Hey there, reader, thanks for taking some time to check out our latest edition of Best Battles in New Comics. You're probably here because you want to see some of the craziest and most intense battles from this week's new issues and we've got just what you're looking for. We're pretty happy with the three we've decide to highlight and believe they offer a nice dose of variety. We have a powerhouse absolutely dominating another one, a fun battle between mutants, and a mercenary taking on an entire army. Sounds fun, right? Let's not waste anymore time and go right to reliving these awesome action scenes! Oh, and if you're disappointed that one of your top choices isn't below, go ahead and give it some love in the comments. If you do that, you just may motivate someone else to buy the issue.
DEATHSTROKE #2
Our very first highlight comes from writer/illustrator Tony Daniel's second chapter of DEATHSTROKE. The first one was heavy on violence and had just a little bit of mystery. This second issue? It's basically more of the same but there's a little more fan service thrown in there, so that's great news if you liked the first issue! Now, let's talk about why it's here. Slade Wilson, a.k.a. Deathstroke, is often considered to be one of the most lethal and efficient mercenaries in the DC universe. But what happens when an army of 300 goons are sent his way (no, they aren'tspartans, but watching Slade fight them would rock)? Well, it just gives him a chance to drive home the point that he's really dangerous and it's going to take way more cannon fodder to bring him down. It doesn't hurt his chances that they're attacking at one of his hideouts and the place is loaded with landmines. If goons are not getting a bullet put in them, they're getting blown up. Showing up to this fight just wasn't a good decision for any of these characters. Yeah, they have the numbers, but Deathstroke has the skill, weaponry, and tactics. It's a total slaughter.
It may look effortless for Slade, but the guy only has so much ammunition on him. Man, it's a shame he doesn't have his power staff, right? Anyway, eventually, he has to switch to using blades and, just like every other page in this comic, Daniel, colorist Tomeu Morey and inker Sandu Florea make the vicious scene look, well, amazingly vicious! If you're faint of heart, this book must be a total nightmare -- but why would you even buy a Deathstroke comic in the first place? For everyone else, it's amazing how well they can present all of this action-packed craziness.
We all know Slade Wilson can overcome the wave of fodder, especially at his own base, but what we're not going to discuss is where the plot goes. There's some pretty big developments here and we see three familiar faces. Two of which leave us REALLY hoping Deathstroke will get to fight them sooner rather than later. Watching Slade obliterate nameless goons is good fun, but watching him take on another formidable character really is something special and almost always intense. But instead of showing you that or telling you context for the following scene, we'll just show you a flashback of Slade doing what he does best: Killing targets with ease. Look, if you want plot details, go buy the issue. We're just here to praise the action.
DEATHSTROKE #2 is pretty exciting stuff. There's insane action, the book's visuals are thoroughly impressive, and this second chapter really made the narrative way more interesting. If you're a longtime fan of the character, we strongly recommend picking up this issue.
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #40
TMNT #40 kind of feels like the people over at IDW asked themselves, "What can we do to get the Ninja Turtles back in Comic Vine's Best Battles?" Seriously, this issue is just one ginormous brawl and it's so much fun! It's Bebop and Rocksteady holding their own against the heroes in a half shell, Nobody, Alopex, AND the new Mutanimals. Big fight, isn't it? As skilled as the Ninja Turtles may be (it's worth noting Donnie isn't in the fight because, well, he has more important things to do), these new incarnations of the goofy duo are ridiculously tough. Their classic personalities remain intact and they could likely turn "Bebop and Rocksteady's Art of Failing at Tactics" into a best seller, but they make up for the lack of strategy and skill with pure brute force. Not only are they quite strong, but they can take a beating. Even when Nobody electrocutes Bebop, it still isn't enough and the villain counters by channeling his inner Ryu. Oh man, now I'm picturing Bebop and Rocksteady dressed as Ken and Ryu.
Just about everyone takes a swing at this durable duo and no one makes any significant progress. Leo gets a slash in, Raphael lands a stab, Alopex slashes, but nothing is really fazing these silly guys. It's too bad Slash was taken out of the fight early on (he protected Mikey from a car that was used as a projectile) because a longer fight between Slash and these two would be brilliant. No one's really having any luck, but that won't stop Herman the Hermit Crab from trying! He begins to fire at his targets, but his weapons are swiftly destroyed. He may not have his guns, but that doesn't mean he's disarmed. Go get 'em, Herman!
So, how do the good guys (and their shady allies) overcome? It's not like Bebop and Rocksteady would actually win after such a lengthy brawl, yeah? Well, it turns out Master Splinter has been hanging back and observing, but the time for waiting is over and now comes the fun part: The time for action! We all know Splinter has insanely good hand-to-hand skills, but is that enough to bypass Bebop and Rocksteady's endurance and healing factor or do they need to spice things up a little bit to bring these two fools down?
TMNT #40 only has 3 pages that aren't focused on the characters in this fight. So yeah, as you can tell, that means there's A LOT we haven't shown you from this crazy fun battle. You can really tell the minds behind the story (Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman, Bobby Curnow) and the art team (Mateus Santolouco, Ronda Pattison) had a blast with this chapter; it's basically non-stop mutant madness.
SUPERMAN #36
Last but not least (well, unless you're a really big Superman fan and can't stand seeing him get owned), we have the Man of Steel getting absolutely demolished by Neil Quinn, a.k.a. Ulysses. The one-sided slugfest comes from the latest chapter of writer Geoff Johns, artist John Romita Jr., inker Klaus Janson and colorist Laura Martin's SUPERMAN. Why do they fight, you ask? It's because Ulysses has made an enormous announcement: He'll bring 6 million humans back to the 4th dimension with him. He claims it's to help them and they'll enjoy a life that's devoid of violence and suffering in their new home. Transports have been established in various locations and people are rushing to make the cut. Naturally, Superman isn't cool with this and wants to know all of the details. When Kal-El pushes for answers, Ulysses lashes out and delivers one hell of a punch.
We're showing you the immediate impact, but what you're missing out on is just how far that blow sends the hero and the brutal landing it causes. Superman doesn't even have a moment to catch his breath (not like he needs to, though) before Ulysses is once again on top of him. The dude is relentless and really going all-out to make sure the Man of Steel doesn't stop him from completing his "exodus of Earth." Superman has yet to unleash an attack and this guy has now struck him with two extremely powerful hits.
Now, you could argue that Ulysses caught Clark off-guard. Yes, the Justice Leauger catches the first punch, but he showed up to talk, not brawl. Before he can continue the conversation, Neil unleashes and continues the aggressive assault. It's not really a fair encounter for the Man of Steel, so I wouldn't get worked up about the guy getting pummeled like this. Neil took advantage of Clark's kindness and apparently isn't holding back. And if he is holding back, he isn't restraining himself very much. Once again, Superman makes a harsh landing and Ulysses is there to make sure the hero can't recover. Martin's vivid coloring really brings up the intensity and makes us fully appreciate just how much Ulysses is letting loose.
Does Superman make a miraculous comeback or does this turn into a swift and savage win for Ulysses? And what's really going on with the exodus? The fight doesn't go on for much longer, but we left out some of the really cool panels (watching Clark slam against the ground is harsh) and there's some hints about what Ulysses is really up to. SUPERMAN is back on track, so do yourself a favor and check it out!
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!