SECRET WARS & THE FUTURE

[Perry]

Okay, I have no idea how the other issues ... all those damn issues (50 or so in July?) ... will turn out, but THIS is how you write a massive event. This was very good for a first issue and my worries are, currently, washed away with the tide. The tide does come back in, however, so I am not totally sold until I read the next issue.
 

[Perry]

Having read issue #2 of this event, I just have to say ... wow.

The differences between the issues are ... vast in approach and tone, but they seem to blend so perfectly.

Issue #1 made you feel like you were on the bus from Speed, just flying though the city going 50 miles an hour. This is what Bendis was trying to do with Avengers Disassembled. But while Bendis' goal was to make us feel the chaos that the characters were feeling, it just came out cluttered and broken. Hickman however, jams all this action into one book, picking the most important parts to showcase, leaving us to dwell on most everything else unseen, while still pushing the story forward in a way we don't feel lost in the anarchy. There is no time to feel what the characters are feeling because we are in this story with them and things are just moving too damn fast. Yes, we feel part of it. We feel the end and it is coming in two minutes, so ... GO! ... GO!GO!GO!

That was issue #!

Issue #2 is actually the start of Secret Wars, but it is also the middle. We are coming in late to this party, but we didn't miss a thing. I won't (can't) say much about issue #2. It is rather hard to say anything without giving away a major aspect of the story. I will say that while this is one cover that does indeed tell part of the story that occurs on the inside (always nice when that happens ) it is only a part of the whole.

This issue is pure world building, but it does so with story, not just information. We have all seen the Battleworld map. This issue starts the process of bringing that more into focus. Light is shown on a few of the land borders, clarifying the names and history, only making the desire to see more grow stronger. There is little about the territories shown in this issue that was not figured out by looking at the Battleworld map. When you see a parcel of land labeled "The Eye of Agamotto", you can pretty much be assured that Dr. Strange is involved  , but still, getting more information on how a couple of these lands tie together is pretty cool, as well as the way in which they ... kind of work.

I won't say more. Well, I will say one more thing actually. While this is still way too early to call this Marvel's best event, I will say it is leaning that way, for me if no-one else. I am just loving this so far. It is still not as good as Civil War, but if it keeps this pace, this flow, this art and this writing, it will be a photo finish at the line. Of course it could also just fall into a pile of crap just as easy. So ....

Oh yeah, one more thing. I have never, even with Civil War, been tempted to buy any of the tie-in titles that go along with "event" books. I would only buy the tie-in if I already was getting the title in the first place. I never bought any of the supplementary titles or issues (at least that I can remember). I may have read a couple, but I have never laid good money down to buy them. This event has changed that. At the end of issue #2 I was already calculating what tie-in books I could afford to get and what books I needed to ask Dave about, to see what he was getting so I could read his copies. Yes, for the first time in my 50 years on this planet, I am going to buy event tie-in titles. And be happy about it.

All of them? No of course not, that would be crazy ... Right? Wouldn't it?

Right?

Help

 

EDIT - One thing of importance when reading this title. It is important to know that the Ultimate Universe is involved and so far at least, one of their characters plays an important role in this. Reed Richards from the Ultimate Universe. And in that Universe he is a major bad guy. If you didn't know that going in, you may be a little confused
 

[Jeff]

Yeah the issues in Ultimates where he became a bad guy were great reading.  You should check them out if you haven't.

[Perry]

Yeah the issues in Ultimates where he became a bad guy were great reading.  You should check them out if you haven't.

Yeppers, I stopped reading the Ultimates around ... I do't even remember. I read a little past "Ultimates 2", but not sure how far. I'm gonna get a bunch of Ultimate Universe stuff here soon though. I am assuming it will all be pretty cheap here soon. 

Want to also get into the Ult Spidey stuff. I stayed on for a looong time but left before it was set to end the first time. Was it Cataclysm or something before that? Heck, I've never even read any of the Miles stuff

[Perry]

So what did you think, Jeff?

[Jeff]

Love it.  Been waiting until I have more time to opine but didn't want to leave you hanging.  I can see how everything Huckmans been doing since his run on Fantastic Four could have been leading to this.  I'll be back with more because there is sooooo much to talk about.  Will be hard to not go back and grab all the tie ins.

[Perry]

Will be hard to not go back and grab all the tie ins.

That is my battle as well. 

[Jimmy T]

I think once you find that real shitty tie-in, you'll easily want to back off.

OR...it could be like during Infinite Crisis, where the main 4 minis (and the mini story that happened in a title) were all great! Or most of the Annihilation or Annihilation Conquest minis, too, were great...

Hmm...didn't sell you from NOT buying them all...hmm..

Let me know how it goes with them, then! 

[Perry]

Well, I am sure there will be some bad ones. But still looking forward to trying most of them to find out.   First time that has really hit me like that, that is what is so surprising.

