What If #200 (Marvel – Lee / Guggenheim / Wilkins / Eaglesham / Martin / Parrillo)

Finally, celebrate the historic 200th issue of What If? Since debuting in 1977, What If? has become a corner staple in the Marvel Universe by spotlighting “the road not traveled” by many of its heroes & villains as well as the domino effect that the point of divergence creates. What If? 200 offers two titanic tales- the main story is one with a different POV on Siege, “What If Norman Osborn Won the Siege of Asgard?” What if the Sentry didn’t lose control of the Void during battle, allowing for the Siege to ultimately decimate our heroes? With Osborn on top of the world, only one force stands in his way: Doom… and he’s not alone as he rebuilds the Cabal with the X-Men?! By Marc Guggenheim and Dave Wilkins. The second tale is one that will be talked about amongst the multiverse: the murder of Galactus at the hands of…the WATCHER!?! Based on the events in the classic “Coming of Galactus” storyline in ‘FANTASTIC FOUR #48-50,’ this one is written by none other than the scribe of those original stories, Stan “The Man” Lee, himself. Joining him is recent FF artist, Dale Eaglesham. If there is only one back-up story you’ll read this year, true believers, it must be this one!

Yea, yea, yea I know this has been out a few weeks – well, at least I won’t be giving away any spoilers.  I have been less than impressed with most of the What If? one-shots that have come out over the last few years – just seem like obvious filler to me.  For me, the “Siege” story here is only slightly better the norm.  What if Osborn had won and Ares died before?  The Sentry wouldn’t have been weaken and Asgard would have fell… and the Void would have taken over and killed everyone.  Not a surprise ending, sorry.  We know the bad guys had to lose and anyone who was reading Dark Avengers knew that with the wacko Osborn in charge of Sentry, nothing even remotely good would have come out of it.  So for me, the payoff of this issue was with the old school Fantastic Four / Galactus story.  This reminded me of going back to the glory and joy of the first run What If? series.

Bottom Line: Even with a great story, a so-so story and some What If? historical facts and cover gallery, the $4.99 price tag is still harsh.

Issue Grade: B-