Secret Wars Paperback – Illustrated, September 6, 2016

"Secret Wars" by Jonathan Hickman is nothing short of a monumental achievement in superhero storytelling. This isn’t your typical punch-and-kick event — it's an intricate, cerebral, and emotionally resonant saga that pays off years of build-up from Hickman’s runs on Avengers and Fantastic Four.The story plunges you into a dying multiverse, where Doctor Doom has taken godlike control to form Battleworld, a patchwork planet made from the remnants of countless realities. The concept alone is brilliant, but it’s Hickman’s execution — layered, poetic, and deeply philosophical — that sets this book apart. Themes of power, identity, sacrifice, and what it means to be a hero are explored with surprising depth.Esad Ribić’s artwork is absolutely stunning. Each page feels like a grand painting, full of scale and emotion. The visuals elevate the already massive stakes of the story and bring Battleworld to life in a way that feels both mythic and grounded.This trade paperback collects the full 9-issue event and reads cohesively, though I’d recommend some familiarity with Hickman’s earlier work to fully appreciate the layers. That said, even on its own, it’s an engrossing cosmic epic with unforgettable moments (God Doom, Reed Richards, and that final issue… wow).If you're looking for a Marvel event with brains, beauty, and real emotional weight — not just spectacle — this is it. One of the best Marvel events of the modern era.

This the first comic I’ve ever ordered and it’s also the reason why I read/own Hickmans avengers now before reading secret wars.( I didn’t know it was the final arc once I received the package 😭)

Amazing read worth the buy.

It's fine but has a lot of required reading to understand the story. The art is good and other than that not much to say.

In perperation of the next two avengers movies ive gotten this and the older secret war comic and i can say this is a really great comic one the best ive read the art is great the story 10/10.

Amazing comic book. One of my favorites!

With the new secret wars movies coming out in a couple of years, if you’re looking to brush up on the source material and check it out, this is something great to grab at a good price

If you want a physical edition rather than a Kindle edition (as a comic reader for 30+ years I still prefer reading comics printed on paper), I recommend the paperback version.The paperback copy I purchased was in excellent condition. The binding was firm, no loose pages or cracks in the spine. The paper was glossy and high quality. When reading I was never distracted by any physical flaws. My one complaint is that the map of Battleworld is printed in middle of the volume so some of it is lost in the binding, but that didn't affect my ability to enjoy the story.Supplemental material included a gallery of all the variant covers (and there were lots for this series). They also included the Free Comic Book Day Secret Wars #0 at the end, despite the fact that its story is more of a prelude than a postlude. As far as I can tell the hardcover doesn't have any other special bonuses. This is not a situation where the publisher cut corners producing the paperback, but the hardcover is the "prestige" version. The hardback doesn't give you any more material or any better reading experience, but it costs more.Concerning the story told in this volume, I would call it a satisfying bow to the long story Hickman told through various Marvel titles. I cannot say how much you would enjoy it without reading his Fantastic Four or Avengers books before. Having read them this felt like a brilliant capstone on a monumental work. Esad Ribic's art has a touch of high fantasy to gives this story that epic quality. Ive Svorcina deserves mention for his color work which deeply enhances every page. Even among the universe of Marvel stories, this felt special, like a myth superheroes would tell. I loved it!