Infinite Wars: Civil War

THE AVENGERS versus THE SECRET AVENGERS
Civil War (Marvel comics)
Where: Civil War #3 When: September, 2006
Why: Mark Millar How: Steve McNiven

The story so far...
As the stars of a new superhero reality television programme, the New Warriors have embarked on a journey already of a controversial nature, but when a fight with some villains escalates the Marvel Universe will be rocked forever.

When amped up villain Nitro uses his explosive powers, there are far more casualities than the heroes, and far younger. A nearby school is wiped out, and thousands mourn the deaths of their children.

For the first time ever, the question of hero registration is answered with swift action. Leading the initiative, along with SHIELD commander Maria Hill, is Tony Stark - aka Iron Man.

Registration is mandatory. Those who do not declare, will be declared by Iron Man and the various registered heroes who are obligated by law to server and protect.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/08/avengers-versus-secret-avengers-civil.html

Infinite Wars: Iron Man vs Captain America

IRON MAN versus CAPTAIN AMERICA
The Terminus Factor Part One of Five: You are what you eat (Marvel comics)
Where: Captain America Annual #9 When: 1990
Why: Roy Thomas & Dann Thomas How: Jim Valentino

The story so far...
When Sherlock Holmes isn't cracking cases, he shoots heroin. Which is, frankly, why Holmes is nothing but a skinny elbowed English nancy.

Scoffing the most lethal of dangers, Captain America decides to volunteer for an experimental mission to pilot a Stark funded vessel to the center of a newly formed volcano. Why? Well, formerlyto protect Persephone-1 from sabotage, but really, just because he's that good. Human, too.

Things get ugly when a cybernetic egg planted by Terminus begins to crack, and a glowing lot of weird stuff starts to wreak havoc on the mission. Only by the intervention of Iron Man (who just happens to turn up as Mr. Stark disappears...) do Cap and the pilot escape with their lives -- but so too does the Terminus goo! Hitting a local waterstream has a strange effect on the fish that swim through it, and subsequently the bear who eats the fish, and so, Terminus enters the circle of life... and the water supply.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/08/iron-man-versus-captain-america.html

Infinite Wars: Iron Man & Spider-man vs Blacklash

IRON MAN & SPIDER-MAN versus BLACKLASH
Hometown Boy (Marvel comics)
Where: Marvel Team-Up #145 When: September, 1984
Why: Tony Isabella How: Greg LaRocque

The story so far...
"I love New York! So why am I going to Cleveland?!"
It's a fair question to open any comic with, but in this case Spidey has his own answer.

After embarassing photos of J. Jonah Jameson taken by Peter Parker were published by the paper, Petey boy took the wrap, getting assigned to cover the 26th Annual Convention of Electronics Engineers and Innovators Cleveland, Ohio.

Little does Parker know, another industrious young fellow is looking for a break amongst the industry leaders. A fellow named Mark Scarlotti -- aka, Blacklash! Unfortunately for convention goers, Scarlotti isn't havin a great life, and when an offer comes in from the Maggia, he can't resist the temptation to return to a life of crime.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/08/iron-man-spider-man-versus-blacklash.html

Infinite Wars: Cable & Captain America vs MODOK

CAPTAIN AMERICA & CABLE versus AIM
Soldiers (Marvel comics)
Where: Captain America #6 When: April, 1997
Why: Rob Liefeld & Jeph Loeb How: Rob Liefeld

The story so far...
Marvel's greatest heroes are believed dead, sacrificing themselves to defeat the menace of Onslaught. Unbeknownst to those left behind, the heroes habe been trapped in a pocket universe as an instinctive defensive meaure by the immensly powerful mutant child - Franklin Richards.

Now, reliving a strangely similar but warped version of his previous life, Captain America awakes from a dormant sleep as a defunct SHIELD agent.

