Fantasy Rugby, Round 2: Colossal Comic Clash
After seeing the two prominent Mediaeval fantasy franchises slug it out, we’re now turning to the two most iconic sources of comic book heroes: Marvel v DC; one of the enduring battlegrounds of fandom. These two behemoths of action packed publishing are responsible for some of the most well known fictional characters the world has seen. Spiderman, Iron Man, Captain America on one side, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman on the other. A whole lotta “man” characters from both camps.
Fantasy football is very popular, but we’re not talking about typical fantasy sports here. No, today we’re continuing a series of head-to-head rugby match-ups that are truly fantastical, speculative games between iconic characters across multiple fictional (or not…) universes and settings. The data is deep, the process rigorous, the result whimsical; enjoy.
To read the introduction of the format check out the original piece here
To see how round 1 panned out between Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings, see here
Round 2: Marvel v DC
Is there a more iconic geek debate than Marvel v DC? Following decades of sustained publication volume, the last 20 years has seen a shift of modern cinema in the direction of these source materials. Sure, there’s been Batman and Superman movies for a very long time, but the insane success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in the 21st century is unparalleled by other franchises. DC’s efforts to keep up, and the MCU’s desire to stay on top, has fueled an arms race of sorts, where every year for the past 15 has had multiple blockbuster releases from both camps, where we’re now well past saturation. No longer can comic book movies afford to be kitsch, or camp; nowadays the minimum bar they’re expected to clear has superstar casts, flawless CGI (hahaha), stunning fight scene choreography, and a huge dollop of forced comedy, where this mix of ingredients is rarely handled well.
This means the mainstay characters of the franchises, as well as a trove of now beloved side characters, have become all the more culturally relevant and prevalent. And while many metrics show that the MCU has won the battle for screen audiences, there still exists fierce polarity in the circles of the hardcore as to which universe is superior. The DC fans point to Marvel as often silly and childish, not as gritty or willing to discuss the serious issues as DC. Marvel fans say that DC is too simplistic in its heroes, with Superman the prime example, while their publication of choice has more varied and human characters. Personally I enjoy both, though no one likes a fence sitter. But today we can finally answer the question as to who is best, not via comics or movies, not via box office profit or publication sales, but via a game of rugby, because of course.
Overall I’ve ignored the adaptations depictions of character’s size, as we have a rare instance where the source material has exact numbers we can use for height and weight. I did make small adjustments if there were large differences, and also added a bit of mass to some, with the expectation they could bulk up for the tournament. Though I had to reduce it for others, comic books like to go over the top and some of the beefy characters were too large. Also, for this matchup the need for a power suppression field is key. After all, both sides have a slew of overpowered characters who would make the rest of the line-ups moot. There’s no need to bring 15 players to the ground when Superman, Thor, Captain Marvel, and the Flash are around. So, the convenient superpower suppression field kicks in. This doesn’t render the players the equivalent of the average human, but limits power to within the realm of elite professional athletes. The Flash is now as fast as Usain Bolt, and Superman would be a chance for gold at the Olympic weightlifting. I’ve also omitted some iconic characters who just don’t make sense in the setting. The Hulk is left out for Marvel, just as Treebeard was for LotR.
When it comes to depictions of our super rugby players, I decided to present live action adaptations for the on field lineups, but have included the original comic imagery in the roster break downs. As for who to choose for the live-action depictions, this is a tricky one, with many of the different interpretations of iconic heroes having merit. Do I go with McGuire, Garfield, or Holland for Spiderman? Which of the many, many Batmans should I choose? There’s been a lot of great Supermen and Wonder Women, really there’s many choices for most characters. In the end I just went with my gut, which more or less meant the version of the character I grew up with or just plain prefer, though for many it also just means the most recent as that has had the biggest budget thrown at the production.
Also a quick aside on the previous instalment. An observant reader pointed out to me a feature of the Lord of the Rings team I hadn’t considered. They highlighted that while the hobbits are a liability across the park due to their small stature, at scrum time it might not be so straightforward as to say that because they weigh less the scrum will suffer. There have been instances of rugby teams whose entire front row is shorter than average. When this is the case the other side is at a disadvantage as they need to match the height of their opposite front row, which means angling more against their centre of gravity. This allows the team “underneath” to leverage up and pop the taller front row and draw a penalty. Now, it doesn’t mean that the Merry, Pippin, and Gimli would necessarily be able to utilise this trick, and I came to the conclusion that it wouldn’t have swung the three game series ultimate result, but it’s an interesting quirk of the line-up I hadn’t considered.
