Cover for Civil War #6
© Marvel

Mania Grade: B-
Issue: 6
Authors: Mark Millar, Steve McNiven, Dexter Vines, Morry Hollowell
Publisher: Marvel
Price: $2.99
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"Civil War" #6

This sixth and second-to-last issue of Marvel’s uber-event, Civil War, hits several expected plot points, whitewashes a few problems, and presents a couple of notably out-of-character moments.  Spider-Man dons the old costume.  We learn that Dr. Strange has conveniently disappeared to his sanctuary in the North Pole, where he remains “above the fray.”  The spies on both sides reveal themselves.  The Punisher snaps and kills a couple of super-villains offering their services to those heroes opposed to the Super-Human Registration Act.  At the end, everyone prepares to fight.   

This issue didn’t exactly floor me, but it didn’t make me cringe.  I enjoyed watching the sort of tense dance between Captain America and the Punisher, including Millar’s understanding via Castle that Cap’s “no kill” policy rings naively in the face of real war.  Still, I thought the Punisher’s shooting of Goldbug and Plunderer rang a little out of character.  Neither Millar nor Matt Fraction (The Punisher: War Journal) have written the character as so unhinged that he can’t control himself for ten seconds – particularly given Castle’s promise not to kill anyone while fighting with the anti-registration heroes.   

I’ve enjoyed Civil War well enough thus far, though it hardly strikes me as the epic its first two issues promised.  I suspect that many of the universe-shattering changes unveiled thus far will find themselves undone through a series of convoluted retcons in the next few years.  Marvel and DC both get great mileage in changing and then reversing dramatic plot points – he’s dead, no he’s not; they’re married, now they’re separated, now they’re back together, but wait – she’s a clone.  As such, I suspect Civil War will just set them up for the next couple of years of explosive resurrections and romances both initiated and destroyed.  Mark Millar could save the next issue and the series’s climax from falling into the trap of tired “slam-bang action thrills” by tying up some of the threads he’s left hanging thus far.  He hints that Namor and Atlantis might involve themselves with the anti-registration side in the final fight.  And, Marvel emphasized Frank Castle’s importance in Civil War, but he lasted about 10 minutes before Captain America kicked him to the curb.  I suspect he’ll return.  Wolverine hasn’t arrived yet, either, nor has Dr. Strange.  And, I hope we learn more about Miriam Sharpe – the woman that rallied the public in favor of the act.  Millar would serve the series well by dealing with the stray plot points, rather than allowing other writers to follow up in the aftermath.  Whitewashing important characters out of the story would look like a cheap escape hatch on Millar’s part, and I hope he allows this series to finish with some acceptable degree of closure. 

Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at comicscape@mania.com.