Secret Invasion #1

Forty-five years ago, the Skrull debuted as one of the most prominent extra-terrestrial races in the Marvel Universe. After years of half-assed, crackpot schemes to take over the earth (Including one that resulted in an entire planet of skrulls who adopted the personae of Prohibition era gangsters, I kid you not), the shape-changing Skrull have finally gotten their act together and launched a full scale infiltration of human society. Now anyone could be a Skrull, and the question Earth's heroes, as well as readers, must ask is "Who do you trust?"

Writer Brian Michael Bendis has apparently been sowing the seeds of this paranoid blockbuster for at least three years. Clues can be found in almost every major Marvel event from Secret War and House of M to Civil War and World War Hulk. But all this careful groundwork is just an extra attraction to a solid stand-alone story.

Secret Invasion opens up with apocalyptic passages from Skrull scripture, and proceedes deliver shocking twist after another. Marvel fans are sure to suffer several emotional punches to the gut as they find out who the Skrull are, and to what horrible lengths they're willing to go. As you mull over the events of this first issue, two questions keep coming to mind: "What happens next?" and "How long has this been going on?"

Bottom line: Believe the hype. This looks like the start (or middle, depending on your point of view) of Marvel's best crossover in years. Some people will call it a thinly veiled commentary on post 9/11 terror fears. Others will call it a Battlestar Galactica rip-off. To paraphrase Duane Johnson, IT DOSEN'T MATTER WHAT YOU CALL IT! This book is a damn fine read.