Last week, Marvel announced the three umbrella titles that will take place during “Secret Wars”: “Last Days,” “Battleworld” and “Warzones.”
“Last Days” is just that: The last days of the Marvel Universe. “What would you do if you leaned today was your last day on earth?” asked Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso in a press release. “That’s the question your favorite Marvel heroes are going to ask themselves in their ‘Last Days’ story lines as they brace for ‘Secret Wars’ and the end of the Marvel Universe.”
About “Battleworld,” Alonso asked in another press release, “Who polices Battleworld? How do the various domains interact? What happens when those domains go to war? What strange, never-before-seen creatures inhabit this world? What familiar faces will make appearances? Fans who want to fully understand how each sector interacts with the others can’t miss out on these books!”
Then Alonso said this in a third release about “Warzones,” “If you want a glimpse of what the future holds, you’ll find it in the ‘Warzones’ titles. Our creators let their imaginations run wild as they lay down the foundations for the future. Whether we’re revisiting the most popular events from Marvel’s past or telling completely new stories, you won’t believe what we’ve got in store for you.”
So, while this all sounds very exciting, what does this mean for the Marvel Universe?
Battleworld will be made up of every Marvel universe, meaning the end of them individually. During the eight-issue miniseries, the universes will co-exist as a patchwork world.
“Once we hit ‘Secret Wars’ #1, there is no Marvel Universe, Ultimate Universe, or any other. It’s all Battleworld,” said Senior Vice President of Publishing and Executing Editor Tom Brevoort at a press conference (covered by Newsarama here).
It’s evident that during “Secret Wars” the Marvel multiverses cease to exist, but what happens afterwards. Newsarama has reported that “We now know that the Marvel Universe, post-‘Secret Wars,’ will be an all new world combining elements not just of the Ultimate Universe and the mainstream Marvel Universe, but possibly bits and pieces of other worlds as well under the moniker of ‘All-New Marvel.’”
Does that mean they are ending the Marvel Universe? While they could undo Battleworld after “Secret Wars,” it seems there are no plans to. Alonso said at the press conference, “[W]e think it will make for a really fascinating read through ‘Secret Wars’ and beyond.” We’ll see how long “and beyond” goes.
Later,
Phill
Future Imperfect 