2.99 (464) Secret Wars II #3 ... Marvel ... #Avengers

Once more, there is an awesome cover to save this book but once again, this book fails because too much happens off this book itself and none is more apparent than the last page where the Beyonder wanted to see the Avengers only to discover that they are busy in space and dear old Jarvis has no idea when they will be back. What does the Beyonder do? Well, if you only read this book, you will have no idea because one panel he disappears and the next panel he is back depressed and saying "I really made a mess of that ..." whatever that is. See what we mean?

Horrible

But as the cover indicates, this is a tale about the Beyonder learning about humanity's greed for power and control over others except that once he is aware of this, there is no limit to him and thus he even tries to go down to the molecular or atomic level!

But we are skipping too far ahead. The tale opens with the Beyonder learning yet something new - fatigue and sleep. So he sleeps on the sidewalks. However, there is one weakness here in this tale yet again. When he was disturbed by the policeman, we get a recap of how he came to be here. Then later he recapped once more when others asked of him! Ugh!

However, what is more important is that in this issue, he first came across a prostitute ... who naturally has a pimp and sensing opportunity the pimp took him under his wings ... and naturally, the Beyonder outgrew this chap in mere moments (or pages as this is a comic). However, for a human, we can know satisfaction but for the Beyonder all he needs is desire for something and it happens. So he can easily control everyone and when he does that, the happiness doesn't last and he finds himself empty

And so he goes back to talk to all those who brought him upon this road ... and in order to do so ... he needs to release freewill back to them ... and towards the end ... one of these encounters is going to spark him on the road to issues 4 and 5 ... SO no SPOILER ALERT  required as we will not reveal it here

Ratings: 5/10 (again saved by the cover)

2.98 (463) Secret Wars II #2 ... Marvel ... #ironfist

Issue 2's cover is a huge improvement over the entire artwork of 1 - just check it out on this page! Loved, loved, loved it! Unfortunately, while art may have improved, the storyline is still continuity heavy!

At the end of 1 and some of the crossovers, the Beyonder learns that physique is important to convey the right message. His first which is an amalgam of the uniforms of heroes and villains is a confusion and scares people. So he chose Steve Rogers as it seemed that Captain A commands respect. Obviously, it goes deeper than body shape but the Beyonder is like a child at this stage and the opening pages convey this perfectly!

From one scene to the next, he tries to understand sensations and some are quite funny. Example: when he learns that the emptiness he feels is hunger and he tries eating ... except he cannot distinguish between what is to be eaten and what is not!

Now we come to the crossover bit. While the Beyonder waltzes through the city, we see people in a riot and this is thanks to what is going on in FF. However, here it serves more as a backdrop i.e. unnecessary except to get us to buy FF. Sigh! Seriously, at first their issue serves as a backdrop and even when he actually encounters them, it feels unnecessary and forced upon

NO SPOILER ALERT

On the cover we see Spidey. So Spidey's contribution is that since the FF is busy, the Beyonder decides to go to Peter for advice and while some are helpful such as going to the WC (we kid you not), others not quite so

And then there's Power Man and Iron Fist - back when their own series was coming to an end and here is because the Beyonder was asked to go to them for protection (not that he needed it) and advice. And he learnt that there must be payment for services rendered ... and you should see his logic about translating from payment in cash to something ... else ... hehehe!

Ratings: 5/10 (saved by that cover)

2.96 (461) Marvel Super Heroes Secret War #5 ... Marvel ... #avengers

Inspite of what the cover promises (and it does deliver this within the covers), this is an issue that talks about relationship! And it starts a potential fight for affections between the Human Torch and new alien healer along with one other hero - yes we kid you not!

