"Secret Wars" | |
---|---|
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
Publication date | May 2015 – January 2016 |
Genre | |
Main character(s) | Doctor Doom Mister Fantastic Black Panther Doctor Strange Invisible Woman Molecule Man Valeria Richards Franklin Richards Spider-Man Namor Thanos Cyclops Maker (Reed Richards) Miles Morales |
Creative team | |
Writer(s) | Jonathan Hickman |
Artist(s) | Esad Ribić |
Colorist(s) | Ive Svorcina |
"Secret Wars" is a 2015–16 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It recalls the 1984–1985 miniseries of the same name. Released on May 6, 2015, the storyline includes a core Secret Wars miniseries, written by Jonathan Hickman and drawn by Esad Ribić, which picks up from where the "Time Runs Out" storyline running in The Avengers and New Avengers ended.[1] The event also served as a conclusion to the Fantastic Four (which Hickman had written from 2009 through 2012) after Marvel decided to cancel the title due to a film rights dispute with 20th Century Fox.[2][3][4]
The storyline involves the destruction of the Marvel Universe and various other alternate universes (including those seen in the Ultimate Marvel and Marvel 2099 imprints, the "Age of Apocalypse" storyline, the Marvel 1602 universe, and the "House of M" storyline), with each universe's respective Earth combining with each other into Battleworld, a planet that exhibits the aspects of the various universes. The planet itself is divided in many territories that are mostly self-contained and where a "pocket universe" composed of a specific storyline or universe reside and evolve. Various versions of individual Marvel characters can be present multiple times on the Battleworld. For example, there is a Tony Stark present in many of the territories where the Kingdom of Manhattan has both the Earth-1610 and the Earth-616 versions, and many versions of Thor serve as a peace-keeping force. The stories depicted in the miniseries about each domain's characters' powers and personal histories vastly differ from the ones portrayed in the main Marvel universe(s). Following the events of this storyline Miles Morales, who originated within the Ultimate universe was integrated alongside his family (with his mother Rio and uncle Aaron being restored to life) and friends into the prime Marvel Universe or Earth-616.
The core limited series was originally to be eight issues long, but was later decided to extend to a ninth. The series ran for nine months.[5][6] The miniseries are in three categories, which are Battleworld, Warzones, and Last Days. One of the core miniseries is Ultimate End which ends the Ultimate Marvel imprint after 15 years. Ultimate End was written by Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mark Bagley, the team that began the Ultimate Marvel universe with Ultimate Spider-Man.[7]
The series was released to positive reviews, with critics praising the storyline, characters, action, and art styles.[8][failed verification]