OK, let’s get started with our comic book clash.
AI background details can be shoddy. Also, for those who prefer the most recent blockbuster incarnation of Superman, check out Appendix A. Although I love Cavil’s version, Reeve will always be Superman to me.
I said it a lot last game, but it bears repeating, the AI image generation model I used is very, very bad at hands, be warned
Fastest guy on the field, and one of the better AI art efforts so far, well, apart from the obligatory nightmare fuel situation with the hands
DC Lineup
For the lineup my first priority was the big names associated with the Justice League or that have had a lot of screen time in recent adaptations. As with every team, the second row, halves, and back three chose themselves, then I fit the rest in where it made the most sense (well, in the context…)
Front Row
Comic book Aquaman is listed as pretty beefy, clocking in at 130kg, a lot more than Momoa, and with his height it's prototype prop range. Couple that with his ability to patrol the vast oceans, or the vast area around a finished scrum, and he's a classic loosehead. Shame his controlling ocean life power won’t come in handy, unless things get very weird.
As usual I had a hard time finding someone to play hooker. But when Peacekeeper came up on my list of potentials I was stunned by how appropriate he is. Pretty short for his bulk, deadly accurate with projectiles (lineout throws), expert grappler (hooking in the scrum) and tirelessly enforces justice regardless of who gets hurt, he's perfect for the job.
His speed says he should be the loosie, but his strength means he plays at number 3 and takes the scrum on both shoulders. Teth-Adam (or Black Adam) will be everywhere all game, though might give away more than his share of penalties.
Second Row
The tallest of the prominent DC heroes, and with mass to boot, Martian Manhunter is ideal for the second row. He'll also be lethal when defending, tackling is pretty much in his name.
Almost as tall as his second row partner, and apparently very dense, according to the comics Cyborg is 175 kg! So he provides a big boost to the scrum weight. He's also an absolute machine, giving 100% for the full 80 and not yielding a single penalty.
Back Row
Pretty much Superman lite, Shazam has the height to help in the lineout, the strength to assist the scrum drive, and the speed to cover the blindside flank of the scrum. He would be an absolute lightening bolt carrying and defending, though things might get dicey if he accidentally says his name mid play.
Many of the great captains in rugby history wore the number 7 jersey. It’s typically the position that can play almost anywhere on the park, and the position that ends up doing just that, often leading tackle counts, carries, cleanouts, everything. The openside flanker leads by example, and the best have an in-exhaustible engine. Superman is our obvious captain for the DC team, and with those gorgeous locks and almost painfully idealistic attitude he certainly leads from the front. The only downside is that the 7 is typically the go-to pilferer of the ball at ruck time, and the big blue boy-scout won’t be pushing the boundaries at the breakdown like the best 7’s do. Still, he’s flippin’ Superman! Even with the force suppression fields he gets a perfect score for strength and X-factor, and near perfect for almost everything else.
Not as well known as Supes, Wonder Woman, Batman, even Green Lantern, Atom Smasher provides a very useful option at number 8. With his height and size he provides backup for the second row, and his reckless abandon makes him a fearless tackler and ball carrier. He won’t be able to change size this time around, but still, very handy.
Halves
Unpredictable, wise cracking, electric, lethal, an ideal scrumhalf. Harley Quinn makes the cut as an anti-hero, but only just, the hero part is often lacking. But I think operating within the lineup she’ll be ok, causing just enough mischief without getting suspended. Her finesse and reflexes lend themselves to ball distribution, and her killer attitude and unpredictability make runs from the base of the ruck devastating. Might be liable for a fair few penalties and maybe some cards.
With the capacity for individual brilliance as well as marshalling the egos of the men around her, Wonder Woman provides the perfect playmaker for DC at flyhalf. She has incredible positional scores for most attributes; her Amazonian reflexes, decades of combat experience, and all round badassery make her ideal at number 10, tearing opposition defences apart.
