5) Spawn And Violator The Clown
What Makes This Such A Classic Rivalry?
Spawn is already a pretty badass antihero, when you add the clown/Violator to the mix, and the chemistry is just off the charts. It is truly a pleasure to see how The Clown just revels in every misfortune our titular hero suffers.
Spawn has to watch as his beautiful wife Wanda gets nailed by his best friend, and in this most distressing of experiences, his only shoulder to cry on is a giggling demonic imp, who loves to draw out every last painful implication of Spawns miserable situation. Add to the that The Violator has the extra ammunition to levy against Spawn that he wasn´t even man enough to give Wanda the child she always wanted. Now telling a man that after you beat him down, is just cold.
A refreshing twist to this enmity is that Violator always seems to have the upper hand in this relationship, ripping Spawn to shreds under the weight of his precocious and tumultuous history. A true psychological deadly coupling. Plus they´re both awesome.
Why Not Number 4:
Well to be honest, these guys have faded out a bit. Plus the Clown as cool as he is, is very close to The Joker.
4) World War Hulk And The Void
What Makes This Such A Classic Rivalry?
These two are two sides of the same coin. Banner is a Scientist caught in a tragic accident, turning him into The Hulk, and now trying to find a cure, while Robert Reynolds or Sentry, is a schizophrenic Superhero, scared to death of his own power, because he enjoys it so much, it seduces him into his villain form, The Void.
These two are mega power houses, but what fascinates, is the deeply psychological relationship between them. They´re both in their own ways hero and villain. They are the most powerful beings on the planet, and neither wishes to have that mantle, because it´s too much to control. They are their own worst enemies, in away. Each could be put on the list as their own perfect arch-nemisis Banner and Hulk, Sentry and The Void. But when they clash it is absolutely spectacular.
If Marvel don´t know what to do with a Hulk movie sequel, (which we all want, especially with Mark Buffalo’s bravura performance as Banner) then they could not do better than turn to The Void as the villain. It would be fantastic seeing that relationship unfold on screen.
Why Not Number 3:
It´s clear that the geniuses at Marvel haven´t caught on to how fantastic this rivalry was. The Hulk finally has a worthy advisory, they need to make more of it. Because Hulk does not have the best of Rogue Gallery´s. Especially that present a real threat to him. In My Mind The World War Hulk series, created at least 2 more for him. The Red King and The Void. Red Hulk pales in comparison.
3)Daredevil And Kingpin
Why This Is Such a Classic Rivalry?
Daredevil is awesome. He also has the best Rogue´s gallery this side of Batman. Bulls Eye and Purple Man are ingenious creations. But Wilson Fisk has to be the greatest. It´s great because these two have been on the same path essentially, but ended up on very different sides.
Daredevil, obviously would rock Wilson Fisk in a one on one, but what Wilson does that is so great, is he throws, really cool villains at Dare Devil to do his work for him. It´s brilliant. The man´s the ultimate gangster, a purely rational man with plans so intricate and dastardly, you can´t help enjoy as they unfold.
Where as Dare devil is a man, who´s always trying to surpass his limitations, Fisk is a man who literally steps on those who don´t know their place. I guess, as long as King Pin could remember he´s always wanted to be a gangster.
Why Not Number 2?
Dare Devil has so many great villains, it´s hard to argue conclusively which one is his arch-nemesis.
2) Batman And The Joker
Why This Is Such A Classic Rivalry?
The villain is the ultimate happy go lucky guy, always one for a party and joke. The hero is pretty much always pissed off, not the type of guy you want hang out with on care free evening in the city. The villain always has a smile on his face. The heroes face is the face criminals now fear, the face of justice. (Not the lighthearted type then) The villain the eternal jester, only his punch line is usually death.
It is for the reasons above that this relationship is so perverse. The villain, is all light vibrant colors; while our hero is a shadowy figure of the night. Brilliant. The reverse of expectation is what is so ingenious about this relationship.
The other core element to this relationship is, in this relationship more than any other one can see, that these guys probably exist because of the other. Batman is the psychological product of The Joker, and The Joker is the logical or illogical response to a man that decides to dramatize the pursuit of Justice in such a theatrical manner.
They´ve almost given birth to each other, I´m sure if Batman hung up the cowl and retired the Joker would end up just not knowing what to do with himself. Languishing a way in some mad house, where as Batman, wouldn´t exist with out the kind of senseless psychopathy that led to his parents murder. Even more compelling is that´s really the only connection the two have. There is no obvious reason why The Joker, of all Batman´s iconic villains, has emerged in the public imagination as his ultimate foil. It´s primordial, almost beyond articulation, but there is no one, without the other.
Why Not number 1
I have to say the next one is purely preference, and many may disagree, but I think Batman and The Joker are brilliant, but the ultimate rivalry of all time is….
1) Superman And Lex Luthor
Why This Is Such A Classic Rivalry And Why Are They Numero Uno
Whatever you want to say about Lex luthor, you can´t deny the guy has a huge set. If I were a mere mortal who´s only distinguishing difference from the flock of humanity, is an incredibly high S.A.T. score, I would be hiding in my mother´s basement, praying to Jesus, Allah, The Bhuda or even the devil, who ever can save me, if I knew a incredibly pissed off Superman was after me. But not Lex, this guy is so smug, he believes he can steal fire from the Gods. Yes, he´s our generations Prometheus, simply unable to surrender humanity (or his) place as the lord of all he purveys.
Superman is a billion times more powerful than he, yet he has managed through pure genius and intellect to be the thorn in Superman´s boots since the day they first met. What an extraordinary and iconic story. A man who feels his destiny is robbed of him by a God, and for that reason sets out to destroy divinity. It´s as compelling to the Ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians as it is to us now. It is as deeply engrained as the fall of Lucifer himself, an angel banished to languish in the never worlds, because he would not accept the authority of what he perceived as inferior to himself. All Lucifer is trying to do is convince us what a rotten deal we´ve gotten by this God, who sits up in the heavens judging us, who bleed, who struggle, who suffer. (I´m not a Satanist honest ;) )
But that to me is why this is such a cool rivalry, it is like our modern mythology, our way of inscribing the most ancient tale of villainy into a modern lexicon. That´s why from time to time, everyone seen Lex´s point of view. And still, what´s most ironic of all is that Lex Luthor would probably be one of the greatest forces for good if his obsession with destroying Superman hadn´t possessed his very soul.
Thanks I hope you enjoyed, I would love your thoughts, and any you think I´ve missed. Please give reasons, because there´s a reason Wolverine and Sabertooth, or Green lantern and Sinestro, or even Thor and Loki aren´t on the list, I think their rivalries aren´t timeless and iconic. If you think they are please state your reason.
By the by, here´s a link to a very short Wonder Woman Fan Made Trailer Script In the style of Batman Begins and Man Of Steel. I´d love your thoughts. It´s very cool, it even has a soundtrack to listen to as you read, so you can feel all the emotion of how the epic film would play out.
here
Thanks for reading