Hard truths come to light.
Creative Staff:
Story: Jonathan Hickman
Art: Esad Ribic
What They Say:
All the Angels sing!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
While we had the arrival of Thanos’ group before, the arrival of Richards’ and his group into the Battleworld the last time around definitely elevated things. While Doom has managed to maintain his world here in some pretty creative ways, he was in control of all of the elements and what he willed together. These two groups though, those from the life raft and those that form the cabal, they’re of the old world and haven’t given up fighting for what was. Most that exist in this Battleworld simply fight for survival, a piece Stephen brings up along the way with the nature of it all, but these men and women have fought for more than that over the years, together and apart – and against each other at times as well. So coming to grips with the reality of this world is one thing, allowing it a chance to continue to exist is another.
The nature of this issue is again rather dialogue heavy and even the bit of action we get from the Thors here isn’t all that much in the end. This is more about the big players coming face to face that are from what was and getting the conflict to come set. Initially, it’s about Stephen filling the group in on what happened and why they went the direction they did, why Doom was the one that took the power from those that were ending everything. It doesn’t exonerate or excuse what Stephen has done of course, but we got the humanized side of him earlier about his reasoning and he covers that lightly here. It’s a lot for everyone else to take in, though Miles is the one that has it the roughest with his smaller sense of scale in terms of existence with what he’s seen. The rest are weighing what Stephen has to say while looking for a way they can get back what was.
All of that begins to change when Doom ends up arriving there at the urging of Susan and Valeria. While they watched from afar and were wary by the unpredictable reading of the future because of what was going on, it was the image of Richards that got him to move. Though other forms of these people have existed in Battleworld, Richards was one that did not and that raises all sorts of flags, not that Doom fears him in the conventional sense. The standoff is well played as it unfolds and the verbal sparring that goes on, but it’s what happens after Stephen scatters them to the winds that works the best for me. The pairing of Stephen and Doom in this situation feels really unique and well played as there’s an understanding between them and of themselves. Stephen can serve only so long and so far when a sense of hope arrives, and he can’t see that squashed by Doom. So when Domm crushes Cyclops/Phoneix’s neck, it’s no surprise that he acts. But it’s how he and Doom face off afterwards that really sells me on the relationship the two men have.
In Summary:
Secret Wars continues to give me the main event book that I want in that it’s not a lot of weird craziness going on, big splash pages or outlandish situations. It’s a book that has the titans that have walked the Earth as heroes and villains engaging each other in some big concepts while very personal emotions run hard underneath. Stephen is one that really makes out well here with his level of importance and the way he’s serving as a kind of balance to things, at least for the moment. The interactions he has with both those from the life raft and with Doom show different sides of him and his desire to make things work so that existence can continue and find a way. Where he thinks its best shot may be is now being revealed though. There’s a lot to take in here and a lot of great little moments of expressions and dialogue between the characters that really drives it all home. A very good installment once again.
Grade: A-
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Marvel Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: July 1std, 2015
MSRP: $4,99
