Friendly Fire Fight Club #159 - 'GHOSTS in DOOM'S TEMPLE!'

[George Berryman]

"It is I, Bruce Lee, the deadliest man to have ever walked the Earth with the possible exception of John Wayne or George Berryman. The Gong of Conflict has once again been pounded upon - it is time to FIGHT!"



"Earlier - much earlier - this week, George Berryman challenged Spider-Girl, who accepted. She also invoked the Venomaniac Corollary and demanded a contest featuring combatants without superpowers. When asked for clarification, Stella accepted the use of Golden Age mysticism. As her champion, Spider-Girl turned to the Golden Age and went with a hero who became the inspiration for other heroes to wear tights... Kit Walker, THE PHANTOM!"



"In response, George Berryman also chose another Golden Age superstar, neck-deep in Golden Age mysticism, whose sardonic laugh is as familiar as his catchphrase - "The Shadow Knows." He was the original inspiration for the Golden Age Batman and the star of over three hundred novel adventures and comics - Kent Allard, aka Lamont Cranston... THE SHADOW"



"Both combatants have the dubious distinction of being important titans of the Golden Age who were saddled with horribly bad feature films in the 1990's. Now, with our two combatants chosen it is time to find out where they will be facing one another. George Berryman tells me that he's selected a location highly suitable for a Golden Age showdown... Mola Ram's TEMPLE OF DOOM!"



"Introduced to moviegoers in the film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, the temple was the base of operations of Mola Ram, head of the Kali-worshiping Thugee cult living below Pankot Palace. Slave mines, black magic and human sacrifice mix together to make an exciting yet terrible cocktail.

"The Ghost Who Walks against the unseen vigilante who Clouds Mens' Minds! Those are your choices! Who wins? Who loses? You decide. Vote NOW! Take us away, Elvis Presley!"

[George Berryman]

Both of these mystery men are epic, legendary crime fighters. They both dish out justice with the smoldering barrels of twin .45's.

The Phantom does have the edge in combat. The Shadow's no slouch but the Phantom is the better physical specimen. However, the Phantom does not have the ability to make himself invisible via Far Eastern mysticism. The Shadow could literally be standing in the same room - even next to - opponents and accomplices alike. The Shadow does not actually become invisible; rather he tricks others' minds into not seeing him and jumbling up their perceptions. With his acquired and learned powers the Shadow terrorizes New York's criminal underworld as well as villains the world over.

In this fight the ability to literally vanish and not be seen puts the Shadow on top of the better physical specimen.

The Shadow Knows! Hahahahaha!!

[FSUSpiderFan]

I actually liked the Shadow movie. I hope no one has their heart pulled out since they are in the Temple of Doom. They both would be suited in this environment. I think the Shadow has the edge though with his stealth ability.

[GeorgeEl]

I actually liked the Shadow movie.

me too!

I think the Shadow has the edge though with his stealth ability.

Me too!

[AmFan15]

I could be wrong, because I know very little about either of these characters, but isn't the Phantom more used to fighting in jungles and temples, whereas The Shadow is more rooted in the city?
That could give Phantom an edge (if it's true).

I'm not voting yet, just curious.

[George Berryman]

I could be wrong, because I know very little about either of these characters, but isn't the Phantom more used to fighting in jungles and temples, whereas The Shadow is more rooted in the city?
That could give Phantom an edge (if it's true).

I'm not voting yet, just curious.

They both have adventures that take them the world over but in their usual 'element' the Shadow's in New York and the Phantom is in the fictional African country of Bangalla. Before Kent Allard became 'the Shadow' he spent a lot of time in the South American jungle.

[AmFan15]

That makes the choice a bit more difficult, IMO. Shadow has Phantom outmatched in the power department, but Phantom has the home town advantage...

I'll have to wait to hear more.

[Spider-Girl]

The Phantom isn't known as "The Ghost Who Walks" for nothing! It's true that he may not have The Shadow's vanishing abilities, but The Phantom is able to use his surroundings to get the drop on his foes. The Shadow will not be able to vanish from The Phantom in the Temple of Doom when The Phantom is already concealed.

Kit's intellect could also help him in this battle. Even The Shadow has a pattern, and Kit would be able to at least figure out the pattern or rely on his senses to take The Shadow down during one of his disappearing-reappearing acts. The Phantom would only need to get in a few choice hits/shots and The Shadow would be incapacitated enough to be unable to use his vanishing trick. This would certainly leave him open to Kit's fighting expertise!

[George Berryman]

The Phantom's going to have trouble - a lot of it - getting off "choice hits/shots" in on a guy who he can't even see him. The way the Shadow works even his voice isn't an indicator of where he is; he often gets villains shooting at him in different directions.

As to "home town" advantage... no. This isn't Africa. It's India. I conceded that the Phantom has a bit more familiarity with a similar environment, but he does not have the Shadow's expertise in stealth or, you know, a way to make himself completely imperceptible to the human mind! Even when he wants to be seen he can make his opponents believe they're seeing him somewhere he isn't!

[George Berryman]

Even when he wants to be seen he can make his opponents believe they're seeing him somewhere he isn't!

And here's some examples of what happens when he allows himself to be seen. His enemies fire at what they perceive to be him, or rather where their clouded minds perceive him to be. They miss, of course, and he 'reappears' right off to their side or even behind them. In truth that's where he was all along!

[Spider-Girl]

Even Batman can be sneaked up on! No one is vigilant all the time, and The Phantom would make use of a moment of The Shadow's weakness!

[George Berryman]

Even Batman can be sneaked up on! No one is vigilant all the time, and The Phantom would make use of a moment of The Shadow's weakness!

How does one sneak up on a guy who is invisible or isn't even in that spot? Phantom's going to be sneaking up on air. Also - the only weakness the guy has is the chiming of the 'Temple Bells of Neban' and that's only ever come up once.

[Spider-Girl]

Even Batman can be sneaked up on! No one is vigilant all the time, and The Phantom would make use of a moment of The Shadow's weakness!

How does one sneak up on a guy who is invisible or isn't even in that spot? Phantom's going to be sneaking up on air. Also - the only weakness the guy has is the chiming of the 'Temple Bells of Neban' and that's only ever come up once.

Wait, are you saying The Shadow is going to be invisible the entire time? How is that fair?!

[George Berryman]

Wait, are you saying The Shadow is going to be invisible the entire time? How is that fair?!

Because it's his M.O. It's what he does. This is like asking "Wait, you mean Superman gets to have his strength the whole fight... how is that fair?"

Even when the Shadow lets his enemies see him he's not where they think he is.

[George Berryman]

"It is I again, Bruce Lee, here with your Friendly Fire Fight Club Wrap-Up.

"The Phantom finds... thermal goggles or something... and grabs a close one-vote win over the Shadow in this first-ever Golden Age face off. It's fitting, also, that these two titans of the Golden Age, who were the inspirations and genesis for the super heroes that later followed, should wind up in the Hall of Fame. Spider-Girl rockets up to 3-2 on the year while George Berryman gets handed his second loss of the season and moves down to 9-2-1.

"For George Berryman and all of the Fight Club & Spidey Friday Night Fights crew this is Bruce Lee wishing you interesting times. Take us out of here, Elvis!"



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