The big 3! Together again for the first time since before Avengers Disassembled! Except one of them’s not the original guy, which takes the fun out of it. Bucky’s Captain America suit was designed by Alex Ross, whose every superhero costume design basically looks the same. He did a Spider-Man when he was getting movies (Unsolicited and unwanted, as I recall), and some X-Men for the Grant Morrison relaunch that were also rejected. Here’s some of those next to his Bucky Cap:
It’s very predictable. Cap and Spider-Man are nearly identical. This issue, Christina Strain hops in to help Laura Martin and Emily Warren on colors. Again probably due to this comic starring 5000 people. Including Noh-Varr, who we haven’t seen in ages.
It’s Noh-Varr’s superhero origin story.
That “embrace change” mantra was a big part of the marketing for the middle of this event. It felt to me, at the time, like this should’ve been a status quo, like the Initiative, instead of an event, like Civil War. The Skrulls won. They successfully infiltrated world governments and sidelined the Avengers and whoever. It felt like we should live with that awhile. It felt like the Skrulls had kinda earned it, storywise. But instead we just get some talking heads on TVs like this and move on. At Camp Hammond, Hank Skrull is talking to another Skrull about how they’ve more or less got it all locked down, except for their Mar-Vell Skrull going AWOL and not hearing from the Savage Land. Then Veranke shows up and tells them Reed Richards has gathered the heroes and they’re probably heading here. Hank Skrull says if they have the Wasp with them, victory is certain. Veranke says “as a last resort.” But what did they do to Janet?
Look at everyone playing nice! But Janet stops short because they all see the invasion force above New York and all the damage that’s been done to it. Down on the street, protesting college students have arrived. They’re all for the utopia the Skrulls are bringing, and trying to go show their support. They find a Skrull over a cop’s objections, and it doesn’t speak English and gets mad, and then the cop shoots at it, which is always a great idea.
One of those kids called the cop a fascist earlier, and I think we were supposed to be like “tut tut, the folly of youth,” but like… Anyway, Thor is zappin’ up some Skrulls, and the leaders don’t seem to have planned for him, which is weird. But Veranke says this, too, was written, and to gather the troops. Bendis always had this problem where, if he centered a story on a prophecy, it would be WAY too specific. Every time. “I say unto thee, Thor shall appear in issue 6, but ye shall be ready for him.” anyway, Thor meets a familiar mask.
Somehow, an explanation of “he loves you” that is both predictable AND disappointing? How do you do that? Impressive, almost.
Hey, look, it’s everybody. And just for good measure…
It’s everybody again! A GALACTUS Skrull? That’s pretty ridiculous. Well, everyone’s ready for the big showdown, and we got two whole issues left. But before that, it’s tie-in time.