an alias on the spot. Truth be told it's probably my favourite Titania look. Leather pro wrestling chic with thorny spikes up & down the sleeves.

A quick flex lifting & throwing a few tonnes of slag melted by Volcana, and she's ready to rumble. Doctor Doom introduces his new recruits to the rest of the squad, and Titania makes a beeline for a lazily lounging Absorbing Man looking for a rumble: "I'm going to do anything I want to you! Everything I always wanted to do to everybody who used to be bigger and stronger than me! Maybe I'll just play with you... or maybe I'll make you eat dirt..."

The vaguely flirtatious threat is met with indifference as Absorbing Man blows off the challenge from "a dame" at least until tomorrow. A dynamic that might be seen as dismissive, but feels more like the playful preview of a lasting relationship that will be forged between the couple as super-human equals.

That's a combination I look forward to exploring further in future updates. For now: we need to make a call about this result.

Although the Fantastic Four look in pretty bad shape, Human Torch ensures they slink away quickly before the fight really takes off. In the next issue Hulk will still be carrying an unconscious Mister Fantastic and Ben Grimm, with the Torch nursing his injuries. I'm inclined to take this compelling outcome into account and deem this a debut win for Titania. Agree or disagree? Hit the comments below.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured almost 700 battles and ranked well over 1000 characters! You can find more from your favourite characters & topics by following links throughout each entry, or by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights by publisher, series, and issue number.

If you like what we're all about and want to help the site continue to grow become a supporter on Patreon! You'll get warm kudos and respect from your peers for being such a fine, discerning patron, and also unlock access to additional updates, sponsored article options, and various other things.

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

Winner: Titania
#352 (new) Titania
#14 (--) Human Torch
#11 (--) Mister Fantastic
#13 (--) Thing

MASTERS OF EVIL versus AVENGERS

A Gathering of Evil! (Marvel)
Where: Avengers #222 When: August 1982
Why: Jim Shooter & Steve Grant How: Greg LaRocque

The Story So Far...
While Wasp and The Avengers welcome their newest recruit to the halls of Avengers Mansion -- one of their old adversaries begins drawing plans for recruitment of his own for a new team of Masters of Evil!

Egghead begins his scheme by sending a missile to Atlantis, destroying the prison that holds Todd Arlis aka; Tiger Shark. From there, the first recruit attacks the super-villain prison facility at Ryker's, freeing Whirlwind, Scorpion, and Moonstone.

In exchange for their freedom, the team agrees to serve Egghead in his scheme for power & fortune, but old grudges die hard, and Whirlwind can't help but take a day trip to Avengers Mansion to seek revenge against The Wasp. A decision that forces The Masters of Evil to make their presence known ahead of schedule!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Thor 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Hawkeye 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Moonstone 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Thor 6 (Generator)
Agility: Scorpion 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Thor 6 (Warrior)
Energy: Thor 5 (Lasers)
Total: Thor 32 (Super)

The Masters of Evil are: Moonstone, Tiger Shark, Whirlwind, and Scorpion.

This powerhouse foursome is acting under the direction of Egghead, but a lack of cohesion is evident from the very outset. Whirlwind goes rogue looking for payback, but he'll get more than he bargained for once Avengers assemble!

The Avengers are: Wasp, Hawkeye, Thor, and She-Hulk.

Thor tops several categories of The Tape with godly might, but on average these Masters of Evil outpace at least half of The Avengers here, and there's a pretty compelling case for their path to victory.

Moonstone gained cosmic might from a Kree gravity stone that grants her super-human strength, durability, flight, energy blasts, and various other tricks. She could probably occupy Thor alone, as we saw when she battled the Asgardian-powered Bulldozer and Piledriver during Thunderbolts #1.

Either Tiger Shark or Scorpion could run interference on She-Hulk, with the former's history of battling the Sub-Mariner making the most compelling case. His ability to withstand the ocean depths, and Namor's strongest blows, as in Marvel Team-Up #14, spells an underrated powerhouse of the Marvel Universe.

That would free up Scorpion to try swapping his hatred of Spider-Man for the Wasp. She doesn't have the strength to cause an abrupt upset, but as we've seen before, her speed, agility, and bio-electric stingers can beat big opponents.

Whirlwind might be best suited to blowing Wasp off course, but she's always seemed to have his number. He might have better luck disrupting the flight of Hawkeye's arrows. His armor has gone head-to-head with Iron Man, and his fast twirling could probably deflect most standard trick arrows. Let's find out...

The Tape: Masters of Evil Ranking: Thor (#20)

What Went Down...

When Janet Van Dyne jumps into her town car for home, she finds faithful driver Carrothers replaced by arch-nemesis David Cannon -- aka; Whirlwind!

