Secret Invasion #1

It’s been many years, but Secret Invasion was a solid event Marvel put on. Skrulls had infiltrated the superhero community and more creating a level of paranoia that perfectly captured the time it was released. Throughout the event you were left guessing who was indeed a Skrull, not knowing what would be revealed and who might be a traitor or even return! Secret Invasion #1 continues that tradition with another Skrull infiltration. The why or for what remains a mystery but it does a good job of capturing the original event’s fun.

Written by Ryan North, the story has Nick Fury investigating a Skrull “invasion” which spins into something so much more. What’s great is that the issue does what that event so many years ago did well, it taps into today’s zeitgeist. There’s the paranoia of who can you trust but North puts a rejection of reality front and center. It’s hard to not read particular scenes and immediately think of those today who reject the reality of elections and science. North taps that to kick things off but it’s a small slice of what’s to come. The unknown is what made the first event fun and looks like this one will follow in that path.

The art by Francesco Mobili is solid. With color by Jordie Bellaire and lettering by Joe Caramagna the art delivers the paranoia of the story. Small details tease what and who you can and can’t trust bringing a visual tension. There’s also a horror aspect at times as Skrulls are revealed in a “jump scare” on page that delivers dread as to what will happen next.

Secret Invasion #1 is a worthy successor to the event of the same name. While it hits a lot of the same beats to start, it’s fun and entertaining capturing today’s reality. Where it differs will be key and it’ll be exciting to discover that as well as who we can and cannot trust.

Story: Ryan North Art: Francesco Mobili
Color: Jordie Bellaire Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.3 Overal: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle