MEANWHILE: Skrull Jones doesn't understand

REVIEW: Secret Invasion - 4

So we've hit the halfway point with Secret Invasion. But is it still the roller-coaster ride of previous months? Or is it starting to peter out a little?

***HEFTY SPOILER ALERT***

As you might expect after the cliffhanger ending of issue three (Nick Fury's entrance / Spider-Woman messing with Iron Man's mind) - the action picks up almost immediately, taking a quick moment out to link in some moments from the tie in books (The Sentry fleeing earth, Ms Marvel leaving a Skrull in space, Agent Brand in earth's atmosphere, etc), before throwing us into the heat of the battle in Times Square.

Nick's Commandos start kicking some ass and taking some names, and Phobos helps turn the tide of battle by turning the Skrulls against themselves. Not before Nick Fury blasts Ms Marvel into Skrull territory however.

Back in the Savage Land, Tony is still on the receiving end of Jessica Drew's mind-games, which are doing their job in making him believe that he could be a Skrull. The Black Widow provides a timely intervention in the shape of an injection of adrenaline, but Spider-Woman appears to escape...

Over in Times Square, a flash of lightening can be seen, and from the heavens the outline of Thor descends - all watched by Captain America from a distance... But which Captain America?

Happily - Bendis and Yu show no signs of letting up with Secret Invasion, once again delivering a golden example of good storytelling and excellent artwork. Every month that goes by is a testament to the sheer brilliance of this double-act, which I hope (perhaps vainly) will continue far beyond this series.

On a slight downer - I couldn't help but think that maybe it was time for the battle to change location. People are still fighting in Times Square and the Savage Land, and although this is only a few hours (or probably less) for everyone involved - its been nearly four months for us...

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(ongoing battle or no - still an excellent comic - recommended)

REVIEW: Avengers: The Initiative - 14

Woah. Looks like Dan was holding out on us with issue 13... This book's a complete belter. And when you read it alongside Mighty Avengers 15... Well... Damn.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Just as The Mighty Avengers did, the Initiative issue 14 takes a look at the work of the Skrulltastic Henry "Hank" Pym, and how he's been using his connections to get other Skrulls into some highly strategic positions. Strategic positions such as - one on every single fifty-state Initiative team.

Dan Slott has done a top notch job with this issue's script, making you wonder what he was upto a month ago, and why it took a tie-in to inject a little life into the book following the original team's departure.

That minor dig aside - Stefano Caselli crafts some truly magical scenes, leaving you genuinely surprised by some sequences, and truly impressed with his stylistic accomplishments.

A marked improvement, worthy of your cash.

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(much better than the previous issue - worth picking up)

MEANWHILE: No Skrulls here...

REVIEW: Ms. Marvel - 28

What an absolutely excellent issue.

One of the hallmarks of a good comic is how quickly you get through it without missing any dialogue. I absolutely consumed this book. Were there seconds available, I'd be coming back around now, reading plate in one hand, spoon in the other.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Brian Reed does a fantastic job of creating a truly memorable Ms. Marvel tale that sits in the heart of Secret Invasion, with Adriana Melo showcasing a truly wicked side of our heroine (a person who delights in the death of an enemy, and loves the heat of battle). Oh - and the ending? Well, if that doesn't bring you back for more - I'm not sure there's anything we can do for you.

Truly brilliant stuff.

Happily - I think I can safely carry on recommending Ms. Marvel for awhile...

Pete's Score: 5 out of 5
(brilliant - another perfect jumping on point for Secret Invasion - just like New Avengers 42)

REVIEW: The New Avengers - 42

Wow. What a stark difference to Final Crisis issue two.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Finally, Brian Michael Bendis has given us what we've all been crying out for - what happened to Spider-Woman, and what she's been upto since she became all Skrull-tastic.

To say that this issue has some surprising moments (the Skrulls' three main priorities for example) is an understatement. Jim Cheung effortlessly portrays some amazing moments, and some truly man-tastic scenes (naked Jessica Drew on a table).

Unsurprisingly - this is the best book in the Secret Invasion saga thusfar.

