How To: Marvel Secret Wars

William Rosenthal/’16

So you haven’t read many Marvel comics, and you want to get started? Or maybe you have a pull list but all the new titles have you worried? Well Entertainment is here to help with out with our patented Beginner’s Guide ™. First, let’s get some facts straight about the Marvel super event:

1. This is not the 616

Earth-616, also known the main world where almost every Marvel story has taken places since Fantastic Four #1 in the ’60s, is gone. Due to the events of the last five years or so, the world has reached its end. Out of the remains of the multiverse, a single figure stands to put the pieces back together to form Battleworld. Though the characters might look familiar, they are the pulled from across every Marvel reality, making for some pretty interesting stories. This is mainly an excuse for writers and artists to have fun with the characters. No one is safe. Battleworld is Marvel’s Hunger Games.

2. Not Every Story in Secret Wars is Connected

Okay, this is not necessarily true. Every Secret Wars book takes place on Battleworld, and builds the world’s unique take on the familiar. However, for the most part, stories are self contained will little to no crossover. Some notable examples of cross over are Miss America from A-Force and Kate Bishop from Secret War Journal both appearing in Siege, but these are more exceptions rather than the norm. A book you read in Secret Wars more often than not revolves around a single gimmick and a solid cast of characters.

3. The Same Face Will Show Up Again and Again

However, they are often not the same character. This might be a touch confusing. It’s easy for in a week of Secret Wars Tie-in book to see maybe 15 Wolverines. However, they are not all the same wolverine even though they might wear the same costume or be named James Howlett. This plays into the multiple universe gimmick mentioned earlier. Since multiple universes were used, many of the same characters were saved and live in their own book. Using Wolverine for example, readers will see Logan in Old Man Logan, Secret Wars Journal, X-Men ‘92, and even undead in Marvel Zombies. However, they don’t even know that each other exists, much less care. Each version of the angriest X-Man is merely another player in a different land and their own plot. It might seem like deja vu at first but knowing this is crucial to understanding Battle World’s inhabitants.

4. Grab the Books You Like Based on the Creative Team, Not the Characters

As said before, you’ll be seeing the same character a LOT. Spidermen, Wolverines, Captain Americans, there’s even a book called Thors. If you wanna grab a book and have a good time, it’s best to enjoy the minds behind it. Have you been reading Deadly Class and want to get into Marvel? Check out Rick Remender’s Hail Hydra. You like graphic yet stylized art? Marc Laming is on Planet Hulk. But if you want to read both because of Steve Rogers’ presence, you might not enjoy the ride.

Coming up after this, I also have a list of Top Ten Secret Wars Titles for People Who Don’t read Marvel soon to be on this site. Check it out and enjoy this amazing event!