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Secret Warriors (2008) (Collected Editions) #1-6
Secret Warriors Omnibus
Nick Fury has gathered a special team of Secret Warriors, but these young heroes have a lot to learn in a very short time when they uncover a conspiracy that reaches from the Oval Office to the temples of Japan - and even beyond death. The Leviathan organization is awakening, their tendrils wrapped deep inside the US government. And when a shadow war breaks out between Leviathan and the ruthless Hydra, it's up to Fury and his Secret Warriors to put the pieces together and take them both out. Jonathan Hickman (with Brian Michael Bendis)'s shadow-ops masterpiece is collected in one oversized volume!
Collecting: Mighty Avengers 13, 18; Secret Warriors 1-28; Dark Reign: The List Secret Warriors; Siege: Secret Warriors; material from Dark Reign: New Nation
Collecting: Mighty Avengers 13, 18; Secret Warriors 1-28; Dark Reign: The List Secret Warriors; Siege: Secret Warriors; material from Dark Reign: New Nation
904 pages, Hardcover
First published July 18, 2012
14 people are currently reading
334 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Hickman
1,221 books2,028 followersJonathan Hickman is an American comic book writer and artist. He is known for creating the Image Comics series The Nightly News, The Manhattan Projects and East of West, as well as working on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, FF, and S.H.I.E.L.D. titles. In 2012, Hickman ended his run on the Fantastic Four titles to write The Avengers and The New Avengers, as part the "Marvel NOW!" relaunch. In 2013, Hickman wrote a six-part miniseries, Infinity, plus Avengers tie-ins for Marvel Comics. In 2015, he wrote the crossover event Secret Wars. - Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
March 30, 2015
This is a brilliant epic story of espionage. It's about all the difficult decisions Fury has to make and all the secrets he keeps which come to fruition. This is the ultimate spy story thriller with some brilliant new characters for the marvel universe.
I'd recommend this to anyone. It's a clever well thought out story that actually ends perfectly.
I love a happy ending.
I'd recommend this to anyone. It's a clever well thought out story that actually ends perfectly.
I love a happy ending.
December 27, 2013
Very nice self contained Omnibus with an ending.
The writing is top notch ( not really a surprised with Jonathan Hickman), the art is average and varies a lot depending on the artist but overall it is good enough to make the story work ( this wasn't one of the top selling Marvel comic so no hot-shot artist was ever on the serie).
This book is all about spies, especially Nick Fury, Hydra and Leviathan and it's very refreshing to read a Marvel Comic whose focus isn't super heroes ( even if a lot of characters have super powers, the focus is still on spy stuff, not super heroes battling).
I highly recommend this.
The writing is top notch ( not really a surprised with Jonathan Hickman), the art is average and varies a lot depending on the artist but overall it is good enough to make the story work ( this wasn't one of the top selling Marvel comic so no hot-shot artist was ever on the serie).
This book is all about spies, especially Nick Fury, Hydra and Leviathan and it's very refreshing to read a Marvel Comic whose focus isn't super heroes ( even if a lot of characters have super powers, the focus is still on spy stuff, not super heroes battling).
I highly recommend this.
December 20, 2014
I couldn't finish this. I really REALLY tried my best, but i couldn't. I lasted until the first issue of the "Night" storyarc, when I came to realization, the story has not hooked me to keep on reading.
There are too many characters to keep track. Only a few of them, I actually care about (ie. Nick Fury, Daisy and Phobos). The art was less than solid. The coloring was way too muddy.
Jonathan Hickman may have the entire story in head and knew what was what, but his execution of it wasn't clear for me.
At least i'm still have Manhattan Projects and his Fantastic Four run to fall back on.
There are too many characters to keep track. Only a few of them, I actually care about (ie. Nick Fury, Daisy and Phobos). The art was less than solid. The coloring was way too muddy.
Jonathan Hickman may have the entire story in head and knew what was what, but his execution of it wasn't clear for me.
At least i'm still have Manhattan Projects and his Fantastic Four run to fall back on.
January 11, 2021
Nick Fury puts a karmic down payment towards an eternity chained to the moon by heroically torturing children and killing half of his own force, often personally. HYDRA was secretly running SHIELD, but twist! Nick and his totally alive brother Jake were secretly running HYDRA, so at least it was all for a noble cause, possibly. Also, a woman gets an octopus for a head.
Read
March 30, 2025Secret Warriors is very much an early Jonathan Hickman story for all of the good and bad that entails. This marks Hickman's first ongoing series at Marvel, and he comes out swinging with ambition. He seemingly aims to tell the “Marvel spy story to end all Marvel spy stories,” pulling from decades of Marvel continuity around Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.