Pete's Score: 5 out of 5
(if you're looking for a good jumping on point to the Marvel Universe, and / or Secret Invasion - this is it)

REVIEW: The Mighty Avengers - 15

What a great book. Since the start of Secret Invasion, there's been a big old 'how did Henry Pym get swapped for a Skrull' question looming - and now, finally, its being answered.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Cast your minds back right to the dawn of the New Avengers, somewhere around the 'Breakout' storyline. Dr Pym is a lecturer on advanced genetic analysis, and his eyes fall on a girl... Janet and Henry break up, and naturally, our good Dr Pym runs to said woman's arms, only to learn (much later down the line), that he ran to a Skrull...

As you might expect, Bendis does a truly fantastic job on the script. He interweaves plot moments from past issues of The New / Mighty Avengers effortlessly, and showcasing the more sinister intent of Henry, as he has been drifting through storylines almost unnoticed.

John Romita Jr (in partnership with Klaus Janson and Tom Palmer) does nothing less than you would expect in delivering a truly brilliant book, including a particularly grim moment in a student bedroom (you'll know it when you see it).

Event in its spinoffs - Secret Invasion isn't stopping to take a breath. It's just ploughing on - creating quality all the way.

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(very very very close to being a full score - thoroughly recommended in every sense)

REVIEW: The Incredible Hercules - 118

Firstly, if you've read my last Incredible Hercules review, you'll already know that I'm pretty impressed with how the series has been going so far. But how does issue 118 shape up?

***SPOILER ALERT***

Pretty damn bloody well, that's how!

Happily, Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente don't show any signs of letting their excellent storytelling up, ensuring that issue 118 delivers some of their best scriptwork to date. Rafa Sandoval once again pencils the issue beautifully showcasing some truly amazing twists and turns as Herc's rag tag team travel through the dreamland, encountering a pretty crafty Nightmare...

Now, you might have noticed that this review is a little bit short. And, to be honest, there's a reason for that. This book has a truly fantastic Secret Invasion moment in it - a true surprise that is genuinely brilliant. And if I made this review any bigger... Well, I'd be tempted to let you know what it is.

Take my word for it - pick this book up.

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(a brilliant continuation of the Sacred Invasion, with a truly killer twist)

REVIEW: Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust?

Just to get it out of the way - Who Do You Trust was very nearly a five out of five. But in even allowing myself to think those words, I had to immediately draw a comparison to the five out of five 'yardstick' - Walking Dead 48 - which made me knock it down a notch. But only a tiny one. If I had a four and a half score - this book would be getting it.

But I don't. So a four it is.

As for why it's a four...

***MAJOR SPOILER ALERT***

...that one will really speak for itself. Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust is a collection of five short stories focusing on the sub-plots and fallout of Bendis' epic crossover.

Five short stories, each with five potentially huge questions hanging over their heads.

Story one - Captain Marvel seemingly falling into line with the Skrulls, perhaps as part of a larger plan to 'save' earth?

Story two - Agent Brand, lost in the vacuum of space, pondering which of the objects around her will mark her end, all the while thinking back over recent events - slowly unravelling the clues that were always right under her nose...

Story three... I'll come back to in a moment.

Story four - Marvel Boy - building an army of his own from Cube prisoners? Certainly something big going down there...

Story five - the reappearance of The Agents of Atlas. And a mightily nasty reappearance at that. Never let it be said that heroes in the Marvel Universe don't know how to get their hands dirty. Dirty, in this instance with Skrull body parts. Grim just doesn't cover it. Think Mars Attacks, and you'll be along the right lines.

Now - each of those stories deserve high scores in their own rights, but story three - 'Skrull' Beast (Hank McCoy) and Wonder Man... That's potentially epic right there. If, and it's a big if, Hank has been away on 'Skrull island' for as long as it appears - then there are some pretty bloody monumental happenings about to go down over in X-Men.

Who has been looking for a 'cure' to House of M again and again, and always 'failed'? None other than... Hank McCoy.

I've learned to never trust what I see on the page in front of me until multiple sources confirm it - but - man alive... This could be massive - no?

