Dan Slott's big 2007 story = The Reckoning War?

[JulianPerez]

Dan Slott says he's going to be responsible for a big story in 2007 and he's not giving any details. Is it possible he already has?

In the SHE-HULK 100th issue celebration, She-Hulk is captured by the TVA to stand trial. They explain that part of the reason that it would be better off if She-Hulk had never existed was because an action of hers would be directly responsible for the Reckoning War. No dates are given, however, a 30 year old Sasha says that it is "in [Walter's] future, in my past." Which is vague enough to suggest it can happen any time. Clearly, it is not so far off, because the She-Hulk here wears only the slightest variation on her current outfit - this is the biggest clue that whenever the Reckoning War is happening, it's not going to be too far in the future.

They are transported to - in the words of the TVA agent, "Earth...or what's left of it."

In the brief glimpse we see one Watcher, Zoma, kill another, Xavi, who looks like he was mauled by a wild animal (possibly Wolverine? There are three claw-scretches for each wound that match his).

Zoma's exact words?

"Forgive is, Xavi. Though your intentions were noble, they would have aided the enemy. Farewell, my cousin."

When She-Hulk says, "Zoma, I'm sorry..."

Zoma - a WATCHER, mind you - belts She-Hulk with rage. The implication here is that everything is She-Hulk's fault, which is confirmed in dialogue later on, in no uncertain terms by Zoma: "Meddlesome Earthwoman! This is all YOUR doing!"

SHE-HULK: "What's going on? Zoma can't do that! He's a Watcher, he's forbidden to interfere!"
TVA AGENT: "You have no idea what's going on here. This is the Reckoning War. All bets are off."

We get another juicy detail about the coming Reckoning War: "The Reckoning War isn't just confined to earth. It will be spread across the cosmos."

The final, absolutely juiciest hint of all, the bombshell of this entire conversation: "All this happens because of something you've already done."

Whoa!

The Reckoning War, scattered over the entire cosmos, with Watchers forced to actually interfere, sounds absolutely colossal in scope. It's something that clearly wouldn't be limited to any one title. If it would be anything, it would be a big-time crossover.

The Reckoning War is said by Southpaw to be "an awful time." This is the main thing that leads me to believe it might be the upcoming Dan Slott crossover in 2007: Dan Slott is keen to brush off his image as being the laugh-a-minute comedy guy and a dark, cosmic story is just the ticket.

Anybody that thinks Dan Slott is just a funnyman should read his GREAT LAKES AVENGERS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, especially the doorman story, which is a profoundly touching, sad story. Dan Slott, like all great writers, has profound range and there's no doubt in my mind he could pull off a big time story.

Also...all the details given in that issue are so ultra-specific that there's no way this is just meant to be a throwaway segment not meant to be carried up on.

So, to summarize, the evidence why the Reckoning War is going to be the Dan Slott 2007 crossover:

Reed Richards, in the "flash forward," is in his current Fantastic Four blue-collared outfit. Jen is wearing a variation of her normal clothing. This implies that it's not that far in the future.

Dan Slott says it's going to be a big, dark story, different from the stories he's done so far, and something like a tale involving a ruined earth would absolutely qualify for that.

[Young Avenger]

It's going to be a post-Civil War book. Anyway, World War Hulk is going to be the big storyline for 2007.

[garin]

How can you have a story about a ruined Earth without it being a parallel universe (no need for a crossover) or hitting an unsatisfying reset switch at the end?

What we've heard about Slott's new book indicates that it's something spinning directly out of Civil War. I think the Reckoning War plot will be followed up in She-Hulk, with it being prevented from ever happening.

[Expletive Deleted]

I think one major Hulk-related war is enough for one year.

[Jeff-E]

I love the She-Hulk book! To he!! with World War Hulk, bring on the Reckoning War!

*this totally useless post was brought to you by me*

[Will.S]

I've been wondering about this since there's already alot of big events in place before his and I can't see it being any bigger than Civil War and Annihilation.

I'll wait it out to hear more information but it's still very vague.

[Miss Kitty Fantastico]

I'm looking forward to the Reckoning War like nothing else, but I think we'll be waiting a little longer - Justice Love says that what She-Hulk sees is happening two years into her future, and #100 is early 2006. So, 2008 or thereabouts.

