Battle Builds Character
The subreddit Who Would Win at the moment has 562,000 members, every of whom involves debate how fictional characters would stack up towards each other. And that’s not the solely place the dialogue occurs. Search any comedian ebook fan subreddit on the website, and also you’ll discover individuals making passionate arguments, regardless of the indisputable fact that the characters’ energy units fluctuate wildly in response to circumstances and author.
However the greatest hero vs. hero tales work as a result of they reveal one thing about the character as an individual, not simply as a fighter. Take the scene from Civil Warfare #6, wherein the Punisher briefly joins Captain America’s staff after saving Spider-Man after which weapons down a pair of supervillains who additionally need to oppose registration. A horrified Cap pummels him for killing individuals in chilly blood, however Punisher refuses to battle again. Even at his most delusional, Punisher respects Steve Rogers an excessive amount of to lift a hand towards him.
Likewise there’s the scene in 2007’s New Avengers #2, written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu, wherein Iron Man’s Avengers battle Cage’s Secret Avengers. When Physician Unusual launches a magical assault towards Iron Man’s staff, we readers see the insecurities driving the pro-registration heroes. Sentry witnesses himself changing into the Void, Black Widow remembers getting condemned by her Soviet colleague Crimson Dynamo, and Iron Man will get attacked by a zombie Steve Rogers. The vulnerability they present on this second does so much of work to undo the harm of Civil Warfare, making the pro-registration Avengers much less authoritarians who need energy for its personal sake and extra flawed individuals attempting to make the greatest choice doable.
Maybe the greatest trendy instance of character constructing by way of Avengers vs. Avengers fights is available in Hickman’s runs on Avengers and New Avengers. 2014’s Avengers #29, penciled by Yu, incorporates a acquainted beat, wherein Captain America punches Iron Man. This time it’s as a result of Cap has realized that Tony wiped his reminiscence to stop his disruption of the Illuminati’s actions.
Moderately than get away right into a full brawl, the distinction right here comes from authentic variations in opinions about an unattainable state of affairs. Tony sees the existential menace posed by the Incursions and initially tried to work with Steve to cease them. However when it turns into clear that Steve’s strategies wouldn’t work, Tony and Physician Unusual wipe their pal’s reminiscence. But even then, Tony revered Steve, as the reminiscence wipes allowed Captain America to carry to his values and stay an icon, qualities that Iron Man and the relaxation of the Illuminati couldn’t afford.
Whereas Hickman’s Avengers run demonstrates use inter-hero battle for character constructing, there are loads of examples of the reverse. Two horrible X-Males-focused crossovers round the similar time, AvX and Inhumans vs X-Males noticed the Avengers and the Inhumans, teams normally introduced as heroes, actively assault mutants only for current. When Captain America, a person who canonically had so little bigotry that it compelled Magneto to pause his marketing campaign towards humanity (see: 1987’s X-Males vs. Avengers) begins preemptively locking up mutants earlier than they’ll do something unsuitable, we’ve misplaced the plot.