"In an interesting move, the characters disappeared one month in their titles and returned the following month. This gave readers a heads up as to what the mini-series could expect (for example, the Venom symbiote actually appeared the second month in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #252 while it first appeared in the eighth issue of the series)"

Maybe it's because I am tired but this is not making since to me.

I do have the trade on my Amazon wishlist but it's going to be awhile before I read it because I have so many books ahead of it.

Secret Wars was sooooo good.

@charlieboy said:

I just wish Kitty would have been in this. She was originally but apparently it was felt by some at Marvel that Colossus was too old for Kitty so that whole contrived love story with the alien on Beyonder's world happened. The series is great otherwise.

Ah that bizarre romance between Colossus and that alien (which is the weak link of the series) all makes sense now. I wonder if Marvel planned on killing Kitty off at the end of the series like they killed the alien girl?

I hope for a Third Secret War

Have you ever tried to track down a trade for this series for less than 40 bucks - even on ebay or amazon? It's tough to do.

Might try to buy this

Secret Wars was good. I read them on the internet just a few years ago and I liked it.

A classic. Can't get stories like these anymore.

Good stuff. Secret Wars was one of the first comics I read form Marvel as a kid. It was a great spring board for getting to know all the characters - good and bad. I love this story and still have all 12 issues (plus all nine issues of the campy Secret Wars II).

I remember reading this ages ago, and it was fairly entertaining, if a little dated. I don't know how well it'll hold up now though - might have to reread it again sometime.

But yeah, it was one of the first company-wide crossovers in comic-book history, and while some might hate that it kick-started events, you can't deny that Secret Wars left a mark in the medium. Also, black costume Spidey!

I haven't read it. But seeing how #8 is going for over $1,000+....I guess I'm going to get a TPB.

I maybe be the only person who feel's this way but don't pick up Marvel's Super Hero Secret Wars if you're looking for a good story. I picked up the series on ebay a few years ago just because I knew how "important" it was in comic history. I was shocked how bad the writing was.

Marvel Super Hero Secret Wars was written for one reason. Mattel wanted to sell toys. The reason it's called secret wars to begin with is because the words "secret" and "war" tested well with child consumers. The reason Dr Doom's costume goes robo is because Mattel had a certain mold they wanted to use for the action figure. The reason there are so many bases and "flying cars" is because Mattel wanted to make play sets.

Sure. This story is important.....kind of. It was the first big crossover event of its kind. However, nothing that happened in it has remained relevant with the possible exception of Spidey's black suit. Buy this story for the history, but I beg you, do not buy this story for the story.

Cool

Read this in 3rd grade and still remember all of the events nearly perfectly. Good stuff all around in this gem.

i WILL read this ill get it off comixology or something

@JoeEddie: "In an interesting move, the characters disappeared one month in their titles and returned the following month. This gave readers a heads up as to what the mini-series could expect (for example, the Venom symbiote actually appeared the second month in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #252 while it first appeared in the eighth issue of the series)"

Maybe it's because I am tired but this is not making since to me.

They are referring to publishing dates. Secret Wars was a 12 issue monthly series, so took a year to finish. The heroes like Spidey were abducted at end of an issue in their run, and returned from fighting in the Secret Wars the next with a week or a month of marvel time gone by. Spidey returned with the new symbiote costume, which was it's first publishing appearance, but publishing origin didn't happen until 8 months later. Chronology of story is The Amazing Spider-Man #251 then Secret wars 1-12 then amazing spider-man 252. But publish time line was ASM 251, SW1, AMS 252.

It wasn't like the crossovers they have now, where each titles series gets tied up in the event for a long period of time. Huge even with a lot of consequences. Where did spidey get new costume? Why did Thing disappear?

etc. GREAT STUFF at the time! Very memorable.

I will, if I can get my hands on it.

@Omega Ray Jay: Loved the bit with Storm frying Doc Ok.

Hmmm...since I've been trying to get my hands on some 80s Marvel Comics now, I'm definitely checking this out!

Secret Wars was the series that got me to recognize comics other than Batman.