Secret Wars Battle Report, Week Thirteen

Welcome back to the Battle Report! In a brief reprieve, Marvel has reduced the tie-ins to a mere six this week, plus one reprint of digital material. Which of them meet our recommendation standards?

Thors #2

What happened: The Thors, reeling from the murder of Beta Ray Thor, rough up innocent losers across Battleworld. Ultimate Thor follows the lead that versions of Jane Foster are being found dead, ultimately fighting the axe-wielding Odinson and finding Loki on the final page.

Was it good: Pick Of The Week good. Doom, this book could stand on its own.

Is it necessary: The Thors are present in almost every Secret Wars book, and this is a great exploration of their identity as a group. If it’s not “necessary,” it’s the very next thing.

Should you buy it: Absolutely. You will not regret buying this book.

M.O.D.O.K. Assassin #3

What happened: M.O.D.O.K. and Angela tear through the assassins of Killville, taking out Elektra, the Punisher, Typhoid Mary, Hit Monkey, the Scarlet Spider, and a host of other great cameo characters before running afould of an army of Dr. Strange’s Mindless Ones on the final page.

Was it good: It was the light, silly violence of the best Deadpool stories.

Is it necessary: No, it’s an underpromoted comedy book. Angela has appeared in Guardians Of Knowhere and her own title without ever mentioning this.

Should you buy it: No.

Age Of Ultron Vs. Marvel Zombies #2

What happened: 1862 Hank Pym gets to know the safe haven built by the android Human Torch, Wonder Man, and the Vision as Ultron begins a frightening alliance with Magneto, uniting the monsters beyond the Shield wall for the devastation of Battleworld.

Was it good: It redeems Robinson for his awful Armor Wars series. This book is tense, scary, and creative.

Is it necessary: Again, it has characters that could be from other books, but none of those books seem to know that, and if the alliance was all that ominous, we’d see it mentioned in Marvel Zombies or the main series.

Should you buy it: No, if you want a zombie book, go for Spurrier’s Marvel Zombies.

1602: Witch Hunter Angela #2

What happened: Angela and Serah keep hunting Faustian monsters like Venom, this time aided by delightful historic reimaginations of the latest Guardians Of The Galaxy.

Was it good: Very much so. The art was gorgeous, the silly extravagance of the language was played for self-aware laughs, and the love story between Angela and her girlfriend is a welcome example of nuanced queer representation.

Is it necessary: No.

Should you buy it: It just doesn’t crack top-tier, but this issue was markedly better than the first, so try to put it on hold at your store and see if issue three bumps it up. Odds are good; Attilan Rising has been losing steam.

Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars #3

What happened: Deadpool continues a cheeky adventure through the cruddy 1980’s Secret Wars miniseries, this time trying on the alien costume that will later become Venom.

Was it good: It was so funny!

Is it necessary: Absolutely not. It has nothing to do with the modern Secret Wars, and that’s half of the joke of this tie-in.

Should you buy it: No, save the humor books for the extra cash you may find.

Black Widow #20 (Last Days)

What happened: On the day of the last Incursion, the Black Widow remembers a tough mission in Cuba and uses the heroic rescues she’s doing in New York to balance the ledger a little.

Was it good: As a Black Widow story, absolutely.

Is it necessary: As a Secret Wars story? They never say Incursion. She could literally be doing anything else heroic and get the same story. She could be helping an old lady cross the street. She could be returning an ATM card someone dropped.

Should you buy it: You should have already been buying Black Widow because it’s awesome. But don’t jump on here, gang.

X-Men ’92 #2 (Print)

What happened: As we saw in the digital issues 3 and 4, Cassandra Nova fights Wolverine, Storm, Gambit, and Rogue.

Was it good: The digital version is darn near perfect in the quick action, clever humor, and frightening visuals. The print version is fine but the pages look very cluttered in an attempt to get the most out of a format that exists to not be print.

Is it necessary: No, this is a great story for X-Men fans but doesn’t affect much of the rest of Battleworld.

Should you buy it: Only if you didn’t get the digital version. And I highly recommend getting the digital version.

Current title breakdown for Marvel’s Secret Wars crossover event:

Essential Reading:

Really, just Secret Wars. Well done, Marvel.

Recommended Tie-ins:

A-Force, Captain Marvel And The Carol Corps, Thors, Secret Wars Journal, Old Man Logan, X-Men ’92 (digital version), Inferno, Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, Star-Lord & Kitty Pryde, and Marvel Zombies, with Inhumans: Attilan Rising on the bubble.

Good Books That Just Don’t Make Top-Tier:

Captain Britain And The Mighty Defenders, Siege, Spider Island, Age Of Apocalypse, Runaways, Squadron Sinister, Civil War, Master Of Kung Fu, Ghost Racers, 1872, Spider-Verse, Secret Wars 2099, Giant-Size Little Marvel: AVX, M.O.D.O.K. Assassin, Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars, X-Tinction Agenda, Red Skull, Ultimate End, Secret Wars: Battleworld, Korvac Saga, Where Monsters Dwell, Infinity Gauntlet, Age Of Ultron Vs. Marvel Zombies, X-Men ’92 (print version), 1602 Witch Hunter Angela, and Weirdworld

Books To Skip:

Guardians Of Knowhere, Hail Hydra, Armor Wars, Mrs. Deadpool And The Howling Commandos, Future Imperfect, Years Of Future Past, E Is For Extinction, Planet Hulk, and any of the Last Days titles you weren’t already reading.

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