The final build up (after they skipped ahead a few months) to Secret Wars was fucking awesome, with the Illuminati on the run from the rest of the world and Namor and the Black Order just going ham on various other realities. Plus Doom and Strange going face to face with the Beyonders and whatnot.
Hickman's stuff thru the main Avengers was basically just a ton of setup and smaller stories, the whole meat of his run was all thru New Avengers.
I mean shit, after being as hyped as it was (and it was a damn cool story), Infinity literally just ended up being even more setup for the eventual payoff in Secret Wars.
Yeah, I was getting ready to read Infinity thinking it'd be this huge thing and then it just sort of... did nothing.
There were a lot of moving parts to Hickman's run but I loved every moment. One of my favorite parts was Cap's journey through time due to the delayed explosion of the time gem. I also loved Hank Pym's account of his travel through the multiverse and witnessing the beyonders wreck ass.
Finished Secret Wars. I thought it could have- and should have- been twice as long. Most of the conflicts barely lasted more than a page.
At the time marvel was getting a bit cross-over fatigue with readers and they were promising they would cut down on them, so after secret wars they of course followed that with build up for secret empire...
After having read Secret Wars and knowing the whole lead up going back to read New Avengers was eye opening as Hickman hints at pretty much all of it in like the first issue. The amount of forethought and planning he put into his narratives is kind of awesome.
As for Secret Wars itself, the main book was the main narrative and had so many tie ins that explained way more. Like where Thanos went and the dead zone or whatever it was called was so under the radar in the main book.
Finished Minority Report- I mean Civil War 2. Meh.
Read Books of Doom as well and liked that for what it was.
I think I'm preferring the smaller scope stories over the massive, ridiculously complicated multi-volume stories that seem to have to have universe-ending stakes.
I like characterization and personalized stories in my comics over Armageddon Story involving cardboard cutouts #89. Granted, I'd probably get more of that If I read each character's individualized title that runs parallel to the big epics, but eh... That's a whole lot of work and time when I think I'd rather prefer a much more self contained, more personalized story.
Civil War 2 was awful. Avoid anything written by Bendis.
His old stuff like Alias and ultimates were great. Also infamous iron too, cause that could of easily been a hot mess.
Most of everything else he touched tho was ugh and can't wait to see what he does to DC.
I loved Infamous Iron Man and am genuinely upset at how Iron Man #600 turned out. I hope the next creative team reverses things but I have to imagine that decision came from editorial in the first place.
ASM #800 out today and it's the opposite of Bendis's exit on Iron Man. Everything is respected. New beginnings, definitive endings, amazing, spectacular moments. Among his best work in a decade-long run that's been better than it ever should have been considering it started in the aftermath of One More Day.
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