I have not read every comic book ever made or even every major comic book story arc ever written. Of the comic books I've read, here are the best battles from them, as I see it. Some are great because of the art involved, some because of the intricacies of the interaction, some are here because they break new ground; they shock and surprise. Others are here because of their bizarre nature and others are here because of import in the history of comic books. These are the best of the best as I see it and according to my own personal experience:
15- The Midnight Sons Vs Lillith & The Lillin (Ghost Rider Vol 2 #31)
The ultimate conclusion of one of the best story arcs I have ever read, this final battle between the demon queen and her terrible offspring and the supernatural superheroes assembled and led by Ghost Rider to defeat her is not particularly action-packed, but it is bizarre and was a great opportunity to show off a variety of heroes' and villains powers. The artwork by Andy Kubert was amazing, with an incredible fold out in the middle. It affected the storylines of many heroes for years to come, and to my mind is the climax of the best writing in the history of the GHOST RIDER saga.
14- The New Warriors & Spider-Man Vs Sinister Syndicate (Web of Spider-Man Annual #3)
This was part of a story arc involving the Sphinx and kidnapped superheroes. That arc actually produced two entries on our list, which is a testament to the writing and the action-packed nature of the storyline. The art was good, and there is an intricacy to the battle I really liked. Spider-Man makes a great temporary team leader and he shines here as he helps the young heroes face down some of HIS oldest enemies. There are a multitude of heroes and villains on display and each gets some significant book time. I simply love it.
13- The Chosen Ones Vs Freddy Kreuger & Jason Vorhees (Freddy Vs Jason Vs Ash Trade Paperback)
This was the conclusion of a trilogy that was meant originally for the big screen, but got moved to comics when the last two movies failed to get produced. Disgusting, disturbing, but engrossing and entertaining like all good horror art, the ultimate conclusion brought in elements from just about every film in the three franchises involved. It was big, it was weird, it was exciting. The scale is incredible. If you've got a strong stomach, you should check it out.
12- Spider-Man & The New Warriors Vs The Sphinx (New Warriors Annual #2)
This was the conclusion to the story arc mentioned in #14 on this list. The return of the Sphinx was a big enough deal, but to see the warriors take him on one-by-one really made for an interesting comic. Again, Spider-Man in the lead helped make the whole thing very interesting. I love it when we get to see Spidey the strategist. People rarely realize how often he plays that role and for good reason: he's been at the hero game a long time and he's highly intelligent. Any time we get to see him in 'action', playing that game, it can raise a comic to new heights. The whole thing felt a bit rushed, though, and one could almost feel that a bigger battle was demanded by the circumstances. It was cut short, and a part two was demanded. We would get that part two when the New Warriors and The Sphinx met again in NW #50.
11- Superman & Doomsday Re-Match (Superman/Doomsday Hunter/Prey #3)
This was the second time Supes faced his most dangerous enemy. Doomsday spends most of this limited comic series fighting other enemies to fantastic results. But when Supes meets him at the end...WOW. Nothing on the scale of their first meeting, but still, an entire planet is almost destroyed in the process and that in itself is fun to watch unfold. The art is fantastic, and the scale is huge. Particularly impressive is the moment when Doomsday and Superman cause a thermonuclear explosion. It is just a well-done fight in a well-done comic.
10- Spider-Man & Ghost Rider Vs Hobgoblin (Spider-Man #6-7)
This is not a particularly intricate fight, but the nature of the whole encounter is captivating and interesting. Hobgoblin has kidnapped a small child and fused part of him with a demonic force. Spider-Man is trying to save the child, whose parents Hobgoblin has killed, while Ghost Rider is focused only on meting out righteous vengeance. The danger to the child, the mystical powers of both Hobgoblin and Ghost Rider, and the sense of Spidey being caught in the middle all add up to an amazing storyline, and Todd Mcfarlane’s attending artwork is second to none. A must-read.
9- Bartman Vs Mutated Springfield (Bartman: The Best of the Best Trade Paperback)
This is a wonderful parody of the classic superhero vs superhero motif. The various super powers given to the different citizens of Springfield is hilarious, and watching poor Bart, a superhero without superpowers, having to face down his friends is entertaining and hilarious. My favorite part is when “Oldblood” (led by Grandpa Simpson, AKA “Coma) faces “WildBRATS” (led by Jimbo). For the homage paid to the classic superhero battle motif, this one deserved a place of honor on this list.
8- X-Force & Spider-Man Vs Juggernaut (Spider-Man #16 & X-Force #4)
This fight is a kind of halting and has a weird rhythm to it, but there is an intricacy to the strategies involved that really makes the battle engrossing and interesting. In particular is Juggernaut’s relationship with Spider-Man, and Spider-Man’s leadership of X-Force. I spoke before of Spider-Man as strategist. Well this is that motif at its best.
