Secret Wars Battle Report, Week Four

Welcome back to the Battle Report! The tie-ins are up to nine this week, and they’re starting to connect to one another much more. None of them are bad yet, but some seem more relevant than others or are great enough comics to merit your four bucks this week. As always, your pals at Bam Smack Pow will help you sort out which ones you need to follow Marvel’s summer crossover.

Inferno #1

What happened: In a kingdom where the X-Men never beat the demons in the Inferno crossover, this island of Manhattan has been encased in a magic dome. Every year, on the anniversary of the fight, Colossus is allowed to take a team to rescue his sister, Magik, but this year, he finds she is actually Darkchilde, Queen of Limbo, and has no interest in going back to him. Luckily, Madelyn Pryor and her Goblin Prince, Havok, show up on the last page to offer some dubious assistance.

Was it good: Very good. Dennis Hopeless has a good grasp on who these characters were during the crossover and develops them in ways that feel genuine. And it’s great to see Jean Grey alive, even if it’s in that red and yellow X-Factor costume.

Is it necessary: No, it’s pretty standalone.

Should you buy it: It’s not a must-have for the crossover, but X-fans will love it.

(Check out Bam Smack Pow’s review here!)

Infinity Gauntlet #1

What happened: In a world ravaged by truly horrific bugs, a young girl on the run finds an Infinity Gem. She wishes for her mother to return from a tour of duty as part of the Nova Corps, but she catches the attention of Thanos in so doing.

Was it good: Yes. The bugs were scary, and the sad girl was textured and realistic.

Is it necessary: No.

Should you buy it: Cosmic story fans will enjoy it, but if you’re just trying to read Secret Wars, I’d let this one slide.

(Check out Bam Smack Pow’s review here!)

Inhumans: Attilan Rising #1

What happened: Doom commands Medusa, ruler of Attilan, to get to the bottom of a group of rebels called the Voice Unheard. Led by a Ghost Rider straight out of The Untouchables, they have been dodging Thors and liberating suppressed populations like the Hulks of Greenland.

Was it good: Yes. The Prohibition Ghost Rider is codenamed G-Man. It’s terrific and silly and then surprisingly dark.

Is it necessary: I’m going to say yes. Doom is in a lot of this, and the Inhumans are high-profile given their increasing role in Marvel Cinematics.

Should you buy it: Yes.

M.O.D.O.K. Assassin #1

What happened: In Killville, lead assassin M.O.D.O.K. is playing his neighbors (the mutants of House Of M to the west, the sentinels of Days Of Future Past to the east, and 2099 to the south) against one another, reveling in the killing he gets to do. But when Angela crashes out of the sky, the organism designed only for killing finds he has fallen in love with a member of the Thor Corps.

Was it good: Yes. It was silly and surprising, and I stayed invested in a main character I usually tolerate as a comic relief bit player.

Is it necessary: Oh, gosh, no. But it’s the funniest tie-in so far.

Should you buy it: No. But I bet you’ll like it if you do.

Old Man Logan #1

What happened: In The Wastelands, Logan and Danielle Cage are raising a baby Hulk. He busts up a ring of human traffickers in Santa Fe, then finds an Ultron head launched from over The Shield. After getting some advice from Emma Frost, he decides to break Doom’s law and cross The Shield himself.

Was it good: Yes! It was Pick Of The Week this week.

Is it necessary: Not obvious yet, but it’s one of the company’s biggest writers on one of its biggest characters, and the plot is set to move this man around several of the Battleworld kingdoms. I think it will end up very close to the main story.

Should you buy it: Yes. It’s terrific. It’s the best tie-in so far.

(Check out Bam Smack Pow’s review here!)

Secret Wars 2099 #1

What happened: Hercules and future versions of Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Iron Man foil a jewel heist on behalf of Spider-Man 2099, the CEO of Alchemax. In this world, corporations control the super hero game.

Was it good: Yes. It will please fans of the original 2099 titles and carries the same tone as the recent excellent Spider-Man 2099 relaunch.

Is it necessary: No.

Should you buy it: No.

Secret Wars Journal #1

What happened: In the first story, Kate Bishop leads fellow Young Avengers Hulkling and Wiccan through a Robin Hood world, but when the Punisher Sheriff catches her, he exiles her to The Shield. In the second story, a group of X-Men are slaves in Egyptia. They want to assassinate the goddess Khonshu and gain freedom, but they lose a battle against a bunch of werewolves dressed as Moon Knight mummies.

Was it good: Oh, yes. The first story was light and fun, and the second was darkly creative.

Is it necessary: Well, Kate is sent to the same fate we saw for Miss America Chavez in A-Force last week, and the footnote says we can follow her story in Siege. If it’s not “necessary,” it’s at least well-connected.

Should you buy it: Yes. It’s a great read and seems more relevant to the main story than last week’s Battleworlds.

Where Monsters Dwell #1

What happened: Lovable lout Karl Kaufman is hired to fly mysterious Clementine Franklin-Cox across the Far East kingdom, but a storm pushes them into the dinosaurs of the Valley Of Flame next door.

Was it good: Yes. Garth Ennis has a thoroughly charming and awful lead in his self-absorbed pilot, and the pacing of the issue was phenomenal.

Is it necessary: No.

Should you buy it: I hate to say it, but no, if you’re budgeting your comic dollars, this wouldn’t make the cut.

(Check out Bam Smack Pow’s review here!)

X-Men ‘92 #1 (Digital First)

What happened: In the kingdom of Westchester, the team of X-Men from the 90’s cartoon get attacked by Sentinels at a mall. Senator Kelly, now Baron Kelly in charge of the land, asks the team to check out the Clear Mountain Institute for wayward mutants who want to reform from supervillainy. When the Blackbird touches down, the team is greeted by Institute Director Cassandra Nova.

Was it good: Very. Cassandra Nova is one of my least-favorite X-Men ideas ever, but the joy of this book had my heart open to her. The cartoon is pretty awful, and I don’t recommend anyone ever watching it again, but the tone was fun, the team lineup was perfect, and this book brought in everything that was good about being twelve and watching cartoons on a Saturday morning.

Is it necessary: Ha ha ha, no, the digital comic about a cartoon show is not actually all that important in a series Hickman event.

Should you buy it: No.

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