Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Secret Wars Part Eighteen

How’s this for timely and relevant…the two books I will look at after the break: Thors #2 and Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies #2, came out TODAY!  That should make up for my last Convergence post being two months overdue.  (Editor’s note: “No.”)  Dang.

Also, if you are like me and haven’t read all of Johnathon Hickman’s Avengers run leading up to Secret Wars, be sure to take Tom’s Road To Secret Wars course at gabbinggeekuniversity.com.  The reading materials are online here: Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7.

And that course is a prerequisite to the other parts of this series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

Thors #2

It’s the wake for Beta Ray Thor who was found dead last issue after talking to Loki and discovering the name of all the female murder victims: Jane Foster.  After toasts are made and mugs of mead are raised, Ultimate Thor only has one word to say.  “Vengeance!”

And with that the Thors reign down on all the zones of Battleworld looking for answers.  From Greenland, the domain of the Hulks to the domains over the Shield that house Ultron and the Marvel Zombies, no rock is unturned.  But they are no closer to finding Beta Ray Thor’s killer.

The next day Ultimate Thor continues his investigation, looking for the Jane Foster of another domain.  He discovers she has been missing for months and that another Thor came and took her belongings.  A Mighty Thor.  Could this be original recipe Thor (as Tom calls him)?  Long blond hair?  Check.  Lack of shirt?  Check.  Disgraced and often drunk?  Check and check.  Some kind of metallic left arm since Thor’s was torn off in Thor #1?  Check.  Everything seems to check out.

The two Thors talk and of course battle briefly, as is tradition of super hero meet ups.  Mighty Thor is not very forthcoming with answers and tells Ultimate Thor to forget he ever heard the name Jane Foster or he will end up disgraced as well.

The battle ends as Ultimate Thor is summoned to another murder scene.  This one is the same as the Foster murders.  Person was killed months ago and moved there recently.  But there is one difference, this one is male.  And identified as…Donald Blake.  Well known alter ego of the 616 Thor, but not familiar to other Thors.

But the Thors are not alone as they investigate the crime scene and Ultimate Thor uses a crash of lightening to stop their first suspect: Loki.

Age of Ultron vs. Marvel Zombies #2

For a book involving zombies and killer robots this one is a little light on action.  But like the actionless Secret Wars #3, the story is enough to keep things interesting.

We have two main stories and one small side story which I’ll get out of the way first.  It seems that the 1872 Janet Van Dyne has abandoned her post on the Shield and a Sentinel has taken her and dropped her off where he left Hank Pym in the last issue.

Main story number one involves Vision, original Human Torch Jim Hammond and Wonder Man escorting 1872 Hank Pym to their home of Salvation.  Since Hank is from the Old West the cyborgs and iconic Simon Williams have a hell of a time explaining who and what they are to Hank.  Origins of each character that echo the 616 are shared and we learn that the three were agents of Ultron but rebelled against him.

And now they want Hank Pym to help them defeat Ultron since Hank Pym created Ultron.  But not this Hank Pym…so he has about 150 years of scientific advancements to catch up on.  But he has some time to learn as the zombies and Ultrons are always fighting each other.

Meanwhile, in main story number two, the zombies and Ultrons have agreed to an alliance and will no longer always be fighting each other.  Uh oh.