Secret Empire could have been so much more.
Secret Empire ended its 10-issue run this week, wrapping up in the same way far too many of Marvel's event comics have in recent years. The finale offered a formulaic end to the crossover, focusing more on putting the pieces neatly back into place rather than trying to make profound, lasting changes to the Marvel Universe. But as much as this has become par for the course with most Marvel events, Secret Empire's lackluster conclusion is especially frustrating given the early promise this story showed. And it couldn't have come at a worse time as Marvel attempts to re-energize its comic book line heading into the Legacy relaunch.
Warning: this article contains full spoilers for Secret Empire!
Mind you, I was fully on board with Secret Empire when Marvel first revealed the crossover earlier this year. As I argued at the time, Steve Rogers has become a fairly stagnant character over the years. The "man out of time" angle that defines the modern version of Captain America only holds weight for so long. Cap needed something to reinvigorate him as a character and shake up his relationship with his fellow Marvel heroes. What better way to accomplish that than revealing Steve Rogers has secretly been an agent of Hydra since childhood? It's a twist that fundamentally alters everything we think we know about Captain America.
Nor did writer Nick Spencer pull any punches in the early chapters of Secret Empire. Spencer further built on the big Hydra twist by revealing that Hydra originally helped the Axis win World War II, and only a last-minute intervention by the Allies and their reality-altering Cosmic Cube resulted in the outcome we know today. That, along with other big moments like the execution of Rick Jones and Cap crushing the superhero resistance by lifting Mjolnir, really set the tone for this crossover. Steve Rogers as Hydra Supreme was a far more compelling premise for an event comic than more superhero in-fighting or another Skrull invasion.
But over time, that excitement faded. Part of that is simply down to Secret Empire's failure to justify its hefty 10-issue length (a number that doesn't even include Secret Empire #0, FCBD: Secret Empire or the upcoming Secret Empire: Omega epilogue). The series' sluggish pacing and inconsistent art quality began to work against the story more and more as the summer wore on. However, the real disappointment set in with the final two issues, which transformed Secret Empire from dramatic tale of betrayal and political allegory to yet another colorful, superficial punch-fest between heroes and villains.
More than just being a lackluster conclusion to a once-promising event comic, Secret Empire #10 managed to systematically undo everything that made this story unique in the first place. The "real" Steve Rogers returned to topple his evil doppelganger. The idea that the Allies lost WWII was revealed to be a ruse on the part of Madame Hydra, who was also responsible for using the Cosmic Cube to rewrite the rules of Mjolnir and allow the unworthy Steve Rogers to lift it. By the time the dust settled and Kobik finished undoing Hydra's devastation, the Marvel U. had almost entirely returned to normal. Only the destruction of Las Vegas and a pair of obligatory deaths (Black Widow and Rick Jones) will serve as a reminder that the events of Secret Empire even transpired. And really, what are the odds that Widow will stay dead longer than a year?
Basically, Secret Empire did exactly what Marvel promised it wouldn't. It hit a giant reset button that swept all the intriguing, risky plot twists under the rug. Spencer and others at Marvel had repeatedly insisted that Hydra Cap wasn't a doppelganger, a clone or a result of brainwashing. Yet, barring any last-minute revelations in Secret Empire: Omega, that's exactly what he turned out to be. Perhaps worse, Secret Empire #10 gives no indication that Cap will face any real ramifications for having his name and image corrupted. The Avengers and the world at large seem remarkably eager to welcome him back into the fold and move forward.
When we interviewed Spencer earlier this year, he said, "If you think that the ending is everyone smiles and says 'no hard feelings' or forgets that anything bad ever happened, that's just not the kind of story that I like to do." That's a nice sentiment, but it's difficult to see how Spencer's words are borne out by the actual story. Heck, Iron Man all but says "No hard feelings" on this page:
It's also difficult to see how Marvel thought this ending would appeal any segment of its fanbase. For those turned off by the initial Hydra Cap reveal and Marvel's subsequent PR missteps, this clean, tidy ending is probably a case of "too little, too late." And for those actually invested in the story, there's the disappointment in seeing Marvel take the easy way out rather than exploring the full, lasting consequences of Cap's betrayal. Neither camp has any reason to celebrate the outcome of Secret Empire.
Like I said, this underwhelming conclusion to a once-promising event comes at a particularly bad time for Marvel. Sales of their superhero comics have been steadily dropping in recent years. Secret Empire itself is among their worst-performing events. According to Comichron's estimates, Secret Empire #1 sold less than a third of what Secret Wars #1 did two years earlier (157,517 copies compared to 527,678 copies). Sales figures for more recent issues have dipped below even 2011's Fear Itself, one of Marvel's lowest-selling event comics ever. That's not a good sign.
Marvel is using Secret Empire and the transitional project that is Generations to lead into their upcoming Legacy relaunch. Their hope is that by emphasizing classic heroes and conflicts again, they can reverse these recent trends and attract readers who have been drifting away from the Marvel Universe. But as I've argued before, beneath the fancy lenticular covers and boldly-worded press releases, the Legacy-era Marvel Universe sure looks an awful lot like the current Marvel U. Marvel needed Secret Empire #10 to deliver a bold statement. The series needed to make readers excited for what's coming next, both in terms of Captain America's place in the Marvel U. and in the Avengers trying to rebuild after suffering one of their worst defeats ever. Secret Empire #10 failed to do that. If anything, it only increased the sense of apathy leading into Marvel Legacy.
None of this is to say Marvel Legacy can't still succeed. It's easy to forget now, but DC wasn't in hot shape leading into their Rebirth relaunch last year. DC's fortunes changed almost literally overnight as the DC Universe Rebirth #1 one-shot offered a tantalizing glimpse of better things to come. Perhaps Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic can do the same with the Marvel Legacy #1 one-shot this month. But if Marvel does finally course-correct this fall, it won't be thanks to Secret Empire.
"Between the Panels" is a bi-weekly column from Jesse Schedeen that focuses on the world of comics. You can see more of his thoughts on comics and pop culture by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.
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