This series is creatively fertile and, in many ways, innovative. Hickman pulls readers into the world of international espionage with a number of infographics establishing set pieces and key players in the series. Some mock him for his design pages, but I find them additive and useful for reference. Secret Warriors also introduces a variety of new characters and ideas, such as Leviathan – Soviet rival to the fascist Hydra terrorist organization – and teleporting hero Eden Fesi, better known as Manifold.
In typical Hickman fashion, this series is smart, usually too smart for its own good. He constructs a highly complex plot that keeps adding new layers without fully explaining what had come before. The number of vaguely defined espionage groups that this story juggles becomes ridiculous. Shortly after readers learn Hydra has controlled S.H.I.E.L.D. all along, Hickman sidelines this plot in favor of a war with Leviathan. Before readers are very familiar with Fury’s titular team of Secret Warriors, Hickman introduces two more teams that Fury has covertly assembled. I wish the editors had convinced Hickman to trim the fat and focus on one or two plotlines at a time.
This complexity creates intriguing twists and moments where careful setup rewards readers who pay close attention to the details. But this approach is often far from additive. Under all of its complexity, Secret Warriors is not especially deep or insightful. Hickman repeatedly espouses the simplistic (and problematic) “Great Man Theory” of history, emphasizing the importance of the “one man” in driving major global events. Characters constantly bring up “destiny” and “fate,” as is standard in Hickman books. Beyond a coating of pseudointellectualism, Secret Warriors boils down to a dumb action book with characters spouting one-liners and doing “cool stuff.”
Perhaps the largest problem with this approach to storytelling is the plot threads become too unwieldy for Hickman to deliver a satisfying conclusion. The long-awaited war between Leviathan and Hydra largely happens off-panel thanks to an abrupt, anticlimactic time jump. After intimately following their internal dynamics for most of the series, readers suddenly discover Hydra leadership splits without insight into why. Hickman’s reveal of the mysterious Zodiac Event raises more questions than it answers. Given the relatively unhurried pace of its final arc, I suspect Hickman simply lost interest in the series rather than being abruptly pressured by editorial demands or an impending cancellation to wrap things up.
As is often the case with Hickman, the plot drives Secret Warriors at the expense of character work. The Secret Warriors team itself is underdeveloped and consistently sidelined for the demands of the plot. Depictions of female characters are particularly hard to stomach, especially Daisy Johnson. Although characters frequently comment on her high aptitude and intelligence, she comes off as an incompetent team leader prone to emotional outbursts. This comes to a head with Daisy's irrational decision to become romantically involved with a misogynistic team member, who later betrays the team. Other characters – especially Slingshot, Stonewall, and Manifold – are one-note even for a team book.
The only character in this series with real depth is Nick Fury, who Hickman captures well and perhaps too sympathetically. I suspect Hickman would have ditched the Secret Warriors team and made this a Fury solo title if he could have.
Despite its penchant for dense, long-running plots, this series shines in self-contained moments focused on smaller groups of characters. Its surprisingly emotional tie-in to the Siege event follows young team member Phobos taking action against those complicit in his father’s death. Another enjoyable issue features the glow-up of teammate Sebastian Druid. I also enjoyed the three-part arc Last Ride of the Howling Commandos, which is Hickman’s love letter to WWII veterans featured in the classic Sgt. Fury series.
I haven’t mentioned art yet because this series too often treats the artists as an afterthought, as is the case with many early Hickman comics. Artist Stefano Casselli starts off on the series and establishes its visual language in the Marvel “house style” of the time. His realistic rendering has just enough exaggeration in poses and facial expressions to make the book dynamic. While his page layouts could be more intentional and effective, his contributions to the book are respectable.
Following Casselli, Alessandro Vitti takes over and draws the bulk of the series. I have mixed feelings about his work. His highly angular faces are often crowded with too many lines or contorted into awkward expressions. However, Vitti’s storytelling is otherwise solid. He is willing to put in the detail to elevate important sequences in the book, especially action scenes. One highlight is an off-the-wall battle between Nick Fury robots and Norman Osborn’s agents of H.A.M.M.E.R. Vitti also delivers a stellar manga-inspired final battle between Phobos and Japanese supervillain Gorgon.
Some particularly weak fill-in artists on the series underscore the value of solid artists like Casselli and Vitti. However, short stints by other artists indicate the series could be more visually exciting. Ed McGuinness’s eye-catching work on Dark Reign: The List harkens back to the experimental page compositions of Jim Steranko’s 60s Nick Fury comics. Another superstar artist, David Marquez, makes his Marvel debut in this series, and his talent for character acting highlights Vitti’s shortcomings in this area.