Centres
The dark knight, the hero we don’t deserve, the original caped crusading vigilante, Batman provides tough as nails ball carrying, pinpoint distribution as second playmaker, and brutal defence, always willing to put his body on the line. His technical nous makes him a threat at the ruck, and opposition line breaks will be rare with him prowling the shadows of the inside channel. Also has good chemistry with the flyhalf, always vital for a good number 12. Also count me as firmly in the Christian Bale camp.
Familiar with patrolling the depths of space, covering the depths of the backfield will be a breeze for the most famous of the Lantern Corps. Without his lantern powers Hal loses a lot of the utility that makes him potent, but he still has elite finesse, athleticism and vision.
Outside Three
I mean is there a more obvious winger across the comic book universes? Obviously every canon has their own blindingly fast character, but the Flash is THE blindingly fast character, the OG speedster. He’s a little light on for contact, but he won’t be in many contacts, almost always the fastest player on the pitch, look to the Flash to score piles of tries.
When looking for another winger I landed on Hawkman as he’s very agile and strong but not particularly large according to the comics (or in many adaptations). While the Flash provides the out and out pace, Hawkman is more of the power wing, crashing into tackles. He’ll be flying all over the field in defence too, borderline reckless with his own safety.
Green Arrow is a must selection because of his unparalleled accuracy, he’ll be taking every clearance kick and kick for goal. He’s also got a lot of good fullback traits, with his excellent vision, dynamism in close quarters, and brutality in defence.
Coach
When trying to choose a coach I gravitated towards Doctor Fate because of how often he’s viewed as a fount of wisdom by his peers in the DC universe. He can also see glimpses of the future which is obviously an advantage for a coach. The fact that he is often totally possessed by the Lords of Order may be an issue as they probably aren’t interested in what’s happening on the field. But, stripped of all the physical powers of the Helm of Fate he wouldn’t be an overly useful player, so coach it is.
Squad Depth
We’ve used up many of the obvious candidates for forwards, so the reserve forward I’m going for is Blue Beetle. He’s a little light on, but his agility and strength make up for it.
A very handy bench player, Supergirl can cover any position in the backs despite her size, making up for it with incredible speed and strength.
Another player chosen for utility, Catwoman would do well in most positions in the back, but with her light frame she’s probably best suited for scrumhalf where she has many of the traits of Harley Quinn.
Team Strengths
Height: both second rows and the back three are all at or above average height for the position, and the front row are tall too, so lineouts are going to be contested at lofty peaks
Central backs: the average grade of the 10/12/13 is an A, with Wonder Woman and Batman providing one of the best play-making duos in the tournament, while Batman and Green Lantern are both elite defenders in the channel
Forward speed: both props and especially the flankers are very quick for a forward pack, the rush defence, ruck clearance, and pick and go on attack are all going to be very strong
Team Weaknesses
Brain snaps: there are a lot of very disciplined leaders in the group, Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, but there are also a lot of characters that could make a single terrible decision in the heat of battle, Harley, Teth-Adam, Shazam, even Flash can be flakey
Pace outside: obviously not including Flash here, he’s as quick as they come, but after him it’s Green Arrow and Hawkman who have to cover the backfield, and both could be burnt by pace
Over-reliance on individual brilliance: this is a bit of a reach as the average and median grade of this team is very high, but I could see them slipping a little too easily into over-reliance on Superman, Wonder Woman and the Flash to do all the damage
Fingers bad as always, also a little cross-eyed, and what is going in with those people in the background?!
Marvel Lineup
Same as DC, here I wanted to first use the characters who have been iconic for decades, Avengers and other legends, before then turning to heroes elevated more recently thanks to the MCU. Also like DC, there were a few spots that were very easy to fill and then a few characters that needed to be shoe-horned into the lineup.
Front Row
He might not look like a prop, but his listed height and weight from the comics is bang on prop material thanks to his density. He takes the loosehead position because he has the speed to disengage and get involved immediately. Shame he doesn’t keep the phase through obstacles power, but he’s still an elite option with the ball in hand and has the strength to lift at the lineout.
At first I struggled for a hooker, as I do for every team, but then Star-Lord was left positionless after filling the rest of the line-up and, like Peacemaker, he’s actually a pretty great option. He’s got the whole thief/rogue thing going on for hooking the ball in the scrum, he’s about the right size, and he’s deadly with projectiles so good for the lineout. Also bound to be a nuisance at the breakdown.
