Infinite Wars: Atlantis vs MODvengers

ATLANTIS versus AVENGERS
A Not-So-Beautiful Mind (Marvel comics)
Where: Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #9 When: March 2007
Why: Jeff Parker How: Juan Santacruz

The story so far...
MODOK and the villainous group of criminal scientists called AIM have defeated and captured the Avengers, and attempted to perform horrible experiments on them.
Though there was a terrible explosion, the Avengers emerge as distorted reimaginings of their former selves, recreated in MODOK's own image!

Returning to the world as the MODvengers, they approach protecting New York City with an entirely new slant. With their intelligence, arrogance and cranial capacity all upgraded, they are more than ready to meet the challenges of villains head-on with a jaded and cynical superiority.

It would seem a most inopportune moment, then, for Lord Krang and Attuma to lead the hordes of the Atlantean military into an invasion of the surface world.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/atlantis-versus-avengers-not-so.html

Infinite Wars: Winter Soldier vs Crossbones

WINTER SOLDIER versus CROSSBONES
The Death of the Dream (Marvel comics)
Where: Captain America #25 When: April 2007
Why: Ed Brubaker How: Steve Epting

The story so far...
The world was turned upside down for Captain America when the Red Skull and his associates began toying with everything that has defined him, but nothing cut as deep as the return of his former sidekick -- Bucky Barnes.

Having survived the accident that supposedly left him dead in the icey waters that froze the Captain, Barnes has lived a life of servitude to the communist Russian regime. Standing as an affront to everything he and Captain America once stood for.

Despite his past, Winter Soldier finds himself in the employ of the underground Nick Fury, former Director of SHIELD. Having surrendered to pro-registration forces in the superhero Civil War, Rogers finds himself paraded before a jaded public and media, unbeknownst to all as part of a sinister ploy set in motion by the Red Skull.

Captain America is dead.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/winter-soldier-versus-crossbones-death.html

Infinite Wars: Superman vs Batman

SUPERMAN versus BATMAN
Book One (DC comics)
Where: The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1 When: November 2001
Why: Frank Miller How: Frank Miller

The story so far...
After faking his own death, Bruce Wayne goes underground to train the army of SOBs who joined him after abandoning their Mutant leader to rally to his cause. With the aid of his new ward Carrie Kelly he makes this possible.

Using his personal army to break free some of his more willing peers from the past, Batman assembles a team that includes powerhouses in their respective fields including The Flash and The Atom, and prepares to go to war against the world.

In a world where superheroes are slowly beginning to again penetrate the shutdown public consciousness; Batman is bringing heroism back in a big way, and not a minute too soon. With threats from Lex Luthor and Brainiac lurking on the horizon, he'll need to have all his tools and freedoms at the ready. But what of the Superman? Where does he stand?...

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/superman-versus-batman-book-one-dc.html

Infinite Wars: Avengers vs MODOK

THE AVENGERS versus MODOK
A Not-So-Beautiful Mind (Marvel comics)
Where: Marvel Adventures: The Avengers #9 When: March 2007
Why: Jeff Parker How: Juan Santacruz

The story so far...
The world's mightiest heroes are going about their routine superheroic business, but something about this mission is going to change the way the world views The Avengers!

The target is MODOK and the yellow suited agents of AIM, who are conducting sinister experiments with untested scientific contagents.

The heroes want to put a stop to these dangerous evil experiments, but little do they realise the experiment is very soon to be THEM! MODOK and his cronies intend to turn the tables on The Avengers, and may Zod have mercy on them all for it!

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/avengers-versus-modok-not-so-beautiful.html

Infinite Wars: Bane vs Checkmate

BANE versus TOMMY JAGGER
Corvalho: Part Two (DC comics)
Where: Checkmate #12 When: May 2007
Why: Greg Rucka & Nunzio Defilippis How: Steve Scott & Cliff Richards

The story so far...
Political tensions are mounting in the South American state of Santa Prisca. With an impending election, Bane retaliates against a cocktail of corruption and election tampering with his own hard tactics of independent militia and stern curfews.

The International agency of Checkmate responds to the distress call of Colonel Computron, who has information regarding the mastermind behind the election tampering he aided.

With need of evidence, some of Checkmate agents suspect their own White Queen, Amanda Waller, of being responsible. When each King's Knight is distributed into the field, little do they realise the Black Knight, Beatriz "Fire" Dacosta, has been blackmailed by Waller into destroying Computron.