Overall, who is the audience that might appreciate Secret Warriors? I’d say this is one for hardcore fans of Hickman, Nick Fury, or the event-style storytelling of 2000s Marvel. Secret Warriors is Hickman’s weakest ongoing Marvel series, but I found it interesting even with its flaws.
This series is creatively fertile and, in many ways, innovative. Hickman pulls readers into the world of international espionage with a number of infographics establishing set pieces and key players in the series. Some mock him for his design pages, but I find them additive and useful for reference. Secret Warriors also introduces a variety of new characters and ideas, such as Leviathan – Soviet rival to the fascist Hydra terrorist organization – and teleporting hero Eden Fesi, better known as Manifold.
In typical Hickman fashion, this series is smart, usually too smart for its own good. He constructs a highly complex plot that keeps adding new layers without fully explaining what had come before. The number of vaguely defined espionage groups that this story juggles becomes ridiculous. Shortly after readers learn Hydra has controlled S.H.I.E.L.D. all along, Hickman sidelines this plot in favor of a war with Leviathan. Before readers are very familiar with Fury’s titular team of Secret Warriors, Hickman introduces two more teams that Fury has covertly assembled. I wish the editors had convinced Hickman to trim the fat and focus on one or two plotlines at a time.
This complexity creates intriguing twists and moments where careful setup rewards readers who pay close attention to the details. But this approach is often far from additive. Under all of its complexity, Secret Warriors is not especially deep or insightful. Hickman repeatedly espouses the simplistic (and problematic) “Great Man Theory” of history, emphasizing the importance of the “one man” in driving major global events. Characters constantly bring up “destiny” and “fate,” as is standard in Hickman books. Beyond a coating of pseudointellectualism, Secret Warriors boils down to a dumb action book with characters spouting one-liners and doing “cool stuff.”
Perhaps the largest problem with this approach to storytelling is the plot threads become too unwieldy for Hickman to deliver a satisfying conclusion. The long-awaited war between Leviathan and Hydra largely happens off-panel thanks to an abrupt, anticlimactic time jump. After intimately following their internal dynamics for most of the series, readers suddenly discover Hydra leadership splits without insight into why. Hickman’s reveal of the mysterious Zodiac Event raises more questions than it answers. Given the relatively unhurried pace of its final arc, I suspect Hickman simply lost interest in the series rather than being abruptly pressured by editorial demands or an impending cancellation to wrap things up.
As is often the case with Hickman, the plot drives Secret Warriors at the expense of character work. The Secret Warriors team itself is underdeveloped and consistently sidelined for the demands of the plot. Depictions of female characters are particularly hard to stomach, especially Daisy Johnson. Although characters frequently comment on her high aptitude and intelligence, she comes off as an incompetent team leader prone to emotional outbursts. This comes to a head with Daisy's irrational decision to become romantically involved with a misogynistic team member, who later betrays the team. Other characters – especially Slingshot, Stonewall, and Manifold – are one-note even for a team book.
The only character in this series with real depth is Nick Fury, who Hickman captures well and perhaps too sympathetically. I suspect Hickman would have ditched the Secret Warriors team and made this a Fury solo title if he could have.
Despite its penchant for dense, long-running plots, this series shines in self-contained moments focused on smaller groups of characters. Its surprisingly emotional tie-in to the Siege event follows young team member Phobos taking action against those complicit in his father’s death. Another enjoyable issue features the glow-up of teammate Sebastian Druid. I also enjoyed the three-part arc Last Ride of the Howling Commandos, which is Hickman’s love letter to WWII veterans featured in the classic Sgt. Fury series.
I haven’t mentioned art yet because this series too often treats the artists as an afterthought, as is the case with many early Hickman comics. Artist Stefano Casselli starts off on the series and establishes its visual language in the Marvel “house style” of the time. His realistic rendering has just enough exaggeration in poses and facial expressions to make the book dynamic. While his page layouts could be more intentional and effective, his contributions to the book are respectable.
Following Casselli, Alessandro Vitti takes over and draws the bulk of the series. I have mixed feelings about his work. His highly angular faces are often crowded with too many lines or contorted into awkward expressions. However, Vitti’s storytelling is otherwise solid. He is willing to put in the detail to elevate important sequences in the book, especially action scenes. One highlight is an off-the-wall battle between Nick Fury robots and Norman Osborn’s agents of H.A.M.M.E.R. Vitti also delivers a stellar manga-inspired final battle between Phobos and Japanese supervillain Gorgon.
