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Thanks to the end - credits aspect inSpider - Man : Far From base , audience are thirstily look the possible action for the Marvel Comics storyline“Secret Invasion”to beadapted for the MCU . The story , about a foresightful - term alien invasion of Earth by Marvel ’s shape - shifting alien the Skrulls , is well - bonk among lover and has already been told in different character of media , notably in the animatedAvengers : Earth ’s Mightiest Heroes .
What is not so commonly known , however , is that a plot line very similar to “ Secret Invasion ” occur over a decade earlier in Kurt Busiek ’s God Almighty - own independent comic bookAstro City . Although Busiek , who has also pen amusing Koran for Marvel , took a different storytelling approach to his alien invasion narrative , the similarities between the two plot line are famed , specially when equate next to each other .
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Marvel Comics’ Secret Invasion
Marvel Comics ’ “ Secret Invasion ” ran in 2008 and worry an attack on the superhuman community after the Illuminati , a secret cabal ofEarth superheroes , attack the Skrull Empire and admonish them against any more flak on Earth . The Skrulls wangle to consider the Hero , however , and later on plot a more subversive invasion of Earth . After capturing and analyse even more superhumans , the Skrulls begin supersede notable heroes and vigilantes , including Spider - Woman , Hank Pym , and Elektra .
seed misgiving among the superhuman community , the Skrulls also establish attacks on superhero headquarters including the Fantastic Four ’s Baxter Building , and instigate a breakout at the supervillain prison house the Raft . While Earth ’s heroes manage to ward off the Skrulls , the distrust they create allows villain like Norman Osborn to be station in charge of powerful organisation like SHIELD , start the “ Dark Reign ” storyline .
Astro City’s Confession
While Marvel ’s “ underground Invasion ” was severalize through an eight - issue limited series and multiple necktie - in books , Busiek ’s earlierAstro Cityversion was much more streamlined and concise . In truth , the alien encroachment largely occurred in the background , asAstro Citystories be given to focus more on the personal drama of individual characters rather than big - scurf “ event ” storylines .
The main story was preceded by a undivided - matter story “ Reconnaissance ” inAstro City Vol # 5where a seemingly harmless honest-to-goodness man name Mr. Bridwell observe a street - floor hero sleep with as Crackerjack . Bridwell turns out to be an progress scout for the shapeshifting slipstream of aliens called the Enelsian . excite with find out if Earth is a suitable major planet for invasion , Bridwell almost originate sympathy for humans , but later grow so disgusted by them he beams a signal to his people to start an invasion .
The invasion began subtly in the storyline “ Confession ” which work for six way out from 1996 to 2000 ( due to yield wait ) . The main plot worry a young mankind named Brian Kinney who moved to Astro City , a berth famous for a enceinte superhero community ( much like Marvel Comics ’ New York ) . Brian plans to become a hero himself by apprenticing himself to an establish superhero , and ends up becoming the brother “ Altar Boy ” to a Batman - similar vigilance man known as the “ Confessor . ”
However , Brian shortly discover that superheroes are not always hope or held in high respect by the cosmopolitan public . In one of his early patrols , he learns that Crackerjack has been charge of intrust several criminal offense and discovers he ’s being impersonated by an Enelsian ( mayhap the same Mr. Bridwell who keep an eye on Crackerjack earlier ) . The Enelsian miss , but Brian later learns that other hoagie in the superhuman community are also being looked at with similar misgiving .
Since the story is told through Brian ’s eyes , he does n’t have it away everything that ’s going on – but it soon becomes apparent that the Enelsian are not only personate and replacing superheroes but are also replacing central politicians who then call for the superheroes ’ arrest . bad , they use unrelated consequence ( such as a mystical sequential sea wolf ) to sow additional discordance and distrust among the population . Eventually , Brian finds himself “ criminalize ” ( hinting at a similar plotline inMarvel ’s first “ Civil War ” ) and must make the difficult conclusion to continue as Altar Boy in this inimical climate or quit his superhero career .
Of naturally , the heroes eventually rally together and take down the Enelsian ( although , again , Brian only discover about this through 2nd - hand news sources ) . Brian ’s own story ends quasi - tragically with his mentor the Confessor sacrificing himself to expose the Enelsian plot of ground , only to be charge for criminal offence he did not commit .
In all equity , alien invasion story require shapeshifting stranger and human replacements have been happening long before“Secret Invasion”or “ Confession ” ( notably in classic science fable movies likeInvasion of the Pod People ) . Moreover , Busiek is a professional at key out and put his own spin on vulgar superhero and science fiction tropes , entail it was only a topic of time before hisAstro Cityplotlines precede those from other companies .
Nevertheless , it is singular that Busiek ’s earlier version of “ Secret Invasion ” contains so many similarities to the large Marvel event . If anything , the comparison shows you do n’t demand to have multiple tie - in books to tell a engrossing story as much as you need a virtuoso understanding of timeless storytelling .
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