Merge:Civil War

Civil War is a 2006 seven-issue comic book miniseries, announced as Marvel Comics' major summer 2006 crossover event. Written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, the work builds upon themes and events established in previous Marvel comic book series, most recently Avengers Disassembled and House of M. Some story elements are also indicated in the miniseries Secret War. The tag line for the series is Whose Side Are You On?

Synopsis
The opening shot of the Civil War begins shortly after with a reckless fight between the New Warriors, filming a reality television show, and a cadre of villains in Stamford, Connecticut. The battle goes awry for the heroes, resulting in villain Nitro creating an explosion that destroys a local school and the surrounding neighborhood, and kills all but Speedball, one of the Warriors This event catalyzes a government movement to register all super-powered beings as living weapons of mass destruction. The event also turns public opinion against superheroes, as many of them are blamed for the incident. Due to this, many superheroes -- most notably Johnny Storm, the Human Torch -- are attacked in public by angry civilians. Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill tries to recruit Captain America to become part of the team that will force superheroes to register. When he refuses, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents attack him (notably before the act goes into effect), but he escapes, going underground to become the figurehead of the anti-registration movement. Iron Man, on the other hand, supports the act and tells the government to leave Captain America to him and the other pro-registration heroes. However, Iron Man supports the act and mobilizes many of the registered superhumans, including Mister Fantastic and Henry Pym.

The act is soon passed, and Captain America, now a fugitive, forms an underground resistance, seeking out friends as allies. Captain America's team, which the press dubbed "Secret Avengers", includes Cable, Falcon, and Iron Fist (posing as Daredevil). In subsequent issues, they rescue other heroes from S.H.I.E.L.D., such as Luke Cage in New Avengers #22, and the Young Avengers in Civil War #2. They bring the teen superheroes to a secret facility that Nick Fury had previously allowed Captain America to use (Fury remains in hiding after the events of Secret War). Meanwhile, Spider-Man, after deliberating with his wife, Mary Jane Watson, and Aunt May, unmasks himself to an audience of the world press, showing his full support for the registration act. This action causes J. Jonah Jameson to faint, as the thorn in his side for so many years was right under his nose. Norman Osborn, in prison, remarks that Peter broke a deal he believes they had. Meanwhile, Wolverine is hunting down Nitro and the Thunderbolts are recruiting villains to the cause of registered superheroes.

The "Secret Avengers" have adopted secret identities provided by Nick Fury. In Civil War #3, while eating in a diner, they are notified of an emergency at a petrochemical plant, but Cable realizes too late that it is a trap. Unfortunately, Cloak and Wiccan cannot teleport their allies away, because the pro-registration heroes tranquilize them on arrival. Iron Man claims his side doesn't want a fight, but has made a very large show of force and has the Secret Avengers surrounded. Taking advantage of Iron Man's claim that he wants to talk, Captain America hits him with an electronic destabilizer provided by Nick Fury for just such a situation. The battle erupts with Spider-Man keeping Cap occupied until Iron Man recovers and then charges in and viciously beats Captain America. As Hercules attempts to save him, a massive bolt of lightning strikes the anti-registration heroes. Thor then enters the battle.

In Civil War #4, Thor savagely attacks the anti-registration heroes and Iron Man activates a sonic weapon to neutralize the heroes. The enraged Thor kills Goliath (Bill Foster) with a lightning blast and then attempts to blast the anti-registration heroes in a similar manner. Sue Richards intervenes and deflects the blast with her force-field powers, saving the lives of all the anti-registration heroes. Cable uses Cloak's power to teleport the Secret Avengers away, leaving many, including Wiccan, behind. Reed Richards shut down the Thor clone with a password. Both sides regroup with numerous heroes changing sides from the traumatic battle. A visibly disturbed Spider-Man asks Yellowjacket if he's sure they've picked the right side. Cable, Stature, and Nighthawk leave while being watched by a shadowy figure in a ski-mask, while Johnny Storm and Sue Richards seek out the anti-registration heroes. However, the majority of support goes towards Captain America, and twenty new recruits join the Secret Avengers. Desperate to replenish their forces in the struggle, Tony and Reed draft the Thunderbolts'supervillain army to their cause.