Drax is essentially a space prop, he’s absolutely prototype weight, and build, if a little tall. Taking the tighthead spot his broad shoulders absorb contact on both sides, and he has the immense strength needed to lift the huge second rowers of the lineup. And with his height and mobility he could also easily cover any of the loose forward spots and provides another lineout jumping option. He will be liable for the most penalties of team Marvel, but otherwise he’s perfect for the position.
Second Row
It’s a good thing Drax provides a lineout option, because the back row is pretty small (as we will see) and this member of the second row is virtually a non-option come lineout time. Ben Grimm is apparently very dense. So while not as tall as some fictional characters we will see (Chewbacca) he’s the first character to have his weight capped by the exercise, being scaled down to 240 kg in line with Andre the Giant. He provides insane bulk for the scrum, and incredible strength for lifting at the lineout and carrying the ball. Maybe a little slow around the park, but he’s a must have.
One of the more impressive on-screen heroes, Thor has equal highest X-factor for team Marvel and near perfect scores across the board. Hemsworth isn’t quite as tall as comic book Thor, who is apparently 6 foot 6, and like others we have seen throughout this piece, evidently very dense, reportedly weighing 160 kg. Thor has incredible speed, immense strength, 1000 years of combat experience, his overall impact will be godly.
Back Row
I mean, come on, who else? But eyesight puns aside, Daredevil has more bulk than many other of the agile and dangerous options who have been assigned to the backs, and so makes the forwards instead. That said, his mobility and almost sixth sense reflexes make him dangerous across the park.
Slight for a forward, Doctor Strange lands here because he doesn’t really fit anywhere else. But, like Gandalf last week, he’s an absolute wizard at the breakdown.
Cap is a little short for a lock, but otherwise he fits the mould perfectly. Solid, strong, agile, an absolute warrior, he’s the inspirational leader, charging forward into battle with the ball in hand and willing to take on any foe in defence. He’s the captain of the side for his inspiring presence, lifting up those around him, with the tactics left to his vice captain and coach. If his shield throwing is anything to go by, his offloads are going to be amazing. And don’t forget his stamina, I’ve heard he can do this all day.
Halves
Black Widow is a perfect scrumhalf, making up for her small size with lethal runs from the ruck, perfect precision passes, and has a knack of distributing responsibilities to the right person just when it’s needed. An absolute assassin with ball in hand, and with top marks for agility/finesse, she has the capacity to unlock what is a very potent backline for Marvel. Her leadership and read of the game also make her the vice captain, and unlike most number 9’s she won’t put the ref offside, she’ll have them wrapped around her finger.
The playboy playmaker, Tony Stark won’t be the elite attacking option some number 10s are, but instead will be the field general style of flyhalf, effortlessly delegating the damage doing to his array of incredible weapons. Also brings welcome funds for team equipment and touring luxuries.
Centres
Spiderman was a tricky one to place in the lineup. In many ways he’s the perfect scrumhalf, but that spot has been more than filled. He’s too small for the forwards and doesn’t have the pure pace for the back three, but I’ve come around to inside centre as a good fit. Sure he’s a bit small, but we know he’s incredibly strong for his size, and he has top tier agility and Spidey senses reflexes. He’ll be elusive and hard to stop carrying the ball, a devastating distributor as second playmaker, and will take down ball carriers twice his size with ease.
One of the more overpowered heroes as depicted on the big screen, even with the force suppression field in place Carol gets very high scores across the board. Like her opposite number she’s used to patrolling the depths of space so outside centre is no problem, and with her pace and strength she will be a devastating carrier at number 13.
Outside Three
I just love the idea of Black Panther on the wing. Not because he’s blindingly fast, but because he’d have one of the best goose steps (cat steps?) around and will bamboozle defenders every time. He also has the strength and mass to break through the line, not to mention reflexes and agility second only to Spidey.
The Silver Surfer has an array of powers that will be of no use with the suppression field in place, but he’s still hella fast and strong. He’ll play pretty much like a prototypical winger, and has the tenacity to defend his side of the backfield against any opposition.
I mean, if DC gets an archer at fullback, so does Marvel. Like his counterpart, Hawkeye will be taking kicking duties, but his other attributes make him a pretty handy fullback in his own right.
Coach
Often referred to as the smartest of a stacked universe of super-geniuses, Reed Richards is the first choice of coach for his strategic mind. He’s also a natural leader and will inspire the best of his squad. Not to mention that without his stretching ability he doesn’t really have a place in the team otherwise.
