Invisible Woman Is A Skrull? And Secret Invasion Musings

Man, if this stuff actually comes to pass...

I mean, can you imagine?

Again, I have several important questions:

1. What timeframe are we talking about for these Skrull replacements? Are we talking like post-Kirby, pre-Secret Wars? Or just some s**t that happened five years ago? Because the impact this is going to have on the Marvel Universe (to say nothing of the Merry Marvel Marching Society) is going to be contingent on what length of time we're talking about.

2. Could there be some of the replacements walking around at the same time as the originals, just at different places? (This could answer the age-old question of how Wolverine could be in so many damned books at the same time)

3. Are the originals still alive? What state are they in? Will they feel as if in a time warp like Captain America? Are we going to get a lot of those battles where two versions of the same character are beating each other senseless?

The last question brings up another interesting point:

In the DCU situation, various versions of the same character more often than not end up joining the same club and sipping tea together (Fanboy Superman Prime an exception).

But in this Marvel event, the reasons for the extra versions of the character in question are sinister and confrontational.

If we try to see Secret Invasion -- if it lives up to its hype -- as Marvel's "Crisis"-level event, it is one that can potentially deal with the sorts of inconsistencies in characterization and continuity that plagues older characters by classifying them as "fake" history in a way due to the Skrull infestation. Then the younger, more "pristine" versions of these characters can reemerge.

If this indeed happens, then I do consider Secret Invasion to be Marvel's "Crisis."

And frankly, if it does not happen, I would be rather disappointed.

More Skrull Promo Stuff: Oh, Boy...

So if Cage is a Skrull, when do you think it happened?

Also, is this whole Skrull thing going to be like a "Sleeper Cell" scenario where even the Skrull agents don't know they are Skrulls until a certain time when they are "awakened?"

Geez, I'd really hate to see the Jessica/Luke thing turn out like that...I mean, Iron Fist has the more screwed up origin, I'd assume he'd be one first.

Assorted Marvel News

First, the latest Marvel skrull promo to make its way into my inbox:
Perhaps to make up for the lack of Marvel info at WonderCon, Marvel conducted an impromptu press call yesterday to announce a bunch of news:

* The upcoming Cable series will be a "sci-fi spaghetti western" and definitely takes place in the current X-men continuity.
Cable really isn't the big mega-star he used to be, is he? I mean, I remember when he was like in the top 5 Marvel superheroes. Maybe that will change?

*Garth Ennis will be making his final Punisher arc, and Tim Bradstreet will depart with him.
Will certainly be the end of an era, but maybe it's time for new blood on the title, so to speak. Jason Aaron?

* The Hulk is definitely not coming back to The Incredible Herc book. Fate of puppy still up in air.
Good, I like that it's Herc's book. Killing the puppy is just mean tho.

* Fantastic Four with Bryan Hitch is penciled through #562, and will (gasp!) come out on schedule.
Must have had him working on this book way in advance. Which is how DC got Jim Lee's "Batman: Hush" out on time. Maybe there is a lesson in this for editors.

* Apparently the cover of Guardians Of The Galaxy #2 is so controversial it can only be spoke of in whispers.
Maybe it's a shot of Vance Astro with a really big package. Painted by Alex Ross.

* Matt Fraction's Invincible Iron Man will have "more variant covers than you can shake a stick at."
Oh boy I hope some have holograms.

* The next Dan Slott Spider-Man arc in May will have...

"..Something that all of the Spidey readers – the guys that love us right now, and the guys that hate us right now have been asking for.”

Return of MJ?

*Hulk #4 is apparently some really big patooties -- with the shocking reappearance of an old character and a supposedly awesome battle.
As long as Jeph Loeb stops doing those scenes where everything looks normal and then you turn the page and the Hulk jumps out of nowhere. That works on film, not so much in comics (especially if you have to turn the page).

And the latest rumor on teh internets is that Amadeus Cho is really Red Hulk -- what do you think? I thought it was Doc Samson.

Oh, and I saw those "Invaders" preview pages with Cap and the rest -- it's like the same creative team as Project Superpowers (crossover?). Nice stuff.

And I've been hearing some faint rumblings about events in Skrull Invasion...all I have to say is, if those rumors are true, "oh my God." And that's all I'm going to say. Wow. A lot of people will be writing in their blogs.

I'm done writing in this one -- for this post at least!

(Howard the Duck is really a Skrull -- that would explain how he looked in his last miniseries)

Dark Phoenix Is A Skrull (here we go again)

But c'mon, did we ever really trust Dark Phoenix to begin with? The Skrulliness might be an improvement.

Hercules Is A Skrull??? (I Give Up)

I don't know if anybody is familiar with that old Abbott and Costello routine, "Who's On First," where Costello completely gives up at the end and throws his hat down.

On the other hand, Horn paints a rather fetching Hercules. As a Skrull.

Marvel Promo Art : Hawkeye Is A Skrull???

Okay, this is starting to be funny now.

Hawkeye as a Skrull I could believe, actually. I think anybody with a messed-up history from the last 5 years is a Skrull. How 'bout that?

Marvel Promo Art: Wolverine Is A Skrull???

C'mon, ya gotta love this.

Tho really, after all this Skrull promo art, some of these characters really ought to turn out to be Skrulls.

Occasional Links: The Paintball Avengers Edition

Fabian Nicieza -- Man Of ACTION!


I just wanted to tout my former boss at Acclaim Comics Fabian Nicieza's new book from Moonstone, Captain Action. It seems like a wonderful new twist on a classic toy concept, and will most probably be a big success.

Now I must climb into my time machine and travel back to 1997 so I can tell Fabian how I promoted his future book and get a promotion.


The Few. The Brave. The Paintball Avengers Brigade.

"There's one of a few of the other Paintball Avengers...me(Cap), Spider-man, Black Widow and the Vision. There's a few with my 2nd attempt at the round shield, made of pizza pans...and one also of my first attempt, made out of a saucer sled."

Hey, I heard that in an effort to make writing superheroes easier for Bendis, the Avengers will lose all their powers and will be given paintguns. Is this true?



Things That Make Hulk Angry (You Wouldn't Like Him When He's Angry)


Here is a list of the 117 times David Banner was driven to "Hulk Out" on the classic TV show.

My favorite:

17. Receiving a lethal injection, and then having the person say, "Oh. I just gave you a lethal injection. Sorry, David."


The Coming Of Red Robin


Yes, the long-awaited first appearance of the new Red Robin has finally happened in the DC universe! In fact, I've stumbled upon what must be a viral website of sorts promoting his debut!


The Skrull Invasion -- Thwarted!
Yes, that's it, story over -- no more Skrull Invasion.

Yay!
Video: Learn To Dance Like The Cool Kids


How To Do The Cabbage Patch