Like his namesake, Whirlwind whips around to grab hold of his intended target, but he's left holding a designer shall as Wasp activates the Pym Particles in her suit that cause her to shrink to insect size -- and bio-electric blast Cannon in the face!

On his way back to Avengers Mansion -- Hawkeye notices something amiss in the stationary vehicle and slips his bow to the ready.

Before he can finish producing an arrow from his quiver -- the archer is suddenly hit with a powerful beam of energy fired from overhead!

The voice that follows turns its ire not toward the downed Avenger, but rather the helmeted Whirlwind now fleeing from the vehicle. Moonstone lands on the street, joined by her fellow new Masters of Evil -- furious at their teammate for going rogue against The Avengers!

Wasp comes to Hawkeye's aid, buzzing through the air only to be swatted by Tiger Shark!

Recognizing the motley crew of villains and their superior powers, Hawkeye uses Wasp's distraction to quickly fire off a signal flare arrow before being blasted again by Moonstone!

Fortunately for Hawkeye -- the signal reached an Avenger capable of evening the score! His mighty hammer preceding him as it flies through the villainous foursome, scattering them like skittles!

Thor descends from the sky with hammer now in hand -- bringing it slamming into the road with enough force to topple the Masters of Evil again!

The thunderous shockwave is enough to stir a sleeping Avenger, who hears the commotion of Moonstone taking to the skies and firing her beams at Thor.

Scorpion seizes upon the opportunity of a staggered thunder god, charging in to smack Thor violently through the air with a powerful tail swipe!

That's all She-Hulk needs to see to smash through her Avengers Mansion window and race into battle!

Tiger Shark is sent flying back-first into the perimeter wall as She-Hulk reaches the gate, but it's Wasp who meets her on the street to stop the gamma-irradiated Avenger from entering the struggle -- lest she ruin the designer outfit borrowed from Janet Van Dyne's personal wardrobe.

Shulkie scrambles to carefully remove her borrowed garments while Thor swings his hammer to deflect more beams from Moonstone -- and Tiger Shark turns Wasp's abandoned town car into an airborne projectile!

The car finds its target, reduced to twisted metal and broken glass as it collides with Thor in a car-on-man traffic accident!

Wasp unleashes her stinging bio-electric blast while flying around the back of Scorpion's neck, shouting a wellness check to her godly teammate.

Relatively unharmed; Thor shrugs off the wreck and returns his ire to the direction of the villains, but Tiger Shark insists The Masters of Evil should fear nothing from the thunder god's strength.

The sub-aquatic scourge insists a coordinated effort can reduce the lone powerhouse to hamburger meat, but his focus fails to take into account She-Hulk -- who catches Tiger Shark by surprise with a knockdown blow from behind!

Hawkeye rejoins the group, firing an exploding arrow at the twirling tornado of Whirlwind -- knocking the swirling villain out of orbit as The Avengers square off with the newly outnumbered Masters of Evil!

Moonstone calls for evasive actions, but is cut-off as Wasp buzzes around the floating villain and blasts her with a bio-electric sting!

She-Hulk is ready to wallop Moonstone as she drops out of the air -- and is sent careening into a flat-footed Scorpion!

Thor makes sure Scorpion and Moonstone aren't getting up as The Avengers celebrate the victory with their newest recruit, and an armored NYPD truck arrives to cart the villains off.

The Hammer...
A triumphant team effort is capped off by She-Hulk as she proves the value of having extra muscle -- even on a team that boasts the Asgardian might of Thor, God of Thunder!

The Avengers all had their parts to play, but it's obviously an action-packed welcome to the team for She-Hulk in particular, who was their newest recruit as of a roster drive in Avengers #221. You probably know it: the red cover with white grid of prospective new members.

She-Hulk is a Wasp find -- the only one to accept admission from a meeting to bring another woman into the Avengers fold that also included: Invisible Girl, Black Widow, Spider-Woman, and Dazzler. All candidates who find their ways to other versions of the Avengers (assuming you include Dazzler with A-Force).

Hawkeye rejoined at the invitation of Captain America & Iron Man as well, and the skirmish outside Avengers Mansion in #222 serves as a chance to smooth things over with She-Hulk, whose pink Cadillac he fried with an electric impulse arrow after she cut off his cab in traffic, in the previous issue.

Hawkeye is obviously at home with the Avengers after a couple of decades of association, and despite the initial friction, it turns out She-Hulk is a perfect fit too.

Typically the less volatile counterpart to Hulk, she thrives in the social dynamic of the Avengers, pairing instantly well with fashion-conscious Wasp as a character in need of a more permanent costume.

