Tuesday, January 1, 2013

THE TOP 10 MOST EVIL VILLAINS IN COMICS



THE TOP 10 MOST EVIL VILLAINS IN COMICS

BY
John "THE MEGO STRETCH HULK" Cimino


“Is evil something you are, or something you do?” 
― Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho


While we read comics every month to follow the adventures of our favorite heroes, we know that they wouldn't be as interesting to us if it wasn't for their villains. It's the villains that test our heroes on all levels and make them who they are... who we dream to be. There are many all-powerful, notorious villains in the comic world that battle with the good guys to gain ultimate power. But there is also a select few that really do inspire fear deep within us and sometimes even creep us out. They are the ones that are the most insanely twisted, the ones our heroes can't seem to understand what their motivations are. They hurt, mutilate and kill all walks of life and take a haunting sick pleasure in their atrocious acts of violence. These are the villains that scare on a more psychological level. And what seems to terrify us the most, is that some of these villains could actually exist in real life.

For this write up, I vigilantly researched thousands of comics and reread some of the most entertaining and yet, heart-wrenching stories in the medium to come up with a list of villains that are truly sadistically evil. These are the categories I based each character on: brutality, wickedness, insanity, morality, motivation, creepiness, perversion and most importantly, how I personally felt after reading the stories. I know that comic creators are very fond of making new villains that are heinously evil, but are basically just carbon copies of the originals so reputation and popularity were also considered. Absolutely no villains who carry an honor system or want to rule the world to make it a better place were ranked. While these are popular traits and motivations from most power-hungry villains of the world, they hold no place here. So don't expect to see the popular Dr. Doom, Magneto, Darkseid, Lex Luthor, Sinestro, Loki, Ra's Al Ghul, Ozymandias, Mandarin and the like on this list. I just ranked the nastiest of the nasty, the ones who want to watch the world and life burn... with no exceptions.

Ranking only 10 of the most evil villains was a difficult task indeed, which is why I included an Honorable Mentions list at the bottom. While the characters listed here are a motley crew of despicable disciples and should be given their props, they fail to crack the top 10 because the ones I ranked, I feel just do it better... and I'm usually right. So sit back and enjoy the 10 most evil scumbags to ever come out of a comic book. And let's all be glad that these monsters don't really exist... well, if you've watched the news lately, maybe they do...




10.) BULLSEYE


Bullseye has never been about subtlety, nuance or emotion. He's a brutal, cold-hearted killer, plain and simple. There are very few characters as enthusiastic about creatively killing a victim than this hired assassin. Bullseye gained his notoriety by killing Elektra in an infamous and horrific scene. He quickly became one of Daredevil's archenemies, and has even returned to kill another one of Matt Murdock's lovers, Karen Page. Bullseye is a mutant who has the uncanny ability of marksmanship. He has amassed a huge body-count with this ability over the years. And as the Kingpin's best and most efficient mercenary, the killing will continue for this relentless psychopath.


9.) SABRETOOTH



The history between Sabertooth and Wolverine goes back for decades. It is not truly known if they actually are related and if their rivalry began during their youth in the 1800s? Or it may have begun early in the 20th century, in a horrific event, during which Sabretooth raped and seemingly murdered Wolverine's lover, Silver Fox? Thanks to the Weapon X program distorting Sabretooth's memories, it's impossible to say, but regardless, his hatred for Wolverine is constant. Sabertooth continues to be Logan's most notorious and dangerous adversary. Possessing a healing factor with cat-like claws and fangs, Sabretooth is often considered even more dangerous than Wolverine, due to the fact that he allows himself to completely give in to his animalistic impulses. So, when it comes to savagely killing and mutilating prey, not many can do it better than this mutant.



8.) MASTERMIND



Jason Wyngarde, better known as Mastermind is the first of the truly "creepy" villains on this list. He has the power to cast illusions causing people to psionically see, hear and even touch things that don't really exist. He can make people believe that he is another person or even invisible for that matter. He can even do this to mutants as strong as Professor Xavier. Despite using his powers for petty thievery, Mastermind being somewhat older and ugly with graying hair, uses his powers to appear younger and better looking so that he can sexually assault his helpless female victims. His most infamous incident was when he was part of the Hellfire Club and he manipulated Jean Grey into believing she was a Victorian aristocrat, married to Jason Wyngarde, and that she was the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club. They had many sexual escapades until she broke free from his control and then turned him catatonic. When he eventually came back to his senses, Mastermind went back to his sleazy, promiscuous ways.


7.) SCARECROW


Dr. Jonathan Crane is one of the most formidable and thematically intriguing Batman villains of all time. As a child, he was bullied and tormented, so he decided to research the human psyche and how people dealt with fear. After being fired from a teaching position where he used unwilling students in his experiments, Crane decided to use his knowledge for a life of crime. As a deranged genius, he uses a variety of drugs (such as his fear-toxin) and psychological tactics to exploit the fears and phobias of his adversaries. He wants nothing less than everyone in Gotham to be as afraid as he once was. There are not many villains around that are as truly sick and twisted as the Scarecrow.


