In 2005, Civil War was a turning point in Marvel’s history, a before and after: superheroes faced off against each other like never before, choosing sides, making decisions that would change their future. The result? The best-selling graphic novel in the company’s history, a film adaptation that grossed 1.15 billion… And of course, logically, they have tried to make the donkey pull the cart again even though it no longer has the strength or desire.
Civil War, but now done right
The company has just released the first comic of a new collection titled Civil War: Unmasked, dedicated to telling us secrets that no one told us during the initial run 20 years ago. And the first one tackles something fundamental: the reason why Tony Stark insists relentlessly that a Superhero Registration Act is needed. Just in case the explosion by Nitro that killed 600 people, including children, wasn’t enough.
In this case, shortly after the start of the war, Tony Stark goes to see the mutants to try to persuade them not to remain neutral, and then Bishop decides to show him his future, a world in which he shows what will happen if he loses: the Wideawake Project, a future with millions of Sentinels enslaving the population. And of course, Iron Man, after a talk with the president, ends up supporting the act even more strongly because he believes he must prevent any other future. Anyway.

This issue, if anything, diminishes Iron Man’s decision, who is fully aware of the existence of alternate futures and multiverses that do not have to be our own. In the next issue, the real reason why Spider-Man decided to show his face to the world. While we’re at it, why not mess that up too.