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Secret Empire: Collected Editions #1
Secret Empire
2017's most startling and unexpected comic book event! Captain America, Sentinel of Liberty, has been living a lie! The world's greatest hero is secretly a true believer in the cause of Hydra, brought up since childhood to pursue their mission of progress through authority and unity through adversity! Using the trust and respect he is accorded by the great powers of the Marvel Universe, Steve Rogers has worked his way into a position where he can make Hydra's ideals a reality -and change the landscape of the world dramatically! Now, all the dominos of Steve's plan have been laid out - and it will take only the slightest push to set them into action! Hail Hydra!
Collects Secret Empire #0, Secret Empire #1-10, Secret Empire Omega #1, Captain America #25 and material from Free Comic Book Day 2017 (Secret Empire 1).
Collects Secret Empire #0, Secret Empire #1-10, Secret Empire Omega #1, Captain America #25 and material from Free Comic Book Day 2017 (Secret Empire 1).
432 pages, Hardcover
First published October 24, 2017
253 people are currently reading
559 people want to read
About the author
Nick Spencer
997 books346 followersLibrarian Note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Nick Spencer is a comic book writer known for his creator-owned titles at Image Comics (Existence 2.0/3.0, Forgetless, Shuddertown, Morning Glories), his work at DC Comics (Action Comics, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents), and for his current work at Marvel Comics (Iron Man 2.0, Ultimate Comics: X-Men).
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Nick Spencer is a comic book writer known for his creator-owned titles at Image Comics (Existence 2.0/3.0, Forgetless, Shuddertown, Morning Glories), his work at DC Comics (Action Comics, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents), and for his current work at Marvel Comics (Iron Man 2.0, Ultimate Comics: X-Men).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
September 20, 2018
Secret Empire: The Whiskey Dick of Comic Events
Goes on past the point of comfort with zero satisfaction at the end...
Dear Marvel,
You took a character I looked up to and trashed him to prove a political point. Not to mention, just like all your recent events, all of the information necessary to the storyline isn't even contained in this fucking book.
I almost feel like registering as a Republican just as a fuck-you for this dry hump of a comic.
Almost.
I like Nick Spencer as a writer, so this is readable in that sense. There were several times that I laughed or gasped - the stuff with Hank Pym, for example, was great. Which means I can't in good conscience say this was 100% gross because it wasn't.
It had moments that I truly enjoyed.
However, it's also depressing, gloomy, and ultimately pointless.
I'm actually sad.
Sad this happened. Sad I spent my time reading it. Sad this story even exists.
I'm gonna be honest, it's going to take Marvel a long time to earn back my trust after this. I gave it an open-minded try because I was told that this was more than just another reality wipe/cosmic cube saves the day sort of story.
Pffft.
This whole Stevil thing was awful.
PSSSST - For those of you reading on Marvel Unlimited, the blurb has this (at this time) listed as COLLECTING: SECRET EMPIRE 0-9, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2017 DEFENDERS (SECRET EMPIRE STORY) 1
It's actually Secret Empire 0-10
Goes on past the point of comfort with zero satisfaction at the end...
Dear Marvel,
You took a character I looked up to and trashed him to prove a political point. Not to mention, just like all your recent events, all of the information necessary to the storyline isn't even contained in this fucking book.
I almost feel like registering as a Republican just as a fuck-you for this dry hump of a comic.
Almost.
I like Nick Spencer as a writer, so this is readable in that sense. There were several times that I laughed or gasped - the stuff with Hank Pym, for example, was great. Which means I can't in good conscience say this was 100% gross because it wasn't.
It had moments that I truly enjoyed.
However, it's also depressing, gloomy, and ultimately pointless.
I'm actually sad.
Sad this happened. Sad I spent my time reading it. Sad this story even exists.
I'm gonna be honest, it's going to take Marvel a long time to earn back my trust after this. I gave it an open-minded try because I was told that this was more than just another reality wipe/cosmic cube saves the day sort of story.
Pffft.
This whole Stevil thing was awful.
PSSSST - For those of you reading on Marvel Unlimited, the blurb has this (at this time) listed as COLLECTING: SECRET EMPIRE 0-9, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2017 DEFENDERS (SECRET EMPIRE STORY) 1
It's actually Secret Empire 0-10
November 15, 2025
A good story with good artwork that fits the story and style of the comic perfectly. However, there were issues with this.
Start rant:
One thing I really hate is when a character is featured prominently on the cover and is not in the comic. I hate that. Now, using my favourite character in that way pushes my annoyance level to 11. The Spider-man on the cover is Peter Parker, the Spider-man in the story is Milles. Peter is in possibly 10 panels and contributes nothing to the story.
Rant over!!
The one person you always believed in more than anybody else betrays you. How do you recover from a betrayal live that. However, he has not just betrayed you but the world making him the most powerful person in the world. Some will hide, some fight, and many will die. How many times can heroes rise to be knocked down again.
This rant and other issues. Suddenly, heroes have been away. The whole book suddenly appears like nothing has happened. Even finishing the book, I am not sure if it is what if or from the now rebooted and merged Marvel Universe.
A great but slow story, a little slow at the beginning, but all this built up to the big heroic fight at the end. It is an epic story that does not just reboot the scars and damage remains. It was a great final battle and good epilogue, but I don’t think all the characters have enough time in this book.
Start rant:
One thing I really hate is when a character is featured prominently on the cover and is not in the comic. I hate that. Now, using my favourite character in that way pushes my annoyance level to 11. The Spider-man on the cover is Peter Parker, the Spider-man in the story is Milles. Peter is in possibly 10 panels and contributes nothing to the story.
Rant over!!
The one person you always believed in more than anybody else betrays you. How do you recover from a betrayal live that. However, he has not just betrayed you but the world making him the most powerful person in the world. Some will hide, some fight, and many will die. How many times can heroes rise to be knocked down again.
This rant and other issues. Suddenly, heroes have been away. The whole book suddenly appears like nothing has happened. Even finishing the book, I am not sure if it is what if or from the now rebooted and merged Marvel Universe.
A great but slow story, a little slow at the beginning, but all this built up to the big heroic fight at the end. It is an epic story that does not just reboot the scars and damage remains. It was a great final battle and good epilogue, but I don’t think all the characters have enough time in this book.
October 21, 2018
I'll let Johnny Cash explain to you what I thought about this book.
Of course, this book could also be considered one big F.U. from Marvel to all its readers. Before I even get into the merits of the story, lets talk about how badly this was planned. It's been in the works for at least 2 years when Assault of Pleasant Hill came out. Yet, Marvel couldn't get one artist to draw the miniseries. They couldn't even get one artist to draw a complete issue. Even though there are some great artists on the book, it feels disjointed. Partly from the changing art, partly from the vast holes in the story, because it happens in other books that don't even get an editorial mention. You're often left with the felling of "Wait a minute. what just happened?"
The whole story of Cap being an agent of Hydra exists solely to shock the readers and create newspaper headlines. There's no thought to if it's a good story or not. The story is terrible and filled with more potholes when the Cross Bronx Expressway. The one bright spot in the book was the issue with Ultron / Hank Pym. It was creepy and well written. How long until Stevil Rogers becomes the Red Skull?
The whole thing just makes me sad. Marvel's been in a downward spiral since Secret Wars. It's not a surprise Axel Alonzo was fired over this fiasco.
Of course, this book could also be considered one big F.U. from Marvel to all its readers. Before I even get into the merits of the story, lets talk about how badly this was planned. It's been in the works for at least 2 years when Assault of Pleasant Hill came out. Yet, Marvel couldn't get one artist to draw the miniseries. They couldn't even get one artist to draw a complete issue. Even though there are some great artists on the book, it feels disjointed. Partly from the changing art, partly from the vast holes in the story, because it happens in other books that don't even get an editorial mention. You're often left with the felling of "Wait a minute. what just happened?"
The whole story of Cap being an agent of Hydra exists solely to shock the readers and create newspaper headlines. There's no thought to if it's a good story or not. The story is terrible and filled with more potholes when the Cross Bronx Expressway. The one bright spot in the book was the issue with Ultron / Hank Pym. It was creepy and well written. How long until Stevil Rogers becomes the Red Skull?
The whole thing just makes me sad. Marvel's been in a downward spiral since Secret Wars. It's not a surprise Axel Alonzo was fired over this fiasco.
January 4, 2019
I think I’ve ranted enough about major Marvel crossovers from the past several years elsewhere on GR, so I’ll just say this about Secret Empire: you know how everyone hated the Dream Season on Dallas because it cheated viewers and was just kind of annoying? This is just like that, only not as good, and there’s no Patrick Duffy shower scene.