6.) VICTOR ZSASZ



Victor Zsasz was the head of his own international company and had amassed a large personal fortune in addition to his family's wealth. At the age of 25 his parents died in a boating accident, sending him into a deep depression. He turned to gambling, gradually squandering his entire fortune. Then, while he was attempting to commit suicide, a homeless man tried to assault him with a knife after he refused to give him money. Instinctively grabbing the knife, Zsasz proceeded to stab the man to death. From then on, he dedicated himself to "liberating" others from their pointless existence (he often refers to victims as "zombies"). Zsasz began a tally on his body that would grow to include more than a hundred scars. He usually preys on young women, but has no qualms over whom he murders. He slits his victims' throats and leaves them in lifelike poses, adding a tally mark to his body each time. He has been diagnosed as insane and is regularly incarcerated in Arkham Asylum. In The Batman Chronicles #3, a psychiatrist found herself unable to understand why Victor did what he did. "You don't exhibit the usual signs of mental illness. No voices, no hallucinations, no dementia. Why do you kill?" she asked him. Victor responded, "I have no dysfunctional family background. I suffered neither childhood abuse or trauma. I kill for ONE reason only, doctor -- because I CHOOSE to." Now that's freaking evil...



5.) THE PURPLE MAN



Zebediah Killgrave, The Purple Man is easily the most "creepy" character in comics, by far. As good as Mastermind is at using his powers to fulfill his sexual perversions, Zebediah does it more frequently and with much more narcissistic creativity. His body has been altered to produce chemical pheromones which, when inhaled or absorbed through the skin, allow Killgrave to control their actions by verbal suggestions. The effects only last as long as he is physically present and are somehow keyed to his personal voice and speech-pattern. When he departs, the level of chemicals is reduced within his victims at various rates (dependent upon their metabolisms), and then the victims regain full cognizance of self. Killgrave can influence hundreds of people at one time, and his victims can be controlled to perform actions against their will. He also seems to have some control over the release of his pheromones into the atmosphere, as he is able to walk hidden among crowds without influencing everybody. With a power like this, Zebediah constantly goes out into the world to manipulate, rape and murder whoever he wants just to feel better about his constant defeats at the hands of other superheroes. All I have to say is read Alias, Part: 5 The Secret Origins of Jessica Jones TPB and be prepared for the "creepiest" comic book ever written...mature readers only.



4.) MEPHISTO



They don't come any more evil than this guy. Mephisto is the ruler of Hell and is the Marvel Universe version of Satan. He can shape shift, change time and has superhuman strength. You can try to kill him, but he will regenerate and always come back sooner or later. His pact with Mistress Death allows him to keep the souls of the dead. He can also keep the souls of the living, but only with their permission. While Mephisto is incredibly formidable on all levels, his strongest and most powerful ability is his power of manipulation. No one can do it better. He has caused so much havoc throughout the years with this power that countless souls have been forever lost or corrupted by him. As long as there is peace and love in the world, he simply will not stop. Clearly, the Lord of Hell is not one with whom to mess with.


3.) THANOS



Thanos, has only one goal, to extinguish all life in the universe to gain favor of the woman he desires, Mistress Death. How romantic. But despite his attempts, he has failed time and time again and with each failure, she dumps him. He has disappointed her so much that he is barred from her realm of the dead and this makes him unable to truly die, which is just great for mankind. So what does Thanos do about this? He tries to find another way to get the job done (they don't call him the "Mad Titan" for nothing). Whether it be with the Cosmic Cube, the Infinity Gauntlet or some other item of mass destruction, all life must cease to exist! With his power of telekinesis, matter manipulation, superhuman strength and durability, Thanos is a fearsome foe. But it's his keen superhuman intellect mixed in with his madness that is his greatest weapon. Thanos can master any technology, time travel, teleport and find a way to cause mass genocide all in one easy stroke. Let's just say they don't come any more dangerous or insane than the Mad Titan.

2.) THE JOKER






There was never any doubt in my mind that the enigmatic, psychopathic Clown Prince of Crime would come in amongst the top when ranking the most evil villains ever. The Joker is the definition of a scene-stealing, deliciously wicked character, one that is quite possibly more complex and interesting than just about any other in the comic world. There are countless of Joker capers that remind us why he is the quintessential DC comic book villain. He exists because of his enemy, and without creatures like the Joker, there would be no Batman. More importantly, this villain is capable of reinventing himself in various incarnations, whether it's being savage and sadistic or even light-hearted and funny, there is just so much depth within the character. And despite being a "street-level" villain, he is so much more terrifying than even the cosmic, all-powerful fiends on this list because his interactions and motivations are ones that readers can truly relate to. Fear, chaos, murder and all done with a smile... no one can do it better than the Joker.


1.) THE RED SKULL







At the top of the list is not only the most evil villain ever created in comics, but also the most truly despised. There are some big components to what makes the Red Skull "the baddest of the bad" when it comes to pure evil in the comics world. First thing, the Skull is a Nazi, and, throughout history there has never been a more villainous group than the Nazi party. It's a simple way to categorize and create a villain, but it's effective, particularly set in opposition to Captain America. Another point is that the Red Skull truly hits home. People like him do exist and believe in his perfect "Aryan-race" philosophies and frighteningly, if Adolf Hitler had his way back in WWII, everyone might even be somewhat like the Red Skull today... and that is horrifying to think about! Everything a sane, rational, and educated person would hate about others resides within this character. For the Skull is not only a brutal and heartless killer, he is also bigoted on a level  that no other villain can match. He wants to conquer the world and those underneath him must be extinguished. 