Squad Depth
Comic book Wilson is a fair bit beefier than MCU Wilson, so he provides cover for the back row. He’s got pace and strength and will slot in well for 6 through 8.
Almost too small for consideration, I had to include Rocket because he would be an absolute handful at scrumhalf. He’s got the big mouth, the deadly accuracy, the unpredictability, if he was twice the size he’d be an all-star number 9.
Without her stunning powers Wanda isn’t so useful to a rugby squad. Still, if we assume her powers are dampened rather than removed she’d be very handy on attack and defence anywhere in the backline.
Team Strengths
Size: the forward pack is huge, and while the Thing is a major part of that, Thor, Drax, Cap, and Vision are all big, it’s a heavy hitting first 8
Backline: if you put Hawkeye aside, the backs are insanely elite, with the worst score still and A-. They don’t have the pure speed of the Flash, but their quality is more evenly distributed
Finesse: this team is especially loaded with agility and reflexes, from Spidey senses to Black Panther, Daredevil, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Drax even, the finesse is at a very high average
Team Weaknesses
Egos: this one impacts DC too, but I feel this side in particular has some big Egos that will take time to mesh and play as a team. Captain Marvel, Iron Man, Thor, Strange, Star-Lord, none of them want to follow, hopefully Black Widow, Captain America and Black Panther can inspire some teamwork
Line-outs: the Thing is too big to jump at the lineout, and that leaves Thor as the only really decent option, the props, Drax and Vision are all taller than the loose forwards! A good opposition line-out will cause problems for the Marvel throw-ins
Small loose forwards: related to the lineout option, as big as the front row and second row forwards are, Daredevil and Strange are very light for a 6 and 7, this could cause issues in contact, though they each have the finesse to potentially overcome size with technique
The astute amongst you will have noticed a glaring absence from the Marvel lineup, the X-Men. The thing is, I had so many players to choose from already, so seeing as the Marvel universe itself often treats the mutant side as it’s own thing anyway, I’m going to do the same. I decided to reserve all X-Men and associated heroes for another team in some future iteration of this process.
One of the better ones to be honest. Random floating soccer ball is a bit out of place but maybe that’s how they play rugby wherever this is meant to be
Head-to-head Comparison
Very strong squad, B+ is the lowest grade, and an impressive diversity on display: humans, Atlanteans, Kryptonians, Martians, Amazons, Avatars of Godlike entities…
Another very good squad, though the banter will be unbearable (looking at you Spidey, well and Iron Man, Star-Lord, Daredevil, Thor, heck, Captain Marvel, Drax, Cap, Black Widow, Thing, Hawkeye, Strange, bloody all of them, at least Black Panther and Vision will keep it tight)
These two squads are so close right across the board. The biggest positional variations are still minor compared to last week, and in all the areas I’ve compared the two teams the edges one team has over the other are minimal. Though, the scrum weight difference is decent, but the DC pack has Superman so the strength is pretty balanced. Honestly, it’s a coin toss as to which side comes out on top, but that makes sense, these are the two massive comic book universes that have been running forever, of course each character has a counterpart, of course the two sides are virtually paralleled. I ended up submitting all my character data to an AI language model and asked which side would win given the player stats and its knowledge of the fictional characters. This was the reply:
“Too close to call! This would be an enthralling contest between two teams packed with athletic superheroes. The forwards likely slug it out to a stalemate, providing quality ball for the star-studded backs to work their magic.
It could come down to which playmakers like Iron Man or Wonder Woman can manage the final minutes best and grind out victory. But the match could swing either way.
I'd predict a high-scoring draw filled with moments of individual brilliance, massive hits, and superhuman feats of athleticism. Fans would be treated to an epic display of rugby from these two world-class teams!”
Thanks AI, I agree, but we can’t have three draws… so let’s see how I decided to call it given just how close it is.
Changing the AI art style can help with the background horrors
AI blended Momoa with a more traditional blonde Aquaman, which I quite like actually. Then just suspended a football in air to tick the rugby box of the input, well played AI, well played.