Some particularly weak fill-in artists on the series underscore the value of solid artists like Casselli and Vitti. However, short stints by other artists indicate the series could be more visually exciting. Ed McGuinness’s eye-catching work on Dark Reign: The List harkens back to the experimental page compositions of Jim Steranko’s 60s Nick Fury comics. Another superstar artist, David Marquez, makes his Marvel debut in this series, and his talent for character acting highlights Vitti’s shortcomings in this area.
Overall, who is the audience that might appreciate Secret Warriors? I’d say this is one for hardcore fans of Hickman, Nick Fury, or the event-style storytelling of 2000s Marvel. Secret Warriors is Hickman’s weakest ongoing Marvel series, but I found it interesting even with its flaws.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2025
Such a fascinating omnibus read, particularly as a Jonathan Hickman fan and this being one of his early long-form works. You can see the bones of a Hickman book, the conspiracies within conspiracies, wheels always turning, the hero ultimately having had the upper hand all along. That said, Secret Warriors feels way more of a piece with generic Marvel comics than it does with Hickman's creator-owned stuff (or his Krakoan X-Men overhaul).
The good stuff is mostly the Hickman-standard pieces. Fury's down and out post-Secret Invasion, mid-Dark Reign. First, he has to tackle HAMMER (a revamped, kinda evil SHIELD), but in the background, Hydra and Leviathan (Russian Hydra) are being revived. When the narrative turns fully to the three-part battle between nu-SHIELD, Hydra, and Leviathan, things get exciting.
But there are also a lot of one-off issues that break up the runaway train aspect of the series. We jump away from the thrilling battle to spend time with a castoff hero or get the backstory for someone who will later be a "deus ex machina" twist. These random inserts maybe make more sense within individual volumes, but when read in the omnibus, they slam the brakes on the fun.
The artwork is also... fine. Thick lines, deep colors, it works well in some scenes and makes for mucky viewing in others. I struggled to tell apart all the white male SHIELD dudes.
Ultimately, a sometimes thrilling read that feels very much like the early Hickman work that it is. It also feels pretty detached from all the other Marvel events going on at the time. Like, this big battle between SHIELD, Hydra, and Leviathan is happening entirely behind the scenes. Kind of odd for a long-running Marvel series to almost entirely avoid tie-ins.
The good stuff is mostly the Hickman-standard pieces. Fury's down and out post-Secret Invasion, mid-Dark Reign. First, he has to tackle HAMMER (a revamped, kinda evil SHIELD), but in the background, Hydra and Leviathan (Russian Hydra) are being revived. When the narrative turns fully to the three-part battle between nu-SHIELD, Hydra, and Leviathan, things get exciting.
But there are also a lot of one-off issues that break up the runaway train aspect of the series. We jump away from the thrilling battle to spend time with a castoff hero or get the backstory for someone who will later be a "deus ex machina" twist. These random inserts maybe make more sense within individual volumes, but when read in the omnibus, they slam the brakes on the fun.
The artwork is also... fine. Thick lines, deep colors, it works well in some scenes and makes for mucky viewing in others. I struggled to tell apart all the white male SHIELD dudes.
Ultimately, a sometimes thrilling read that feels very much like the early Hickman work that it is. It also feels pretty detached from all the other Marvel events going on at the time. Like, this big battle between SHIELD, Hydra, and Leviathan is happening entirely behind the scenes. Kind of odd for a long-running Marvel series to almost entirely avoid tie-ins.
November 28, 2016
Keeping in mind that I only really started reading comics this year, I have read this series all the way through at least 3 times. I suppose it helps that it's only 28 issues long, but it really is a very good series. And although it ties in to ongoing events at the time, like Dark Reign, it does a good job of standing on its own, taking a few minor characters who already existed and a few new characters, and making an epic battle of good versus evil. I really, really like this series. And apparently, they're resurrecting the "Secret Warriors" name as an all-Inhuman group (with Quake still in the lead, naturally), so I'll be interested to see what they do with that.
May 2, 2020
Este es un cómic bastante atípico. Más que un cómic típico de Marcel tenemos una novela gráfica y casi desde el principio tenemos claro que esta historia va a tener un fin y sinceramente, después de 28 números Jonathan Hickman no defrauda. Esta es una historia redonda, compleja y con giros sorprendentes. Lo que menos me ha gustado es el dibujo y sobre todo el baile de dibujantes que perjudica un poco a la historia. Aun así le doy 5 estrellas porque he disfrutado como un enano leyéndolo.