Unlike the Joker, their is no humor in what the Skull does. Readers sometimes laugh along with the Joker and surprisingly, the Clown Prince of Crime can be written as a likable character. The Red Skull is simply too despicable to be likable in any way... still have any doubts that this guy should be number 1?? How about I give you one more example. When you think about it, arch-nemeses rarely succeed. The Joker never killed Batman. Sabertooth never killed Wolverine. Mephisto has yet to kill or corrupt Thor or the Silver Surfer. But the Skull managed to outwit and outplay Captain America, and in the end, he watched from afar as his master plan came to fruition. Steve Rogers was assassinated and the Marvel Universe lost its only true beacon of hope. Sure, the Sentinel of Liberty came back (like all comic characters do), but the Skull succeeded... and we hated it. So, be warned, the Red Skull will succeed at something evil and atrocious again, and we will continue to despise him for it.

DIS-HONORABLE MENTIONS
Two-Face

Superboy-Prime

Lady Deathstrike


Others:
Nightmare, Green Goblin, Hate-Monger, Dormammu, Baron Blood, Kingpin, Carnage, Parallax, Dr. Light, M.O.D.O.K., Foolkiller, Bushwacker, Mastermold, Sentinels, Mr. Sinister, Apocalypse, Ultron, Braniac, Lizard, Sebastian Shaw, Cheshire, Abomination, Deadshot, Mongul, Baron Zemo, Dark Phoenix and Sin-Eater


Agree? Disagree?? Let's hear it fanboys!


Check out other Hero Envy "Top" Lists:

 Top 10 Superhero Capes of All Time
http://hero-envy.blogspot.com/2012/06/top-10-greatest-superhero-capes-of-all.html

Top 10 Greatest Captain America Moments
http://hero-envy.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-top-10-greatest-captain-america.html  
John Cimino
John Cimino is a Silver and Bronze Age comic, cartoon and memorabilia expert that runs a business called "Saturday Morning Collectibles." He buys, sells, appraises and gives seminars on everything pop culture, so if you got something special, let him know about it. He contributes articles to ALTER EGO, RETROFAN, BACK ISSUE and THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR from TwoMorrows Publishing, runs the Roy Thomas Appreciation Board on Facebook and has appeared on the AMC reality show Comic Book Men. He also represents some of comicdoms biggest stars and brings them to a Comic Con near you. John likes to think he's the real Captain Marvel, people just don't have the heart to tell him he's just an obsessed fanboy that loves to play superheroes with his daughter Bryn. Contact him at johnstretch@live.com or follow him on Instagram at megostretchhulk.

www.heroenvy.com
Posted by John Cimino at 7:26 AM 25 comments

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

THE TOP 5 GREATEST BATTLES OF SUPERMAN



THE TOP 5 GREATEST BATTLES OF
SUPERMAN

 

By
John "THE MEGO STRETCH HULK" Cimino


SUPERMAN
Created by: Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster  First Appearance: ACTION COMICS #1 (1938)

Kal-El is the last son of the doomed planet Krypton. He was rocketed away as an infant by his father Jor-El who believed that the planet was about to explode. Arriving on Earth, the child was taken in by Jonathan and Martha Kent, who raised him as their own child. As he grew up, he discovered that due to this solar system's yellow sun, he had gained almost unlimited powers, of flight, speed, strength, endurance and enhanced senses. The name "Superman" was given to him by reporter Lois Lane, with whom he would come to love and work with at the Daily Planet in his civilian identity as Clark Kent. 

As Superman, he carries the most respect of any superhero the world has ever known and has become the standard all others are measured by. He lives by the traditional moral values instilled in him by his foster parents. He is often pictured with a sense of unbounded idealism mixed with restraint provided by his sense of fairness and compassion for others. He is a man with an incredible depth of feeling, often struggling with the differences between the right answer and the practical one. Devoted to promoting "truth, justice, and the American way", Superman has proved over and over that he is a true hero, capable of whatever bravery and self-sacrifice is necessary to right a wrong or save a life. He is above our common human character flaws; he doesn't feel greed, prejudice, resentment or bias.

With Superman being the greatest and most beloved superhero on Earth, it does come with a dangerous drawback - a bunch of characters who desperately want to kill or corrupt him. But those who find themselves at odds with The Man of Steel are usually at his mercy. With such a vast array of powers at his disposal, Superman is a frightening opponent. While he is capable of tossing around buildings, withstanding nuclear blasts and flying at speeds faster than light, Superman's greatest strength is that he is totally incorruptible. He has an unearthly sense of pride and justice and this makes him such a big target for the villains of the universe that keep trying to break him down spiritually to increase their reputation. But no matter how stacked the odds are against him, win, lose or draw, Superman always stays true to his beliefs and stands triumphant in the eyes of the world. And this has lead The Man of Steel into some of the greatest battles the comic medium has ever seen.

Listed here for the first time ever are Superman's 5 greatest slugfests that defined him into the icon that he is. And with a career that has spanned almost 80 years within the pages of thousands upon thousands of comics, creating this list was by no means an easy task. Ladies and gentlemen, fanboys and fangirls of all ages..."This looks like a job for SUPERMAN!!"



5.) JLA/AVENGERS #1 and 2 (2003)





Writer: Kurt Busiek  Art: George Perez

For years there was always a debate between arguably the two greatest and all around most powerful super heroes in the comics world -- Superman and The Mighty Thor. Both had reputations that garnered them the utmost respect from their peers and fanboys alike. Who was the stronger? Who was the more powerful? Who would win in a knock-em-out-drag-em-out fight to the finish without any excuses? Well, Marvel and DC left those questions up to legendary writer Kurt Buiesk in the JLA/AVENGERS mega-event. Finally, with a definitive answer given, the debate was over and the comic world was never the same.