Okay, I’m being a little harsh—as an alternate history-type story, it’s fine, I suppose, if way too sprawling (it could have been far tighter and much less repetitive). But, if you’re going to do a story on this scale and then basically go back to status quo (with some minor changes) at the end, is it really worth disrupting the fine work many of your writers and artists are doing by disrupting what’s happening in nearly every title in your company’s creative stable? I would say no, but maybe that’s why I’m the Director of Practice Management at a law firm and not the head of editorial at Marvel…
Suffice it to say, I’m glad this is over, though I wish it had concluded with a startled Sharon Carter walking in on normal Steve Rogers in the shower, which would have earned it an extra star for winky hilarity.
Okay, I’m being a little harsh—as an alternate history-type story, it’s fine, I suppose, if way too sprawling (it could have been far tighter and much less repetitive). But, if you’re going to do a story on this scale and then basically go back to status quo (with some minor changes) at the end, is it really worth disrupting the fine work many of your writers and artists are doing by disrupting what’s happening in nearly every title in your company’s creative stable? I would say no, but maybe that’s why I’m the Director of Practice Management at a law firm and not the head of editorial at Marvel…
Suffice it to say, I’m glad this is over, though I wish it had concluded with a startled Sharon Carter walking in on normal Steve Rogers in the shower, which would have earned it an extra star for winky hilarity.
October 10, 2017
You can sell a really bad idea and turn it into a genuine and sincere literary material. Secret Empire forced a really bad idea in a really bad story. Captain America being Hydra is something you can move on with if it is justified by a well-written story and good dialogue. But unfortunately Nick Spencer's Marvel crossover event fails big time.
What I really dislike the most about Secret Empire is how it relies heavily on the much more successful MCU. Literally all characters from the movies and TV series are haphazardly packed into the storyline. You got the Inhumans, the Defenders, Doctor Strange, Black Panther the Guardians all doing their part in the story. But where are the Fantastic Four and the X-Men? Nada (Well, there are some of them just to say that they still exist in the Marvel comics world). The problem is, you do not need all of them to progress the story. Remove most of these characters and what remains is a generic and simplistic story about .
DC Rebirth was a bad idea too. It was in its core a reboot, despite what Geoff Johns said that it is not. But people received it well. Why? Because the story is good. That's it. There's no forced diversity, and political drama (again, I have nothing against politics and diversity). The story is just good. Give us a good story and we will chew whatever you give us.
But Secret Empire is so bad for me that I do not actually hate those who liked this. I envy you guys for getting the best out of it. I tried. Really tried. There are some genuinely good moments in SE though, but there are overwhelmingly bad pages in it that it drags everything down in my heart. Well, perhaps aside from its over-reliance in the MCU (and tie-up issues too!) and a poorly written story, some of of my feelings might also be attributed to event fatigue. Age of Ultron and Civil War II were awful. But SE could have been Marvel Comics' redemption and hope.
A collective sigh signifies relief that Secret Empire is finally finished (hmmm how about SE Omega#1?) So Marvel, please focus on writing a good Legacy, okay? Please.
What I really dislike the most about Secret Empire is how it relies heavily on the much more successful MCU. Literally all characters from the movies and TV series are haphazardly packed into the storyline. You got the Inhumans, the Defenders, Doctor Strange, Black Panther the Guardians all doing their part in the story. But where are the Fantastic Four and the X-Men? Nada (Well, there are some of them just to say that they still exist in the Marvel comics world). The problem is, you do not need all of them to progress the story. Remove most of these characters and what remains is a generic and simplistic story about .
DC Rebirth was a bad idea too. It was in its core a reboot, despite what Geoff Johns said that it is not. But people received it well. Why? Because the story is good. That's it. There's no forced diversity, and political drama (again, I have nothing against politics and diversity). The story is just good. Give us a good story and we will chew whatever you give us.
But Secret Empire is so bad for me that I do not actually hate those who liked this. I envy you guys for getting the best out of it. I tried. Really tried. There are some genuinely good moments in SE though, but there are overwhelmingly bad pages in it that it drags everything down in my heart. Well, perhaps aside from its over-reliance in the MCU (and tie-up issues too!) and a poorly written story, some of of my feelings might also be attributed to event fatigue. Age of Ultron and Civil War II were awful. But SE could have been Marvel Comics' redemption and hope.
A collective sigh signifies relief that Secret Empire is finally finished (hmmm how about SE Omega#1?) So Marvel, please focus on writing a good Legacy, okay? Please.
November 12, 2017
When Nick Spencer and Marvel first unveiled Hydra Cap, I was among the naysayers. In the wake of the 2016 presidential election, the rise of a racist authoritarian in the form of a bloated sack of orange-tinged chemical waste given erratic sentience and a China-made red hat, and our very real-life white supremacist problem, resurgent and freshly emboldened by the said normalization of bloated orange chemical waste sack, I was appalled at what appeared to be Marvel's decision to give them their very own icon in the form of our once-patriotic and welcomely idealistic Captain America. How could the man who punched Hitler and who fought against government overreach during the Superhero Registration Act be a comic book analogue, and figurehead for, Nazis?
And then I read the damn thing in its entirety. What I discovered was a deep, rich work of much-needed subversive Resistance fiction. Sure, Captain America might have been transformed by an evil cosmic cube into a Donald Trump voter, but Hydra Cap showed us the dangers of demagoguery and the inherent perils in the rise of Trumpism. This story, taken in toto, was a long form, comic book clarion call to resist.
In Secret Empire, Nick Spencer takes all the various pieces he's been arranging across two Captain America books, the Avengers Stand-Off miniseries, and the whole of the All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe post-Secret Wars, to present a wonderfully engaging superhero epic. Master tactician Steve Rogers has been manipulating events in order to achieve a singular goal - the domination of Hydra. With Marvel's mightiest heroes fractured, and their trust in one another broken, in the wake of Civil War II, and with SHIELD in disarray, Hydra has been allowed to rapidly build an empire in Europe. An alien invasion threatens Earth, and a terror attack in New York further divides and conquers our heroes. As one calamity after another is unleashed upon the world, Captain America steps in and seizes power for himself.
This book is, by turns, grandly sweeping, ambitious in scope, deeply personal, and completely horrifying. Secret Empire is bleakly dystopic, but also awe-inspiring as the heroes begin to rise, fighting their way through one monumental disaster after another. Spencer orchestrates the whole affair like a seasoned symphony conductor, as his band of artists illustrate the deeply resonant, and viciously dark, chords, before offering us melodramatically sustained highs. This is the kind of sprawling, operatic virtuoso that all comic book events should be.
Spanning ten issues of the event itself, along with an Issue #0 and Free Comic Book Day issue to act as prologue, and an Omega epilogue, there's a number of artists contributing to Spencer's vision. Each deliver great artwork, but I have a real soft spot for Andrea Sorrentino. His art is rough, capturing the grimy, often-times dirty, feel of the narrative quite well, but where he really shines is in drafting vivid, engaging, and imaginative layouts. He does some truly marvelous two-page spreads with the panels configured in star shapes, like the icon of Captain America, or arranged around the tentacled limbs of the Hydra logo. I absolutely love how he crafts a page. Steve McNiven illustrates some lovely homages to iconic Captain America imagery in issue 10, recalling moments from Infinity Gauntlet and the first Civil War miniseries, which I particularly enjoyed.
Secret Empire closes out the Hydra Cap story (or does it?) on a high note, presenting a strong finish that reminds us why we root for these heroes, and ultimately why we Americans root for America in the first place, and why we must always combat fascism and resist tyranny. It might be easier, perhaps too easy, to give in to evil and let our own dark temptations guide us, but we must resist. We have to stand up and fight.
And then I read the damn thing in its entirety. What I discovered was a deep, rich work of much-needed subversive Resistance fiction. Sure, Captain America might have been transformed by an evil cosmic cube into a Donald Trump voter, but Hydra Cap showed us the dangers of demagoguery and the inherent perils in the rise of Trumpism. This story, taken in toto, was a long form, comic book clarion call to resist.
In Secret Empire, Nick Spencer takes all the various pieces he's been arranging across two Captain America books, the Avengers Stand-Off miniseries, and the whole of the All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe post-Secret Wars, to present a wonderfully engaging superhero epic. Master tactician Steve Rogers has been manipulating events in order to achieve a singular goal - the domination of Hydra. With Marvel's mightiest heroes fractured, and their trust in one another broken, in the wake of Civil War II, and with SHIELD in disarray, Hydra has been allowed to rapidly build an empire in Europe. An alien invasion threatens Earth, and a terror attack in New York further divides and conquers our heroes. As one calamity after another is unleashed upon the world, Captain America steps in and seizes power for himself.
