Title: Secret Invasion
Author: Brian Michael Bendis
First published January 1, 2009
284 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9781846534058 (ISBN10: 1846534054)
Rating: 3.68
Overview
In the first installment of Andrea Camilleri’s thrilling Sicilian crime series featuring Inspector Montalbano, The Shape of Water takes readers on a journey to the seedy underbelly of Vigàta. Once a grazing ground for goats, the Pasture is now home to drug dealers and prostitutes of every kind.
When the body of engineer Silvio Luparello is discovered in a compromising position, two employees of the Splendour Refuse Collection Company are thrown into the middle of a deadly game. The coroner’s ruling of natural causes is highly unusual for Sicily, leaving Inspector Montalbano to unravel the truth and solve this gripping mystery.
About the Author
Meet Brian Bendis, a comic book writer and artist who has achieved critical acclaim in the industry. With five Eisner Awards under his belt, he is one of the most successful writers in mainstream comics.
For over eight years, Bendis’ books have consistently ranked in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Although he started out as a writer and artist for independent noir fiction series, he gained notoriety for his work on Marvel Comics’ superhero books, specifically Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis made his first foray into comics with the “Jinx” line of crime comics in 1995. This line has since produced several graphic novels including Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out.
Bendis is currently writing the film adaptation of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Charlize Theron set to star and produce.
In addition to Jinx, Bendis has worked on other projects including the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming), originally published by Image Comics but now part of Marvel’s new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics. He also wrote the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory for Oni Press, both of which received an “A” rating from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the primary creators of Marvel’s “Ultimate” line, a series of comics created specifically for a newer generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four, Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin, and Ultimate Six.
Currently, Bendis is leading a renaissance for Marvel’s Avengers franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers. He has also worked on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse in the past.
With his extensive experience and impressive track record, Bendis is a major player in the world of comic books.
Editoral Review
The Secret Invasion by Brian Michael Bendis is a superhero comic book published on January 1, 2009. Bendis enthralls the readers with his mastery of the comic book genre, carving out a highly intense and action-packed storyline.
The themes and motifs presented in Secret Invasion neatly match those of the superhero genre, with the dichotomy of good and evil playing a significant role in the book’s plot. The Secret Invasion unfolds in the aftermath of the events of a superhero crossover series, Civil War.
The book is set in the Marvel Universe and follows the superheroes as they come to terms with the Skrull invasion, a highly feared alien race that can disguise themselves as earthlings. With their shapeshifting capabilities, the Skrulls infiltrated Earth’s superhero ranks, producing polarized sides that it’s hard to sift through.
The conflict and confusion introduced by the Skrulls nearly make it impossible for the superheroes to differentiate between friend and foe, making the dramatic events in the book highly charged. The superb storytelling by Bendis is evident in the quality of the characters presented.
The characters are multidimensional with layers that the reader peels back throughout the story. Bendis also intertwines the characters’ dynamics skillfully, serving the book’s storyline excellently.
Additionally, the book grapples with themes such as societal challenges, morality, trust, and, most notably, identity. The Skrulls constantly trick the superheroes with their disguises, forcing the heroes to question who they are and who they can trust.
Moreover, this underlying theme resonates with a wider audience than just comic book enthusiasts. The Secret Invasion stands out as an unequivocal masterpiece in the superhero genre.
It is a true testament to Bendis’s exceptional writing ability and the capacity for the genre to tackle significant themes. The action-packed, thought-provoking comic book draws readers into the Marvel Universe, delivering exciting content with memorable characters.
On the downside, the book tends to be somewhat convoluted and complex for novice readers, making it hard to follow the story at some points. However, this can be attributed to the nature of the storyline, and it might take more than one read to grasp fully.
The Secret Invasion is an excellent read for comic book enthusiasts, especially those fond of the Marvel Universe. Catching up on the preceding Civil War story arc is recommended to fully comprehend the storyline.
Overall, the book scores an 8 out of 10, thanks to its captivating storytelling, multilayered characters, aesthetic value, and meaningful themes.
