Prologue

Secret Invasion continues from New Avengers: Illuminati (vol. 2) #5…

Several Weeks Ago….

After surrendering at the end of the superhero civil war, Captain America (Steve Rogers) has been seemingly killed by an assassin’s bullet on his way into court.[1]

The news of Cap’s death plays on a the TV at a bar full of SHIELD agents. One agent goes off on a rant about how everything has gone to shit and blames Nick Fury for the state of things.[2] One of his colleagues tells him not to have this conversation here because Timothy “Dum Dum” Dugan, one of Fury’s most loyal operatives is sitting at the bar. However, the loud mouth thinks that Dugan agrees with him, that Captain America died because Fury wasn’t around to prevent it.

Dum Dum grows furious and throws his bottle at the TV, shattering it, then storms out of the bar. Dugan then returns to his houseboat so he can mourn the loss of his friend. When he hears the front door rattle open, he quickly pulls out a shotgun, just in case it is one of SHIELD’s enemies. It turns out to be none other that Countess Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine. She has just returned from a mission in Madripoor and wants to confirm if the news of Captain America’s death is true. Dugan regretfully tells her that it is.

Valentina wonders what they are going to do next and asks if Dugan knows where Nick Fury is hiding out because she is now worried for his safety. Dum Dum swears he doesn’t know. The Countess believes him and decides that it’s a good news, bad news situation then. When Dugan wonders what she means, she suddenly pops three claws from her knuckles like Wolverine and stabs him in the gut. Dugan drops his weapon and falls to his knees as the “Countess” generates an optic blast that takes the fight out of him. As Dugan struggles with consciousness, “Valentina” — actually a Skrull infiltrator — shapeshifts to assume his identity. This “other Dugan” tells Dum Dum not to worry because he loves him….[3]

… Secret Invasion continues in Secret Invasion #1.

Recurring Characters

SHIELD (Dum Dum Dugan (real & Skrull impostor)

Continuity Notes

1. This story follows the events of Civil War #1-7, wherein the Super Human Registration Act (SHRA) was passed into law. Captain America was among the heroes who did not support the new law and went to war against those who did. When he realized the American people supported the SHRA, he surrendered. On his court date, Steve was seemingly killed by an assassin’s bullet in Captain America (vol. 5) #25. In reality, he was hit with a chronal bullet and is living his life in a loop. He will be freed from this purgatory in Captain America: Reborn #1-6.

2. At the time of this story, Nick Fury had gone AWOL just prior to the civil war after it was discovered that he staged an illegal coup in Latveria. See Secret War #1-5.

3. Dugan ends up a prisoner of the Skrulls until he and other captives are freed in Secret Invasion #8.

Publication Notes

• This prologue was never printed as a stand-alone story. It was offered as a Marvel Digital exclusive on the marvel.com website. It was also included in all Trade Paperback editions of the baseline Secret Invasion limited series.

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