40 years after the cosmic Beyonder assembled Marvel super heroes for 1983’s Secret Wars, Marvel Comics is returning to Battleworld. Set during the original 12-issue limited series Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars — which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year — new series Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars: Battleworld unites Human Torch of the Fantastic Four and the alien costume-clad Spider-Man against friends and foes alike. The interquel features the “missing heroes” of Daredevil, Falcon, and Ice Man of the X-Men, plus the villains who weren’t transported off-world in the original crossover: including Hobgoblin, Electro, Constrictor, and Baron Zemo.
Writer Tom Defalco (The Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Girl) and artist Pat Olliffe (Thor, Untold Tales of Spider-Man) reunite for the four-issue limited series that fits seamlessly between the pages of the original Secret Wars by Jim Shooter, Mike Zeck, and Bob Layton.
“Pat Olliffe and I were handed a daunting creative challenge,” DeFalco said when announcing the series. “We were asked to do a sequel/new tale of a classic Marvel story that first saw print 40 years ago and created ripples that are still felt throughout the universe today. Since we share a kinship with a certain web-swinger (and his family), we were also compelled to do a story that ripped to his core and defined his unique place in the Marvel Universe while examining the budding relationship with his new black costume. With the aid of editors Mark Basso and Drew Baumgartner, Pat and I constructed a tale that we believe has repercussions for today’s readers and creative ripples that we hope will still be felt 40 years from now.”
Added editor Mark Basso: “Whether you never read Secret Wars, or spent the 80s poring over the comics in between fighting with your Secret Wars figures and their Secret Shields…you’re going to come away from this adventure with a complete story and, if you are a longterm fan, an even greater understanding of the characters and stakes in this greatest of wars!”
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars: Battleworld #1 is on sale November 22. See the official solicitation and preview pages below.
