Spring Road Super Review

FNF (Round 1): M2 results and Night Hawk vs. Cutthroat

Round 1, Match 2 results
I really like both of these characters. As such, I honestly tried to give them both a fair shot...but I just can't envision any way that Miss Melee doesn't come out the winner of this fight.

Jose was a tough dude...no question about it...but he's essentially just a brawler with a lot of heart. He's Rocky Balboa with nunchakas. True, several of the sites reference his "martial artist" skill...but that appears to primarily be thinking in terms of boxing.

While a solid boxer is nothing to sneeze at, this doesn't appear to be anywhere near the level of martial arts mastery we see in Miss Melee.

I also think we have to consider the difference in outcomes of Gangbuster's battle with Combattor (i.e., he got his spine broken) and Miss Melee's show-down with S.A.B.R. (i.e., she's roughed up, but ultimately victorious). Admittedly, however, Miss Melee got a critical timely assist from Kid Melee that saved her bacon...so I doubt you could make the case for MM strictly on the comparison of those who battles.

The dehydration limiter could've made a difference, but I'm going to engage in a little speculation and guess that the chi-force (or whatever Miss Melee tapped into to overcome S.A.B.R.) can also be applied to sustain her physical endurance for awhile. That doesn't seem too far afield of standard comic book lore, and since Gangbuster has nothing comparable to appeal to...I'm going to have to say "Congratulations, Miss Melee! You're going to the second round!"

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Round 1, Match 3
Round One's third match pits a hero against a villain for the first time this season. Specifically, we want to know how Chesler's Golden Age Night Hawk (as depicted in All New Short Story Comics #1) would fare against Marvel's Cutthroat (as depicted in Captain America #395)

Night Hawk as depicted in All New Short Story Comics #1 (Jan 1943)

Background on Night Hawk

Cutthroat as depicted in Captain America #395 (Dec 1991)

Background on Cutthroat

Setting
This fight breaks out on a crowded children's playground.

Spring Road Webcomic Review Format & Rubric: Part 1

One of my goals in writing this blog was to supply reviews of independent superhero webcomics. However, one of the perennial challenges of writing reviews (almost any kind) is ensuring as high a degree of objectivity as possible, so that different works are dealt with on at least a roughly similar basis. My solution was to draw on my experiences in academia by using a grading rubric.
Once that was decided, I had to ponder, “What qualities or features would my rubric evaluate; and why would I choose those qualities/features rather than some other set?”

My answer to the first question wound up being eight qualities: sustainability, language, violence, sexuality, political leaning, morality, artwork, and storytelling. My answer to the second question is, essentially, “if I care about these things, then there’s probably other people who care about them too.”

In future posts, I intend to go more in-depth on what I mean by each of these qualities and how I assess them...but not just yet. For now, I'll end with a few words about the synopsis.

The Synopsis.

Each review begins with a section I call The Synopsis. This is not, strictly-speaking, part of the rubric. It’s purpose is to supply a broad overview and background to the characters, creators, overall tone, etc. Some of my synopses (particularly the one for Femme Noir) went on entirely too long. This year, my intention is to scale way back and keep the synopsis to something nearer the following examples:

The Synopsis for Miss Melee

Miss Melee is a collaboration between writer Rob Johnson & artist Ariel Guadalupe. It chronicles the struggles of (at least initially-) retired superheroine Janice (Jan) Jones who has settled down to work an office job and help husband Mark raise their daughter, Jackie. The comic updates every Saturday, and explores the "working mom theme" of juggling family, corporate employment, and super-heroing.

Synopsis for Liberty Lass

Liberty Lass is an unapologetic celebration of patriotism, cast in the Comics Code compliant style of Bronze Age. Creator Steve Vincent's love for Bronze Age comics goes so far that he even has a fictional company--the Cosmic Comic Company--that "produces" the title. Liberty Lass is a character originally generated for the online gaming world, City of Heroes. Currently, Vincent has produced five full issues of Liberty Lass.

FNF (Round 1): M1 results and Gangbuster vs. Miss Melee

Before announcing the winner of our first match, I'd like to present my opinion on who would win. I say the nod goes to Camaleao Cinzento.

The superior power set of Black Crow notwithstanding, it seems relevant to me that Black Crow's powers are fundamentally mystic and arise from "the Earth spirit." However, the specified setting for this battle is "an exoplanet."

While I can't prove it, my assumption is that there must be some sort of effective range that Black Crow can be away from the Earth before his powers go away. If you accept that, we could debate just what that range is, but outside the solar system strikes me as obviously too far.

If you grant that, then Jesse Black Crow is returned to being a paraplegic facing off against a guy who's superpower is pretty much useless anyway (due to his being colorblind). Camaleao Cinzeto's main strength is not the ability to change color, but simply his ninja skills. For these reasons, I think he's easily the winner.

That being said, I pledged myself to honor the community vote. The community has voted. Congratulations, Black Crow! You're going to the second round.

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Round 1, Match 2

The next match pits Jerry Ordway & Marv Wolfman's street-level crusader Gangbuster against Rob Johnson & Ariel Guadalupe's domestic diva of destruction Miss Melee!

Since Gangbuster has changed a bit over the years, I want to specify that this duel presumes the Jose Delgado Gangbuster as he appeared in Adventures of Superman # 434 (November 1987).

Gangbuster (as depicted in Adventures of Superman #434 (November 1987)

Background on Gangbuster

Miss Melee (as depicted in Miss Melee #5 (October 2017)

Background on Miss Melee

Setting

This fight takes place in a desert setting near twilight. Both combatants have suffered dehydration and are beginning to feel the effects of heat exhaustion.