Every week, a secret cabal of Marvel staffers gathers to discuss the best of the best when it comes to the House of Ideas.
It's the event that brought down a Dark Reign and ushered in a new Heroic Age, and now you can own SIEGE in its entirety with the gorgeous hardcover collection, on-sale this week.
Now, with a couple months perspective, the Secret Cabal takes a look back at Siege and analyzes which of the prime players made the biggest impact in the epic saga.
For each character you get the quick rundown as well as a special spotlight comic courtesy of Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited.
As always, these picks reflect the personal choices of the Secret Cabal, not the official opinion of Marvel or Marvel.com, and can be considered subjective at best. Enjoy!
10. VOLSTAGG
First Appearance: JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #119 (1965)
Learn More About Him...here
Why He Makes the List: A patsy in the large-scale game of chess being played by Loki and Norman Osborn, Volstagg unwittingly set off the events of Siege by attempting to be a hero and accidentally allowed the U-Foes to cause a major disaster instead. You have to admire the big guy's moral compass, though, as he turned himself over the authorities immediately, and you won't find many more satisfying moments than the Voluminous One putting a halt to Osborn's attempted flight from the scene of the crime.
Spotlight Comic: THOR #4 (2007)-The Warriors Three reborn!
9. IRON MAN
First Appearance: TALES OF SUSPENSE #39 (1963)
Learn More About Him...here
Why He Makes the List: Tony Stark found himself on the sidelines for most of Siege, still recovering from the drastic brain surgery that kept the world's most important secrets safe from Norman Osborn, but thanks to a cross-country baton toss from Jarvis to Steve Rogers, Iron Man entered the fray for the finale. Shellhead's presence proved key as he brought down a S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier to halt The Sentry's crazed rampage and also got some satisfying personal payback in on the Iron
Spotlight Comic: INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #14-Tony Stark continues his fugitive flight from Norman Osborn and H.A.M.M.E.R.!
8. THE HOOD
First Appearance: THE HOOD #1 (2002)
Learn More About Him...here
Why He Makes the List: After reaping the benefits of being in the right place at the right time with the right plan following Civil War and into Dark Reign, Parker Robbins bet on the wrong horse and lost big when Norman Osborn put all his eggs in the doomed Siege basket. Stripped of his new powers when Loki took back the norn stones in a bid to save Asgard, The Hood abandoned the army he had guided with only Madame Masque at his side. In the end, not even the power of Count Nefaria proved up to protecting Parker from the justice he had so long eluded at the New Avengers' hands.
Spotlight Comic: NEW AVENGERS #52-The Hood seeks to boost his powers to the next level!
7. MARIA HILL
First Appearance: NEW AVENGERS #4 (2005)
Learn More About Her...here
Why She Makes the List: What a difference a few crises make. Leading up to and during Civil
Spotlight Comic: INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #12-Maria Hill: alone against The Controller!
6. ARES
First Appearance: THOR #129 (1966)
Learn More About Him...here
Why He Makes the List: Amongst Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers and other varied associates and lackeys, only Ares had the backbone to stand up and declare Siege to be a bad idea. Admirably and unfortunately for the God of
Spotlight Comic: DARK AVENGERS #9-When Ares learns where his son has been spending his time, he goes after Nick Fury with godly rage!
5. LOKI
First Appearance: VENUS #6 (1949)
Learn More About Him...here
Why He Makes the List: The God of Mischief isn't one used to being surprised or having his carefully-laid plans explode so spectacularly as they did in Siege, but when chaos is your stock in trade, perhaps these are things one should expect. Loki's manipulation of everybody from Balder to Norman Osborn to set in place the pieces he needed to bring about Asgard's fall was inspired, but like so many others, the trickster underestimated the heroic nature of Steve Rogers and his allies as well as The Sentry's instability. In the end, Loki fought his nature as best he could and went out at least close to a hero, but it's hard to forget he created the problem to begin with.
Spotlight Comic: THOR #12 (2008)-Loki weaves a plot across centuries to ensnare his hated brother Thor!
4. NORMAN OSBORN
First Appearance: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #14 (1964)
Learn More About Him...here
Why He Makes the List: After a year of unlikely but unquestioned dominance over the Marvel Universe, Norman Osborn finally reached too far with Siege and saw his Dark Reign unravel. Falling victim to Loki's machinations, the erstwhile Iron
Spotlight Comic: DARK AVENGERS #10-Norman Osborn begins to lose his grasp on reality!
3. THOR
First Appearance: JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #83 (1962)
Learn More About Him...here
Why He Makes the List: Siege hit nobody harder than Thor, as he saw his home destroyed, his people laid waste to, and even what little family he had left ripped away from him. Before aid arrived, the Thunder God faced Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers and the corrupted Initiative by his lonesome, fighting valiantly but barely clinging to even his godly existence. As the battle accelerated, Thor gained the back-up of his Avengers allies, but also watched as his twisted mirror image, Ragnarok, tore through what he held dear. In spite of the tragedy all around him and even after being forced to land the killing blow on a man he called friend in The Sentry, Thor persevered and demonstrated once more why he is among the most noble warriors on Asgard or Earth.
Spotlight Comic: THOR #601-The Thunder God tries to cope with exile from Asgard!
2. STEVE ROGERS
First Appearance: CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS #1 (1941)
Learn More About Him...here
Why He Makes the List: Barely back from "the dead" more than a few hours and the original Captain America leapt into action to accomplish what his allies had been unable to in the year prior: ending Norman Osborn's Dark Reign once and for all. Galvanizing the Avengers and every other hero handy into an army capable of saving gods themselves, Steve Rogers proved the inspirational leader the Marvel Universe had been so badly missing. Not much feels better than the pivotal moment when Captain America's mighty shield flies in slow motion towards the doomed dome of the Iron
Spotlight Comic: CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #1-Steve Rogers battles his way through the timestream!
1. THE SENTRY
First Appearance: SENTRY #1 (2000)
Learn More About Him...here
Why He Makes the List: Siege may not have started out as The Sentry's story, but by its conclusion, Robert Reynolds' heartbreaking journey and the culmination of years of turmoil certainly took center stage. While Norman Osborn may have thought he had the ultimate weapon on his side, instead he brought a broken man struggling to contain a ruthless god into a powderkeg. The loss of his beloved wife, Lindy, removed what little measure of control Reynolds had left over his evil half and unleashed The Void in all his fury. It began with the slaughter of Ares, continued with the destruction of Asgard and ended with the Avengers and allies being forced to take down a man they once called friend. If there's a golden lining to The Sentry's sacrifice, it's that the champions of the Marvel Universe are more dedicated than ever to building a truly Heroic Age.
Spotlight Comic: THE SENTRY #1 (2000)-Witness the beginning of the Sentry's tragic tale!
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Good list. I think The Hood and Volstagg should be switched though.