As if that wasn't bad enough, there's the little matter of White Knight, Tommy Jaggar. Jagger's father, the hero known as Judomaster, was murdered by Bane during the Battle of Metropolis, who was among those representing The Society.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/bane-versus-tommy-jagger-corvalho-part.html

Infinite Wars: Marvel Zombies vs Silver Surfer

MARVEL ZOMBIES versus SILVER SURFER
Marvel Zombies (Marvel comics)
Where: Marvel Zombies #3 When: April 2006
Why: Robert Kirkman How: Sean Phillips

The story so far...
In the universe dubbed 2149, heroes and villains are no longer of any relevant concern. However, this is not a reality of uptopian peace and harmony among man.
The super powered heroes and villains of the Marvel universe have simply become infectious walking dead -- zombies!

With humanity all but exterminated, and the efforts of the genius zombified Reed Richards having been foiled by his alternate counterpart, the zombies are tortured by their lust for fresh meat.

Their undead prayers are soon answered with the arrival of a chrome skinned spaceman called the Silver Surfer, who warns of the coming of the great devourer, but they've got news for him: HE'S the one that's going to get devoured!

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/marvel-zombies-versus-silver-surfer.html

Infinite Wars: Spider-man & Human Torch vs Wizard & Mysterio

SPIDER-MAN & HUMAN TORCH versus THE WIZARD & MYSTERIO
The Web and The Flame! (Marvel comics)
Where: Amazing Spider-man Annual #4 When: 1967
Why: Stan Lee How: Larry Lieber

The story so far...
When the Human Torch appears to be on a rampage in a populated city street, Spider-man swings in to save the day. Little does he know, Johnny Storm's landed himself a part in a Hollywood feature film!

In the times before computer generated special effects, Spidey makes for a great secondary addition to the film, but the misunderstandings continue as another Human Torch situation gets out of control!

Intent on destroying one and other, Spider-man and Human Torch wage war against one and other across the backlot of the film sets. All the while, the masterminds of the misunderstandings watch on from a hidden lair. Masterminds who go by the names -- The Wizard and Mysterio!

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/spider-man-human-torch-versus-wizard.html

Infinite Wars: Red Hood vs Green Arrow

GREEN ARROW versus RED HOOD
Seeing Red Part Three: Change Partners (DC comics)
Where: Green Arrow #71 When: April 2007
Why: Judd Winick How: Scott McDaniel

The story so far...
The Red Hood has rolled into town and he's survived the fight with Brick long enough to team-up with him in a diabolical plot against the Batman and Green Arrow!

Red Hood orchestrates a series of scenarios across the city to lure out the heroes, and lead them into an opponent swap! Having educated Brick in the ways of his former mentor, the plan is going without a hitch, except for the presence of a fifth wheel: Speedy!

Will the young hero come to the rescue of the legends, or is there something more than meets the eye to Red Hoods plans? What are those cries in the distance? What lies behind door number three? Doom for Speedy, perhaps?...

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/green-arrow-versus-red-hood-seeing-red.html

Infintie Wars: Wolverine vs SHIELD

WOLVERINE versus SHIELD
What If Wolverine Was Never Deprogrammed?: Bite The Hand That Feeds (Marvel comics)
Where: What If? Wolverine Enemy Of The State #1 When: January 2007
Why: Jimmie Robinson How: Carmine Di Giandomenico

The story so far...
Wolverine became enemy of the state when he was attacked by a mysterious warrior called Gorgon, killed, and resurrected by the mysterious group called The Hand.

Brainwashed into being an agent of Hydra, Wolverine went on a spree to kill and thus recruit other powered heroes into Hydra's control.

Eventually Captain America and the X-Men were able to intervene, and put a stop to Wolverine's rampage long enough to deprogram him once more, but in other realities this was not the case. Here we bare witness to a world where Wolverine savaged Captain America, and escaped to fight another day...

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/wolverine-versus-shield-what-if.html

Infinite Wars: Iron Man vs Titanium Man

IRON MAN, BLACK WIDOW & CRIMSON DYNAMO versus TITANIUM MAN
Triangle (Marvel comics)
Where: Iron Man #316 When: May 1995
Why: Len Kaminski How: Tom Morgan

The story so far...
With the Cold War well and truly behind America, Stark Industries finally succeeds in efforts to open an industrial park in Russia. Good news for Stark, but not so much for resurrected Soviet Super-Soldier, Boris Bullski aka the Titanium Man.

