The 2015 Secret Wars series moved the action to Battlworld and changed a lot about several characters, creating interesting variants in the new world. The Secret Wars crossover happened after the Incursions caused the destruction of both Earth-616 and Earth-1610, seemingly ending all life in the Marvel Universe. However, one life raft escaped the cataclysmic event, and then Doctor Doom used the power of the Beyonders via the Molecule Man to create Battleworld and name himself the ruler of both. This included heroes becoming villains, gods becoming servants, and everyone from X-Men to Avengers becoming very different from what fans might recognize.
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From horrificly combined monsters to some great twists on classic heroes, here are the 10 best Secret Wars variants in Marvel Comics.
10) Werewolf by Moon Knight
Egyptia was the part of Battleworld that Khonshu (a female goddess in this world) ruled, and it was a medium-sized kingdom. She used mutants as enslaved people, forced to build pyramids to worship her, and they planned a revolution, led by Wolverine. In this world, Marc Specter was still Moon Knight, but he was also a werewolf and led his own flock. He then turned Wolverine, Colossus, and Shadowcat into werewolves as well. What makes this fun is that this variant is a callback to Moon Knight’s first appearance, which was in Werewolf by Night #32 in 1972.
9) Zombie Ultrons
There were a few societies far outside the shield, and the most dangerous included two of the deadliest beings in Marvel Comics. This is where the Marvel Zombies were, as well as the home for the Ultrons. The zombies were in the Deadlands, and these were the zombified heroes and villains that fans of Marvel Zombies know so well. Ultron lived in Perfection, a domain he created after defeating all heroes there. When Hank Pym arrived in Perfection, he ended up being taken to Salvation with other survivors. He was there when Ultron allied with the zombies, and Ultron found a way to combine the zombies with his drones to create Zombie Ultrons, one of the most terrifying creations in Secret Wars.
8) Pilgrim
This Punisher variant is the Punisher of Earth-1602, and he was part of the Age of Ultron vs. Zombies storyline during Secret Wars. He lived beyond the shield of Battleworld, and he was primarily a part of the land ruled by Annihilus’s insect creatures, the Marvel zombies, and the Ultron robots. Also known as Pilgrim, Punisher decided to do what he does best. He killed every single zombie that came into his sight. This gave Frank Castle a chance to do what he loves to an entire population of creatures who deserved to die. Sadly, he didn’t last very long because he ended up facing a villain his weapons couldn’t stop, Ultron himself.
7) The Ghost Racers
As their name suggests, the Ghost Racers are various Ghost Riders, and their spinoff series during Secret Wars included four issues with these different Spirits of Vengeance playing a game set up by none other than Arcade himself. The five Ghost Riders included Robbie Reyes, Alejandra Jones, Carter Slade, Johnny Blaze, and Danny Ketch. Soon, even more joined, including Gorilla Rider, Knuckles O’Shaugnessey, and more, and it was a fight to the finish.
6) Howard the Human
If anyone wondered what it would have been like if the roles were flipped in Howard the Duck comics, that happened during Secret Wars. Instead of an anthropomorphic duck showing up on Earth, a human showed up in a city with only anthropomorphic ducks and had to fit in. Instead of Howard the Duck, it was Howard the Human. He hated his life in New Quack City, but soon he was the only one who could solve a mysterious crime in a noir-styled mystery that was better than it had any right to be.
5) Toy Galactus
Galactus is one of Marvel Comics’ most powerful characters, but in Secret Wars, he was nothing more than a plaything for Franklin Von Doom (Franklin Richards). This is a flaming Galactus that serves as the protector for Castle Doom, and he is entirely under Franklin’s control. It is strange seeing him, but Franklin either sits in his hand or rides on his head and has Galactus do anything he commands. One of the most disturbing and sad moments of Secret Wars saw Franklin use Galactus to murder The Thing when the Fantastic Four member wouldn’t fight back. It was a ruthless attack by a monstrous creation.
4) Valeria von Doom
The first thing that Doctor Doom did when he created Battleworld was to pull something petty, and he made Susan Storm his wife, and they had two children, Valeria and Franklin, just to spite the memory (or lack thereof) of Reed Richards. However, Valeria was a lot more important than just one of Doom’s children serving him. As usual, she was someone whom Doom loved with everything he had, but she was also too smart to sit still and not realize there was more going on than expected. She was very complex, and Valeria proved that she would always be there to somehow hold Doctor Doom back from going too far.
3) The Sheriff of Agamotto
Doctor Strange was recreated as the Sheriff of Agamotto, God Emperor Doom’s right hand. However, while he worshipped DOom and knew that he was the only reason he was alive, he was also someone who sought the truth. Strange ensured that Doom’s rule was strong, and he did everything asked of him to bring even the best heroes to the ground to make sure no one could challenge his god. However, he also found the survivors of the life raft and brought them out when he believed the time was right, although this cost Strange his life.
2) The Thor Corps
The Thor Corps was one of the most interesting creations in Secret Wars, as it brought all the various Thor variants together to serve as Battleworld’s law enforcement group. They showed their initiation in the second main issue and then had their own miniseries that showed the different members of the Thor Corps and their place in the world that Doctor Doom created for them. Every member was either a variant of the original Thor or they were people with Thor powers, like Beta Ray Bill. Their stories were noir in flavor and a lot of fun, which made their rebelling against Doom such a great moment.
1) God Emperor Doom
The best variant in Secret Wars was clearly God Emperor Doom. There were a lot of Doom variants over Marvel Comics’ history that saw him take on this level of power. Still, few had the effect of God Emperor Doom from this storyline, where he created Battleworld with power stolen from the Beyonders and channeled through Molecule Man. He was a genuine god in this story, and his time at the top was scary, with no one crossing him, as he wielded power unlike anything until his appearance a decade later in One World Under Doom.
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Image courtesy of Universal Pictures.