As of Amazing Spider-Man #535, Spider-Man travels to the Negative Zone prison to see the prisoners first hand, after which he is noticeably disturbed. Although he does not come out publicly against the Superhero Registration Act, he does try to steal Aunt May and MJ out from under Iron Man's "personal protection". At the end of the issue, He is found out, and Iron Man and Spider-Man engage in battle. At the same time, Sue Richards leaves Reed in Fantastic Four #540, followed quickly by Ben Grimm's departure from America. Wonder Man, who was assigned to track an Atlantean sleeper agent, has discovered a small army of Atlanteans gearing up to enter the war. Moments later, the Green Goblin enters the scene, kills all the Atlanteans, and severely injures Wonder Man with his pumpkin bombs. It is earlier shown that the Green Goblin is given a serum by a shadowy figure, which effectively shuts off the Goblin's tracking nano-machines, giving Norman Osborn complete freedom to go and do as he pleases with Tony Stark and the other pro-registration heroes unaware of his movements. The only clue as to the figure's identity is his statment that he originally arranged for Osborn's release from prison.

As of Captain America (vol.5) #23, Bucky (aka, Winter Soldier) is shown to be working with Nick Fury. He breaks into a previously unknown SHIELD monitoring station and injects a "nano-trojan" into the Life Model Decoy of Fury (mentioned in New Avengers: Illuminati), which allows the real Fury to observe what the decoy does--to be his "eyes and ears aboard the Helicarrier." Bucky meanwhile discusses the Registration Act and events committed as the Winter Soldier, such as the Philadelphia bombing. He expresses disdain at the fact that no one at SHIELD or the government seems to care that General Aleksander Lukin is meeting with Doctor Doom at the Latverian Embassy. In Latveria proper, Lukin--with the Red Skull controlling his mind--conspires with Doom regarding Lukin's dig in Germany (as seen in the 65th Anniversary Special). Doom and the Skull appear to be working together on an item which Doom is granting one-time use to the Skull; the Skull hoping that the war between the heroes is "just the beginning" of Cap's suffering.

Meanwhile, using the confusion of the Civil War as cover, former X-Force members Shatterstar and Domino, with help from Caliban begin a riot at the X-Mansion during which a majority of the 198 escape. The Sentinels guarding the grounds are severely damaged and only one is able to pursue, but loses the craft. Bishop recruits Micromax and Sabra to work with O*N*E to locate the 198. Cyclops leads a team consisting of the surviving original X-Men (Archangel, Beast, Iceman, and himself) to locate the 198 before Bishop and O*N*E. But as they leave, the new Sentinel models arrive and confront Emma Frost who is left behind to guard the mansion by herself.

Taking Sides
{|
 * valign="top"|

Confirmed proponents of registration



 * Arachne - Ms. Marvel #6
 * Bantam - Civil War: Frontline #3
 * Bishop - Civil War: X-Men #1
 * Black Widow - Civil War #3
 * Dallas Riordan - Thunderbolts #103
 * Doc Samson - Civil War #2
 * Great Lakes Champions - Cable & Deadpool #30
 * Big Bertha
 * Doorman
 * Flatman
 * Mr. Immortal
 * Squirrel Girl
 * Tippy Toe
 * Happy Hogan - Civil War #2
 * Henry Peter Gyrich - Thunderbolts #103
 * Invisible Woman - Amazing Spider-Man #533, though Civil War #2 shows that her allegiance might change
 * Iron Man - New Avengers: The Illuminati
 * J. Jonah Jameson - Civil War: Front Line #1
 * Micromax - Civil War: X-Men #1
 * Mr. Fantastic - New Avengers: The Illuminati
 * Ms. Marvel - Civil War #2
 * Sabra - Civil War: X-Men #1
 * Sentry - Civil War: Frontline #1 (Frontline #1 cover art showed him on Iron Man's side. It is important to note that Goliath was also shown on Iron Man's side on the cover of Frontline #1 and ended up being on Cap's side.)
 * She-Hulk - Civil War #1, She-Hulk #8 (Posters show her on both sides)
 * Spider-Man - Civil War #2 (Posters show him on both sides. Switches sides in Spider-Man Civil War #583)
 * Sprite - Eternals #1
 * Thing - Civil War #3
 * The Mighty Thor - Civil War #3 (Clone)
 * Tigra - Civil War #2
 * Valerie Cooper - Civil War: X-Men #1
 * Wasp - Civil War #2
 * Wonder Man - Civil War #2
 * Yellowjacket - Civil War #1


