Augustin Herrera and Matt Peddle are both veterans of the Shonen Jump circuit, but neither has ever managed to take home title gold. Today, both duelists have secured undefeated 3-0 records and are strong bids for the Top 16.

“I’m playing against Zombies?” asked Herrera casually. By now, everyone in the room knew what Superfriends (and Paul Levitin) were playing.

“I wish I knew what I was playing against,” quipped Peddle. “I can’t go a single Jump without playing someone from Comic Odyssey. I think I’ve played the entire team at this point.” He paused a moment, then realized . . . “Most of them beat me!” Herrera and Peddle both laughed. The round began and each duelist wished the other good luck.

Herrera opened things up with a set card to each zone. Peddle summoned Giant Rat, set Mystical Space Typhoon, and attacked, hitting into Apprentice Magician and letting Herrera special summon Old Vindictive Magician face down. “Your turn.”

Breaker the Magical Warrior came down for Herrera, who flip summoned Magician to destroy Rat. Breaker broke Mystical Space Typhoon, but it was chained to target Herrera’s set Book of Moon, which in turn flipped Old Vindictive face down. “Nicely played,” noted Peddle, willing to recognize that he had been outdone. A set spell or trap finished the turn.

Peddle summoned Zombie Master and declined to activate its effect with priority. It attacked Breaker, destroyed him, and Peddle set a back row card to support it. Vindictive Magician flipped to destroy the Master next turn, attacked directly, and Herrera set another monster as Peddle dropped to 5950.

He special summoned Cyber Dragon and attacked Old Vindictive Magician, pounding home 1650 damage. Nobleman of Crossout in main phase 2 then ripped Crystal Seer from Herrera’s field, and another from his deck! Herrera was up and he riffled his hand briefly as he considered his next move. He set a second spell or trap and passed.

Cyber Dragon attacked, prompting Herrera to flip Scapegoat. One Sheep went down, play passed to Herrera and he set a monster. “Go ahead.” Peddle sent Cyber Dragon to hit another Sheep and Herrera flipped Magician of Faith to take back Book of Moon. He tributed Magician of Faith for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, and discarded Spirit Reaper from Peddle’s hand, but hit Widespread Ruin when Thestalos attacked. Pot of Avarice in main phase 2 let Herrera draw two more cards. The duel stood at 6150 to 5650 in Herrera’s favor.

Peddle hit another Sheep with Cyber Dragon, and then set a back row card. Herrera set a monster and Peddle finally drew into Card of Safe Return. He activated it, but the Avarice last turn had removed all the monsters from Herrera’s graveyard! Peddle couldn’t use Book of Life. Cyber Dragon attacked Herrera’s face down monster but Mirror Force stopped it. Call of the Haunted brought back Giant Rat to allow Peddle to continue his attack, and it hit Magician of Faith, back after Pot of Avarice. Herrera took back Book of Moon yet again. Card of Safe Return gave Peddle a draw for the Rat. Book of Life in main phase 2 removed the Magician of Faith from play, brought back Spirit Reaper, and got another draw with Return.

Heavy Storm then devastated Peddle’s field, destroying Call of the Haunted and Card of Safe Return! It left him with nothing on field but Spirit Reaper, yet Herrera couldn’t follow up and capitalize. He set a spell or trap card and announced that he was finished.

Peddle summoned Card Trooper and sent three cards to the graveyard to power it up. Reaper went to attack mode. Trooper attacked the last Sheep, and Spirit Reaper attacked into Sakuretsu Armor. Brain Control let Herrera assume control of Card Trooper next turn and he activated it, trying to send Treeborn Frog to the graveyard on a lucky discard. He couldn’t, but he tributed for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch anyway, forcing Peddle to discard Book of Life before attacking for 2400. Herrera set a spell or trap.

Peddle set one too, his only move on the following turn. Thestalos struck again, dropping Peddle to 850 life points. He topdecked into Card of Safe Return!

He activated it, then summoned Zombie Master and discarded Ryu Kokki to bring back another Zombie Master! He drew for Safe Return, and then discarded another Kokki for Spirit Reaper in defense mode, garnering another draw. Still, there wasn’t much to help him, and he ended without doing anything else. Thestalos hit a Zombie Master next turn and dropped Peddle to 250 life points.

Moments later he discarded Giant Rat to bring back the other Zombie Master, and was displeased with the resulting draw: “My life sucks.” It was Creature Swap. He turned the first Zombie Master to defense and ended.

