Secret Invasion #4
Secret Invasion continues from Secret Invasion: Front Line #1…
The Skrulls have launched an invasion on Earth. With the planet’s defenses crippled and its heroes stretched thin, Skrull leadership reminds its soldiers that victory is all but guaranteed. This is no idle boast as the Skrulls have taken Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards) of the Fantastic Four, their greatest foe, prisoner. In Earth orbit, SWORD director Abigale Brand floats helplessly in the void as a Skrull armada arrives. She has less than 10 minutes of air left in her environmental containment field.[1] The Sentry (Bob Reynolds) has been tricked into thinking the Void is back and now flees the Earth.[2]
Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers) arrives in Manhattan to find reinforcements for the battle in the Savage Land. Unfortunately, she discovers the entire city is under siege and is soon swarmed by an army of Super-Skrulls.[3] However, she soon finds Nick Fury’s new Secret Warriors — Quake (Daisy Johnson), (Jonathan) Druid, Hellfire (J.T. James), Phobos (Alex Aaron), Slingshot (Yo-Yo Rodriguez), and Stonewall (Jerry Sledge) — fighting off the alien hordes and helping members of the Initiative and Young Avengers get to safety. Once they have evacuated the injured, Fury orders a tactical retreat. When Ms. Marvel tries to join them, Fury assumes she is a Skrull and shoots her with his massive cannon. She lands in a mass of alien invaders. As she is swarmed, the Skrull who has been posing as Yellowjacket flies by at ant-size and smiles as she is overwhelmed by invaders.[4]
Meanwhile, in the Savage Land, the New and Mighty Avengers went to investigate a Skrull prison ship that landed in the region. It contained apparent Skrull abductees, however nobody was sure who was real and who was a Skrull impostor. A matter made more complicated when a rampaging dinosaur split them all up. However, one of the Avengers, Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), has revealed to Iron Man (Tony Stark) that she is Veranke, the Queen of the Skrulls and is now trying to convince him that he is a Skrull as well.[5] Stark, whose armor has been compromised by a Skrull computer virus, is very unwell and is susceptible to her suggestions.
They are being watched by the Black Widow (Natasha Romanov), who is preparing to shoot “Spider-Woman”. Unfortunately, her cover is blown by Phoenix and the Beast and she ends up shooting them instead, revealing them to be Skrull impostors. This momentary distraction allows “Spider-Woman” to get away, leaving Tony Stark behind. Seeing how out of it Tony is, Natasha injects him with adrenaline to get him back on his feet. Stark is uncertain of his true identity, but Natasha knows he’s not really a Skrull and that Veranke was working him over. She points out that as one of the few people on the planet smart enough to repel their invasion, the Skrulls don’t just want to kill him, they want to humiliate him as well. This doesn’t entirely convince Iron Man, but when the Widow asks who he’d prefer to kill, he tells her that he wants to destroy the Skrulls.
That’s when Natasha hears a noise from behind and opens fire again. This time she ends up shooting Wolverine (Logan), whose healing factor makes bullets practically useless against him. Uncertain if he’s the real deal or a Skrull, she asks him to repeat the code word she established with him earlier. Convinced that this is the real Wolverine, Natasha says they need to get Tony out of the Savage Land. Stark agrees but needs to finish a replacement suit of armor that has not been compromised. He says that they will also need Reed Richards, but they have no idea where he might be amid all the chaos.
At that moment, Abigale Brand has managed to drift toward a Skrull warship and forces her way in through the airlock. Snooping around she finds a monitor room which shows images of the invasion happening on Earth. The sight of all the carnage and destruction causes Abigale to shed a tear. That’s when she sees one of the displays showing where they are keeping Mister Fantastic prisoner. She is then caught by two Skrulls, one aims his gun at her and begins barking orders in the Skrull language.
Back on Earth, the SHIELD helicarrier has been scuttled in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle thanks to the Skrull computer virus. Deputy Director Maria Hill was about to evacuate her crew when they were greeted on the flight deck by a Skrull who has been posing as the Avengers butler, Edwin Jarvis.[6] “Jarvis” and his Skrull allies have come to accept Maria Hill’s peaceful surrender.
In Brooklyn, members of the Hood (Parker Robbins)’s gang are watching the invasion on TV at their hideout. His right hand man and cousin John King asks Parker what he thinks they should do. Robbins points out that if Earth falls to the Skrulls it would be bad for their criminal empire and orders everyone to assemble.
In Central Park, panicked New Yorkers are trying to flee the invading horde. When all seems lost a bolt of lightning streaks from the sky and takes out one of the Super-Skrulls. When people look up, they see Thor, the Asgardian god of thunder. His arrival is also observed by the new Captain America (James Barnes), who also enters the battle.
… Secret Invasion continues in Mighty Avengers #16.
