Are there any crossovers that are heavy on the darker or Marvel Knights characters? Maybe Moon Knight, Punisher, Black Panther, etc.
There was Shadowland, that focused on Daredevil and the more 'street level' characters...but it was TERRIBLE. Avoid it. Fear it!
I second this. I'm a huge Daredevil fan and was excited to see him at the center of a large crossover. But the story is weak and a lot of the tie-ins are just terrible. The Moon Knight tie-in may have been okay, but the others were just bad.
Avengers Prime isn't bad. Not heavy on Asgardians but takes place after Siege. Rogers, Stark and Thor get transported and seperated amongst the nine realms.
Also, are there any that are heavy on Asgard characters or Norse mythology?
Using the Marvel Unlimited app, I am goi8ng back and reading Avengers Disassembled, which was the kickoff of the new “event” era in many ways, and I DO like it and the different comics that tied into it, didn’t tie in as directly as they do now. Thor does (yet another) Ragnarok story, and I am liking it so far. I’d also recommend Roy Thomas’s Ragnarok/Celestials saga that lasted through his entire run on Thor. I’m pretty sure the Celestials saga has been traded, but it starts around Thor 274 or so and lasts until Thor 301 (finished by Gruenwald).
Avengers Prime isn't bad. Not heavy on Asgardians but takes place after Siege. Rogers, Stark and Thor get transported and seperated amongst the nine realms.
Agreed-- that was a fun one. Not a crossover or event (and nothing wrong with that) but a solid, stand alone story that let the 'Big Three' of the Avengers actually enjoy being together for a change instead of fighting each other, and of course, any reason to let Alan Davis draw monsters and fantasy races is time well spent.
Black Panther's tie-in had the wedding of Black Panther and Storm. I don't think it had anything overly important. Fantastic Four had the Thing in Paris (it's skipable). The New Avengers tie-ins were oneshot focused on a single character. The Thunderbolts tie-in was pretty good. Captain America was good, and it had the end of Civil War. The Wolverine tie-in was basically Wolverine investigating the school explosion (for revenge). Then there are the forgettable Xbooks tie-ins that do not matter at all.
I loved Frontline.
Spiderman was the most important. The Punisher tie-ins actually had a lot to do with the main book (plus it had Punisher acting as a new version of the Scourge, with a visit to the bar with no name).
frontline was extended one issue.
Which meant that e penultimate issue? Was nothing but a tease, with both main characters exclaiming "I know what's really going on!" Throughout the issue.
(I did enjoy it for the most part, minus Sally Floyd chastising Captain America for not watching.American Idol or Nascar.
I'm also in with Civil War, especially for the direction they took Sue Storm, and the silver goes to Secret Invasion. I look back with nostalgia on Secret Wars because I was a kid at the time I first read it, but it was clearly written to sell toys, and it hasn't really aged well.
I really want to lump Secret Invasion into the mix because the premise sounded so awesome...but Bendis was the writer & a 6 issue event became an 8 issue event. Plus, they could've made the invasion date back for (our) decades. It could've "fixed" or redeem characters by blaming it on the switch. Hell, it could've taken care of Parker's Civil War problem.
Alas, it wasn't. It played it safe instead of being brazen. And it was decompressed. Did I mention it could've been 2 issues shorter?
M
You know what's funny?
Avengers Initiative solved the Parker situation right before One More Day.
I'm also in with Civil War, especially for the direction they took Sue Storm, and the silver goes to Secret Invasion. I look back with nostalgia on Secret Wars because I was a kid at the time I first read it, but it was clearly written to sell toys, and it hasn't really aged well.
I really want to lump Secret Invasion into the mix because the premise sounded so awesome...but Bendis was the writer & a 6 issue event became an 8 issue event. Plus, they could've made the invasion date back for (our) decades. It could've "fixed" or redeem characters by blaming it on the switch. Hell, it could've taken care of Parker's Civil War problem.
Alas, it wasn't. It played it safe instead of being brazen. And it was decompressed. Did I mention it could've been 2 issues shorter?