Emerging in this strange new world reborn, Captain America goes live once more, facing threats older than anyone in this universe can possibly know.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/08/captain-america-this-must-be-original.html

Infinite Wars: Thing vs Frightful Four

THING versus THE FRIGHTFUL FOUR
The Frightful Four -- Plus One! (Marvel comics)
Where: Fantastic Four #129 When: December, 1972
Why: Roy Thomas How: John Buscema

The story so far...
Having returned from taking a licking at the hands of the Moleman, the FF are in pretty bad shape, and they get a little more lopsided when the hotheaded Johnny Storm announces he's going to live with Crystal in the Great Refuge. Yeah, great timing kiddo. All this, and Sue's had to take the wheel while Reed snoozes, and Ben just made a woman-driver gag...

The fun doesn't stop for Marvel's first family, and before too long Reed and Sue are at each other when Agatha Harkness appears to tell them to collect their son Franklin, as she has matters of the utmost urgency to attend to.

You can't blame ol' blue eyes for taking a brisk stroll to clear his head, but it turns out that might just not have been such a great idea, when a scream rings out into the cold night air.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/07/thing-versus-frightful-four-frightful.html

Infinite Wars: Batman vs Two-Face

BATMAN versus TWO-FACE
A Lonely Place of Dying Chapter Five: Rebirth (DC comics)
Where: Batman #442 When: 1989
Why: Marv Wolfman & George Perez How: Jim Aparo

The story so far...
Somewhere in space Superboy-Prime is pounding on reality, eventuating in some dramatic changes, but for the time being, Jason Todd is recently deceased.

The Batman has retreated into himself, and a young man named Tim Drake, who has deduced the identities of Batman, Robin and Nightwing - Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd and Dick Grayson, respectively - believes the Batman needs a Robin to remain in tact.

Thus, sponsored by Alfred, Tim Drake dons the tights and cape and goes to save Batman and Nightwing from certain doom at the hands of Two-Face. With Batman and Nightwing trapped in a collapsed building that Two-Face has blown up for double-good measure -- can Tim Drake - Robin - save the day?

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/07/batman-versus-two-face-lonely-place-of.html

Infinite Wars: Steel vs Plasmus

STEEL versus PLASMUS
The Drowning Room (DC comics)
Where: Steel #28 When: July, 1996
Why: Peter J. Tomasi How: Andrew Robinson

The story so far...
Ever since John Henry Irons was outed as Steel, life's been just that much more hectic.
When Steel starts having nightmares about his family, he decides to move out, but not before real in-house fighting is caught by reporters -- literally leaning into their house!

Cut to "elsewhere," where in an abandoned warehousey type set-up, Plasmus just happens to be watching a TV on a diving board, while he tries to chill in the swimming pool.

Plasmus kidnaps Steel's niece Natasha, and when Steel catches up to the giant melting man, his plan becomes clear. He wants to be saved. From himself.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/07/steel-versus-plasmus-drowning-room-dc.html

Infinite Wars: Wolverine vs Daredevil

WOLVERINE versus DAREDEVIL
Enemy of the State: Part 5 of 6 (Marvel comics)
Where: Wolverine #24 When: March, 2005
Why: Mark Millar How: John Romita Jr.

The story so far...
When Wolverine makes the trek to Japan to investigate the disappearance of a child, he find himself under attack and at the mercy of the Hand, working with Hydra under the direction of a new young stud calling himself: The Gorgon.

The Gorgon, a mutant gangster resurrected by the Hand, manages to do the unthinkable by defeating Wolverine. Thus, the Hand are able to resurrect him anew in their own vision, and under their control.

Unable to resist the control of Hydra's technicians, Wolverine now becomes an instrument of destruction. His mission is simple: Take down superpowers so they can be resurrected too.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/07/wolverine-versus-daredevil-enemy-of.html

Infinite Wars: She-Hulk vs Champion of the Universe II - The Rematch

SHE-HULK versus CHAMPION OF THE UNIVERSE
Engagement Ring (Marvel comics)
Where: She-Hulk #8 When: December, 2004
Why: Dan Slott How: Juan Bobillo

The story so far...
She-Hulk, having been appointed to the Magistrati, is employed to travel to the planet Skardon, where might makes right.

