Secret Wars #5 Review (w/SPOILERS)

[Hariel0079]

That's actually a good question. It's possible the timeline is off a bit. Maybe the Thanos in Infinity Gauntlet hasn't made it to the wall yet?

There's more than one Thanos on BW

[MindofShadow]

So the Thanos in Infinity Gauntlet is not the main Marvel Universe Thanos?

This right here is the biggest thing I dont' like about this event adn why, currently, I am only reading the main title.

I can't tell who is who and from what universe and... it just all feels pointless for me.

[Hariel0079]

I totally agree with you on this one. It's slow, but there are subtle things going on that are game changers.

I wrote a full review of it myself here, used a bunch of pictures too, if anyone is interested.

Jonathan Hickman has basically written himself a eulogy type issue here as Dr. Doom says his goodbyes to Dr. Strange. Strange was his best man, the only man who knew the truth of what happened, and served as his sheriff. Unfortunately Dr. Strange tried to stop Doom from killing Mr. Fantastic and the other heroes Strange secretly found and stored away to protect them from Doom. That got him killed. Dr. Doom did the crime, but in this issue nobody knows it, including Sue Storm and the Thors. There’s clearly some guilt running through the air, however scant the guilt would be coming from the arrogant Dr. Doom, but it’s written well.

Arrogant and yet not all powerful. He didn't know about the others being hidden and yet he had a feeling they were out there. He "killed" Dr. Strange but was suspicious of him from the ending of NA. Now we have the ominous feeling that it's either him or MM who are holding BW together but also to note that Reece is constantly hungry as well.

We know Doom and Strange "Killed" the beyonders but we don't know how he got the power of them.

Still so many unanswered questions. I'm guessing that SW#6 will answer them.

[Nosocialize]

Arrogant and yet not all powerful. He didn't know about the others being hidden and yet he had a feeling they were out there. He "killed" Dr. Strange but was suspicious of him from the ending of NA. Now we have the ominous feeling that it's either him or MM who are holding BW together but also to note that Reece is constantly hungry as well.

We know Doom and Strange "Killed" the beyonders but we don't know how he got the power of them.

Still so many unanswered questions. I'm guessing that SW#6 will answer them.

I really loved the tidbit dropped in the Valaria scene later in the issue about Dr. Strange's power being the "absence of Doom" and so basically the opposite if I'm reading it correctly. So in a way he's been holding a balance with Doom and with him gone Doom's is vulnerable.

[Nosocialize]

There's more than one Thanos on BW

That's too bad. I guess this means we'll be seeing all the faker Thanos' getting murdered.

[Double 0]

That's too bad. I guess this means we'll be seeing all the faker Thanos' getting murdered.

Hell, they've already started murdering each other, if Infinity Gauntlet is to go by.


Also, I don't find it difficult to figure out who's the 616 versions of characters. For Star Lord and Miles, both writers made it very clear. That'l probably be the case for Thor as well.

[Spider-Tron]

^Totally surprising comment.

The pace is a little too slow, but I really liked the filling in the blanks and setting up for a nice big finish in the next three issues.

Didn't require an entire issue to fill in the blanks. Most blanks which were obvious.

Boring issue. They didn't need an entire issue to give the details they did here.

Snoozefest/10

Hopefully this book picks back up

[Nosocialize]

Hell, they've already started murdering each other, if Infinity Gauntlet is to go by.


Also, I don't find it difficult to figure out who's the 616 versions of characters. For Star Lord and Miles, both writers made it very clear. That'l probably be the case for Thor as well.

I think they've kind of established that with the Thor with no arm talking to Ultimate Thor over in Thors #2. Or maybe not?

[Hariel0079]

I really loved the tidbit dropped in the Valaria scene later in the issue about Dr. Strange's power being the "absence of Doom" and so basically the opposite if I'm reading it correctly. So in a way he's been holding a balance with Doom and with him gone Doom's is vulnerable.

It's a bit confusing but I'm thinking along the same lines.

That's too bad. I guess this means we'll be seeing all the faker Thanos' getting murdered.

Well Thanos in IG used the Time gem to murder himself if I understood the first 2 issues already.

Hell, they've already started murdering each other, if Infinity Gauntlet is to go by.


Also, I don't find it difficult to figure out who's the 616 versions of characters. For Star Lord and Miles, both writers made it very clear. That'l probably be the case for Thor as well.

Exactly. The writers have been making it clear.

Jane Foster Thor should be making an appearance soon.

[Dboi654]

Weakest Secret Wars issue so far. Exposition upon exposition upon exposition.

I still liked it but common, we have three issues left and it's still feels a bit lacking in moving forward with the story.

Hope the wait for the next issue will be worth it

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

616 Thordis in the domain Doomgard? Great!
Hope Thordis from What If?! # 10 from 1978 and 616 Thordis meet eachother.

616 Carol Danvers captured in the domain Bar Sinister? Awesome!
Fingers crossed Kit Thor finishes her off or that 616 Carol Danvers will be massacred like the 616 Morlocks during the Mutant Massacre event.

616 King T'Challa and 616 Namor the Sub-Mariner in the domain Egyptia? Fantastic!

[Orbus]

I've been enjoying Secret Wars (and Hickman's Avengers run in general) but I have to agree this was one of the weaker issues. Unlike the last New Avengers issue which used the same characters to provide answers this was all stuff we knew or was fairly evident that it could have been dropped in the narrative without much incident. Even the idea this was for the benefit of people who didn't follow Hickman's run it doesn't seem all that necessary given most of it has been either shown or explained in previous Secret Wars issue.

The ending was the best part though. Strange must have some sense of humor that he scatters both sets of raftees all over Battleworld but conveniently sends T'Challa and Namor to the same place.

[Nosocialize]

It's a bit confusing but I'm thinking along the same lines.



Well Thanos in IG used the Time gem to murder himself if I understood the first 2 issues already.



Exactly. The writers have been making it clear.

Jane Foster Thor should be making an appearance soon.

But if he killed himself with the time gem does that count? Technically that's just the same version of himself.

[dzub]

cant wait for the Namor and T'Challa fight after they appeared in 2 mini panels out of the 5 issues.

[Cloudman]

Weakest Secret Wars issue so far. Exposition upon exposition upon exposition.

I still liked it but common, we have three issues left and it's still feels a bit lacking in moving forward with the story.

Hope the wait for the next issue will be worth it

Agreed. It's ok that Hickman took a bit of time to slow down and explain, but after the dynamism of the previous issue it felt a bit dull. It'd be easier to stomach if Marvel had kept to the 2 issues/month thing they had planned originally.