An Experiment in Enjoying Crossover Events: Secret Invasion

[anthony!]

Ive been thinking that instead of buying the main Secret Invasion mini-series, I would get the major tie-in issues like Mighty Avengers and New Avengers.

Is it possible to enjoy an event in this fasion without the "main" story?

The fact is that I've noticed the last few events contain the moments I've wanted MOST in other places besides the mini. Civil War was notorious for having a lot of the "character" moments take place in tie-in issues. I thought this made the main series end up feeling more like a story outline as opposed to something fully fleshed out.

Agree? Disagree?

[TheBoTT]

hmmm.

Actually i think this might be a bad idea with SI. It really seems that most of the tie-ins will be character focused. Like the upcoming nick fury issue for example. And if you look at SI #1 so far none of those events are touched on in other comics. Plus, its only three extra dollars a month.

[drwho]

Its hard to say because during Civil War they went over the same events in the regular book titles as well as the miniseries just from different persepctive. Dont know if Secret Invasion will be set up the same way.

[The Confessor]

Civil War was notorious for having a lot of the "character" moments take place in tie-in issues. I thought this made the main series end up feeling more like a story outline as opposed to something fully fleshed out.

Agree? Disagree?


Hmmmm...yes, I know what you mean about the main Civil War book seeming a bit like a story summary book. Personally, I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I was reading most of the other tie-in issues for Civil War and this made me acutely aware of just what was missing from the main book...if you catch my drift?

Conversely, I only picked up the main World War Hulk book and left the tie-ins alone and I found that the main book "appeared" to be much more fleshed out and a pretty well rounded read. Chances are though; I only got that impression because it was the sole title I was reading connected with that particular event.

I don't think for a second that the main WWH book was better written than the main CW comic...quite the opposite actually. It was just how I perceived each core book, based on how many other tie-ins I was reading.

So, ultimately what I’m trying to say is that reading too many tie-in books can skew your perception of the core book somewhat.

Does that make sense?

[anthony!]

I guess for me the interest in SI mainly comes from how the Skrulls infiltrated and how far into Marvel history this "conspiracy" goes; ie how the invasion changes our view of previous story lines and events.

The main series seems rather predictable: some will be skrulls, characters will comeback, new series will spin-off, Avengers changed "forever", blah blah blah.

If anything Secret Invasion will be like House of M: lots of unresolved issues and dangling concepts ready for other books and events to pick up off of.

[IronKing]

Secret Invasion is what Bendis has been building up to for years now. I don't think you can skip the main series.

Maybe with Disassembled, House of M, Civil War, World War Hulk. All of those seem like small pieces of a much bigger puzzle. So maybe it could have worked with those. But I don't think there's any way you can skip SI.

[Expletive Deleted]

Secret Invasion is what Bendis has been building up to for years now. I don't think you can skip the main series.If you're following Bendis's Avengers work, sure. But if you're not, it seems perfectly viable to only pick up a few tie-ins and skip the main series.

[ANewHope]

It would be a mistake to not read the main title during any event.

It's quite easy to argue, that the only thing you should read is the main event, along with a few tie-ins that include characters that interest you.

Can you imagine just reading Civil war New Avenger ties ins and not Civil War?? All the great story telling and art and and action is in the main book.

But heres the big question... How can you call yourself a fan of the New or Mighty Avengers and not be remotely interested in the Secret Invasion??

This is Bendis we're talking about, he will deliver.

[ANewHope]

Damnit !!!!! Double post

[anthony!]

But heres the big question... How can you call yourself a fan of the New or Mighty Avengers and not be remotely interested in the Secret Invasion??


I don't. I find the overall concepts and story development really interesting. However, when the big event finally gets here it rings hollow and sort of incidental.

I was really excited for the post-Civil War New Avengers. All the covers in the solicits made me think "HOLY ****! THIS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME!" But then it all just sort of happens and peters out. Its just one tease after another and then boom! boom! boom! we're done and back to more teasing.

If it were up to me I'd structure things to be more like a 12 issue miniseries that was really fleshed out, and any tie-ins, one-shots and specials would serve more like an appendix, LOTR-style. I think if you are going to have huge and dramatic character arcs, you ought to try and get those moments and interactions within the series- after all, part of the coolness of crossover events is that characters that don't usually see each other get to meet up!

[Shadow ES]

I didn't read Civil War when it came out (I'm reading it as Civil War Chronicles), I haven't read WWH (will read it as Hulk Chronicles), and I won't be reading SI.

The books I read that tied in to each of these made sense just fine, and I expect the same thing again.

[SeritoNiN]

What you're wanting to do would have been perfect for Civil War. The tie-in's, I feel ARE civil war, the main book was a waste of time up until # 7.

That being said, I think differently about Secret Invasion, I think the initial 8 part mini and the mighty/new avengers books are a must. Other than those, I didn't see much that seems to move the story forward, but only affect the titles briefly. Seems the big moves, reveals, secrets, etc, are being contained to those 3 books.

I read the civil war trade and it's insane how horrible it reads if you don't have the tie-in's to help the story move along. I don't think Secret Invasion will make that mistake.

[IronKing]

I can already tell you that the first issue of Secret Invasion is better than all of Civil War combined.