Spoilers for Defenders #1 ahead!
The Masked Raider might be an obscure hero, but he’s actually powerful enough to take on Superman and Batman at the same time. The hero has made sporadic appearances across the Marvel Universe, but takes center stage in Defenders #1, on sale now in print and digital. While the Masked Raider uses his fantastic powers to take Doctor Strange down to the wire, he could easily defeat both Superman and Batman.
This incarnation of the Masked Raider first appeared in 2019’s Marvel Comics #1000, a special one-shot released to coincide with the publisher’s 80th anniversary; this is fitting, as the character has a long and rich history at Marvel, stretching back to Marvel Comics #1 in 1939. This version of the Masked Raider draws power from the Eternity Mask; an amazing artifact, created by a mysterious cabal of scientists known as the Enclave, is made from a sliver of the essence of Eternity, the personification of the universe. The Eternity Mask gives the Raider equal strength and power to whoever he is fighting, and readers can see it on display in Defenders #1, written by Al Ewing with art by Javier Rodriguez, inks by Alvaro Lopez, and letters by Joe Caramagna; after seeing the Masked Raider in action, it is clear he could give Batman and Superman a run for their money.
The Masked Raider teleports effortlessly into Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum. He catches Strange off-guard, who assumes the worst and goes into attack mode. Strange hurls the Bolts of Balthakk at the Raider, but thanks to the Eternity Mask, the Raider can block the Bolts with no problems. Doctor Strange notes how quickly the Masked Raider was able to counter his attacks—it was immediate.
The abilities the Eternity Mask grants the Masked Raider would give him the edge over Superman and Batman, even if both were to attack at the same time. If this happened, the Mask would give the Raider Superman’s strength, not to mention potentially his other powers, as well as Batman’s tactical skills and the ability to counter them. The Masked Raider could use Superman’s strength to punch out Batman; furthermore, it would create a level playing field between Superman and the Raider. The Raider could take advantage of the full suite of Superman’s powers, including heat vision and super breath, and use them against the Man of Steel. Since the Eternity Mask allowed him to counter Doctor Strange’s spell, could it also provide counters against Superman’s powers?
Fans are always eager to know which company’s heroes could beat the other. Though events like Marvel Vs. DC always pit the most well-known heroes against each other, it’s often the more obscure heroes like The Masked Raider who could pose the biggest threat to icons like Batman and Superman.
