Secret Invasion: What was the point?

[ScottishFogg]

I just finished reading the Secret Invasion TPB, and for all hype, for all the "expect change" ads we saw . . . I'm left wondering what exactly was the point of it? Did anything actually change?

The story seemed to be a thinly veiled Battlestar Galacatica homage/rip-off.

Every character who was "revealed" to be a Skrull was replaced, in the end, by the real version -- thus negating any real big change. Jarvis was a Skrull? Don't worry, the real one's back, you won't miss him. Same goes for every other hero/supporting character.

At the end of the story, the Marvel Universe seems to be exactly the same as it was at the beginning of the story. So what exactly was the point?

 

[Spider-Jay420]

At the end of the story, the Marvel Universe seems to be exactly the same as it was at the beginning of the story. So what exactly was the point?

Except the heroes are now seen as failures by the citzens of Marvel and Norman Osborn is the man in charge beacuse Tony Stark has been forced out on his ass.

Other than that, eveything is the same

 

[Mr. Green]

Yeah, I don't think that there really needs to be a whole lot of change for it to be a good story. The "expect change" thing you mentioned actually said "embrace change" and was an ad referring to the Skrull invasion, not a change in the MU status-quo.

But I have to say, there actually was a good bit that's changed since SI. Osborn being top dog, SHIELD being no more, the Dark Avengers, Osborn's cabal of villains, etc.

 

[The Geek Vault]

The actual Secret Invasion mini itself I felt was rather weak and didn't really show a whole lot of change going on. But if you read some of the tie ins they really shown what SI coulda been! Black Panther SI for instance

 

[THANOSRULES]

The concept of secret Invasion could have been real cool.

EXCEPT instead of focus on the story at hand..it was all backstory..and the main story appeared like a disjointed battle.

Perhaps if we had a more cohesive main story, people would have been more interested in back story afterwards...like they are trying to do with House of M recently.

 

[Lucien]

After finally reading the main TPB I felt like the only point of the SI was to set up the evil Illuminati. For me it only gained any kind of depth with the tie-ins.

 

[Spider-Jay420]

Bendis said himself the whole point of SI was to set up the Dark Reign.

 

[THANOSRULES]

Bendis said himself the whole point of SI was to set up the Dark Reign.

Yeah just like all his years of setting up SI.

If he's saying that he's flat out nuts.

 

[Dread]

The point of SECRET INVASION? Many!

- To kill off the Wasp, because Marvel has decided that they had too many strong heroines in their universe, what with Scarlet Witch going from stable to psychotic victim and Tigra practically being pistol-raped by the Hood. Come to think of it, makes me think some woman broke Bendis' heart in his past, and now they all must pay.

- To portray the Skrulls, a race of shape shifting aliens, as being an incredible dangerous threat by having them invade Manhattan directly from spaceships with super-powered warriors like the Badoon.

- To set up DARK REIGN, just like DISSASSEMBLED was to set up HOUSE OF M, and that was to set up CIVIL WAR, which set up WORLD WAR HULK, which set up...see a pattern of neither crapping nor getting off a pot?

- To launch CAPTAIN BRITAIN AND MI-13, which is worth buying.

- To show us the tragedy of the New Avengers acting like a hodge podge team of reactionary nitwits who are too paranoid to trust each other, which is somehow different than past New Avengers stories because...um...it didn't involve ninjas. Oh, wait, Elektra, it sure did involve ninja. Then, hmm...

- To prepare for the inevitable election of John McCain by showing a clearly conservative megalomaniac exploiting a terrorist event to rise to power and fill his cabinet with corrupt maniacs who seek to destroy all that is good and just for their own power...wait, Obama won? On a platform of "change"? Democrats have a majority in Congress and have since 2006? Yeah, does seem like someone hedged a bet poorly in Summer 2008 at that creator summit, eh? The next few years will be interesting; since 2000, "government" has been shorthand for evil. If you wanted to easily write an antagonist for any fictional story in a comic, TV show or film, you could just use the horrifying Republican led regime; government agents, politicians, so forth. Easy PEASEY, who needs to think about it! But now with the modern Dem Revolution, writers may have to rethink their shorthand a tad. I would be surprised if another "evil government" story was coming in 2010 when DARK REIGN is finished. Unless, of course, they were willing to use the idea that both political parties are equally capable of greed, nepotism, and corruption.

- To showcase that even in the midst of an alien invasion, Bendis can write superheroes as being no less petty than scared first graders.

- To test the waters for $3.99 comics; considering SI dominated the sales charts, Marvel will have no reason not to hike prices more.

 

[Ikaris-Eternal]

"- To set up DARK REIGN, just like DISSASSEMBLED was to set up HOUSE OF M, and that was to set up CIVIL WAR, which set up WORLD WAR HULK, which set up...see a pattern of neither crapping nor getting off a pot?"

you do understand it is a periodical publication, right? All these "events" were just that - they are stories/plot points that are going to continue happening. There are going to be crossovers you like more than others, but there's not going to be one "ultimate" event.

and political metaphors don't require a current analog in reality. it doesn't negate the story's worth, and you probably won't see another "evil govt" plot in 2010, since they just did that.

 

[venom892]

The point of scret invasion was to get your money.

 

[GyLocke]

The point of SECRET INVASION? Many!

