The Marvel Universe is filled with tons of groups. There’s the Avengers, Defenders, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and whatever is going on with Spider-Man and his multiverse variants. But there’s a new club that has been meeting in the pages of She-Hulk, and it’s very exclusive.
Unlike other groups, this roster is filled with both heroes and villains. The members don’t fight crime, they fight each other. That’s right, She-Hulk has started her own fight club. Unlike that other movie, we’re allowed to talk about this fight club, so let’s break it down.
When did the Marvel Universe get its own fight club?
Marvel’s fight club began when an attorney got into a scrape with a felon. The villain known as Titania has always had a grudge against She-Hulk. It began in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #7 (1984) when the two first fought on Battleworld. Since then, the heroine and villainess have had a special rivalry. It’s less like Batman and the Joker, and more like Tom and Jerry. Titania has a special grudge against She-Hulk, but always winds up getting pulverized by the gamma-radiated lawyer. If you watched the She-Hulk series on Disney+, then you saw how the Marvel Cinematic Universe put their own spin on their rivalry.
In She-Hulk #1 (2022) Titania challenged Jennifer to another fight. As the battle raged on, She-Hulk realized that Titania was just trying to let off some steam. The villainess was feeling frustrated about how difficult it was to keep her life together, while She-Hulk continued to reinvent herself. The strange thing was, Jen realized she was enjoying herself. This led to She-Hulk proposing an unusual arrangement. “The truth is, I like fighting you too,” She-Hulk told Titania. “There aren’t many people I can hit with a telephone pole without feeling guilty about it.” The two agreed to meet on a regular basis to trade punches and blow off some steam.
Who is in the Marvel Universe fight club?
The unnamed fight club began with She-Hulk and Titania, but its membership has slowly grown. Here is the current roster.
- She-Hulk – Gamma-radiated lawyer, and co-founder of fight club.
- Titania – A powerhouse with enhanced strength. She-Hulk’s sworn rival and co-founder of fight club.
- Volcana – A reformed villain with the ability to transform into plasma, stone, and ash. Titania’s best friend.
- The Thing – Rocky-skinned member of the Fantastic Four. Thing mistakenly thought fight club was a real hero vs. villains battle, but joined after the misunderstanding was cleared up.
- Luke Cage – Mayor of New York City. Luke Cage has unbreakable skin and has fought crime as Power Man. His role as mayor makes the other fight club members uncomfortable.
- Iron Fist – Martial arts master empowered by the dragon Shou-Lao. Luke Cage’s best friend. He claims to only be in fight club because he wants to watch the battles.
- Absorbing Man – Former boxer with the power to transform his body into whatever substance he touches. Titania’s husband. He’s currently incarcerated, but a spot in fight club has been reserved for him.
The fight club is still unnamed, but Ben Grimm has proposed Clobberin’ Club, Punch Club, and Knights of the Knuckle Sandwich as possible names. Volcana is really into the idea of getting team jackets for everyone, but her enthusiasm is ignored.
What are the rules of the Marvel Universe fight club?
The fight club has convened in the pages of She-Hulk issues 1, 4, and 11. The rules appear to be made up on the fly, depending on the situation. Here are the rules of She-Hulk’s fight club.
- You cannot knock your opponent out.
- All fights must be held on a vacant lot in order to minimize property damage.
- No throwing boulders (this rule is ignored).
- Don’t go for the face (this rule is also ignored).
- Two on one fights are permitted under certain circumstances.
- No tagging in other players.
- There are no best friends in fight club.
It’s funny, She-Hulk works as a lawyer, yet she doesn’t seem to be too hung up on people following the rules. Maybe it’s because of the nature of her fight club. It exists outside of the normal rules. Where else can the Mayor of New York City damage property alongside felons? It’s a cathartic experience for everyone, including the readers.
There are no world-ending stakes or lives hanging in the balance here. It’s just heroes and villains punching each other, which is pretty fun. Check out the action for yourself in She-Hulk #11 (written by Rainbow Rowell and penciled by Andres Genolet).
Fight club has been one of the most endearing parts of Rowell’s She-Hulk run, and that’s because it’s just pages of heroes and villains cutting loose and experiencing pure joy. Who could ask for more?
