Preview: Secret Empire #1 From Marvel

Marvel Comics has provided a preview of the first issue of their Captain America super-mega crossover event, Secret Empire.

It has been a tough couple of years for Marvel and their big event titles that they use to sell comics.

Original Sin, Monsters Unleashed, Civil War II, Standoff and Axis were all huge letdowns for both readers and retailers, with many of the issues now taking up space in quarter bins everywhere. You can attribute it to event fatigue or lack of interest or just unentertaining storytelling, but Marvel seems to have lost their touch when it comes to the crossover event.

Both Marvel and their fans are really, really hoping they can reverse the trend with Secret Empire.

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

Secret Empire takes the whole Captain America “Hail Hydra” storyline and widens the scope to include the entire Marvel Universe. Evil Cap is ready to lead the forces of Hydra in a takeover pf the world and only the heroes of the world can stop him.

And for the first time in what seems like forever, Secret Empire will also include the X-Men in more than a supporting role.

Like Marvel super-mega crossover events of the past, Secret Empire will begin in a Free Comic Book Day special (that won’t be available digitally for reasons I will never understand) as well as a zero issue that will go on sale April 19. But the real action will get rolling in Secret Empire #1 on sale in May.

Secret Empire #1 will be written by event architect Nick Spencer with art by Steve McNiven, one of three artists working on the miniseries. This is apparently how Marvel intends to avoid the delays that plagued Civil War II and Secret Wars. And while I have avoided Marvel events for years now, Secret Empire may just pique my interest enough for me to pick up the first issue.

From the Marvel solicitation:

"The Marvel Universe is under siege from within. Due to the manipulations of the Red Skull, Captain America, secretly a true believer in the cause of Hydra, uses the trust and respect he has gained over the years to ascend to a position where he can enact Hydra’s ideals. But now, the dominos of his master plan will begin to fall! Ask yourself, what if your greatest ally was secretly your greatest enemy?Now, the rise of Hydra stands as a rallying cry for the heroes across the Marvel Universe. Avengers, Champions, Guardians, Defenders, X-Men, Spider-Man, Deadpool and more must unite. Put aside their differences and come together as one. The first and last line of defense against Hydra!"

Must Read: Preview: Jean Grey #1 From Marvel

Secret Empire #1 goes on sale at comic shops and digitally on May 3 with a cover by Mark Brooks. It will also feature variant covers by Adi Granov, J. Scott Campbell, Skottie Young, John Tyler Christopher, Dan Mora and Anrea Sorrentino.