"Secret Wars" is huge. Not only will the sprawling event feature multiple versions of nearly every character in the Marvel Universe, it will also feature nearly every location previously featured in the publisher's pages. These esoteric places might be unfamiliar to many but the most devout Marvel historians, but rest assured -- these settings and characters are endlessly fascinating.

Marvel Maps Out "Secret Wars'" "Battleworld"

Because of "Secret Wars," thrill-seeking readers will journey to lost worlds, discover forgotten fantasy settings, brave lands filled with monsters, explore different historical time periods while experiencing genre mash-ups on a level previously undreamed of. Since some readers may not be familiar with these places and heroes of yesteryear, here's a "guidebook" for these unknown lands lurking on the fringes of Battleworld. So pack wisely and be brave -- one never knows what one might find in these strange places from ages past.

Weirdworld




We begin our tour with a very unusual -- and virtually forgotten -- fantasy realm. "Weirdworld," which debuted in "Marvel Super Action" #1, was clearly intended to be Marvel's answer to "The Hobbit" upon it's debut in 1976. Writer Doug Moench and artist Mike Ploog created a Tolkienesque fantasy featuring diminutive protagonists and an apocalypse scenario. Moench's fantastical and daring story centered on the adventures of two elves named Tyndall and Velanna as they journeyed through the ring shaped world of Klarn. Along the way, a dwarf named Mud-Butt joined their band as they fought to stop the resurrection of the series' big bad: Darklens. "Weirdworld" is mostly remembered for Ploog's black and white artwork, which set the standard for Bronze Age fantasy imagery. Jason Aaron is revisiting "Weirdworld" in a new series of the same name as part of "Secret Wars," but his new story features an unexpected protagonist -- which brings us to our next entry...

Arkon




Now we journey from Weirdworld to the realm of Polemachus to meet Avengers frenemy Arkon. Early Marvel architects Roy Thomas and John Buscema subtly intended for Arkon to be their answer to Conan when they introduced him in 1970's "Avengers" #75. Arkon, warlord and ruler of Polemachus, traveled to Earth to collect the nuclear energy needed to repower the life-giving energy rings surrounding his other-dimensional home. While on Earth, Arkon fell for and kidnapped the Scarlet Witch, thus bringing him into conflict with the Avengers. After tussling with the Avengers, Arkon found himself either at odds or allied with the Black Knight, Doctor Strange and the Fantastic Four. With every appearance, Arkon allowed Marvel's creators to mine material from thrusting a sword-and-sandal style anti-hero into the confines of a modern super hero universe. In addition to seeing if any elements from Moench and Ploog's original "Weirdworld" run find their way into the "Secret Wars" tie-in, It will be fascinating to see what Jason Aaron has in store for leading man Arkon.

The Monsters of "Mrs. Deadpool's Howling Commandos"




With Arkon waving his lightning javelins in our rearview mirror, we travel to a very dark place. For a time in the '70s, monsters were almost as prevalent as super heroes. Thanks to "Secret Wars," many of those monsters will return as part of a group gathered by Deadpool's succubus bride Shiklah. First, we have the Werewolf by Night. Jack Russell first appeared in 1972's "Marvel Spotlight" #2 and was created by Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog -- there's that name again! Werewolf by Night's adventures vacillated between gothic horror and metaphysical weirdness. Another of Shiklah's faithful, Frankenstein's Monster, got his own series in 1973 from Gary Friedrich and -- guess who? -- Mike Ploog. Marvel's Frankenstein is similar to the iconic version of the creature and, since his solo series ended, he's popped up around the Marvel Universe. Man-Thing, Marvel's muck-crusted monstrosity, has spent decades shambling between creature features and surreal thrillers. The creature, also known as the Nexus of All Realities, enjoyed a period of creative success under writer Steve Gerber, who penned some chilling tales in "Man-Thing." Our monster tour ends in ancient Egypt; the Living Mummy, created by Gerber and artist Rick Buckler, was once an African warrior named N'Kantu who awoke in the pages of 1973's "Supernatural Thrillers" #5. The Living Mummy never found the same success as Marvel's other monsters, but perhaps that will change with "Secret Wars."