The Grandmaster informs the Justice League that to save the universe, they have to gather 12 items of power (six DC items and six Marvel items). While his ally Metron tells the Avengers that they have to stop the League to prevent the world from being destroyed. The Justice League travels to the Marvel Universe, and are dismayed by the Avengers' failure to improve their Earth's condition. When the Avengers visit the DC Universe, they are surprised by the "futuristic" architecture of its Earth's cities and the honors that the Justice League and other native heroes receive for their deeds, and believe that the JL are fascists who demand that civilians worship them. Various JL members and Avengers travel across the two universes and fight each other to retrieve the artifacts of power. When Superman and Thor first meet, it's the Thunder God who draws first blood as he hurls his magic hammer, Mjolnir at the Man of Steel and sends him flying from the scene. Soon Superman recovers and both teams battle to a draw. With the final battle for the Cosmic Cube taking place in the Marvel Universe’s Savage Land, Superman and Thor go at it again, but this time one-on-one. In a brutal battle, Superman manages to stop Thor's attack and then completely knocks out the Thunder God and definitively ends any doubts on who the more powerful hero is in the comic book world.


4.) ACTION COMICS #775 (2001)



 Writer: Joe Kelly Art: Doug Mahnke, Lee Bermejo, Tom Nguyen, Dexter Vines, Jim Royal, Jose Marzan, Wade Von Grawbadger and Wayne Faucher

Superman finds out about this new team called the Elite that has a lack of morals and a willingness to kill. He argues with them over their violent actions, but the team's leader, Manchester Black tells Superman that his days are over. Across Metropolis, Superman sees everyone praising the Elite's actions, even the children. Later, Superman battles with two DEO agents and a pair of aliens, subduing them without harming anyone. When the Elite suddenly materializes, Superman tells them that they should follow his example. Manchester disagrees, and then tells Hat to kill them, and their families. Superman, enraged, knocks Hat to the ground. Black smiles at him, and thanks him because now they will fight. Early the next day, the Elite comes with The Man of Steel waiting for them. At the request of Superman, all four teleport themselves and Superman to Jupiter's moon, Io. Cameras hover around, transmitting the battle back to Earth. Superman offers them an easy surrender. Manchester then hurls Superman through three mountains with his mind. Menagerie's creatures suddenly attack the fallen hero. He defends with his heat vision, before Menagerie herself claws his face. Hat removes his weapon and drops a huge edifice upon him. Superman breaks free but Manchester simply lights a cigarette and gives Superman a stroke. Coldcast walks up, grasps Superman's head, and casually detonates it.  

The Elite stand triumphant, examining the remnants of Superman's cape. Suddenly they hear a low voice carrying over the surface of the moon. The voice thanks them for showing it what it needs to do. Menagerie complains about something biting her and a moment later blows apart. Hat calls out to the other two heroes that Menagerie is dead. Suddenly, a huge wind sweeps the area. Black and Coldcast are protected by a field, but the vacuum instantly suffocates Hat. Then Coldcast vanishes in a super-speed blur. Superman now appears before their leader Manchester. Manchester approaches him, but Superman simply says "No" and ignites his heat vision. Black laughs at him, and then backs away in shock as his power vanishes. Superman tells him that he fired his heat vision through is eyes and fried the part of his brain that granted him powers. Manchester, denies this and then turns to the cameras. He tells Earth that Superman is no better than they are. Superman turns toward the cameras and addresses Earth. He admits that he probably scared the people of Earth with his savagery when he crossed the line. However, lucky for everyone, Superman doesn't like violence. He doesn't believe in it. He then turns toward Black and tells him that his team isn't dead, merely unconscious, and Black's own powers were simply temporarily removed with a mild concussion.




3.) SUPERMAN ANNUAL #11 (1985)


Writer: Alan Moore  Art: Dave Gibbons

Batman, Robin, and Wonder Woman pay Superman a visit at his Fortress of Solitude, with Batman and Wonder Woman bearing gifts for the Man of Steel's birthday. However, upon their initial entry, they see Superman standing rather still with a strange alien plant attached to his chest. They call out to him, but Superman doesn't respond. As the three heroes try to determine where the plant came from and what it's doing, Mongul shows up, telling them that the plant is a Black Mercy, which gives its victims the desire of their hearts, trapping them in a dream world that they cannot escape from. He challenges the three heroes to take him on one-on-one to find one among the Earth beings worthy enough to kill. Wonder Woman steps up to the challenge him, nearly breaking her hand after a punch. Mongul then throws her through a wall, where she enters the weapons room of the Fortress, and uses one of the more powerful energy blasters to help her in this fight. 

