Battle Of Comic Titans Readers To Choose Winners When Dc And Marvel Heroes Dust It Up
Are you ready to rumble? The titans of two universes are meeting for the second time in their histories, and this brawl promises to be one for the record books. Heroes from DC Comics and Marvel Comics will duke it out in an upcoming four-issue series, and readers get to vote on who wins.
“Nothing on this scale has ever been tried before, and nothing ever has been thrown into readers’ laps,” says Mike Carlin, executive editor at DC Comics. “Both companies have to be prepared to concede defeat.”
Six bouts with lesser-known heroes - Flash, Thor, Robin, Silver Surfer and others - were predetermined.
“We discussed various scenarios and gave Marvel three (wins) and DC three (wins), so the vote fights will tip the scale,” said Mark Gruenwald, executive editor at Marvel Comics.
Faithful readers can vote on the winners with ballots available now in the DC vs. Marvel free preview, ready and waiting at local comic book stores. Ballots can be turned in at comic book stores, mailed to Marvel or DC, or entered on America Online’s DC Comics area. Voting ends Dec. 31.
The series’ first installment, which sets up the five main events, should hit the shelves in December. The second issue contains the six predetermined battles. The third issue features the results of the voting, and the fourth issue concludes the story.
Here are our picks for the main events:
Superman (DC) vs. The Incredible Hulk (Marvel): Forget Tyson, Holyfield or Bowe. These two bruisers are gonna level anything that gets in their way. Supes is fresh back from the grave, having died two years ago at the hands of Doomsday, a Hulk-type being designed by DC especially for the occasion. After his rebirth, Krypton’s champion found his powers much stronger than before. On the down side, he’s a Boy Scout in tights.
Of course, that the Man of Steel lost to a less charismatic version of the Hulk doesn’t bode well. The Big Green One is Doc Bruce Banner, the man who turns big, green and ugly when he gets mad. He’s incredibly strong, incredibly tough and too stubborn to be afraid when he’s outclassed.
Our opinion: Superman learned from his mistakes with Doomsday. Besides, not even death could stop him.
Winner: Superman
Batman (DC) vs. Captain America (Marvel): Captain America is the shield-throwing former soldier enhanced with an injection of Super-Soldier Serum. He’s strong, he’s fast and that indestructible shield is like a part of his body.
Batman, however, is the smartest human hero in either universe, and more intelligent than most of his superhuman colleagues. The Caped Crusader, aka multimillionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, had his back broken recently and looked to be out for the remainder of the season, but has made a remarkable recovery and is once again stalking the criminals of Gotham.
In the end, brains beats athleticism.
Winner: Batman
Spider-Man (Marvel) vs. Superboy (DC): Spidey’s got what it takes to pull this one out: wit, webs and a whole lot of experience. He’s the anchor that made Marvel Comics successful back in the 1960s, and has lasted through the death of his beloved Uncle Ben, marriage to Mary Jane Watson, the death of his beloved Aunt May and a bizarre storyline with two Spider-Men. (The current Peter Parker is a clone created 15 years ago, who recently gave up the red-and-blue suit when he found out he was a clone; Ben Reilly, actually the original Peter Parker, is now Spider-Man.)
Superboy is the new kid on the block, an imperfect clone (they’re everywhere!) of Superman created by DC’s STAR Labs when the Man of Steel died. He has most of Superman’s powers - flight and super strength, most notably. He’s also super-arrogant and too sure he’ll win. In other words, no match for the Wall-Crawler.
Winner: Spidey
Wolverine (Marvel) vs. Lobo (DC): Lobo began as a sort of dark joke, a galactic wanderer who loves to fight and prove he’s the meanest being around (the only thing he cares about is a star-jumping school of white dolphins). Strength-wise, Lobo has taken on Superman and held his own, and seems to be immortal.
Wolvy’s the mutant X-Man with shaggy sideburns, a penchant for cigars and foot-long adamantine claws that come from his wrists. He’s also durn near indestructible. And mean? The man once tried to kill an old flame just so the world’s intelligence agencies couldn’t get to her first. Then again, “she” was so mean she tricked Spidey into killing her.
Winner: Wolverine
Wonder Woman (DC) vs. Storm (Marvel): Wonder Woman is the Amazon princess-turned-U.S. government agent who has super strength, bulletproof bracelets and an invisible jet, not to mention the famous Lasso of Truth.
Storm, on the other hand, is an African princessturned-X-Man who controls the weather, especially wind and lightning, meaning Wondy realistically wouldn’t be able to get close. She’s also especially popular right now, a sure vote-getter.
Winner: Storm