Secret Empire begins on Unlimited (issue 0 and Cap 16)

[Jimmy T]

It has now arrived on Unlimited.

I'm already event-fatigued from it.

If CWII didn't make you feel awful about all your heroes and the Marvel world storytelling, well, SE has already set the stage for a dystopian totalitarian dictatorship bereft of hope and joy and good guys fighting bad guys.

This has truly already gone on too long for the year it's taken to get here. And now it's 10 more issues of this, a glut of tie ins and crossover interjections of regular titles?

Just no. Where as I had pure disdain for the continuing story of CWII and it's boneheaded hammered issues that forced characters into molds to suit the story points, SE just seems to make me go 'naw, I think I'll just drop stuff for a while.'

I simply just don't want to read this! That's how I feel. I don't want to read *this* Marvel at all.
*yes, exclusions apply. they always do. the entire line is not garbage, but the brand certainly is

There is no other works, except for Thor, that I will buy for myself and share with others.

[Jimmy T]

Issue 1;

well, Spencer certainly does try and go all out. Unfortunately, the most I feel from reading this is depression, discontent, and sadness-sadness that this is again where Marvel decided to put their world 8 months after Civil War II. This could have been contained/constrained to Cap's books only, but no, you decided to wreak havoc all over your entire line.

I joke not that I think I could drop my Unlimited subscription and pick it up in 7 months again when Legacy starts. This stuff leaves me so burnt out and ruined reading it, that I don't have hope or belief in these 'heroes' at all anymore.

[Jimmy T]

I've read up through issue 3 of the main, but my quick (so very quick!! ) thoughts are this:

I'm not reading a single tie-in. No, I don't just mean the tie-in mini series, I mean the individual character issues that are tied into the main.

Just read the Cap Sam issue....it took 5 panels from issue 3 and expanded it out to 22 pages. Yawn.
The Doctor Strange was simply unreadable to me.
The latest Cap Steve issue...with the reporter getting locked away...is so downright miserable to read (meaning, how it makes me feel in reading the issue; miserable) that I simply don't want to continue with it.

So! If it's branded with Secret Empire, and it's not the next issue of the main, I think I'm skipping. Big, broad strokes here, I know. We'll see if I follow it.

I can handle reading through the main. Everything else? Just no. NO thank you at all!!!

[Perry]

I can suggest skipping it all, entirely, honestly.

There is some good stuff there, there is some bad stuff here and there is piles and piles of over-reaction stuff there as well.

Just read the last issue and move on I say.

Well no, there is something that happens in the second to last ... or was it third to last? ... anyway, there is something there that happens that leads to some current stuff, but really, nothing else "world changing" anyway.

Was it better than CWII ... yes. Miles better? No (and that is not a Miles Morales reference)
 

[Jimmy T]

I've stuck with it!!

Skipping all tie-ins, and anything that mentions Secret Empire

[Jeff]

I’ve been sticking with also but I’m getting a few tie-ins.

[Jimmy T]

Secret Empire 6-8;

Perry, you are probably ultimately right.

This is painful and god awful crap. It's a meandering mess of hardly controlled ideology analogs over pathetic blustering heroistic jingo. It's so bad, I have lost respect and admiration for Nick Spencer. I know I really enjoy reading The Fix, and I've been following Morning Glories, but I'm of a mind to sell off my MG stuff and walk. I am so incredibly disappointed in how utterly poor of a movement this is by Spencer, and by Marvel to go all in and sell their company to this event.

ESPECIALLY since they just do some universe wipe (again!) at the end of it to go on in whatever new editorial direction they saw fit to go with (which did eventually lead to Alonso being asked to walk (ie fired), so we now stuff is still not good at Marvel-and probably won't be for another 6 months as editorial and writers get new directions from CB.

But until then, with me 6 months behind, Marvel is garbage in this. This last issue, number 8, relied HEAVILY on what was going on with all the attached mini-series. Why? Because I have no f***ing idea what is going on. Instead of delivery more in story plot about what happened at Atlantis, or with this character, or that event, its assumed I know it as the story rolls on.

[Jeff]

I'm hoping the changes in leadership can get this train back on track.  Marvel has had an incredible decline the past year (in Unlimited time) and I find it a chore to read them.  Literally, painful for me to think about reading my Unlimited list.  I think that's one of the reasons I'm falling behind on my reading lists.

[Jimmy T]

Jeff ,I sometimes think about posting what I'm not reading on Unlimited.

[Perry]

Literally, painful for me to think about reading my Unlimited list.  I think that's one of the reasons I'm falling behind on my reading lists.

