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Civil War (2015) #1-5
Civil War: Warzones!
Prepare to discover one of Battleworld's most contested domains — where CIVIL WAR never ended! In the Warzone, the conflict over the Superhuman Registration Act reached a climax that tore the country in half — literally. The East became the Iron, with Tony Stark imposing order. The West became the frontier known as the Blue, where Steve Rogers enforces justice. With heroes split between the feuding territories, old friends are now bitter enemies, and families are torn apart. As General Rogers and his allies — including Peter Parker — seek an end to the conflict, President Stark makes a disturbing discovery about the divided nation. When the two figureheads finally meet again, will a historic summit lead to peace at last? SECRET WARS plus CIVIL WAR equals probably not!
Collecting CIVIL WAR (2015) #1-5.
Collecting CIVIL WAR (2015) #1-5.
120 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2016
7 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
Charles Soule
1,520 books1,691 followersCharles Soule is a #1 New York Times-bestselling novelist, comics author, screenwriter, musician, and lapsed attorney. He has written some of the most prominent stories of the last decade for Marvel, DC and Lucasfilm in addition to his own work, such as his comics Curse Words, Letter 44 and Undiscovered Country, and his original novels Light of the Jedi, The Endless Vessel, The Oracle Year and Anyone. He lives in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
September 19, 2019
“If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck”.
Eh, maybe, maybe not.
This was tucked away with all of the other Civil War volumes on my library shelf and I thought that I found some sort of odd cross over event tie-in volume.
I did; however, it was for Secret Wars, not Civil War.
It looks like a Civil War volume and swims like a…
Never mind.
Punked again by the local library.
There’s no mention of Dr. Doom lording over stuff or a Thor squad hammering unruly war zone inhabitants, so this one, like some of the others, functions as a What If volume.
Charles Soule, the very embodiment of a hit or miss writer, looks at what would happen in the Marvel Civil War if sh*t went really sideways and the country was split into two zones – Starktopia and Captain Americaslavia. No, that’s wrong, it’s Ironsylvania and Capakhstan.
Anyway, there’s a reconciliation brewing, but there’s evil hijinks afoot…
…and the peace talks get pre-empted by murder.
Because it’s not easy being green, She-Hulk goes undercover as a lawyer in Capville to see what’s going on.
But, we’d know that bad Mohawk haircut anywhere.
There’s the predictable clash between superheroes…
The party who’s responsible for keeping the Civil War and resultant chaos going actually makes sense in the grand scheme of Marvel lore.
Quack! Quack!
Bottom line : This one’s, thankfully a short tie-in, so expect, especially for a Soule penned book, some extra espousing of wordstuff, yet it’s more of a satisfying Secret Wars detour than a lot of what was published at the time.
Three and a half stars.
September 19, 2019
What if Marvel's Civil War never ended?
Many more heroes died,
history has changed,
and out of the ashes two men rule the divided country. Iron Man rules the East known as the Iron and Captain America rules the West known as the Blue.
Let me start by saying that I strongly disliked Civil War. The characters all behaved in strange angry ways that were far outside their nature and it didn't work out well. I only read this story because my library had the single issues and I was curious if it was better than the original. It was better, but not by much. The explanation behind the events was better than the senseless Civil War.
The thing I appreciated the most was the ending. So many of the Secret Wars miniseries got abrupt Secret Wars endings that further invalidated the events that were occuring, but Civil War was fortunate to not get the same treatment. More thought seemed to be put into this miniseries than the actual Civil War event. In the end I still have a bad taste in my mouth over the insane actions of the characters in the original Civil War and this miniseries.
2.5 out of 5 stars
Many more heroes died,
history has changed,
and out of the ashes two men rule the divided country. Iron Man rules the East known as the Iron and Captain America rules the West known as the Blue.
Let me start by saying that I strongly disliked Civil War. The characters all behaved in strange angry ways that were far outside their nature and it didn't work out well. I only read this story because my library had the single issues and I was curious if it was better than the original. It was better, but not by much. The explanation behind the events was better than the senseless Civil War.
The thing I appreciated the most was the ending. So many of the Secret Wars miniseries got abrupt Secret Wars endings that further invalidated the events that were occuring, but Civil War was fortunate to not get the same treatment. More thought seemed to be put into this miniseries than the actual Civil War event. In the end I still have a bad taste in my mouth over the insane actions of the characters in the original Civil War and this miniseries.
2.5 out of 5 stars
March 21, 2022
What if...Civil War didn’t end with something dumb and instead ended up going into a sort of Cold War that never ended? Then you’d have this book!
So the US has been split in half, with Iron Man controlling one half and Captain America controlling the other. It’s a pretty cool concept that’s well-executed for the most part. I liked this WAY more than the main Civil War events, which both may genuinely be my two least favorite Marvel events ever, but it also wasn’t amazing by any means. Just better than dogshit, with some great art as well. Recommend, especially to fans of Civil War.
So the US has been split in half, with Iron Man controlling one half and Captain America controlling the other. It’s a pretty cool concept that’s well-executed for the most part. I liked this WAY more than the main Civil War events, which both may genuinely be my two least favorite Marvel events ever, but it also wasn’t amazing by any means. Just better than dogshit, with some great art as well. Recommend, especially to fans of Civil War.
September 19, 2019
One of the best Secret Wars tie-ins because it in no way tied in to Secret Wars. Just a stand alone story about "What If Civil War Never ended?" It's 6 years later and now the country has been divided between Iron Man and Cap's forces. I enjoyed the twist of who was really behind things. It was clever. Leinil Yu provides some fantastic art.
September 12, 2017
3.5 -ish stars?
I'm one of like 5 people that puts Civil War in the top 5 Marvel events. Not the main trade because yikes, that sucker was awful but the tie-ins, especially The Confession and Frontline were some of the best Marvel has to offer. They made several parallels between the war between Pro SHRA and Anti-SHRA and wars throughout US history. They also pulled from Steve and Tony's history to make the war more meaningful. I don't know if you guys know this but Steve and Tony used to be best friends? I know that gets a little lost in Marvel making them fight in every single comic and movie they've shared since 2004. It's getting quite ridiculous.
That being said... it's really easy to tell when the writer of a comic is leaning towards the good old "Cap was always right" mentality. Why? Because even when presented with evidence that Tony and Steve were manipulated by outside forces, Soule tells us that Cap was innocent and Tony was still guilty. Yeah, okay.
