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WAR OF THE WORLDS (1996)

An odd idea for a crossover, WAR OF THE WORLDS was yet another universe-hopping tale aimed at tying the Marvel Universe (Earth-616) to the Ultraverse (Earth-93060) following Marvel's purchase of Malibu Comics. While we've seen this kind of story a million times over, what sets it apart is that it's essentially the same comic twice. What sets it apart is that both issues are broken up into three chapters. Chapters 1 and 3 are the same in both comics, but chapter 2 of Ultraforce/Spider-Man #1A focuses on the Green Goblin's team-up with one half of Ultraforce, while Ultraforce/Spider-Man #1B focuses on Spider-Man's team-up with the other. That's pretty much it.

I try and avoid editorialising on these story guide posts these days, but it's fair to say that this story is one of the worst I've read. It's painful to get through. There are literally no new ideas here. The dialogue is horrible. The continuity's out of whack (it's clearly Ben Reilly as Spidey, but he mentions "Mary Jane and our unborn baby" and he recalls meeting Prime before, even though it was Peter Parker who met him during BLACK SEPTEMBER / SPIDER-PRIME). It's designed to set up a war between both universes that never materialises, though this is largely due to the Malibu titles being canceled and the universe being shoved in a drawer where it's stayed ever since. And, expecting people to buy the same comic twice to get the whole story is horrifically cynical and sums pretty much sums up why the comic book industry almost died in the mid-90s.
[SPIDER-PRIME - Prime meets a Spider-Man]
  • UltraForce/Spider-Man #1A
  • UltraForce/Spider-Man #1B
UltraForce/Spider-Man #1A
On Earth-93060, UltraForce are visited by an ageing Prime from the future who announces himself and Ghoul as the only surviving members of the team after an attack from the Green Goblin (Phil Urich) of Earth-616 (though Ghoul only lives on in a million pieces) and a traitor on UltraForce. When future-Prime dissolves, the team jump over to Earth-616 to kill the Goblin and change their fate, but Spider-Man (Ben Reilly) intervenes. Together they discover SHIELD and the US Government are planning an assault on the Ultraverse. 

Green Goblin teams up with Black Knight, Prototype, Lament and Wreckage and board a SHIELD satellite to find it infested with shape-changing alien Shifters who plan to control it. Green Goblin proves himself by saving the team and the Knight figures there's a more sinister plot afoot.

Reuniting with Spider-Man and the rest of UltraForce, the group finally learn to trust each other when Lament risks her life to save Ghoul while he brings Spider-Man back from the brink of death after a Shifter attack. Together, they realise they've been played and 'future Prime' was likely a Shifter, too. UltraForce return to their universe as allies, but the governments of both worlds believe an attack from the opposing universe is imminent... 
UltraForce/Spider-Man #1B
After the warning from the future Prime, UltraForce's attack on the Green Goblin of Earth-616 is interrupted by Spider-Man. Together they discover SHIELD and the US Government are planning an assault on the Ultraverse. 

Spider-Man teams up with Topaz, Ghoul and the real Prime and travels to Hawaii to prevent a dimensional portal to the Ultraverse from being opened by SHIELD. From SHIELD's perspective, it's the Ultraverse that's planning the attack on Earth-616, not the other way around. Ghoul starts to believe Lament is the traitor to UltraForce.

Reuniting with the Green Goblin and the rest of UltraForce, the group put the last of their trust issues aside and realise they've been played. UltraForce return to their universe as allies, while the alien mastermind behind the scheme continues to lay low...
Ultraverse Unlimited #2 (1996)
The Black Knight is sent through a portal from the Ultraverse back to Earth-616 during LAST STAND AT GROUND ZERO.

Green Goblin #13 (1996)
After his costume is destroyed in a fight against the Sentinels, Phil Urich quits being the Green Goblin.

Amazing Spider-Man #418 (1996)
Mary Jane Watson-Parker is revealed to have lost the baby during REVELATIONS.

Peter Parker, Spider-Man #75 (1996)
Having revealed to have survived his 'final' encounter with Spider-Man years earlier, Norman Osborn takes up the Green Goblin identity again; the Green Goblin kills Ben Reilly, revealing him to be the clone; Peter Parker becomes Spider-Man again during REVELATIONS.

Amazing Spider-Man #649 (2011)
Phil Urich shows he does have a villainous side when he becomes the new Hobgoblin during BIG TIME!
These issues have not yet been collected.

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