Secret Invasion #7 (of eight) (Marvel – Bendis / Yu / Morales / Martin)
THIS IS IT!! The Marvel Universe versus the Skrull Empire – a battle of unity and spirit the likes of which the Earth has never seen. The comic event of the year starts its shocking conclusion.
The best way to describe this issue is that it is simply one huge battle scene. Everyone who’s anyone in the Marvel Universe has showed up to battle the Skrulls… if you look close enough you can even see the Griffin. Story-wise, there were actually some biggies that happen here. First, The Watcher shows up (letting everyone know this is of significance… yes, Bendis we caught that already). Score some points for the heroes, Noh-Varr (Marvel Boy) shows up and in a very Thor-esque moment telling the “Skrull hordes” that their invasion is over… and Clint picks up a bow foreshadowing a return of Hawkeye. The Skrulls got some points too; they now have Jessica and Power Man’s child and they activate what seems to be a last ditch fail-safe weapon within Janet Van Dyne (The Wasp). She has grown gigantic and is electrocuting everyone around her as her “sting” is out of control.
I have to give Marvel credit, Secret Invasion is head and shoulders above some of their more recent “cross-over events” and all books in the MU point toward this (unlike DC and Final Crisis) and every book with a Secret Invasion label seems to actually deal with Secret Invasion (who remembers the World War Hulk book of Ghost Rider or X-Men that had nothing to do with the main series?). This is very, very solid.
The only real issue that I have heard fans have with this are those that can’t connect with the unique pencil styling of Leinil Francis Yu. I for one, can really dig Yu’s take on perspective and placement and I beleiev the talent shines in an issue that is almost all combat.
Issue grade: A
