[Discussed in this post: Mighty Avengers #12-13, 18, Secret Invasion #4-5, Mighty Avengers #19, and Secret Invasion #6-7.]
These Secret Invasion posts were composed using the Secret Invasion reading order that I created earlier this year.
Okay, we're kicking this issue off with three Mighty Avengers issue that let us know where Nick Fury has been and what he's been doing. Alex Maleev does the art for two of the issues -- I totally forgot he did, so he does two more issues of Bendis's Avengers stuff than I previously claimed, oops. -- and these three comics are, by far, the best tie-in issues. These are the issues where you can tell that Bendis cared about what he was doing because he was working with Alex Maleev and Bendis does not fuck around with Alex Maleev. It's in Maleev's contract.
Mighty Avengers #12 has Nick Fury learn about the Skrulls and begin planning. #13 has Daisy Johnson recruiting various caterpillars to form a group Fury will train. #18 (the non-Maleev issue, but drawn by future Secret Warriors artist Stefano Caselli, so we're not upset) has the group of Young Howlin' Commandos kidnap Maria Hill because she's a Skrull. Each issue works as a whole. Each issue is compelling. Nick Fury is the man. These are the sort of tie-ins that works because they tell us how the surprise appearance of some characters works. None of that 'Oh, Billy was replaced by a Skrull on June 12, 1987' bullshit, because who cares? You could have told us all of those stories in one comic where each replacement got a page. Bam. Done. Let's rock and roll.
But, Nick Fury being a badass superspy and recruiting a bunch of young people that he can teach to be badass superspies and kill aliens? There's a reason why Secret Warriors is my favourite Marvel ongoing right now. And Jonathan Hickman is only part of it.
I hate the cover to Secret Invasion #4 as it depicts Nick Fury with three loser members of Young Avengers, those little pussies that he and his Howlin' Commandos save from execution. They're not worthy of sharing a cover with Nick Fury, dammit!
Issues four and five kind of advance the plot maybe? Nick Fury and company kick some ass and leave Ms. Marvel as a treat for the Skrulls. Agent Brand frees Reed Richards who invents a Skrull detector while Captain Mar-Vell blows up Skrull ships despite being a Skrull himself (see, Kree, Skrull, Mar-Vell is a traitor always!). In the Savage Land, Clint sponsors Mockingbird for Avengers membership and feels betrayed when it's revealed that she's a Skrull. He's so pissed that he says a bad word. Oh, and Maria Hill blows up the Helicarrier after admitting that Nick Fury was right. Even people who hate Nick Fury know he's the man.
Mighty Avengers #19 is a horrible piece of shit tie-in issue that adds nothing to any story anywhere. I mention it because I'm contractually obligated to do so.
Secret Invasion #6-7 is when big time fighting happens. Goddamn, nothing actually happens in this crossover. Yes, big fight qualifies as nothing since it's not a particularly good fight. Somehow, these impossible-to-defeat Skrull warriors now pop like waterballoons. What the fuck happened? Oh yeah, it's time for the good guys to win! Duh. Shit. My bad.
Also, Thor meets the new Captain America, and the new Captain America? Doesn't care, because who cares really? I sure don't.
In 30 minutes, I wrap this shit up before continuing to discuss two more Secret Invasion tie in stories. HA! You thought it was over? It's not over until I say it's over! HAHAHAHAHA!
(Also, MarkAndrew, a fellow Comic Should be Good blogger, did a great response post to the blogathon over there, so check it out!)
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
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