M
You know what's funny?
Avengers Initiative solved the Parker situation right before One More Day.
For the more recent ones, I enjoyed Annihilation (and Conquest after...) the best. And yeah, Civil War comes in a distant second.
But my favorites were from when I was a kid, when I was X-men anything. I loved Inferno because even non-X-men books showcased something pertaining to the event while not being held down by it. I still have an issue of Daredevil with the branding "Inferno continues" at the upper right hand corner of the cover. And the logo changed month to month, as the fires of Inferno progressed. It's those little things that I miss from older Marvel...
Oh, and track down Mutant Massacre, which has a tie-in with Thor, of all characters.
Also, are there any that are heavy on Asgard characters or Norse mythology?
There was-- an event that doesn't seem to get much talk anymore that I really liked (well, the ending was a bit of a non-ending, which seems to be how a lot of these roll these days, but I found the story throughout entertaining and good) was The Siege.
This story was a transition between some of the status quo changes from Civil War and Secret Invasion (as those two stories ended up moving a particular character into a surprising position of power and authority) and led into the "Heroic Age", which was really more of a status quo restoration.
But the actual story of The Siege was fun, and relied heavily on Thor and the Asgardians. But I would suggest reading Civil War and Secret Invasion first, if you haven't already.
There are also Fear Itself, which if I remember right (and I don't seem to remember this one very well) doesn't use a lot of Asgardian characters (or maybe it did in tie-ins that I didn't read) but the story is largely motivated by Asgardian objects of power, and the way that these objects join their wielders with Asgardian monsters. Something like that. I remember mostly enjoying it. But I clearly did not retain much of it.
I agree. From the last few years Siege is still my favorite crossover. For anyone who thinks Bendis takes to long to get to the point (which he sometimes can) or that Secret Invasion was too long, this is the one to read. 4 very tight and well done issues.
Also, are there any that are heavy on Asgard characters or Norse mythology?
There was-- an event that doesn't seem to get much talk anymore that I really liked (well, the ending was a bit of a non-ending, which seems to be how a lot of these roll these days, but I found the story throughout entertaining and good) was The Siege.
This story was a transition between some of the status quo changes from Civil War and Secret Invasion (as those two stories ended up moving a particular character into a surprising position of power and authority) and led into the "Heroic Age", which was really more of a status quo restoration.
But the actual story of The Siege was fun, and relied heavily on Thor and the Asgardians. But I would suggest reading Civil War and Secret Invasion first, if you haven't already.
There are also Fear Itself, which if I remember right (and I don't seem to remember this one very well) doesn't use a lot of Asgardian characters (or maybe it did in tie-ins that I didn't read) but the story is largely motivated by Asgardian objects of power, and the way that these objects join their wielders with Asgardian monsters. Something like that. I remember mostly enjoying it. But I clearly did not retain much of it.
I agree. From the last few years Siege is still my favorite crossover. For anyone who thinks Bendis takes to long to get to the point (which he sometimes can) or that Secret Invasion was too long, this is the one to read. 4 very tight and well done issues.
Issue #2 also has one of the best final pages I think I've ever seen in a comic. Total fist-pump moment. Thought about posting it but I don't want to give it away for new readers.
Though the probably won't appreciate it as much since it was a moment that had been years in the making. Now it won't seem like too big a deal.
I found Original Sin to be a disappointment. However, I've actually been surprised by how much I've been enjoying AXIS. Has anybody else been keeping up with it?
I think its just the fact that it is Marvel Cosmic that is leaving me a little lost at times. That seems to be the canon that is the hardest to jump into as a new reader, and I bet near to impossible for folks with no background in Marvel superheros.
For Civil War, what is really required to get it? Can you stick with the core miniseries and Frontline, or do you really need to commit to a large number of tie-ins?
I think its just the fact that it is Marvel Cosmic that is leaving me a little lost at times. That seems to be the canon that is the hardest to jump into as a new reader, and I bet near to impossible for folks with no background in Marvel superheros.