Lots of bad stuff out there for sure. But take heart, guys, there are lots and lots of good stuff coming right around the corner for you. Now I am not sure where MU is with these titles ... I am not on there yet  but I do know that come here soon, some of those ... questionable titles you may be reading or not reading start getting really good again. Such as -

Avengers at #675, okay, I don't think this is gonna get love from Jimmy (not a slam, buddy  ), but I am diggin' this.
Captain America gets the Mark Waid/Chris Samnee treatment starting with issue #695 (right after issue #25)
Daredevil gets, well, from what I hear this has been good. I need to find out myself, but yeah, this one should be safe now.
Defenders is the best Bendis has been in years. It helps it is small cast, but he also cares for these guys (gal) and it shows
Doctor Strange becomes an AMAZING read starting with issue #381 ... right after issue #26  , so be ready for that one!!
Iron Fist has been decent as a fighty-fighty book. Ed Brisson (Old Man Logan also) is holding steady. Not killin it, but good.
Jessica Jones - Just see my comment on Defenders and multiply the reasoning by 5. Bendis' creation and he nails it.
Marvel 2-In-1 is back and better than ever pretty fun right now. That should hit in about 3 months for you guys 
Moon Knight is another book that has been incredible for me. #188 starts the current grand run (after Lemire's #14)
Thanos ... oh Yeah! Lemire's run was pretty good, but Cates (Dr Strange also  ) takes this to new levels starting at #13
Thor ... Hahaha ... like I need to say ANYTHING about this one!! 

Those are my top 10 Marvel "Heroes" titles (plus DD ... man, I need to catch up on that), but most of these are really, really good right now. I mean, top of my list good and even the lesser on the list (MTIO and IF) still get my attention each issue.

There are also two good Mutant books around the corner ... if not out now for you MU guys to enjoy (and honestly, the only two Mutant titles you should even bother with IMHO) -

Astonishing X-Men is off to a great start. A little odd changing artists each issue, but at least they are talented ones. I really enjoyed the first arc of this and the first issue of this should be there now, if not in a week or two
and
Old Man Logan - I am still enjoying this. Maybe not AS good as Lemire's run, but Brisson, like I said above, is a decent enough writer. He is no Aaron or Cates  , but he can easily be in the same convo as Charles Soule 

Plus you guys also have some pretty cool mini series coming your way soon -

Phoenix: Rebir .... HAHAHAHAHA, no, I can't do it. Such shit. Stay away from this "rebirth" shit. Hahahaha. Okay, starting now -

Punisher Platoon- I'm an Ennis War Story whore and I can't wait to start this. Okay, another cheat as I haven't started yet, but come on, must be good, yeah? 
Spirits of Vengeance - Yeah, this will be hit or miss for you guys, but I dug it. I really did. A fun time waster!!
Old Man Hawkeye - A little longer wait for this one as it just now hit issue #2, but basically the prequel to the original Old Man Logan story. Good so far. And I can't tell you why yet until you read issue #2 
Tales of Suspense (speaking of Hawkeye) is a book that surprised me. Read it as a dare and was hooked pretty quick. You get Hawkeye and Bucky teaming up to hunt for ... (a Secret War Spoiler) ....

a live Black Widow

Dr. Strange Damnation - This will be an even longer wait for you guys as this is just starting this week, but the great Donny Cates takes his Doctor Strange on a mini-event and man, it looks soooo good. Ties in with Doc Strange title

And not to mention that Star Wars comics are still doing fine for me. Or at least Dr. Aphra is killing it still. I do need to also get caught up on the current v2 Vader, Poe and Star Wars proper. But hey, Thrawn #1 just came out so you get that down the line!!!

Yeah, I am really enjoying Marvel right now. A lot of them. And there are some that I fell off of (like Iron Man and Champions), some of them I am finding much better than before, if not worthy of going on my list above (Hulk), but most of Marvel has been good for at least 4 months now.

Just wait. You will see.
 

[Wringer]

pretty sad event.  especially since the only character who sounded reasonable/rational was PymTron in issue 4

[Perry]

pretty sad event. 

Sad is one word I would use. I have so many more 

Unlike others I had no problem with the event or the idea behind it, I mean come on, who thought that it would stick and unlikely change is always a part of comics (I never understood the vitriol behind all the crap over those two words that started it all), but it faltered pretty rapidly for me. Not Secret Wars II bad, by any means, but still not the powerful goodness it could have been. I think the time it took to finish effected my enjoyment level as well