There she is to employ her strength as She-Hulk to battle Tryco Slatterus, the Champion of the Universe.
Entering the ring for legal battle, She-Hulk attempts to succeed where the Gladiator, Adam Warlock, Beta Ray Bill, the Silver Surfer, and Drax have all failed.

Needless to say, things do not go well, and the fight is stopped before She-Hulk is pounded into paste. She-Hulk uses the brawn of her legal brain to request a rematch, as she claimed the fight had been stopped while she was still able to go on. Thus, she is granted an 'appeal' in three months.

Now she just has to figure out how to avoid that paste situation...

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/06/she-hulk-versus-champion-of-universe.html

Infinite Wars: Iron Man vs Hulk

IRON MAN versus HULK
Hulk Smash! (Marvel comics)
Where: Iron Man #2 When: December, 1996
Why: Scott Lobdell & Jim Lee How: Whilce Portacio

The story so far...
When the evils of Professor Charles Xavier's psyche manifested themselves in physical form, the villain that resulted threatened to be the greatest threat to face the Marvel superheroes.

In what the world believed was a final act of heroism, Earth's greatest heroes confronted Onslaught and seemingly sacrificed themselves to thwart the entity's tyrranical plans.

Little did the world at large realise, the heroes had been rescued by the untamed intervention of Franklin Richards, the powerful mutant son of Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman. Thus, while the world mourns, the heroes relive their origins trapped in a pocket universe the size of a little boy's ball.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/06/iron-man-versus-hulk-hulk-smash-marvel.html

Infinite Wars: Superman vs Captain Marvel

SUPERMAN versus CAPTAIN MARVEL
Lightning Strikes Twice: Part 3 (DC comics)
Where: Superman #216 When: June, 2005
Why: Judd Winick How: Ian Churchill

The story so far...
Madness tears through the bustling hum of Metropolis calm, as a rock star's suicide appears to set-off a chain reaction of violent deaths and destruction.

When the chain reaches STAR Labs' Dr. Jeannie Tracey, she kills an over zealous admirer, and uses her privilages to access a LexCorp security powersuit.
With the suit, she begins a rampage of destruction designed to attract the attentions of Superman.

Battle with Dr. Tracey reveals the hidden threat of Eclipso, the villain who possess those when weakened by anger. Superman is able to curb his emotions, but finds himself under attack where he least expected it -- in his home. Unknown to Superman, Lois Lane has been possessed, and when she manages to anger him, Eclipso takes hold.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/06/superman-versus-captain-marvel.html

Infinite Wars: Daredevil vs Hulk

DAREDEVIL versus HULK
Blind Alley (Marvel comics)
Where: Daredevil #163 When: March, 1980
Why: Roger McKenzie How: Frank Miller

The story so far...
A swanky New York City fundraiser dinner in an expensive high rise appartment may require the attentions of attorney at law, Matt Murdock -- but when the pounding thud of a monstrous heartbeat echoes from the streets below, the Catholic has no choice but to abandon all fun and become -- DAREDEVIL: the man without fear!

Facing a confused and violent Hulk in a back alley, Matt Murdock manages to connect with the beast and calm him down. Thus, Bruce Banner becomes a temporary ward of the blind lawyer, who tries to help him through his struggle.

Banner attempts to escape the densly populated metropolis, but the charm of the New York subway and it's commutors eventually proves too much. Ergo, the Hulk is unleashed upon an unsuspecting city.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/06/daredevil-versus-hulk-blind-alley.html

Infinite Wars: Iron Man vs Mallen

IRON MAN versus MALLEN
Extremis: Three of Six (Marvel comics)
Where: Iron Man #3 When: March, 2005
Why: Warren Ellis How: Adi Granov

The story so far...
Extremis: the latest in super-soldier initiatives.
Using the cutting edge in nano-technologies, an injection of "nanotubes suspended in a carrier fluid" attacks the brain's 'repair' functions, reprogramming the subject's DNA from scratch to force organic transformation through healing.

