Secret Wars II #5
Secret Wars II #5 is the debut issue of Tabitha Smith — the mutant energy-bomber who would cycle through the aliases Time Bomb, Boom-Boom, Boomer, and Meltdown before becoming a fixture of X-Force, Nextwave, and the broader X-line for decades. Beyond that single introduction, the issue captures the tonal pivot at the heart of the whole nine-part event: the Beyonder's journey through human emotion reaches its lowest point in what writer Jim Shooter titled 'Despair!', with a runaway teenager serving as the omnipotent being's unlikely confessor and moral compass. Situated within the series that effectively codified the Marvel mega-crossover format — tying into roughly three dozen other titles across the line — issue #5 represents the emotional core of that sprawling experiment. The issue also marks the first appearance (cameo) of Kurse in the main series continuity following his transformation in the previous issue, setting up confrontations that ripple through concurrent Thor-line tie-ins.
In "Despair!", the Beyonder—still reeling from his cosmic isolation—offers a reluctant lift to a young mutant named Boom-Boom, only to see her abandoned by the X-Men upon arrival. When she attempts to end her life in despair, the Beyonder intervenes, taking her on a shocking journey to confront the Celestials and confront his own power. Written by Jim Shooter and illustrated by Al Milgrom with inks by Steve Leialoha, this pivotal issue sees Boom-Boom’s fragile hope tested in ways that leave even the cosmic entity shaken. The cover by Al Milgrom and Steve Leialoha captures the moment of emotional rupture with haunting precision.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
Secret Wars II was conceived by Marvel's then-Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter as a more introspective, philosophically driven follow-up to the original Secret Wars, sending the Beyonder to Earth rather than staging another gladiatorial spectacle on Battleworld. The series was penciled by Al Milgrom — selected by associate editor Bob Budiansky — with inking split between Steve Leialoha and Joe Rubinstein; the entire nine-issue run unfolded under a compressed production schedule, debuting almost immediately after its predecessor wrapped. Issue #5 in particular was produced under those same tight conditions, arriving on newsstands in August 1985 (cover-dated November 1985) as part 5 of the 9-issue limited series. The enormous commercial pressure on the sequel, which became 1985's best-selling comic despite widespread critical hostility in the fan press, shaped how quickly each issue had to be turned around.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Tabitha Smith (later Boom-Boom / Meltdown), created by Jim Shooter and Al Milgrom; she debuts as a runaway teenage mutant who accompanies the Beyonder and refers to herself with the self-assigned codename 'Time Bomb' (note: some sources label the nickname 'Boom-Boom' from the outset — see Flagged).
- Written by Jim Shooter, penciled by Al Milgrom, with inks by Steve Leialoha (pages 1–20) and Joe Rubinstein (pages 21–25); edited by Bob Budiansky under Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter.
- Titled 'Despair!' — the issue's central dramatic engine is the Beyonder's depression following Dazzler's rejection of him in the preceding issue, framed as a philosophical crisis over desire, loneliness, and existence.
- Kurse appears in cameo; the character was transformed from Algrim the Dark Elf in Secret Wars II #4 and is shown continuing his quest for Thor, with his subplot running through concurrent tie-in issues including Thor #363 and Power Pack #18.
- Rachel Summers detects the Beyonder's presence at the Xavier School, triggering a combined X-Men and New Mutants assault on him — one of the largest mutant team assemblies in the issue, featuring members of both squads.
- The Beyonder and Boom-Boom travel to the Worldcomplex headquarters of the Celestials, where the Beyonder attempts to demonstrate his cosmic power by threatening the space gods.
- Story threads continue directly into Doctor Strange #74, The Thing #30, and Fantastic Four #285, reflecting the event's sprawling cross-title architecture.
- The issue has been reprinted in the Secret Wars II Omnibus (2009), the Secret Wars II trade paperback collection (2011), and Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars: Battleworld #[5] (2015).
Cast · 40 characters
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Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
The Beyonder dismantles a train that is about to hit him and one of the passengers turns out to be a young mutant traveling to Xavier's School. The Beyonder agrees to take her the rest of the way but, once they arrive, the X-Men ignore her in favor of attacking him. In despair at the rejection, Boom-Boom tries to kill herself with one of her time bombs but the Beyonder brings her back. He takes her on a cosmic jaunt to meet the Celestials and she freaks out when he beats them up. On returning to Earth, she calls the Avengers in for help and the Beyonder is crestfallen by the betrayal.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).