If you start with Annihilation it's pretty easy to pick up from there to Thanos Imperative. Totally worth it too.
For Civil War, what is really required to get it? Can you stick with the core miniseries and Frontline, or do you really need to commit to a large number of tie-ins?
The core series glosses over some major moments that are better explored in some of the tie-ins so you may want to venture out if you're looking for a little more depth. In order of importance to the main mini:
Iron Man Amazing Spider-man New Avengers Frontline Mighty Avengers
Cap is good here too, but it has more to do with what's going on in Cap at the time, basically how Civil War is effecting the ongoing narrative. But the major thing does happen there.
Also, the epilogue "The Confession" is the best single issue of the whole event.
That said, you could probably read just the mini and frontline and still enjoy the book just fine.
For Civil War, what is really required to get it? Can you stick with the core miniseries and Frontline, or do you really need to commit to a large number of tie-ins?
The core series glosses over some major moments that are better explored in some of the tie-ins so you may want to venture out if you're looking for a little more depth. In order of importance to the main mini:
Iron Man Amazing Spider-man New Avengers Frontline Mighty Avengers
Cap is good here too, but it has more to do with what's going on in Cap at the time, basically how Civil War is effecting the ongoing narrative. But the major thing does happen there.
Also, the epilogue "The Confession" is the best single issue of the whole event.
Really all you need is Cap. 25...
Time to put on SolitaireRose hat: I liked Confession but was it killed by everyone at the time.
For Civil War, what is really required to get it? Can you stick with the core miniseries and Frontline, or do you really need to commit to a large number of tie-ins?
I actually think you could just read the main book and follow it all. I agree that there is more exploration and detail behind some of the big story beats in those tie-ins that @playdohsrepublic mentioned, and if you want it to be a bigger reading experience then there are those, but if you are concerned about how big of a reading commitment the whole thing is, then I would say that you could just read the Civil War collection and it'll work. (And you can always ask questions here if there is a story beat that feels like it is justified somewhere else rather than in the Civil War series itself.)
Also, and this is just my personal thing, I hated Frontline. It started out being my kind of book, as I often enjoy journalists as protagonists, but where it gets to (and here I will be vague to not spoil for @shaneb ) succeeds in character assassinating two characters at the same time. And rather than add to the main Millar/McNiven story, I think Jenkins ends up undermining one of the main players in Civil War by affecting their motivation. Also, those backup stories that compare moments in the Civil War story to other, real world historical wars, was beyond a groaner. I mean, I get that Marvel is meant to be the world "outside your window", and actually a lot of the real world resonances in Millar and McNiven's story really worked for me. But to layer a poem about the Battle of the Somme on top of images of the Green Goblin killing Atlanteans? Someone should have killed that idea down in the room. I actually felt a little embarrassed, I don't know if for myself or them, as I read that.
So my two cents is that if you do decide that you want tie-ins, I think it is better without Frontline (and it was long, I think that ends up being two trades).
Quick take on the rest (as I think I drilled down and eventually read them all, as I really dug Civil War) if you decide you want to go bigger than the main story (again, I don't think you have to)--
(Okay, just looked at the whole list of collections on Wikipedia and maybe I didn't read them all. Damn! That is a lot of books).
The Civil War: Road to Civil War collection (Amazing Spider-Man/FF/Illuminati Special) - A prequel, but if I remember right, some interesting material. And if I remember right, in the "Road to" issues, Peter is there with Stark when he goes to testify at the hearing that leads to the Registration Act, and I thought that was good.
Civil War: The Amazing Spider-Man: Peter's arc through Civil War is probably the best "B" storyline of the series. If you want more of that, then this is the book for it.
Civil War: New Avengers- These were fun vignettes featuring some of the anti-registration heroes, each is a stand alone issue with a great artist. I particularly remember the Cap story with great Chaykin art (not everyone loves Chaykin. I do. And I think this was some of his first modern work with Marvel, and he really brought it.)