This book is, by turns, grandly sweeping, ambitious in scope, deeply personal, and completely horrifying. Secret Empire is bleakly dystopic, but also awe-inspiring as the heroes begin to rise, fighting their way through one monumental disaster after another. Spencer orchestrates the whole affair like a seasoned symphony conductor, as his band of artists illustrate the deeply resonant, and viciously dark, chords, before offering us melodramatically sustained highs. This is the kind of sprawling, operatic virtuoso that all comic book events should be.
Spanning ten issues of the event itself, along with an Issue #0 and Free Comic Book Day issue to act as prologue, and an Omega epilogue, there's a number of artists contributing to Spencer's vision. Each deliver great artwork, but I have a real soft spot for Andrea Sorrentino. His art is rough, capturing the grimy, often-times dirty, feel of the narrative quite well, but where he really shines is in drafting vivid, engaging, and imaginative layouts. He does some truly marvelous two-page spreads with the panels configured in star shapes, like the icon of Captain America, or arranged around the tentacled limbs of the Hydra logo. I absolutely love how he crafts a page. Steve McNiven illustrates some lovely homages to iconic Captain America imagery in issue 10, recalling moments from Infinity Gauntlet and the first Civil War miniseries, which I particularly enjoyed.
Secret Empire closes out the Hydra Cap story (or does it?) on a high note, presenting a strong finish that reminds us why we root for these heroes, and ultimately why we Americans root for America in the first place, and why we must always combat fascism and resist tyranny. It might be easier, perhaps too easy, to give in to evil and let our own dark temptations guide us, but we must resist. We have to stand up and fight.
November 18, 2021
i don't know how this even exist! like it's so surreal to me. how could they do this to my favorite character?
and just for the record, there's no way in hell that nat say those things about steve or want to kill him that bad, and just completely gave up on him like that, i'm sorry but NO!
and just for the record, there's no way in hell that nat say those things about steve or want to kill him that bad, and just completely gave up on him like that, i'm sorry but NO!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2021
I've tried reading it twice and never made it to the end, easily one of the worst events of the Marvel universe, tedious, excessively meta, and designed with the sole purpose of generating as much headlines as possible, the only thing going for it is the cover art by Mark Brooks.
September 8, 2017
I bought this in single issues, saved them, and then binged over a couple of days when the final issue dropped.
Apparently, this event was in planning for two years, and then the actual event itself took a year in the telling.
My big take away at the end of it all was that none of it mattered.
That's kind of a shitty feeling to have at the end of a story you have dedicated a year of your life in following. I mean, some of it was pretty good. The beginning few issues were solid, the middle sagged, and the conclusion leading up to the ending was fun (even though the ending itself was a pile of crap). In fact, the end left such a bad taste in my mouth that I find myself forgetting about the fun(er) moments I had earlier on in the series.
I dunno. And sadly, I don't think Marvel does either.
Read the wiki. Pass on the book. Hope that something else better comes along.
Apparently, this event was in planning for two years, and then the actual event itself took a year in the telling.
My big take away at the end of it all was that none of it mattered.
That's kind of a shitty feeling to have at the end of a story you have dedicated a year of your life in following. I mean, some of it was pretty good. The beginning few issues were solid, the middle sagged, and the conclusion leading up to the ending was fun (even though the ending itself was a pile of crap). In fact, the end left such a bad taste in my mouth that I find myself forgetting about the fun(er) moments I had earlier on in the series.
I dunno. And sadly, I don't think Marvel does either.
Read the wiki. Pass on the book. Hope that something else better comes along.
July 6, 2018
So probably the biggest "event' in terms of controversy. Captain America is part of Hydra! Is this the real cap? It this a lie? Who is who? The end of our heroes is here? Well no, this is a event, of course it'll all go back to normal with some new storylines for a few months.
So Hydra Cap has made the ultimate plan. The strongest heroes are stuck outside of earth thanks to a shield built by the greatest minds. So now that Cap Marvel, Guardians, and more are trapped there, the street level heroes are taken into a black hole of some sort so goodbye defenders, strange, and more. It leaves a few characters like the Champions, tony, hawkeye, black widow, and a few more. Hydra cap slowly takes over the world with the message of Hydra, and people are like "oh okay" because, well, look who our president is. Not hard to believe. And then...well you know what happens. The heroes come to save the day!
Good: I liked the start of it. The slow build up to how Cap took over the united states was great because it's pretty believable. The ending is also great, there's a moment to that's badass as fuck. I thought some of the moments, mostly with Antman, and Ultron, was great.
Bad: A lot of characters feel like afterthoughts. Mostly all the defenders or street level heroes. I also thought the middle dragged, and two issues left would have done wonders for the pacing. The art too can be hard and smudgy to tell what's happening.
Overall this was decent. There's some great parts, some bad parts, some okay parts. Overall it's a decent event. I think it could have been better but far from the worst I read. A 3 out of 5.
So Hydra Cap has made the ultimate plan. The strongest heroes are stuck outside of earth thanks to a shield built by the greatest minds. So now that Cap Marvel, Guardians, and more are trapped there, the street level heroes are taken into a black hole of some sort so goodbye defenders, strange, and more. It leaves a few characters like the Champions, tony, hawkeye, black widow, and a few more. Hydra cap slowly takes over the world with the message of Hydra, and people are like "oh okay" because, well, look who our president is. Not hard to believe. And then...well you know what happens. The heroes come to save the day!
Good: I liked the start of it. The slow build up to how Cap took over the united states was great because it's pretty believable. The ending is also great, there's a moment to that's badass as fuck. I thought some of the moments, mostly with Antman, and Ultron, was great.
Bad: A lot of characters feel like afterthoughts. Mostly all the defenders or street level heroes. I also thought the middle dragged, and two issues left would have done wonders for the pacing. The art too can be hard and smudgy to tell what's happening.
Overall this was decent. There's some great parts, some bad parts, some okay parts. Overall it's a decent event. I think it could have been better but far from the worst I read. A 3 out of 5.
October 15, 2017
[Read as single issues]
Reviewing this story is difficult. We all know the premise - Nazi Captain America takes over the country and wrecks the shit out of everything. But the story itself is...difficult to talk about.
One of my friends nailed the problem with Secret Empire quite well, about six issues in - Nick Spencer does a lot of telling rather than showing. The story has an epic, sweeping feel that just doesn't seem to be reflected in the tie-in books, which address smaller conflicts and don't really feel like they're part of the main story that other events, even ones I haven't liked like Fear Itself or Civil War II have managed to nail. Instead, Secret Empire gives you quick synopses of things and one panel illustrations, which don't give the story the impact it needs.
The character work is very good however; the exploration of Steve Rogers is very interesting, and the Pym/Ultron issue midway through the story is possibly the best single issue I've read this year. When Spencer takes time to tell a story rather than breeze through to hit all the plot points he wants to hit (even with extended page counts on almost every issue), things really take shape.
Of course, this is a Marvel event, so there are pointless deaths that will be retconned soon enough, and a return to the status quo by the end of the story with little to no repercussions for the characters, but hey, what can you do. Oh, and I'd sussed out the ending twist about 2 issues in, which was disappointing, and it shoves a Generations tie-in into two panels. Literally two panels to explain why Marvel published 10 one-shots. Sigh.
The artwork is definitely top notch however. With Andrea Sorrentino's psychadelic panel arrangements, Leinil Yu's distinct visuals, Steve McNiven's hyper-detailed pencils, and assists from Rod Reis's ethereal imagery and Joshua Cassara's more visceral down-to-earth linework, this is a very good looking book. Yes, each issue has a few artists on it, but they're all given one story to draw for the entirety of the series, so it fits very well. Even if the story isn't great, it always looks lovely.
Good ideas, badly executed. Marvel all over, recently.
Reviewing this story is difficult. We all know the premise - Nazi Captain America takes over the country and wrecks the shit out of everything. But the story itself is...difficult to talk about.
One of my friends nailed the problem with Secret Empire quite well, about six issues in - Nick Spencer does a lot of telling rather than showing. The story has an epic, sweeping feel that just doesn't seem to be reflected in the tie-in books, which address smaller conflicts and don't really feel like they're part of the main story that other events, even ones I haven't liked like Fear Itself or Civil War II have managed to nail. Instead, Secret Empire gives you quick synopses of things and one panel illustrations, which don't give the story the impact it needs.
The character work is very good however; the exploration of Steve Rogers is very interesting, and the Pym/Ultron issue midway through the story is possibly the best single issue I've read this year. When Spencer takes time to tell a story rather than breeze through to hit all the plot points he wants to hit (even with extended page counts on almost every issue), things really take shape.