There are a few clues emerging: Love says that the War comes about because of something She-Hulk's already done, and given that Dan's not a crap writer, that means it's something we've seen her do. So we know we've seen it, and that Watchers are somehow involved. In She-Hulk #10, Mr. Zix - revealed in #11 to be RT-Z9, She-Hulk's robotic court reporter from her stint in the Magistrati's cosmic claims court - is trying to placate a mysterious voice, which is very upset that She-Hulk has been in the presence of a Watcher recently (in Civil War #1, when Uatu appeared before the gathering of heroes at the Baxter Building). Back in She-Hulk v1 #7, while Shulkie was doing her Magistrati duty (with Z9 present), she presided over a case involving a reclusive species who were aghast that the Watchers had discovered them and seen their true forms, and weren't at all appeased by the Watcher oath of non-interference. She-Hulk ruled that, as only one Watcher (Qyre) had seen the recluses, if Qyre didn't take part in the Watcher gathering where they share the knowledge of their sectors with each other, the identity of the recluses would be contained as much as possible - Qyre was rendered mute (which led to Zoma hating She-Hulk enough to aid Tryco Slatterus against her), and the recluses were appeased. The recluses, incidentally, didn't appear, speaking by remote through Z9 - and their voice was rendered in the same font as the voice in #10.

From what I've read, Dan has approached the writers of various other books about taking part in the Reckoning War, and gotten encouraging feedback from them - but it doesn't sound like it's being planned as an 'event' crossover on the scale of Civil War or suchlike. Also, if I recall correctly, there was talk of this before news came out about Dan's post-CW project - I'm not sure of the timeframe, so this could be wrong, but my impression is that he's had this in mind for a while, whereas the post-CW thing occurred to him spontaneously at the writer's retreat, or something like that. My guess is that it's a separate book.

As for how the whole cosmos could be put through the wringer, I think garin has it half-right - it'll be somehow, ultimately, prevented from happening, or undone, or whatever. However I don't think that means it'll inevitably be an unsatisfying 'reset button' story. Naturally we're wary of that kind of device in storytelling, having seen it abused before (I'm looking at you, Star Trek Voyager), but there are ways of making it work, if the writer is clever enough. And Dan's a clever writer.

Whenever it happens, I'm certainly looking forward to it. Aside from the storytelling possibilities, She-Hulk's short-sleeve outfit variant is gorgeous.

[CyberCoyote]

I think that whole plotline will run directly through She-hulk, that his new book will have nothing or little to do with Shulkie's stories. Dan's a smart, talented guy and he's been in the business a lot longer than some of the current 'Golden Boys'. He knows that to get the thumbs up from that crowd on his 'break out' title, which is pretty funny considering he broke IN to the business a loooong time ago, he'd need to find something that appeals to HIM and to THEM.

The Reckoning War won't be it, it'll be some happy medium between the excellent clasic storytelling he's the master of and the 'Gritty' modernesque stories that seem to make the most popular writers now. They did say it's more of a 'Grrr' book, and I don't think they meant Tony the Tiger :)

[EmmettHULK]

The Reckoning War sounds like the most pointless, non-eventful "event" ever.


Has any major crossover event in comics sprouted from a comedy/"fun" book?

[Jeff-E]

The Reckoning War sounds like the most pointless, non-eventful "event" ever.


Has any major crossover event in comics sprouted from a comedy/"fun" book?

I'm going with, all of them. Comics in general are usually fun and most include comedy if they weren't and they didn't I wouldn't read them. But I guess technically Civil War came about from a "fun" book, New Warriors(it atleast helped set it up, don't know if the writer knew it or not though). Same with Annihilation.

[XPac]

Okay.... Civil War, Silent War, World War Hulk, and now Reckoning War. I believe I am starting to see a pattern forming here.

Anyway, I look forward to a big even written by someone like Slott. The hyper realistic political stuff of a Millar has it's appeal to me, but occasionally I do wanna read stuff a bit more fantasy based. And Slott is real good with mixing dark and funny stuff together.

