Sunday, August 7, 2016

THE TOP 5 GREATEST BATTLES OF HYPERION

THE TOP 5 GREATEST BATTLES OF
HYPERION


BY
John "THE MEGO STRETCH HULK" Cimino

HYPERION
Created by: Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema  First Appearance: THE AVENGERS #69 (1969)


While Hyperion is an unapologetic "Superman/Captain Marvel" hybrid copycat, he does have a nice reputation within the Marvel Universe and with comic readers in general. Actually, there are several notable versions of him flying around to date since his first appearance in 1969... sheesh. But the reason why Hyperion worked so much better than other Superman clones in comics was because he was never intended on being a serious character, he was suppose to be an obvious carbon copy of Superman. And throughout the years after several writers began throwing their takes on the character, Hyperion started to come into his own despite how similar he was to the Man of Steel.

As stated, Marvel has introduced various versions of Hyperion, each originating in a different dimension of the Marvel Multiverse. Sometimes he's a villain part of the Squadron Sinister, sometimes as a hero among the Squadron Supreme or Avengers and sometimes a tyrannical ruler of an alternate universe. But despite what incarnation of Hyperion shows up, he will most definitely be bringing a whole bunch of power to the table. Hyperion easily ranks among the greatest Super-Heavyweights in the Marvel Universe, side by side with the likes of the Hulk, Thor, Hercules, Sentry, Silver Surfer, Gladiator, Juggernaut and Thanos. He can also match fire with the most powerful of the cosmic gods in the known universe and not just hold his own - actually win!! Hey, they don't call him the "Sun God" for nothing.

So, with that much power at his disposal, Hyperion is a fearsome opponent for any character in comics and that has lead me to make this list. Interestingly, despite the many explosive battles Hyperion has had over the years (in all his incarnations), never has a list been compiled for him. Well, don't say I don't love you comic readers and Hyperion himself because I'm fond of being the "first" to do things. So here, for you - for the first time ever - is a write up on the 5 greatest battles Hyperion has ever had regardless of which version of him showed up to the dance. All hail the mighty Sun God! 



5.) THE AVENGERS #3 (2012)






Writer: Jonathan Hickman  Art: Jerome Opena and Dustin Weaver

Historically, all versions of Hyperion have always had problems when dealing with Marvel's resident Super-Heavyweight champion the Incredible Hulk. Truth be told, the Green-Skinned Goliath usually pounded on Hyperion when the Squadron Sinister clashed with the Defenders. But this new incarnation of Hyperion from Earth-13034 (and fellow teammate on the Avengers at the time) seemed to have a little extra "fire" within him and held his own with the brute when the Hulk was possessed by the villain Abyss. Hyperion and the Hulk go back and forth in an epic clash until Abyss finally loses control of the brute and bringing forth Bruce Banner. Luckily for him, Hyperion stops in mid-swing and welcomes the good doctor back. All hail the mighty Sun God!


4.) SQUADRON SUPREME #8 (1986)  





Writer: Mark Gruenwald  Art: Bob Hall and Sam de la Rosa

Knowing that the Hyperion imposter has already killed Power Princess' husband, Hyperion flies to Squadron City, where he finds the Squadron in the midst of a meeting. Hyperion bursts through the ceiling and attacks his doppelganger, telling the rest of the Squadron that he's an imposter. He punches the imposter through the building and tells his teammates to leave them alone so he can deal with him. The two Hyperions slug it out at President's Mountain, Earth-712's equivalent to Mount Rushmore. The imposter has the upper hand by having no problem going all-out in a fight. The real Hyperion starts to use his atomic vision, and the imposter matches his move, their eye beams meeting in the middle with a large discharge of energy. Each Hyperion realizes that he will have to kill the other to win. Eventually, the real Hyperion, who has been blinded from the over-use of his power, starts to pummel him. Doctor Spectrum comes in and uses his Power Prisim to hold Hyperion back, but is unable to do so for long. Power Princess finally tells Hyperion to back off, and cradles the fake Hyperion in her arms as he starts to disintegrate. He admits to killing her husband Howard, and asks her to forgive him before telling her he loves her. The rest of the Squadron look on as Power Princess weeps and Arcanna comforts her friend. All hail the mighty Sun God (or is it Gods)!



