Written by Marvel’s Secret Empire #3 came out this week, although at this point it really should be called Secret Lecture. As I have said before, writer Nick Spencer is an intelligent man who knows a thing or two about the technical aspects of storytelling. The problem, however, is that he uses his gig at Marvel as a psychiatrist’s couch and a college professor’s podium. He seems to care less about entertaining readers than he does about working out his own political issues and lecturing America for electing President Donald Trump.
There’s much more to say, but for that I invite you to check out my latest YouTube review. If the format is up your alley, then make sure to subscribe and leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Douglas Ernst Blog 
Another great review, I have also saying that Nick Spencer has talent, he just needs to stay focused and stop with the poor online behavior. I have been posting a series of videos where I gush with how good his work was, now I can’t stand his work.
If you don’t mind I will share an example video of my thoughts of his work here.
“If you don’t mind I will share an example video of my thoughts of his work here.”
There is no way I’m going to deny Captain Frugal a chance to share his YouTube video in the comments section. That’s not happening! Share away. 🙂
Thank you sir! Sorry for the late response I have been very busy off site for work:)
1) The art for this is terrible. The overuse of single palate color (ie Cap is all green and the background is all red), heavy blacked out sections, and the clean outline/sloppy detail are really jarring and unpleasant to look at.
2) Nick Spencer is a perfect fit for the current political climate, everything is absolute, there is no room for nuance. Take the recent Paris Agreement move. It is possible to not like Trump, accept climate change, and still not want to be apart of that agreement. But no one wants to listen to someone espouse that position. It literally is always join or die.
3) Marvel should have nothing to do with the above. As a business it is a stupid move that will likely mean they go out of business as more and more groups are marginalized/demonized by them. But as human beings its also a terrible decision because of how poorly it reflects on you view of your fellow man. At MegaCon Orlando they had the Love is Love event, but how many of the people who supported that have any idea what true love really means, and how little they truly live real love.
“At MegaCon Orlando they had the Love is Love event, but how many of the people who supported that have any idea what true love really means, and how little they truly live real love.”
That is a very good question.
We’re in agreement on all of your points. The climate change topic is so bizarre to me. My position is that man obviously has an effect on the environment and that he should be a good steward of the planet, but at the same time I don’t think we have nearly as much influence over climate as suggested by politicians. “Hey, the world is going to burn to a crisp unless you allow us to centralize more power in Washington, D.C., and you give us gobs of money.” Hmmm. How convenient!
So…I did it again. I bought the first issue of this book. I shouldn’t be commenting on something I haven’t read, so here I am.
This book is bad. As in awful. I want to burn my Galaxy tab.
SPOILERS…nah, it’s spoiled already.
From the beginning it takes you out of it. The teacher explains to the kids’ questioning of altered history by explaining how those books were burned….has this idiot ever studied what totalitarian regimes were like? How reeducation camps work?? The kids wouldn’t ask, the teacher wouldn’t explain about burned books…it’s stupid…incredibly stupid.
Unless you realize that Spencer is talking to YOU! Then it makes sense, and it makes you mad.
The intro of whatever-you-call-them, the teenage superhero crew, really shows how empty and pathetic either these characters are, or Spencer’s ability to write them. They are not distinct at all. Like Bendis, the speech bubbles can be scrambled around and you wouldn’t know who said them. VIs-girl was the only one because she has to. Thing later on gets to use his accent…overblown as if Spencer felt guilty for being unable to give anyone else their own voice. They run away from the Sentinels…err…Constructicons like a real bad days of future past. Cho is still a child, and the kids are a complete borefest.
The real problem with this already bad book is Captain America…and it isn’t just being Hydra.
They can’t even excite the moral relativists and evil cheerleaders. That’s how bad it is. Cap is a complete (sorry for this now highly overused youtube word…but it’s the most fitting) cuck.
Cap is openly opposed by his council, openly displays uncertainty and indecision in front of them, and needs his table allies to defend him
Cap keeps Sharon around out of sheer guilt. Her scene with him meant to embarrass his morals and show him as a complete fraud,
He begs Rick for a hail hydra, and looks like he’s going to cry after Sharon shames him.
He gets enough steel to execute Jones after finding mama hydra for emotional support.
They couldn’t even do Hydra Cap…this is Cap Cuck. It’s the most pathetic portrayal of Captain America I have ever seen…
If we were going to go down this sick route, at least keep Cap’s characteristics: His resolve, decisiveness, his determination.
NAH! I’m Nick Spencer , and I can’t effing write a character.
When you realize that Cap’s behavior is because you…the reader that didn’t vote right…ARE CAPTAIN AMERICA…and that NICK SPENCER IS TALKING TO YOU, IT PISSES YOU OFF.
You just paid money for a comic book writer to talk down to you, and you want to roll the book up tightly and shove it up his smug (sorry Doug)…
The rest sucks too. No one does anything, and AI Tony sucks. I hate AI Tony Stark, they replicated this guy because Tony is one of the few distinct personalities these turds can write. So they can inflict him as far and wide as possible, we have to put up with even more of his crap.
Dear Lord what a pile of garbage.
.
“They couldn’t even do Hydra Cap…this is Cap Cuck. It’s the most pathetic portrayal of Captain America I have ever seen. … If we were going to go down this sick route, at least keep Cap’s characteristics: His resolve, decisiveness, his determination.”
Bam! I haven’t looked at the other comic review sites or YouTube channels, but I don’t think this angle has been covered yet. Indeed, even Marvel’s “evil” version of Captain America is an emasculated version of his former self. Ouch!
I don’t think Spencer understands virtue characters. I guess he’s trying to depict Hydra-fied Cap as conflicted. Problem is, Steve Rogers is an ideological character, he isn’t just a nice fella. Steve actually believes in the flag, the Bill of Rights, and democracy. So you can’t really have a fascist Steve Rogers.