Comic Info
Comic Name: Weirdworld (Limited Series)
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Mike Del Mundo
# of Issues: 5
Release Date: 2015
Weirdworld (Limited Series) #3
Reprints Weirdworld (Limited Series) #1-5 (August 2015-December 2015). Arkon only wants one thing…to get home! Trapped in Weirdworld, Arkon finds himself battling for survival everyday as he searches for Polemachus. When he is rescued from Apelantis by Warbow, he finds himself on a new quest and with a new enemy in Morgan Le Fay. Arkon’s goal of reaching Polemachus seems further and further out of reach…but Polemachus might just be closer than he ever thought.
Written by Jason Aaron, Weirdworld Volume 0: Warzones! was a five issue limited series that spun out of Marvel Comics’ event series Secret Wars. The comic received acclaim and quickly found a cult audience leading to a continuing series after the end of Secret Wars. The collection features art by Mike Del Mundo.
Weirdworld was one of the first series of the Secret Wars spinoffs that caught my attention. Not only was Weirdworld kind of a “weird” Marvel venture when it started in the ’70s, but it also never was really part of the Marvel Universe. To plop Arkon in the middle of it was intriguing…and it got better.
Aaron manages to capture a lot of odd characters that you never expected to see again, much less in one book. I really was happy and surprised to see Crystar and Warbow show up because I didn’t even know Marvel owned the rights to them since they were a toyline. The characters previously had their own series (which I’d like collected) and play a supporting role. In addition to Crystar, you get Skull the Slayer who also had a short lived ’70s series (which was collected). If you wrap this all up with Jennifer Kale and the Man-Thing, you’ve got a fun present.
Weirdworld (Limited Series) #4
This odd pairing unfortunately doesn’t get much time to develop. The Secret Wars storylines were all generally four or five issues and it feels like the fun is just starting when it all blows-up (literally). The last issue feels pretty rushed and this is somewhat unfortunate.
Mike Del Mundo is also an interesting artist. I don’t always like his work, but it works here. Weirdworld is kind of based on absurdity and the art is at point absurd. It is over-the-top, unrealistic, and a good fit at the same time.
The promise of a Weirdworld continuing series brought me hope for this series, but it also brought me dread. Comics like Weirdworld have little chance of surviving at big comic companies like Marvel or DC, but what makes them enjoyable is that they are part of these bigger worlds. The second problem with the continuation of Weirdworld was the decision to switch the focal character. I wanted to see more Arkon and more Crystar, and though it continued to be fun, it wasn’t the same as this book. Weirdworld feels like it could resurface sometime, but I don’t know when or how. Weirdworld 0: Warzones! was followed by Weirdworld 1: Where Lost Things Go.
Related Links:
Weirdworld 1: Where Lost Things Go
Battleworld: Master of Kung Fu
Warzones!: Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars
Warzones!: M.O.D.O.K. Assassin
