In this feature, I examine comic book fights that were particularly notable in the wrong side winning (or at least that the fight wasn't won the "right" way). This really isn't a big deal, of course, as it doesn't really matter if the "wrong" person won a fight. But it's fun to talk about!

If you want to suggest a fight for future inclusion in this feature, drop me a line at bcronin@comicbookresources.com. Don't suggest a fight in the comments!

Today, based on a suggestion by reader Keith, we look at the Venom's surprising success against the Juggernaut..

As always, the first page spotlights their power levels and the second page examines the fight itself.

And as always, the first question we need to ask is...

How did these people do when they fought Spider-Man?

Spider-Man once fought Juggernaut in a comic book you might have heard of, by Roger Stern, John Romita Jr. and Jim Mooney. He did not fare so well on the whole "hurting him" level...





and later...











So Spidey wins, but not through physically overpowering Juggernaut, as the Juggernaut is much stronger than him.

When Venom first showed up in Amazing Spider-Man #300 (by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane), we established that Spider-Man really needs weapons (Venom is susceptible to sonic weapons and fire) to stop him or cleverness (at the end of the issue, he forces Venom to use up so much webbing that the suit can't make anymore and Venom crashes to the ground from the roof, knocking him out cold)...





In the rematch in Amazing Spider-Man #316 (by Michelinie and McFarlane), things are still more in Venom's favor...



This continues the next issue...







(Spidey ultimately wins by offering himself to the symbiote, causing a psychic backlash between the suit and Eddie Brock).

Finally, in Amazing Spider-Man #375 (by David Michelinie, Mark Bagley and Randy Emberlin), Venom again fares very well against Spider-Man (in a story designed to spin Venom off into is own series)...











So Venom IS seemingly stronger than Spider-Man, but Spider-Man clearly CAN hang with Venom, while he can't even get Juggernaut to flinch, so it is logical that the Juggernaut would be on a higher level than Venom, right?

Well, let's see the fight!

It occurs during the three-issue mini-series Venom: The Madness by Ann Nocenti, Kelley Jones and John Beatty (plus some fill-in inkers towards the end).

Venom and Juggernaut end up on opposite sides of a lawsuit, and the evil corporation being sued will do anything to stop it, even sending Juggernaut to intimidate the lawyer, who Venom is sort of dating (she's an odd lady). Initially, the fight goes roughly as how you'd expect, although Venom probably does a LITTLE too well...











Venom merges with the sludge, which turns out to be a sort of living virus. It heals Venom by bonding with him and the symbiote, and it slowly drives them even MORE insane, and Venom begins to change his form (allowing Kelley Jones to draw some creepy looking versions of Venom). It does not appear as though the virus gives Venom any extra STRENGTH, though, which makes it strange when he gets a rematch and is kicking Juggernaut's ass until Venom is sucked into another dimension (it's all tied in with the crazy-making virus - it's all really not a very good story, so I don't even want to get into it)...









This is not a good fight, as Juggernaut has stood toe to toe against Thor and not gotten flung like this. But even if you want to give extra credit to the virus somehow (but again, even there, it means that the virus has made Venom stronger than THOR, which seems unlikely), then at the end of the series, Venom has expunged the virus and STILL does so well against the Juggernaut that ol' Jugs just decides to run away...







So yeah, Venom did too well here.

Thanks for the suggestion, Keith! If anyone ELSE has a suggestion for this column, drop me a line at bcronin@comicbookresources.com!