The end is near for Secret Wars (well, there is still a month to go), but not for my write ups. Sigh. So much to do. Anyway, last week finally saw the release of Secret Wars #7 Part Two aka Secret Wars #8. I believe that only leaves the following for this long, long event:
Ultimate End #5 – December 16th
Secret Wars #9 – January 13th, 2016
After the break I’ll take a look at that penultimate Secret Wars issue as well as play some catch-up with the following books: Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars #3, Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows #3, Red Skull #2, Silver Surfer #15 and X-Men ’92 (Infinite) #6
Be sure to check out our latest Secret Wars Power Rankings, which also features links to the other parts of my read through.
Secret Wars #8
Remember how issue #7 felt like half an issue? Well, that’s because it essentially was. Originally issue #7 was supposed to be double-sized, but when Marvel realized that the gap between issues #6 and #7 was going to be 2.5 months, they decided to split it in two and release the first half “early” and release the second half as issue #8 last week.
This issue continues the all out assault on Doom’s castle. Since this book has been so massively delayed, and the new Marvel Universe has already launched, it’s pretty clear any deaths in this series don’t mean a whole lot. Cyclops and Dr. Strange are battling away in the X-books or Doc’s own series. With that said, Hickman seems to have free reign to kill as he pleases. And he does here. And most deaths are swift without much resistance.
Giant Ben “The Shield” Grimm kills The Maestro. (Well, we assume he’s dead, but probably not, but does it matter? Maestro is another character that has already shown up in the All-New All-Different Marvel Universe.) Galactus squishes Terrax. Ben Grimm realizes that the Galactus he is fighting is being controlled by Franklin Doom/Richards and refuses to fight back and is killed.
Eventually Doom has seen enough and finally takes to the battlefield where he is confronted by Thanos. They have a nice chat about having the power of God and Thanos says that when he had the Infinity Gauntlet he was a better God than Doom could ever be. To which Doom responds, “Do you have an Infinity Gauntlet now?” Which he of course does not, and then Doom reaches into his body and tears out his skeleton. So long Thanos.
A lot of these deaths happened so quickly it was surprising given the buildup. That said, the death of Thanos just put on exclamation mark on the power of Doom. With all that power though, Doom seems pretty upset when the Marvel Zombies make their way through the Siege Perilous to join the battle. He should probably be more worried about Namor and Black Panther…who IS sporting an Infinity Gauntlet.
Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars #3
It’s more “insert Deadpool into the original Secret Wars” madness that I hope no one really considers canon because that would just be all wrong. This issue is not as tied to the overall structure of the original series as the first two issues, but still manages to cover key events from issues #8-9 with Deadpool doing his best to play the hero.
And of course, given the cover image, Deadpool comes across the machine that gives Spider-Man his black symbiote costume. Which according to this revisionist history might not have worked out so bad for Peter Parker if Deadpool hadn’t “played” with it first:
The book jumps back and forth in time to the events in those issues to the “now” which is occurring after Doom has wiped out the heroes at the conclusion of issue #11. And with the help of Deadpool’s healing factor Mr. Fantastic just might be able to resurrect them all.
Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows #3
And speaking of that black Spider-Man costume…
Now that Regent knows that Spider-Man is alive and well, he wants his powers. They are special, above all others. As usual. Peter is always being prophesied to be the Marvel Universes greatest hero.
But right now he is busy trying to be the Marvel Universes greatest dad. He visits the Terrible Tinkerer to buy inhibitor chips to keep his family safe from Regent. But the Tinkerer sells him out and calls in the Sinister Six. Dr. Octupus arrives ahead of his companions and as is the tone of this series, Spider-Man deals with him more violently than we are used to seeing. When the rest of the Six arrive, Kraven realizes that Spider-Man is not buying the inhibitors to protect himself, but his family. After a few quick calls Regent announces to the city that the school Spider-Man was recently spotted at will have mandatory screening for all students and their families. “All abnormalities must be identified and tagged.”
The next morning the Parkers pass through the scanners undetected as the inhibitor chips Peter “purchased” are working. But then alarms sounds. It’s not for them, but for another mutant who has been discovered. One of the Powers children (of Power Pack fame). At first Peter wants to run and hide his family but Annie convinces him that enough is enough and he needs to be the hero she knows him to be. One quick change later and it is Spider-Man versus the Sinister Six. But in doing so Peter has left Annie and MJ unprotected and they are quickly captured.
Red Skull #2
The Red Skull is alive and well and saves Magneto from falling victim to the horde of Marvel Zombies. And like pretty much every other major villain on Battleworld he has designs to overthrow Doom. But he needs Magneto’s help. Correct that, he needs a full powered Magento’s help, not one wearing a collar that is stunting his powers. So off the duo go to visit Annihilus, leader of the Annihilation Wave.
The Skull proposes a plan where the Annihilation Wave attack The Shield as a diversion while the Skull and Magneto attack The Shield where he has found it to be weakest. Annihilus and Magneto think him mad, but when the Skull removes the mutants inhibitor collar and Magneto displays his full power, the plan is sealed.
Silver Surfer #15
Back in July, I was pretty stoked by Silver Surfer #13. Unlike most (all?) of the Last Days tie-ins, this book seemed like it might have some relevance moving forward. It occured after the last incursion when Surfer and his companion Dawn Greenwood escaped to some “white space” safe from the destruction of the multiverse. It talked about Battleworld and the cosmic entity Eternity showed up with the face of doom. The final splash page had a giant sized Shaper of Worlds show up and Surfer and Dawn are given the power to recreate the universe.
And you know what came of that? Nothing. I’m not surprised, but was disappointed, and another opportunity to meld the main series and the tie-ins bites the dust. At the end of the day, Surfer and Dawn have to choose between the new universe they’ve made and the one controlled by Doom where Battleworld resides. Surfer refuses to pick the Doom controlled one, but he doesn’t have to worry about it for long:
X-Men ’92 (Infinite) #6
As the battle rages on at Clear Mountain, Psylocke and Professor X pay a visit to Baron Kelly. He finds their accusations about Cassandra Nova and Clear Mountain outlandish and orders their arrest.
Back at Clear Mountain, Cable and his X-Force have tracked down Cassandra Nova and the brainwashed Gambit, Rouge and Wolverine. And then…a whole lot of talking. Nova has designs on taking over the domain. She has set Cable and his team up as the ones that have sent the Ten-Sentinel to kill Baron Kelly. She then offers whomever among the Rej-X can capture Cable will become a Thor. Cue the battle. Which doesn’t last long as Cyclops and Jean Grey have escaped the mindscape with the help of Storm and they turn the tide of the conflict.
Elsewhere, Psylocke and Professor X are being taking away in restraints…when the Ten-Sentinel shows up to fulfill it’s programming and kill Baron Kelly.
Unlike Secret Wars #7, I think we can positively identify every character on the cover of Secret Wars #8.