[Lucalias]

Hm, why does everything have to be a war? Secret War, Civil War, World War Hulk,...

[Dan_Slott]

Dan Slott says he's going to be responsible for a big story in 2007 and he's not giving any details. Is it possible he already has?

JulianPerez,
Nice guess, sir. But the Reckoning War (hinted at in the Dec. '05 issue of SHE-HULK) isn't my secret project for '07. That project will probably me announced within the next 2 months. As for the Reckoning War... Well, we will get to that down the line. I promise!


It's going to be a post-Civil War book. Anyway, World War Hulk is going to be the big storyline for 2007.

And, Young Avenger, you can expect that She-Hulk to have something to say (or do) about her cousin's World War...
In the meantime, you should check out her new story arc, starting in January's SHE-HULK #15. It's called PLANET WITHOUT A HULK, and will feature She-Hulk stepping up to take on all the Hulk's foes, now that he's off Earth. Should be cool!


How can you have a story about a ruined Earth without it being a parallel universe (no need for a crossover) or hitting an unsatisfying reset switch at the end?

I think the Reckoning War plot will be followed up in She-Hulk, with it being prevented from ever happening.

And you'd be wrong, garin. :)
The event that's been shown (in a flash forward) in SHE-HULK 2 #3 will come to pass. And it will not be reset at the end. Death, destruction, and universal peril-- it all happens in The Reckoning War!!!


I think one major Hulk-related war is enough for one year.

I agree. Hopefully, we'll get to RW in 2008.


I love the She-Hulk book! To he!! with World War Hulk, bring on the Reckoning War!

Now that's the kind of post I like to see! Thanks Jeff-E!


I've been wondering about this since there's already alot of big events in place before his and I can't see it being any bigger than Civil War and Annihilation. I'll wait it out to hear more information but it's still very vague.

Yep. We're building to it slowly. And there'll be more clues and hints dropped in '07 as the "storm" starts to gather. As for how BIG the Reckoning War is going to be? When it's done-- the MU will have changed in many significant ways! HONEST! It's based around a very important core Marvel U. concept-- something I've been wondering about ever since I really got into Marvel Comics in the mid-70's.

MissKittyFantastico,
That was quite a comprehensive look into all of the pre-RW info. Better not give you any more "puzzle pieces" or you might figure it all out before we get there! :)


The Reckoning War won't be (Dan's new book), it'll be some happy medium between the excellent clasic storytelling he's the master of and the 'Gritty' modernesque stories that seem to make the most popular writers now. They did say it's more of a 'Grrr' book, and I don't think they meant Tony the Tiger

You said it, sir. No sugar frosting on this one. The new book isn't going for the funny. It'll be much closer in tone to my work on the ARKHAM ASYLUM LIVING HELL book.


The Reckoning War sounds like the most pointless, non-eventful "event" ever.
Has any major crossover event in comics sprouted from a comedy/"fun" book?

EmmettHULK,
Well... As far as Reckoning War being "pointless"... Let me put it to you like this:

An editor I know has this take on writers approaching new projects. He believes that when creators come to the table on new books-- or writing specific mainstream characters for the first time-- that they bring a bucket of ideas with them, and a lot of their best ideas rise to the top like cream. Eventually that cream gets skimmed off, and those creators need to switch over to other projects to let that "cream" form again. In a lot of cases, I can see that.

Well, in approaching the Marvel Universe as a whole-- the core idea for the Reckoning War is something I've been carrying around with me for over 30 years. It's really good! It's just sitting there-- out in the ether-- and I'm surprised no one's twigged to it yet!

Unlike most "event" comics, this is NOT something that's been come up with by committee, to fill a specific spot on a schedule, or to jumpstart a line of comics. This is a BIG idea that's taken shape from a love of the Marvel Universe-- and all the amazing characters that populate it. It's a story I'm passionate about-- a story I've wanted to tell for a VERY long time...

...and the first chance I got to do a monthly Marvel title, and was assured that that book would be an ongoing, I started planting the seeds for it (back in my first volume of SHE-HULK, in issue #7)!

So... To address your criticism... The "point" of The Reckoning War is to tell a good story. And I hope when it comes around, you can treat it with just a little bit more of an open mind.