Of course, this is a Marvel event, so there are pointless deaths that will be retconned soon enough, and a return to the status quo by the end of the story with little to no repercussions for the characters, but hey, what can you do. Oh, and I'd sussed out the ending twist about 2 issues in, which was disappointing, and it shoves a Generations tie-in into two panels. Literally two panels to explain why Marvel published 10 one-shots. Sigh.
The artwork is definitely top notch however. With Andrea Sorrentino's psychadelic panel arrangements, Leinil Yu's distinct visuals, Steve McNiven's hyper-detailed pencils, and assists from Rod Reis's ethereal imagery and Joshua Cassara's more visceral down-to-earth linework, this is a very good looking book. Yes, each issue has a few artists on it, but they're all given one story to draw for the entirety of the series, so it fits very well. Even if the story isn't great, it always looks lovely.
Good ideas, badly executed. Marvel all over, recently.
September 17, 2017
Wanna find out how bad Marvel comics on general currently are? Then read this mess.
October 23, 2018
*SPOILERS FOLLOW*
Comic books often suffer from a reluctance to fully commit to the consequences of their storylines and, as a result, can feel ultimately slight and unserious. So it was nice to see a big, universe-changing crossover saga actually end in a way that leaves lasting scars. This could be the last thing Marvel ever put out, and it would feel like a fitting end.
The idea of taking Captain America, Marvel's archetype of pure goodness, and making him the leader of a fascist nation reshaped in the image of Hydra, was always a bold one—and one that roused a lot of hatred in fans who want their stories to be easily palatable and not challenging. I fully expected that it would end with Captain America returned to his former glory. And while it kind of does, it does it in a way that deftly balances hope and tragedy. It's a world that was created by Kobik, a Cosmic Cube who can rewrite reality, so it would have been very easy to reverse all the damage done in the name of a brainwashed Steve Rogers. But what it actually does is much more sophisticated, not just in the way it structures the final heroic showdown, but in the aftermath and the way Kobik the character and Nick Spencer the writer don't let anyone off that easy.
The extended 'Secret Empire: Omega" epilogue serves to reflect on the themes and issues the series raises. The idea that the world watched Steve Rogers defeat a version of himself, yet will still never be able to trust him is a chilling depiction of how actions have consequences even beyond our control. And Spencer does a fantastic job tapping into the populist appeal of fascism—that it will always reemerge with a different face and a different name, and there will sometimes be enough people drawn to it to stoke that fire. It couldn't feel more politically-current, but timeless at the same time. A sobering reminder both of the need to stay vigilant and the reasons we are drawn to root for heroes, even as heroes are not above betraying us. Yeah, it's a Trump story, a Hitler story, etc., etc. But in essence it's not about how Trump, or Hitler, or Steve Rogers is evil, but about the evil of those who would sacrifice their values to follow him.
This was one of my favourite Marvel crossover stories ever, one with iconic visual and storytelling moments and one that challenges the reader and has bold ideas of what to do with its characters. I read it in conjunction with the Secret Warriors, Steve Rogers, and Sam Wilson books that are occurring concurrently, which nicely add some extra depth to the main story (especially the latter two, who are such prominently-featured characters in Secret Empire). There are other books such as Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, and Deadpool that also fill in some gaps, but I had no trouble following the core story without them. Ignore the Twitter hate. This book is visionary.
Comic books often suffer from a reluctance to fully commit to the consequences of their storylines and, as a result, can feel ultimately slight and unserious. So it was nice to see a big, universe-changing crossover saga actually end in a way that leaves lasting scars. This could be the last thing Marvel ever put out, and it would feel like a fitting end.
The idea of taking Captain America, Marvel's archetype of pure goodness, and making him the leader of a fascist nation reshaped in the image of Hydra, was always a bold one—and one that roused a lot of hatred in fans who want their stories to be easily palatable and not challenging. I fully expected that it would end with Captain America returned to his former glory. And while it kind of does, it does it in a way that deftly balances hope and tragedy. It's a world that was created by Kobik, a Cosmic Cube who can rewrite reality, so it would have been very easy to reverse all the damage done in the name of a brainwashed Steve Rogers. But what it actually does is much more sophisticated, not just in the way it structures the final heroic showdown, but in the aftermath and the way Kobik the character and Nick Spencer the writer don't let anyone off that easy.
The extended 'Secret Empire: Omega" epilogue serves to reflect on the themes and issues the series raises. The idea that the world watched Steve Rogers defeat a version of himself, yet will still never be able to trust him is a chilling depiction of how actions have consequences even beyond our control. And Spencer does a fantastic job tapping into the populist appeal of fascism—that it will always reemerge with a different face and a different name, and there will sometimes be enough people drawn to it to stoke that fire. It couldn't feel more politically-current, but timeless at the same time. A sobering reminder both of the need to stay vigilant and the reasons we are drawn to root for heroes, even as heroes are not above betraying us. Yeah, it's a Trump story, a Hitler story, etc., etc. But in essence it's not about how Trump, or Hitler, or Steve Rogers is evil, but about the evil of those who would sacrifice their values to follow him.
This was one of my favourite Marvel crossover stories ever, one with iconic visual and storytelling moments and one that challenges the reader and has bold ideas of what to do with its characters. I read it in conjunction with the Secret Warriors, Steve Rogers, and Sam Wilson books that are occurring concurrently, which nicely add some extra depth to the main story (especially the latter two, who are such prominently-featured characters in Secret Empire). There are other books such as Doctor Strange, Captain Marvel, and Deadpool that also fill in some gaps, but I had no trouble following the core story without them. Ignore the Twitter hate. This book is visionary.
September 13, 2017
Well that was very...readable! So reading through this, partly just to see what all the fuss was about, I was gonna rip this book a new, you know what. But towards the end the story redeemed itself a bit, not a lot but, enough for me to not hate it as much as many people on here. So the story is Hydra has taken over America and guess who leads them? (Hint, his name has America in it). All the heavy hitters like Captain Marvel were tricked into going out into space to deal with a Shitari invasion, just before Hydra raised a shield around earth to keep them out; while at the same time New York has been sealed off since a quarter of Marvel heroes come from there. So Who's left? Well the Champions, Iron Man, Black Widow and some other characters. So what's wrong about this? Well its not the most well written event ever and because its so damn long, its a real slog to read through, with some real throwaway issues in the beginning. Artwork by Steve McNiven is okay(If you like his art like I do) and the other art in here is fine, not great. Plus this event wasn't exactly cheap, I mean $5 each issue and three a month I believe? Granted other publishers like DC aren't perfect with prices either, but Marvel really is just too expensive for what you get! But rants aside, I'm sure their are people who will pick apart the narrative and find plot holes; but I'm just writing what I felt. So why is the score the way it is? Why haven't I just given this a one? Well for one thing, Nick Spencer doesn't write the best political thrillers, but he knows how to write comedy! There were many jokes in this one, that while didn't make me roll on the floor laughing, it definitely made me grin and chuckle, in the more sluggish parts of this book. And for the most part the book did get better towards the end, enough for me to be satisfied! Some people hate the ending, granted it felt like something out of the 90s, but that's comics for ya. I'm not saying the ending was fantastic, but its a comic book, its a pretty standard ending especially for an event, plus you'll never always get the most satisfying endings every time. In the end, this is readable, is it worth a read? Probably not, its readable but in the end, its dancing between throwaway and average. I just think its okay.
November 25, 2017
I liked the action, the story itself. Some issues had Fantastic art. I Feel not everything was explained Well enough. Maybe in the tie-ins. I also felt the ending result came out of nowhere and felt too simple and lackluster.
August 10, 2018
So, I’m sure many of you who follow my reviews know that I think Nick Spencer writes some great stuff at times. For example, The Fix is probably the funniest comic I’ve read... so why in the fuck does this mess exist?
What’s it about?
HYDRA takes over the U.S. as a series of dumb shit happens.
Pros:
The artwork is fantastic. There were a few panels that... no, just no... but for the most part it was wonderful art.
There’s a lot of action in this book and it’s very exciting.
Spencer frequently adds comic relief and though this is not a comedy book of his, most (not all) of the jokes work well.
Cons:
The story could have been interesting if it made some damn sense. Most of this story is a pile of nonsensical things happening because... hell if I know. Now, in this book’s defense I did not read the 8 billion tie-ins, every book Marvel printed before this one and who the hell knows what else that is possibly required for this book to make sense which is why MOST of these event books are fucking stupid.
The characters are poorly written in this book. It’s sad, I should have been happy to see all these characters in one book but Spencer does such an awful job writing all of them (except Ant-Man and Black Widow).
