The Books of Mark Millar

When the mistake of a group of young superheroes leads the deaths of six hundred innocent people, events are set in motion that lead to Marvel's most ambitious 'event' storyline yet. With the U.S government calling for the registration and control of all superhumans the Marvel Universe is split in two. Many choose to back Iron Man in his support of the governmental measures, but some, led by Captain America, refuse to surrender their freedom, becoming fugitives. I really enjoyed the fact that Millar uses our favourite heroes to illustrate a problem in the America of the real world; the constant war between security and civil rights. I very much saw Captain America's Secret Avengers as the good guys here, whilst Iron Man's group seem to me to be oppressive and fascistic. I enjoyed seeing which heroes chose which side and why, particularly in the cases of the Punisher and the Invisible Woman. Comics very often use the phrase 'no holds barred' to highlight clashes between characters, but here it's very true as both sides use their knowledge of their former friends on the other side. Perhaps the most interesting story thread is that of Spider-Man. At first he supports Iron Man, even going so far as to unmask himself as Peter Parker on TV. However, the death of a friend in one of the battles and the creation of a Guantanamo Bay-style superhero internment camp lead him to reconsider his position and join the rebels. The most poignant element of this book (look away now if you don't like spoilers), is that in the end the good guys lose.