 * Enforcers:


 * Deadpool - Cable & Deadpool #30
 * Heroes for Hire - Heroes for Hire #1
 * American Samurai
 * Black Cat
 * Colleen Wing
 * Humbug
 * Misty Knight
 * Orka
 * Paladin
 * Shang Chi
 * Tarantula
 * Iron Man - Civil War: Frontline #2
 * Sentinel Squad O.N.E. - Civil War: X-Men #1
 * War Machine, Commanding Officer of Sentinel Squad O*N*E
 * Iron Man indicates that The 198 are all already registered due to the presence of O*N*E and therefore fall under his command.
 * S.H.I.E.L.D. - Civil War #1
 * Agent Jamie Madrox - a duplicate of Multiple Man created years ago joined S.H.I.E.L.D. and was the one who registered Rictor and M. X-Factor #8
 * Eric Marshall - Civil War: Frontline #1
 * Dum-Dum Dugan - New Avengers #21
 * Maria Hill - New Avengers #21
 * The Superhuman Restraint Unit - Wolverine #43
 * Abrams, who led the first assault on Nitro - Wolverine #43
 * Gamma 1, the leader of Superhuman Restraint Unit - New Avengers #21
 * Thunderbolts - Thunderbolts #103
 * Atlas
 * Blacklash
 * Baron Zemo
 * Batroc the Leaper
 * Beetle's first three armors, now operated by three college students.
 * Blizzard
 * Bushmaster
 * Doctor Octopus
 * Eel
 * Fixer
 * Joystick
 * Mach-IV
 * Mongoose
 * Ox
 * Porcupine
 * Pretty Persuasions
 * Quicksand
 * Radioactive Man
 * Rattler
 * Songbird
 * Smuggler
 * Swordsman
 * Tatterdemalion
 * Unicorn
 * Vermin
 * Whiplash
 * Whirlwind
 * The U-Foes
 * Ironclad
 * Vapor
 * Vector
 * X-Ray


 * width="50"|
 * valign="top"|

Confirmed opponents of registration



 * Aegis - X-Factor #9
 * Battle Star - Civil War: Frontline #3
 * Black Bolt - New Avengers: The Illuminati
 * Black Panther - Civil War #3
 * Cable - Civil War #2
 * Captain America - Civil War #1
 * Cloak and Dagger - Civil War #2
 * Debrii - She-Hulk #8
 * Dr. Strange - New Avengers: The Illuminati
 * Falcon - Civil War #2
 * Goliath - Civil War #2
 * Hercules - Civil War #2
 * Iron Fist - Civil War #2 (As Daredevil's Imposter)
 * Jane Foster - Civil War #2
 * John Jameson - She-Hulk #8
 * Justice - She-Hulk #8
 * Luke Cage - New Avengers #22
 * Namor - New Avengers: The Illuminati, Poster Art
 * Nick Fury - Civil War #2
 * Nighthawk - Daily Bugle: Civil War Edition (One-Shot newspaper)
 * Night Nurse - Civil War #2
 * Quicksilver - Thunderbolts #104
 * Rage - She-Hulk #8
 * Runaways - Young Avengers & Runaways #1
 * Karolina Dean
 * Molly Hayes
 * Victor Mancha
 * Nico Minoru
 * Old Lace
 * Chase Stein
 * Xavin
 * Sally Floyd - Civil War: Front Line #1
 * Silverclaw - Fantastic Four #538
 * Slapstick - She-Hulk #8
 * Spider-Woman - Thunderbolts #104
 * Stingray - Thunderbolts #104
 * Solo - Civil War: Frontline #3
 * Thunderclap - Civil War: Frontline #3
 * Timeslip - She-Hulk #8
 * Ultra Girl - She-Hulk #8