Herrera activated Enemy Controller next turn, shifting Zombie Master to attack mode. There was nothing Peddle could do because Herrera only needed to deal 250 more damage! An attack through the attack mode Master finished the duel.

Augustin Herrera takes game 1 at a controlling pace! Both competitors dove into their side decks.

Peddle opened the second game, no doubt enjoying the delicious taste of that first draw. He set Pyramid Turtle (which had been absent from feature matches today), and complemented it with a set Dust Tornado. Herrera set a card to each zone and lost his set Book of Moon to the Tornado.

Another Pyramid Turtle was normal summoned and Peddle flip summoned the first. One Turtle attacked into Apprentice Magician, and the second did not attack, leaving Herrera stranded with another Apprentice. Peddle set a spell or trap and Herrera set another card to each zone. One Turtle went to defense and the other attacked, revealing Herrera’s newest monster to be Mystic Tomato, which in turn special summoned Sangan.

Dust Tornado blew away Peddle’s set Pulling the Rug and Enemy Controller let Herrera tribute Sangan to take control of one of the Turtles. He used Sangan’s effect to search his deck for Treeborn Frog, and then tributed Turtle for Raiza the Storm Monarch, bouncing away the other Turtle before attacking directly. Herrera ended his turn with a set spell or trap.

Peddle dropped a set card to each zone. “Your turn.” Herrera passed the next turn after some brief consideration, not attacking with Raiza. Peddle activated Card of Safe Return!

He followed it up with Premature Burial next, returning Pyramid Turtle to the field and drawing for the special summon. The Turtle attacked Raiza, but Mirror Force cut it off. That was fine for Peddle, who had Call of the Haunted set and Book of Life in hand. He ended.

Herrera summoned Asura Priest, attacked Peddle’s set Pyramid Turtle and watched as Peddle brought out Ryu Kokki. Raiza then traded with Kokki, Herrera set another spell or trap, and Peddle was up.

He dropped a second Card of Safe Return! He summoned Zombie Master, discarded Cyber Dragon for its effect, and brought back Pyramid Turtle for two draws! He played a third Card of Safe Return and attacked with Pyramid Turtle. It hit Herrera’s Apprentice Magician, which fished Magician of Faith from his deck. Zombie Master attacked her and Herrera flipped Sakuretsu Armor to destroy it. Peddle activated Call of the Haunted, drew three, and attacked with Pyramid Turtle to destroy Magician of Faith — she got Herrera Enemy Controller, and Peddle set a fifth card to his back row.

Herrera set a card to each zone and passed, now totally out of control of the duel. Peddle summoned Zombie Master, discarded another to bring it to the field and draw three cards, then attacked with the first — it hit Spirit Reaper, which saved Herrera’s neck. The Turtles went to defense position and play was to Herrera, who set one back row card, then another, and ended.

Peddle summoned Snipe Hunter. He discarded Pyramid Turtle and missed an attempt to destroy Herrera’s most recently set spell or trap card. He discarded Spirit Reaper next, this time destroying Enemy Controller. A discard of Book of Life destroyed Reaper and everything went to attack mode! With five attackers on the field Peddle dropped Herrera from 8000 life points to 500 in a single turn. He discarded Brain Control trying to destroy his own Card of Safe Return — and missed. Herrera summoned Asura Priest next turn, hit Pyramid Turtle, and Peddle brought out Il Blud! Another Turtle went down next, and another Zombie Master took its place. Asura Priest then attacked Snipe Hunter and Herrera took back his Asura Priest to signify that his turn was over.

Il Blud was normal summoned, and then used its Gemini effect to bring back Pyramid Turtle. Peddle drew three cards, activated Heavy Storm, and Herrera scooped! The match moved to a third game, and time was called once side decking had begun.

Herrera opened the final duel; four turns would finish the match. A set card hit each zone and play was to Peddle.

He labored over his hand: Pyramid Turtle, Card of Safe Return, Snipe Hunter, Pulling the Rug, Widespread Ruin, and Zombie Master. He set a monster, set two back row cards and ended.

Herrera flipped his set Soul Exchange, tributing Peddle’s face down Pyramid Turtle for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch — Peddle negated the effect and destroyed the Monarch with Pulling the Rug! Herrera ended with no back field! Next turn Peddle summoned Snipe Hunter, discarded Card of Safe Return, and destroyed Herrera’s set monster, attacking to deal damage and end the match!

Matt Peddle recovers from a first game loss, sweeping two duels to move on undefeated with Zombies!