Meanwhile, Batman tries to reach out to Superman to get him to snap out of his dream world  and attempts to unwrap Black Mercy's tendrils from the Man of Steel. Batman succeeds in pulling Black Mercy off Superman's body, only for it to now latch onto him and give him a fantasy based on the desires of his heart. Superman, now freed from the Black Mercy's thrall, attacks Mongul and saves Wonder Woman from certain death. Incensed that he had been pulled from his fantasy of being on a Krypton that was never destroyed and losing everything that was so dear in the process, Superman fights in a blind rage. Now Robin uses gauntlets that Mongul pulled off his hands and grabs Black Mercy with them, pulling it off Batman. The fight between Superman and Mongul is fierce with neither side prevailing, it carries over into a room where the Kryptonian is distracted by the statue of his parents holding up a globe representing the lost world of Krypton, and Mongul uses this moment of hesitation to pummel Superman. However, Mongul stops when Robin calls out to him. The Boy Wonder then drops Black Mercy right on Mongul, and instantly it wraps itself around the brute, giving him a fantasy of his own heart's desire. With Mongul defeated, Batman and Wonder Woman finally present their birthday gifts to Superman. Wonder Woman shows him a perfect replica of the bottled city of Kandor, while Batman shows him a rare species of a plant blossom called the Krypton -- a blossom that sadly ended up being crushed during the fight.



2.) KINGDOM COME #3 and 4 (1996)




Writer: Mark Waid  Art: Alex Ross

There is no doubt that this is one of the greatest Superman fights of all time. Superman and Captain Marvel have had a legendary rivalry that has been going on for well over 70 years. They have had many epic battles that defined pop-culture and the comic medium itself. But this fight is by far the most popular, most referenced and most legendary clash in the history of "Superman vs Captain Marvel". 

With the war of all wars breaking out, the two most powerful beings on Earth square off in a final battle. They face off in the final pages of Kingdom Come #3 when Captain Marvel slams into an unsuspecting Superman. In the next issue, total war breaks out with Captain Marvel (who has been brain washed by Lex Luthor) and Superman battle it out. They fight toe-to-toe until Captain Marvel batters Superman by using his magic lightning bolt over and over but dodging before it hits him, leaving Superman to bear the brunt of a magical lightning strike. However, as Captain Marvel says “SHAZAM!” again, Superman grabs him and the lightning finds its mark; turning Captain Marvel back into Billy Batson. Holding Batson's mouth shut, Superman tells Batson that he is going to stop the remaining bomb, and Batson must make an important choice: either stop him and allow the warhead to kill all the super-humans, or let Superman stop the bomb and allow the super-humans' war to engulf the world. Superman tells Batson he must be the one to make this decision, as he is the only one who lives in both worlds, that of normal humans (as Batson) and the super-human community (as Marvel). Superman releases him and flies off to stop the incoming bomb. Batson, his mind now clear of Luthor's influence, turns into Captain Marvel, flies up to Superman, throws him back down to the ground and takes hold of the bomb. Having found a third option, Marvel shouts "SHAZAM!" three more times in rapid succession and the lightning sets off the bomb prematurely, killing himself in the process. Although an Elseworlds tale, Kingdom Come was for all intents and purposes set in the future of the then-current mainstream DC Universe. This is superhero writing, art and action at its absolute finest! 



1.) DEATH OF SUPERMAN (1992/1993)











Writers: Dan Jurgens, Louise Simonson, Roger Stern, Jerry Ordway, Karl Kesel, William Messner-Loebs, and Gerard Jones  Art: Jon Bogdanove, Tom Grummett, Jackson Guice, Dan Jurgens, Dennis Janke, Denis Rodier, Walt Simonson, Curt Swan, M. D. Bright, Brett Breeding, Doug Hazelwood, Rick Burchett, Mike Machlan, Ande Parks, Josef Rubinstein, Trevor Scott, and Romeo Tanghal

Superman's greatest and most defining battle ever is also the comic mediums most popular. Here, The Man of Steel finally meets his match and battles to protect the city he loves from the monster known as Doomsday. It was received with enormous success even garnering mass media coverage from all over the world. While the actual fight may be disputed among Superman fanboys, there is no denying the impact it made on the culture and the mythos of The Man of Steel.
While Superman fights the Underworlders a hulking figure in a green suit rampages through a pastoral field. The Justice League International (Guy Gardner, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Maxima, Fire, Ice, and Bloodwynd) responds to a call from a smashed big-rig outside of Bucyrus, Ohio, and follows the trail of destruction which leads them to a confrontation with the mysterious creature. It systematically takes the team apart, finishing by punching Booster Gold into the sky, who is then caught in midair by Superman. The Man of Steel  and the able-bodied League members attack Doomsday, but he again defeats them and then leaps away. Superman follows and they battle it out with Maxima reentering the fray. The fight continues at a gas station, where she rips a light post from the ground; the sparks from the wiring ignite the leaking gasoline and the station is destroyed in a huge explosion. Guardian arrives after Doomsday leaves, finding Superman and Maxima regrouping, and offers his aid.  

While demolishing an appliance store, Doomsday sees a TV commercial for a wrestling show being held in Metropolis, and after seeing a road sign for Metropolis, heads in that direction. Superman engages him and throws him in the opposite direction, where he lands on the mountain housing Project Cadmus. They brawl throughout Habitat, a living forest connected to Cadmus, bringing most of it down. When the superhero Guardian arrives, Doomsday knocks him down and leaps toward Metropolis. Doomsday is driven under the ground by Superman, where he ruptures gas and electrical mains, leveling a large section of Metropolis. Supergirl goes to Superman's aid, but a single punch from Doomsday knocks her out of the fight. Professor Emil Hamilton and Bibbo Bibbowski, Superman's allies fire a laser cannon at the creature, but it does not harm him. The local police open fire on Doomsday, but again, he is not harmed. 

