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Annihilation Background
The coldest and most obscure depths of space in the Marvel Universe were considered to be drained of all life (and cash prospects) until a little story called Annihilation came along and was completely sucked into the undertow of the ocean that was Civil War by Mark Millar. Bumper stickers, t-shirts and messageboards were filled with dissent on who was with Captain America or who was with that faux-superhero Tony Stark. The debate was on whether or not S.H.I.E.L.D and new top cop Stark had the right to procure the secret identity of Marvel's heroes and set up teams in every state (see:50 State Initiative). All this had it's affect on earth, actually only pretty much the US, which didn't make much difference to the rest of the world. We aren't the center of the universe anymore, and one man learned that and knew it better than anyone, his name was Richard Rider. Richard got his power from a Intergalactic Police Force much akin to the Green Lantern Corps. that imbued a portion of the "Nova Force" power into it's centurions.
Nova Background
Our man fought on Earth with the New Warriors and was even on their reality television show taking down bad guys for a while. Then, he was promptly called back by the Nova Corps because and intergalatic prison that held Galactus-level (that's eating worlds without chewing strong, if you didn't know) aliens had been blown up by an unknown source, and the Corps were mobilizing to oppose the impending threat. This was all happening at about the same time that Rider's ex-teammates were shooting their reality show, trying to take down clandestine supervillains who proved much too strong for them, and Nitro blows up a square mile including a full elementary school. Enter: Civil War.
Civil War vs. Cosmic War
While Mark Millar fleshed out the story of warring heroes separated by the Superhero Registration Act, writers Christos Cage, Simone Furman, Keith Giffen, Javier Grillo-Marxuachm Stuart Moore and current cosmic lords of Marvel, Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning devised one of the most superlative story lines in recent memory. Granted, it is quite interesting seeing Tony Stark appointed himself president pro-tem of all super powered beings, without possessing any himself. Unfortunately, for Millar, the effects would only reach American borders, leaving the rest of the world (& universe in this case) as it was prior to this event, relatively unchanged (for the most part). While Annihilation was just that, it was a story about the possible eradication of all man-kind, and bug-kind. In fact, there is an one-shot called "What If: Annihilation" in which the Annihilation Wave continues to be unstopped and is reaching Earth during one of the Civil War battles. The conflict ends completely after everyone fighting gets a lecture about how childish and temporal their struggle is from Nova, who is disgusted at their selfishness. Only when the two heroes from opposing sides join forces with Nova, and sacrifice themselves, do they stop the wave. Which is to say feeble altercations don't mean much in the greater struggle. Which sounds almost like a commentary on the U.S. for foreign policy, not only do others need help from the US, but it can overcome whole nations if they don't work together in this world.
Successful Follow-Up Story Line
The best part about this book is that it does what most limited series do in the Marvel Universe don't do, it follows up and the ramifications are far reaching. Unlike Civil War and Secret Invasion and other recent crossovers, it isn't as easily forgotten and is not unmentioned when it is over. This book leads to relationships, hardships, powers, enemies and new threats that are directly under the Annihilation umbrella. Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett are currently writing a book called Guardians of the Galaxy which has spawned from some of the heroes of Annihilation and Annihilation: Conquest. They are like the Avengers, but fight galactic and alien threats far greater than that composed of Earth villains. Also, these great writers took of Brubaker's story of the Omega-Level powered third Summers brother (Deadly Genesis) who defeated the Shi'ar Empire and became the leader himself (Rise & Fall of the Shi'ar Empire), trying to encompass all empires and lengths of space into his own domain and coming across Blackbolt and the Royal Family of Attilian and the Kree (War of Kings). It's effects are imprinted on the blackness of space, unlike the fall apart of the Avengers, then getting together, falling apart again, the failing of the Initiative, Skrulls hardly being around after the invasion, etc. You don't get that kind of consistency with Earth-based books anymore, change happens just as much as stability. So seriously, check out the things that are happening in Marvel's cosmic storyline, you might find something you like, or something somewhat entertaining like hot alien messiahs and Raccoons that wield laser pistols named after Beatles songs and make friends with a giant tree (these characters do exist).
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