And to answer your question, "Has any major crossover event in comics sprouted from a comedy/"fun" book?"

Well, when I was growing up, ALL the Marvel comics were FUN. So that would be a LOT! :)


I look forward to a big even written by someone like Slott. The hyper realistic political stuff of a Millar has it's appeal to me, but occasionally I do wanna read stuff a bit more fantasy based. And Slott is real good with mixing dark and funny stuff together.

Thanks, XPac. I will say this, the idea behind the Reckoning War is BIG and COSMIC (as opposed to dark or funny). Like the larger than life ideas you'd see in early runs of the FF, DR. STRANGE, or THE MIGHTY THOR.


Hm, why does everything have to be a war? Secret War, Civil War, World War Hulk,...

Lucalias, I totally see where you're coming from. But please keep in mind that the foreshadowing for this took place in SHE-HULK 2 #3... And back then CIVIL WAR, WORLD WAR HULK, ANNIHILATION, and SILENT WAR weren't even glints in Mighty Marvel's eyes.

Chances are, if those "wars" are still fresh in readers minds when we get around to RW-- we'll probably change the title to something like "MARVEL UNIVERSE: THE RECKONING", but still have the characters call it The Reckoning War inside. (Just as AVENGERS FOREVER wasn't called "The Destiny War").

Whew!

Thanks for your time! And thanks for all this interest in a story that's STILL some ways away!
ttyl
Dan

[garin]

And you'd be wrong, garin. :)
The event that's been shown (in a flash forward) in SHE-HULK 2 #3 will come to pass. And it will not be reset at the end. Death, destruction, and universal peril-- it all happens in The Reckoning War!!!Cool. You've got me interested, I'm all for messing with the status quo.

[Orbis De Ignis]

JulianPerez,
Nice guess, sir. But the Reckoning War (hinted at in the Dec. '05 issue of SHE-HULK) isn't my secret project for '07. That project will probably me announced within the next 2 months. As for the Reckoning War... Well, we will get to that down the line. I promise!



And, Young Avenger, you can expect that She-Hulk to have something to say (or do) about her cousin's World War...
In the meantime, you should check out her new story arc, starting in January's SHE-HULK #15. It's called PLANET WITHOUT A HULK, and will feature She-Hulk stepping up to take on all the Hulk's foes, now that he's off Earth. Should be cool!



And you'd be wrong, garin. :)
The event that's been shown (in a flash forward) in SHE-HULK 2 #3 will come to pass. And it will not be reset at the end. Death, destruction, and universal peril-- it all happens in The Reckoning War!!!



I agree. Hopefully, we'll get to RW in 2008.



Now that's the kind of post I like to see! Thanks Jeff-E!



Yep. We're building to it slowly. And there'll be more clues and hints dropped in '07 as the "storm" starts to gather. As for how BIG the Reckoning War is going to be? When it's done-- the MU will have changed in many significant ways! HONEST! It's based around a very important core Marvel U. concept-- something I've been wondering about ever since I really got into Marvel Comics in the mid-70's.

MissKittyFantastico,
That was quite a comprehensive look into all of the pre-RW info. Better not give you any more "puzzle pieces" or you might figure it all out before we get there! :)



You said it, sir. No sugar frosting on this one. The new book isn't going for the funny. It'll be much closer in tone to my work on the ARKHAM ASYLUM LIVING HELL book.



EmmettHULK,
Well... As far as Reckoning War being "pointless"... Let me put it to you like this:

An editor I know has this take on writers approaching new projects. He believes that when creators come to the table on new books-- or writing specific mainstream characters for the first time-- that they bring a bucket of ideas with them, and a lot of their best ideas rise to the top like cream. Eventually that cream gets skimmed off, and those creators need to switch over to other projects to let that "cream" form again. In a lot of cases, I can see that.

Well, in approaching the Marvel Universe as a whole-- the core idea for the Reckoning War is something I've been carrying around with me for over 30 years. It's really good! It's just sitting there-- out in the ether-- and I'm surprised no one's twigged to it yet!