So, this starts when, during the Negative Zone battle, someone activates the self destruct system. Cloak and Dagger think it's Tony, Hill thinks it's Cap. This leads to Cloak trying to teleport everyone out before it explodes and several people die. (Jan, T’Challa, Cloak, Matt Murdock). Both sides blame the other and there's a huge divide in the US.
After years of war, everyone’s belief system has been reduced to the simplest terms:
The Iron: rules by law and order. There are schools for the gifted; seemingly they all get a warning? Not clear if they have to leave their families but they are educated on how to safely use their powers. Militant heroes watch over the east.
The Blue: Kind of the outlaw state. Cap rules with 2 rules: Hurt no one, and help when you can. Seems great right? Except Cassie comes across a kid using his abilities to blow something up and is 100% fine with that? Also his Avengers come if you try to break his rules. If you succeed, he sends the Punishers after you. So... if you break Cap's rules, you die? Also, glad to know he's willing to compromise with killers but not Tony. Cool.
The Blue is considered a rogue nation and outside countries refuse to trade with them... which makes sense, actually. Of course, Cap blames this on Tony and says Tony is manipulating the other countries to keep resources from the Blue. I should mention, this is tossed out by Peter and Steve without any evidence that it's actually Tony's fault.
Miriam Sharpe has been running a bridge over the divide, presumably to allow people to travel between both places. She hosts a sit down to try to end the war and I'm not sure why? I guess after years of war, she felt bad? Cap comes because they need resources. Tony comes because they need more space. Anyway, they sit down, a large even happens and the war between them gets worse.
The characterization in this book is fine. I can't quite put my finger on why it seemed wrong? I guess it's hard because the main trades for Civil War were off in characterization for several people anyway?
For example, Cap has always been unwilling to compromise. That's something that's been consistent throughout his comics and when faced with the world making choices he hates, he turns his back on them and goes his own way (Nomad). So, it makes sense for him to disguise himself and try to fight secretly during Civil War. However, I've always had a hard time imagining he just went from retreat to backstabbing and EMP handshakes with someone who used to be his best friend and "gave him a home".
Tony's always been the thinker and has several contingencies in place for unexpected threats. That's something that's always been true of him seeing as he's been betrayed by nearly everyone he's known save maybe Rhodey and Happy. So, it makes sense he'd have a plan in case the superhero community ever found themselves against the general public and the general public needed to be protected. It doesn't add up why someone who's been so staunchly against people stealing his technology would keep Thor's DNA to clone him if the need arose? I just can't see him doing that, particularly because Thor was one of his best friends. But Millar wrote it and now it's canon and people use that to say Tony was always a fascist. (Which is what happens when you don't touch an Iron Man comic pre-2004).
Here, Cap is the rebel leader who's all military all the time. He has his doubts that Tony would straight up assassinate him but still dives head first into a fight with the Iron because he'd rather take himself out fighting them. His goal becomes to fight for resources and to keep his land.
Tony is doing surprisingly well mentally. Doesn't quite mesh with the image Peter and Cap are painting of him. He's President, dating Jen (which was an adjustment for me) and just trying to protect the people in his area. It appears most non-super people are in the Iron because they feel safe there. (Gee, Cap, I wonder why.) Honestly, most of the "evil" things he does in this book are told to us in comments from Cap and Peter. We never see him actually do anything evil.
Anyway, spoilers below:
So, it's a recommend if you're interested in what the Marvel Universe would look like if Civil War had continued. The art is pretty great (Tony looks amazing!).
If you're a Team Iron Man fan like me, it's frustrating. If you're Team Cap like 98% of Marvel readers, you'll probably enjoy it just fine.
3.5 stars.
I'm one of like 5 people that puts Civil War in the top 5 Marvel events. Not the main trade because yikes, that sucker was awful but the tie-ins, especially The Confession and Frontline were some of the best Marvel has to offer. They made several parallels between the war between Pro SHRA and Anti-SHRA and wars throughout US history. They also pulled from Steve and Tony's history to make the war more meaningful. I don't know if you guys know this but Steve and Tony used to be best friends? I know that gets a little lost in Marvel making them fight in every single comic and movie they've shared since 2004. It's getting quite ridiculous.
That being said... it's really easy to tell when the writer of a comic is leaning towards the good old "Cap was always right" mentality. Why? Because even when presented with evidence that Tony and Steve were manipulated by outside forces, Soule tells us that Cap was innocent and Tony was still guilty. Yeah, okay.
So, this starts when, during the Negative Zone battle, someone activates the self destruct system. Cloak and Dagger think it's Tony, Hill thinks it's Cap. This leads to Cloak trying to teleport everyone out before it explodes and several people die. (Jan, T’Challa, Cloak, Matt Murdock). Both sides blame the other and there's a huge divide in the US.
After years of war, everyone’s belief system has been reduced to the simplest terms:
The Iron: rules by law and order. There are schools for the gifted; seemingly they all get a warning? Not clear if they have to leave their families but they are educated on how to safely use their powers. Militant heroes watch over the east.
The Blue: Kind of the outlaw state. Cap rules with 2 rules: Hurt no one, and help when you can. Seems great right? Except Cassie comes across a kid using his abilities to blow something up and is 100% fine with that? Also his Avengers come if you try to break his rules. If you succeed, he sends the Punishers after you. So... if you break Cap's rules, you die? Also, glad to know he's willing to compromise with killers but not Tony. Cool.
The Blue is considered a rogue nation and outside countries refuse to trade with them... which makes sense, actually. Of course, Cap blames this on Tony and says Tony is manipulating the other countries to keep resources from the Blue. I should mention, this is tossed out by Peter and Steve without any evidence that it's actually Tony's fault.
Miriam Sharpe has been running a bridge over the divide, presumably to allow people to travel between both places. She hosts a sit down to try to end the war and I'm not sure why? I guess after years of war, she felt bad? Cap comes because they need resources. Tony comes because they need more space. Anyway, they sit down, a large even happens and the war between them gets worse.
The characterization in this book is fine. I can't quite put my finger on why it seemed wrong? I guess it's hard because the main trades for Civil War were off in characterization for several people anyway?
For example, Cap has always been unwilling to compromise. That's something that's been consistent throughout his comics and when faced with the world making choices he hates, he turns his back on them and goes his own way (Nomad). So, it makes sense for him to disguise himself and try to fight secretly during Civil War. However, I've always had a hard time imagining he just went from retreat to backstabbing and EMP handshakes with someone who used to be his best friend and "gave him a home".
