Secret Wars

Secret Wars (full title: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars) was a 12-issue comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics from 1984 to 1985. The series was an enormous hit for Marvel, breaking sales records for monthly comic book series. It was Marvel's answer to the company-wide, universe-spanning "crossover series" begun at DC Comics with Crisis on Infinite Earths. Although the first Secret Wars issue was published before issue #1 of Crisis, comic book industry insiders say the series was hastily approved and put together in order to beat DC's mini-series to newsstands and comic book store shelves. Crisis may also have been a response to Marvel's "Limited Series" that began with 1983's Contest of Champions - the first comic book series specifically slated to be cancelled after a specific number of issues (in the case of Contest of Champions, three issues; in the case of Secret Wars and Crisis, 12 issues).

Secret Wars pulled together the most popular of the many superheroes of the Marvel Universe, pitting them against their most dangerous enemies in an all-out battle that was meant to be the ultimate clash of good and evil. It introduced an enigmatic, all-powerful, godlike character called the Beyonder to the Marvel Universe. At the beginning of the story, the Beyonder had been observing the events of the Marvel Universe for some time. For reasons of its own, it snatched up about two dozen of Earth's greatest heroes and a similar number of super-foes. All were transported to "Battleworld", a planet created by the Beyonder in a distant galaxy and stocked with alien weapons and technology. He issued the following message: "I am from beyond! Slay your enemies and all you desire shall be yours! Nothing you dream of is impossible for me to accomplish!"

Superheroes and supervillains fought several battles. At one point the mutant X-Men left the side of the heroes to form a neutral third faction. The planet-consuming Galactus, claiming allegiance to no one, represented his "own" side. The tide of the war turned in favor of one side to the other. Even the Beyonder found itself caught up in a battle for its life, as Doctor Doom temporarily stole his vast power. In the end, the heroes won and everyone returned to Earth (though the Thing remained behind for another year, starring in his own comic book series at the time).

Unlike DC's 12-issue epic, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Secret Wars had few long-lasting repercussions in the Marvel Universe. Thing remained on the Beyonder's world, so She-Hulk joined the Fantastic Four in his place. A couple of new supervillainesses -- (Titania and Volcana) -- were created. Spider-Man used some of the alien technology on the planet to create a new costume, which later evolved into the supervillain Venom. Nevertheless, Secret Wars is seen as merely an entertaining diversion from the long, drawn-out plots and subplots of the various Marvel comic book series.

Marvel Comics began its series of yearly, company-wide "crossover epics" with Secret Wars, and followed it with Secret Wars II a mere few months later. While technically a nine-issue limited series, SWII went far beyond nine issues by having minor and major tie-ins with nearly every other title in the Marvel Universe. Some tie-ins consisted of little more than a cameo by the Beyonder. A collector trying to own the "whole" story would need to have purchased nearly 42 comics in less than a year. Fortunately, the story itself was easily understood just by reading the main series itself.

Soon, Marvel and DC settled down into a yearly routine of having one (though sometimes more) "epic" crossover series, classified under such storylines as The Fall of the Mutants, Mutant Massacre, Acts of Vengeance, The Infinity War, and Heroes Reborn.

Contents

1 Cast of Characters 1.1 Good Guys 1.2 Bad Guys 1.3 No Allegiance

Cast of Characters

Good Guys

• Spider-Man
• Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic,Human Torch, Thing)
• The X-Men (Professor X, Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, Colossus, Rogue, Nightcrawler)
• The Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man (Jim Rhodes), Thor, Captain Marvel [the second Marvel Universe incarnation], The Wasp, Hawkeye)
• The Incredible Hulk
• She-Hulk
• Spider-Woman
• Magneto (by virtue that his activities are directed at aiding an oppressed minority rather than his own gain)

Bad Guys

• Doctor Doom
• Enchantress
• Ultron
• Doctor Octopus
• Molecule Man
• Absorbing Man
• Wrecking Crew
• Volcana
• Titania
• Kang the Conqueror
• Klaw
• The Lizard

No Allegiance

• Galactus (Cosmic entity)
• Beyonder (Cosmic entity)