Peak Spider-Man content is here!
"The Enigma Force is not a tool to be manipulated by mortals. The Enigma Force comes to those it deems worthy. What temerity, what arrogance, makes you think you are worthy? Have you not all made mistakes? Unforgiveable ones?" - Captain Universe
"Call me an Avenging Angel, Baron, come to safeguard Earth...call me CAPTAIN UNIVERSE!" - Ray Coffin
"You're my heart, Mary Jane Watson...you're my jackpot." - Peter Parker
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I swear I saw a cover for this series that had Hobgoblin, Zemo, Electro and Constrictor attacking Spidey and the Torch. (Which were all villains released in the Mattel "Secret Wars" toyline.) I wonder if Falcon, Iceman and Daredevil will appear at some point?
This is book I am eagerly awaiting. Unlike others I really enjoyed the classic Secret Wars, as a child I thought the enigmatic Beyonder was a very fascinating concept and I liked seeing a huge team of Marvel's popular superheroes pitted against a huge team of villains. I also liked that every hero got some development over the course of the series, (Rogue questioning whether or not she should side with the villains, Colossus's doomed love affair, etc.) Whereas, in a lot of modern events most characters exist solely as wallpaper or at best cover bait.
"The White Queen welcomes you, TO DIE!"
It was much much better than it had any right to be.
One of the interesting things is that it interrogates its own concept at just about every point. Magneto is put in with the good guys; Galactus, Ultron, and the Lizard are put in with the bad guys and proceed to react completely differently to the set up.
(The Lizard scenes don't work nearly so well if you have Shed in your head, which makes the Lizard into a two-dimensional clear villain pretty much. Secret Wars which I think deliberately diversifies the types of villain it includes is by far the more interesting story.)
Petrus Maria Johannaque sunt nubendi
Oof, I'm getting serious "editorial mandate" vibes from this one.
I really don't get what value can be added to Secret Wars from a storytelling perspective and I'm always very wary when a later writer tries to recontextualise events. I can't think of a time it went well.
I wonder if this will reference Deadpool getting the symbiote before Spidey, and turning it mad? That was SO good. *heavy sarcasm*
"Has Sariel summoned you here, Azrael? Have you come to witness the miracle of your brethren arriving on Earth?"
"I WILL MIX THE ASHES OF YOUR BONES WITH SALT AND USE THEM TO ENSURE THE EARTH THE TEMPLARS TILLED NEVER BEARS FRUIT AGAIN!"
"*sigh* I hoped it was for the miracle."
Dan Watters' Azrael was incredible, a constant delight and perhaps too good for this world (but not the Forth). For the love of St. Dumas, DC, give us more!!!
After all these years I still think Pat Olliffe's art looks great!
spoilers:end of spoilers
Much of this issue after the retelling of the events from Secret Wars (all the way up to Doom's defeat and the Beyonder reclaiming his powers) is Spider-man bouncing around the fabric of reality fighting giant monsters. He accidentally pulls the Torch into the situation who is less then pleased to be there. The issue ends when the Absorbing Man appears along with the Hobgoblin, and they begin to chase Spidey. I think issue 2 is going to be a lot more fun than this set up issue, as the cover shows Absorbing Man and Hobgoblin alongside Zemo, Electro and Constrictor attacking our heroes. That gives us our 5 mystery "secret shield" mystery villains from the recap page. I wonder what heroes will join Spidey? I am assuming Torch takes a slot, so that leaves 3 more. I remember the toyline had action figures for Falcon, Iceman and Daredevil, who like Zemo, Hobgoblin, Electro and Constrictor did not originally appear in the comics.
"The White Queen welcomes you, TO DIE!"