With the Black Widow by his side, Iron Man finds himself in a fight for his life, while Russian military scramble to recover and put an end to this political nightmare.

In their desperation, the Russians turn to a former villain and ally of the Titanium Man - General Valentin Shatalov - the sixth man to wear the armor of the Crimson Dynamo. Thus, with hopes for a future Russia, they send their soldier into battle -- but whose side will he be on?

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/iron-man-black-widow-crimson-dynamo.html

Infinite Wars: Monster Society vs Black Adam

THE MONSTER SOCIETY versus BLACK ADAM
Deaths in the Family (DC comics)
Where: 52 #44 When: May 2007
Why: Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid How: Keith Giffen & Eddy Barrows

The story so far...
Black Adam's nation of Khandaq has been plunged into a plague of darkness, and Adam's young protégé, Osiris, believes his committing a murder with the powers granted to him is what's responsible.

Convinced to give-up his powers, which free him of his condition as a cripple, Osiris is quickly slaughtered by Sobek, a crocodilian creature he rescued from the sinister mad scientist, Dr. Sivana.

Sobek reveals himself to really be Yurrd the Unknown, member of "The Four Ages of Dread Of Apokolips in it's anguished, bloody morning." The NEW Monster Society, and remaining three horsemen of Khandaq's apocalypse reveal themselves, and launch their sleeping attack on Black Adam.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/monster-society-versus-black-adam.html

Infinite Wars: Freedom Fighters vs Superman & Batman

FREEDOM FIGHTERS versus SUPERMAN & BATMAN
Absolute Power Chapter Two: "What Price Freedom...?" (DC comics)
Where: Superman/Batman #15 When: Early February 2005 Why: Jeph Loeb How: Carlos Pacheco

The story so far...
In a world without freedom, the intervention of Lightning Lord, Saturn Queen and Cosmic King is unchallenged.
The time travellers from the 31st century use their hindsight to capture and raise Kal-El and Bruce Wayne through their formative years, sculpting them into the ultimate dicators.

With their knowledge, they preemptively prevent the birth of the greatest heroes. Extinguishing any flame that may potentially rise against their 'sons' and the utopian they believe they have created.

Some flames cannot be extinguished, and lost in the sea of humanity is one such individual, who, once discovered by the Amazonian Wonder Woman, is reborn once more as Uncle Sam. Once in possession of the lost Green Lantern ring of Abin Sur, Uncle Sam and Wonder Woman go about starting a revolution.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/freedom-fighters-versus-superman-batman.html

Infinite Wars: Fin Fang Foom vs Iron Man

FIN FANG FOOM versus IRON MAN
Dragon Flame (Marvel comics)
Where: Iron Man #271 When: August 1991
Why: John Byrne How: Paul Ryan

The story so far...
With Tony Stark's health worsening, long-time friend and confidant, Jim Rhodes, accompanies him across the seas to China, where communist rulers have allowed him audience with one of the world's greatest Neurosurgeons.

In exchange for her expertise, the leaders required payment -- the unconditional services of Iron Man in eliminating the problem of The Mandarin.

Unwilling to let his friend and boss turn his back on a good thing, Rhodes knocks him out, and sets out as he has before to be the golden Avenger. Things go from bad to worse for Rhodes. Not only is his track record against the Mandarin poor, but he's got himself a pet dragon -- Fin Fang Foom!

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/fin-fang-foom-versus-iron-man-dragon.html

Infinite Wars: Batman vs Joker

MONTHLY PUNCH-UP #16 (April 2007)
BATMAN versus THE JOKER
The Clown at Midnight (DC)
Where: Batman #663 When: April 2007
Why: Grant Morrison How: John Van Fleet & Todd Klein

Quick Fix...
If you haven't heard the hook for Batman #663, you probably haven't been around the comic scene the past few months, because while Grant Morrison writing Batman might not be news anymore -- Grant Morrison shaking things up most certainly is.

Rather ironically, this issue features something not seen in mainstream comics for probably a decade, and that's prose. The last time I remember seeing this attempted in a major on-going series it was a David Michelinie flip feature in Spectacular Spider-man #220.

So anyway, how is that ironic?

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/04/monthly-punch-up-16-april-2007-batman.html