September 11, 2014
As with all Hickman series, I feel like this would benefit from a reread. There was a lot of detail I didn't get, and by the end those details added up to a significant gap in my understanding. Still, I love Hickman's portrayal of Nick Fury, and the members of Daisy's team are also interesting for the most part. I'm glad I finally finished this one!
September 25, 2012
Somewhat weak opening (Bendis), good early on, great in the middle, solid ending. Borders on four stars but really only fully earns three.
October 2, 2023
Debuting in the pages of Bendis' Mighty Avengers, Nick Fury's Secret Warriors serve to uphold the intelligence infrastructure that has recently crumbled with the destruction of S.H.I.E.L.D. A very early into his career Jonathan Hickman picks up the threads set forth by Bendis & Maleev and crafts a significant run on the team which made their official debut as a team during the "Secret Invasion" event. While "Secret Invasion" was a loud, boisterous and overly complicated event, the ensuing Secret Warriors run is rather subdued and comparatively low stakes. That is really what makes this run stand out more than anything - it's unique in that the role of the conventional Marvel superheroes is downplayed in favor of more regular individuals. At least that's the premise as set forth, but this team of Secret Warriors are basically superheroes just not ones that wear capes and costumes.
Leading Fury's team is Daisy Johnson/Quake, the secondary lead of the series. In tow are JT Slade (Hellfire), Sebastian Druid (Druid), Yo-Yo Rodriguez (Slingshot), Jerry Sledge (Stonewall), Alexander Aaron (Phobos) and Eden Fesi (Manifold), all of whom are superpowered individuals who are codenamed as "Caterpillars" by Fury. The primary antagonists to the Secret Warriors are mostly HYDRA affiliated individuals/leaders, like Baron von Strucker, Viper, Madame Hydra, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the Hive, Gorgon and the Kraken, among others. As S.H.I.E.L.D. secrets and bases remain compromised due to the events of the parallel "Dark Reign" era, Fury deploys the Secret Warriors on various missions to subdue the growing HYDRA threat. Alongside HYDRA, the emerging threat of a new terrorist organization known as Leviathan threatens the already tipped power balance between S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA.
Daisy and her fellow Secret Warriors all get individual moments to shine, with some a fair bit more than others. Phobos, son of Ares, and also the Greek God of Fear trapped within the body of a preteen boy gets an entire arc to dedicated to his emerging godliness. Druid and Hellfire play critical roles on the team, with the latter having a pivotal romantic relationship that is at the core of the series. Others like Slingshot, Manifold and Stonewall are a bit more of an afterthought, though they all do get individual moments to shine. While the many interactions between the team are nice, Hickman's approach is very plot heavy so the small character moments don't really amount to all that much. Indeed, the few emotional beats don't have much resonance since even by the end of the series I felt that I didn't really know most of these characters all that well.
But Secret Warriors is really just a Nick Fury book under the veneer of a team book. All of the characters exist to serve as multiple perspectives on how badass Fury actually is. His approach to building the team is utterly devoid of compassion and sentimentality, and there are several moments where Fury makes it abundantly clear that he doesn't care much for the team (though Daisy may be the one exception here). Even Captain America's brief moments in Secret Warriors exists to highlight just how impressed he is with Fury. It's clear that Hickman and the other creatives involved were infatuated with getting Fury right, especially when they pepper in some homages to Jim Steranko's take on Nick Fury.
Overall, this is a decent run that blends the espionage themes well with the superhero stuff. The run itself is nicely self-contained (aside from some disjointedness early on due to the lack of context some readers may have about "Secret Invasion" & "Dark Reign") and concludes in a pretty decisive way. It seems rare to get these kinds of insulated runs these days, especially one that doesn't indulge in traditional superhero fare. The writing is more sparse than Hickman's many later works (and not as many graphs/figures/tables as would later include), but characterization work is pretty inert throughout. The artwork by the main series artists Stefano Caselli and Alessandro Vitti was quite appealing with respect to the action, though at times the lack of identifying costumes could make certain characters difficult to decipher. Perhaps it was the muddy at times coloring that didn't help, but overall the artwork was nicely done.
Leading Fury's team is Daisy Johnson/Quake, the secondary lead of the series. In tow are JT Slade (Hellfire), Sebastian Druid (Druid), Yo-Yo Rodriguez (Slingshot), Jerry Sledge (Stonewall), Alexander Aaron (Phobos) and Eden Fesi (Manifold), all of whom are superpowered individuals who are codenamed as "Caterpillars" by Fury. The primary antagonists to the Secret Warriors are mostly HYDRA affiliated individuals/leaders, like Baron von Strucker, Viper, Madame Hydra, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the Hive, Gorgon and the Kraken, among others. As S.H.I.E.L.D. secrets and bases remain compromised due to the events of the parallel "Dark Reign" era, Fury deploys the Secret Warriors on various missions to subdue the growing HYDRA threat. Alongside HYDRA, the emerging threat of a new terrorist organization known as Leviathan threatens the already tipped power balance between S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA.