Elsa Bloodstone




Speaking of monsters, Battleworld needs a good monster hunter to turn the tide of encroaching darkness. Enter: Elsa Bloodstone, formerly of Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen's wickedly offbeat "NextWave: Agents of HATE." Elsa's father, Ulysses Bloodstone, first appeared in 1975's "Marvel Presents" #1 and was created by Len Wein, Marv Wolfman and John Warner. Ulysses had a meteor fragment lodged in his chest, thus granting him immortality and the means to become the world's preeminent monster hunter. Marvel had a hard time finding a home for him the elder Bloodstone, as he ventured from "Marvel Presents" to a backup feature in "Rampaging Hulk," where he was summarily killed off. He remained an anachronistic curiosity until his daughter debuted in 2001's "Bloodstone" #1. Created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, Elsa took her father's legacy into the modern age and combined superhero iconography combined with Ulysses' pulp sensibilities. Now, Elsa will be the lead monster hunter in Si Spurrier and Kev Walker's "Marvel Zombies" as she takes on zombie versions of Marvel's greatest heroes in one of Battleworld's most horrific settings.

Captain Britain and MI:13




From a world of monsters we travel to the realm of Avalon and meet the heroes of "Captain Britain and the Mighty Defenders." This team -- which includes British versions of Spider-Man, White Tiger, Iron Man and She-Hulk -- is inspired by writer Al Ewing's previous run on "Mighty Avengers" as well as Paul Cornell and Leonard Kirk's fondly remembered "Captain Britain and MI:13" series. MI:13 was an international squad of champions that defended the world from mystical incursion. Along with Brain Braddock (Captain Britain), that team included Blade, Black Knight, the mutant Peter Wisdom, Spitfire and Muslim doctor Faiza Hussain, the modern day wielder of the sword Excalibur. Hussain will make her return in the upcoming "Mighty Defenders" series, but we strongly suggest you check out "MI:13" as it truly is a highlight of the last decade.

The Western Heroes of "1872"




Before Stan Lee and Jack Kirby populated the Marvel Universe with superheroes, western comics were one of the genres keeping the company afloat. Characters like Kid Colt, Rawhide Kid, Two-Gun Kid, the Western Kid, Ringo King and Outlaw Kid all rode the range and kept the West safe from owlhoots long before the "Fantastic Four" came along. Even the Ghost Rider moniker was originally used by a western hero. Marvel continued to introduce new western heroes well into the '70s, like the stars of "Gunhawks" Reno Jones and Kid Cassidy. "1872," by writer Gerry Duggan and artist Nik Virella, will revisit Marvel's Wild West roots with gunslingin' versions of Captain America and other heroes.

Phantom Eagle and "Where Monsters Dwell"




Our last stop on our tour takes us to two very distinct different genres and times: Marvel's monster comics of the '50s and the dark days of World War I. "Where Monsters Dwell" was an anthology comic published from 1970-1975 that reprinted Lee/Kirby monsters stories of the pre-Marvel Age. "Where Monsters Dwell" would be a historical footnote if it wasn't for writer Garth Ennis, artist Russ Braun and "Secret Wars." As part of Battleworld, Marvel is bringing back the title and some old school prehistoric monsters do go along with it. Who will be fighting these thunder lizards, you ask? That would be Phantom Eagle, a character created by Gary Friedrich and Herb Trimpe that debuted in 1968's "Marvel Super-Heroes" #16. The Phantom Eagle was secretly an American pilot named Karl Kaufman. After Kaufman's parents returned to Germany, Kaufman donned the disguise of the Phantom Eagle to fight the Central Powers and protect his parents from German reprisal. The Eagle only headlined one feature, but the character still exemplifies the brilliant artwork of the great, recently deceased Herb Trimpe. Trimpe loved aviation and flying and that love really shined in his work on this high flying ace.