Civil War Iron Man (includes Civil War: The Confession) with apologies to @mwhitt80 I don't remember digging this one, though I also didn't hate it. Unlike some at the time, I actually really liked how Civil War ends. My memory is that this one shot, not by Millar/McNiven (though by Bendis/Maleev, a team I love) was a lot of talking out the ending between two major players. Explaining. Talking past the sale. I don't think the actual Civil War story needs it. (Though I could see where they would want this encounter between CW and Cap 25). And I don't remember what the two Iron Man tie-in issues were like, but they didn't stick with me.
All the others I think you can skip even if you want a bigger story- they were more about how the events of Civil War were impacting these ongoing stories, and less about the larger story of Civil War, or, in the case of Young Avengers & The Runaways a quick way to check in with some characters who, I think, didn't have their own title at the time. Hope that helps. It's an exciting read.
For Civil War, what is really required to get it? Can you stick with the core miniseries and Frontline, or do you really need to commit to a large number of tie-ins?
The Civil War: Road to Civil War collection (Amazing Spider-Man/FF/Illuminati Special) - A prequel, but if I remember right, some interesting material. And if I remember right, in the "Road to" issues, Peter is there with Stark when he goes to testify at the hearing that leads to the Registration Act, and I thought that was good.
Civil War: The Amazing Spider-Man: Peter's arc through Civil War is probably the best "B" storyline of the series. If you want more of that, then this is the book for it.
Civil War: New Avengers- These were fun vignettes featuring some of the anti-registration heroes, each is a stand alone issue with a great artist. I particularly remember the Cap story with great Chaykin art (not everyone loves Chaykin. I do. And I think this was some of his first modern work with Marvel, and he really brought it.)
Civil War Iron Man (includes Civil War: The Confession) with apologies to @mwhitt80 I don't remember digging this one, though I also didn't hate it. Unlike some at the time, I actually really liked how Civil War ends. My memory is that this one shot, not by Millar/McNiven (though by Bendis/Maleev, a team I love) was a lot of talking out the ending between two major players. Explaining. Talking past the sale. I don't think the actual Civil War story needs it. (Though I could see where they would want this encounter between CW and Cap 25). And I don't remember what the two Iron Man tie-in issues were like, but they didn't stick with me.
All the others I think you can skip even if you want a bigger story- they were more about how the events of Civil War were impacting these ongoing stories, and less about the larger story of Civil War, or, in the case of Young Avengers & The Runaways a quick way to check in with some characters who, I think, didn't have their own title at the time. Hope that helps. It's an exciting read.
Confession is a giant talking heads book that acted as the epilogue to Civil War. I think the reason I enjoyed it though was that it gave a brief pause before Cap #25 (which none of us saw coming until CNN ran the story before comic shops opened).
Quick side note on Captain America 25, I had moved back to Athens when it was released and was buying comics from a shop in tallahassee (he shipped my comics to me monthly). The retailer ran an ebay store also and would sell most of the Civil War variants (which were going for crazy money online at the time) through it. When 25 came out he ebayed my copy and sent me a reprint a month later. I was a regular that preordered and paid for my stuff a few weeks in advance because he was shipping them to me. Ohh well it's been almost 10 years and he hasn't gotten a dollar from me since.
For Civil War, what is really required to get it? Can you stick with the core miniseries and Frontline, or do you really need to commit to a large number of tie-ins?
The Civil War: Road to Civil War collection (Amazing Spider-Man/FF/Illuminati Special) - A prequel, but if I remember right, some interesting material. And if I remember right, in the "Road to" issues, Peter is there with Stark when he goes to testify at the hearing that leads to the Registration Act, and I thought that was good.
Civil War: The Amazing Spider-Man: Peter's arc through Civil War is probably the best "B" storyline of the series. If you want more of that, then this is the book for it.
Civil War: New Avengers- These were fun vignettes featuring some of the anti-registration heroes, each is a stand alone issue with a great artist. I particularly remember the Cap story with great Chaykin art (not everyone loves Chaykin. I do. And I think this was some of his first modern work with Marvel, and he really brought it.)
