Secret Empire 9 Review IGNShare. Everyone shows up to the party. By Jesse Schedeen. In my review of Secret Empire 8, I suggested that Secret Empire wont be the sort of conflict that falls apart in the final stretch. Now Im wondering if I was too optimistic in that assessment. As much as the penultimate chapter attempts to offer a rousing look at Marvels heroes rallying against a common enemy, it ultimately falls pretty flat. This is the sort of bland, action and banter heavy issue thats all too common in Marvels event comics. To be sure, theres a certain amount of appeal in seeing Marvels heroes triumph and unite for a change. PLR-Creation-Empire-Review-OTO.jpg' alt='Empire Review As220' title='Empire Review As220' />Marvels Secret Empire saga continues as the true conflict driving the crossover is revealed. Watch Dragons: Gift Of The Night Fury Online. In my review of Secret Empire 8, I suggested that Secret Empire wont be the sort of conflict that falls apart in the final stretch. Now Im wondering. The tone of the series has definitely taken a lighter turn in the last couple installments. But too often, this issue plays out as a jumbled mess of characters jockeying for space as the battle between the Avengers grows increasingly chaotic. Key moments for characters like Thor and Vision are essentially drowned out in all the white noise. It certainly doesnt help that this is probably the weakest chapter of the series in terms of visual quality. Leinil Yu and Joe Bennetts respective styles clash repeatedly, showing vastly difference approaches to character designs, texture and depicting the general tone of the script. Some of Yus pages are detailed and powerful, but too often theres a loose, rushed quality to his work. Many of Yus background figures lack coherent facial details. Rod Reis remains the one dependable force on the series, as his scenes capture the ethereal quality of the interaction between Steve Rogers and Kobik well. This issue only succeeds when it downplays the general spectacle of the battle and focuses on a few key sets of characters. The Black AntTaskmaster material is hilarious, proving once again that Spencer is at his best working with the quirky B List villains of the Marvel U. Urban-Empire-building.png' alt='Empire Review Fox' title='Empire Review Fox' />The rivalry between Black Panther and Baron Zemo is also a treat. And finally, the resurgence of the X Men makes for another great moment here, suggesting that maybe these characters should have played a bigger role in the crossover from the start. But in the end, these are isolated moments in a conflict thats rapidly losing its focus as it nears the finish line. Secret Empire 9. UNITED WE STAND against the SECRET EMPIRE The Verdict. Despite the promising build up to the climax of this crossover in Secret Empire 8, issue 9 is a mostly disappointing affair. The influx of so many heroes leads to a jumbled narrative that focus more on spectacle and quips than highlighting the key players. But because of the muddled, inconsistent art, this issue doesnt even deliver on a visceral level. Its a worrying development for the series as the grand finale looms near.