The New Avengers #42 *Secret Invasion Tie-in*

THE NEW AVENGERS #42
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILS: Jim Cheung
INKS: John Dell
COLOR: Justin Ponsor

PLOT:

The issue begins several months ago, with Jessica speaking with Nick Fury directly after Hydra offering a return to her powers in return for being a double agent and reporting on Avenger and S.H.I.E.L.D. activity. We then see Jessica on an operating table, being told how Hydra was able to replicate the genetic material that her father had originally created for her. After going under, the Hydra doctors reveal themselves to be Skrulls. What? I never expected this… Anyway, we then see a rather gruesome ceremony wherein the Skrull Queen is sheathed in a bloody cloth (the blood of Jessica Drew presumably) and absorbs the memories, powers, body, etc. of Jessica. Fast-forward to a secret Skrull meeting where they are discussing how to get Skrull-essica back under the S.H.I.E.L.D. payroll. Hey! There’s that Skunk-haired woman again! Also discussed are plans to switch out multiple Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and how to deal with the vibranium mines, the mutant population growth problem, and the super-powered community. The Skrulls also have a “Top Ten Hit List” of the most powerful superheroes. Tony Stark and Reed Richards, two of the most hated, will be “paying for their crimes on the Skrull world.” We then fast-forward to the attack on The Raft that brought the Avengers together and got Spider-woman inducted into the Avengers. Skrull-essica talks to Skrull-ank Pym about the Avengers and then meets Madame Hydra to discuss her “job” and payment. “Spider-woman” then has dinner with the Avengers, which involves some gaiety and an awkward moment when Skrull-essica asks where the Scarlet Witch is. We see a minor cat-fight between S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Hill and Skrull-essica, and then we end shortly before the battle at Genosha begins. The Queen tells Skrull-ank to kill the Scarlet Witch and that it will not seem out of the ordinary. The issue ends with a weird four panels where a burn mark increasingly spreads across “Spider-woman’s” image. This could be a reference to House of M.

REVIEW:

Heck yes! Another winning issue, but one that creates more questions than it solves. Did Hydra really contact Jessica about returning her powers, or was it the Skrulls all along? How much blood does it take for the Skrull-ceremony to take place? Are the Skrulls to blame for all the major events of the MU? Skrull women do not have a normal female anatomy? Well, I guess the last one makes sense.

This issue shows how much Bendis respects and takes care of Spider-woman. Fantastic writing, we see how Skrull-essica tries to fit in to all the facets of Jessica’s life; Jessica-Avengers, Jessica- S.H.I.E.L.D., Jessica-Hydra, and Jessica-Skrulls. At first I thought the Skrull Queen was trying too hard, but then I realized, that’s just how Jessica really is, and sometimes it is necessary to be dramatic and over-act to fit in to your surroundings (just not too much). Also, the less lies you tell in a certain situation, the less you will have to cover up or remember to say. The secret Skrull meetings had started out slow in past issues, but now I am starting to enjoy them and they really add to the mystery/story.

Now, the art. Kick a$ is an understatement in my mind! There were really great moments in this issue. The two-page spread of Spider-woman’s history is beautiful and takes several minutes to study. That’s how I like it. Cheung captures the secrecy of the Skrull meeting with his shadows, and he is able to make the Skrull-ceremony visually macabre. My favorite page is page 2. I just kept staring at it, and no, not because Jessica is naked. Cheung really evokes emotion in these panels. Look at the nervous look on Jessica’s face. She is naked in front of a whole slew of “Hydra doctors,” is about to undergo a pretty difficult surgery, most likely had to be shaved entirely (do you see the razor?), and will then be entering a very difficult job as a triple agent, and that look says it all. I do find it amusing that a well-placed word balloon, a small tray, and a larger surgery tray obscure any blatant-nudity. It reminds me of Austin Powers. Just like Bendis is able to capture the character of Jessica in his writing, Cheung captures her character in his art. To me, Jessica Drew is one of the more beautiful characters in the MU, but one that does not need a gaping neck-line or an excess of exposed-skin to show her beauty. Thank-you, Mr. Cheung

RATING:

4.8 Webheads out of 5. I am a little scared that I am rating these issues so high. Will the next be as good? To focus on the here and now, the writing is great, the art is beautiful, and Spider-woman is quickly climbing to being a favorite character. I made a banner for her because, who wouldn’t trust Jessica?

Reviewed by Your Friendly Neighborhood, Spider-Girl!