Back in 1984, Marvel Comics unveiled a major crossover series titled ‘Secret Wars.’ Running from May of that year until April 1985, writer Jim Shooter and artists Mike Zeck and Bob Layton took the Marvel Universe’s mightiest heroes and villains and pitted them against each other in an all out battle royale. Alongside the iconic comic tale, the event became known for the accompanying toy line from Mattel that fans would remember for years to come. Now, it looks like the House of Ideas is traveling back in time with a new twist as they revisit ‘Secret Wars’ with ‘Avengers’ maestro Jonathan Hickman.
During an exclusive VIP event at Discovery Times Square’s Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. on Thursday night, ScienceFiction.com was present when Marvel Comics publisher and COO Dan Buckley announced that Hickman would team with Esad Ribic to bring us an all-new ‘Secret Wars.’ When the ‘Time Runs Out’ story arc comes to an end, it will culminate in this new take on the classic story. And just like its 1980s counterpart, it will include numerous lines of toys, but the merchandising will expand to various other items at stores such as Hot Topic and to the company’s digital outlets.
But how will it differ from the 1984 story? An epic piece of artwork from Alex Ross was unveiled during the announcement featuring a number of characters from all over the multi-verse and from different points in time. For instance, you can see Walt Simonson’s Thor, both Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson’s Captain Americas, and quite a few different Iron Man armors. You can also spot a couple versions of Hyperion, American Dream, Miles Morales, 1602 Daredevil, and many others, so my guess is that the difference between the stories comes by plucking heroes from different universes and times to see who comes out on top. Of course, that’s just my theory, so form your own by checking out the artwork below:
What do you think about Marvel Comics’ first big announcement of this year’s New York Comic Con? Are you excited for Jonathan Hickman’s ‘Secret Wars’ in 2015? Let us know in the comments below.