3.) INFINITY #6 (2013)




Writer: Jonathan Hickman  Art: Jim Cheung and Dustin Weaver

After a massive build-up, Hyperion from Earth-13034 and the Avengers arrive to fight Thanos and his Black Order to end their threat once and for all. They break through a barrier created around the Earth and crash land in the desert. Heading to an Inhuman village, they find Abigail Brand and the Guardians of the Galaxy fighting Thanos and several members of the Black Order. The Avengers don't far well against the evil forces and begin losing badly. But as all heroes do, they press on despite the odds! The major highlight during this intense battle is when a hurt Hyperion manages to shoot his Atomic Vision into Corvus Glaive, killing him and changing the entire tide of the war. Eventually the Avengers rally and will prevail in the struggle against Thanos and the rest of his evil forces. All hail the mighty Sun God!


2.) THE AVENGERS ANNUAL #16 (1987)




Writer: Tom DeFalco  Art: Bob Hall, John Romita Jr., Keith Pollard, Marshal Rogers, Jackson Guice, Ron Frenz, Tom Palmer, Bill Sienkiewicz, Al Williamson, Bob Layton, Kevin Nowlan and Bob Wiacek

As a result of the Contest of Champions, the Grandmaster had restored the Collector's life at the cost of his own. Once within the realm of Death, however, he schemed to conquer the final adversary. Now, after having pitted the West Coast Avengers against their eastern counterparts in Death's domain, he has distracted, then defeated Death itself. Bored with life, the Grandmaster has created five life-bombs which will cause a new "big bang," replacing the present universe with one of his own designs. When all the Avengers challenge him to a final game, he pits them against a new Legion of the Unliving composed of their deceased friends and foes.

Many of the match ups had definitive and even deadly outcomes. In an Arctic waste Captain America, Wonder Man, and the Wasp combat Hyperion from the Squadron Sinister (who is a duplicate of the Earth-712 Hyperion of the Squadron Supreme), Baron Blood, and Bucky. Hyperion has one of the most incredibly brutal and destructive battles of the entire war when he kills Wonder Man by driving him through the planet and into into a nearby sun. It was honestly an incredible show of power by the Sun God. In the end, it was Captain America and Hawkeye that ultimately saved the day against the Grandmaster and revived all the heroes, but it was Hyperion who had the most memorable moment of the story. All hail the mighty Sun God!


1.) SQUADRON SUPREME #1 (2015) 






Writer: James Robinson  Art: Leonard Kirk

Hyperion from Earth-13034, Nighthawk from Earth-31916, Zarda from Earth-712, Blur from Earth-148611, and Doctor Spectrum from Earth-4290001 are the sole survivors of their native realities and formed the Earth-616 version of the Squadron Supreme. Their first mission to restore order to the world is attacking Namor, the Sub-Mariner of Atlantis, whose crime is being responsible for the destruction of Doctor Spectrum's and Nighthawk's worlds. The Squadron battle Namor, Attuma, and the forces of Atlantis head on. Eventually Attuma is killed at the hands of Zarda. Namor is able to hold on his own against the Squadron but their attack is just a diversion as Hyperion flies into the ocean and lifts the entire city of Atlantis to the surface. After mercifully allowing the Atlantean denizens to escape their city, Hyperion throws Atlantis onto solid ground and utterly destroying it. In a fit of rage, Namor attacks Hyperion, who merely decapitates the charging Sea King with his Atomic Vision ending his very life. This moment solidifies Hyperion and his Squadron Supreme as a true force to be reckoned with on planet Earth. Unknown to the Squadron, they are observed by Thundra and Tyndall, who hoped to call on them for help but are now totally unsure.

All hail the mighty Sun God!



Agree? Disagree? Let's hear it fanboys!


Check out other "THE TOP 5 GREATEST BATTLES OF..." here:
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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Posted by John Cimino at 4:32 AM 15 comments
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