Secret Invasion #2 (of 8) – Review

By Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Leinil Francis Yu (pencils), Mark Morales (inks), Laura Martin (colors)

So, Secret Invasion #2. Heh, yeah. Where do I begin with this one?

After the first issue blew my mind, I was hoping for the momentum to keep going. Sadly, it does not. Sure, there’s plenty of fighting and Brian Bendis’ dialogue is top notch per usual, but are there any surprises? Not really. Most of what we’ve come to surmise or assume from the end of last issue’s confrontation comes to fruition. Those we thought were Skrulls are Skrulls and those we didn’t, seem to be the real deal. Of course, this can all change later, but so far everything that’s been revealed in this book has been quite predictable.

My problem with is that the story focuses too long on the Avengers and their dealings with the “dopplegangers” in the Savage Land. Were the story to shift around more like it did previously, I’d see the bigger scope of this event. But, because Bendis keeps the story confined, we’re given a small amount of reveals and perhaps too many pages of fighting. Speaking of action, it eventually moves back to New York near the end of the book, but what we’re shown is just another prelude to yet another battle. Oh, and the Skrulls who invade New York? As much as I can appreciate the concept behind them, they look utterly ridiculous.

Perhaps the thing that made me smile the most was the confirmation that Sentry is the biggest wuss in the Marvel Universe. God, he’s so annoying and completely useless as Marvel’s “Superman”. I keep hoping he’ll end up being a Skrull and they’ll have reason to kill him off, but alas, I don’t think that’ll be happening any time soon.

In the art department, Leinil Yu does another fantastic job on pencils, while Mark Morales makes the line work crisp and defined. Laura Martin also continues to shine with her vivid color palette. I can’t tell you how happy I am to see a book that’s not over-colored or covered in “moodiness”. I wish more Marvel books were colored like this.

Ultimately, Secret Invasion #2 will be better judged as a small cog in a big machine. But if you’re asking me to judge it on its merits alone, I’m going to have to say doesn’t match the intensity or fun of the first issue by any means, nor does it sit well by itself. (Grade: C+)

– J. Montes

A Second Opinion

I have to respectfully disagree with Jay. To paraphrase James Cameron, “If you don’t like this book, maybe you just don’t like comics.” Marvel comics anyway.

Sure, the plot doesn’t advance much in this issue, but these are not the “instant gratification” comics of our childhood. Bendis takes his time to build suspense and explore characters. Also, I admit, to get the full impact of the most important scene in the book, you have to have read the lousy, lousy Marvel comics of the 90’s, and remember a particular lousy, lousy character. It comes in the middle of the book, when Hawkeye encounters Mockingbird. He knows she’s a Skrull. We know she’s a Skrull. After all, Mockingbird is dead. But she is perfectly in character, and she knows a little, mind-blowing detail about Hawkeye’s private life that we’ve never heard before. So against all better judgement, he lets her live. He knows he’s going to regret it, but he simply cannot kill the woman he loves in cold blood. And does that make him a fool? Or a real man, with a real heart?

Oh, and by the way, those Skrulls who invade New York are totally awesome. (Grade: A+)

– Andrew C. Murphy