Marvel’s Secret Wars Series Extended to Provide Proper Conclusion
It looks like Marvel’s Secret Wars series will be going a little longer than previously intended. Marvel Comics officially announced this week that the Secret Wars comic series has been expanded to an additional ninth issue that will be released later this year, written by Jonathan Hickman and drawn by artist Esad Ribic.
According to Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso, the event became bigger than originally thought, so the extra issue is to help provide series with as big a bang as possible. Alonso stated, “Apparently, Secret Wars is even bigger than we thought it was.” He added, “To help Jonathan and Esad conclude this epic event as big and bombastically as it started, we are adding an extra issue. That means one more month of the suspense, action and game-changing storytelling that fans and retailers have been clamoring for since the final incursion started.”
The story line which saw the destruction of the Marvel Universe will extend the stay on Battleworld for an additional issue. According to a Marvel press release, Hickman and Ribic will be able to wrap up their series as originally intended to provide the book with an “explosive conclusion.” This in turn will set up the All-New, All-Different Marvel Universe.
Marvel reps claim this will not affect the new launches as part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel. Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel stated: “This extra issue will not affect any of the new launches as part of All-New, All-Different Marvel, but there might be a surprise or two left over from Battleworld you weren’t expecting. In fact, like the original Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, some of those puzzle pieces will hit the Marvel Universe before the event concludes. But if you want to see how they all fit together, you don’t want to miss these last few issues.”
Secret Wars Issue No. 9 will hit the shelves this December. You can get a look at the issue’s cover artwork, drawn by the famed and legendary Alex Ross, below: