WARNING: The article contains spoilers from DCeased: Unkillables #3 by Tom Taylor, Karl Mostert, Trevor Scott, Neil Edwards, Mostert, Rex Lokus and Saida Temofante, on sale now.
DC Comics is no stranger to superhero rivalries, but Wonder Woman has long gone without a superhero rival in the DC Universe -- until now. With DCeased: Unkillables #3, DC has cemented Mary Marvel as the superhero rival of The Amazonian Princess.
Wonder Woman of Themyscira is gifted with powers from the Gods of Olympus. Her superhuman strength, speed, and flight make her a god-like being. She is also skilled in combat and armed with Atlantides' Armor, the Bracelets of Submission and her Lasso of Truth. Wonder Woman has defeated the likes of Superman, Ares, and New Gods like Big Barda. There's no question Diana Prince is a force to be reckoned with.
Mary Marvel made her first appearance in Captain Marvel Adventures #1 in December 1942. When Mary Bromfield says the magic word, she transforms into Mary Marvel. Like her brother, Billy Batson, aka Shazam, Mary has the Wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the Stamina of Atlas, the Power of Zeus, the Courage of Achilles and the Speed of Mercury. At full strength, Mary Marvel's ability is the stuff of legends.
Both heroes draw their powers from Greek gods and myths, which has left many to wonder who would win in a fight. Writer Grant Morrison and artist J.G. Jones attempted to answer this in the third issue of Final Crisis. During the major DC event, Mary Marvel was corrupted by Darkseid and sent to infect Wonder Woman with a strand of the Morticoccus Virus.
Throughout the epic battle, Wonder Woman showcased her expert fighting abilities. However, although she had the upper hand, Mary Marvel still managed to infect Wonder Woman and ultimately came out the victor.
The pair went toe-to-toe again in the DCeased: Unkillables #3. This time it was Wonder Woman under the influence of the anti-life equation. In her super-zombified state, Wonder Woman meant certain death for a group of young survivors led by Commissioner Gordon.
Mary Marvel stepped in to defend the kids and demonstrate just how powerful the Shazam family really is when they don't hold back. Mary Marvel was quick to defeat the Blighted Wonder Woman. In the issue, Mary said her recent training with Cassandra Cain and Lady Shiva helped her to defeat the Amazon.
While the rivalry between Wonder Woman and Mary Marvel is a relatively new one, they've yet to face off fully in control of their own faculties. In both of their notable encounters, the heroes were pitted against each other because of the anti-life equation. It is difficult to imagine them fighting in their normal, heroic state. That being said, DC has sparked a new rivalry that's sure to get people talking. While readers may never know who is ultimately stronger, fans can only hope this isn't the last time they see Wonder Woman and Mary Marvel go one-on-one.