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Secret Wars #2 of 8 (Spoilers)
David_D
Posts: 3,881
This series is totally bananas. In a good way.
I love how different, at least so far, Battleworld, and this series, is from what I expected.
We've been seeing the Battleworld map for months now. And I figured that a lot of the different places in it would be isolated. That, basically, spreading out these different territories is just a way to give the different, greatest-hits-story lands a place to be. Like the different lands within Disney World's Magic Kingdom, let's say (I didn't realize the irony of that analogy at first). That you can basically walk from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland, and the border between them is arbitrary. It is just a transition from one genre or flavor of thing to another.
But what we is revealed in this issue is that Battleworld is actually all about borders. It is basically Hickman and Ribic doing a sort of giant, Game of Thrones' Westeros made out of Marvel Universe characters and ideas. And over the top of all of this-- ruling it, demanding order and worship, and perhaps even having struck a deal with the Beyonders to create it, is Doom. So instead of just being a kind of theme park (or video game) map of 'go here if you want this. Go there if you want that...', we are getting a set up that is all about power struggles and competing agendas. And we get Doom on the 'iron throne', and Thors as the watchers on the wall.
It's crazy. But so far, it totally works. A lot of this issue is expository, but I feel like they have enough mystery and story going on, and a smart selection of narrative characters, that the tour through Battleworld feels story driven rather than a data dump. It is a big, meaty read, this issue. Looks gorgeous. A lot of great designs, as there is a medieval flavor (or, perhaps, Doom-style flavor) that ties the different character designs together. And while I don't expect the execution of all the tie-ins to be as strong as the main series, it has been a long time since an event book has made me want to read so many of the tie-ins. Partly because they all have this big, exciting sand box to play in. As well as a very grounded (literally grounded) reason for the books set in the different parts of Battleworld to be able to make sense in relation to each other.
Great stuff. Give me the next one.
I love how different, at least so far, Battleworld, and this series, is from what I expected.
We've been seeing the Battleworld map for months now. And I figured that a lot of the different places in it would be isolated. That, basically, spreading out these different territories is just a way to give the different, greatest-hits-story lands a place to be. Like the different lands within Disney World's Magic Kingdom, let's say (I didn't realize the irony of that analogy at first). That you can basically walk from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland, and the border between them is arbitrary. It is just a transition from one genre or flavor of thing to another.
But what we is revealed in this issue is that Battleworld is actually all about borders. It is basically Hickman and Ribic doing a sort of giant, Game of Thrones' Westeros made out of Marvel Universe characters and ideas. And over the top of all of this-- ruling it, demanding order and worship, and perhaps even having struck a deal with the Beyonders to create it, is Doom. So instead of just being a kind of theme park (or video game) map of 'go here if you want this. Go there if you want that...', we are getting a set up that is all about power struggles and competing agendas. And we get Doom on the 'iron throne', and Thors as the watchers on the wall.
It's crazy. But so far, it totally works. A lot of this issue is expository, but I feel like they have enough mystery and story going on, and a smart selection of narrative characters, that the tour through Battleworld feels story driven rather than a data dump. It is a big, meaty read, this issue. Looks gorgeous. A lot of great designs, as there is a medieval flavor (or, perhaps, Doom-style flavor) that ties the different character designs together. And while I don't expect the execution of all the tie-ins to be as strong as the main series, it has been a long time since an event book has made me want to read so many of the tie-ins. Partly because they all have this big, exciting sand box to play in. As well as a very grounded (literally grounded) reason for the books set in the different parts of Battleworld to be able to make sense in relation to each other.
Great stuff. Give me the next one.
Comments
This Secret Wars might be another riff on Moore's Twilight of the Superheroes pitch with a soupçon of Age of Apocalypse, but it's probably the best one I've seen so far. And best of all in this issue, we got a Mister Sinister who is so clearly Dr Frank-N-Furter, as intended.
I love everything about this set-up, and I really wish I could let myself buy some of the tie-ins, but I'm trying to avoid them on principle of their price points.
I like what Doom has done in giving himself everything Reed Richards had that he never did. It seems like good fodder for layered, complex characterization. Is it just jealousy? Or did he believe Reed was dead and therefore take it upon himself to take care of Reed's family?
All of this is so interesting, seeing this composite world Doom made, what he did for the Marvel Universe. He set himself up as a god-emperor, sure, but he did it for the good of saving something of the multiverse. And it seems like it's working out.
My only complaint, as @David_D pointed out, is the Game of Thrones influence. A little too heavy and "on-the-nose" for my taste. A minor quibble, considering how awesome Issue #2 is.
"Here, I can build."
"I found it...beneath me."
Also has the X-Men vs Avengers mini.
Lots of classic Avengers at a reasonable price too!!
His FF run is reflected in his Ultimates run, his Ultimates run is reflected in his Avengers run, and Secret Wars is a grand reflection on all three. His Ultimate Reed Richards/The Maker was already a reflection of 616-Doctor Doom (scarred face, covered by a metal mask, supreme vanity in thinking he is always the one in the right), and now in Secret Wars, with "our" Doom as the saviour of worlds, we have him opposed by a Reed Richards aligned with a team of cosmic nihilists.
And presumably as they had stolen 616-Reed's design to survive, the inference is that he also survived (along with Thor, Starlord, Black Panther, Capt Marvel and possibly Spidey, Cyclops, Sue, Ben, Johnny and the FF children).
But to be fair, though the setting is filled with alternate versions, the Cabal that came out of that ship is from the 616. It is the 616 Doom playing god. The 616 Doctor Strange is active. And I expect that Reed, T'Challa and others from the 616 will end up being the major players in this. Like the original Secret Wars, they have gone to a different place. Unlike the original, the denizens of that place are these fun, designed alternates instead of arbitrary aliens. But I think this is still a Marvel Universe (Character) story, just as the original SW was. And is taking place in the MU as much as the original did.
I've liked it a lot as a finale to Hickman's Avengers' but after reading his Ultimates and the finale of his Fantastic Four (which this issue is a direct sequel to), I love it even more. The scale of his endeavour is jaw dropping, but I wonder if that will come across if you only read Secret Wars.
Glad I was wrong.
But don't get too high on your horse that you miss out on the disposable hilarity that is Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars! There is enough room in the longbox to enjoy both the "high" and the "low" art.
Secret Wars is the end of an era. I'm sure it will set up some things to come but FCBD issues show a Marvel Universe simiar to what we've seen before and not the Doom of Thrones we are seeing currently.
What consequences did Hyperion receive for his part in all this?
Hickman does such a great drop of bringing that same sort feeling with modern flair. He is bringing all his new ideas and meshing those with the grand daddy of Marvel events. At the end of the day this boils down to Dr. Doom vs the Beyonder with the heroes/villains caught in the middle.
I know why Marvel choose these universe to explore, but I am curious why Doom would choose these worlds to use to craft his Battleworld. Or is Hickman dipping back to Secret Wars again by giving Doom the fatal flaw exposed in the original series. No matter perfect a world he creates a way to trip himself up.
I really don't want to see Doom fail. Hopefully he will figure out how not to loose.
I'm worried about the release schedule. I'm hearing #4 has dropped two weeks and #5 has dropped 6 weeks. Because of this a lot of the tie ins have also dropped due the content within.
I really hope they pull this together and keep up a regular release schedule.