Civil War Iron Man (includes Civil War: The Confession) with apologies to @mwhitt80 I don't remember digging this one, though I also didn't hate it. Unlike some at the time, I actually really liked how Civil War ends. My memory is that this one shot, not by Millar/McNiven (though by Bendis/Maleev, a team I love) was a lot of talking out the ending between two major players. Explaining. Talking past the sale. I don't think the actual Civil War story needs it. (Though I could see where they would want this encounter between CW and Cap 25). And I don't remember what the two Iron Man tie-in issues were like, but they didn't stick with me.
All the others I think you can skip even if you want a bigger story- they were more about how the events of Civil War were impacting these ongoing stories, and less about the larger story of Civil War, or, in the case of Young Avengers & The Runaways a quick way to check in with some characters who, I think, didn't have their own title at the time. Hope that helps. It's an exciting read.
Confession is a giant talking heads book that acted as the epilogue to Civil War. I think the reason I enjoyed it though was that it gave a brief pause before Cap #25 (which none of us saw coming until CNN ran the story before comic shops opened).
Quick side note on Captain America 25, I had moved back to Athens when it was released and was buying comics from a shop in tallahassee (he shipped my comics to me monthly). The retailer ran an ebay store also and would sell most of the Civil War variants (which were going for crazy money online at the time) through it. When 25 came out he ebayed my copy and sent me a reprint a month later. I was a regular that preordered and paid for my stuff a few weeks in advance because he was shipping them to me. Ohh well it's been almost 10 years and he hasn't gotten a dollar from me since.
Wow. That sucks. A perfect anecdote of doing something shady to try to sell one car instead of continuing to sell 3 cars every 10 years. Or whatever that old cliche is.
I am surprised no one has mentioned Galactic Storm, that was a massive 18 part crossover that I remember fondly. I haven't read it in 20 plus years though so maybe it doesn't hold up. My vote goes for the original Secret Wars, an early crossover that kind of started the whole big crossover event trend and it holds up very well. Classic characters, solid Mike Zeck and Bob Layton art with Jim Shooter doing a great job of juggling a lot of characters and getting them all right for the most part. It's a must read for anyone who wants to get a feel for the Marvel Universe of the 80's.
I will also mention the Wraith War crossover. It was when the mostly isolated and self-contained hidden gem of a book Rom finally crossed over with other super-hero books and the rest of the Marvel universe acknowledged there were aliens impersonating other people. I guess you could say it was Secret Invasion way before it's time. It's pure 80's goodness though and probably pretty easy and inexpensive to find, it was Avengers #244-245, Incredible Hulk #296, Rom #52-65 and Uncanny X-men #185-188. The X-men books are probably the most expensive to find but should be no more that $3 or $4. The whole Rom series written by the great Bill Mantlo is highly underrated. The whole series can probably be found for about a buck an issue and it is worth it for the covers alone. This series had covers by some of the best artist working in the 80's, Frank Miller, Sal Buscema, Al Milgrom, John Byrne, Jerry Ordway, Micahel Golden, Dave Cockrum, Mike Zeck, Bob Layton, Joe Jusko, Jackson Guice, P. Craig Russell, Jim Starlin, David Mazzucchelli and Bill Sienkiewicz.
I will also mention the Wraith War crossover. It was when the mostly isolated and self-contained hidden gem of a book Rom finally crossed over with other super-hero books and the rest of the Marvel universe acknowledged there were aliens impersonating other people. I guess you could say it was Secret Invasion way before it's time. It's pure 80's goodness though and probably pretty easy and inexpensive to find, it was Avengers #244-245, Incredible Hulk #296, Rom #52-65 and Uncanny X-men #185-188. The X-men books are probably the most expensive to find but should be no more that $3 or $4. The whole Rom series written by the great Bill Mantlo is highly underrated. The whole series can probably be found for about a buck an issue and it is worth it for the covers alone. This series had covers by some of the best artist working in the 80's, Frank Miller, Sal Buscema, Al Milgrom, John Byrne, Jerry Ordway, Micahel Golden, Dave Cockrum, Mike Zeck, Bob Layton, Joe Jusko, Jackson Guice, P. Craig Russell, Jim Starlin, David Mazzucchelli and Bill Sienkiewicz.