Unlike most "event" comics, this is NOT something that's been come up with by committee, to fill a specific spot on a schedule, or to jumpstart a line of comics. This is a BIG idea that's taken shape from a love of the Marvel Universe-- and all the amazing characters that populate it. It's a story I'm passionate about-- a story I've wanted to tell for a VERY long time...

...and the first chance I got to do a monthly Marvel title, and was assured that that book would be an ongoing, I started planting the seeds for it (back in my first volume of SHE-HULK, in issue #7)!

So... To address your criticism... The "point" of The Reckoning War is to tell a good story. And I hope when it comes around, you can treat it with just a little bit more of an open mind.

And to answer your question, "Has any major crossover event in comics sprouted from a comedy/"fun" book?"

Well, when I was growing up, ALL the Marvel comics were FUN. So that would be a LOT! :)





Thanks, XPac. I will say this, the idea behind the Reckoning War is BIG and COSMIC (as opposed to dark or funny). Like the larger than life ideas you'd see in early runs of the FF, DR. STRANGE, or THE MIGHTY THOR.



Lucalias, I totally see where you're coming from. But please keep in mind that the foreshadowing for this took place in SHE-HULK 2 #3... And back then CIVIL WAR, WORLD WAR HULK, ANNIHILATION, and SILENT WAR weren't even glints in Mighty Marvel's eyes.

Chances are, if those "wars" are still fresh in readers minds when we get around to RW-- we'll probably change the title to something like "MARVEL UNIVERSE: THE RECKONING", but still have the characters call it The Reckoning War inside. (Just as AVENGERS FOREVER wasn't called "The Destiny War").

Whew!

Thanks for your time! And thanks for all this interest in a story that's STILL some ways away!
ttyl
Dan

Dan Slott; I love you. You are my hero. At least one of them. Somewhere between Eric Idle and Optimus Prime.

I'm guessing the reckoning war deals with how so many people, on earth and another planet, have such super human powers to begin with? Definitely something that needs to be delved in with.

Please no Bendis Deaths though. I think we've had enough of one panel last stands that lack any real emotional resonance. While after reading the GLX-mas special I have no doubt that you wouldn't do that in a million years, crossovers never have just one writer. Also, if Bendis does end up writing for this cross-over, please teach him how to do deaths. And to be nice to fans(I heard he banned 1/4 of the forum once just to "clean up"?). And that nothing he's done on NA touches the first 60 or so Ultimate Spider-man issues.

Also; you should write Spider-man. You are the best at it after all.

With all these big wars taking place in about the space of a year in MU time, it seems like the MU is kind of falling apart ;/

[LordEd1976]

And you'd be wrong, garin. :)
The event that's been shown (in a flash forward) in SHE-HULK 2 #3 will come to pass. And it will not be reset at the end. Death, destruction, and universal peril-- it all happens in The Reckoning War!!!




Yep. We're building to it slowly. And there'll be more clues and hints dropped in '07 as the "storm" starts to gather. As for how BIG the Reckoning War is going to be? When it's done-- the MU will have changed in many significant ways! HONEST! It's based around a very important core Marvel U. concept-- something I've been wondering about ever since I really got into Marvel Comics in the mid-70's.




Well, in approaching the Marvel Universe as a whole-- the core idea for the Reckoning War is something I've been carrying around with me for over 30 years. It's really good! It's just sitting there-- out in the ether-- and I'm surprised no one's twigged to it yet!


I will say this, the idea behind the Reckoning War is BIG and COSMIC (as opposed to dark or funny). Like the larger than life ideas you'd see in early runs of the FF, DR. STRANGE, or THE MIGHTY THOR.

Nice of you to contribute to the topic Dan. I gotta say, I hope this comes up sooner rather than later. what you've told us about this is making me giddy with anticipation.

The stuff I put in bold are some quotes that for some reason or another struck a cord in me. But hey, don't worry, even if I some how stumble onto what you're planning, I'll be sure that my theory doesnr become public knowledge. In all likelyhood, the only person I'll share any theories with is Julian and he and I have a habit if keeping our theories between us until we've had a chance to see events unfold.

[TimGunn]

It's really cool that Dan posts on here! I want to know what the new book is!!