EDIT - for books I know I will get in May

Inferno #1 (Dennis Hopeless)
Infinity Guantlet #1 (for the Dustin Weaver art if nothing else)
Inhumans: Attilan Rising #1 (Charles Soule)
Modok: Assassin #1 (Freakin Modok!!!  )
Old Man Logan #1 (First time around was a damn fun ride. Hoping Bendis comes strong)
A-Force #1 (Just to try. All female Avengers)
Master of Kung-Fu #1 (an entire region ruled by Martial artists? Hell yeah!!)
Planet Hulk #1 (Stan Humphries)
Ultimate End #1 (Bendis and Bagley ... doing what they do best! .... ??)
Battleworld #1 (no reason other than title)
Uncanny Avengers: Ultron Forever (Alan Davis writing and art)
Spiderverse #1(No reason other than title, again)

That's 12 that I know I will be getting (or reading  )

Deadpool and 2099 I think I will just wait on (or see if I can change Dave's mind about getting them  )

That's not too bad. June however, that month may get me killed or at least put me on the sofa for a solid week.   I told the wife this Tablet would help me with buying comics and not spending a lot. Well, the first part was right.
 

June has about 45 that I want, including THIS one 

[Jeff]

What happened to Future Imperfect?  I'm getting that one because....well, she knows stuff.

June has about 45 that I want, including THIS one 

LOL - I want this too.   

[Perry]

What happened to Future Imperfect?  I'm getting that one because....well, she knows stuff.

Issues 1 and 2 are hitting in June

[Jeff]

What happened to Future Imperfect?  I'm getting that one because....well, she knows stuff.

Issues 1 and 2 are hitting in June

Ah!

[Perry]

A-Force issue #1

Hmmmm, what to say, what to say ...?

This was a decent (not great) look into this all female team, but before I really get into this issue, allow me to say that I do hate that Hickman made it possible for every hero in the Marvel Universe to be able to call themselves Avengers. I remember fondly when it was a limited organization where only the best of the best were able to join. Heck, and even then they had a roster limit. This "come on in" Avengers way has never really at well with me in the first place, so bias may be an added point of distaste here. I mean Miss America? An Avenger? Really? But okay, enough of that.

This is one of the titles that will continue past Secret Wars. It will be an ongoing title well after the heroes return from Battleworld and once again battle the vile villains of this world ... errr ... their world. Having said that, this is NOT one of those first issues that would be considered a place to start if you are looking to seeing what the stories may be like when they do return from Battleworld. Sure, they briefly touch on some of the characters, some of them, but if you have not read Secret Wars #2, you will be lost like a mo-fo here. That is to be expected as this is a "tie-in", but not to be expected as a number one issue of an ongoing series. I am sure Marvel will reboot the numbering however, so all will be fine once this becomes a "new" title.

The story here was, well, kinda weak. Not at all as weak as the Planet Hulk issue #1 that I will try to talk about below, but in a way, also not as fun. My main problem may be another of those "Perry Nitpicks", but I think it is also a substantial problem with the writing.

Major spoiler
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Miss America is taken away by the Thor Corps (or whatever they are called) for violating the shield boundary when she threw a Megalodon out and away from their island of Arcadia (Not an all woman island, just so you know). Well panels later, when Nico (Sister Grimm for all you Runaways fans) is morning the loss of her friend, she sees a blue streak across the night sky and instantly thinks it is her friend returning? Miss America does not light up the sky when she flies. Why would Nico assume this is her? Sure, if she was the only flying character around this world, okay. But in a world where thousands upon thousands of people fly and some actually do give off light, why would she think this is Miss America? She wouldn't damn it! 

But maybe that is just my gripe, but the way this book is written, I don't know. There is also the deal with characters interrupting each other, yet with no ellipsis at the end of each comment, it gets confusing.

We are use to this, the proper way (this is just an example. Not in the book) -

Billy - "I don't think ..."
Tom - "That's right. You don't think."
Billy - "No, stop it. if we take the tank ..."
Tom - "Look, let me handle this, okay?"

But here we get -

Billy - "I don't think"
Tom - "That's right. You don't think."
Billy - "No, stop it. if we take the tank"
Tom - "Look, let me handle this, okay?"

You can see the difference, yeah? It isn't just me? Well that is the stle we get here and it bugs the shit out of me.

I'm not going to hold the entire issue as bad, it wasn't. And honestly I am thinking I will really enjoy this once it gets away from this nowhere universe. And I am still going to get this as I am hoping it does get better, but by in large, just an average, run of the mill comic. Only the art pushes it a point higher.

7 outta 10 - ancient sharks

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Planet Hulk issue #1

Crap, I will come back to this in a little bit. Edit it later.  Sorry 

[Jeff]

A-Force issue #1

Dang.  And I just bought this yesterday.

[Perry]

Well it's not crap  just didn't wow me is all. I am not giving up yet. I think it can rebound easily enough. Especially once the get back to Marvel Universe Proper