By Brian Reed (writer), Lee Weeks (pencils), Stefano Guadiano with Butch Guice (inks), Jason Keith (colors)
This issue picks up with a battalion of Kree soldiers on the SHIELD Helicarrier deck ready to attack Captain Marvel. Iron Man does his standard warning spiel, but it’s no use. A fight breaks out and the twist comes when the two men realize these aren’t Kree soldiers – they’re Skrulls!
The story then gets back it’s more intriguing subplot, the Church of Hala – an organization (or cult), that’s been on the rise since Captain Marvel’s return. They see him as a god of sorts, and it’s creeping out a lot of people, including a journalist for The Pulse newspaper who’s gone in undercover to investigate their motives. Meanwhile, the SHIELD agent who’s been investigating Captain Marvel infiltrates the Church and stumbles upon a corpse of a prominent Church figurehead only to discover he’s a Skrull!
I like how Brian Reed has interwoven Captain Marvel’s story line with the Secret Invasion threat. In fact, this series has done more to facilitate the Secret Invasion story line than any other Marvel book – and it’s fascinating, not to mention well written. Lee Weeks does really strong work with this issue. His art gels well with Reed’s script. I just wish he’d draw the covers, too – I prefer his art over Ed McGuinness any day.
While other heroes languish, debate, and fight amongst themselves when it comes to who’s a Skrull, Mar-Vell wastes no time getting to business. The end of this book leaves us with a hell of a cliffhanger. And it’s about time a character in the Marvel universe questions why super heroes are always coming back from the dead! We now have a good answer, too.
I’m usually not keen when it comes to mini-series, but Captain Marvel, much like last year’s Namor mini-series, is a great story that actually affects continuity. Highly recommended. (Grade: A)
– J. Montes