Civil War Journal – Week Thirteen

Civil War claims to cross into five new issues this week. But you’re going to have a hard time justifying three of them. Bam Smack Pow can help you pick!

Welcome back to Civil War Journal, Bam Smack Pow’s weekly recap column of all things Civil War II. This week has five tie-ins, but I’d argue only two of them count.

More from Comics

• X-Men: 6 reasons why Marvel’s mutants are the best superhero team
• Harley Quinn renewed for a fifth season on Max (and it’s well-deserved)
• Marvel Comics announces seven important X-Men comic books
• The X-Men were betrayed by Captain America in Uncanny Avengers
• Spider-Man: Miles and Peter team-up for their first ongoing series

Previously: Captain Marvel’s use of Inhuman Unlysses’s visions to map out strategy has the Marvel Universe questioning her ethics.

Captain America: Steve Rogers #4

What happened? As far as Civil War II is concerned, there is one panel where Captain America mentions the heroes don’t trust each other any more. Then there’s a panel showing that Kobik is the Cube Thanos was looking for when he killed War Machine. And there’s a panel of Ulysses looking scared, like he maybe saw Captain America as a Hydra agent. (Or he just read some of the Internet backlash.)

Was it good? Oh, it’s a great issue. Of Captain America: Steve Rogers. It has practically nothing in common with Civil War II.

Recommendation: Don’t read this. It may tie in soon, but we will be sure to let you know. I mean, read it. It’s a great issue of a great series. But the Civil War II banner is as much a lie as Captain America’s retconned backstory these days.

Captain Marvel #8

What happened? Carol’s board of directors and teammates are uncomfortable with her use of Inhuman intel to stop catastrophes, but they can’t argue with her results. She’s working on techniques to beef up relevant data in Ulysses’s visions. And she has a tough conversation with Hawkeye about what his murder means for her cause.

Was it good? Very. This is the book Bendis should be writing, a thoughtful exploration of a difficult ethical topic from the less popular point of view.

Recommendation: If I thought you could read this instead of Civil War II, I would suggest that. And I still kind of suggest that.

New Avengers #15

What happened? Umm, Sunspot and his team fight the evil Reed Richards. It has nothing to do with Civil War II whatsoever.

Was it good? Yes, this is a good book. But it’s baffling as a tie-in.

Recommendation: Nope, if you’re only reading this for the tie-in value, you could have jumped off last issue. We’ll let you know if you need to come back.

Venom: Space Knight #11

What happened? Venom came back from space to help Captain Marvel, and now he’s fighting Spider-Man for reasons unrelated to Civil War II.

Was it good? This book hasn’t been great, but bringing it back to Earth has helped a lot. It’s a good fight.

Recommendation: Nope. This adds nothing to your Civil War II experience.

Deadpool #17

What happened? The synopsis page says, “What about Ulysses? Uh… pretend this whole issue is something being foreseen by the profiler’s super-powers… and he didn’t care enough to change it.”

Was it good? No. It’s not only irrelevant, it’s unfunny.

Recommendation: Remember when the first couple issues were a great hidden gem? I hate this book now and wish I had never read those issues.

There was also the first print collection of Civil War II: Ulysses, but these issues have been covered in their digital form.

This crossover is infuriating. There are still four more issues of the main book to go, and more than half the tie-ins have stopped even trying to connect. Adding “Civil War II” to the cover of New Avengers and Deadpool is unethical, and adding it to Venom and Steve Rogers is at best a mistake.

Tie-In Round-Up:

Recommended: The main series, of course, with preludes from the zero issue and the Free Comic Book Day pages. Also The Accused, All-New Wolverine, Captain America: Sam Wilson, Captain Marvel, Civil War II: Ulysses, Ms. Marvel, and Uncanny Inhumans.

Good but not top tier: A-Force, All-New All-Different Avengers, Captain America: Steve Rogers, Civil War II: Amazing Spider-Man, Civil War II: Choosing Sides (but only the Damage Control story and the Whitley/Sauvage eulogy for War Machine), Civil War II: Gods Of War, Civil War II: X-Men, Deadpool until issue 15, The Fallen, International Iron Man, Invincible Iron Man, Mockingbird, Nova, New Avengers, Patsy Walker AKA: Hellcat, Power Man And Iron Fist, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Woman, Squadron Supreme, Totally Awesome Hulk, The Ultimates, Venom

Not good: Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., the bulk of Civil War II: Choosing Sides, Civil War II: Kingpin, Deadpool after issue 15

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