SECRET WARS II

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Issue Review
Secret Wars II #5

Direct Market Release Date: July 23, 1985

Credits

Title: Despair!
Scripter: Jim Shooter
Penciler: Al Milgrom
Inkers: Steve Leialoha and Joe Rubinstein
Letterers: Joe Rosen and Rick Parker
Colorist: M. Hands
Editor: Bob Budiansky

Summary

Dejected and lonely after losing Dazzler, the Beyonder wanders the railway tracks, singing Al Green's "Ain't no Sunshine". A train approaches, and the Beyonder lifts a finger and dismantles the locomotive, sending passengers and parts flying past him.

Passenger Tabitha Smith catches up to the Beyonder and assumes that he is a mutant like herself. Her father gave her a black eye when he found out she had the ability to create energy bombs out of mid air, and is searching for a place where she can fit in; Xavier's school for mutants. After creating a camp site out of nothing, the Beyonder shares his experiences, and his feelings of despair that came from being introduced to the concept of desire.

After a quick hug, the Beyonder leaves Boom Boom to return "home" to his empty dimension, and finds that he still can't forget about his desires. his mind begins to drift towards Dazzler when suddenly, a bomb that Boom Boom planted on him during their embrace goes off in his pocket. Annoyed, the Beyonder returns to earth and picks up a hitchhiking Boom Boom. To show that he's not angry about the explosion, he fixes the black eye that her father gave her.

The Beyonder then takes Boom Boom to the X-Men mansion. Rachel Summers, fully aware of the Beyonder's sizeable power, psionically coerces the X-Men to attach him. Barely noticing, the Beyonder yawns and leaves.

During this brief melee, Boom Boom runs into the nearby woods and threatens to end her life in an explosion. At the last second, the Beyonder intervenes and take Boom Boom into space to lift her spirits. The pair arrive at the Worldcomplex Headquarters of the Celestials, where the Beyonder threatens to destroy the universe to spur the Celestials to action. He easily thwarts their attempts to stop him.

Despite his attempts to assure her that his threats were empty, Boom Boom is terrified and asks to be put back on earth. He teleports her home, and then heads for his mansion in Brazil. After checking on the progress Algrim the elf is making in his goal to destroy the Mighty Thor, he puts on some music to relax. Coincidentally, the record he plays is Dazzlers, and hearing her voice sends him deeper into despair.

Meanwhile, Boom Boom phones the Avengers mansion and notifies them that he threatened to destroy the entire universe. She returns to the camp they had occupied earlier and meets with the Beyonder. A waiting assemblage of heroes surprise the Beyonder, and attack him until they realize he isn't fighting back. The Beyonder gets up and walks away.

The heroes are left to hope that the Beyonder goes home.

Quotes

Boom Boom: Hey, I know all about rejection, man! First, you think it's YOUR fault, like YOU'RE the jerk! So you try to fix yourself -- and since that never works, you just feel more useless and stupid. So you pretend it isn't happening -- you cover it up! Like "Open for business as usual during our disaster", you know? Or else you WALLOW in it -- like you turn it into a game where you get ten points for each rejection and whoever is the most miserable wins!

The Beyonder: Farewell, Boom Boom!
Boom Boom: Wow! He blinked out! But he'll be back! Uh-huh! So... all by myself again! Ten more points... I win...

The Beyonder: The Celestials don't DO much, but they're impressive-looking, so the space-faring races in this quadrant have built a tourist trap around them!
Boom Boom: Sort of like Niagara Falls?
The Beyonder: Exactly!

Captain America: Everyone just hold your fire! He doesn't seem to have any fight left in him -- but stand ready, just in case!
Hawkeye: So NOW what? Do we arrest him and toss him in the slammer?
Wonder Man: On what evidence? Besides, if he wanted out, what prison could hold him?
Captain America: Look, Beyonder, why don't you just go back where you CAME from?

Iron Man: He's wandering off! Should we stop him?
Captain America: No! Let him go -- and pray he eventually wanders home! Hmm... Did you hear the last thing he said -- muttering under his breath? "Ten Points... I win!" What do you make of THAT?

Commentary

The issue's title, "Despair!", should accurately sum up the theme of this issue, and while the Beyonder shows no more despair than usual, the book does devote a few panels towards the subject of suicide. The Beyonder saves the abused Boom Boom, in her first ever appearance, from a suicide attempt. Both characters reach the point of giving up on themselves, and each character plays a part in turning the other's attitudes around.

This continuity in this month's tie-ins don't mesh overly well. Below is my attempt at finding a reading order for this month, with quite a few assumptions thrown in.

1. Secret Wars II #5 pg 22
• The Beyonder listens to a Dazzler record and gets depressed. Boom Boom phones the Avengers and warns them that the Beyonder threatened to destroy the universe.
2. Thing #30
• The Beyonder begins drinking, becomes a wrestler, and begs the Thing to kill him.
  
3. Dr. Strange #74
• The Beyonder seeks out Dr. Strange for enlightenment, and is told to foster good in the world.
4. Fantastic Four #285
• Taking Dr. Strange's advice, The Beyonder helps Johnny Storm deal with the death of an imitator.
5. Assumption
• While all that was going on, the Avengers begin notifying the other heroes that the Beyonder threatened to destroy the Universe. See the Commentary sections of Dr. Strange #74 and Fantastic Four #285 for reasons why those tie-in issues must take place before this battle.
6. Secret Wars II #5 pg 23
• At the request of the Avengers, Boom Boom lures an upbeat Beyonder to the campsite they had established, where the heroes that the Avengers have assembled attack.
7. Secret Wars II #6
• Despite having just been attacked by the heroes (including Dr. Strange), the Beyonder continues to heed Dr. Strange's advice and sets up a corporation to help him do good in the world.

On a minor continuity note, Starfox must have forgotten his toothbrush at the Avengers mansion. Despite having left the Avengers to pursue his grand-niece in Avengers #261, he seems to have returned to earth to join the issue ending battle with the Beyonder.

Otherwise, the series starts to pick up a bit, as we FINALLY get some of Marvel's icons involved, including three members of the retcon group the Illuminati; Dr. Strange, Mr. Fantastic, and Iron Man, teaming up at the end to try to beat the Beyonder into submission.

Captain America also utters the rather un-American line, "Why don't you just go back where you came from?".

Up next...

Secret Wars II continues in Thing #30!