As for Reckoning War, I think the name is not the best.

[TimmyTony]

But will She-Hulk last long enough for The Reckoning War to be chronicled mostly in the pages of her book?

[Den]

But will She-Hulk last long enough for The Reckoning War to be chronicled mostly in the pages of her book?
I sure hope so, its good stuff. :)

[XPac]

Thanks, XPac. I will say this, the idea behind the Reckoning War is BIG and COSMIC (as opposed to dark or funny). Like the larger than life ideas you'd see in early runs of the FF, DR. STRANGE, or THE MIGHTY THOR.

Dan

I'm just glad we're getting something big and cosmic... I don't think we get enough of that anymore in marvel. Not since Starlin was doing his "Infinity" stuff.

There's Annihilation, but that's sort of taking place in it's own little corner of the MU. I kinda like seeing the core MU get involved in some big epic cosmic odyssey. We haven't seen one of those in a long long time. Its like Marvel just decided one day that Giant monkies completely lost interest in trying to conquer the moon for some reason.

[Dan_Slott]

But will She-Hulk last long enough for The Reckoning War to be chronicled mostly in the pages of her book?

Yes.

Our 25th issue just came out today. (12 of the 1st season, 13 of the 2nd).
The only reason our first season came to an end was that Marvel wanted to try the "Runaways Strategy", do a relaunch, and try to get more eyes on the book that way. In the SAME announcement telling the fans that the book would be ending (Wizard World Dallas '05) it was ALSO announced that the book would be relaunching eight months later. There was never a question that the book would be coming back.

And, eight months later, when the relaunch occured, the sales went up over 60%! So? Marvel's plan worked.

The SHE-HULK book has never dipped below 20,000 copies. Heck, it's never dipped below 23,000. It's currently above 26,000. And during the CIVIL WAR related issues it went as above 58,000! And it managed to retain a lot of its CIVIL WAR boost for a lot longer than other CIVIL WAR related titles.

The book continues to get good press and good word of mouth. Every trade has debuted in the Top 20. And the two biggest complaints about the title from regular readers-- sticking to a schedule and maintaining a regular art team-- have BOTH been rectified.

And... We're gearing up for our biggest, action-packed arc yet: PLANET WITHOUT A HULK. I'm really happy with the first script. Love the Greg Horn cover. And I'm over-the-moon about the pages that Rick Burchett and Cliff Rathburn have been turning in each-and-every-month!

So?....

In my opinion? Yes. We'll be around for the Reckoning War. :)

[TimmyTony]

I'm just glad we're getting something big and cosmic... I don't think we get enough of that anymore in marvel. Not since Starlin was doing his "Infinity" stuff.

There's Annihilation, but that's sort of taking place in it's own little corner of the MU. I kinda like seeing the core MU get involved in some big epic cosmic odyssey. We haven't seen one of those in a long long time. Its like Marvel just decided one day that Giant monkey completely lost interest in trying to conquer the moon for some reason.


But exactly how encompassing this RW thing will be?

Dan says it will change the MU, but does that mean that most other MU books will even reference/acknowldege it...?

I could've sworn that it would only be shown in the pages of Thing and She-hulk, two books that aren't exactly cornerstones of the MU or big sellers/big buzz books (Thing is already dead due to tepid sales, and that is a darn shame)

[XPac]

But exactly how encompassing this RW thing will be?

Dan says it will change the MU, but does that mean that most other MU books will even reference/acknowldege it...?

I could've sworn that it would only be shown in the pages of Thing and She-hulk, two books that aren't exactly cornerstones of the MU or big sellers/big buzz books (Thing is already dead due to tepid sales, and that is a darn shame)

Well, he did say that the MU would be changed in many significant ways. That certainly implies a rather large scope.

Though I gotta add that Marvel says "the universe will never be same" or something to that effect when they advertise pretty much any event. Sometimes it's hard to tell what's hype and what's not.

