It's not everyday that a seemingly-insignificant issue becomes thread-worthy. But the new issue of New Avengers is definitely worth commenting on, especially since Marvel touted it as leading towards the Big Event of 2008.
This issue sees the conclusion of the New Avengers vs. Elektra and the Hand battle. Doctor Strange doesn't die, but Elektra seemingly does at the end...until it's revealed that she's actually a Skrull in disguise. This is supposed to be the huge reveal, because supposedly nobody knows the ramifications of this reveal.
I can, and I really don't like where things are headed if it's what I think it is. Essentially, this is supposed to imply that there are many more Skrull on Earth, all in disguise. The question they want fans to ask is, if one could impersonate Elektra, who else could they be impersonating? The answers could border on infuriating and mind-bogglingly stupid.
Marvel has essentially given itself a deus ex machina device. If something seems out of character, they can just claim it was a Skrull in disguise all along. Has Iron Man been too much of a douchebag over the years? It was a Skrull in disguise! Is Gambit's re-appearance in X-Men not going over well? It was a Skrull in disguise! Is Aunt May really dying in the hospital? No, it was a Skrull in disguise! Did Captain America REALLY die? Well...yes, that one actually did happen. But you can see where I'm going with this.
I haven't had this feeling since the Clone Saga. This plot device could wear out its welcome fast.
The Wisdom of Homsar: DaAaAa, these Easter pants are gettin' way too tight!
It also doesn't make any damn sense, because if you read Annihilation (and you should have, damn it), then you'd know the Skrull empire is in the shitter right now. Their throneworld was eaten by Galactus a few years ago, and any Skrull who could raise a small army was fighting for the crown. Then Annihilation happened, and the entire remanants of the Skrull empire were either destroyed or subjugated by Ravenous. So how, exactly, is there a massive Skrull conspiracy on a planet that is fundamentally unimportant to current Skrull events? Man, it's bad enough when Bendis refuses to pay attention to past continuity. Now he's not even following current continuity.
Regardless of Annihilation, it is still plausible that they planned this long ago, with Skrulls in disguise on Earth for some time.
Nevertheless, we don't know for sure where this is going, so it doesn't do much good to complain or get excited at this point.
As far as this being used to erase some mistakes by Marvel over the years, who knows? I always thought a good way to put the genie back in the bottle would be to eventually merge the Ultimate and 616 universes. Maybe if the Ultimate line runs out of steam in a few years, just have a big crossover where the universes are merged, "Crisis" style.
Dean! Have you been shooting dope into your scrotum? You can tell me! I'm hip!
I would not read the Ultimate line for years until I slowly lost interest in the direction pf the majority of 616, and wanted something different. So I devoured the trades and back issues to get caught up, and now I read them all except Ult. Fant. 4 (I dropped when Mike Carey took over). So I agree, they hit much more than they miss, especially compared to 616.
Dean! Have you been shooting dope into your scrotum? You can tell me! I'm hip!
I'm in the camp that believes Marvel has screwed their universe and continuity so royally over the last few years that it would take some kind of massive reset like 'everyone is a Skrull' to get things back on track. Tony Stark and Reed Richards suddenly becoming pseudo-villains, Spider-Man's identity being public knowledge, Captain America dead, the Avengers split into factions, the all-star "new" Avengers, Sentry becoming the dominant power in the MU, and 40 years of continuity being shat upon by overrated writers like Bendis.
Have loads of people be Skrulls, have Loki or Scarlet Witch cast some spell to make everything 'normal,' or maybe get someone other than Joe Q as head editor.
POST LEVEL RECOGNITION EDIT: hey, I've made the 4400!
I am not a Bendis apologist, but I would not call him overrated. To me, he is just out of his element writing superheroes. His crime stories, such as Torso, Jinx, and even Alias and Powers were great, but never made me think, "This guys should write every superhero book for Marvel!" It would be like putting someone like Paul Chadwick, or the Hernandez brothers on JLA or Superman. It just doesn't fit.
I would love to see him go back to that those kind of stories, where he made a name for himself as a unique writer in the 1st place. His wit, and knack for one on one dialogue has never seemed suited for something like Avengers, or a big company crossover.
Dean! Have you been shooting dope into your scrotum? You can tell me! I'm hip!
Originally posted by It's FalseMarvel has essentially given itself a deus ex machina device. If something seems out of character, they can just claim it was a Skrull in disguise all along. Has Iron Man been too much of a douchebag over the years? It was a Skrull in disguise! Is Gambit's re-appearance in X-Men not going over well? It was a Skrull in disguise! Is Aunt May really dying in the hospital? No, it was a Skrull in disguise!
Yes and when Star Wars does the same lame and stupid thing by explaining everything and anything by saying, "it's the force" all the same geeks think it's the most genius thing ever.
Originally posted by It's FalseMarvel has essentially given itself a deus ex machina device. If something seems out of character, they can just claim it was a Skrull in disguise all along. Has Iron Man been too much of a douchebag over the years? It was a Skrull in disguise! Is Gambit's re-appearance in X-Men not going over well? It was a Skrull in disguise! Is Aunt May really dying in the hospital? No, it was a Skrull in disguise!
Yes and when Star Wars does the same lame and stupid thing by explaining everything and anything by saying, "it's the force" all the same geeks think it's the most genius thing ever.
WHAT?
When does this happen? Your argument's pretty off base here.
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I also don't think Doug Adam's "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is too much for a 13-year old, and he might really enjoy the humor in it. I agree that this is one that can be re-read and appreciated more as he gets older.