Representation in Marvel’s “Secret Wars”

A while back, I picked up Marvel’s Secret Wars. This crossover event took place over the course of twelve issues from May 1984 through April 1985. I picked up Secret Wars because it looked interesting, and I remember having issue #8, the first appearance of the Symbiote, when I was younger. Fans have been clamoring for Secret Wars on the big screen, and at SDCC, the Russo brothers again spoke about their interest in directing Secret Wars. Reading, Secret Wars, though, they would have to address a number of issues, specifically in regard to the representation of women and Black characters.

In all honesty, Secret Wars was hard for me to finish. I understand it’s a large-scale, marketing crossover that doesn’t necessarily take it self too seriously. However, there are so many issues surrounding representation that it made it difficult for me to get through. I will not be able to address all of the issues I saw with Secret Wars in this essay, so I want to zero in on a few and explain why they are problematic.

Over the past few years, I have written extensively about representation in media, and specifically in comics. I have written about reader responses to the first appearance of Black Panther, the problems with Mark Waid and J.G. Jones’ Strange Fruit, the character of Buck Wild in Milestone’s Icon, and more. I do not want to rehash those aspects…