Review: Secret Wars (2015) #1
I was excited when I heard of this new Secret Wars event. As someone who only recently began reading comics afters a decades-long hiatus, I’m always looking for new beginnings. It can be confusing and frustrating to know where to start with so many series available. Often times, you need extensive prior knowledge of other series and events to understand what’s going on. With Secret Wars, the two Marvel Universes (Earth-616 Marvel and Earth-1610 Ultimate) will die and something new will emerge. Perfect.
For a look at all the major players in each universe, click here.
Issue #1, End Times, starts in the middle (or end) of the action as the multiverse collides. Ultimate Nick Fury launches an attack on 616, while that world’s Black Panther and Mr. Fantastic scramble to ready their survival plan - think: Deep Impact. Fury and his team have been led to believe if they can destroy the other universe, they’ll survive, whereas if they don’t fight both will certainly perish. Seems like a fairly easy decision to attack. However, that advice was dispensed by a one-thousand-year-old Reed Richards, who is lying and looks to be in league with Thanos and The Cabal.
The fighting is just the distraction The Cabal wanted as they prepare to launch a dome (protecting them from the incoming extinction?). Both sides suffer loses - which was a little shocking even though the event has promised that neither side will remain. Still, it was rough seeing Rocket Raccoon and Sue Storm bite it.
Most of the artwork was spectacular, with explosions and fight sequences that really jumped off the page. Though some of the facial expressions were odd: there’s one grimace face of She-Hulk’s that took me out of the story and the open-mouth looks of shock were comical.
And though it’s a lot darker than I expected (I know! I know!), there were some funny moments like Wilson Fisk and other criminals getting together at a bar to watch the stupid heroes waste their time being all heroic and shit.
Of, course I’ll be sticking with it. I’m intrigued.
Thoughts & Questions:
- What up with Doctor Doom and two others (Did I mention that it’s particularly hard to jump and know who everyone is?) meeting with this weird cosmic force?
- No, Rocket Raccoon! Noooo!
- I’m gonna need Marvel Universe’s Mr. Fantastic to cover that bulge. Jesus. I think it had its own panel at one point.