Tony's always been the thinker and has several contingencies in place for unexpected threats. That's something that's always been true of him seeing as he's been betrayed by nearly everyone he's known save maybe Rhodey and Happy. So, it makes sense he'd have a plan in case the superhero community ever found themselves against the general public and the general public needed to be protected. It doesn't add up why someone who's been so staunchly against people stealing his technology would keep Thor's DNA to clone him if the need arose? I just can't see him doing that, particularly because Thor was one of his best friends. But Millar wrote it and now it's canon and people use that to say Tony was always a fascist. (Which is what happens when you don't touch an Iron Man comic pre-2004).
Here, Cap is the rebel leader who's all military all the time. He has his doubts that Tony would straight up assassinate him but still dives head first into a fight with the Iron because he'd rather take himself out fighting them. His goal becomes to fight for resources and to keep his land.
Tony is doing surprisingly well mentally. Doesn't quite mesh with the image Peter and Cap are painting of him. He's President, dating Jen (which was an adjustment for me) and just trying to protect the people in his area. It appears most non-super people are in the Iron because they feel safe there. (Gee, Cap, I wonder why.) Honestly, most of the "evil" things he does in this book are told to us in comments from Cap and Peter. We never see him actually do anything evil.
Anyway, spoilers below:
So, it's a recommend if you're interested in what the Marvel Universe would look like if Civil War had continued. The art is pretty great (Tony looks amazing!).
If you're a Team Iron Man fan like me, it's frustrating. If you're Team Cap like 98% of Marvel readers, you'll probably enjoy it just fine.
3.5 stars.
July 2, 2016
This was fine. Not great. Just ok.
May 18, 2016
I'm pretty sure this is the last Secret Wars related thing that I'll be reading. There are way worse ways to wrap up the event. I've made no secret that I hated the original Civil War event. It doesn't make sense in universe (if the X-Men books have spend the last twenty plus years telling us that a Mutant Registration Act is the first step towards a genocidal dystopia, how can you possibly expect me to take a Superhero Registration Act as anything other than a terrible idea?) and a lot of characters acted in ways that didn't make sense, simply to keep the sides vaguely even. I probably should have run screaming from a book that had as its premise "Civil War never ended". And yet, I read it, and I'm actually glad that I did.
Yes, it still has that characterization problem in a few spots. There's no real reason for Emma Frost to be on the Registration side, other than that the plot requires that side to have a telepath late in the story. That said, it's significantly more even-handed than the original Civil War had been. Iron Man's side isn't an outrageously oppressive regime, and Captain America's isn't a wretched hive of scum and villainy. Both leaders are principled but flawed, and you can easily see how the continuing war is holding both sides back. I get the distinct impression that a lot more thought went into plotting out this take on Civil War than on the original.
But "better than the original Civil War" is a pretty damn low bar to set. I wasn't thrilled with the path the plot eventually takes or the mechanism by which it all gets resolved. Yes, it works better than the original, but there's little that doesn't.
Yes, it still has that characterization problem in a few spots. There's no real reason for Emma Frost to be on the Registration side, other than that the plot requires that side to have a telepath late in the story. That said, it's significantly more even-handed than the original Civil War had been. Iron Man's side isn't an outrageously oppressive regime, and Captain America's isn't a wretched hive of scum and villainy. Both leaders are principled but flawed, and you can easily see how the continuing war is holding both sides back. I get the distinct impression that a lot more thought went into plotting out this take on Civil War than on the original.
But "better than the original Civil War" is a pretty damn low bar to set. I wasn't thrilled with the path the plot eventually takes or the mechanism by which it all gets resolved. Yes, it works better than the original, but there's little that doesn't.
October 21, 2015
It's a high 3 stars. The art was amazing and it's cool how they manage to continue the Civil War storyline, and it stands on its own pretty well because there's barely any tie-in to Secret Wars.
But I didn't like the twist around midway through. I can't go into what it is without spoiling, but I just though "oh....really...?" and groaned. If it was pre-2007 (hint as to what the twist is), it would have been cool.
But I didn't like the twist around midway through. I can't go into what it is without spoiling, but I just though "oh....really...?" and groaned. If it was pre-2007 (hint as to what the twist is), it would have been cool.
July 25, 2021
3.75 stars. Let’s get something out of the way. At no point did I see how this ties in to Secret Wars. Plus, some of these “tie ins” are labeled Warzones and some labeled Battlground. I don’t know what the difference is supposed to mean. Now, as far as the story itself? This was pretty good. The country has literally been divided. Tony on his side, called The Iron, where he is the president and Steve out west, called the Blue, where he is in charge. They have been on the cusps of war for awhile now. Great concept and ideas, good plot and writing, Leinil Yu crushes it on art duty and there was a nice twist I didn’t see coming. Good stuff.
February 29, 2016
I keep expecting to find a Secret Wars crossover series I don't like, but so far I've enjoyed them all.
In this one the Civil War has led to a country divided, with Iron Man ruling one side and Captain America the other. It's like taking things one step further than the original Marvel Civil War series did. However, there's another side that's been playing both sides the entire time..
Add in some Lenil Yu artwork and you have a good "untold" Civil War story.
I have to admit, I was very skeptical about all of the crossovers Marvel published for this "event". I still think they may have overdone it volume wise, but as far as quality goes, they have done a superb job of keeping everything entertaining.
As with the other crossovers, I think this one would appeal more to fans of the original Civil War event rather than the new Secret Wars event. If that's you, check this one out.
In this one the Civil War has led to a country divided, with Iron Man ruling one side and Captain America the other. It's like taking things one step further than the original Marvel Civil War series did. However, there's another side that's been playing both sides the entire time..
Add in some Lenil Yu artwork and you have a good "untold" Civil War story.
I have to admit, I was very skeptical about all of the crossovers Marvel published for this "event". I still think they may have overdone it volume wise, but as far as quality goes, they have done a superb job of keeping everything entertaining.
As with the other crossovers, I think this one would appeal more to fans of the original Civil War event rather than the new Secret Wars event. If that's you, check this one out.
September 18, 2016
I just re-read Millar's original Civil War to refresh myself, prepare for the grand re-working by Charles Soule.
Soule does his usual with the sci-fi, what-if alternate earth playground: crafts a story of intrigue, mysteries and somber moods. Stories this immersive - this steeped in its own mythology - makes it really jarring when a reminder pops up that this is just a piece of the board in Battleworld.
I liked this book. It's somber and serious, but takes the story seriously and gives us some pretty solid turns to keep us guessing. Soule put some real work into this story, which is more than we can say for *some* of the thousand books he's working on at any one time.
Soule does his usual with the sci-fi, what-if alternate earth playground: crafts a story of intrigue, mysteries and somber moods. Stories this immersive - this steeped in its own mythology - makes it really jarring when a reminder pops up that this is just a piece of the board in Battleworld.