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(potentially - this issue has setup a year's worth of quality comic books, and possibly a huge X-Men showdown - buy this book)

REVIEW: Secret Invasion - 3

Secret Invasion has up until now, been a brilliant rollercoaster ride - keeping fans and casual readers happy alike. But now that issue 3 is out, is the series starting to drag a little?

Hell no!

Issue 3 offers up some of the tastiest treats so far, with utterly superb artwork from Leinil Francis Yu, and a twisting, turning rollercoaster of a script delivered by Brian Michael Bendis.

***SPOILER ALERT***

The issue starts off on the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier, with Jarvis (of all characters) requesting agent Hill's full and total surrender, and quickly runs over to Captain Marvel throwing Venom halfway across Colorado before sitting down over a drink with Norman Osborn.

Interest piqued much?

Battles shift between locations throughout the issue, but ultimately come to rest in Times Square, with heroes falling left right and centre (including a grisly death), until a forgotten friend steps into the limelight to battle the Skrulls...

As you might expect, this issue is a great book - but its impact will be lessened to those not picking the series up monthly. It is however, a perfectly good book to get you up to speed on where things are at the moment - so if this is your first Secret Invasion book - you'll be well looked after.

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(well worth the price of admission)

REVIEW: The New Avengers - 41

Now here's an interesting little book. Secret Invasion has piqued my interest over the past few months, and has managed to keep me pretty hooked in between issues thanks to excellent complimentary storylines within books like The Mighty Avengers, Ms Marvel and in this case - The New Avengers.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Remember waaaaaaaay back in issue 6 of The New Avengers, the team travelled to the Savage Land, only to see a bunch of rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. agents strip mining vibranium?

It was one of those dangling plot lines that Bendis had left in the back of readers minds - and now it looks like we know why. They were Skrulls ladies and gentlemen - damn dirty Skrulls.

Most of issue 41 is told in flashback from the perspectives of Shanna The She-Devil and Ka-Zar, around the time of the Breakout storyline. The issue fills in some interesting gaps - all of which will make you wonder about the next issue of Secret Invasion - and just how far back Bendis has been laying seeds in the Marvel garden...

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(Bendis doesn't fail to deliver - and Billy Tan reminds us all why he's such a brilliant artist)

REVIEW: Fantastic Four - 557

Brilliant...! I was getting a little worried about the Fantastic Four after Mark Millar / Bryan Hitch's last issue, but happily - book 557 has put many of those fears to rest.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Issue 557 picks up right where 556 left off, giving the closing act of 'World's Greatest' - with the FF and pretty much the entire Marvel U mopping up Alyssa Castle's mistake - the rampaging CAP.

Needless to say, Reed twigs CAP's one and only weakness pretty quickly, and does his best to exploit it with his Anti-Galactus suit. Yes - you read that right - his Anti-Galactus suit.

That could have come in handy a little while back eh?

As with the previous three issues, this book serves well as a stand-alone story. Unlike the past issues however - this issue has a mini-link in to Secret Invasion - blink and you'll miss it.

This issue also requires that you read the Mighty Avengers issue 11 beforehand...

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(much better - recommended - should be an interesting next issue with that cliffhanger...)

REVIEW: The Mighty Avengers - 14

You can tell a comic is a good read when it inspires debate for 3 days after reading it. I picked this book up on Saturday, and I've been locked in a battle of possibilities with my brother ever since.

***SPOILER ALERT***

In a nutshell, this book gives an insight into how the Skrulls deal with the Sentry during Secret Invasion - namely by sending him more than a little off the deep end, bringing him face to face with his inner demon - the Void. Oooorrrr, rather, the Skrull version of the Void.

A pretty nasty insight into the ways Skrulls work - but a damn fine read nonetheless. Now - here's where the 3 days of debating comes in. Right at the start of this book, there's an explosion in outer space. The Sentry gets kicked into touch by an exploding Skrull ship, and wakes up in the Baxter Building.

Later in the book, after the Sentry goes a little bat-crazy and flies off into space, he spots something strange in what appears to be the ring around Saturn. Right here is where we begin to have different opinions.

My opinion: The Sentry sees 'the Void' in the ring of Saturn (where his mind has placed him), is horrified by the fact that he still exists, curls up into a ball and is consumed by him - then rockets back to earth to save Lindy (who I'm pretty sure is already dead - but that's another story).