 * X-Factor Investigations - X-Factor #9
 * Jamie Madrox
 * Layla Miller
 * M
 * Rictor
 * Siryn
 * Strong Guy
 * Wolfsbane
 * Yancy Street Gang - Fantastic Four #538
 * Young Avengers - Civil War #2
 * Hulkling
 * Hawkeye (Kate Bishop)
 * Patriot
 * Speed
 * Stature
 * Vision
 * Wiccan


 * Neutral:


 * X-Men - Civil War: X-Men #1 & X-Factor #9 (According to Civil War #3, the X-Men's official stance is neutral. Iron Man seems content with this situation and Captain America has made no attempts to contact them.  The events of Civil War: X-Men have yet to have a direct effect on the Civil War. The following X-Men, however, are morally opposed to the Superhuman Registration Act.)
 * Archangel - Civil War: X-Men #1
 * Beast - Civil War: X-Men #1
 * Colossus - X-Factor #9
 * Cyclops - Civil War: X-Men #1
 * Emma Frost - Civil War: X-Men #1
 * Shadowcat - Civil War: X-Men #1
 * Wolverine - Wolverine #42


 * Retiring:
 * Firestar - Civil War: Frontline #2
 * Apprehended:
 * Flag-Smasher - Young Avengers & Runaways #1
 * Grim Reaper - Civil War #2
 * Prodigy - Civil War: Frontline #2
 * Prowler - Ms. Marvel #6
 * Sinister Six - Civil War #3
 * Doctor Octopus
 * Shocker
 * Lizard
 * Speedball - Civil War: Frontline #1
 * Trapster - Civil War #2
 * Typeface - Civil War: Frontline #4
 * The Vulture - Civil War #2


 * }

Confirmed deaths

 * Approximately 800 residents of Stamford, Connecticut, including about 60 children. - Civil War #1
 * Abrams and several members of the Superhuman Restraint Unit - Wolverine #43
 * Bantam - Civil War: Frontline #3
 * Cobalt Man - Civil War #1
 * Coldheart - Civil War #1
 * John Fernandez - Civil War: Frontline #1
 * Microbe - Civil War #1
 * Namorita - Civil War #1
 * Night Thrasher - Civil War #1
 * Speedfreek - Civil War #1

She-Hulk (2nd series) #8 shows that all four of the New Warriors were thought dead by the public. The three villains involved in the explosion (all but Nitro who caused the explosion) have not been confirmed to be dead or alive. Civil War: Front Line #1 shows Speedball as the survivor of the Stamford incident. The explosion overloaded his kinetic powers, supposedly burning them out, and yet his powers briefly resurfaced in Civil War: Frontline #4 during a prison boxing match. Speedball was informed by the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who arrested him that Night Thrasher, Namorita, and Microbe were killed in the explosion. The public has since been informed that Speedball survived the Stamford explosion, and the blame for the incident has been laid squarely at his feet, making the young hero, as his mother stated in Civil War: Front Line #4, the "most hated man in America." In an interview on the Comic Book Resources site, when a spectator asked about the fate of Nitro, an official said that "payback is coming". A Civil War preview in Wizard Magazine stated that Wolverine will take it upon himself to hunt down Nitro, and intimated that Wolverine intends to use deadly force to avenge the deaths in Stamford.

Civil War checklist
The Civil War storyline will crossover with many of Marvel's comic book titles, and a bi-weekly companion series, Civil War: Front Line is to be published, written by Paul Jenkins who noted he had been given "absolute carte blanche to take on the political landscape as it exists in America and all around the world".

Comics
The Civil War storyline crosses over with many of Marvel's comic book titles, and a companion series, Civil War: Front Line, is published on a bi-weekly schedule. Front Line is written by Paul Jenkins, who has stated that he has been given "absolute carte blanche to take on the political landscape as it exists in America and all around the world".

The following comics are included in Civil War, but this should not regarded as a complete list.