That may be a precarious premise for pairing a couple of female characters, but you know I enjoy Wasp the fashionista and the modern sensibility of She-Hulk matches it well. A case where the conceited push to balance the Avengers line-up with additional femininity pays off a treat, benefitting from She-Hulk's tenure as a solo hero, and perhaps the keen intuition of plotter & then-Editor in Chief, Jim Shooter.

As a piece of Avengers history this is all very interesting, but the thing that made the cover -- and really gets me jazzed -- is the oddball grouping of villains who formed this short-lived new Masters of Evil.

Long time readers will know I have a particular taste for good quality second-tier villains, and this one-time gathering brings Scorpion into the super-villain big leagues, seeing him bat at Thor in a brief detour away from his usual sparring with arch-nemesis Spider-Man.

Scorpion'll be back menacing the web-slinger in his next printed appearance, but in a couple of decades he'll team with Moonstone again, under the guise of Venom, as members of the Thunderbolts and Dark Avengers [see; Thunderbolts #111, Nova #3, and Incredible Hercules #128]. An interesting relationship branch for a couple of characters who don't otherwise have much to do with each other.

Moonstone and Tiger Shark stick around with Egghead in the short term, joining the next Masters of Evil line-up in Avengers #228. That one continues the brief advancement a spider-villain as well, but those are details for another day.

Tiger Shark is another bad guy I get a kick out of seeing, especially when he's out of the water away from his usual issues with Sub-Mariner. What can I say? This is the fun of long-running superhero comic books!

If you agree that this is fun -- you can find more from your favourite heroes and villains by following links throughout this post, or by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fights in order of publisher, series, and issue!

Like what you see? Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has been serving superhero smackdown, review, and commentary since 2005. We've featured almost 700 battles and ranked well over 1,000 iconic characters! Consider becoming a supporter on Patreon to back future installments and unlock more possibilities!

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

Winners: She-Hulk, Wasp, Thor, and Hawkeye
#17 (+3) Thor
#39 (+14) Wasp
#87 (+69) She-Hulk
#88 (+70) Hawkeye
#413 (-61) Moonstone
#434 (--) Scorpion
#980 (-193) Whirlwind
#981 (-294) Tiger Shark

MODOK versus ABOMINATION

Yellow Fever?! (Marvel)
Where: Incredible Hulk #288 When: October 1983
Why: Bill Mantlo How: Sal Buscema & Jim Mooney

The Story So Far...
Left adrift in space by the mysterious entity known as Galaxy Master -- Abomination is discovered floating frozen in a block of ice by a passing space shuttle.

Retrieved by the astronauts and returned to Earth, the green gargantuan becomes a sleeping guest of the US military when the gamma-hunting expertise of General Thunderbolt Ross is called upon to deal with the situation.

Anticipating a lapse in the Presidentially pardoned calm of an intelligent Hulk -- Ross commits treason to form a pact with a meddling MODOK in order to turn Abomination into a living contingency. The only problem standing in their way is Abomination's total fear of fighting the Hulk. A fear MODOK intends to beat out of him!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Abomination 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: MODOK 5 (Professor)
Speed: Abomination 4 (Olympian)
Stamina: Abomination 6 (Generator)
Agility: Abomination 2 (Average)
Fighting: Abomination 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: MODOK 3 (Explosives)
Total: Abomination 25 (Metahuman)

It's a classic case of brain versus brawn, and although the stats appear to favour muscle in the arena of combat -- that isn't necessarily an accurate indicator when one of these minds belongs to a Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing!

M.O.D.O.K. is a strange looking fellow, but don't let his proportionately tiny limbs fool you into thinking he can't handle himself.

From the massive mind of the man once known as George Tarleton springs forth the most deviously brilliant designs for dominating his foes - backed by an array of mental powers: a little mind control, telekinesis, and deadly brain-blasts!

We saw MODOK's mental beam unleashed against Cable during the pocket universe punch-up of Captain America (Vol.2) #6, and turn heroes against one another in the kid-friendly realm of Marvel Adventures: Avengers #9. The latter - a struggle with consequences that only got weirder from there!

MODOK was created deliberately by Advanced Idea Mechanics to serve as a super-intelligent living computer, but Emil Blonsky was accidentally transformed into the physically powerful living Abomination when he was bombarded with concentrated gamma radiation intended by Bruce Banner for suicide.

From his accident - the Russian saboteur was immediately & permanently mutated into a green-skinned goliath far more grotesque than the Hulk, but also physically stronger, without fluctuating power relative to his moods.

Abomination is famous for going head-to-head with the Hulk, often times leaving him the worse for wear, but that is simply the price for competing with one of the most powerful mortal beings on the Earth! Can MODOK match that?

At the time of today's featured story Abomination is leaving a state of suspended animation, having been floating through space in a chunk of ice. That's bound to take its toll, but it might not have the impact you're expecting...

The Tape: Abomination Ranking: MODOK (#386)

What Went Down...