I liked this book. It's somber and serious, but takes the story seriously and gives us some pretty solid turns to keep us guessing. Soule put some real work into this story, which is more than we can say for *some* of the thousand books he's working on at any one time.
April 28, 2016
Overall an interesting take on what happens if Civil War began. I reviewed issue 1 and then read the remaining four issues and felt the same throughout. The big reveal felt kind of weak. I expected a better turnout on that front. It explained some things, such as why certain characters were acting a certain way. However, I would have enjoyed a more clean ending, based on just different ideals. Either way, a fun little Warzone read worth checking out.
March 18, 2025
This was very cool. I’m glad I went back and checked it out. It’s an alternative universe where the original Civil War event continued and spiraled into a dystopia, with Captain America and Iron Man leading separate states in a divided US. It could have been corny, but it was handled by Charles Soule with more reverence and seriousness than the original series was. I’m mixed on Leinil Francis Yu’s art, but this is some of his best work. I do wish it had been at least an issue longer. The big twist felt quite rushed.
March 5, 2021
I LOVED this story of if the civil war went on even in Battleworld. I felt like the plot was interesting, and the characters' philosophies well developed. I think I enjoyed this more than the actual Civil War comics.
May 16, 2024
What if... the Marvel Civil War (the byproduct of the super-hero registration act) went on for six years? It's a question that I wouldn't've asked, nor did I care about the answer. However, once said question was asked and answered, the result was a fascinating story about a bleak, divided America where Steve and Tony are the leaders of their respective nations. Everyone took a side, and the variations were fascinating to see. Nearly any character could've gone either way, and how those former allies (or foes) now see one another is where the creativity gets going. It's a question I wouldn't have asked, but I rather enjoyed the answer.
Three stars.
Three stars.
May 5, 2018
3.5. Actually a lot better than I expected. & the brief but beautiful life of King Ock is now my favorite thing, ever.
September 4, 2018
Collects Civil War (2015) issues #1-5
This story is set during the events of "Secret Wars," however it doesn't tie into "Secret Wars" in such a way that makes it required reading for that series. With no mentions of Doom or Battleworld, this could have easily been a "What If..." story, telling a different outcome to Marvel's original Civil War.
Maybe I'm overrating, and after some time I will come down from my high, but I'd say that this isn't just one of the best "Secret Wars" tie-ins that I've read, but this is one of the best "What If..." stories that I've ever read in general.
This story is set in a world where the Superhero Civil War never ended, and instead the United States was divided down the middle (one side on the East, the other on the West). Captain America leads the side called The Blue, and Iron Man leads the side called The Iron.
I only read four "Secret Wars" tie-in stories in full as they came out as individual magazines every month. Those four are "Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows," "Civil War," "Ultimate End," and "Old Man Logan." With that being said, "Renew Your Vows" was probably my favorite, but this was a very close 2nd place. Sometimes I think I like "Civil War" even better than "Renew Your Vows. "Civil War" is one of my favorite things to come out of the "Secret Wars" event.
HERE ARE MY SPOILER-FILLED REVIEWS OF EACH ISSUE IN THIS COLLECTION:
Secret Wars: Civil War #1: I’ve read a lot of the Secret Wars tie-ins, and “Civil War” is either my #1 or #2 favorite. I loved this war drama featuring familiar faces like She-Hulk (Tony’s girlfriend or wife) and Peter Parker (now using Falcon’s wings). I can’t wait to read on in this series! (5 stars)
Secret Wars: Civil War #2: This issue wasn’t as strong as the first issue, but it was still very intriguing. The political drama between the Blue and the Iron continues to grow as both sides scramble after the surprise assassination in the last issue. Which side will strike the other first? I still find myself siding with Steve Rogers (as I did in the original “Civil War”). (4 stars)
Secret Wars: Civil War #3: This book sucks me into the emotions of war. Peter Parker is broken because of what he’s seen. I suspect that She-Hulk may be the one behind the assassination in Issue #1, which means that her moral code is gone because of the war. Steve and Tony are both facing hard decisions in their leadership positions. We met a creepy new villain, King Ock, and we learned that Hawkeye’s fate is to become joined to the Venom symbiote. There was a lot of good in here, and the last page left me dying to read the next issue. (4.5 stars)
Secret Wars: Civil War #4: Secret Invasion! (4.5 stars)
Secret Wars: Civil War #5: The end of this great “What If...” story was very satisfying. I loved this series, and the heroics at the ending were very fitting. (5 stars)
SECOND READING - SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2018 - NEW REVIEW:
This still holds up as a strong "What If" story, but I think I liked it just a little less this time than I did the first time I read it. It might have been interesting to get some more background on why certain characters chose the side they did, or why some of the status quo had changed (like for Logan), but these weren't necessities for enjoying this book.
This story is set during the events of "Secret Wars," however it doesn't tie into "Secret Wars" in such a way that makes it required reading for that series. With no mentions of Doom or Battleworld, this could have easily been a "What If..." story, telling a different outcome to Marvel's original Civil War.
Maybe I'm overrating, and after some time I will come down from my high, but I'd say that this isn't just one of the best "Secret Wars" tie-ins that I've read, but this is one of the best "What If..." stories that I've ever read in general.
This story is set in a world where the Superhero Civil War never ended, and instead the United States was divided down the middle (one side on the East, the other on the West). Captain America leads the side called The Blue, and Iron Man leads the side called The Iron.
I only read four "Secret Wars" tie-in stories in full as they came out as individual magazines every month. Those four are "Amazing Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows," "Civil War," "Ultimate End," and "Old Man Logan." With that being said, "Renew Your Vows" was probably my favorite, but this was a very close 2nd place. Sometimes I think I like "Civil War" even better than "Renew Your Vows. "Civil War" is one of my favorite things to come out of the "Secret Wars" event.