When this process is stolen from an old friend of Tony Stark's, and an uncontained subject is found to have survived, you can bet your Stark Industrial stock on Iron Man showing up.

With a vendetta against federal authorities that shot his criminal parents, the Extremis survivor is hell bent on raising chaos, and has all the strength and ability in the super-world to do it.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/06/ironman-versus-mallen-extremis-three.html

Infinite Wars: Thunderbolts vs Hulk

THE THUNDERBOLTS versus HULK
(Marvel comics)
Where: Incredible Hulk #449 When: January, 1997
Why: Peter David How: Mike Deodato Jr.

The story so far...
When the world's most powerful telepathic mutant, Professor Charles Xavier, can no longer contain his bottled up emotions, it spells trouble for the entire Marvel universe.

The battle with Xavier's dark shadow, Onslaught, forces Marvel's greatest heroes to band together like never before, to focus their efforts on a single threat.

The final confrontation sees the unthinkable realised: Earth's mightiest heroes are dead. The only survivor is the Hulk, who walks away mindless, confused, and not quite feeling himself. As he treks across the country, new heroes emerge to pick up the slack.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/06/thunderbolts-versus-hulk-marvel-comics.html

Infintie Wars: Tally Man vs KGBeast

TALLY MAN versus KGBEAST
Face the Face: Part 1 of 8 (DC comics)
Where: Detective Comics #817 When: May, 2006
Why: James Robinson How: Leonard Kirk & Andy Clarke

The story so far...
It's been one year since Blüdhaven was destroyed by Chemo, and Batman battled a living Jason Todd.

In an effort to rebuild a better Batman, Bruce Wayne and wards, Tim Drake and Dick Grayson, go on a year long journey following the original path of the Batman, retracing the steps of his origin.

In his absence, Batman leaves Harvey Dent, whom he has trained sufficiently to ensure crime does not capitalize on the Batman's absence from Gotham.
Having undergone facial reconstruction surgery, Harvey Dent appears to be purged of the Two-Face persona, but appearances can be deceiving...

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/06/tally-man-versus-kgbeast-face-face.html

Infinite Wars: Deadpool vs Hulk

DEADPOOL versus HULK
Why is it, to save me, I must kill you? (Marvel comics)
Where: Deadpool #4 When: April, 1997
Why: Joe Kelly How: Ed McGuinness

The story so far...
Once upon a time there lived this dude called Deadpool.
He shoulda died a whole heap o' times, but he got this crazy healing factor from these Canadian scientist dudes, who got it from this Wolverine guy, who got it from his parents, who got it from years of evolution, which began because of... Well, to be honest, it's against state law for me to continue beyond this point, but you get the picture.

So anyway, you probably didn't know it, but behind that big old homocidal facade lies a crispy, yet creamy center -- mostly because of cancer, and that whole Canadian thing. Seriously, dude looks like a piece of bacon that's been left on the roof for six years...

Of course, whether it has three or four legs, a bulldog is still butt ugly and slightly hilarious. So, 'Pool needn't worry about losing his finger, because his Irish crish [Siryn] probably can't stand his stink anyway. Still, she's probably upset that they just found out he can't heal his finger because he's probably dying... Eh, easy come, easy go...

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/06/deadpool-versus-hulk-why-is-it-to-save.html

Infinite Wars: Deathstrike vs Wolverine

DEATHSTRIKE versus WOLVERINE
"X-Men United" (Twentieth Century Fox/Marvel Entertainment)
Where: X-Men 2 When: 2003
Why: Bryan Singer, Zak Penn, David Hayter, Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris How: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Sir Ian McKellan, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Anna Paquin, Rebecca Romijn, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Bruce Davidson, Aaron Stanford, Shawn Ashmore, Kelly Hu, Cotter Smith

The story so far...
Having spent life as a loner, a school for gifted youngsters seems like the last place the man called Wolverine would come to settle.

