Welcome back to Strange Times & Places, where we’re tackling something very recent this week – Secret Warps Soldier Supreme Annual #1!
How’s It Different?
Like all the stories from Marvel’s Warp World, it’s an Amalgam. Unlike their 90s-era inspirations, these tales take place in a halved-by-merger version of the Marvel Universe introduced (and saved from rightful destruction when the merger was undone) in the pages of last year’s Infinity Wars. Warp World now exists inside the Soul Stone, preserving its merged universe in full.
What’s The Story?
Soldier Supreme, AKA the magically enhanced 4-F volunteer Stephen Rogers, is attacked in his Sanctum Sanctorum by Madame Hel! Perplexed by this development, as he was introduced to her as the girlfriend of his ally Iron Hammer (AKA Stark Odinson), Rogers quickly figures out that heroes all over Warp World are under attack from other hero’s foes…all except Iron Hammer. It appears a founding Defender may be behind these Acts of War, prompting a conflict between the two heroes!
Bonus Back-Up: Soldier Supreme battles Baroness Umar!
Best of Differences
- The story introduces U.S. Archmage, a wielder of Black Magic and a hardline nationalist. He’s a mix of U.S. Agent (a Regan-era replacement Cap) and Dr. Strange’s frenemy/one-time Avenger Kaluu.
- Soldier Supreme’s mystical investigation gives the reader a quick tour of Warp World’s heroes and villains, with plenty of new faces sprinkled in. Highlights include:
- The Mad Ghost & His Android Apes – a warp of the Mad Thinker and his Awesome Android with the Red Ghost and his Super Apes.
- Devil-Fist – a warp of Iron Fist and Daredevil. Since Danny Rand once filled in for Matt Murdock when the latter was in prison, it’s a weirdly logical mashup.
- Imus Champion – a warp of Avengers/Hawkeye/Black Widow foe Imus Champion and the cosmic level brawler The Champion. A foe of Green Widow, who is Black Widow plus She-Hulk.
- Ulysses Klorb – Klaw warped with The Orb. Klaw’s the master of sound. The Orb has a giant eye for a head. Klorb as a giant ear for a head. I. Love. Klorb..
- I think that Baroness Umar is a warp of Umar and Baron Zemo, but she manages to look just like 90s-era Cap villains Baroness Zemo and Mark Waid (who supplies the back-up story) is 100% the kind of Marvel writer who would be familiar with her. So….who knows?
