Secret Wars II #2

Secret Wars II #2, published by Marvel Comics in 1985, serves as the second chapter of the sequel to the highly successful 1984 crossover event. Written by Jim Shooter and illustrated by Al Milgrom, the series was conceived as a massive, company-wide crossover that saw the cosmic entity known as the Beyonder arrive on Earth to learn about humanity. This issue specifically depicts the Beyonder’s initial, often clumsy attempts to integrate into modern society, moving away from the combat-heavy nature of the original Secret Wars toward a more experimental, philosophical narrative tone.

The creative direction for the series aimed to bridge the gap between all Marvel titles at the time, requiring significant editorial oversight from Shooter to ensure consistency across various writers. While the series was a massive commercial success due to the reach of the Marvel brand, critical reception was mixed; the shift in the Beyonder's personality and the heavy-handed nature of the interconnected plotlines were polarizing among readers. Despite these critiques, the series remains a significant artifact of 1980s comic book event culture and the era's reliance on 'crossover' marketing.