Secret Wars #9 (of 9)

   The challenge for any Event Series is to "stick the landing," and the bigger the story, the greater the difficulty.

   And there are few stories in the history of comics that have been bigger or bolder than the one that culminates in this final issue of Secret Wars.

   It's a story that started out as an Avengers story, building across the pages of Jonathan Hickman's work in The Avengers and New Avengers (which starred the Illuminati - a secret gathering of Marvel's heroes).

   But it also incorporated elements from Hickman's earlier (excellent) run on Fantastic Four - and in the final moments, it actually became an FF story (as the terrific Alex Ross cover shows)!

   It's an intense, emotional confrontation, with some shining moments for several characters, and we get a glimpse into the fate of key players - and the final fate of Battleworld.

   It's so good - Esad Ribic's art is tremendous - that we can happily forgive the fact that the finale arrives a little late.

   Far too many event books limp to the finish line, but Hickman and Ribic have set a new standard. This is how it's done!

Grade: A+

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