Everyone constantly makes awful decisions in this book. Did HYDRA make everyone’s IQ lower to a maximum of 15? Including themselves?
To be honest, I still think the whole HYDRA-Cap thing, though it could have been a cool “what if...” scenario is stupid for the actual Marvel universe. What really pissed me off is the shitty idea of
The dialogue is awful. Especially the younger superheroes. I’m pretty much that it’s a rule at Marvel that if the comic has characters under 21 the dialogue for those characters at least has to be 85% terrible.
The ending is such a rushed and shitty ending.
Regarding this book’s political stuff:
I know a lot of people were talking about how anti-Trump this book is or something. I noticed a few little bits of that but it wasn’t as crazy as a lot of people say (I heard a lot of people say that this is pretty much a comic book rant about politics, that’s not the main thing I took away from it). As a Trump supporter myself, the commentary isn’t as bad as a lot of books are with it and the political things are the least of this book’s problems.
Overall:
This is bullshit. Marvel is really hit or miss these days. Sometimes they publish an amazing, fun story with our favorite Marvel superheroes and other times, they publish this crap.
The art is fantastic and there’s a lot of great action...
but it’s ruined by the nonsensical story, awful writing of characters and overall stupidity... holy shitsnacks!
This comic is only good if you don’t actually read comics and just look at the pictures.
2/5
P.S. I can’t believe I’m still waiting for volume 3 of The Fix while this dumbness is being written.
What’s it about?
HYDRA takes over the U.S. as a series of dumb shit happens.
Pros:
The artwork is fantastic. There were a few panels that... no, just no... but for the most part it was wonderful art.
There’s a lot of action in this book and it’s very exciting.
Spencer frequently adds comic relief and though this is not a comedy book of his, most (not all) of the jokes work well.
Cons:
The story could have been interesting if it made some damn sense. Most of this story is a pile of nonsensical things happening because... hell if I know. Now, in this book’s defense I did not read the 8 billion tie-ins, every book Marvel printed before this one and who the hell knows what else that is possibly required for this book to make sense which is why MOST of these event books are fucking stupid.
The characters are poorly written in this book. It’s sad, I should have been happy to see all these characters in one book but Spencer does such an awful job writing all of them (except Ant-Man and Black Widow).
Everyone constantly makes awful decisions in this book. Did HYDRA make everyone’s IQ lower to a maximum of 15? Including themselves?
To be honest, I still think the whole HYDRA-Cap thing, though it could have been a cool “what if...” scenario is stupid for the actual Marvel universe. What really pissed me off is the shitty idea of
The dialogue is awful. Especially the younger superheroes. I’m pretty much that it’s a rule at Marvel that if the comic has characters under 21 the dialogue for those characters at least has to be 85% terrible.
The ending is such a rushed and shitty ending.
Regarding this book’s political stuff:
I know a lot of people were talking about how anti-Trump this book is or something. I noticed a few little bits of that but it wasn’t as crazy as a lot of people say (I heard a lot of people say that this is pretty much a comic book rant about politics, that’s not the main thing I took away from it). As a Trump supporter myself, the commentary isn’t as bad as a lot of books are with it and the political things are the least of this book’s problems.
Overall:
This is bullshit. Marvel is really hit or miss these days. Sometimes they publish an amazing, fun story with our favorite Marvel superheroes and other times, they publish this crap.
The art is fantastic and there’s a lot of great action...
but it’s ruined by the nonsensical story, awful writing of characters and overall stupidity... holy shitsnacks!
This comic is only good if you don’t actually read comics and just look at the pictures.
2/5
P.S. I can’t believe I’m still waiting for volume 3 of The Fix while this dumbness is being written.
July 16, 2018
Much like Spencer's entire Captain America run, this finale turns out to be underwhelming.
I mean, it's got a good core: evil Captain America takes over world, multiple problems face heroes, who must finally come together against impossible odds. But the actual writing just isn't that great.
The biggest problem is pacing. The story is dragged out over 13 issues (0-10 + a Captain America + an Omega) and most of those issues seem overly long. Meanwhile, the center of the comic is a big MacGuffin hunt that's often glossed over, removing any dramatic heft.
The problem with glossing over action is actually pretty endemic to the comic, and it stems in part from very invasive captioning that often tells what should have been shown. Meanwhile, the story also tends to jump past big events, undercutting the action in yet another way. Some things I'm pretty sure were in other comics, but they should have been here: having a big spine event series that doesn't contain the spine is just bad writing.
And that points toward Secret Empire's last major issue: the comic was just a big, unfocused mess. There were multiple teams of heroes doing multiple things, there were sidetreks, they were interesting villains (a category that did not involve evil Steve), and nothing got the attention it deserved. Instead, it was always off to the next thing. Meanwhile, there was never a very good explanation for character assassinations of Odinson, the Punisher, Otto Octopus, and others who worked with the Trumpian Neo-Nazis of Secret Empire ... but maybe that was in other books too.
After eight or so issues of this all, Spencer suddenly decided that the story had spun its wheels enough, and a bunch of deux ex machina solved all the problems. Yay?
So, bleh. I could have liked the series, I could have liked the whole evil Steve plot, but Nick Spencer who has done great work elsewhere consistently failed over his ~50 issues of Captain America comics. (I must remind myself not, not, not to buy a big omnibus that puts this whole storyline together in order, if Marvel ever releases it, because very little of it was any good.)
I mean, it's got a good core: evil Captain America takes over world, multiple problems face heroes, who must finally come together against impossible odds. But the actual writing just isn't that great.
The biggest problem is pacing. The story is dragged out over 13 issues (0-10 + a Captain America + an Omega) and most of those issues seem overly long. Meanwhile, the center of the comic is a big MacGuffin hunt that's often glossed over, removing any dramatic heft.
The problem with glossing over action is actually pretty endemic to the comic, and it stems in part from very invasive captioning that often tells what should have been shown. Meanwhile, the story also tends to jump past big events, undercutting the action in yet another way. Some things I'm pretty sure were in other comics, but they should have been here: having a big spine event series that doesn't contain the spine is just bad writing.
And that points toward Secret Empire's last major issue: the comic was just a big, unfocused mess. There were multiple teams of heroes doing multiple things, there were sidetreks, they were interesting villains (a category that did not involve evil Steve), and nothing got the attention it deserved. Instead, it was always off to the next thing. Meanwhile, there was never a very good explanation for character assassinations of Odinson, the Punisher, Otto Octopus, and others who worked with the Trumpian Neo-Nazis of Secret Empire ... but maybe that was in other books too.
After eight or so issues of this all, Spencer suddenly decided that the story had spun its wheels enough, and a bunch of deux ex machina solved all the problems. Yay?
So, bleh. I could have liked the series, I could have liked the whole evil Steve plot, but Nick Spencer who has done great work elsewhere consistently failed over his ~50 issues of Captain America comics. (I must remind myself not, not, not to buy a big omnibus that puts this whole storyline together in order, if Marvel ever releases it, because very little of it was any good.)
April 2, 2021
Nečekal jsem nic, ale že mě bude bavit event s Hydrou + Capem, to jsem opravdu nečekal. Zatím nejlepší event co jsem v 2021 četl.
September 14, 2017
ডিসি আর মার্ভেলের যুদ্ধ সেই আদ্যিকালের হলেও, মুভিতে ডিসি যেমন পিছিয়ে আছে মার্ভেল থেকে, কমিকে মার্ভেল তার থেকেও পিছিয়ে আছে ডিসির থেকে। এরা হাইপ তোলার জন্য এমন কোন কাজ নেই যেটা করতে পারে না, এমন কোন হিরো নেই যার ১২টা বাজাতে পারে না।
সো, ক্যাপ্টেন আমেরিকা, মার্ভেল ইউনিভার্সের সততা আর ন্যায়নিষ্ঠতার প্রতীক, স্টিভ রজার্স - এখন হাইড্রা।
সে হাইড্রা কীভাবে হলো সেটা এখন সবাই জানে মোটামুটি, কসমিক কিউব নামের একটা জিনিস দিয়ে তার রিয়েলিটি বদলিয়ে দেয়া হয়েছে। বড় ভালো কথা, এখন এই হাইড্রা রজার্স আপ্রাণ চেস্টা করে যাচ্ছে আমেরিকাকে হাইড্রার আন্ডারে নিয়ে যাওয়ার জন্যে। সিক্রেট এম্পায়ার যখন শুরু হয়, সে তখন প্রায় সফল তার মিশনে, মার্ভেল ইউনিভার্সের বড় বড় সব হিরো তখন হয় আমেরিকার বাইরে, নাহলে স্ট্রেইট পৃথিবীর বাইরে আটকা। বেশ ইন্টারেস্টিং সিচুয়েশন। যথারীতি, একটা আন্ডারগ্রাউন্ড মুভমেন্ট হাজির এখানেও। ব্ল্যাক উইডো, টনি স্টার্ক, আর হকআই (ক্লিন্ট বার্টন) মিলে লিড করে তাদের। বাকি সিরিজটা তাদের একজনের উপরে আরেকজনের চাল দেয়া নিয়েই চললো। আর যথারীতি, ক্যাপ আর আয়রনম্যানের দুই-একটা ফাইট না থাকলে কোন মার্ভেলের ইভেন্ট হয় নাকি?