[CMBMOOL]

Dan, may I call you Dan,

I love you She-Hulk Series and your Spider-man/Human torch mini series and have currently collected both TPTBs of the series along with the current She-Hulk series. :D

I love the history that you use within the She-hulk series, but I was wondering that since the next arc is called Planet without A Hulk should it be a somewhat unoffical tie-in to the Planet Hulk saga since it tells us how the She-Hulk may figure out her cousin's disappearance from the Civil War conflict ? :confused:

I hope to hear from you soon, and please keep up the good work. :D

[Frank]

Hey I want to read about the Reckoning War, now! Page me up when January comes. :D

[Miss Kitty Fantastico]

D'oh, I should've realised - quite true, the fact that we saw a (stable, non-Reckoning-War-related) future, in which She-Hulk's time trial took place, pretty much rules out the War being 'undone' in any manner. Plus, Dan said so. So whatever it is, when it gets here, it's here to stay.

I can picture the 'will change the face of the universe' thing not just being hype. I mean, if Marvel is willing to commit to a change, it can be universe-altering without necessarily having a great impact on titles being published. Just picking a random example - suppose the Reckoning War ends with the Watchers at war with one another, and they wipe themselves out (which is not, I hasten to point out, my first guess at what'll actually occur). How many comic books would that actually affect, in any substantive way? How many titles that Marvel is putting onto shelves right now would have to be rewritten, in all but a minor way, if the Watchers were all dead? Within the books I'm aware of, at least, it's just 'What If' - and even then, you could still tell the same story, you just wouldn't present it as something a Watcher is kicking back and watching while munching popcorn. The stories being told in Daredevil, in Runaways, in Fantastic Four, in X-Men, aren't going to have to change much, if at all - the whole point of Watchers is that they don't get involved, so it makes perfect sense that they don't have a great impact on the events we read about in comics. Yet even though for the majority of books it would just be business as usual, no change, 'the Watchers wipe themselves out' would be a huge event in terms of the Marvel universe. The universe would, literally, never be the same, on a scale that justified that claim.

As I say, that's not what I believe will happen (and I'm not especially conversant with the ins and outs of Watchers, so there may be some utterly vital role they play in, I don't know, keeping planets orbiting their stars, or stopping vending machines from running out of Kit Kats, or something). But it's a hypothesis of a way that a 'big' change can occur, without having to affect (and be featured in) the majority of Marvel titles.

Turning to other matters mentioned here, I do have a suspicion that Planet Without A Hulk is going to have Jen discovering something about her cousin's enforced holiday - whether she'll learn the truth, or simply learn that there is a secret, even though its nature remains hidden, I don't know. She-Hulk #9 hinted at something along those lines, when Gary Swanson - the head of the Hulk-related disaster clean-up group Green Cross - stood as witness to Jen and John's marriage, and afterwards mentioned that there had been no recent Hulk sightings. "It's like he's just vanished off the face of the Earth." It was an Illuminati operation to put Hulk into space, true, but SHIELD may have been involved on some level - it was Maria Hill that prompted Tony Stark to address the problem of Hulk's rampages, and a SHIELD LMD was used to get him up onto the satellite. And now She-Hulk is going to be working for SHIELD, taking out Hulk's villains for them... I wonder if she'll turn up some clues, and start looking for answers from her new 'employers'.

[CMBMOOL]

Turning to other matters mentioned here, I do have a suspicion that Planet Without A Hulk is going to have Jen discovering something about her cousin's enforced holiday - whether she'll learn the truth, or simply learn that there is a secret, even though its nature remains hidden, I don't know. She-Hulk #9 hinted at something along those lines, when Gary Swanson - the head of the Hulk-related disaster clean-up group Green Cross - stood as witness to Jen and John's marriage, and afterwards mentioned that there had been no recent Hulk sightings. "It's like he's just vanished off the face of the Earth." It was an Illuminati operation to put Hulk into space, true, but SHIELD may have been involved on some level - it was Maria Hill that prompted Tony Stark to address the problem of Hulk's rampages, and a SHIELD LMD was used to get him up onto the satellite. And now She-Hulk is going to be working for SHIELD, taking out Hulk's villains for them... I wonder if she'll turn up some clues, and start looking for answers from her new 'employers'.


