Sunday, December 28, 2008

TOP 100 COMIC BOOK BATTLES: # 72

72. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen vs. Martians



After first introducing the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in the first series, Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill return to tell a massive epic detailing the invasion of Earth from Mars.


In typical League fashion, Alan Moore was extremely detailed in his combination of the various fictional takes on Martians and had a unified race attack London.


There were three main plot points in the battle against the Martians…


1. The Invisible Man’s betrayal of the rest of the group to the Martians (which he is punished by being raped and murdered by Mr. Hyde, but his death comes a long time after Hyde is finished with him, as Hyde wants his last moments to be agony.


2. Mina and Quartermain visit Dr. Moreau for a certain device that will help win the war.


3. Captain Nemo and Mr. Hyde single-handedly keep the Martians at bay via the Nautlis and Hyde’s brute strength (they are undone when the Invisible Traitor shows the Martians how to take away the water advantage of the Nautilis).


Once Mina and Quartermain return, they need a way to deploy the device against the Martians. Hyde volunteers and personally delivers it to the Martian tripods. They kill him but the device works - it is a mutated virus that is much deadlier than anthrax and it kills all the Martians and a good deal of people in the area, as well.


The cover story was that it was the common cold that defeated the Martians.


Captain Nemo is outraged and vows never to work with the rest of them ever again (Mina leaves, as well). They won the battle, but this incarnation of the League did not survive.

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