Review: SECRET WARS #6

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SECRET WARS #6
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Art by Esad Ribic
Published by Marvel Comics
Release Date: October 7, 2015

God Doom’s grip on the Battleworld is fracturing as the survivors of the 616 and Ultimate universe search for the key to bringing down his world.

While some of Marvel’s release lineup has moved past the conclusion of Secret Wars, this issue still feels extremely relevant for people like me. People who need to now how this all went down, and what kind of world exists on the other side. People who need to see Jonathan Hickman’s epic saga conclude. For those of us who are in this state, Secret Wars #6 is a must read. There is no other course but to read Secret Wars #6…and hope the wait for the next issue isn’t as long.

Jonathan Hickman’s writing is strong, as it pretty much always is, and the slow cracking and fracturing of Battleworld is interesting to read in the cast he chose to fill this issue. Doom’s Governors are as entertaining as ever, their devilish desires for power playing out like children vying for a treat that they don’t want to share. Hickman has made me desperately an ongoing series where he writes Sinister, as the character is as conniving and fun as Loki is when Hickman has the helm. The tension coming from Doom’s dialogue is excellent, his panic and paranoia growing by the page. The work of the survivors to ascertain how Battleworld functions moves the story along nicely and there are some very interesting and high profile events that happen in this issue. How they’ll play out, I cannot for the life of me fathom…but they are big, nonetheless.

Hickman’s work with Valeria is a high point in the issue and his mastery of the character is unquestionable. With the voice Hickman has given her, Valeria will hopefully continue to be a power player for years to come, because this character deserves it. She has the charm of Miles Morales with a brain that surpasses Reed Richards’, and that’s just fun to read. Hickman’s work with her shines brightly in this issue and the character more than holds her own with the rest of the high profile cast. Seeing the seeds planted back in F4 rounding their way into this conclusion is awe inspiring, and while part of me wants the next issue of this epic series right now, another part of me wants it to never end. Jonathan Hickman is just that damn good.

Esad Ribic’s artwork is solid, for the most part, though the scheduling and delays may have been rushing him. The issue as a whole isn’t as sharp as the earliest comics in the series, though don’t get me wrong: Ribic brings some amazing artwork to the table in parts of the issue. There’s a sharpness that is lost in some panels, but his work is still strong and the final page of the issue is immense and impressive. Esad Ribic can handle the big pages and big moments very well and, even with the delays, I’m glad Marvel chose to not slot in fill-in artists. This is leading to a huge conclusion and the unification of the style of these issues is worth waiting some time for. Ribic’s biggest challenges may be ahead of him as he brings this mammoth to a close, and if this is the least impressive of what we get from this talented artist then we are very lucky readers.

Secret Wars #6 does not shed a lot of light on what is coming, but it puts many key pieces into motion for the grand finale of this huge story. Reality as many of these characters know it is faltering with a masterful writer bringing years of story to a head. Those who thought the Fantastic Four are no longer a relevant part of the Marvel picture had best grab this comic…hell, any Hickman fan had best grab this comic. The world is falling apart, mayhem is coming and I can’t wait to see just what Hickman and Ribic throw at us.

The Verdict: 9.0/10

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One Comment;

  1. Mark of Excellence said:

    I don’t know, mate. Besides just wanting to know what happens, I’m not feeling this story at all. And I’m not sensing any of the emotion you speak of. There’s too many holes. Too much happening between issues. And the entire concept is kinda a reach, even by comic book standards. Feels a bit like Earth X as well. Or the countless cliche stories in comic book history where some type of unlimited power proves to be too much for one man and becomes his undoing.

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