Honestly this is one of my faves. Well, apart from the monstrosity right of frame. Why didn’t you just crop the picture Jacob? Who knows reader, who knows
Game 1: DC hosting Marvel
Venue: Arkham Asylum, Gotham City
Conditions: Overcast, cold, bit of smog, occasional loose criminal on the field
Result: DC 38 - 37 Marvel
Scoring:
Summary:
Hawkeye capitalises on an early lapse by DC to get the scoring going with a penalty, but the home side took the momentum of the first quarter with a brace of tries, first Flash and then Superman, each set-up with brilliant back-play orchestrated by Wonder Woman. Marvel managed to wrest momentum back however, scoring a try of their own through Captain Marvel bookended by two more penalty goals to go into halftime up 16-14. They continued the run straight after the break, Thor crashing over the line at the 43 minute mark culminating 20 unanswered points. But Flash scored his second try with a piece of individual brilliance. Captain America would score the third try for the visitors to take back the lead, but the home side dug deep and scored two more tries late in the game (including Flash’s hat-trick) to establish an 8 point lead with 6 minutes to go. Marvel would manage to score again at the death, Iron Man putting Spidey through a small defensive hole for a brilliant line-break and score, but down by one they weren’t able to claim the restart and DC kicked for touch as the siren sounded, managing to just hold on in a 9 try thriller. Flash named the player of the match for his three tries, while both sharp-shooting full-backs were perfect with the boot from the tee.
After Batman puts villains away at Arkham, the only logical next step is a game of footy. The guy in the background right of image is awesome too, just staring at the camera.
Game 2: Marvel hosting DC
Venue: Wakanda Royal Stadium, Wakanda
Conditions: sunny, dry, glorious weather, hard to find city for visiting fans
Result: DC 41 - 47 Marvel
Scoring:
Summary:
In sunny Wakanda the tries fly thick and fast. Things started quickly with a Flash sprint down the wing for a score in the 4th minute, before Marvel replied only 2 minutes later with a rumble under the posts by the Thing. The teams traded penalties for the middle period of the first half before a brilliant kick return by Lantern gave DC their second score and the lead, before only a few minutes later Marvel took back the lead with a maul try, Star-Lord the beneficiary. But a late penalty by Green Arrow levelled the scores at halftime. Marvel scored 10 points early in the second half courtesy of a Silver Surfer try and a penalty goal, before DC answered with two scores of their own, Cyborg and Flash scoring tries within 3 minutes of each other. Captain Marvel scored for consecutive weeks to again force a lead change, before Harley Quinn caught the home side napping at the breakdown, darting through from the ruck for a score and giving the visitors the lead with less than 10 to go. But with the home crowd behind them Marvel were able to respond, a brilliant dummy from Iron Man causing a line break, and after a series of spectacular passes he ended up finishing the play he started to score Marvel’s 5th try. Down by only 3 points at the death, DC ground their way towards the Marvel try line, trying to draw the penalty or set-up the drop goal to at least force overtime, but a loose carry turned into a knock on, Marvel counter attacked and in their desperate cover defence effort DC gave up a penalty just inside their own half. The siren sounded as Hawkeye lined it up, but he slotted it anyway to rub salt in the wound, Marvel winning by 6 in the end of a high scoring instant classic. 5 tries each way, with 7 lead changes (11 if drawing level counts). Iron Man the player of the match for his individual try, brilliant playmaking throughout, and cool leadership to overcome the late game deficit. Both place kickers once again faultless.
Love the strategizing going on here, though I don’t know who the guy on the left with clown shoes is. Also, Iron Man deploying a third leg as a stool is genius. Cap’s foot bending around the ball is less called for
Game 3: London
Venue: Twickenham Stadium, London, UK, Earth
Conditions: rain throughout, cold, annoying singing in the stands
Result: DC 21 - 24 Marvel
Scoring:
Summary:
With both sides emphasising backline play in the first two games, the wet conditions forces each team to lean more on their huge forward packs. Hawkeye slotted a penalty early, 2 minutes in as he had in the first game, before Cyborg capped off a series of hard hitting pick and goes with a try under the posts at the seven minute mark. Green Arrow would add a penalty goal to the tally before a Black Widow try levelled the score (with the conversion). Thor was the beneficiary of a line-break to score in the corner at the 32 minute mark before Hawkeye missed his first kick of the series. Still, Marvel went into the break up 15-10. As the rain worsened and the muddy field took its toll, scoring dried up, with the first 30 minutes of the second half a dour kicking duel, interspersed with penalty goals by each side. At the 70 minute mark Hawkeye kicked a drop goal to make it an 8 point lead. Staring down a two score deficit DC were able to score another try, Superman with 2 minutes to go, it was now Green Arrow’s turn to make his only miss as the conversion narrowly shaved the outside of the goal posts. Down by three with a minute to go DC couldn’t get the ball back as Marvel drained the clock and took the series 2-1. Thor named player of the match for leading the tackle count and scoring the decisive try at the end of the first half which gave Marvel the lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the game.
