Best Shots Extra: Secret Invasion #7

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Lenil Francis Yu
Inks: Mark Morales
Colors: Laura Martin
From: Marvel Comics

The Skrull hits the fan this week as a whole lot of pent up rage and anger is finally let loose as the heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe make a stand in the heart of New York City to stop the invasion force once and for all.

For the most part, the issue read in a fairly straightforward manner and again the timeline of this series seems to be less than a day, which is important point when reading this series. The methodical manner that writer Brian Bendis utilizes to tell this story, while not single issue friendly, sure does pack a lot of story between the pages from panel to panel.

Realizing that there is a battle raging around them, Bendis is wise to make the conversations between characters brief but succinct. I’m sure there will be a lot of people who are irked by the Watcher’s appearance, but I thought it was appropriate that he arrived as a result of the Parker luck, better known as Murphy’s Law. I especially enjoyed the quick exchange between Norman Osborne and Nick Fury establishing their relationship and distaste for one another while they fight side-by-side.

There are no major revelations this issue as Bendis chooses to mainly focus on the battle as it unfolds. The tide of the battle takes a drastic turn when Noh-Varr arrives on the scene and apparently making up his mind about his future. Yet, it is the actions of Clint Barton this issue that is the real scene-stealer as he makes the shot of his life with some unexpected consequences.

With all the action and characters flying across the pages Lenil Yu does a capable job of handling the art, but at times the action seems disoriented. The manner in which Yu renders Skrull-Pym’s fall was expertly executed as he masters the large shots well this issue. It is in the smaller panels where the art does suffer at times. Of all the scenes presented this issue I thought Yu handled the Watcher’s appearance with the appropriate gravitas that the scene required. Helping to sell Yu’s art, Laura Martin wisely mutes the colors of the background fighting in the larger panels to focus the reader’s eye on specific elements of the scene, while inker Mark Morales gives the forefront figures a greater line weight to help them stand out.

With only one more issue to go Secret Invasion rolls full-steam ahead with all the action and none of the characterization, which is fine as Bendis had the previous six issues to handle that task. I may be a bit harsh on some of the ancillary stories that are being told outside of the main title, but as an event Secret Invasion has been working for this reader.