The Great Comic Reclamation Project
So I started buying up all the comics I foolishly gave up when I first moved out the West Coast. My latest acquisition is the three-issue series Contest of Champions from 1982. It's not a fantastic story but it still holds a special place in my heart and a special place in the history of comics -- not only was it the first massive cross-series story (predating Secret Wars and Crisis) but it also laid the groundwork for the Official Handbook that came soon after.
Anyway, the premise is that the Grandmaster and an unknown opponent decide to each recruit twelve heroes and pit them against each other in a race to obtain four quarters of a golden globe scattered around the world. Though it was fun reading the comic again, I'm a bit confused by the selection process used.
Nevermind the unspoken diversity quota that required each team to have several heroes from other nationalities (Shamrock? Arabian Knight? Le Peregrine?). What really seems stupid is that, given all the heroes of the Marvel universe in 1982, these idiots would pick people like Iron Fist and Angel.
Guh?
As a longtime comic fan, I had my own,
better list in mind. In keeping with the rules of the contests, only humans and mutants are eligible. That means NO Thor, NO Vision, NO Silver Surfer and NO Sub-Mariner. (Yes, he's a mutant but he's also an Atlantean, so he's out apparently.)
MY TEAM
The Thinkers: Dr. Strange, Prof. X, Mr. Fantastic
Sure, they can't lift Buicks or punch through mountains, but every team needs a little brain to go with its brawn. These three are each tops in their respective fields and should be able to handle any problem that doesn't require an immediate physical solution.
The Movers: Quicksilver, Nightcrawler, Spider-Man
Mobility seems like a big advantage in a contest like this so it seems you'd definitely want heroes who could get to inaccessible places in a big damn hurry. There aren't many heroes who could beat these three at that.
The Shakers: Colossus, The Thing, Sasquatch
At least the Grandmaster had the forethought to include a The Thing and Sasquatch on his team. (The strongest person on the Unknown's team is Invisible Woman.) It's not subtle, but sometimes you have to rely on brute force to solve your problems. These three have that in spades.
The Safeties: Scarlet Witch, Wolverine, Iron Man
You can't predict what's going to happen when the fighting starts so you need a few heroes who can fill in the gaps. Each of these three heroes should be able to hold their own under a variety of circumstances.
Who could beat these twelve? No one, that's who. Better still, I managed to give slots to six non-Americans. Take that, Dr. Diversity!