Beyond! (Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars) [Paperback]

Dwayne McDuffie (Author), Scott Kolins (Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: 4 and up

An indescribably powerful cosmic being gathers nine of Marvel's most mismatched super-beings for purposes beyond their comprehension. Can Spider-Man, Gravity, Venom, Henry Pym, the Wasp, Medusa, Kraven, Firebird and the Hood keep from killing each other before they must face the dangers of their destination, the deadly artificial planet known as Battleworld? Collects Beyond! #1-6.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Marvel (January 23, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785120130
• ISBN-13: 978-0785120131
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 0.2 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,118,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dwayne McDuffie is the co-creator of the Emmy Award winning television series STATIC SHOCK and of Milestone Media, the most successful black-owned comic book company in history. In television, he was a Writer/Producer for Warner Brothers' JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED and is currently the co-producer/story editor of Cartoon Network's BEN 10: ULTIMATE ALIEN. A leading proponent of multiculturalism in media, Dwayne has created dozens of characters for comics, television and videogames, notably, Marvel Comics DAMAGE CONTROL and DEATHLOK II, and Milestone Comics ICON and HARDWARE. Dwayne is a multiple Emmy and Eisner Award nominee, and is the winner of the 2003 Humanitas Prize.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A third-string Secret Wars, February 7, 2008

By 

Tom Knapp "Rambles.NET editor" (Lancaster, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beyond! (Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars) (Paperback)

The original Secret Wars storyline for Marvel was big news primarily because of the many characters it drew together into one giant brouhaha. Ultimately, the story itself wasn't all that interesting and -- beyond Spider-Man's new black costume, which would later become the living symbiote Venom -- it had little in the way of lasting impact on the Marvel Universe.

So I'm not sure what Marvel creators were hoping to accomplish with Beyond, which is a stripped-down version of Secret Wars, but with lightweight characters replacing the top-shelf characters of the original. OK, you've got Spider-Man, but he's there primarily for the alleged shock value of his violent death early in the story. I don't think I'll be spoiling any surprises if I tell you now that he isn't really dead.

A worthy plot might have made the characters more interesting, but it never comes together. The "battle" is more like a superhero reality show, where everyone bickers and squabbles and occasionally punches someone as they try to figure out the game. I just wish the game was worth the energy they spent on it.

by Tom Knapp, Rambles.(net) editor