Also don't forget that Amadeus Cho (Mastermind Excello) knows of the Hulk's exile and there was also a silhouette of her at the end of the Back up story to Incredible Hulk #100, so who knows what could occur ? :D

[Weapon Ick]

I just touched on this in a another thread but I was thinking about how Byrne used to write She-hulk. Seeing has how She-Hulk has been able to "break the fourth wall" and become aware that she is in a comic book, I think, on a technicallity, that makes her the most powerful character in the Marvel Universe. Perhaps this might be why she is such a key player in the reckoning war. I could see how, as a result of a giant crossover event, She-Hulk somehow manages to fix a lot of continuity problems in the MU with out using reality warping powers or retcon punch.

[Cthulhudrew]

I just touched on this in a another thread but I was thinking about how Byrne used to write She-hulk. Seeing has how She-Hulk has been able to "break the fourth wall" and become aware that she is in a comic book, I think, on a technicallity, that makes her the most powerful character in the Marvel Universe.

Deadpool has done it, too. So he's at least as powerful as She-Hulk. :)

(Honestly, Dan if you're reading this- have Deadpool crossover with the She-Hulk and have them both talk to the audience. They could become best friends!)

[Cthulhudrew]

[EDIT- Double post.]

[Dermie]

But exactly how encompassing this RW thing will be?

Dan says it will change the MU, but does that mean that most other MU books will even reference/acknowldege it...?

I dunno about 'most', but a while back Dan said that he had talked to one or two other Marvel writers who were interested in having their books deal with the Reckoning War when the time comes.

[Mister Mets]

Yes.

Our 25th issue just came out today. (12 of the 1st season, 13 of the 2nd).
The only reason our first season came to an end was that Marvel wanted to try the "Runaways Strategy", do a relaunch, and try to get more eyes on the book that way. In the SAME announcement telling the fans that the book would be ending (Wizard World Dallas '05) it was ALSO announced that the book would be relaunching eight months later. There was never a question that the book would be coming back.

And, eight months later, when the relaunch occured, the sales went up over 60%! So? Marvel's plan worked.

The SHE-HULK book has never dipped below 20,000 copies. Heck, it's never dipped below 23,000. It's currently above 26,000. And during the CIVIL WAR related issues it went as above 58,000! And it managed to retain a lot of its CIVIL WAR boost for a lot longer than other CIVIL WAR related titles.

The book continues to get good press and good word of mouth. Every trade has debuted in the Top 20. And the two biggest complaints about the title from regular readers-- sticking to a schedule and maintaining a regular art team-- have BOTH been rectified.

And... We're gearing up for our biggest, action-packed arc yet: PLANET WITHOUT A HULK. I'm really happy with the first script. Love the Greg Horn cover. And I'm over-the-moon about the pages that Rick Burchett and Cliff Rathburn have been turning in each-and-every-month!

So?....

In my opinion? Yes. We'll be around for the Reckoning War. :)


Glad to see that the book is doing well.

And I'm now really looking forward to the Reckoning War.

[Will.S]

You know I kind of slapped myself up the head for not thinking about the format since I kept thinking that it was going to take place in a She-Hulk book or something but it'll definitely need to be a mini series. I could see Reckoning War being kind of close to Jim Shooter's Secret War as a mini series which Dan seems to really like based on the cool references to the story in one of the Titania issues.

Writers could then tie into it whenever they want to but it wouldn't be like Civil War style huge where it neccesitates tie-ins across the board and affects the entire MU more drastically.

[chrismileslord]

Is it just me, or after Civil War and World War Hulk, they should take a big break from major crossovers for two or three years. I mean, seriously, you can only do it so many times until it loses value.

[Kirk G]

I love the She-Hulk book! To he!! with World War Hulk, bring on the Reckoning War!

*this totally useless post was brought to you by me*
Why can't the Reckoning War be the World War Hulk, as named by outsiders?
Is this not the same thing? Think about it... for the Hulk, there will come a reckoning....

But as for what She-Hulk has already done.... that 's a puzzler. Perhaps the comment was, "It's already done..." meaning that the action is inevitable, and has already been done in the future... and that the cosmic reset switch has ALREADY been thrown, and we just don't know it yet...
Or maybe it is meant in a general sense....(You all banished him from Earth...and caused the whole build-up that caused all of this...repercussions...)