Dave's (my brother's) opinion: The Sentry has been a Skrull all along, but isn't aware of it (a-la Captain Marvel), and he's horrified to see his true self in the rings of Saturn, where he's been all along (for reasons yet to be disclosed). A Void then returns to earth, to look after Lindy.

I'm pretty sure I'm right - but then so is Dave. What do you think? Add your comments below to let us know!

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(anything that gets you talking as much as this issue will, is worth $2.99 - recommended)

REVIEW: Captain Britain and MI13 - 1

Hell yeah! Not only is it about time I review a book all about a british superhero (or team of, in this case), but it's about damn time they gave Captain Britain something useful to do.

What a damn fine character Marvel have had on their hands for years. From the moment his fate was taken over by Chris Claremont (see the wonderful 'Captain Britain' trade), we knew he was going to be something special.

Sadly, of late however, he's been a little too typecast in the 'big lug' roles all to often seen in comics. Luckily, Captain Britain and MI13 issue 1 looks like it's about to change that.

***SPOILER ALERT***

So, as it would appear, John Lennon (according to this issue) has been alive for years, locked away in a basement somewhere in Britain. Well, rather, the Skrull version of him has, and at the opening of this issue we find that the current plans for Secret Invasion don't include his presence...

Unsurprisingly, the Skrulls are attacking Britain as part of their (now not-so) Secret Invasion. Surprisingly however - they appear to be attacking it en masse, and going after something very specific - the Siege Perilous.

The very heart of Britain's magical powers.

Leonard Kirk offers up some fantastic artwork for this first issue, crafting some truly brutal sequences onto the body of Paul Cornell's excellent script - making this one of the best first issues I've read in a long time.

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(ties in directly to Secret Invasion issue 2 - and is the perfect 'jumping on point' for anyone unfamiliar with Captain Britain as a character)

REVIEW: Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four - 1 of 3

***SPOILER ALERT***

Been wondering what happened when the Baxter Building disappeared during the first issue of Secret Invasion? Well wonder no more - this mini-series is going to tell you everything you need to know...

Issue one opens with a short prologue, telling the backstory of how Sue Richards was replaced by a Skrull (which could easily have been nicknamed / subtitled as: "how an alien posing as my husband almost used his extra terrestrial probe on me"). Soon after, the story jumps straight into the middle of Secret Invasion, allowing us to watch a different angle of the disappearing skyscraper, and a brief conversation between Johnny and Skrull-Sue.

After a few 'transition panels', Skrull-Sue confirms that the Baxter Building was (in part - only the top half) transported over to the Negative Zone. And - not just your average Negative Zone - but a sector of said zone that's filled full of giant bug like aliens (perhaps best described as a cross between big old spiders and something close to the Breed), all baying for the blood of The Thing, Franklin and little Val. So as you might expect, a fair old bit of 'running away from giant bugs' goes on throughout the book.

Bugs aside - an interesting question presents itself as the book reveals some of the finer details within its plot. "Does the Skrull agent that marooned Johnny, Ben, Franklin and Val have some kind of connection to the Fantastic Four...?"

I'll leave you to find out the answer to that one however (which is revealed on the last page of the book), as it's a doozy.

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Barry Kitson both do grand jobs of fleshing one of the sub-stories around Secret Invasion, keeping you interested enough to keep turning pages, and almost certainly coming back for issue 2.

Whether this is just a good start to a potentially mediocre mini-series, or the beginnings of something truly special however - remains to be seen...

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(one to watch - should give some interesting insights into the larger storyline within the Marvel U)

REVIEW: Secret Invasion - 2

It's here - issue 2 of Secret Invasion is out - and just how does it measure up to the shock ending of issue 1?

***SPOILER ALERT***

Well - it isn't a huge surprise to hear that it's another powerhouse issue, with an excellent script from Bendis and spectacular artwork from Yu - but what does comes as a surprise is the sheer weight of nostalgic heroes that have emerged from that crashed spaceship.