- To set up DARK REIGN, just like DISSASSEMBLED was to set up HOUSE OF M, and that was to set up CIVIL WAR, which set up WORLD WAR HULK, which set up...see a pattern of neither crapping nor getting off a pot?

You know it's like - i don't know - reading a comic book.
Something happens that leads to something else, which leads to something else, so you can come back month after month and read the new adventures of the characters and see WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

See also:
TV series

 

[BLACKVULCAN]

The point of secret invasion was to get your money.

HAHAHAHAHA! aint that the truth and unlike a super villain's plans Marvel succeeded at it.

 

[Fantasyartist]

I think the whole point of "Secret invasion" was more or less to remove the Skrull Empire as being any kind of threat to the Marvel Universe. I mean, look at how MANY times the Skrulls have had their asses kicked by the FF orr the Avengers- and after the debacle of Secret Invasion(which took YEARS to set up!), and has left the Empire a basket case, politically as well as militarily, surely someone in the Skrull Empire must say-"hey this planet is simply NOT worth the time and trouble!!!- let's leave these Terrans alone and maybe they'll reciprocate the favour!!!"

Or maybe the point was to show that Skrulls are not all collectively evil(some are even capable of compassion and humanity- pace "Laura Green"(Lyja) and are not that different to humans!

Terry

 

[SuperFerret]

"- To set up DARK REIGN, just like DISSASSEMBLED was to set up HOUSE OF M, and that was to set up CIVIL WAR, which set up WORLD WAR HULK, which set up...see a pattern of neither crapping nor getting off a pot?"

you do understand it is a periodical publication, right? All these "events" were just that - they are stories/plot points that are going to continue happening. There are going to be crossovers you like more than others, but there's not going to be one "ultimate" event.

and political metaphors don't require a current analog in reality. it doesn't negate the story's worth, and you probably won't see another "evil govt" plot in 2010, since they just did that.

You know it's like - i don't know - reading a comic book.
Something happens that leads to something else, which leads to something else, so you can come back month after month and read the new adventures of the characters and see WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

See also:
TV series

I think his point with that was to say that it's just the next in a series of shocker events meant to shift the status quo, which is kind of silly when you consider the fact that with all these world-shaking events, each new status quo never gets the chance to plant its feet before it's changed yet again.

I for one would like to see the eye of the hurricane.

 

[GyLocke]

I think his point with that was to say that it's just the next in a series of shocker events meant to shift the status quo, which is kind of silly when you consider the fact that with all these world-shaking events, each new status quo never gets the chance to plant its feet before it's changed yet again.

I for one would like to see the eye of the hurricane.

I like the status quo changing. Like a good TV show changes it every season, Marvel changes his every year. Some I like more than others. They ****ed up House of M and decimation something fierce, but the outcome of Civil War and the whole Illuminati thing was pretty fresh and interesting. Secret Invasion was so-so, but Dark Reign is really interesting. But at least I'm looking forward to what will happen, beyond the "which villain will raise his head next time".

Also: the status quos wouldn't seem that short, if it wasn't for the terrible decompression, but that's a completetly different problem. I've just read Invincible 60. More things happen on a more epic scale than in Secret Invasion, and it's just a double sized issue. It can be done. They could tell more then two or three stories a year in a title.

 

[SuperFerret]

Also: the status quos wouldn't seem that short, if it wasn't for the terrible decompression, but that's a completetly different problem. I've just read Invincible. More things happen on a more epic scale than in Secret Invasion, and it's just a double sized issue. It can be done. They could tell more then two or three stories a year in a title.

This I agree with.

 

[AndThePickles]

The actual Secret Invasion mini itself I felt was rather weak and didn't really show a whole lot of change going on. But if you read some of the tie ins they really shown what SI coulda been! Black Panther SI for instance

I completely agree. Almost all of the tie-ins were great, and the actual SI book itself was extremely disappointing.

 

[Artistsean]

It was fun and entertaining.
And I read a directors cut in Wizard, the whole "Embrace Change" thing was (I guess) meant to be about the change that was to come later in Dark Reign, where Osborn is in charge.
Also, just a fun idea, the "Embrace Change" thing could have been the Skrulls advertising to the public in hopes to get the public to side with the Skrulls.

I only bought the main book, I never go out and get all the tie ins.

 

[bryanss3]

I didn't read SI till after the TPB came out and honestly I don't see how anyone who wasn't reading at least the 2 Avengers books at the time could possibly know what was really going on. It's all over the place. Like lets say you haven't read a marvel book in a year and you're friend is like "Secret Invasion is awesome!" you go pick up the trade read it, guess what if you want to understand everything you probably have to buy 2-5 other trades. and the thing I really disliked about the story is that the Skrulls motives are all over the place within SI.

 

[Anubis]

If a friend told you it was awesome, then you're friend is probably an a**hole.

 

[bryanss3]

or he's 12. the Only people who really ever say anything like that have to cause they work for Marvel.

 

[The Englishman]

The actual Secret Invasion mini itself I felt was rather weak and didn't really show a whole lot of change going on. But if you read some of the tie ins they really shown what SI coulda been! Black Panther SI for instance

Agreed, the Tie-Ins were alot better, like Captain Britain & MI:13 which is an excellent book and nothing like Excalibur, SO BUY IT NOW!!!