Now, there is so much going on here, that even in our last review, we had to hold back so much info in other not to spill too much of the excitement for you and part of that is when our heroes realizes that a revitalized Galactus is busy assembling his world ship and the machine for consuming the planet. It figures that Galactus now depleted needs a recharge

And of course if our heroes plan to interfere in anyway, naturally Galactus sends one of his many defenders to the planet surface to keep our heroes occupied. It is thus when the villains under the now more brilliant leadership of Doom attacks. And that's how you get that image on the cover

The Human Torch who was hurt in an earlier battle is being treated by an alien healer name Ezaji. Typical of the Torch, he then starts imagining and trying to have a relationship with the alien regardless of species limitations hehehe

Next up is the X-Men ... after the nonsense with Magneto being settled and Mags agreed to fight for the good guys, they went back to the heroes main camp only to see what is on that cover and you just know that there is going to be a battle royale

Another relationship that ends here is that between Mags and the Wasp

While we get a glimpse of Colossus missing Kitty, his missing partner now still on Earth just as they were starting on a relationship that seemed to have legs

See? A relationship issue amidst the action - awesome!

Ratings: 8/10

2.95 (460) Marvel Super Heroes Secret War #4 .. Marvel ... #x-men

The cover alone makes you want to buy this comic ... nay makes you, if you are any casual comic fan, feel that you simply need to buy this comic. I mean look at it. Everyone is trapped beneath the mountain and the Hulk is the only chap able to even give them a tiny bit of breathing space. You just know that the contents if it mirrored the cover even one teeny tiny bit is going to rock! And in this series, the cover is not misleading!

Once more, we open the issue with a huge explosion as we see the heroes fleeing when their base is attacked and destroyed (from issue 3) and while they are scrambling to get to safety and hoping to find new refuge, the villains decided thanks to newly created super woman Titania who hurled a gigantic piece of machinery after the fleeing villains ... that it is not enough (and rightly so)

What do the villains do? Why at this point their most powerful chap is the Molecule Man and he lifts and sends an entire mountain range after the heroes! Hence the cover!

Other things of note here would include the ongoing relationship between the Wasp and Magneto as they seemed to slowly be developing feelings for each other while in other parts of that war torn world, the X-Men are gathering their forces readying for their turn at war!

All in all, another great issue ... except for that cover blurb. We know that the Hulk can life over 100 tons but that cover states billions?!?!?!?!?

Ratings: 8/10

2.94 (459) Marvel Super Heroes Secret War #2 ... Marvel naturally ... #avengers

In view of the current ongoings in the mighty Marvel universe, where the real Marvel universe seems for the moment to have disappeared and all alternate dimensions (read that as popular storylines) now suddenly come crashing back onto the 616-verse, I thought it timely to check this - the first BIG crossover in comics ever and found out ... I never really reviewed the whole series

So here's #2

Firstly, let's check out that awesome cover where you get to see Magneto in all his furious angry self while surrounded by all the other folks that are going to make an appearance here. For those who really do not know what this series is about, shame on you! Hahaha! Just kidding!

Seriously, in short, one fine day, a mysterious object appeared in Marvel's 616 and curious superheroes who entered to check it out got teleported to a world that is constructed before their eyes from chunks of other planets. Then a mysterious voice from beyond said that if they were to conquer their enemies, they would get whatever they can dream of like a gigantic genie granting them wishes

Anyway, from those teleported, there are both good and bad guys and naturally each team separates and tries to find amongst them leaders

If you want something intellectually provoking, this is not the series for you. If you like your heroes and villains teaming up and fighting and switching sides all in the name of good fun, then this is right up your alley and we open the issue with the villains immediately attacking the heroes inspite of not being organized. So as expected they got their asses whupped

However, the more devious of the bad guys i.e. Doom did not join in the melee but instead followed up on something that happened in issue 1 i.e. the defeat of Galactus and thus trying to learn what he could about how Galactus was so easily beaten ...

And while all this is happening, in the heroes' side of the show, they scouted around and found a base for themselves. However, Magneto is in the picture as per the cover. So is it any wonder that another fight is brewing before the issue even closes? Hehehe! Good and loads of action all through!

Ratings: 8/10