Daisy and her fellow Secret Warriors all get individual moments to shine, with some a fair bit more than others. Phobos, son of Ares, and also the Greek God of Fear trapped within the body of a preteen boy gets an entire arc to dedicated to his emerging godliness. Druid and Hellfire play critical roles on the team, with the latter having a pivotal romantic relationship that is at the core of the series. Others like Slingshot, Manifold and Stonewall are a bit more of an afterthought, though they all do get individual moments to shine. While the many interactions between the team are nice, Hickman's approach is very plot heavy so the small character moments don't really amount to all that much. Indeed, the few emotional beats don't have much resonance since even by the end of the series I felt that I didn't really know most of these characters all that well.
But Secret Warriors is really just a Nick Fury book under the veneer of a team book. All of the characters exist to serve as multiple perspectives on how badass Fury actually is. His approach to building the team is utterly devoid of compassion and sentimentality, and there are several moments where Fury makes it abundantly clear that he doesn't care much for the team (though Daisy may be the one exception here). Even Captain America's brief moments in Secret Warriors exists to highlight just how impressed he is with Fury. It's clear that Hickman and the other creatives involved were infatuated with getting Fury right, especially when they pepper in some homages to Jim Steranko's take on Nick Fury.
Overall, this is a decent run that blends the espionage themes well with the superhero stuff. The run itself is nicely self-contained (aside from some disjointedness early on due to the lack of context some readers may have about "Secret Invasion" & "Dark Reign") and concludes in a pretty decisive way. It seems rare to get these kinds of insulated runs these days, especially one that doesn't indulge in traditional superhero fare. The writing is more sparse than Hickman's many later works (and not as many graphs/figures/tables as would later include), but characterization work is pretty inert throughout. The artwork by the main series artists Stefano Caselli and Alessandro Vitti was quite appealing with respect to the action, though at times the lack of identifying costumes could make certain characters difficult to decipher. Perhaps it was the muddy at times coloring that didn't help, but overall the artwork was nicely done.
July 28, 2022
Totally fine, but not very great. Really reveals how hard it is to tel your own story over a longer arc when you're working within the confines of the Big Two and their crossovers, etc. If this led to Hickman realizing that he needed an even larger canvas in order to get to a smaller story that said what he actually wanted (The Avengers run culminating in Secret Wars, e.g.) then it's totally worth it. That being said, I've never been a Nick Fury or Howling Commanders fan, and this made me a little bit more receptive to them? The art was subpar, and really suffered toward the end of the first arc. Worth a read, but nothing that's really been super-relevant since then, other than the springboard to Hickman's writing career. I loved reading it now, post-SHIELD (by Hickman) and seeing how those ideas were truly developed, as opposed to the (seemingly-) tossed off nature of Aries (Leo, right?) here. Lots of potential from the characters who were left over, and I'm a pretty omnivorous Marvel-reader, but I don't know if they've ever been used properly since, other than the obvious Daisy love from the TV show?
December 6, 2025
One of the best things that Marvel published in this era: it was obvious that Jonathan Hickman was going places. Surprisingly, this initial effort remains one of his best.
It's the espionage side of the Marvel universe, entirely reimagined (while still remaining true to its origins). Hydra becomes truly dangerous, and its leaders become iconic and weird.
The storytelling is also amazing. Hickman constantly attacks things from different sides, sometimes leaving our protagonists out of it for issues at a time. This goes somewhat wrong in volume four, which feels like it spins its wheels and tells a different story than the rest of the collection, but you can't have this sort of experimentation without the chance of misstep.
And Hickman wasn't afraid of repercussions. We lose multiple members of our cast over the course of the book, which is shocking for a Big-2 comic.
The worst thing about this book is how much it's been ignored. The reinventions, the new characters, the repercussions for old ones, they're mostly swept under the carpet. Alas, that often seems to be the story of Hickman's interactions with Marvel. (They're too stupid to realize what they have.)
It's the espionage side of the Marvel universe, entirely reimagined (while still remaining true to its origins). Hydra becomes truly dangerous, and its leaders become iconic and weird.
The storytelling is also amazing. Hickman constantly attacks things from different sides, sometimes leaving our protagonists out of it for issues at a time. This goes somewhat wrong in volume four, which feels like it spins its wheels and tells a different story than the rest of the collection, but you can't have this sort of experimentation without the chance of misstep.
