NEW AVENGERS #43
What did the
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Size: pages
Price: 2.99
This review contains spoilers, click here to read
Ugh. That was a stinkeroo. Let's review, shall we?
Two issues ago (NA #41), we saw Spider-Man being flung from the head of a Rampaging T-Rex during the chaotic skirmish between the modern and 70s versions of Marvels heroes in the Savage Land. The Amazing Spider-Man was unable to stop himself from smacking into a tree and falling all the way to the ground... even though we've all seen him save himself from far worse a bazillion times before. But that's neither here nor there. Spidey ran into Ka-Zar and Shanna and learned about their adventures infiltrating and battling the Skrulls who invaded the Savage Land. Then, all three of them were shocked to see a very angry "Captain America" stride into their midst. Frankly, I didn't think it was a great story and I wasn't very intrigued by the Captain America cliffhanger. I mean, did any of us believe for an instant that he wasn't Skrully to the core?
New Avengers #42 didn't revisit the storyline at all. Instead, we got a pretty cool story about how Spider-Woman got Skrullified. That was also To Be Continued and presumably, they'll continue it in New Avengers #44? I'm confused.
Anyway, this issue continues with the Captain America cliffhanger from NA #41. Cap and Spidey each think the other is a Skrull... WHO'S RIGHT????? Oh yeah, Spidey is. Because we already saw his Skrull-doppleganger get squashed by the T-Rex a long time ago. (I can't even remember where that happened. Was it a Secret Invasion issue or a New Avengers issue?) And because we just KNOW that the real Cap is dead, dead, dead. So, there was zero dramatic tension in all the "I'm not a Skrull... you're a Skrull!" dialogue. Naturally, a fight ensues. Captain Skrullmerica holds his own for a bit, although he throws his shield to break Shanna's spear and his shield DOESN'T COME BACK TO HIM. I thought that would be a plot-point at least... a tip-off to the other combatants that this wasn't the real Cap, but no one mentioned it. Also disappointing, was Spider-Man's characterization. In this issue (and NA #41), he's portrayed as completely useless, as opposed to the wisecracking but comptent super-hero we've come to know and love. Everybody got the drop on him. Skrull-Cap easily outclassed him in their brief battle and Shanna SNEAKED UP BEHIND HIM AND HELD A KNIFE TO HIS NECK. Come on!
We learned something else this issue: apparently, that chain-mail material that Cap wears on his upper body? Just for show. A good blow-dart will penetrate that stuff like it was tissue paper. That, plus another blow-dart to his face, puts Skrull-tain Capmerica (thought I'd mix it up this time) down for the count and he starts foaming at the mouth and babbling. Then, we get to see his uninteresting backstory. He was really a Skrull soldier who volunteered for the suicide mission of subverting his mind to "become" Captain America. Then he, and a bunch of other Skrulls who have subverted their minds to become the heroes they're impersonating can crash-land in the Savage Land and mess with the real heroes to re- re- re- re-emphasize the fact that these heroes don't know WHO THEY CAN TRUST!!!! In a flashback, the Skrull Queen actually says something like, "We're doing this because the only way to defeat them is to demoralize them. That way, even if we lose -- which we won't -- they'll be messed up forever more!!!!" Crappity-crap-crap-crap.
O.K. As you can tell, I didn't love the story. What about the art? Well... I liked it better than the story! I don't know. I'm not the greatest judge of art, but this felt very rushed to me. More so than NA #41. Billy Tan drew both issues and #41 seemed to be more polished and professional, while #43 seemed to be scratchy and hurried (even with the old trick of using the same panel multiple times to sell a story beat).
So, I can't recommend this issue. It is skippable to the max. I've gotta say that except for a couple issues of Mighty Avengers and New Avengers (specifically, the Hank Pym and Jessica Drew issues), Secret Invasion isn't doing a lot for me. I'm hanging on, but my hope for a great story is diminishing.
Art: 2 - Average
Okay, that explanation for what’s going on with the skrull heroes actually sounds kind of cool. Probably not enough to make me buy this book, though.
Yeah, it definitely sounds cooler than it is. In the book, it feels more like a way to inflate the importance of the Secret Invasion story to readers: "Yeah, sure, the Skrull Invasion is going to be put down by the heroes eventually. But they’ll never trust again." That just isn’t very gripping or even interesting.
I wasn’t a big fan of the execution of the Civil War event, but it really was a game-changer for the Marvel Universe. I don’t mind a bit if Secret Invasion isn’t that kind of radical shift — in fact, I’d prefer it to be finished when it’s finished. But I think Brian Bendis WANTS it to feel as big and as important as Civil War was. So, we get the Queen saying, "Even if we lose, we win!" It just doesn’t ring true.
Glad I decided to skip this.
Nice review. I liked your comments on Spider-Man. I didn’t read this issue, as I’m avoiding most SI related books at the moment, but your description of him in this book would have mad me angry with Hulk like rage.
Painful. Unless Bendis has some plan for the Skrullheroes, which he probably does, this seems like the biggest waste of issues ever. See the heroes we all know are Skrulls and thus don’t care! See the backstory! We still don’t care.
Thanks, Neb. And AndyLawler, you got it just right. In fact, I think you said it better and more succinctly than I did in my review!
Solid review. These were roughly my sentiments after reading it as well.