If you ignore the hands (and you always should) the AI did well here, especially love the SciFi ball. Though the helmets on the other players suggests a different code
Conclusion
Series scoring:
Hawkeye: 73 (10/10 penalty goals, 1/1 drop goals, 20/21 conversions)
Green Arrow: 60 (6/6 penalty goals, 21/22 conversions)
Flash: 25 (5 tries)
Captain Marvel, Thor, Superman, Cyborg: 10 (2 tries)
Captain America, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Black Widow, Silver Surfer, Green Lantern, Star-Lord, Thing, Iron Man, Spiderman: 5 (1 try)
Player of the series: Thor
And so Marvel takes the fantasy rugby bragging rights to go along with the cinematic ones. It was an incredibly close series that could have gone either way, with DC scoring one more try then Marvel over the three games, but the decision making and slight edge in penalty count giving Marvel the wins. DC had some incredible individual performances, but the Marvel line-up was more consistently good across the park, as well as having a slight edge at scrum time. I couldn’t split the teams and figured each would win their home games and the slightly bigger and more consistently skilled forward pack of Marvel would make the difference in the London rain. I’d say a touch of my own bias crept in, but hey, what do you expect. Flash set a record for tries in a series, one that will be hard to beat.
Tune in next time as we see the difference between a Heroic franchise (Star Wars) against a collection of Heroic individuals. Thanks for reading.
Appendix A: more AI art
Here’s a bunch more iterations of the AI art in case you haven’t yet lost your mind with the aberrations shown far.
Here you go Cavill fan boys, just don’t look at the ball carrying hand
Here’s another one, but cross eyed but at least he’s wearing cleats
All the Harley Quinn pics turned out pretty cursed
Great apart from the freaky hands, again
Asking for Hawkeye playing rugby just gets you Jeremy Renner, which makes sense I guess
AI bringing the crotch bulge, also some cricket in the background?
Iron Man flipping a gang sign over a ball in a stadium with the worse made roof ever seen in sports
Alternate Black Panther option, also pretty good
Love the fact that his ball matches his costume. No doubt CGI as well
Alternate Captain marvel option, better than usual background, and using the floating ball trick again, but her face is a bit weird
I had to include this one. I absolutely love the foreground and background, but the middle, the mini batman he’s playing against, so hilarious
This one is cool, again different art style, but whatever it’s done with his left leg freaks me out so it was relegated to the appendices
Appendix B: image sources
Player imagery was taken from the following sources:
Vision: live-action & comic
Star-Lord: live-action & comic
Drax: live-action & comic
the Thing: live-action & comic
Thor: live-action & comic
Daredevil: live-action & comic
Doctor Strange: live-action & comic
Captain America: live-action & comic
Black Widow: live-action & comic
Iron Man: live-action & comic
Black Panther: live-action & comic
Spiderman: live-action & comic
Captain Marvel: live-action & comic
the Silver Surfer: live-action & comic
Hawkeye: live-action & comic
Rocket Raccoon: live-action & comic
Falcon: live-action & comic
Scarlet Witch: live-action & comic
Mr Fantastic: live-action & comic
Aquaman: live-action & comic
Peacemaker: live-action & comic
Teth-Adam: live-action & comic
Martian Manhunter: live-action & comic
Cyborg: live-action & comic
Shazam: live-action & comic
Superman: live-action & comic
Atom Smasher: live-action & comic
Harley Quinn: live-action & comic
Wonder Woman: live-action & comic
the Flash: live-action & comic
Batman: live-action & comic
Green Lantern: live-action & comic
Hawkman: live-action & comic
Green Arrow: live-action & comic
Supergirl: live-action & comic
Catwoman: live-action & comic
Blue Beetle: live-action & comic
Doctor Fate: live-action & comic