You had me at "Wraith War".
Nice throwback. Skrulls got nothin on those creepy Wraiths.
I will also mention the Wraith War crossover. It was when the mostly isolated and self-contained hidden gem of a book Rom finally crossed over with other super-hero books and the rest of the Marvel universe acknowledged there were aliens impersonating other people. I guess you could say it was Secret Invasion way before it's time. It's pure 80's goodness though and probably pretty easy and inexpensive to find, it was Avengers #244-245, Incredible Hulk #296, Rom #52-65 and Uncanny X-men #185-188. The X-men books are probably the most expensive to find but should be no more that $3 or $4. The whole Rom series written by the great Bill Mantlo is highly underrated. The whole series can probably be found for about a buck an issue and it is worth it for the covers alone. This series had covers by some of the best artist working in the 80's, Frank Miller, Sal Buscema, Al Milgrom, John Byrne, Jerry Ordway, Micahel Golden, Dave Cockrum, Mike Zeck, Bob Layton, Joe Jusko, Jackson Guice, P. Craig Russell, Jim Starlin, David Mazzucchelli and Bill Sienkiewicz.
You had me at "Wraith War".
Nice throwback. Skrulls got nothin on those creepy Wraiths.
Well done with the Wraith War. IIRC it was not labeled as such on any of the covers but I liked the X-Men issues a lot. And if it has not been said before a thousand times Rom is such a great run. It was filled with fantastic one and two part stories all wrapped up in the over-arching arc. Pretty much every Marvel star showed up in sooner or later. It had a guest spot two parter with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants that easily ranks in my favorite stories of the Copper Age. Who teams up Rom with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants? Great stuff and in the era of large print runs, I heartily reccommend all lovers of Marvel 80's to track down a run. It is worth it and not cost prohibitive.
For those who went through Original Sin, I have been picking up the issues and waiting to read it until I have everything I want to read as part of it. I'm noticing that issues are still coming out with the color and name scheme, basically that look like they are a part of it. Operation Sin for example. Are these necessary part of the event, or are they just kind of after stories?
Comments
Which meant that e penultimate issue? Was nothing but a tease, with both main characters exclaiming "I know what's really going on!" Throughout the issue.
(I did enjoy it for the most part, minus Sally Floyd chastising Captain America for not watching.American Idol or Nascar.
Avengers Initiative solved the Parker situation right before One More Day.
But my favorites were from when I was a kid, when I was X-men anything. I loved Inferno because even non-X-men books showcased something pertaining to the event while not being held down by it. I still have an issue of Daredevil with the branding "Inferno continues" at the upper right hand corner of the cover. And the logo changed month to month, as the fires of Inferno progressed. It's those little things that I miss from older Marvel...
Oh, and track down Mutant Massacre, which has a tie-in with Thor, of all characters.
Though the probably won't appreciate it as much since it was a moment that had been years in the making. Now it won't seem like too big a deal.
And I agree with @Evening639 on AXIS. Enjoying it quite a bit thus far.
Iron Man
Amazing Spider-man
New Avengers
Frontline
Mighty Avengers
Cap is good here too, but it has more to do with what's going on in Cap at the time, basically how Civil War is effecting the ongoing narrative. But the major thing does happen there.
Also, the epilogue "The Confession" is the best single issue of the whole event.
That said, you could probably read just the mini and frontline and still enjoy the book just fine.
Time to put on SolitaireRose hat: I liked Confession but was it killed by everyone at the time.
Also, and this is just my personal thing, I hated Frontline. It started out being my kind of book, as I often enjoy journalists as protagonists, but where it gets to (and here I will be vague to not spoil for @shaneb ) succeeds in character assassinating two characters at the same time. And rather than add to the main Millar/McNiven story, I think Jenkins ends up undermining one of the main players in Civil War by affecting their motivation. Also, those backup stories that compare moments in the Civil War story to other, real world historical wars, was beyond a groaner. I mean, I get that Marvel is meant to be the world "outside your window", and actually a lot of the real world resonances in Millar and McNiven's story really worked for me. But to layer a poem about the Battle of the Somme on top of images of the Green Goblin killing Atlanteans? Someone should have killed that idea down in the room. I actually felt a little embarrassed, I don't know if for myself or them, as I read that.
