The Secret of the Wednesday’s Haul

It’s pure superhero melodrama. Well, it’s modern superhero melodrama meaning that all the characters argue and fight amongst themselves without even knowing what the full and real threat it.

But before we talk about the story, let’s talk a bit about the artwork. Leinil Yu looks a lot different when he’s inked by someone else, doesn’t he? On his recent stint on New Avengers with the artwork produced directly from his pencils I believe, the lines are heavy and dark. Combined with the dark and murky coloring, it gives the book an oppressive feel as those heroes have spent the last year or so on the run from the law. While his figure work is obvious here, inker Mark Morales gives his pencils a more traditionally super-heroic mood, bringing a lot of tight lines and definition to Yu’s artwork.

I’ll admit, when a story is set in the Savage Land, you’ve already got me about 50% invested in the story. For some reason, I think the Savage Land is the coolest place in the Marvel Universe. It’s the land that time forgot and yet there’s this modern Tarzan (Kazar) and his bride and sabretooth running around. Unfortunately, they’re nowhere to be seein this issue. Instead, the mystery of the Skrulls just gets deeper and more complicated as a Skrull ship crash lands in the Savage Land and older versions of a number of heroes (mostly Avengers) walk out.

The problem with a lot of Brian Michael Bendis’s writing is that he often gets too clever. And when he gets too clever, he gets clunky. Describing the probable Skrull invasion to Reed Richards and Hank Pym, Tony Stark says, “Because this is just the beginning. I know it.” Really, you know it, eh? Do you know it the same way you’re a futurist or does it have something to do with that funky armor of yours, Tony? “I know it.” Stark may know things but there are few writers that can adequately pull off this super-intelligent, future-seeing Stark with an air of authenticity.

A few pages later, Spider-Woman, now working for the Mighty Avengers, calls and tips off the New Avengers about the Skrull ship in the Savage Land. Obviously this is something that Iron Man wouldn’t approve of so what does she do? She makes the call right in front of the Avenger’s butler Jarvis, a long time employee and friend of Tony Stark. Maybe that helps explain why she was a lousy secret agent who couldn’t figure out what side she wanted to be on.

Somehow though, I don’t know whether it’s easy to overlook those Bendis-like lapses in logic or if they’ve just become such a regular part of his Avengers stories that we just accept them blindly. These strange little moments have peppered his run on both Avenger titles– these little strange inconsistencies and chunky dialogue that remind you that you’re just reading a super-hero comic book. I don’t remember his Daredevil or even Ultimate Spider-Man having these weird lapses of logic.

Those Bendis storytelling ticks are what prevent Secret Invasion #1 from being a perfect popcorn comic. It’s good and entertaining but also infuriating at a few points due to sloppy storytelling and chunky dialogue. I wonder why those dialogue problems never really show up in Powers?

Secret Invasion #1
Written by: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciled by: Leinil Yu
Inked by: Mark Morales
Colored by: Laura Martin
Lettered by: Chris Eliopoulos

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