Recurring Characters
Skrulls (“Spider-Woman”, “Edwin Jarvis”, “Phoenix”, “Beast”, “Wonder Man”), Mister Fantastic, SWORD (Abigail Brand), Mighty Avengers (Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, Black Widow, Wonder Man, Sentry), Secret Warriors (Nick Fury, Quake, Druid, Hellfire, Phobos, Slingshot, Stonewall), Initiative (Gauntlet, Annex, Red 9, Sunstreak), SHIELD (Maria Hill), Hood’s Gang (The Hood, John King, Blood Brother, Madame Masque, Thunderball, the Wizard), Spider-Man, Vision, Wiccan, Wolverine, Thor, Captain America
Continuity Notes
The Skrulls launched their invasion back in Secret Invasion #1, obviously. Richards capture happened that same issue. As was the destruction of SWORD’s space station.
Frightening the Sentry into fleeing was a key component to the Skrull invasion plan, as detailed in Mighty Avengers #14. He was scared off last issue.
Carol was sent into the city last issue as well. For more on her activities in Manhattan see Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #29-31. Here we see various magazines fluttering in the debris. One of them shows the arrest of Doctor Doom. That happened in Mighty Avengers #11.
Yellowjacket was revealed to have been replaced by Skrull in Secret Invasion #1. His capture was documented in Mighty Avengers #15. The Skrull who took his place did so prior to the events of House of M #1.
The woman who appears to be Spider-Woman is actually the leader of the Skrull invasion, Veranke, as we’ll learn next issue. In New Avengers #42, it is revealed that she took the place of the real Jessica Drew in Giant-Size Spider-Woman #1.
Jarvis was also revealed to have been replaced with a Skrull in Secret Invasion #1. Per New Avengers #42, this impostor replaced the real Jarvis just before New Avengers #1.
The two Avengers teams have been aware that the Skrulls were up to something in New Avengers #31 and Mighty Avengers #7, respectively. The Skrulls launched their long planned invasion last issue.
Topical References
Some of the magazines seen in the debris are copies of Time Magazine and Newsweek. This should be considered topical because these are real world publications.
Secret Invasion Reading Order
Prelude:
New Avengers #31, Mighty Avengers #7, New Avengers #34, New Avengers: Illuminati (vol. 2) #5, Secret Invasion: Prologue #1
The Invasion
Secret Invasion #1, Mighty Avengers #12, New Avengers #40, Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #1, Secret Invasion #2, Mighty Avengers #13, Captain Britain and MI13 #1, Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #1, Mighty Avengers #14, Incredible Hercules #117, New Avengers #41, Secret Invasion #3, Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust? #1, Captain Britain and MI13 #2, Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #2, Incredible Hercules #118, Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers #1, Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #2, Avengers: The Initiative #14, Mighty Avengers #15, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #28, New Avengers #42, Secret Invasion: Front Line #1, Secret Invasion #4, Mighty Avengers #16, X-Factor (vol. 3) #33, Incredible Hercules #119, New Warriors (vol. 4) #14, Avengers: The Initiative #15, She-Hulk (vol. 2) #31, New Avengers #43, Thunderbolts #122, Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #3, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #29, Black Panther (vol. 4) #39, Secret Invasion: Front Line #2, Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #3, Secret Invasion: X-Men #1, Secret Invasion: Inhumans #1, Secret Invasion: Thor #1, Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers #2, Captain Britain and MI13 #3, Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #4
Fighting Back
Secret Invasion #5, Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #4, X-Factor (vol. 3) #34, Incredible Hercules #120, Secret Invasion: Amazing Spider-Man #1, New Warriors (vol. 4) #15, Nova (vol. 4) #16, Avengers: The Initiative #16, Mighty Avengers #17, She-Hulk (vol. 2) #32, Black Panther (vol. 4) #40, New Avengers #44, Thunderbolts #123, Secret Invasion: Front Line #3, Deadpool (vol. 4) #1, Secret Invasion: X-Men #2, Secret Invasion: Inhumans #2, Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers #3, Secret Invasion #6, Ms. Marvel (vol. 2) #30, Secret Invasion: Thor #2, Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #5, Mighty Avengers #18, War Machine: Weapon of SHIELD #33, Deadpool (vol. 4) #2, Secret Invasion: Amazing Spider-Man #2, Nova (vol. 4) #17, Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #5, Avengers: The Initiative #17, She-Hulk (vol. 2) #33, Black Panther (vol. 4) #41, New Avengers #45, Thunderbolts #124, Deadpool (vol. 4) #3, Secret Invasion: Inhumans #3, Secret Invasion: Front Line #4, Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #6, Guardians of the Galaxy (vol. 2) #6, Mighty Avengers #19, War Machine: Weapon of SHIELD #34, Secret Invasion: Amazing Spider-Man #3, Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #7
The Final Battle
Secret Invasion #7, New Avengers #46, Thunderbolts #125, Secret Invasion: X-Men #3, Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #6, Nova (vol. 4) #18, Avengers: The Initiative #18, Punisher: War Journal (vol. 2) #25, War Machine: Weapon of SHIELD #35, Secret Invasion: X-Men #4, Secret Invasion: Thor #3, Secret Invasion: Inhumans #3, Secret Invasion: Front Line #5, Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #8, Secret Invasion #8
Epilogue
New Avengers #47, Secret Invasion: War of Kings #1, Secret Invasion: Requiem #1, Secret Invasion Aftermath: Beta Ray Bill #1, Secret Invasion: Dark Reign #1, Avengers: The Initiative #19