HERE ARE MY SPOILER-FILLED REVIEWS OF EACH ISSUE IN THIS COLLECTION:
Secret Wars: Civil War #1: I’ve read a lot of the Secret Wars tie-ins, and “Civil War” is either my #1 or #2 favorite. I loved this war drama featuring familiar faces like She-Hulk (Tony’s girlfriend or wife) and Peter Parker (now using Falcon’s wings). I can’t wait to read on in this series! (5 stars)
Secret Wars: Civil War #2: This issue wasn’t as strong as the first issue, but it was still very intriguing. The political drama between the Blue and the Iron continues to grow as both sides scramble after the surprise assassination in the last issue. Which side will strike the other first? I still find myself siding with Steve Rogers (as I did in the original “Civil War”). (4 stars)
Secret Wars: Civil War #3: This book sucks me into the emotions of war. Peter Parker is broken because of what he’s seen. I suspect that She-Hulk may be the one behind the assassination in Issue #1, which means that her moral code is gone because of the war. Steve and Tony are both facing hard decisions in their leadership positions. We met a creepy new villain, King Ock, and we learned that Hawkeye’s fate is to become joined to the Venom symbiote. There was a lot of good in here, and the last page left me dying to read the next issue. (4.5 stars)
Secret Wars: Civil War #4: Secret Invasion! (4.5 stars)
Secret Wars: Civil War #5: The end of this great “What If...” story was very satisfying. I loved this series, and the heroics at the ending were very fitting. (5 stars)
SECOND READING - SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2018 - NEW REVIEW:
This still holds up as a strong "What If" story, but I think I liked it just a little less this time than I did the first time I read it. It might have been interesting to get some more background on why certain characters chose the side they did, or why some of the status quo had changed (like for Logan), but these weren't necessities for enjoying this book.
June 26, 2018
I had a ton of fun reading this book. From the beginning I feel the story was setup nicely and the stakes were raised significantly. And yes, the characters aren't acting exactly like the way they act nowadays, but this is an alternate reality where they are war beaten and tired.
I loved the things left unexplained such as Clint Barton was bonded to the Venom Symbiote, or Logan is now a Hulk. It leaves possible stories on the table, though we probably will never hear them.
The art is great, I think Yu has definitely grown on me. While his past work always felt a bit stilted and stiff, this feels good and gritty. I count myself as a fan of his now.
I will say that the "secret villain" of the story twist is a bit... out there. Doesn't make a ton of sense but hey, if you go with it, the story wraps up nicely and ends up being a fun romp set against the Secret Wars event.
If you liked Civil War and wanted it to be taken to its furthest extreme, check this one out.
I loved the things left unexplained such as Clint Barton was bonded to the Venom Symbiote, or Logan is now a Hulk. It leaves possible stories on the table, though we probably will never hear them.
The art is great, I think Yu has definitely grown on me. While his past work always felt a bit stilted and stiff, this feels good and gritty. I count myself as a fan of his now.
I will say that the "secret villain" of the story twist is a bit... out there. Doesn't make a ton of sense but hey, if you go with it, the story wraps up nicely and ends up being a fun romp set against the Secret Wars event.
If you liked Civil War and wanted it to be taken to its furthest extreme, check this one out.
May 23, 2017
Really enjoyed the art and the way this book continued the story of Civil War. Interesting to see how characters like Peter Parker and She Hulk evolve in this militarized future.
August 10, 2016
This is a blast, with thrilling art from Lenil Yu to complete the package!
September 20, 2023
The way I heard this described by another Goodreads user named AJ was, (and I’m paraphrasing here): what if Civil War never ended and just kept snowballing into this Cold War situation that never ended?
And that was the perfect way to describe this book. This book was great for the first three chapters, then with the final reveal followed by the remaining two, it all falls apart for me.
So Civil War: Warzones starts quite effectively. With the death and making of a martyr in T’Challa, Black Panther. I found this quite nice given their parallels in real world events. Turning him into a hero among heroes to deliver the ultimate sacrifice and save everyone to live on to fight another day was lovely.
And it continues effectively, with the best of the original Civil War continuing on in the best way possible by taking the political divide of two sides that are neither entirely right or wrong and driving it to its natural extremes given how long the fight has gone on for.
As well as showing Tony and Steve as fallible, angry men who do want what’s best for their people, but still continue this war and refuse to bend to the other. In a way they are fighting each other and themselves. I greatly appreciated this as politics isn’t as simple as black or white & red vs. blue (pun intended).
Whenever a situation such as this turns so bad, it is the fault of both sides failing to come to a better solution and in a world of fiction where writers can just pretend that one side of the political spectrum is free of corruption and oppression, I appreciated the genuine attempt at a nuanced situation.
Until it wasn’t a genuine attempt anymore. Charles Soule just ruins all the goodwill I had given him with a cheap twist and a poor ending.
Spoilers from here on down to just before the end. Skip to the last paragraph for my final spoiler free thoughts
SPOILERS START HERE:
As mentioned, the previously martyred T’Challa comes back and DUN DUN DUNNNNNN. He was behind it the whole time.
😐
A generic hero turned villain speech later and DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN. IT ISNT ACC T’CHALLA. T’Challa is still dead and the REALLY REAL villain are the skrulls.
Yeah you know this very complex political situation? Turns out it was just the alien refugees. They’re the bad guys with no moral complexity at all. Imagine something complex as The Dark Knight only replace the Joker with Rita Repulsa from Power Rangers.
The alien species associated with cheap twists and lazy endings, who also had no setup in this story at all, have been behind everything. They were the ones who set the prison to blow, setting the entire story in motion. They impersonated both leaders to manipulate both sides because??? Idk they want more land??
I feel nothing if this grand amount of importance is dumped upon a set of characters who I’ve not seen before in this universe.
The original Civil War has its haters and a lot of it is justified. One such criticism that I agree with is that the ending was a cop out, and yet this one is even worse. It just comes to the conclusion that neither side was wrong, because the skrulls did all the evil manipulation, and consequently, this frees either side of any responsibility, making them both cartoon characters who’ve done nothing wrong despite the America they inhabit being literally split in two because of their political debate. So then if neither side is wrong, then what the fuck was the point of this story? The moral grey is turned into a much more palatable black & white and everyone lives happily ever after?
SPOILERS END HERE:
Just like Wandavision, Civil War: Warzones has an incredible opening. An incredible setup, followed by a cheap, frustrating, generic and creatively unchallenging finale. I’m glad I read it for the good stuff but the bad stuff really left a bad taste in my mouth.
And that was the perfect way to describe this book. This book was great for the first three chapters, then with the final reveal followed by the remaining two, it all falls apart for me.
So Civil War: Warzones starts quite effectively. With the death and making of a martyr in T’Challa, Black Panther. I found this quite nice given their parallels in real world events. Turning him into a hero among heroes to deliver the ultimate sacrifice and save everyone to live on to fight another day was lovely.
And it continues effectively, with the best of the original Civil War continuing on in the best way possible by taking the political divide of two sides that are neither entirely right or wrong and driving it to its natural extremes given how long the fight has gone on for.