Superman returns to the fight to make a last stand. Now The Man of Steel and Doomsday lay into each other with everything they have striking each other with so much force that the shock-waves from their punches shatter windows miles away. At the battles culminating moment in front of the Daily Planet building, each combatant lands a final blow upon each other. The two titans collapse from the impact and moments later, in the arms of a frantic Lois Lane, Superman succumbs to his wounds and seemingly dies... the DC Universe was never the same (well... for a while anyways).


Agree? Disagree? Let's hear it fanboys!!



Check out other "THE TOP 5 GREATEST BATTLES OF..." here:


Captain Marvel (SHAZAM!)

Spider-man

Wolverine

The Sub-Mariner

Batman

The Thing
John Cimino
John Cimino is a Silver and Bronze Age comic, cartoon and memorabilia expert that runs a business called "Saturday Morning Collectibles." He buys, sells, appraises and gives seminars on everything pop culture, so if you got something special, let him know about it. He contributes articles to ALTER EGO, RETROFAN, BACK ISSUE and THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR from TwoMorrows Publishing, runs the Roy Thomas Appreciation Board on Facebook and has appeared on the AMC reality show Comic Book Men. He also represents some of comicdoms biggest stars and brings them to a Comic Con near you. John likes to think he's the real Captain Marvel, people just don't have the heart to tell him he's just an obsessed fanboy that loves to play superheroes with his daughter Bryn. Contact him at johnstretch@live.com or follow him on Instagram at megostretchhulk.

www.heroenvy.com
Posted by John Cimino at 5:52 AM 12 comments

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

THE TOP 5 GREATEST BATTLES OF THE THING



THE TOP 5 GREATEST BATTLES OF
THE THING


By
John "THE MEGO STRETCH HULK" Cimino



THE THING
Created by: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby  First Appearance: FANTASTIC FOUR #1 (1961)

Benjamin Jacob Grimm was born on Yancy Street in the heart of New York City into a poor Jewish family. When Ben was a young kid his older brother, Daniel Grimm, was the leader of the Yancy Street Gang, a group of young trouble makers from the area. After his brother's passing, Ben joined the gang when he was old enough. He was made a member by being "beaten in." Growing up poor along with his gang affiliation and related activities made Ben street-smart, tough and 'hard' very early in life. He would eventually smarten himself up from the street-life, leave the gang (who has constantly heckled him throughout his superhero career) and graduate college with best friend and future leader of the Fantastic Four, Reed Richards. Ben was an exceptional athlete and a man with enormous integrity. All of these personality characteristics have served him well throughout his lifetime of brawling and adventuring.

What made the Thing unique was the fact that he was the first superhero who didn't look like a superhero, he looked like a monster. And this didn't sit well with him. He often dwelled on his monstrous appearance, usually trying to make jokes about it to keep his spirits high. Although Ben considered himself deformed, his transformation gave him incredible strength and durability, making him the physical powerhouse of the Fantastic Four and the original "tough-guy" of the Marvel Universe. But these powers did nothing for his self-esteem (despite being loved and respected by most heroes of the world) as he would often wear a trench coat and hat to cover himself up to avoid scaring anyone or people gawking at his appearance.

Although Thing has a gruff disposition, he has a heart of gold. He is widely considered one of the most reliable and dependable characters on Earth that other heroes always seem to call on for back up. He is known as an extraordinary aircraft pilot and great team player, who'll always manage to crack a joke no matter how helpless a situation becomes. Not to mention, he has continually shown to be one of the absolute toughest heroes on the planet. There are not many characters defined more by their sheer determination and willpower than Benjamin J. Grimm! No matter the odds, the stakes or the opposition, the Thing will be showing up and giving it his all. That's the true essence of this character. It didn't matter if Ben won or lost, it was about him showing up and fighting with everything he had until someone dropped. And let's be honest, Bashful Benjy loved a good punch-up more than most. He wasn't beyond starting an "epic" slugfest to get his blood flowing. His ability to brawl it out with the best the Marvel Universe had to offer is legendary. 

And being such a willing participant in a slugfest has made the Thing one of the true icons of the medium. Sure, the Fantastic Four is widely known for their exotic adventures and missions to the farthest reaches of sub-space. But they are also known for pure way-out action, and that is where Benjamin J. Grimm comes in. Yup, Mr. Grimm is easily one of the most exciting and heaviest-hitters on the planet! And some of his "hits" are so revered that they have laid down the foundation of the Marvel Universe. This listing of his 5 greatest brawls are a testament to why Marvel Comics were so ahead of their competition (especially during the Silver Age). So sit back and enjoy the shout of... "It's Clobberin' Time!!"



5.) FANTASTIC FOUR #55 (1966)



Writer: Stan Lee  Art: Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott

With no threats to currently deal with, Ben Grimm arrives at his girlfriend Alicia Master's home in New York. When Ben walks in, he gets startled when he finds that Silver Surfer is already there visiting her. Jealous and enraged about this, Ben attacks the Surfer and knocks him miles from Alicia's home (wrecking it in the process). At first, the Surfer tries to reason with Ben, but the thick-headed brute is so jealous that he keeps attacking. This causes the Surfer to grow angry and begins to fight back. Using his Power Cosmic to enhance his strength, the Surfer will now take on Ben hand-to-hand and slug it out. Despite how strong the Surfer can get, Ben just won't quit and continues his assault (Surfer is also in awe of how truly strong Ben is). The battle soon takes them into the warehouse district of the city. Finally, making an all-out attack, Ben buries the Surfer underneath tons of debris stunning him. Just then, Reed Richards and Sue Storm enter the scene and stop Ben from finishing the fight. Reed talks some sense into Ben and convinces him to help Surfer out of the rubble and to apologize for his actions. Accepting the apology, the Surfer repairs Ben's air-cycle, and creates some flowers for Ben to give to Alicia before departing. Ben feels terrible that he let his insecurities get the best of him.