Never the less, caught between two warring factions of mutants, Wolverine finds refuge with the militant X-Men, and joins them in their battle against evil mutants, and the prejudicial forces of humanity.

As human-mutant tensions mount, a staged attack on the United States President prompts presidential authorization to unleash William Stryker and his forces on the X-Men.

Stryker, though a zealous anti-mutant bigot, holds the keys to Wolverine's past with the Weapon X project. Thus, it is with great reluctance that he draws his claws against him.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/05/deathstrike-versus-wolverine-x-men.html

Infinite Wars: DC vs Marvel - The Other Fights

DC versus MARVEL
strong>(DC/Marvel)
Where: DC versus Marvel #1/#4, Marvel versus DC #2/#3 When: March/April 1996
Why: Ron Marz/Peter David How: Dan Jurgens/Claudio Castellini

The recap...
- Captain Marvel versus Thor
- Aquaman versus Sub-Mariner
- Flash versus Quicksilver
- Robin versus Jubilee
- Green Lantern versus Silver Surfer
- Catwoman versus Elektra
- Lobo versus Wolverine
- Wonder Woman versus Storm
- Superboy versus Spider-man
- Superman versus Hulk
- Batman versus Captain America

For the past three months Secret Earths has featured the events of the mini-series that broke all the boundaries, and brought DC and Marvel face to face, ten years ago.

Pitted against one another by two cosmic entities; champions from the Marvel and DC universes did battle to save their universe from extinction.
In the end Batman and Captain America would be catalysts for saving both universes, as the young new cosmic hero, Access, merged realities to create the 'Amalgam' universe.

Though this merged universe could not last, in the end, the triumphs and tribulations of the lives lived by Captain America and Batman were enough to save their worlds. In the last moments the two cosmic 'brothers' that waged war with their pawns were satisfied, and spoke for the first time to say, "You've done well!"

Despite officially winning it six-to-five, Marvel and DC, represented by these two cosmic entities, make a rare gesture of sincerity and congratulate each other on a job well done. Which is all good and well, but what about the 'unofficial' fights peppered and alluded to throughout the series?

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/05/dc-versus-marvel-dcmarvel-where-dc.html

Infinite Wars: Ryu vs Sagat

RYU versus SAGAT
(UDON Comics)
Where: Street Fighter II #2 When: December 2005
Why: Ken Siu-Chong How: Alvin Lee

The story so far...
Having already tasted defeat at the hands of the murderous Akuma; Ryu sets out to better prepare himself for avenging his master, Gouken.

Seeking balance and means to protect himself from being engulfed by the same dark hadou that seduced Akuma, Ryu follows his nemesis Sagat to India.

There he finds the yoga master Dhalsim, who has taken Sagat as his student. Ryu is intrigued by Dhalsim's passive teachings of strength of mind, and ponders how such uncharacteristic techniques could be employed by Sagat.

Just a he asks his question, the answer emerges from behind the curtain.
Ryu stands face to face with his nemesis: the Muay Thai champion - Sagat.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/05/ryu-versus-sagat-udon-comics-where.html

Infinite Wars: Captain America vs Batman

CAPTAIN AMERICA versus BATMAN
"The Showdown of the Century!" (DC/Marvel Comics)
Where: Marvel versus DC #3 When: April 1996
Why: Ron Marz How: Claudio Castellini

The story so far...
Life in the DC and Marvel universes has always been tough, but when cosmic events conspire to endanger both, the heroes of both Earths face a secret crisis that could destroy them all.

Before time two cosmic entities existed, sexless brothers representing the two sides of all that is, was, and will ever be.

Turmoil between the two brought about an end to things as they once were, but in the aftermath their energies were dissipated into space, becoming part of the multi-verse. As a result of the actions of various beings of different realities, instabilities emerged. After eons of recollecting their fragmented thoughts, the two brothers turned, and remembered their existence.

Now they pit their warriors against one and other.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2006/05/captain-america-versus-batman-showdown.html