This month, the gang is flying home in stunned silence. It’s Spider-Man, of course, who asks if no one’s going to talk.
Uh-oh!
And INVASION plan, you say? I don’t really remember the timeline, but I think this was a surprise. I don’t think we yet knew that the 2008 mega-event was going to be Secret Invasion, about Skrulls having infiltrated all corners of Earth life. And I don’t even know how many people at Marvel knew, at this point, but Bendis later revealed he’d been planning this since the first issue of New Avengers. Without telling anyone, even his editor. So literally anyone could be a Skrull, and some people very much are, and Bendis has the whole thing mapped out, and he’s just been waiting to announce it to everyone. This is the most ingenious setup for an event that has ever been, and likely will ever be. And it all starts with the shocking revelation of Skrull Elektra. Wolverine goes down the list explaining why everyone on the team can’t be trusted. Clint turning up alive after being blown up. Jessica already a triple-agent. Echo a former enforcer for Kingpin. Spider-Man uncharacteristically revealing his ID on television. Luke Cage changing his entire life and lifestyle, married, dad, Avenger. And not often seen with Iron Fist, his best friend. Logan says it’s suspicious Doc Strange was missing during Civil War, and that he knows it’s weird that he himself seems to be everywhere at once.
On top of all the crazy weather, suddenly both engines give out. The New Avengers really have a hard time with planes.
That Spider-Woman has attained Erik Larsen proportions. You really think we’ve moved past this, and suddenly it’s back. Spider-Man crawls out of the plane and covers the front of it in webbing, trying to add a sort of cushion, as Danny finds a golf course and tries to hit it without killing everyone.
Everyone goes flying everywhere as the plane splits into pieces. No one’s in much condition to do anything. Except the one who bailed out.
And Spider-Woman steals the body! Another pretty shocking ending. This was a wild arc, top to bottom. And now, I think, we should have a look at those Mighty Avengers.