কিন্তু, মজা লাগলো না পড়ে। যা হচ্ছে এখানে, সবই ইউজলেস, কয়েকদিন পরেই মার্ভেল আবার আরেকটা প্লট-ওয়াশ দিয়ে সব ঠিক করে ফেলবে - এই ইনফো জানার পরে কি আর পড়তে ভালো লাগে? স্পয়লার খাওয়ার থেকেও তো বড় যন্ত্রণা হলো যখন আপনি জানবেন যা পড়তেসেন এর কোন মূল্য নেই। এন্ডিং? তো লাভটা কি হলো আমার এই ১০টা ইস্যু পড়ে?
যদি মার্ভেল এই স্টোরিলাইনটাকে কন্টিনিউ করতো, ইভিল হাইড্রা ক্যাপের আন্ডারে আমেরিকা থাকতো আরো ৩-৪ বছর, নিউ জেনারেশনের হিরোরা এসে তাঁকে অভারথ্রো করতো, তাহলে জিনিসটা কিছু একটা ইন্টারেস্টিং হইতো। এতো বড় রেজিমে ১০টা ইস্যুতে গড়ে উঠে আবার এক ইস্যুতে ফল করে গেলো, কোন রিপারকাশন ছাড়াই - কমিক লজিকের তুলনায় ও বেশ আনরিয়েলিস্টিক এটা :/
আজকে যারা এই লাস্ট ইস্যুতে এতো মারামারি করলো, একে অপরকে মেরে ফেলবে বলে নেমে গেলো মাঠে, সামনের মাসের কমিকেই তারা গলায় গলায় ভাব করে একসাথে কোন সি-গ্রেডের ভিলেনের বিরুদ্ধে ফাইট করবে। মার্ভেলের সমস্যাই এটা, কোন লাইন ধরে রাখতে পারে না। আর ডিসির অনুকরণ তো আসেই। রিবার্থের অনুকরণ করে সামনে আসবে মার্ভেল লিগ্যাসি, আর কনভার্জেন্স ইভেন্টের কপি করে জেনারেশন নামের ইভেন্ট তো চলতেসে এখনি।
মার্ভেল পড়ার থেকে এখন ইন্ডি-কমিক পড়া ফার বেটার।
সো, ক্যাপ্টেন আমেরিকা, মার্ভেল ইউনিভার্সের সততা আর ন্যায়নিষ্ঠতার প্রতীক, স্টিভ রজার্স - এখন হাইড্রা।
সে হাইড্রা কীভাবে হলো সেটা এখন সবাই জানে মোটামুটি, কসমিক কিউব নামের একটা জিনিস দিয়ে তার রিয়েলিটি বদলিয়ে দেয়া হয়েছে। বড় ভালো কথা, এখন এই হাইড্রা রজার্স আপ্রাণ চেস্টা করে যাচ্ছে আমেরিকাকে হাইড্রার আন্ডারে নিয়ে যাওয়ার জন্যে। সিক্রেট এম্পায়ার যখন শুরু হয়, সে তখন প্রায় সফল তার মিশনে, মার্ভেল ইউনিভার্সের বড় বড় সব হিরো তখন হয় আমেরিকার বাইরে, নাহলে স্ট্রেইট পৃথিবীর বাইরে আটকা। বেশ ইন্টারেস্টিং সিচুয়েশন। যথারীতি, একটা আন্ডারগ্রাউন্ড মুভমেন্ট হাজির এখানেও। ব্ল্যাক উইডো, টনি স্টার্ক, আর হকআই (ক্লিন্ট বার্টন) মিলে লিড করে তাদের। বাকি সিরিজটা তাদের একজনের উপরে আরেকজনের চাল দেয়া নিয়েই চললো। আর যথারীতি, ক্যাপ আর আয়রনম্যানের দুই-একটা ফাইট না থাকলে কোন মার্ভেলের ইভেন্ট হয় নাকি?
কিন্তু, মজা লাগলো না পড়ে। যা হচ্ছে এখানে, সবই ইউজলেস, কয়েকদিন পরেই মার্ভেল আবার আরেকটা প্লট-ওয়াশ দিয়ে সব ঠিক করে ফেলবে - এই ইনফো জানার পরে কি আর পড়তে ভালো লাগে? স্পয়লার খাওয়ার থেকেও তো বড় যন্ত্রণা হলো যখন আপনি জানবেন যা পড়তেসেন এর কোন মূল্য নেই। এন্ডিং? তো লাভটা কি হলো আমার এই ১০টা ইস্যু পড়ে?
যদি মার্ভেল এই স্টোরিলাইনটাকে কন্টিনিউ করতো, ইভিল হাইড্রা ক্যাপের আন্ডারে আমেরিকা থাকতো আরো ৩-৪ বছর, নিউ জেনারেশনের হিরোরা এসে তাঁকে অভারথ্রো করতো, তাহলে জিনিসটা কিছু একটা ইন্টারেস্টিং হইতো। এতো বড় রেজিমে ১০টা ইস্যুতে গড়ে উঠে আবার এক ইস্যুতে ফল করে গেলো, কোন রিপারকাশন ছাড়াই - কমিক লজিকের তুলনায় ও বেশ আনরিয়েলিস্টিক এটা :/
আজকে যারা এই লাস্ট ইস্যুতে এতো মারামারি করলো, একে অপরকে মেরে ফেলবে বলে নেমে গেলো মাঠে, সামনের মাসের কমিকেই তারা গলায় গলায় ভাব করে একসাথে কোন সি-গ্রেডের ভিলেনের বিরুদ্ধে ফাইট করবে। মার্ভেলের সমস্যাই এটা, কোন লাইন ধরে রাখতে পারে না। আর ডিসির অনুকরণ তো আসেই। রিবার্থের অনুকরণ করে সামনে আসবে মার্ভেল লিগ্যাসি, আর কনভার্জেন্স ইভেন্টের কপি করে জেনারেশন নামের ইভেন্ট তো চলতেসে এখনি।
মার্ভেল পড়ার থেকে এখন ইন্ডি-কমিক পড়া ফার বেটার।
December 28, 2017
3.5*
I honestly expected a little better, to give more wholeheartedly a full 4* but if I do think the overall plot is good its execution is not flawless.
I always thought the Hydra Cap stint was good, well designed within the 2 previous Standoff and CVII events. Spencer quietly built his scheme through both Captain America series before coming up with THE event.
An event that's probably 2 issues too long and suffers from too wordy sequences when others feel rushed up and somewhat confused.
The omnipresent emphatic off monologues tend to be boring after a while.
The Manhattan situation is underplayed while some twists happen conveniently just in time.
The art direction goes haywire with way too many different artists on board, not all good, mind you. I don't see the point really.
Still, the tension builds up nicely. Hydra Cap's scheme to get rid of the heavy hitters is good, as well as his deals/manipulations/threats with foreing countries/communities/individuals (Wakanda, mutants, Magneto...).
The Black Widow subplot ends with a shock and Sam Wilson is very well played-clearly Spencer likes him and certainly made me like him.
The story ends as supposed to when the quest is defined, no big deal here but not a shabby one either.
All said I like what Spencer did with the whole Hydra scheme, it could have been dealt with a bit better here but it's entertaining enough and concludes decently the so-called controversy it generated.
I honestly expected a little better, to give more wholeheartedly a full 4* but if I do think the overall plot is good its execution is not flawless.
I always thought the Hydra Cap stint was good, well designed within the 2 previous Standoff and CVII events. Spencer quietly built his scheme through both Captain America series before coming up with THE event.
An event that's probably 2 issues too long and suffers from too wordy sequences when others feel rushed up and somewhat confused.
The omnipresent emphatic off monologues tend to be boring after a while.
The Manhattan situation is underplayed while some twists happen conveniently just in time.
The art direction goes haywire with way too many different artists on board, not all good, mind you. I don't see the point really.
Still, the tension builds up nicely. Hydra Cap's scheme to get rid of the heavy hitters is good, as well as his deals/manipulations/threats with foreing countries/communities/individuals (Wakanda, mutants, Magneto...).
