What If…? Secret Wars #1 Review
The 2000s! Such a nostalgic time! 9/11. The invasion of Iraq. Obama. The PlayStation 2 and Shrek! And let’s not forget that Brian Michael Bendis launched the original Ultimate Universe with the first issue of Ultimate Spider-Man. That’s right, folks! Today, we’re taking a trip down memory lane. We’re asking: What if the original Ultimate Universe had survived the Secret Wars? To discuss this, we’re joined by writer Alex Paknadel, artist CAFU, colorist David Curiel, and letterer Ariana Maher.
Admittedly, this is not a true return to the early, Peter Parker-led era of the Ultimate Universe. By the time the Incursions of Secret Wars were happening, Miles Morales had taken up the mantle of Spider-Man. It’s more of a return to the early to mid-2010s. Still, much like its successor, the original Ultimate Universe reflects the time and politics of its era. It’s a time capsule, more or less. In this one-shot, Paknadel acknowledges this fact through his political criticism of the original iteration of the imprint, while also flexing his nerdy knowledge that, as an editor of the Marvel Database (unofficial wiki for the funny books), proves very fun and, again, nostalgic for a bygone Marvel Universe.
As a What If? book, the premise alone opens up many possibilities. While the narrative adopts a straightforward approach — Peter Parker of Earth-616 switches places with Miles Morales and is brought to Earth-1610 (or is it?) by Owen Reese, the Molecule Man, instead of the other way around — the execution is no less compelling. Before we proceed, however, I would like to acknowledge the exceptional work of artist CAFU. His art style, which intentionally or unintentionally emulates the cinematic style of the original Ultimate imprint, is commendable. I had previously seen his style exclusively in variant covers, but now I am interested in seeing it in an ongoing series. Back to the story now…
In adjusting to his new environment, Peter is confronted with the stark contrast of two distinct realities: Earth-1610, a world heavily influenced by politics and militarization, where governments have strategically engaged superhumans in an arms race; and Earth-616, a world that the Maker characterizes as “more fantastic” in Al Ewing’s New Avengers. Nick Fury’s presentation to Peter, which details the series of catastrophes that preceded his arrival — ranging from the infamous Ultimatum to the chaos orchestrated by the Children of Tomorrow in Hickman’s Ultimates — exemplifies this perfectly. Peter proceedes to serve as a S.H.I.E.L.D. asset in the form of the Ultimate Scarlet Spider. In this role, he gains firsthand knowledge of the ethical standards of the world’s native heroes. Hulk brutally rips the Kraken (as there was no 1610 Kraken, a thumps up to Alex’s ingenuity from me) in half and Peter is met with the remark, “You’ll get used to it,” by his fellow heroes.
Unfortunately, rooted in the more down-to-earth nature of the Ultimate Universe, Peter is also dying from the radioactive spider bite. (1610 Peter Parker was bitten by a genetically altered Oscorp spider, one of Bendis’s choices in reimagining the character for the new millenium). This makes effective use of pre-established Marvel Multiverse concepts and the unique physics of each Earth. After discovering that Fury had misled him about the portal back home being unusable, and with the assistance of Miles, Kitty Pryde, Johnny Storm, and Bobby Drake, who hold back the Future Foundation, Peter steps out of Earth-1610. What follows is not a return to Peter’s universe. However, it is arguably the most interesting part of the issue. We learn that this is not the real Earth-1610. This fact was hinted at early on through differences in the Secret Wars flashbacks, such as the presence of Apocalypse.
We’re in a different Marvel Multiverse—or, more accurately, a part of the Megaverse. In this Megaverse, the Maker assumed the Beyonders’ powers and now attempts to create a perfect world. He also recognized that his native reality is incapable of holding superhumans, leading to the widespread chaos and numerous catastrophes that came to define the original Ultimate imprint in its last stretch of publishing. The fundamental flaw within the Ultimate Universe is the concentration of power in the hands of a select few. After these statements are made, the confrontation between Peter’s allies and the Future Foundation leads to the complete destruction of the Triskelion and S.H.I.E.L.D.
In the immediate aftermath, Peter is sent back to the Ultimate Universe. Recalling the words of the Beyonder-empowered Maker, he decides that things need to change. In the final pages of the book, a movement dedicated to Fix the World and giving All Power to The People has begun. The Ultimates. An excellent way to conclude what I consider to be one of the most entertaining and compelling stories in this series of What If? 50th Anniversary specials, so far.
With that said, I’ll leave you with this bit of dialogue: “We’re just getting started.” Given the focus on the 6160 Ultimates logo, is there a double meaning to it, Alex? Do you know something we don’t, or are you just teasing us?
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