Doing a really quick rollcall we have: The Invisible Woman, Iron Man, Phoenix, Scarlet Witch, Ms. Marvel, Emma Frost, Captain America, Vision, Luke Cage, Wolverine, Mockingbird, Spider-Man, Hawkeye and Thor - all with a funky 70s styling to them - all confusing the pants off both groups of Avengers.

As you'd expect, with that many skrull-perheroes and superheroes staring at each other, a bit of a shakedown kicks off. At the end of the fighting, there is one (possible) confirmation that a 70s hero (or heroine) isn't a Skrull, but I won't spoil that reveal for you - as it's a genuinely warm moment in the book, giving one Avenger some much needed good news.

Most of the story focuses on the Savage Land confrontation - but the tail end of the book showcases the beginnings of the not-so-secret-but-rather-all-out Skrull invasion, with a mother ship landing just outside of the Baxter Building and introducing the earth to the new Super Skrulls...

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(as I've come to expect from any recent Marvel crossover - this book delivers in all areas - recommended)

REVIEW: The Mighty Avengers - 13

Well - if you read my review of The Mighty Avengers issue 12 - you would already have known...

***SPOILER ALERT***

...that we've finally found out where Nick Fury has been hiding himself for the past year or so, and why. Nick found out all about the Skrulls on earth, and decided to start doing something about them...

Now - if you've read The Mighty Avengers issue 12, and are feeling pretty '@$£& yeah' about Nick's ideas - you might want to check out The New Avengers issue 40 before reading this issue, as it may very well put a bit of a spanner in the works for the ex-head of S.H.E.I.L.D...

But anyway - this issue carries on with Nick's quest to save the earth, watching how he (through Daisy Johnson) assembles a surprising team of 'unknowns' to combat the impending Skrull threat, banking on the fact that as he was the only one to ever know about them, they well definitely be human.

Risky gamble to take in the first place - but even more risky when you learn that one of the 'unknowns' is none other than the son of Ares - Phobos, the god of fear (who also happens to be ten years old).

It's obvious from the outset that these heroes are going to be asked to lay everything that they have on the line, with the very real possibility of losing it all in the process.

Something big is on the horizon...

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(the saga of "what Nick did with his time away" is essential reading for anyone who wants the full story behind Secret Invasion) 

REVIEW: Secret Invasion - 1 of 8

***MAJOR SPOILER ALERT***

I've been waiting for this book for a long time. I started reading the New Avengers in trade paperback a couple of years back. If you read between the lines in 'Breakout', you'd know that something was going on - but you wouldn't know exactly what. Lots of questions asked - but no answers forthcoming.

Fast forward a couple of years to the New Avengers: Illuminati mini-series - and we get some gaps in Marvel history filled. Iron Man, Mr Fantastic, Namor, Professor X, Black Bolt and Doctor Strange manage to @$£& off the Skrulls big time by traveling to their homeworld and warning them off ever trying to invade Earth.

The Skrull Empire (as any evil alien empire would do) thank them for their time and effort, and then promptly capture the heroes, prod, analyze and inspect them from head to toe. Iron Man and the rest of the Illuminati obviously escape - but only just - leaving behind the data gleamed from the skrulls tests on our heroes...

Skipping forward a little further to New Avengers 31 - at the culmination of a huge battle between the outlawed heroes and The Hand (think Japanese ninja mafia and you're halfway there) - Elektra is killed.

Or rather - the skrull who was posing as Elektra is killed.

Since then, skrulls have been popping up everywhere in the Marvel universe - all leading towards this mini-series...

So have Bendis, Yu, Morales and Martin created an awe inspiring start to a potentially catastrophic mini-series, or simply had a mediocre bash at the first book at an over-hyped crossover?

Well - thank @£$% - they've made something brilliant.

If you've been reading Marvel like I have for the past year or so - you'll have been wondering what's going on for quite some time. Civil War made sense - but just didn't feel quite right, Captain Marvel's reappearance to look after the off world prison was all too convenient, and (even though I personally don't think it's part of this storyline) - Captain America is dead for heaven's sakes!

This first book has some fantastic artwork, some amazing sequences involving SHEILD, and an ending that will keep you wondering about possibilities right up until the moment the next book comes out...

Thoroughly recommended.

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5

(a great start to what will hopefully be a fantastic crossover for Marvel fans)