And Hickman wasn't afraid of repercussions. We lose multiple members of our cast over the course of the book, which is shocking for a Big-2 comic.
The worst thing about this book is how much it's been ignored. The reinventions, the new characters, the repercussions for old ones, they're mostly swept under the carpet. Alas, that often seems to be the story of Hickman's interactions with Marvel. (They're too stupid to realize what they have.)
February 7, 2022
I’ve been a Jonathan Hickman fan since his sensational Fantastic Four run, but never quite made the time to go back and read this series. I actually found it quite disappointing. I like Hickman and I like Caselli and yet I feel both of them are still finding their feet in this series. Their best work is still to come. Hickman excels at big ideas and those are on display, but his character work and pacing is a mess. All of the established characters are terrific, but none of the titular team resonate at all. In fact, it’s really when the book shifts its focus to Hydra or the Howling Commandos that it’s at its best. The Last Ride arc was sensational, but not a lot else was. I just never cared much what was going on or who it was happening to whenever Nick and his various teams were on screen, but optimistically kept going for the entire omnibus thinking it would turn around. Unfortunately, it never really did.
September 22, 2023
This was a really enjoyable read and a bit different to what I was expecting from a Hickman story. I've read both FF Omnibuses, the first Avengers, HoX/PoX and a couple of the X-Men trades and despite having some data pages, this one felt more straightforward and had more momentum to it. It has twists and turns with a bigger underlying plot as you'd expect for Hickman and those elements plus the pace really fits this Spy Thriller.
One of the other things I enjoyed were all the familiar names and story points as a big fan of the Agents of SHIELD television show. In most6 cases the characters don't match up but there was still the feeling of a connection for me.
I now really want to get those SHIELD volumes that come next!
One of the other things I enjoyed were all the familiar names and story points as a big fan of the Agents of SHIELD television show. In most6 cases the characters don't match up but there was still the feeling of a connection for me.
I now really want to get those SHIELD volumes that come next!
July 31, 2025
I have a problem with books like this one.
Are these supposed to tell a real story with a beginning and an end? we know by now that Marvel universe is not a best place to do that, yet it's not impossible, in fact, few writers can thrive when dealing with the hard rules of that world. Constant cross-events, countless characters, teams, continuity problems etc.
Hickman seemingly wants to tell the story, but what is the actual story here... without getting into details, because of the tone, this comes a little bit childish and the ending gets you just eye-rolling.
it reads mostly well and there are few great action sequences, but the whole world building really doesn't serve a story and I'm sure as hell- doesn't serve other writers participating in creating new runs
... so... yeah. Hickman wants to be taken seriously by writing serious story, but can't deliver, really.
Are these supposed to tell a real story with a beginning and an end? we know by now that Marvel universe is not a best place to do that, yet it's not impossible, in fact, few writers can thrive when dealing with the hard rules of that world. Constant cross-events, countless characters, teams, continuity problems etc.
Hickman seemingly wants to tell the story, but what is the actual story here... without getting into details, because of the tone, this comes a little bit childish and the ending gets you just eye-rolling.
it reads mostly well and there are few great action sequences, but the whole world building really doesn't serve a story and I'm sure as hell- doesn't serve other writers participating in creating new runs
... so... yeah. Hickman wants to be taken seriously by writing serious story, but can't deliver, really.
August 6, 2025
More a 4.5/5 but I'll round up because it's Hickman.
What I found most crazy about this is how insanely grounded this is for the Marvel universe. Yes, powers play into a little bit but for the most part it reads as more as a spy thriller that occasionally has powers pop up. Punches aren't pulled and there are some shocking deaths in here. Nick Fury is a real son of a bitch but you just find yourself rooting for him even when he's being a bastard. There's tons of fake outs and twists I really appreciated and while the story jumps around a lot, it's done in a way that it enchances the read, doesn't take away from it. If you like spy thrillers I'd heavily recommend this. If you want superhero stuff, I'd do a little more research but anything Hickman is worth reading.
What I found most crazy about this is how insanely grounded this is for the Marvel universe. Yes, powers play into a little bit but for the most part it reads as more as a spy thriller that occasionally has powers pop up. Punches aren't pulled and there are some shocking deaths in here. Nick Fury is a real son of a bitch but you just find yourself rooting for him even when he's being a bastard. There's tons of fake outs and twists I really appreciated and while the story jumps around a lot, it's done in a way that it enchances the read, doesn't take away from it. If you like spy thrillers I'd heavily recommend this. If you want superhero stuff, I'd do a little more research but anything Hickman is worth reading.