The Black Widow subplot ends with a shock and Sam Wilson is very well played-clearly Spencer likes him and certainly made me like him.
The story ends as supposed to when the quest is defined, no big deal here but not a shabby one either.
All said I like what Spencer did with the whole Hydra scheme, it could have been dealt with a bit better here but it's entertaining enough and concludes decently the so-called controversy it generated.
April 22, 2020
3.5 stars. This was a solid tale. So you all know this is the story of Hyrda Cap. Back in Avengers Standoff, Kubik ( cosmic cube become sentient being that’s a 4 years old child) took old man Cap and made him young again but also altered him to think he was raised as a hydra supporter his whole life.
There where some very strategic things Spencer did from here on. There was a shield built around earth to protect it from cosmic threats. Cap used this to lock out the heavy hitters like Quasar, Captain Marvel, the Guardians of the Galaxy, etc etc. He also had a lot of heroes trapped in NY in a dark dimension bubble. This left Cap only having to deal with who was left. It was crazy watching Hydra Cap and co. take over the country. With Captain America as the leader, who wouldn’t believe and follow him right? The Heroes fall all the way down to their darkest moment and shit looks hopeless. Even though I thought how the heroes got the chunk of cosmic cube was a super Mcguffin move and pretty lazy on the imagination side ( Barf? Really) it was still great watching our team start from ground zero and slowly work their way back into to the fight putting themselves in position for a W. Plus really enjoyed the artwork. Between Sorrentino, Daniel Acuña and the others, there was some nice stuff in here.
Overall, while maybe not the best book, this was still enjoyable as I definitely had a good time reading it.
There where some very strategic things Spencer did from here on. There was a shield built around earth to protect it from cosmic threats. Cap used this to lock out the heavy hitters like Quasar, Captain Marvel, the Guardians of the Galaxy, etc etc. He also had a lot of heroes trapped in NY in a dark dimension bubble. This left Cap only having to deal with who was left. It was crazy watching Hydra Cap and co. take over the country. With Captain America as the leader, who wouldn’t believe and follow him right? The Heroes fall all the way down to their darkest moment and shit looks hopeless. Even though I thought how the heroes got the chunk of cosmic cube was a super Mcguffin move and pretty lazy on the imagination side ( Barf? Really) it was still great watching our team start from ground zero and slowly work their way back into to the fight putting themselves in position for a W. Plus really enjoyed the artwork. Between Sorrentino, Daniel Acuña and the others, there was some nice stuff in here.
Overall, while maybe not the best book, this was still enjoyable as I definitely had a good time reading it.
February 15, 2020
I hate this so much. It’s got about everything that makes modern comics hard to invest in, both emotionally and financially. An expensive, agenda-pushing, bloated mess with inconsistent art and storytelling, all with “shocking” revelations that will have no long-term weight. Not even sure why this exists.
This made me feel dumb for liking comics.
This made me feel dumb for liking comics.
November 5, 2018
A bad, and an unlucky, event. Unlucky because of the perfect storm of real-world events, fan reaction and counter-reaction, and Marvel's internal wranglings which meant Secret Empire felt exhausted and over-analysed even before the first of its thirteen issues hit. Not to mention the context collapse which made the story look like it was playing catch-up and painting in strokes both broader and somehow less bizarre than reality.
And bad because... there is no way this should have been thirteen issues, for a start - in fact fourteen (!), given that some semi-important plotstuff happens in a stray issue of Captain America (included here). Secret Empire goes on and on AND ON and still relies on six or seven trades' worth of set-up to understand its key plot points. While you can finish it in a couple of hours, as it's so repetitive, it's still grotesquely bloated; fat with extraneous subplots and tie-ups of loose ends from previous overlong events.
The weird thing is, the key development - Hydra's takeover - still feels awfully rushed. We see Steve Rogers' coup - cut to next issue, and not only has America gone full fascist down to rewritten history books and well-established prison camps, but there's been time to set up a fully functioning separatist mutant state up north. Nick Spencer wants to tell a story about last-ditch resistance to fascism, so he moves the action quickly to where that resistance is almost beaten. But in doing that he essentially establishes an alternate world, and it's not like Marvel has been short of alternate-world wait-for-the-reset-button events lately. The decision to fast-forward the takeover also shreds the (very small) chance that Fascist!Cap would be an interesting character, rather than a stock evil dictator.
But the underlying problem is more basic than any structural issues. It's that Nick Spencer is just not very good at writing the kind of story he is determined to write. Spencer has two modes, broadly. He writes comics about small-time crooks and their capers which have a real gift for dialogue, dark comedy and an affinity for schlubs who make terrible choices. These comics are very good. But ask him to get serious - and Secret Empire is very serious -and he switches into a weak imitation of Jonathan Hickman's portentious caption-led storytelling. "THIS IS THE STORY OF WHAT BROKE THEM." "THIS IS HOW THEY FELL AND ROSE AGAIN." and so on. It's bludgeoning, charmless, and poorly chosen when what's being captioned is a generic superhero slugfest in issue 5 of 13. Secret Empire isn't even enjoyably bad.
There are glimpses of something stronger behind the bluster. Some memorable designs and visuals - the tentacled Hydra gunships, for instance. A few good smaller-stakes scenes, often involving the kind of losers Spencer is on firmer ground with. And then, weirdly, the final issue of this drained-dry slog - Secret Empire Omega, an appendix in which proper Cap sits down with his fascist counterpart, who suddenly, in defeat, weaving his own personal stab-in-the-back myth, seems more persuasive and dangerous than he has all series. He points out something which we haven't seen much proof of on-panel, where in the end all the heroes make the right choice, because duh... but which we see plenty of evidence for outside the funny pages. A lot of Americans, and not just Americans, want a strongman, an authoritarian, someone who makes them feel safe. Why shouldn't they have a Captain America of their own? Suddenly he makes sense as a character - a shame he's so tied to a notoriously troubled event. Perhaps he should go into politics...
And bad because... there is no way this should have been thirteen issues, for a start - in fact fourteen (!), given that some semi-important plotstuff happens in a stray issue of Captain America (included here). Secret Empire goes on and on AND ON and still relies on six or seven trades' worth of set-up to understand its key plot points. While you can finish it in a couple of hours, as it's so repetitive, it's still grotesquely bloated; fat with extraneous subplots and tie-ups of loose ends from previous overlong events.
The weird thing is, the key development - Hydra's takeover - still feels awfully rushed. We see Steve Rogers' coup - cut to next issue, and not only has America gone full fascist down to rewritten history books and well-established prison camps, but there's been time to set up a fully functioning separatist mutant state up north. Nick Spencer wants to tell a story about last-ditch resistance to fascism, so he moves the action quickly to where that resistance is almost beaten. But in doing that he essentially establishes an alternate world, and it's not like Marvel has been short of alternate-world wait-for-the-reset-button events lately. The decision to fast-forward the takeover also shreds the (very small) chance that Fascist!Cap would be an interesting character, rather than a stock evil dictator.
But the underlying problem is more basic than any structural issues. It's that Nick Spencer is just not very good at writing the kind of story he is determined to write. Spencer has two modes, broadly. He writes comics about small-time crooks and their capers which have a real gift for dialogue, dark comedy and an affinity for schlubs who make terrible choices. These comics are very good. But ask him to get serious - and Secret Empire is very serious -and he switches into a weak imitation of Jonathan Hickman's portentious caption-led storytelling. "THIS IS THE STORY OF WHAT BROKE THEM." "THIS IS HOW THEY FELL AND ROSE AGAIN." and so on. It's bludgeoning, charmless, and poorly chosen when what's being captioned is a generic superhero slugfest in issue 5 of 13. Secret Empire isn't even enjoyably bad.
There are glimpses of something stronger behind the bluster. Some memorable designs and visuals - the tentacled Hydra gunships, for instance. A few good smaller-stakes scenes, often involving the kind of losers Spencer is on firmer ground with. And then, weirdly, the final issue of this drained-dry slog - Secret Empire Omega, an appendix in which proper Cap sits down with his fascist counterpart, who suddenly, in defeat, weaving his own personal stab-in-the-back myth, seems more persuasive and dangerous than he has all series. He points out something which we haven't seen much proof of on-panel, where in the end all the heroes make the right choice, because duh... but which we see plenty of evidence for outside the funny pages. A lot of Americans, and not just Americans, want a strongman, an authoritarian, someone who makes them feel safe. Why shouldn't they have a Captain America of their own? Suddenly he makes sense as a character - a shame he's so tied to a notoriously troubled event. Perhaps he should go into politics...