So my two cents is that if you do decide that you want tie-ins, I think it is better without Frontline (and it was long, I think that ends up being two trades).
Quick take on the rest (as I think I drilled down and eventually read them all, as I really dug Civil War) if you decide you want to go bigger than the main story (again, I don't think you have to)--
(Okay, just looked at the whole list of collections on Wikipedia and maybe I didn't read them all. Damn! That is a lot of books).
The Civil War: Road to Civil War collection (Amazing Spider-Man/FF/Illuminati Special) - A prequel, but if I remember right, some interesting material. And if I remember right, in the "Road to" issues, Peter is there with Stark when he goes to testify at the hearing that leads to the Registration Act, and I thought that was good.
Civil War: The Amazing Spider-Man: Peter's arc through Civil War is probably the best "B" storyline of the series. If you want more of that, then this is the book for it.
Civil War: New Avengers- These were fun vignettes featuring some of the anti-registration heroes, each is a stand alone issue with a great artist. I particularly remember the Cap story with great Chaykin art (not everyone loves Chaykin. I do. And I think this was some of his first modern work with Marvel, and he really brought it.)
Civil War Iron Man (includes Civil War: The Confession) with apologies to @mwhitt80 I don't remember digging this one, though I also didn't hate it. Unlike some at the time, I actually really liked how Civil War ends. My memory is that this one shot, not by Millar/McNiven (though by Bendis/Maleev, a team I love) was a lot of talking out the ending between two major players. Explaining. Talking past the sale. I don't think the actual Civil War story needs it. (Though I could see where they would want this encounter between CW and Cap 25). And I don't remember what the two Iron Man tie-in issues were like, but they didn't stick with me.
All the others I think you can skip even if you want a bigger story- they were more about how the events of Civil War were impacting these ongoing stories, and less about the larger story of Civil War, or, in the case of Young Avengers & The Runaways a quick way to check in with some characters who, I think, didn't have their own title at the time. Hope that helps. It's an exciting read.
Quick side note on Captain America 25, I had moved back to Athens when it was released and was buying comics from a shop in tallahassee (he shipped my comics to me monthly). The retailer ran an ebay store also and would sell most of the Civil War variants (which were going for crazy money online at the time) through it. When 25 came out he ebayed my copy and sent me a reprint a month later. I was a regular that preordered and paid for my stuff a few weeks in advance because he was shipping them to me. Ohh well it's been almost 10 years and he hasn't gotten a dollar from me since.
Speaking of Secret HQ I've not been by there since the owner passed away a few weeks back. He was a good guy.
I will also mention the Wraith War crossover. It was when the mostly isolated and self-contained hidden gem of a book Rom finally crossed over with other super-hero books and the rest of the Marvel universe acknowledged there were aliens impersonating other people. I guess you could say it was Secret Invasion way before it's time. It's pure 80's goodness though and probably pretty easy and inexpensive to find, it was Avengers #244-245, Incredible Hulk #296, Rom #52-65 and Uncanny X-men #185-188. The X-men books are probably the most expensive to find but should be no more that $3 or $4. The whole Rom series written by the great Bill Mantlo is highly underrated. The whole series can probably be found for about a buck an issue and it is worth it for the covers alone. This series had covers by some of the best artist working in the 80's, Frank Miller, Sal Buscema, Al Milgrom, John Byrne, Jerry Ordway, Micahel Golden, Dave Cockrum, Mike Zeck, Bob Layton, Joe Jusko, Jackson Guice, P. Craig Russell, Jim Starlin, David Mazzucchelli and Bill Sienkiewicz.
Nice throwback. Skrulls got nothin on those creepy Wraiths.