It's time to celebrate some of this week's best action scenes! We've flipped through most of the new comics and there were a lot of cool brawls in them. From super-powered smackdowns to close quarters combat between skilled characters, there were plenty of great options in the latest issues. It wasn't easy picking just three of them, but we think the following fights are hugely entertaining and offer a nice bit of variety. And hey, if you're not a fan of the ones we picked, we encourage you to praise the fight you have in mind instead of simply posting something like, "why isn't ___ in here?" It just may motivate someone to check out the comic, after all. Also, we have a discussion thread for this segment and check it frequently on Wednesdays and Thursdays. So if there's a fight you like in a new comic, be sure to recommend it in that thread before we write the feature!
BATMAN AND RA'S AL GHUL #32
Ra's al Ghul has seriously crossed the line this time. Not only has he stolen the body of Damian Wayne, but he brought the fallen hero to a unique Lazarus Pit which will allegedly bring him back to life and erase his memories (Ra's is doing this with Talia's body, too). Batman has been following Ra's trail and he's finally caught up to the foe. After a big battle, he's able to bring his son's body back to his vehicle, but The Demon's Head gives Batman a stern warning. He says the people Wayne cares about will never be safe as long as he's alive and he'll do anything to restore the al Ghul legacy. Now, we all know Batman's against killing, but this twisted threat makes him momentarily swat aside the rule and deliver a stern warning of his own. Batman states he will kill the Ra's if he ever attempts to steal Damian's body again. Usually this would be an idle threat, but Ra's believes the Caped Crusader and then goes on the offensive. Oh yes, it's time for Batman vs. Ra's al ghul!
Well, that was short-lived. We all know Ra's has a crazy amount of experience, but Batman, well, he's Batman and he has an incredible degree of skill. While that was a devastating strike he landed, the leader of the League of Assassins is by no means down for the count just yet. His forces want to attack Wayne, but he tells them to yield and tackles Bruce. Prepare for even more melee goodness.
As these two play tag with their fists and feet, you can't help but appreciate artist Patrick Gleason's work (along with Mick Gray's inks and John Kalisz's colors, of course). Gleason does a terrific job conveying the rage, pain and determination both of these characters are experiencing as they duke it out over the fate of their relative. Anyway, the last we saw was Batman on the ground and Ra's al Ghul was literally stomping him. Let's see what happens next.
The Justice Leaguer tackles the fiend into the snow and crashes his knuckles against Ra's face a few more times. Then the fight takes a vicious turn: Bruce begins to press his thumbs against Ra's al Ghul's eyes. That's a bit of deja vu for Game of Thrones fans, eh? It's clear Batman will do anything to protect his son, but will he really do something this violent to the bad guy? We suggest reading the issue for all of the proper context!
THOR: GOD OF THUNDER #23
The Last Days of Midgard concludes with a massive amount of explosive action! Then again, you wouldn't expect anything less from Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic's latest story, would you? In the present era, Thor is being pummeled by Ulik and his trolls. Seeing as Dario Agger aka The Minotaur has no honor whatsoever, he joins in on the fun and plows straight into the Son of Odin.
Thor claims the villain hits as hard as the Hulk, and, it may seem odd at first, but this is good news for the hero! That means he can take off the kid gloves and finally give Agger the beating he deserves. With just one punch, the God of Thunder sends the despicable fiend soaring out of the battlefield. It's a glorious moment. Thor then turns his attention to Ulik and then two have at it, but what's going on in Midgard's future? Last we saw, King Thor couldn't topple the mighty Galactus. In fact, this future version of Thor was punched through the Moon and drifted off into deep space. His granddaughters, The Girls of Thunder, did a decent amount of damage to the Devourer of Worlds (thanks to their unique and powerful weapons), but they were also no match for Galen. Thor realizes he needs a game changer, so he's obtained Gorr the God Butcher's tremendous weapon. Now that he's armed with All-Black the Necrosword, Thor is prepared to dish out some major pain.
Artist Esad Ribic and colorist Ive Svorcina are absolute titans. Aaron's script is loaded with humongous moments and these two manage to make the scenes feel every bit as epic as they should. What's especially cool is how this final chapter somewhat merges the two big battles together. Usually we'd jump from scene to scene, but in this chapter, some pages flow smoothly from one era to the next. Aaron's managed to deliver an enjoyable contrast in the narrative, so it's nice to see the art team is doing the same.
King Thor has planted Old Galactus on his butt and modern Thor is finally gaining the edge over his enemies. It seems clear the Asgardian will be victorious, but at what cost? Can he save the place he calls home in both the present and future or is one destined to be destroyed? Oh, and we didn't even show you Roz Solomon taking on the trolls!
TRINITY OF SIN: PANDORA #12
This issue has a very rough start for Pandora. Fist and foremost, Vandal Savage has -- leave now if you're trade waiting -- killed the man she loves (happens in the very first panel, so that's hardly a big spoiler) and wants to take her out next. Secondly, she's no longer immortal. In the previous issue, Agent Kincaid shot her with a Bosonic Aura Flayer Rifle... or we can simply call it the "Immortal Killer." Yeah, I think we'll go with that name from now on. This means Pandora can no longer heal like she used to and now Savage is ready to attack her. She's outraged over the loss of Marcus, so even though she's now vulnerable, she armors up and prepares to clash with the infamous supervillain. Pandora lands the first volley of attacks, but Vandal is able to quickly recover and then begins swinging those big fists of his right in her direction.
Panodra's able to restrain Savage with some magic, but the dude is able to break free after just a few panels. This is when Pandora gets a little bit of unexpected help from S.H.A.D.E.'s Kincaid. The Agent hits the brutal tyrant with a shot from the Immortal Killer, but that just makes him even angrier. And just like with the Hulk, you really wouldn't like Savage when he's angry. Vandal rushes at Kincaid and the agent is unable to escape his grip. Even though Pandora continues to shoot at the immortal villain, he's able to violently snap Kincaid's wings. Once Vandal's finished with the S.H.A.D.E. agent, he sets his sights back on Pandora and dishes out a harsh knee to her gut.
Vandal Savage is seriously living up to his last name, isn't he? With nothing but hand-to-hand combat, the guy has humiliated both Pandora and a heavily armed S.H.A.D.E. agent. Now that he's taken both of them down, he grabs Kincaid by her broken wings and throws her off the rooftop. See, told you he's savage! However, tossing Kincaid over the edge means he's left his guard down and he's momentarily oblivious to Pandora's actions. As you'll see in a second, she takes full advantage of that and aims to end this fight once and for all.
Everyone has endured a lot of damage, and that was before taking that fall. But, believe it or not, the fight goes on! Are these two able to defeat Savage? And if they do, what happens between the two of them? Kincaird firmly believes Pandora needs to be put down, after all. Or is Vandal too tough for them to best? As always, we recommend buying the info for all of the glorious details!
Honorable Mentions
- ELEKTRA #3
- SUPERGIRL #32
- HARLEY QUINN #7
- FUTURES END #7
- DAREDEVIL #4
- TMNT: TURTLES IN TIME #1
- STAR WARS: DARTH MAUL - SON OF DATHOMIR #2
- UNITY #8
- BATWOMAN #32
- HARBINGER #24
- TMNT #35
- THUNDERBOLTS #27
- THE WICKED + THE DIVINE #1
- THE PUNISHER #7
What are your top three fights from this latest round of new comics? 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!