7- Spider-Man & Friends Vs Sinister Six (Spider-Man #23)
What? Spider-Man again? Yea, well Spidey’s had some good writers and artists and they have done a bang-up job putting him into some awesome donnybrooks. The front of this book says it all: “If this book don’t got it, you don’t need it!”. Some of Spidey’s best villains armed with supped up alien weapons with a Godzilla-type monster under their control fighting Spider-Man and some of his most powerful and closest allies (including the Fantastic Four). It jumps around a bit too much but well worth the price of admission. This is one of my favorite comic books and one of my favorite storylines of all time.
6- New Warriors Vs Sphinx (New Warriors #50)
When the New Warriors and Sphinx had their re-match, when they finally finished what they started in New Warriors Annual #2, it was a sight to behold. While a bit choppy, the artwork was top notch and you really got to see Nova and Sphinx ‘work out their differences with extreme prejudice’, something that many fans had been waiting for a looooong time. The ending, so strange, so off the beaten path, so surprising, is really what earns this match-up such a high place on our list. In the end, the Warriors use truth, or more exactly the Living Embodiment of Truth, Veritas, to confront Sphinx and make him, ultimately, defeat himself.
5- Thanos, Silver Surfer & Adam Warlock Vs Asgard’s Warriors & Odin (Warlock & The Infinity Watch #25)
This battle really takes place in two parts. The first involves Thanos, Silver Surfer, and Adam Warlock, verses all of Asgard’s greatest warriors (except Thor) on the rainbow bridge. It is amazing. It really shows off the power of Silver Surfer and Warlock, and Thanos just mows through countless warriors. Then it comes down to just Thanos and Odin. In no other book is Odin’s full power explored, nor is there any other battle where the full UNAUGMENTED power of Thanos is fully on display. This fight just boggles the mind. The power levels involved are off the charts. The big downside to this battle is that the artwork isn’t that great. The concept is excellent, however, and the coloring is so good it almost makes up for the weak penciling.
4- Red Son Superman Vs Lex Luthor (Final chapter of RED SON trade paperback)
This battle isn’t on this list because it is all that epic in scope, it really isn’t. Nor is it on the list because it is particularly important in any story line, as RED SON is an alternate universe storyline that had no lasting effects in the main Superman line. No, this fight is about one thing: the ending. The final move, which ends one of the best storylines in comic history, is so amazing, so beautiful, that it enhances the fight that precedes it and raises this into the top tier of battles. Check, it, out.
3- Spider-Man Vs Firelord (Amazing Spider-Man #270)
You may not be familiar with Firelord. He is a herald of Galactus, and his power level is just under that of someone like Silver Surfer. You’d think that Spider-Man, whose powers are mid-range in the world of superheroes, would stand no chance against him. But Spider-Man is more than just his powers. He is a highly intelligent person who has spent years fighting, and has developed fighting skills just under Captain America and Wolverine. No other comic book so perfectly displays the full range of his powers, and what happens when those powers are filtered through a keen mind and skilled spirit. It is one of the most famous battles in Spider-Man’s history, and for good reason.
2- Everyone Vs Thanos (Infinity Gauntlet #4-5)
Thanos is one of the most interesting, dark, and powerful villains in the Marvel universe, and has always been a favorite character of mine. During the Infinity Gauntlet Saga he gained, for the second time, godlike power which gave him near-total dominion over the universe. First, nearly every superhero on earth (at least those not killed when Thanos killed half of all life in the universe) lined up behind Adam Warlock and Silver Surfer to face down the death-worshipping monster. Captain America led that first wave and it made for an extremely fascinating run down of the powers of some of Earth’s greatest heroes, as well as their varied approaches to battle. Then Adam himself led the cosmic beings of the universe (Galactus, the Stranger, Master Order and Lord Chaos and many others) on an all-out assault that nearly destroyed the universe. The Infinity Gauntlet series is one of the best ever, and the climactic battle in the middle of the series is something every comic book lover should read.
1- Superman Vs Doomsday/ The Death of Superman (Adventures of Superman #497, Superman: Man of Steel #19, Superman #75)
It really all comes down to one battle, one battle that would change forever the DC universe and help define the character who started it all. It was a brutal battle that spanned half of the United States and three issues. The full limit of both characters powers are explored in detail and the whole thing ended with the death of earth’s most powerful superhero. The artwork was superb, especially in the final chapter, and the writing was second to none. Important, well executed artistically and well written, it was everything a major battle should be and more. Many of the moments are burned into my brain, and I for one think there is no other moment in comic book history that can take its place. Nor do I think one ever will.
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