Secret Wars Battle Report, Week Twenty-Three

Welcome back to the Battle Report! This week sees the sixth of nine Secret Wars issues come out, ends four more miniseries… and gets the first wave of post-Wars titles. But just because we know the Marvel Universe will survive, we can still enjoy the remainder of our time on Battleworld, and Bam Smack Pow will help readers budget out their crossover dollars.

Secret Wars #6

What happened: Valeria tries to complete her assignment to find the pre-Incursion refugees, but it eventually becomes too heretical for her, so she clues Peter Parker and Miles Morales in on how they can talk to the Molecule Man. Two versions of Reed Richards watch a charismatic leader called The Prophet raise an army of skeptics against Doom while Black Panther and Namor raid Dr. Strange’s sanctum for the Siege Courageous and an Infinity Gauntlet. Finally, Thanos learns that Doom had turned Ben Grimm into the Shield wall itself, and the titan convinces the Thing to stop being a wall and start being a clay giant marching north to tell Doom what time it is.

Was it good: The main series is a little slower than it used to be, but this issue had more action than the last, and the Thing-As-A-Wall bit was really creepy. (Sadly, the gorgeous cover poster of Thanos fighting zombies doesn’t reflect any of the plot inside. I do not care one bit. I want this poster.)

Is it necessary: Yep, it’s the main book and the only really essential read this summer.

Should you buy it: You should.

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

Old Man Logan #5

What happened: Logan meets up with a bunch of X-Men, agrees to lead the group against Doom, then blacks out and wakes up in post-Secret-Wars Manhattan.

Was it good: Yep. The series has been formulaic (Logan finds a new kingdom, Logan snikts some people, Logan bounces to the next kingdom), but the formula works.

Is it necessary: I don’t think so. This issue suggests Logan will be in the last battle, but he hasn’t been seen at all in the main series yet.

Should you buy it: Of the walk-around-Battleworld books, this one is the best. And the art is stellar. Pick it up.

Spider-Island #5

What happened: Agent Venom sacrifices himself to defeat the Spider Queen, and a dinosaur Thor makes Peter Parker the new Baron of Spider-Island, now populated by a spectrum of peaceful monsters.

Was it good: The epilogue seemed a little long, but the story of Venom’s heroism and death hit hard.

Is it necessary: Nope.

Should you buy it: Once you have bought Renew Your Vows, a good Spider-fan would enjoy this title.

1602: Witch Hunter Angela #4

What happened: To resurrect her lover, Serah, Angela kills the Enchantress and takes her place as Faerie Queen. She has to send Serah away for her own protection, but Serah finds a way to convince Shakespeare to write Angela in a way to preserve her for eternity.

Was it good: Gorgeous art, heartbreaking story, this book was so much better than Angela: Asgard’s Assassin.

Is it necessary: It’s not, and it doesn’t really fit with the Thor Angela we’ve seen in MODOK or the main book.

Should you buy it: Not the top recommendation, but keep it in mind. This is a really good book.

Siege #4

What happened: Brand’s team holds off the zombies (including an adorable move where Da Vinci enlightens the walking dead, who exclaim, “I’m a logical contradiction!” “Let’s lie down!”) while Thanos convinces Ben Grimm that he doesn’t need to be the Shield wall anymore and needs to wander up to Doom’s palace muttering, “It’s clobberin’ time.”

Was it good: Yes. This series was always pretty good, but this issue was the best yet, and it was a treat to see the dialogue line up so perfectly with the scene in Secret Wars where Thanos convinces Ben Grimm to walk away.

Is it necessary: Nope, none of the zombie titles have been.

Should you buy it: It’s not a top-choice book, but it’s not very far below that cut-off.

Essential Reading:

Really, just Secret Wars. Well done, Marvel.

Recommended Tie-ins:

A-Force, Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows, Captain Marvel And The Carol Corps, House Of M, Inferno, Inhumans: Attilan Rising, Marvel Zombies, Old Man Logan, Star-Lord & Kitty Pryde, Thors, X-Men ’92 (digital version), and Ms. Marvel or Silk (Last Days).

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

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

Books To Skip:

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

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