MARVEL CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS (1982)

This weekend’s escapist, light-hearted superhero post from Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at Marvel’s pre-Secret Wars miniseries collecting a huge assembly of their heroes in a competition for the fate of the Earth.

CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS Vol 1 #1 (June 1982)

Title: Gathering of Heroes (No matter what the cover says.)

Villains: The Grandmaster and Death

Synopsis: The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum in the movies), one of the Elders of the Universe, the very first intelligent species to evolve after the Big Bang, challenges Death’s female incarnation, the same being wooed by Thanos during his attempts to wipe out all life in the universe.   

They both agree that since Earth has the greatest concentration of superbeings it will be the site of their mysterious contest. The two villains abduct every single superhero in Marvel Comics at the time, plus several new ones from around the world who were just introduced in this story.

The Grandmaster and Death address the captive heroes and explain the circumstances. The duo have placed the entire Earth in a state of stasis in which it will remain unless the figures agree to participate in a contest of champions between the two villains.

They have hidden four parts of the Golden Globe of Power at different locations around the Earth. The enormous collection of heroes will be divided into teams and will fight over those pieces. Whichever villain’s team obtains the most wins.

For the Grandmaster, victory will mean that Death will restore the life of his fellow Elder of the Universe, the Collector (Benicio del Toro in the movies), who was killed by the Avengers’ foe Korvac (Avengers #174 Aug 1978). If Death wins, then the Grandmaster will join the Collector among the dead.

Each villain selects their twelve team members from the crowded field and then they announce that the contest has begun.

CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS Vol 1 #2 (July 1982)

Title: Frenzy in the Frozen North

Synopsis: Six superheroes are teleported to the Arctic region to find and fight over the first Quarter of the Golden Globe of Power. Fighting for the Grandmaster are Daredevil, the female Russian mutant Darkstar and the brand-new black superhero Talisman. Fighting for Death are the Invisible Woman, Iron Fist and the Japanese mutant Sunfire. 

Amid the fighting, Daredevil’s superior senses enable him to locate the Quarter Globe for his team, so the Grandmaster goes on top 1-0.

Next, our two villains teleport six superheroes to an abandoned town in the American West. Grandmaster’s champions are She-Hulk, Captain Britain and the brand-new Spanish superhero Defensor. Death’s champions are Iron Man plus two new superheroes – the Israeli heroine Sabra and the Saudi Arabian hero the Arabian Knight. 

The teams battle, and in the end the Arabian Knight gains this Quarter Globe for Death’s side. The score is tied now at 1-1.

CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS Vol 1 #3 (August 1982)

Title: Siege in the City of the Dead

Synopsis: Six heroes arrive in China’s archeological site for the terracotta warriors. On the Grandmaster’s team are the Thing, Wolverine and the new French superhero Peregrine. On Death’s team are Angel, Black Panther and the Russian mutant Vanguard.

As the fighting goes on, the Thing locates the Quarter Globe. The Grandmaster leads 2-1.

Next, six heroes arrive in a South American jungle. Fighting for the Grandmaster are Captain America, Sasquatch and the new German superhero Blitzkrieg. Fighting for Death are Storm, the new Irish mutant heroine Shamrock and the new Chinese mutant Collective Man. 

The clash ends with Shamrock obtaining the final Quarter Globe for Death’s team, HOWEVER … In a still-ridiculed editorial error, though the score should now be tied at 2-2 the writing claims that the Grandmaster has won 3-1. Pretty inept.

At any rate, the story proceeds as if the Grandmaster won. Death, as usual, bends the rules and reveals that sure, she’ll restore the Collector to life but to maintain balance the Grandmaster must forfeit his own life to her.

He does so, even though there has NEVER been any indication that any of the Elders of the Universe feel any sort of attachment to each other. The reborn Collector is furious and vows to one day get revenge on Death for the way she tricked his brother. All the heroes are returned to Earth, which Death has freed from its state of stasis.

Pretty lame. A derivative story and a botched ending. The only positive result from this was the introduction of so many new superheroes from around the world.

FOR THE 1973 MULTI-PART STORY FEATURING THE AVENGERS AND DEFENDERS FIGHTING EACH OTHER FOR THE SIX SCATTERED FRAGMENTS OF THE EVIL EYE OF AVALON CLICK HERE.

FOR THE TIME IRON MAN’S FOE THE BLACK LAMA OFFERED THE GOLDEN GLOBE OF POWER AS THE PRIZE IN HIS WAR OF THE SUPERVILLAINS CLICK HERE.