Giant Size 29: Doctor Strange Explains It All

In the aftermath of the 90's and Marvel's bankruptcy, a classic is
sequelized, Earth becomes a penal colony for the rest of the galaxy,
and Brian Michael Bendis kicks off the modern era of line-wide, connecting
crossovers.

* Crossovers Epic Event: Part 6 of 8
Brought to you by
* IDW: Louise Simonson's Super Secret Crisis War vol.2 TPB is out soon,
as is the third issue of the five-issue Star Trek/Planet of the Apes
series.

In the aftermath of the 90's and Marvel's bankruptcy, a classic is sequelized, Earth becomes a penal colony for the rest of the galaxy, and writer Brian Michael Bendis kicks off the modern era of line-wide, endlessly connecting crossovers.

Crossovers Epic Event: Part 6 of 8Brought to you byIDW: Louise Simonson's Super Secret Crisis War vol.2 TPB is out soon. This week, we got the third issue of the five-part Star Trek/Planet of the Apes miniseries and issue #2 of the new volume of Zombies vs. Robots!Series Episode Checklist

The Series Thus Far
Prelude - All-New Secret Age of Infinity Crossover War CrisisPoint Convergence
1 - Your World is Going to be Destroyed! (DC pt1)
2 - End of the Universe (DC pt2)
2.5 - A Game for Children (Non-Canonical Trivia Game tie-in)
3 - Heroes Punching Each Other (Marvel pt1)
4 - The Experience Has Been Consummated! (Marvel pt2)
5 - Chain Mail and a Bomber Jacket (Marvel pt3)
6 - Doctor Strange Explains It All (Marvel pt4)
tie-in: The Incomparable #140 - The Sublime Magicks of Exposition
tie-in AFTERMATH: The Incomparable #140b - No More Merlins
Yet to Come
7 - Beyond Continuity Porn (Marvel pt5)
8 - This Hero Must Die! (Marvel pt6)
Marvel NOW! tie-in: Giant Size ORIGINS 9: Illusion of Beginning/Middle/End
Marvel NOW! tie-in: Giant Size ORIGINS 10: Heavy Metal Album Cover
Epilogue - Infinite Aftermath: Consequences

Reading List

These notes are abbreviated in the interest of getting this episode posted quickly. They will be revised in advance of the Omnibus Edition collection of all 8 parts of the Crossovers Crossover Epic Event.

Almost every single issue in this chapter of our Crossovers Crossover is available on Marvel Unlimited. We're working on an affiliate URL so that your signups can support the show directly.

Contest of Champions II (September-November 1999)

A sequel to a 20-year-old event that has nothing to do with the original event, save the mechanic of an otherworldly force teleporting heroes...somewhere else...TO FIGHT EACH OTHER.

written by Chris Claremont, art by Oscar Jimenez & Michael RyanTPB not actively in print, but is anything but hard to findIn this one, they face off Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat style, much like the mobile game that just this week saw the addition of The Maestro from Future Imperfect.

Maximum Security (October 2000-January 2001)

Written by Marvel hero/savior Kurt Busiek, this is the crossover of the 2000s that seems the most generally forgotten, and better than one may expect based on such status. The Galactic Federation/Congress/whatever votes to turn Earth into the galaxy's penal colony dumping ground for the universe's criminals. 

main series written by Kurt Busiek, art by Jerry Ordway, Paul Ryan & Will BlybergTPB not actively in print, but is anything but hard to findnot all tie-ins have been reprinted, but most of them are on Marvel Unlimitedeven though it looks more like something from the sequel to Contest of Champions, the above image is from Maximum Security (note the Judge Dredd-ified USAGENT at center front)

Avengers Disassembled (September 2004-January 2005)

The core series is worth reading before listening to this episode. It's only four issues.

Spread across a series of four Avengers issues and tie-ins, Bendis breaks Earth's Mightiest Heroes so that their bones can be re-set in the "Marvel's Premier Super-Team" cast they've been known as for the last decade or so since. All tie-ins change the status quo for various characters. Avengers Mansion is attacked, multiple Avengers are killed or left near-death, and The Scarlet Witch suffers a mental breakdown. "Avengers" as you know them...end.

main series written by Brian M Bendis, art by David Finch & Danny MikiTPB is out of print and crazy-overpriced from scalpers, but it's $6 on Kindlestatus quo changes that are spoiler-light/non-spoiler:Spider-Man gets organic webbing (like the then-current movies)Iron Man becomes U.S. Secretary of DefenseThor and the gods undergo Ragnarok end-times (allegedly "permanently") and Thor ends as a seriesThe Human Torch becomes herald of Galactus.Avengers ends, replaced by New Avengers

Secret War (February/May/Oct 2004-March/December 2005)

A five-issue limited series spread over almost two entire years, where Nick Fury asks some heroes for help deposing a regime, after which he wipes their memories.

written by Brian M Bendis, art by Gabrielle dell'OttoTPBnot related to Secret Wars or Secret Wars II, but crosses multiple families of characters, has implications on upcoming 2000's crossovers, and is oddly included in the huge Secret Wars Battleworld Box Set

House of M (May 2005-November 2005)

Reading Avengers Disassembled before House of M is highly, highly recommended.

The Scarlet Witch warps all of reality to fit a version of wish fulfillment for many well-known characters. She changes everything, including their memories. The only one unaffected: Wolverine, who goes on a mission to wake everyone up.

core series written by Brian M Bendis, art by Olivier Coipel & Tim TownsendTPB for the core series, tie-in TPBs mostly out of print, but everything is on Unlimitedresults in the de-powering of all but 198 mutantsCROSS-(PODCAST)UNIVERSE TIE IN!!!Moisés discussed House of M in detail almost two years ago, on The Incomparable #140 - The Sublime Magicks of Exposition and supplemental tie-in "point issue" backup story #140b - No More Merlins

New Avengers #7 (July 2005)
New Avengers: Illuminati One-Shot (March 2006, prelude to Civil War)
New Avengers: Illuminati miniseries (December 2006-most of 2007)

The Illuminati convene shortly after the Kree-Skrull War (which happened in 1971 issues of Avengers) to determine what they should do when large, planet-killer-scale threats emerge. Iron Man, Professor X, Black Bolt, Doctor Strange, Namor, and Black Panther end up beginning a series of meetings that always result in someone storming out , saying "this is a terrible idea, lose my number."

The Hardcover collection is selling for $7 used, compared to $12 for the TPB.These issues cover various events throughout Marvel history, including Secret Wars II, Infinity Gauntlet, Secret Invasion, and more. Moisés highly recommends them.

ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF GIANT SIZECivil War! World War Hulk! Skrulls! Norman Osborn: hero to America! War on Terror "with us or against us" imagery! Events that could have been collapsed into one another to tell a more potent story!