Best Battles in New Comics: 11/21/14
Hey there, thanks for checking out the latest edition of Best Battles! As you can tell by the segment's title, this is where we highlight some of the coolest fights that went down in the latest round of new comics. That means this is the place to be each and every Friday if you just can't get enough of heroes and villains punching each other really, really hard. As always, it wasn't easy narrowing down the options. There were plenty of awesome fights to choose from (e.g. STORM, WONDER WOMAN, AXIS: REVOLUTIONS) and it really wasn't easy narrowing down the choices this week. However, after giving it a good amount of consideration, we've finally selected three that we hope you'll enjoy every bit as much as we did. If your favorite brawl isn't highlighted, go ahead and support it by telling the world why it was awesome in the comments section below. Now, let's not spend any more time talking about it and let's jump right into the action scenes!
BATMAN AND ROBIN #36
If you like seeing Batman being the ultimate hero and overcoming crazy odds, you're about to have a lot of fun. If you think Batman's overrated and can't stand it when he tackles threats that are above street level, you should probably just skip to the next highlight and save yourself some frustration. I mean, why spend your time being upset and/or annoyed, right? Anyway, Robin Rises continues in BATMAN AND ROBIN #36 and writer Peter Tomasi, artist Patrick Gleason, inker Mick Gray and colorist John Kalisz's chapter is pretty much one big ol' action scene. So, it's only obvious it would be featured in this segment, isn't it? You see, somewhere on Apokolips, Batman's allies (Tim Drake, Barbara Gordon, Cyborg, Jason Todd, Titus) are fighting for their lives and the action scene isn't shabby; it's always cool seeing Cyborg blast some goons or Titus leaping into action. However, we want to focus on the really good stuff, and that means jumping right to Batman, in the Hellbat suit, taking on an entire army! Before he reaches the army, though, he plows through a ship. It looks like nothing is going to faze Bruce.
Crazy stuff, yeah? Believe it or not, it only gets more and more insane. Nothing has hindered Batman at all -- aside from some stuff going on inside his armor -- so Apokolips decides they've had enough of the Caped Crusader's assault. They throw an entire army at him and do you know what Batman says? He screams "bring it on!" Jeez, this really is just one big love letter to Batman's drive and ability to topple impossible odds! So, how does he hold his own when he's so outnumbered, you ask? Remember how his wings could turn into tendrils and what not? Well, it turns out there's another very neat -- and by "neat" I really mean "frightening" -- thing they can do.
So yeah, if someone ever asks you, "Can Batman take on a whole army by himself?" You can say "Yes, he can even take on a whole army from freaking Apokolips!" Sure, you could specify he needs the Hellbat suit, but where's the fun in that? During his battle, he even screams, "I'm Batman!" Why? Because why not, that's why. If Batman's going all out and doing ridiculously amazing things, you can't blame him for wanting his enemies to know who just demolished them. To be fair, they did exclaim, "Whoever you are, prepare to be incinerated!" Batman's faced quite a gauntlet, but it's not over yet. Once the army has fallen, he still needs to take on Kalibak, Darkseid's formidable son. Wait, did we say "formidable"? What we really meant was "formidable unless Batman is around." Seriously, it's not a flattering scene for Kalibak.
If you've been following Robin Rises, you'll be happy to know the main event is right around the corner and it'll leave you oh-so-excited for the next issue. Robin Rises has been fight scene after fight scene and it's looking like the most over-the-top stuff has yet to come. Bring it on, Tomasi and Gleason!
ELEKTRA #8
There's a new person calling the shots in the Assassins Guild and Elektra wants to know who it is. In fact, she's so determined to find out that she's going to break into a high tech S.H.I.E.L.D. facility so she can interrogate one man. That man? Bullseye! In the latest issue of ELEKTRA, writer W. Haden Blackman and artist Michael Del Mundo (with color assistance from Marco D'Alfonso) create a unique setting; this isn't your generic S.H.I.E.L.D. spot. Elektra slips into the advanced facility called "Mercury Drop" and, despite her impressive stealth abilities, she is eventually detected. They send every agent they've got after her and let's just say it would have been a really good day to call in sick. Yeah, these poor fellows stood no chance at all.
Even though Elektra wiped out all of the guards, that doesn't mean Bullseye is her's just yet. An emergency protocol is activated and the accurate assassin's containment capsule blasts off. Luckily for Elektra, there's a guard with a jetpack not very far away. She's able to catch up with the capsule, but she bumps into Maria Hill and other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, each of them wearing a very spiffy armor with flight capabilities. Just as Elektra and Maria reach a verbal agreement about Bullseye, the Hand rudely interrupts! That's right, you're about to see flying ninjas vs. flying S.H.I.E.L.D. agents!
As you can obviously see, these aren't your generic Hand ninjas. There's a warlock named Inochi traveling with the group and, if Elektra wants to prevent them from taking Bullseye, she knows that's the one she needs to take down right away. She sets her sights on the target, grips her sai, and lunges at the enemy. Unfortunately for her, he isn't alone and his teammates are actually alert and helpful. But even when Elektra is flanked, she still finds a swift way to recover.
What Elektra does next is supremely badass and what follows that is totally unexpected. Readers -- yeah, that means you -- this is the start of a new arc, so if you like what you see, we strongly recommend buying this issue. It was announced the series will end with issue #11, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the exciting ride while it lasts.
SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #13
SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN has a brand new creative team and they say hello to the world with some chaotic brawling! Okay, technically it's there to illustrate the different personalities between Kal-El and Diana, but you're here for a look at all the punches and what not, yes? With this issue, writer Peter Tomasi, artist Doug Mahnke, inker Jaime Mendoza and colorist Tomeu Morey give us a good amount of super powered action as they take us five years into The New 52's past. Remember that time Darkseid and his army of Parademons invaded the Earth? Of course you do. Would you like to see more of it? Of course you would!
Don't you just love the clear contrast between the two in combat? Supeman has great posture and a focused expression on his face as he attempts to restrain and knock out the swarm of enemies. It's direct and clean. Wonder Woman? She's viciously slicing and dicing her opponents and her expression -- along with the blood spatter -- reveals she's showing them no mercy at all. You can't help but feel bad for the Parademons. Yes, they're invading our planet and are all kinds of evil, but against Wonder Woman, they seem absolutely helpless. I mean, just look at the one in the lower left! Anyhow, the difference in strategy becomes crystal clear to them and the two heroes decide to discuss it while they're in the middle of combat.
Watching those two humiliate fodder is good fun, but it's difficult to make a compelling story if there isn't a legitimate threat, and the modern time has not one but two villains. Atomic Skull recently used a nuclear power plant as a buffet and he has Major Disaster by his side. The two Justice Leaguers attempt to drop these fiends but it really doesn't go well for them. Like, at all. They may have kicked all kinds of butt in the intro, but now they're the ones on the receiving end of a beating and things aren't looking like they'll get better anytime soon.
What are the two villains up to? Are the heroes able to recover and dish out some major justice? Is one of Clark Kent's super powers the ability to hail a cab?! If you've been considering giving this series a shot, you should know this is the beginning of a new storyline and that means it's a perfect jumping on spot.
What are your top three fights from this latest round of new comics? Support what you love and tell the world below. Also, don't forget to make nominations every week in the official thread or tell us via Twitter. See you next Friday and have a good weekend!
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