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The Secret (Wars) Is Out.
WetRats
Posts: 6,314
Oh joy.
More heroes fighting heroes.
Looks like the Marvel Universe is being turned into a Mortal Kombat-style video game.
What an original idea.
More heroes fighting heroes.
Looks like the Marvel Universe is being turned into a Mortal Kombat-style video game.
What an original idea.
Comments
M
I'm in.
Don't get me wrong, I like bad guys, and I have been wanting them to "Bring Back the Bad Guys" as an event for awhile. We at least got that in Infinity. And Axis is starting out that way.
My hope-- and the fact that it is Hickman encourages this hope, even though this is clearly a big, merchandise-influenced, multi-platform plan-- is that this truly is the story that Hickman has been building to in Avengers/ New Avengers. And he is such a meticulous, concentric-circle-writing planner, that I actually believe that is possible. Sure, a lot of other departments are getting in on this and platforming it out. And I know that the "Secret Wars" name, to those of us that remember the first two, actually inspired suspicion rather than excitement.
But here's why I think this might work out, at least the actual comic part of it--
We are right now more than 60 issues into Hickman's Marvel Now! Avengers era, between Avengers and New (and, damn, when I did the math on that, I realized that double-shipping can fill a short box quick!) And the whole things- while having subplots and B storylines and such- has basically been one, big story. And at the moment, both books are starting to connect with each other more and build up to a conclusion.
And while on the one hand, especially to those who might not be reading it, a 60 to 70 issue story might sound like the worst excesses of decompression, to me it hasn't been. What it has been is consistent, and consistently entertaining. Big. Cosmic. Sometimes trippy. Always high stakes. These have felt like capital-A Avengers books.
And the overarcing story and threat, put most simply, is basically a multiversal crisis. An incursion threat that comes from a universe that suddenly doesn't have room for this many Earths anymore.
One of the best stories has been the New Avengers facing off against a cool analogue of Squadron Supreme (there therefore, actually an analogue of the Justice League) from another Earth. And instead of this being just typical hero vs. hero stuff, Hickman really gets into the moral gray areas of it all. As the scale is world level, it is a fight between good and good when the choice seems to be letting your Earth survive or theirs.
A new idea? Of course not. But the execution has been very strong so far. And if the big finish is an even larger, multiversal story filled with the characters of different Earths? Well, yes, that does sound like a video game.
But when the comic has Hickman and Ribic at the wheel, I expect it is going to be more than that. Sure, from a marketing point of view, the real purpose will be "look at all these toys we can sell!!" But my hope is that, with the toys taking care of themselves, Hickman will use the comic to actually be the big finish of something he has been working on for years.
That is a very different situation from what Shooter did. Where basically the tail wagged the dog (Here are toys-- MAKE A BIG COMIC TO SELL THESE TOYS!) and (if the stories are to be believed) he went about also trying to show everyone else on staff how it was done, and how the comics should be, like this was the style guide or something. And the result was a really terrible comic. Maybe, at least partly, because the writing was motivated by all the wrong reasons.
My hope is that Hickman basically sold them on the story HE wanted to do. And now the idea is cool enough, and had the right opportunity, that they are going to make some toys and things from it. But that is the dog wagging the tail. You know what I mean?
And I'm tired of exploring moral grey areas. I have to do that every day. I want more escapism and less "realism".
Books like Rocket Raccoon and Silver Surfer are much more what I'm wanting from my superhero comics.
"Optimism" is really what I'm looking for.
I'm so tired of dark, darker, darkest.
And. . . I don't know that a big Hickman story, no matter how well-structured, will be for you. He doesn't tend to do hope.
Also, I realize I'm like Captain Kirk, I don't believe in no-win scenarios. :D
The image that's been released for Secret Wars has about six different versions of all the Avengers members fighting. I see Avengers of the past, future, and alternate Earths. In the background there is an exploding world - something that's been a regular thing in The Avengers lately. The Multiverse is dying and heroes from other universes have been battling each other in order to save their own worlds. This looks like a perfect continuation of Hickman's epic, cosmic, multiverse shattering story...no realism to be found there...and not at all like Civil War...though a Captain America might die.
But that might just be the way I see it. Certainly there is a difference that, as Hickman is not the provocateur that Millar is, he is going to probably be a little more subtle and smoother when it comes to the politics of his story. (If he sees it that way at all.)
A reminder that all storytelling is political. (Even if it is not always Partisan.)
Which, to me, makes them cease to be heroes.
M
I enjoy the dark & jadedness, but there are times I still like a reminder there's still innocence out there.
M
Innocence is wonderful, but I also think there's room for hope, optimism and the will to make things better.
However, I did like the inclusion of what looks like Obnoxio the Clown in the upper right of the Ross poster image.
And on a more personal note, I hated that his FF run basically backed a dump truck over everything DnA had done with the Kree and Inhumans.
Here's an idea.
Unleash the power of dozens of parallel Franklin Richardses on the problem.
And a big brainstorming session, with a lot of lists of ideas on white boards, rolled up sleeves, cups of coffee. It doesn't make for the same Alex Ross poster. You know what I mean? ;)