Secret Invasion…Is Anyone Who They Say They Are?

If Infinite Crises is set to be DC’s big gun of ’08, then you can call Secret Invasion the cannon of Marvel’s flagship. Set to be primarily an eight issue limited series with lead-ins and tie-ins to be found in the pages of Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, and Avengers: Initiative, this story is primed to have serious repercussions throughout the present, future, and even past Marvel.

THE PLOT

The beginnings of this story is more than likely going to be found waayyy back at the end of the Kree/Skrull War when the Illuminati (a group of heroes secretly representing the Earth and the superhuman community….consisting of Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Black Bolt, Dr. Strange, and Prof. X) traveled to the Skrull Empire to confront the Skrull Emperor. They attacked the capital city and threatened war if the Skrulls returned to Earth, but in their arrogance they were captured and experimented on. They manage to escape but not before the Emperor received the data he wanted.

Fast forward to last year when, during a battle between the Hand and the New Avengers, it was revealed that their leader, Elektra, was in fact a Skrull in disguise! Beyond the initial thoughts of the possibility of DareDevil sleeping with a Skrull (my initial thought, at least), the suspicion that anyone could be a Skrull leads to a high level of distrust between the New Avengers….even to the extent that Spider-Woman steals the Skrull body to take to Tony Stark.

Of course shocked by this revelation, Stark places Spider-Woman on the Mighty Avengers team and hastily reassembles the Illuminati group one last time to inform them of this new threat. But to the surprise of all, Black Bolt reveals himself to be a Skrull and attacks the group with the help of two other super-powered greenies! Soon defeated thanks to the ingenuity of Iron Man, the remaining members decide they can’t trust one another and then goes there separate ways.

INTERESTING TIDBITS

Ok, according to interviews with Brian Michael Bendis (who is writing this series), this Secret Invasion has been in the works for years….since Avengers Disassembled. He also stated that Secret War and New Avengers #1 are two pivotal stories leading up to this. Story wise, the Annihilation story that took place in 2006-07 is the main reason that the Skrulls will be upping their invasion plans, since they are now without a home world.

ROLL CALL-SKRULL STYLE

Here’s the known people shown to be a Skrull so far.

Elektra-Discovered by the New Avengers after her death. (Poor DareDevil!)

Black Bolt-Discovered by the Illuminati. (no wonder the Hulk beat him in WWH!)

The Revolutionary-Revealed in Avengers: The Initiative, Annual #1

An Unknown Camp Hammond Resident-Also revealed in Avengers: The Initiative, Annual #1

Irving Griffin-Feature Editor of the Daily Bugle

FINAL THOUGHTS

 Personally, I’m more excited to read Final Crisis but this is definitely one I will be reading so keep your eyes glued to The Comic Corner for continued updates on this upcoming mega-event