At the bottom of a dark containment pit lies a whimpering wreck -- a former shell of the monster that was The Abomination!

Above: MODOK activates a control panel with a simple mental command, filling the void with dancing light as he unleashes a crackling forest of energy beams!

The jagged arcs inspire the Abomination to his feet -- terrified of the agony they might unleash. In his fear, he doesn't notice the "plasmifire" cannon lowering from the wall to blast him with searing flame!

Desperately fleeing from the fire, Abomination runs directly into the path of a massive spiked club mounted on a telescopic tentacle.

It rises from the ground and catches the running behemoth with a direct hit. The upward strike knocks Abomination off his thundering feet and into the waiting embrace of a tangle of mechanical tendrils!

The cold metal coils wrap around his body, binding Abomination's mighty form in mid-air and surging it full with electric shocks!

Abomination does not struggle, though. He would rather choose death than living to fight, refusing to invite the pain a life of combat has wrought. A choice MODOK refuses to accept, matching his indifference with the very torture Abomination fears.

Realizing he faces the threat of an endless torture, Abomination rips himself free and asks: "What kind of sadist are you ?!!"

A massive, mechanically reinforced battering ram answers with a mighty slam -- while MODOK's cold, distant voice remains trained on his mission to unlock Abomination's destructive potential so he may avoid fighting his own equal.

The ram slams Abomination against a wall and pins him there, while another metal tendril emerges from a trapdoor in the floor, snaking a laser cannon  toward his helpless person.

A precision beam burns at Abomination's face as he squirms beneath the massive crushing weight of the battering ram.

The clarity of understanding MODOK's mission to turn him loose against AIM, and service a deal with General Ross, inspires Abomination to at last push back against the ram and rip it from its base.

He will smash MODOK's enemies -- as long as he doesn't have to face the Hulk!

In his anxious desperation, Abomination uses the crumpled battering ram to smash the laser and then reduce everything to twisted scrap!

Alone in the middle of the wreckage the monster pleads to fight anyone but the stronger, more savage Hulk. The opponent he cannot win against.

MODOK hovers over his tearful minion and informs him that he will fight the Hulk: "-- And you will triumph over him! Much has changed while you floated frozen in space! The Hulk is dominated by Bruce Banner's mind now!"

If his words failed -- MODOK's mindbeam successfully dominates the tortured Abomination, driving him to agonized knees. He cries "NO!" to deaf ears as his new master callously commits him to the very thing he fears most.

The Hammer...

This is much less a fight than a total domination of body and spirit. MODOK is like a well resourced little league father, pushing Abomination to absolute breaking point in pursuit of unleashing the destructive potential he's holding back.

It's an interesting scenario all around. A contextual rethink of The Abomination, who perhaps remains the greatest equal sparring partner for Hulk, but is also therefore destined to face recurring defeat, pitted against his nemesis all over again in the endless dance of classic comic book arch-rivalries.

Abomination was left adrift in the cold of space after his most recent defeat in Incredible Hulk #270. Retrieved by astronauts, and thawed from a block of ice by MODOK and General Ross, he's now subject to a conceptual shakeup, developing the unlikeliest of inverse characteristics to the Hulk's rage-induced strength -- he's controlled by fear.

More accurately: Abomination appears to be in the grip of a crippling anxiety, perhaps brought on by post-traumatic stress rather than simple performance anxiety. A predicament that makes this issue read quite modern, not that the substance of such maladies were completely unknown to 1983, or earlier. It's just treated with a great deal of understanding, presenting Abomination not just as a pathetic figure for derision, but as a mistreated soul, tortured by unreasonable expectation, and the callous, selfish indifference of agencies neglecting a duty of care for their own self-interest.

Bill Mantlo's script marries these everyday issues with the explosive, big action you expect of superhero comic books, serving psychological torture with a healthy helping of explosions and lasers. A palatable way of digesting heavy, psychological subject that is otherwise the bedrock of Incredible Hulk comics.

Admittedly, it's a bit of an atypical place to start with Abomination, whose only prior appearance on the site was an inter-company cameo menacing Elektra and Catwoman, but in truth his journey has actually come to have many of these kinds of detours, and I fully intend to look closer at more of his exploits.

This entry also goes some small way to challenging the modern conception of MODOK. Known for the unusual appearance of a large floating head with tiny limbs, we've seen MODOK be a subject for comedy, but here we're reminded that MODOK is also a force to be reckoned with, capable of defeating powerful foes!

Who will he dominate next? Follow links throughout this post to connect with more entries from your favourite characters -- or dive into the Secret Archive for a complete index of featured fight articles in order of publisher, series, and issue.

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Winner: MODOK
#132 (+254) MODOK
#627 (-179) Abomination