4.) FANTASTIC FOUR #39 and 40 (1965)





Writer: Stan Lee  Art: Jack Kirby, Frank Giacola and Vince Colletta

Rescued from sea by the crew of a naval submarine, the now powerless Fantastic Four return to New York to try and figure out what to do. Not wanting to give up their adventuring, Reed tries to come up with ways to duplicate the FF's abilities (Ben Grimm controls a mechanical Thing robot), however these facsimiles are far from perfect. Arranging an appointment with their attorney Matt Murdock, Reed arranges that Murdock becomes their power of attorney should anything happen to them. 

 Meanwhile, in Latveria, Dr. Doom is entertained by a hypnotist, when exposed to his powers he becomes aware of Reed's previous trick that made him think he had destroy Richards. Furious, Doom travels to New York and takes control of the Baxter building. Attacking the FF with their own devices the group is aided by Matt in his guise of Daredevil (whom the FF are not aware is really their lawyer). The group splits up with each member trying to gain entrance to the Baxter building in their own way, however most of their attempts are rebuffed when Doom uses a different one of the many devices Reed has created. Fighting their way into the Baxter Building, Daredevil goes ahead of the powerless Fantastic Four to keep Dr. Doom busy while Reed and the others try to find a way to stop Doom. Arriving in the Fantastic Fours headquarters, the FF try to help Daredevil as well, but without their powers it is an impossible task. Gaining inspiration, Reed uses the power-stimulator on Johnny, Sue and himself and as his hunch predicted, their powers are restored. However, even their combined powers are not enough to keep Doom at bay and Reed is forced to use the device on Ben, turning him into the Thing again. Angered by his transformation, Ben attacks Doom for a one-on-one slugfest! Despite the armored madman's array of weapons and tricks, Ben is to angry and stubborn to quit! He keeps coming forward and when he finally reaches Doom, he pulverizes the mad-genius as well as heavily damaging Doom's armor in the process. Now, totally humbled and humiliated, Doom is forced to flee. After the battle, depressed that he's the Thing again, and sick of being the "fall guy" of the group, Ben decides to quit the Fantastic Four.



3.) MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE ANNUAL #7 (1982)




Writer: Tom DeFalco  Art: Ron Wilson and Bob Camp


The Space promoter named Proja goes to Earth collecting the most powerful beings on the planet to fight for the Championship of the Galaxy. Thing, Thor, Doc Samson, Hulk, Colossus, Namor, Sasquatch, and Wonder Man are chosen to confront the Cosmic Elder known as Champion. Champion says that he has been scouring all of the known galaxies for noble adversaries and they must fight him in honorable combat. Despite the fact that some of the heroes refuse to fight him, they have no choice. They must do so or else the planet will be destroyed. 

 The heroes then begin to train for their upcoming fight with him, but Doc Samson, who shows terrible fighting skills and Namor, who refuses to fight for anyone never make it to the show and get sent back to their original locations. As Madison Square Garden becomes the location of the battle, planet Earth gets ready for the big event. First up is The Mighty Thor, who gets disqualified for using his hammer, Mjolnir. Then comes The Incredible Hulk, who currently possesses Bruce Banner's brain. But once Banner sees Champion, he loses all control and the "Savage" Hulk comes out and he attacks the Cosmic Elder. Champion refuses to engage in a fight with an unskilled monster and banishes the brute. Sasquatch, Colossus and Wonder Man all fall within one round and Earth's last hope is the Ever-Lovin'-Blue-Eyed-Thing.

Ben says that Champion has been treating them all like a bunch of third rate amateurs and he isn't going to get away with it. When they finally face off, Thing gives Champion his toughest fight ever and actually cracks the Elders ribs in the process. But, by the third round, Thing has suffered through a tremendous beating and stands leaning against the ropes bleeding and drooling. Once the bell rings, he drops to the canvas. The ref says that Thing would never survive a fourth round and is stopping the fight. Champion holds his Championship belt high above his head and says that those he finds worthy are allowed to continue their existence, but that the others must be purified. Champion is about to pass judgement on Earth, but Thing interrupts him and says, “Hold it! This fight ain't over yet… not by a long shot! Ya only won on a technicality! Ya didn't really beat me! Ya’ll never beat me! I’m just too stupid… and ugly… ta know when to quit!” After a full ten seconds of silence, Champion helps Thing to his feet. He says that he knows now that he could never beat Ben Grimm. Champion says that he could crush his bones and break his body, but he could never break his spirit. Champion says that any world that could spawn one like him is the worthiest of all. The Elder then says farewell and tells Ben that they will never meet again, but it's a pity because he would grant him a rematch. Champion disappears and Thing collapses to the mat. The superheroes charge the ring to help their unconscious champion and celebrate his accomplishment.



