Secret Wars II
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (April 2023) |
Secret Wars II | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
Schedule | Monthly |
Format | Limited series |
Genre | |
Publication date | July 1985 – March 1986 |
No. of issues | 9 |
Main character(s) | Beyonder, various Marvel super-heroes |
Creative team | |
Created by | Jim Shooter Al Milgrom |
Written by | Jim Shooter |
Artist(s) | Al Milgrom |
Inker(s) | Steve Leialoha |
Colorist(s) | Christie Scheele |
Secret Wars II is a nine-issue
The series was a sequel to original series Secret Wars, published in 1984 and 1985. The series tied-in with issues of other Marvel titles, with each "tie-in" featuring a "Secret Wars II" logo in the top right hand corner to indicate that it was a part of the overall story. This was the first time Marvel published a story where the reader would have to purchase multiple titles in order to read the entire story.[1]
Plot
The entity that instigated the first Secret War, the Beyonder, visits Earth in search of enlightenment and inevitably comes into conflict with Earth's superhumans and the cosmic entities that exist in the Marvel Universe. At first, the Beyonder tries to figure out the meaning of the simple everyday tasks humans do, such as: eating, sleeping, using the bathroom, etc, then the Beyonder works for a mobster and becomes very powerful and obsessed with gadgets. The Earth's heroes are very suspicious of him and this causes the Beyonder to retreat to a lone island.
The Beyonder is eventually dealt with, although the heroes also have to prevent the destruction of the planet as a consequence of his actions.[2] Beyonder attempts to become a human while still retaining all his powers. The demon Mephisto attempts to destroy him while in this form since he is now "merely human."
A sequel in the form of a single issue revealed that the Beyonder was an evolved
Tie-in issues
- July 1985:
Captain America #308; Iron Man #197; New Mutants #30; Uncanny X-Men #196
- Aug. 1985:
The Amazing Spider-Man #268; Fantastic Four #282; Web of Spider-Man #6
- Sept. 1985:
Avengers #260; Daredevil #223; The Incredible Hulk #312
- Oct. 1985:
- Nov. 1985:
- Dec. 1985:
- Jan. 1986:
Amazing Spider-Man #273;
- Feb. 1986:
Amazing Spider-Man #274; Avengers #265; Fantastic Four #288; New Mutants #37; Uncanny X-Men #203
- March 1986:
Avengers #266
- March 1990:
- Dec. 1998:
Deadpool Team Up #1
Reception
John Gregory Betancourt reviewed Secret Wars II for the July 1986 issue of Amazing Stories and said that "I felt this series was something special [...] I think you might be pleasantly surprised if you haven't read any comics lately."[4]
Secret Wars II was 1985's bestselling comic book; however, it was "one of the most despised comics of the year" in the eyes of the fan press, receiving poor reviews and making numerous "worst comics of the year" lists.[1]
Collected editions
- Secret Wars II (paperback), ISBN 9780785158301
Title | Material collected | Published date | ISBN |
---|---|---|---|
Secret Wars II | Secret Wars II #1-9 | December 2011 | 978-0785158301 |
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars: Battleworld Box Set | Secret Wars II #1-9, New Mutants #30, 36-37, Captain America #308, Uncanny X-Men #196, 202-203 Iron Man #197, Web of Spider-Man #6, Amazing Spider-Man #268, 273-274, Fantastic Four #282, 285, 288, 316-319, Avengers #260-261, 265-266, Daredevil #223, Incredible Hulk #312, Alpha Flight #28, Dazzler #40, Thing #30, Doctor Strange #74, Cloak & Dagger #4, Power Pack #18, Thor #363, Power Man & Iron Fist #121, New Defenders #152, Spectacular Spider-Man #111. Also includes Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars, Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars: To Battleworld and Back, Thing: Battleworld, Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars Aftermath, Secret War, Beyond the Secret Wars and Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars: Behind the Scenes. | June 2015 | 978-0785197515 |
Notes
- ^ ISBN 978-1-6054-9046-5.
- ^ Avengers #266 (April 1986)
- ^ Fantastic Four #319 (Oct. 1988)
- ^ https://archive.org/details/Amazing_Stories_v61n02_1986-07_EXciter-dtsg0318/page/n13/mode/2up