The Road to Civil War (7 issues)

 * Amazing Spider-Man #529-531: "Mr. Parker goes to Washington"
 * Civil War: Opening Shot Sketchbook (one-shot)
 * Fantastic Four #536-537: "The Hammer Falls"
 * New Avengers: The Illuminati (one-shot)

Civil War (86 issues)

 * Civil War (seven-issue miniseries)
 * Civil War: Battle Damage Report (one-shot)
 * Civil War: Choosing Sides (one-shot) - Five stories about heroes and villains affected by the Registration Act.
 * Civil War Files (one-shot) - includes bio of everyone in the War.
 * Civil War: Front Line (eleven-issue mini-series)
 * Civil War: The Return (one-shot)
 * Civil War: X-Men (four-issue mini-series)
 * Civil War: War Crimes (one-shot)
 * Civil War: Young Avengers & Runaways (four-issue mini-series)
 * Amazing Spider-Man #532-538: "The War at Home"
 * Black Panther (vol. 4) #18, #23-25
 * Cable/Deadpool #30-32
 * Captain America #22-24: "The Drums of War"
 * Daily Bugle: Civil War Edition (one-shot newspaper)
 * Fantastic Four #538-543
 * Heroes for Hire (vol. 2) #1-3
 * Iron Man (vol. 4) #13-14
 * Marvel Spotlight #6: Millar/McNiven
 * Ms. Marvel #6-8: "Battle Lines"
 * New Avengers #21-25: "New Avengers: Disassembled"
 * The Punisher War Journal (vol. 2) #1-3
 * She-Hulk (vol. 2) #8
 * Thunderbolts #103-105
 * Wolverine #42-48: "Vendetta"
 * X-Factor #8-9

Spider-Man Unmasked (12 Issues)

 * Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11-14
 * The Sensational Spider-Man (vol. 2) #28-35



Casualties of War (6 Issues)

 * Blade (vol. 3) #5
 * Iron Man/Captain America Special (one-shot)
 * Moon Knight (vol. 4) #7-8, 10: "Midnight Sun"
 * Winter Soldier: Winter Kills (one-shot)

New titles

 * Heroes for Hire (vol. 2)
 * The Irredeemable Ant-Man
 * The Immortal Iron Fist
 * Mighty Avengers
 * Omega Flight
 * Punisher: War Journal (vol. 2)
 * Spider-Woman
 * Untitled Thor title by J. Michael Straczynski, pencilled by Oliver Coipel
 * Untitled Dan Slott project
 * Untitled Mark Millar/Bryan Hitch project
 * Two untitled team books that have not yet been announced.

Involved but not listed
While not listed as being tied into "Civil War", the 2006 The Eternals relaunch has the Civil War play a fairly present background in the setting with Sprite appearing in pre-registration PSAs, and in issue #3, Iron Man reminding Sersi to register despite the fact that (due to the machinations of Sprite to become human), she cannot recall her time as either an Avenger or an Eternal.

Daredevil #87, New X-Men #28, and She-Hulk #9-10 are indirectly but strongly involved.

The cover of Nextwave #11 features a Civil War parody cover, including a plaid background, the words "Not part of a Marvel Comics event", and Aaron Stack holding up a card reading "Mark Millar licks goats". However, Monica Rambeau and Aaron Stack had a cameo appearance on page 16 of Civil War #4, as part of the Secret Avengers.

The final issue of Robert Kirkman's Marvel Team-Up takes place right before The Road to Civil War, as the issue opens with Peter Parker getting ready to travel to Washington with Iron Man.

Incredible Hulk #100 includes a 12-page backup story dealing with Mr. Fantastic's involvement with the Thor Clone, and the repercussions of the Illuminati having exiled the Hulk into space.

Trade Paperbacks
The Civil War, as with most modern Marvel comic books, will be collected in Trade Paperback, or TPB, format.
 * Civil War Prelude:ISBN 0-7851-1974-4, November 29, 2006: Reprints Amazing Spider-Man 529-531; New Avengers: Illuminati; and Fantastic Four #536-537.
 * Black Panther: The Bride:ISBN 0-7851-2107-2, November 8, 2006: Reprints Black Panther 14-18, the last of which is a tie-in to the Civil War.
 * She-Hulk Volume 4: Laws of Attraction:ISBN 0-7851-2218-4, TBA: Reprints She-Hulk 6-13, with issue 8 of She-Hulk, which is a tie-in to the Civil War.
 * X-Factor: Life and Death Matters:ISBN 0-7851-2146-3, February 7, 2007: Reprints X-Factor 7-12, with issues 8-9 of X-Factor, which are tie-ins to the Civil War.