November 7, 2017
(READ AS SINGLE ISSUES)
I think this moment says everything about why I loved this book so much:
"I've been fighting facists my entire life. And I promise you, there is nowhere you can run or hide that will keep you safe from them. There is only one thing you can do. You stand and you fight."
- Steve Rogers
Some may say it's boring, awful, and lots of other things but I enjoyed this book a lot. This is (hopefully) the redemption of the Marvel Universe and it's comeback to what it used to be, with lots of interesting reflections.
The story is a bit dark and full of twists and turns that make you feel unconfortable sometimes but that's the big deal. It was written to make us think. If you simply read without reflecting about it, about the Marvel Universe in the last couple of years, you'll think Secret Empire is more of the same old event where nothing really happens or even pointless. There are some fantastic dialogs that go right to the weak spots of the Marvel Universe, but because people don't understand it they say it was bad. It's a story about losing hope but, also, about having new hopes as well. Can't you see the clear conection? We see our beloved heroes in the worst days of their lives and we see them rising again in the end, bringing a renewed faith in Marvel Comics.
The art was really good. Although there is a constant change of artists throughout this book, it's on purpose, because every artist has it's unique style that fits certain moments of the story that's being told. We have lot's of beautiful panels that really fit Spencer's storytelling.
Like you should have imagined, you have to read "Captain America: Steve Rogers" and "Captain America: Sam Wilson", both written by Nick Spencer, to have a solid background about this event that is essential for the full experience that is reading this. "Thunderbolts" by Jim Zub it would be good to read too, but not as important as both "Captain America" by Spencer. Gerry Duggan's "Uncanny Avengers" also has as small interference in certain things, but that's not a big deal. It would be nice to read "Civil War II", although it's not so important, to know more about this moment of huge fragility in the Marvel Universe. On the other hand, "Civil War II: The Oath" I would consider of great importance since it is pretty much an Captain America (Hydra) comic.
If you are truly a fan of the Marvel Universe and was losing the faith in it, this comic is for you. But don't fool yourself, this won't be that easy and pleasant read that you may be thinking. It will take you to a trip to Hell alongside with the characters and will take you all to Heaven in the end. Read each and every word in it thinking about them, about their true meaning. This is what Marvel is all about. About being broken, but overcoming every problem in the very end. And that's why this may be the best Marvel Comics Event in a very long time, maybe since the first Civil War. It couldn't be like every other event. No. It had to be bold, moving and heartbreaking, like most of Marvel's greatest stories to date.
Clear your mind of any negative influence and prejudice, and give this great comic a try. I'm sure you'll at least enjoy some moments. It's not a disaster like we see lots of people saying it is. Those people barely read it. Don't let they make up your mind, take your own conclusions.
I think this moment says everything about why I loved this book so much:
"I've been fighting facists my entire life. And I promise you, there is nowhere you can run or hide that will keep you safe from them. There is only one thing you can do. You stand and you fight."
- Steve Rogers
Some may say it's boring, awful, and lots of other things but I enjoyed this book a lot. This is (hopefully) the redemption of the Marvel Universe and it's comeback to what it used to be, with lots of interesting reflections.
The story is a bit dark and full of twists and turns that make you feel unconfortable sometimes but that's the big deal. It was written to make us think. If you simply read without reflecting about it, about the Marvel Universe in the last couple of years, you'll think Secret Empire is more of the same old event where nothing really happens or even pointless. There are some fantastic dialogs that go right to the weak spots of the Marvel Universe, but because people don't understand it they say it was bad. It's a story about losing hope but, also, about having new hopes as well. Can't you see the clear conection? We see our beloved heroes in the worst days of their lives and we see them rising again in the end, bringing a renewed faith in Marvel Comics.
The art was really good. Although there is a constant change of artists throughout this book, it's on purpose, because every artist has it's unique style that fits certain moments of the story that's being told. We have lot's of beautiful panels that really fit Spencer's storytelling.
Like you should have imagined, you have to read "Captain America: Steve Rogers" and "Captain America: Sam Wilson", both written by Nick Spencer, to have a solid background about this event that is essential for the full experience that is reading this. "Thunderbolts" by Jim Zub it would be good to read too, but not as important as both "Captain America" by Spencer. Gerry Duggan's "Uncanny Avengers" also has as small interference in certain things, but that's not a big deal. It would be nice to read "Civil War II", although it's not so important, to know more about this moment of huge fragility in the Marvel Universe. On the other hand, "Civil War II: The Oath" I would consider of great importance since it is pretty much an Captain America (Hydra) comic.
If you are truly a fan of the Marvel Universe and was losing the faith in it, this comic is for you. But don't fool yourself, this won't be that easy and pleasant read that you may be thinking. It will take you to a trip to Hell alongside with the characters and will take you all to Heaven in the end. Read each and every word in it thinking about them, about their true meaning. This is what Marvel is all about. About being broken, but overcoming every problem in the very end. And that's why this may be the best Marvel Comics Event in a very long time, maybe since the first Civil War. It couldn't be like every other event. No. It had to be bold, moving and heartbreaking, like most of Marvel's greatest stories to date.
Clear your mind of any negative influence and prejudice, and give this great comic a try. I'm sure you'll at least enjoy some moments. It's not a disaster like we see lots of people saying it is. Those people barely read it. Don't let they make up your mind, take your own conclusions.
August 14, 2018
Just a dumb idea and poorly executed. It only gets two stars because at least the artists tried.
I'm not going to waste any more of my time on this story.
I'm not going to waste any more of my time on this story.
January 14, 2019
Ok, starting now I'm not paying as much attention to the Marvel comics reviews on Goodreads I used to read here. Everyone has been super negative about this saga, but I really enjoyed it.
There has been a lot of bad stories during the big crossovers Marvel has been releasing lately, but to me, this one wasn't one.
I think a reason many people disliked this is the message they thought it gives. Some sort of political metaphor that I didn't see at all. For me it's a story about power in the wrong hands and the desperation of the righteous trying to hold on to hope.
And after this epic story, now I'm really eager to read that Nick Spencer can do as writer of my favorite character, the Amazing Spider-Man.
There has been a lot of bad stories during the big crossovers Marvel has been releasing lately, but to me, this one wasn't one.
I think a reason many people disliked this is the message they thought it gives. Some sort of political metaphor that I didn't see at all. For me it's a story about power in the wrong hands and the desperation of the righteous trying to hold on to hope.
And after this epic story, now I'm really eager to read that Nick Spencer can do as writer of my favorite character, the Amazing Spider-Man.
September 26, 2017
Christ almighty, what a heap of shite.
I mean leaving aside the hamfistedness of the whole premise, adn the fumbling of the opportunity to say something interesting about fascism. The entire story is basically a fetch-quest. And the resolution depends on not one, not two, not three, but four (maybe more?) super powerful characters conveniently waking up from comas to do their little bit to move the story on.
Awful. Just fucking awful. Marvel, please stop with these event storylines.
I mean leaving aside the hamfistedness of the whole premise, adn the fumbling of the opportunity to say something interesting about fascism. The entire story is basically a fetch-quest. And the resolution depends on not one, not two, not three, but four (maybe more?) super powerful characters conveniently waking up from comas to do their little bit to move the story on.
Awful. Just fucking awful. Marvel, please stop with these event storylines.
February 15, 2023
3.5 stars
August 31, 2017
This is a tricky review
Overall it was fine to read.
The writing was great in parts (as far as themes, dialogue, etc)
It started strong, dragged, and had a just okay finale
My problem with this event I think was that I only followed the main title and it felt like I was missing pieces . Each issue would come back and the summary would mention something that happened elsewhere in another title or a character will say "now that we did xyz" which sounded interesting but never got to see in main title.
Some events tip you off that other reading is necessary (such as Infinity a few years ago) but this didn't. And the effect was I felt like I was missing parts of the story because it was too tied to other stuff.
Spencer makes great real world parallels and clearly has important stuff to say. It's a shame his story got bogged down and distracted by the nature of the event cycle into something forgettable.
Overall it was fine to read.
The writing was great in parts (as far as themes, dialogue, etc)
It started strong, dragged, and had a just okay finale
My problem with this event I think was that I only followed the main title and it felt like I was missing pieces . Each issue would come back and the summary would mention something that happened elsewhere in another title or a character will say "now that we did xyz" which sounded interesting but never got to see in main title.
Some events tip you off that other reading is necessary (such as Infinity a few years ago) but this didn't. And the effect was I felt like I was missing parts of the story because it was too tied to other stuff.
Spencer makes great real world parallels and clearly has important stuff to say. It's a shame his story got bogged down and distracted by the nature of the event cycle into something forgettable.
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