As well as showing Tony and Steve as fallible, angry men who do want what’s best for their people, but still continue this war and refuse to bend to the other. In a way they are fighting each other and themselves. I greatly appreciated this as politics isn’t as simple as black or white & red vs. blue (pun intended).
Whenever a situation such as this turns so bad, it is the fault of both sides failing to come to a better solution and in a world of fiction where writers can just pretend that one side of the political spectrum is free of corruption and oppression, I appreciated the genuine attempt at a nuanced situation.
Until it wasn’t a genuine attempt anymore. Charles Soule just ruins all the goodwill I had given him with a cheap twist and a poor ending.
Spoilers from here on down to just before the end. Skip to the last paragraph for my final spoiler free thoughts
SPOILERS START HERE:
As mentioned, the previously martyred T’Challa comes back and DUN DUN DUNNNNNN. He was behind it the whole time.
😐
A generic hero turned villain speech later and DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN. IT ISNT ACC T’CHALLA. T’Challa is still dead and the REALLY REAL villain are the skrulls.
Yeah you know this very complex political situation? Turns out it was just the alien refugees. They’re the bad guys with no moral complexity at all. Imagine something complex as The Dark Knight only replace the Joker with Rita Repulsa from Power Rangers.
The alien species associated with cheap twists and lazy endings, who also had no setup in this story at all, have been behind everything. They were the ones who set the prison to blow, setting the entire story in motion. They impersonated both leaders to manipulate both sides because??? Idk they want more land??
I feel nothing if this grand amount of importance is dumped upon a set of characters who I’ve not seen before in this universe.
The original Civil War has its haters and a lot of it is justified. One such criticism that I agree with is that the ending was a cop out, and yet this one is even worse. It just comes to the conclusion that neither side was wrong, because the skrulls did all the evil manipulation, and consequently, this frees either side of any responsibility, making them both cartoon characters who’ve done nothing wrong despite the America they inhabit being literally split in two because of their political debate. So then if neither side is wrong, then what the fuck was the point of this story? The moral grey is turned into a much more palatable black & white and everyone lives happily ever after?
SPOILERS END HERE:
Just like Wandavision, Civil War: Warzones has an incredible opening. An incredible setup, followed by a cheap, frustrating, generic and creatively unchallenging finale. I’m glad I read it for the good stuff but the bad stuff really left a bad taste in my mouth.
June 17, 2024
It’s weird to me how much I enjoy this. Charles Soule’s limited series is grounded in two big Marvel events: the Secret Wars storyline from 2015 and the Civil War event from a decade earlier. As much as I love Jonathan Hickman, who does big ideas better than anyone since Grant Morrison, the whole Battleworld concept always felt a little too gimmicky to me, while the Civil War event was one in which I didn’t have much of an investment. And yet Soule takes both of them, and constructs what is easily one of the best superhuman dystopias I have ever read.
The premise builds upon the breakout of “unregistered” superheroes from their prison in the Negative Zone during the events of the superhero “Civil War,” during which opposing teams of superheroes fought each other over the question of registration. The unexpected self-destruction of the prison in the midst of the battle – an event which both sides blamed on the other – led not just to the deaths of several superheroes, but of millions of people in St. Louis as well. From the resulting chaos emerges a land divided into two parts: “The Iron” in the east, and “The Blue” in the west. With the cramped Iron in need of territory for their cramped population and The Blue running low on resources, their respective leaders, Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, agree to meet at “the Divide,” the cratered ruins of St. Louis, to negotiate a peace settlement, only for an assassin’s bullet to kill their civilian mediator in the midst of the talks.
The death of the mediator sets the two sides on an irrevocable course towards war. And as both Stark and Rogers search desperately for solutions, readers get an extended look at the world created by a conflict between superheroes that never ended. Soule seeds his story with some of the most famous figures of the Marvel universe, many of whom operate in a very different element than the ones with which longtime readers may be familiar. An element of intrigue runs through much of the story, which builds to a satisfyingly climactic conclusion. And perhaps that is why, despite the artificial nature of the concept, I enjoyed it so much, as Soule’s book offers readers something significantly different from the usual setting of Marvel comics. With characters largely remaining the same and events inevitably returning to some sort of baseline, the protracted look at one of Marvel’s most interesting dystopic premises – one realized nicely by Leinil Francis Yu, Gerry Alangulian, and Sunny Gho’s art – offers a refreshing and fun change of pace.
The premise builds upon the breakout of “unregistered” superheroes from their prison in the Negative Zone during the events of the superhero “Civil War,” during which opposing teams of superheroes fought each other over the question of registration. The unexpected self-destruction of the prison in the midst of the battle – an event which both sides blamed on the other – led not just to the deaths of several superheroes, but of millions of people in St. Louis as well. From the resulting chaos emerges a land divided into two parts: “The Iron” in the east, and “The Blue” in the west. With the cramped Iron in need of territory for their cramped population and The Blue running low on resources, their respective leaders, Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, agree to meet at “the Divide,” the cratered ruins of St. Louis, to negotiate a peace settlement, only for an assassin’s bullet to kill their civilian mediator in the midst of the talks.
The death of the mediator sets the two sides on an irrevocable course towards war. And as both Stark and Rogers search desperately for solutions, readers get an extended look at the world created by a conflict between superheroes that never ended. Soule seeds his story with some of the most famous figures of the Marvel universe, many of whom operate in a very different element than the ones with which longtime readers may be familiar. An element of intrigue runs through much of the story, which builds to a satisfyingly climactic conclusion. And perhaps that is why, despite the artificial nature of the concept, I enjoyed it so much, as Soule’s book offers readers something significantly different from the usual setting of Marvel comics. With characters largely remaining the same and events inevitably returning to some sort of baseline, the protracted look at one of Marvel’s most interesting dystopic premises – one realized nicely by Leinil Francis Yu, Gerry Alangulian, and Sunny Gho’s art – offers a refreshing and fun change of pace.
August 10, 2021
Kolejny tie-in do Tajnych Wojen, który ma dobrze zarysowany początek, aby potem dać ciała, takim sobie zakończeniem.
Zastanawialiście się kiedyś, co gdyby Kapitan Ameryka nie złożył tarczy na koniec klasycznej już Wojny Domowej? Jak wyglądałby ten świat. Tutaj macie odpowiedź. W wyniku dalej trwającego konfliktu oraz zajścia z inkursją w tle powstał Świat Bitewny. Jedna jego cząstka to terytorium zwane Iron i Błękit, które należą do Starka i Steve'a Rogersa. Ten pierwszy świat opływa w luksusy i technologiczne nowinki. Ten drugi przypomina trochę bardziej nowoczesny Dziki Zachód, gdzie porządku pilnują ludzie Punishera. Teraz pojawiła się szansa na rozejm.