August 9, 2025
This was a really good spy thriller with a lot of action, many really good plot twists and it is surprisingly accessible to newcomers. I've never really cared for the character of Nick Fury. Nothing against him, I just never thought he was super interesting. And while Hickman didn't really end up making me a fan of the character, I now understand the intrigue. There are some hints at the bigger narrative, same as with the Shield series, but it's not in any way essential to the Hickman saga. It was interesting enough but to me it didn't really deliver on anything outside of "the good guys always win".
May 25, 2018
I have to say that this just didn't work.
I feel like it should have worked. But it feels like a lot of this was told and not shown. Like is Daisy Johnson really the best? Everyone says she is. But we never get to see it.
And then Nick Fury is kind of a jerk to everyone, but he's also infallible and invincible. It feels like he's never really in danger.
It feels like there are a lot of good moments. But it was hard to believe in the story.
Also, Dr. Druid loses weight to become a hero? Bodyshaming, I guess.
I feel like it should have worked. But it feels like a lot of this was told and not shown. Like is Daisy Johnson really the best? Everyone says she is. But we never get to see it.
And then Nick Fury is kind of a jerk to everyone, but he's also infallible and invincible. It feels like he's never really in danger.
It feels like there are a lot of good moments. But it was hard to believe in the story.
Also, Dr. Druid loses weight to become a hero? Bodyshaming, I guess.
April 7, 2019
I’m not sure the big twist involving Baron Strucker 100% works, but it definitely doesn’t take away from the quality and impact of the overarching story. And make no mistake, this is an ARC; reading this series as a contained omnibus did wonders for continuity and story flow, keeping the characters, double and triple crosses, and revelations straight. This review isn’t just for the series itself, it’s for the presentation. This is the best way to read Secret Warriors, and its a shame Marvel is so reticent to keep trades in print in general, and omnibuses in particular.
July 30, 2023
My favorite comicbook story of all time. Nick Fury here is the perfect combo of Wolverine and Captain America. He has noble qualities of Cap like care for his country and his men, bravery and sense of duty; combined with ruggedness, bravado and doing things the machivellian way of Wolverine.
Hickman here writes a grandiose conspiracy that goes high up the hierarchy and into the distant past. Many dramatic subplots and interesting characters make this a page turner as you connect more pieces of the final puzzle. The plot is just amazing.
Hickman here writes a grandiose conspiracy that goes high up the hierarchy and into the distant past. Many dramatic subplots and interesting characters make this a page turner as you connect more pieces of the final puzzle. The plot is just amazing.
February 26, 2025
Absolutely brilliant.
Beautiful art mostly.
Such a great reading experience. Possibly Hickman's best work.
I feel like Druid is a Hickman stand in, looks quite similar to him also. He becomes the most powerful, goes from fat to fit. It's not a great message thay only abs make you a worthy, competent person.
Beautiful art mostly.
Such a great reading experience. Possibly Hickman's best work.
I feel like Druid is a Hickman stand in, looks quite similar to him also. He becomes the most powerful, goes from fat to fit. It's not a great message thay only abs make you a worthy, competent person.
August 4, 2023
Engaging spy thriller with Nick Fury at the heart of it. I really enjoyed this book and it sets up a lot (I think) for the coming books also written by Hickman. I can’t wait to start reading what many coin as “The best Marvel story ever told”
December 10, 2020
I read this book super fast. Fun story with plenty of twists and turns as any good espionage story should have. Excited to read it again down the road to pick up on any details missed.
June 8, 2025
Hickman sure does have a few things that he really likes to write about
August 11, 2025
Fantastic run by Hickman. If there was only one secret agent/spy comics to read, this is the one.
August 26, 2025
Starts off really strong, ends a bit weak. Unlike Hickman's Fantastic Four run, this series is very un-cosmic. Nick Fury is a cool guy.
August 29, 2025
4.75/5
Incredible first entry to Jonathan Hickman’s Marvel arc. Kept me on my toes the entire time with some gorgeous illustration. Excited for what is to come.
Incredible first entry to Jonathan Hickman’s Marvel arc. Kept me on my toes the entire time with some gorgeous illustration. Excited for what is to come.
February 24, 2024
The Debut Birthed a Legend
OVERALL RATING: 4.5 stars
Art: 2.5 stars
Prose: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4.75 stars
Pacing: 5 stars
Character Development: 3.75 stars
World Building: 5 stars
OVERALL RATING: 4.5 stars
Art: 2.5 stars
Prose: 4.5 stars
Plot: 4.75 stars
Pacing: 5 stars
Character Development: 3.75 stars
World Building: 5 stars
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