Civil War Aftermath: Is it Better?

[davek]

Tom Brevoort recently did a Newsarama interview about the status of the Marvel Universe post-Civil War, and naturally he towed the company line (which is understandable given his position.) But it got me thinking, and I wanted to pose this question to my fellow Spoiler Scholars....

As a reader, do you find the Marvel Universe more interesting post-Civil War?

And there's a lot of pieces to this, beyond the Superhuman Registration Act because now you have:

• Tony Stark running SHIELD
• Two Avengers groups running around - New Avengers and Mighty Avengers
• Steve Rogers dead and the aftermath thereof
• The Fifty State Initiative
• The Thunderbolts

...among other things. So was this the right direction for Marvel to go? I'm curious to hear your responses.

[MaximusRift]

I kinda wonder why didn't you make this a poll?

Anyways, my answer is "No." Is it different? Sure, but I don't consider it better. 

Tony's popularity went thru the crapper and right now isn't much better. I really don't like him as head of SHIELD. Heck, I really don't like SHIELD at all right now. Wasn't SHIELD supposed to be an international organization? Now it looks like another branch of the government.  I really don't need 2 "616" Avenger books a month. It would be better for everyone to have just one. The Thunderbolts work way better as antagonists.

The initiative, as least to me, cheapens the heroes a bit. The more like decoration now to keep the people quiet. It's also what's going to hang them when Skrull-a-palooza comes. I would have preferred that some heroes would have joined the police or one of the other Law-enforcement agencies.  The current Initiative looks more like a private army and while a soldier can be a hero, it really doesn't always work out that way.

Steve's death has been handled well and I think Ed Brubaker deserves most of the credit on that. Bucky Barnes is great choice for Cap and the spy setting really works for the book. Heck, I hope Steve stays dead a bit longer.

That's all I have to say.

[Gaumer]

Has anything really changed??

We still have a Captain America; SHIELDs still being run by a tool; the whole Spidey thing got FUBARed

The Initiative has been kind of disappointing for except The Order and its being canceled (for shame)

I wanted to see a weekly book ala DC's 52 that would intro each and every 50-S.I. team.

The event was OK while it happened, but it would be better if the events made true impacts throughout the Marvel U for years to come (House of M)

I dont mind 2 Avengers teams running around; especially when Bendis is kicking so much ass with both titles.

Really its just more of the same to me and the entire Civil War was just an excuse to kill Cap.

Just my opinion though.

[Stacy B.]

I think Gaumer's weekly series idea is good, the 50 State Inititative, with bookends on either side, would make a great series.

And you all also point out the problem. They have all of these great ideas and opportunities that have cropped up due to Civil War, but no one has acted on them. Lets see what superheroes you sent to what states. Instead, we got the Secret Invasion, which while good and easy to promote, it doesn't solve the problem that we need to see some follow through with the sotries we got before we see new ones.

[morpheus11]

I kind of like the "chaos" that Civil War brought. 

I like controled chaos in the sense that you don't know where things could go.  Civil War was what got me back into comics after a 4-6 year leave of absense. 

I do agree that there is a lot more that could be done with the 50 state initiative, but I also think that it could still be done.  I would like to hold out hope for Marvel to make Civil War and now Secret Invasion into monumental series of events in the Marvel Universe.

And IMHO, Secret Invasion really wouldn't have made as much sense if Civil War wouldn't have happened just before it.