Iron to terytorium rozwijające się, mniejsze. Potrzebują ziemi, więc są w stanie przehandlować ją za żywność i sprawunki. Do historycznego pokoju ma dojść nad rozłamem, głęboką szczeliną symbolicznie rozdzielającą oba terytoria. Niestety dochodzi do zamachu, a obie strony oczywiście obwiniają tę drugą o niecne zamiary. Obie też podejmują odpowiednie kroki. Stark chce znaleźć zamachowca, a Steve szykuje się na odparcie ewentualnego ataku, szykując do tego broń, jaka ma pozbawić drugą stronę super mocy.
Jak się okaże, prawda zawsze leży gdzieś po środku. Obiema stronami ktoś ewidentnie manipuluje i w finale Soule prezentuje nam epickie stracie masą herosów i... głupim zwrotem fabularnym, gdy ujawnia kto, co i dlaczego. Końcówka jest dla mnie leniwym zakończeniem z fajnym aspektem, ale jednak leniwym. Z drugiej strony fajnie jest popatrzeć na militarystyczną wersję Spider-Mana czy She-Hulk. Są tu "momenty".
Całości towarzyszy naprawdę dobra kreska Francisa Yu, który potrafi dodać od siebie takiego swoistego "brudu". Stanowi wartość dodaną i wygląda fantastycznie. Niemniej. Opowieść jest niezła, choć byłem już zmęczony tymi frazesami, jakimi częstują się nawzajem oba stronnictwa. Fajny pomysł, w miarę dobra realizacja, ale absolutnie nic odkrywczego. Rzekłbym, że nieco wtórnego. Można spojrzeć, ale są lepsze tytuły na rynku.
Zastanawialiście się kiedyś, co gdyby Kapitan Ameryka nie złożył tarczy na koniec klasycznej już Wojny Domowej? Jak wyglądałby ten świat. Tutaj macie odpowiedź. W wyniku dalej trwającego konfliktu oraz zajścia z inkursją w tle powstał Świat Bitewny. Jedna jego cząstka to terytorium zwane Iron i Błękit, które należą do Starka i Steve'a Rogersa. Ten pierwszy świat opływa w luksusy i technologiczne nowinki. Ten drugi przypomina trochę bardziej nowoczesny Dziki Zachód, gdzie porządku pilnują ludzie Punishera. Teraz pojawiła się szansa na rozejm.
Iron to terytorium rozwijające się, mniejsze. Potrzebują ziemi, więc są w stanie przehandlować ją za żywność i sprawunki. Do historycznego pokoju ma dojść nad rozłamem, głęboką szczeliną symbolicznie rozdzielającą oba terytoria. Niestety dochodzi do zamachu, a obie strony oczywiście obwiniają tę drugą o niecne zamiary. Obie też podejmują odpowiednie kroki. Stark chce znaleźć zamachowca, a Steve szykuje się na odparcie ewentualnego ataku, szykując do tego broń, jaka ma pozbawić drugą stronę super mocy.
Jak się okaże, prawda zawsze leży gdzieś po środku. Obiema stronami ktoś ewidentnie manipuluje i w finale Soule prezentuje nam epickie stracie masą herosów i... głupim zwrotem fabularnym, gdy ujawnia kto, co i dlaczego. Końcówka jest dla mnie leniwym zakończeniem z fajnym aspektem, ale jednak leniwym. Z drugiej strony fajnie jest popatrzeć na militarystyczną wersję Spider-Mana czy She-Hulk. Są tu "momenty".
Całości towarzyszy naprawdę dobra kreska Francisa Yu, który potrafi dodać od siebie takiego swoistego "brudu". Stanowi wartość dodaną i wygląda fantastycznie. Niemniej. Opowieść jest niezła, choć byłem już zmęczony tymi frazesami, jakimi częstują się nawzajem oba stronnictwa. Fajny pomysł, w miarę dobra realizacja, ale absolutnie nic odkrywczego. Rzekłbym, że nieco wtórnego. Można spojrzeć, ale są lepsze tytuły na rynku.
September 19, 2018
Most comics fan have a crossover event that is there focal point. Older fans had the original Secret Wars or Crisis of Infinite Earths or the Infinity Gauntlet.
I had Civil War--which while deeply flawed has shades of nostalgia for. It wasn't a perfect comic--but to me it encapsulated a feeling going on in the zeitgeist, perfectly. I thought so much about Civil War when it was coming out (my final year of college that I had dreams about the possible endings).
As such, I'm interested in anything that harkens back to this time (The Initiative, The Death of Captain America, Iron Man: Director of SHIELD, etc.). (Often to disappointment).
Civil War II seemed somehow more forced that it's predecessor, and that's saying A LOT. So, I had low expectations with this comic (which actually came out first--and I did read but completely forgot about in the build up to the new Secret Wars).
So this "Else/Battle World/Zone" is the story where the Civil War never ended. The United States actually splits in the Blue and the Iron. It's fun while it lasts--but you remember that it's all impermanent--and then I get frustrated as it's all a ploy for Secret Invasion. I usually like twists, but this one neutered or at least made fun of the original concept.
I had Civil War--which while deeply flawed has shades of nostalgia for. It wasn't a perfect comic--but to me it encapsulated a feeling going on in the zeitgeist, perfectly. I thought so much about Civil War when it was coming out (my final year of college that I had dreams about the possible endings).
As such, I'm interested in anything that harkens back to this time (The Initiative, The Death of Captain America, Iron Man: Director of SHIELD, etc.). (Often to disappointment).
Civil War II seemed somehow more forced that it's predecessor, and that's saying A LOT. So, I had low expectations with this comic (which actually came out first--and I did read but completely forgot about in the build up to the new Secret Wars).
So this "Else/Battle World/Zone" is the story where the Civil War never ended. The United States actually splits in the Blue and the Iron. It's fun while it lasts--but you remember that it's all impermanent--and then I get frustrated as it's all a ploy for Secret Invasion. I usually like twists, but this one neutered or at least made fun of the original concept.
April 1, 2023
Secret Wars’ın ana hikayesi dışında birçok yan hikayesi de bulunuyor. Bunlardan bazıları diğer evrenlerde yaşanmış veya yaşanması muhtemel olayları barındırdığı için “what if” mantığına yakın olanları mevcut. Bu da onlardan Civil War.