2.) FANTASTIC FOUR #112 (1971)




Writer: Stan Lee  Art: John Buscema and Joe Sinnott


The legendary heart and determination of the Thing was always shown at its best when he was slugging it out with his toughest sparring partner -- The Incredible Hulk. It was from these frequent "epic" slugfests with ol' Jade Jaws that continued to define him into the readers imagination as someone who would never quit despite how stacked the odds were against him. And this classic "Hulk vs Thing" fight only strengthened the legend of this rivalry into the Marvel-mythos. It's simply another masterpiece that is always in the conversation when talking about one of the greatest slugfests ever. Thanks to Stan Lee's masterful script and dialogue and the immaculate art of John Buscema with Joe Sinnott inks, not many comics can touch the sheer brilliance of this issue.

With the Thing running amok in New York, the Hulk sees him and attacks! They brawl all over the city until the NYPD starts opening fire on them. The Hulk will leap away on a rooftop where he can wait for the Thing to follow him. The Thing meets up with the Hulk on the rooftop once he takes care of the police. And once again the two behemoths engage in another slugfest all over the city causing some major property damage. It finally ends when Grimm's girlfriend, Alicia Masters tries to come to his aide but gets hit on the head by some flying debris and calls out to him. This will make Ben unexpectedly turn around and drop his guard. But with the Hulk still attacking, he knocks out the distracted Thing!



1.) FANTASTIC FOUR #25 and 26 (1964)








Writer: Stan Lee  Art: Jack Kirby and George Bell


Not only is this the Thing's greatest slugfest, it has to be considered the greatest slugfest in Marvel history! If that's not enough praise, it can also be considered the greatest slugfest in the history of the medium (can anyone prove me wrong?). Artist Jack Kirby revolutionized dynamic storytelling to a new level back in the 1940's, but who knew that he would raise the bar once again twenty years later, and this time to unparalleled heights! After this issue hit the newsstands, Jack Kirby was now officially crowned "THE KING OF COMICS" because this is the issue that set the standard of what a superhero slugfest is in comics, cartoons, animated features, movies, everything!!! Never was a battle so grand, so epic, and so influential! It was truly a total game-changer and the reason why a grandiose comic fight is called a "slugfest!" The sense of wonderment that a reader felt taking this all in is something that can never be replicated again. With Stan Lee's brilliant script and dialogue, it represents heroic drama on a level very few comics have ever achieved. There can be no doubt, that "Hulk vs Thing" is arguably the greatest rivalry in the history of comics and this is the issue that made it so. Stan Lee billed this as "The Battle of the Century!" and he was right.

With the Hulk coming to New York to find and smash the Avengers, he is confronted by the Human Torch and the Invisible Girl. After making short work of them, the Thing steps up and takes on the Jade Giant in a battle royal that raged all over the city and shook it to its very core. But in the end, the Hulk's ever-increasing power was too much for the exhausted Thing as he is pounded into submission. After the Hulk runs off to continue his search for the Avengers, Thing crawls back to his feet and will continue his pursuit of the Green Goliath.

So how did Stan Lee and Jack Kirby follow up the biggest fight in comics history? They threw in the Avengers and let the battle become even bigger! Fantastic Four #26 concludes the epic two-part saga of the Hulk fighting the Thing (as well as everyone else). This issue will solidify the Hulk as the first and definitive "team-buster" of the Marvel Universe and the Thing as the toughest S.O.B. this side of Yancy Street. This is more absolute greatness that made the Marvel Silver Age the greatest era ever in comics!

The Thing returns to fight the Hulk again and manages to rest up a little while punching it out with the brute. A hospitalized Johnny Storm will now show up and help out his Fantastic Four teammate. But the Hulk will slam two concrete chunks together causing and shock wave that sends the two heroes flying. This stuns them long enough for the Hulk to escape them and continue his search for the Avengers. While the Hulk arrives at Tony Stark's mansion, the Avengers are waiting for the brute. As the Hulk grabs Rick Jones (who the Hulk think abandoned him for Captain America) a wild fight breaks out. Soon the Thing and the rest of the Fantastic Four join the fight to stop the Hulk. But all the heroes get in each others way as the Hulk manages to escape them with Rick. The Hulk leaps on top of an unfinished building with Rick Jones as all the other heroes are in pursuit of the brute. As the Hulk battles the swarms of heroes, the Thing finally is able to go one-on-one again with him (and he's excited because he knows the television cameras are filming this battle). Both behemoths brawl off the girders with the Thing unfortunately landing in a vat of quick-drying cement. Just before the Hulk was about to pounce on the cement covered Thing, more heroes step in and help him out. Soon the Hulk was driven off, but the excitement and intrigue always remained as fans continued to want more "Hulk vs Thing."


Agree? Disagree? Let's hear it fanboys!!


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John Cimino
John Cimino is a Silver and Bronze Age comic, cartoon and memorabilia expert that runs a business called "Saturday Morning Collectibles." He buys, sells, appraises and gives seminars on everything pop culture, so if you got something special, let him know about it. He contributes articles to ALTER EGO, RETROFAN, BACK ISSUE and THE JACK KIRBY COLLECTOR from TwoMorrows Publishing, runs the Roy Thomas Appreciation Board on Facebook and has appeared on the AMC reality show Comic Book Men. He also represents some of comicdoms biggest stars and brings them to a Comic Con near you. John likes to think he's the real Captain Marvel, people just don't have the heart to tell him he's just an obsessed fanboy that loves to play superheroes with his daughter Bryn. Contact him at johnstretch@live.com or follow him on Instagram at megostretchhulk.

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