Help me out, /co/. I've only tangentially kept up with

How about you just read it and find out?

>>93786933
Don't be a dick, help the poor anon out. I too would like someone to outline this clusterfuck.

>>93787003
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Empire_(comics)

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Red Skull used a cosmic cube to change reality is the fastest way to explain, read for more details because we're learning the full extent.

also Frank joining HYDRA? Cap just told him he's get a supply of guns and cars or something

>>93787003
Thanks.

I'm reading it, it just seems like there's a lot of characters acting way different from their normal selves...and it seems like not a lot of characters give a shit about the whole "Nazi analogues conquer Earth" thing.

>>93786759
"I'll be your temporary ally while I kill other bad guys, then kill you later" is pretty standard Frank procedure tbqhfamalam

>>93786759
Marvel's SecretWars3 is a relatively "soft" retcon, where very few things were actually changed.
(as opposed to a "hard" retcon where everything starts over from the beginning)
Mostly it was just an excuse to bring the best characters from a few alternate universes into the main Marvel comics universe.
(that's multiverse reality #616 to you)
Secret Empire is just this year's "Summer Event", a big storyline that is the focus for the entire Marvel universe for a few months. These are done to introduce readers to characters in books they otherwise wouldn't read, catch everyone up on in-universe current events, and to present the Marvel U. as being all one world and not a bunch of independent comics.
And Punisher is a psycho, he's a lovable psycho, but never forget that he's a psycho. Also, he has a man-crush on Captain America to the point where he would follow him into this.
And those X-babies living outside of America don't have to overthrow a legally appointed dictator of a sovereign nation if they don't want to. So there. Mwhah!
Honestly, would you put children through all that shit for the sake of assholes who chose to follow an obvious fascist?
Besides, doesn't Southeast Asia need superhero protection too?

>>93786759
>I know that Secret Wars merged together a bunch of alternate universes and shit
Only for the duration of Secret Wars, which was just a summer event. Everything went back to how it was after Secret Wars ended, barring a handful of multiversal refugees that got stuck in 616 after their home universes got blown to shit.

>>93786759
The idea that "not all comics happen concurrently" is not some new thing that started in the past few years. It has been a thing since likely before you were even born. Secret Empire tie-ins are happening during Secret Empire. Books that aren't tie-ing into Secret Empire take place before Secret Empire and will skip to post-Secret Empire with Marvel Legacy in the fall.

Jean in Madripoor happens before Secret Empire. The arc that happens during Secret Empire, the Secret Empire tie-in, starts next issue and is about them acting as freedom fighters in New Tian.

Again, non-event tie-ins not taking place during the event has been happening since the modern event comic was created decades ago. Not something that just started happening in "the last few years" which leads me to guess that by "haven't kept up with comics in the last few years" you actually mean "I'm new to comics" in which case, you can just say that.

But to answer your question, no, it's not an alternate universe.

>>93787076
Well, Steve has been replaced by Hydra Steve thanks to Red Skull fucking around with a cosmic cube, Wanda is possessed by Cthon, Vision is being controlled by some kinda super-virus, a bunch of people have been brainwashed by Doctor Faustus, and Hank Pym fused with Ultron. All of which is explained in the comic itself.

As for people not giving a shit about Hydra taking over, I'm not sure what comic you're reading, because every Secret Empire tie-in has people really fucking caring bout the whole Hydra takeover thing. I mean, except for the Marvel citizens but Marvel civilians have ALWAYS been huge fucking cunts that'll gladly throw in with super-villains as long as all those uppity mutants get put in their place.

>>93787511
>Marvel's SecretWars3 is a relatively "soft" retcon, where very few things were actually changed.
> (as opposed to a "hard" retcon where everything starts over from the beginning)
First off, it wasn't Secret Wars 3. It was Secret Wars 4. Secret Wars 3 was where they revealed the connection between The Beyonders and Molecule Man/The Beyonder/the Cosmic Cubes.

Second off, the word you're looking for is "reboot" not "retcon."

>>93787821
It's true.
Marvel's citizenry is the equivalent to Gotham City's residents in terms of basic human decency, but with far-far more bullshit injustices.
If Superman had to deal with just half the shit that Marvel's heroes deal with from people he would Hulk out and kill everyone.
... that is, if some asshole citizen with a shiny green arrow didn't murder him as he was being arrested for nothing.