“Civil War yaşanırken işler çığırından çıksa ve iki taraf da kontrolünü yitirseydi dünyayı nasıl bir senaryo beklerdi?” sorusuna güzel bir yanıt alıyoruz. ABD coğrafi olarak ikiye bölünüyor. Captain America tarafı batıyı, Iron Man tarafı doğuyu alıyor. Artık iki kahraman da kendi taraflarının başkanı ve lideri konumunda. Steve’in tarafı “kimseyi incitmediğin sürece özgürsün” sloganıyla ilerlerken Tony’nin tarafı orijinal hikayedekine çok benzer şekilde ilerliyor.
Civil War tarihinin bu kadar sekteye uğraması tabii ki sonrasında yaşanması gereken gelişmeleri de etkilemiş durumda. Secret Invasion daha farklı bir şekilde yaşanmış, Normon Osborn’un ülkedeki en güçlü figür olma girişimi bu kez darbe girişimiyle yaşanmış.
Secret Wars ve Civil War seven herkesin okuması gereken ama çok da ciddiye almamak gereken bir hikaye.
“Civil War yaşanırken işler çığırından çıksa ve iki taraf da kontrolünü yitirseydi dünyayı nasıl bir senaryo beklerdi?” sorusuna güzel bir yanıt alıyoruz. ABD coğrafi olarak ikiye bölünüyor. Captain America tarafı batıyı, Iron Man tarafı doğuyu alıyor. Artık iki kahraman da kendi taraflarının başkanı ve lideri konumunda. Steve’in tarafı “kimseyi incitmediğin sürece özgürsün” sloganıyla ilerlerken Tony’nin tarafı orijinal hikayedekine çok benzer şekilde ilerliyor.
Civil War tarihinin bu kadar sekteye uğraması tabii ki sonrasında yaşanması gereken gelişmeleri de etkilemiş durumda. Secret Invasion daha farklı bir şekilde yaşanmış, Normon Osborn’un ülkedeki en güçlü figür olma girişimi bu kez darbe girişimiyle yaşanmış.
Secret Wars ve Civil War seven herkesin okuması gereken ama çok da ciddiye almamak gereken bir hikaye.
July 20, 2019
I pulled this because I thought that it was tied to Marvel's Civil War event and I just found out (after reading it) that it's really not. This book is part of a separate event, the Secret Wars, and I will have to hunt those down and read them later. I absolutely loved this book! I'm a sucker for parallel universes and What Ifs, so this was something I could definitely get behind. I liked the time hop and seeing what could have happened to all the characters if they kept living in war. I'm sure certain things will make more sense as I read the others in this event, but overall I found the book entertaining, compelling, and an excellent character study. Lovely.
For: fans of superheroes and action adventure; readers that can appreciate a parallel universe imagining.
Possible red flags: violence and fighting; references to sex and sexual situations; language; conspiracies; war imagery.
For: fans of superheroes and action adventure; readers that can appreciate a parallel universe imagining.
Possible red flags: violence and fighting; references to sex and sexual situations; language; conspiracies; war imagery.
March 6, 2022
This is hardly a tie in which makes it one of the best tie ins especially for warzones in my opinion.
This is basically a what if book in the best possible way. Its what if civil war didn't end and its got some massive twists and changes, the concept is extremely interesting and surprisingly well executed. In my opinion this is a more satisfying book than the original civil war and kept me engaged with the narrative and characters more than it also. Soule did a really good job at adapting elements of the original story/stories (wink wink) and making something original and fun out of them. I think the secret invasion reveal is actually quite a good misdirect and I love that Yu returns on art here almost as a subtle clue for fans, he also just generally does a great job on illustrations throughout which is worth mentioning. All the little alternate versions of characters and places was also a fun touch. Overall I really enjoyed this book.
This is basically a what if book in the best possible way. Its what if civil war didn't end and its got some massive twists and changes, the concept is extremely interesting and surprisingly well executed. In my opinion this is a more satisfying book than the original civil war and kept me engaged with the narrative and characters more than it also. Soule did a really good job at adapting elements of the original story/stories (wink wink) and making something original and fun out of them. I think the secret invasion reveal is actually quite a good misdirect and I love that Yu returns on art here almost as a subtle clue for fans, he also just generally does a great job on illustrations throughout which is worth mentioning. All the little alternate versions of characters and places was also a fun touch. Overall I really enjoyed this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2022
2.5: So originally I wanted to read the original Civil War. So I searched Civil war and this is what first came up. And this is not civil war. Well the one I wanted anyways… I’m pretty sure this is a secret wars spin off, where this planet is all that is left and cap and iron man are fighting for a variety of reasons. Honestly it started out pretty good. But then it just went down hill from there.
Now, what the heck was the deal with Spider-Man. He’s like wearing falcon wings?? Which in hindsight, I guess it makes some sense, since there are no buildings to swing from. But, why can’t he see Mary and his daughter. That whole thing was weird. And he’s not even making quips like his usual self. At first I didn’t even know it was him.
Well, now I’m going to read the real civil war. And I guess I should read secret wars now too. But do I really want to? After this? Heck, no.
Now, what the heck was the deal with Spider-Man. He’s like wearing falcon wings?? Which in hindsight, I guess it makes some sense, since there are no buildings to swing from. But, why can’t he see Mary and his daughter. That whole thing was weird. And he’s not even making quips like his usual self. At first I didn’t even know it was him.
Well, now I’m going to read the real civil war. And I guess I should read secret wars now too. But do I really want to? After this? Heck, no.
November 18, 2018
This one was pretty different from most of the other Warzones! in that there was no Battleworld, there was no Doom, there was no Thors or boundaries or stuff like that. (Or is that only Battleworld books? It never made sense.)
Once the concept was revealed, it mostly makes sense. But the characters largely don't operate the way they would even under the circumstances of the premise.
Also, the parallel to the United States Civil War re: blue and gray is a cute, but also adds many unwanted layers.
Once the concept was revealed, it mostly makes sense. But the characters largely don't operate the way they would even under the circumstances of the premise.
Also, the parallel to the United States Civil War re: blue and gray is a cute, but also adds many unwanted layers.
November 2, 2025
Civil War was one of the first comic books I read, and it sucks. It is a testament to how bad it is that even the film adaptation was better. Civil War: Warzones! redeems the story by turning it into a great old What If? yarn. It reminds me of what Grant Morrison said about Jack Kirby: that on every page, he would just throw out dozens of brilliant ideas and move on to the next. Though I don't know that Soule is quite on Kirby's level, his sandbox approach to the story means he has tons of great ideas that he lobs at you, one after another after another. It's a great read for any comic book fan, especially anyone dissatisfied with Civil War and Civil War II.
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