More info on Marvel's Secret Wars

Newsarama has posted the three types of titles that will be part of Secret Wars -  Battleworld, War Zones, and Last Days.  Here's some info on each:

Last Days - 

“What would you do if you learned today was your last day on Earth?” added Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso is a press release. “That’s the question your favorite Marvel heroes are going to ask themselves in their Last Days story lines as they brace for Secret Wars and the end of the Marvel Universe.” 

These unnamed series will run concurrent to the main Secret Wars title launching in May, with various Marvel characters learning and dealing with the fated death of their universe as part of an Incursion.  

“Last Days is the first of three new brandings for series unique to Secret Wars,” explained Gabriel. “Each branding will bear its own unique trade dress and logo treatment, clearly defining its relationship to the main Secret Wars story. This will make it easier for fans to experience the full scope of Secret Wars."

Commentary: These are probably the titles that most interest me, kind of a fond farewell to the current Marvel Universe.  I definitely hope that we get a wide range of them with strong creative teams.  I also hope that Marvel ties up a lot of their loose ends here.  One of the issues I had with Flashpoint/New 52, it really felt like we didn't get a lot of closure.  It was just here's a new beginning, hope you weren't attached to all these stories we are ending so abruptly.  

Battleworld

Battleworld is last remaining bit of reality in the Marvelmultiverse - a patchwork planet made up of the remains of decimated universes. And the titles which carry the Battleworld moniker will feature wars between the various sectors.

“If you want the full story of what’s happening across the surface of this new planet,  Battleworld branded titles are for you,” said Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso in a press release. “Who polices Battleworld? How do the various domains interact? What happens when those domains go to war?  What strange, never-before-seen creatures inhabit this world? What familiar faces will make appearances? Fans who want to fully understand how each sector interacts with the others can’t miss out on these books!”

According to Marvel, titles carrying the  Battleworld banner will focus on the "interworking and interaction of all the domains now fused together throughout the one and only remaining planet! The Secret Wars are waged as the last remaining fragments of dead universes fight for survival. Who rules these domains? Who comes out on top? Who lives? Who dies?"

Commentary: I love that even on the brink of destruction, superheroes still need to beat up on Superheros.  Can't we all just get along??  But this should definitely help provide structure for what the future Marvel universe looks like.  I hope that we still have a basically shared universe.  All of these little "nations" on Battleworld are intriguing, but I have always loved the big sweeping shared universe Marvel built up over the years.

War Zones!

“If you want a glimpse of what the future holds, you’ll find it in the Warzones! titles,” explained Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso in a press release.  “Our creators let their imaginations run wild as they lay down the foundations for the future. Whether we’re revisiting the most popular events from Marvel’s past or telling completely new stories, you won’t believe what we’ve got in store for you.”

Warzones! branded titles will be distinct from others in that they'll focus on stories set inside one of the patchworld sectors of Battleworld, instead of crossing over with other sectors.

“To be clear, Warzones! titles are not fill-ins. These are the event caliber books, magnified to the Nth degree,” added Marvel SVP Sales & Marketing David Gabriel. “Secret Wars has afforded us a completely unique opportunity to tell huge, epic, event-sized stories within the framework of this new, patchwork planet – events within events. These titles will lay the building blocks and groundwork for what’s next, if that gives any indication of how important they are!”

Commentary: I do think it's a real good idea to show what each "sector" of the Marvel Universe looks like on its own in these books.  It definitely seems like Marvel has a nice master plan here.  These three types of titles should make Secret Wars a unique event.  

Overall Commentary: There are still a ton of questions about what the Marvel Universe is going to look like come May and beyond, but I have really have some good feelings about these changes.  I have been a fan of Marvel for like 25 years now, and I am excited to see how this all plays out.  Keep your eyes on Critical Blast for all your Secret Wars news!