A puff piece about Secret Invasion

The Tifton Gazette's done some sugarcoating of Marvel's Secret Invasion event:

Timing is everything.

Though timing can also be meticulously planned.

Marvel Comics wrapped its five-issue mini-series, “Secret Invasion,” a sequel of its 2008 mega-series crossover of the same name, just in time for the release of the Disney+/Marvel release of the streaming series, also of the same name, starring Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

“Secret Invasion,” the comic book sequel, wrapped with its fifth issue a few months ago. The trade paperback collection was released more recently. The streaming show opened a few weeks ago on Disney+.

And I won't be tuning in. Huge waste of money, as far as I'm concerned. And some "timing" they had there, alright. Either from, or long past a time when Marvel's merit collapsed.

All three “Secret Invasion” storylines involve the shape-shifting, space alien Skrulls infiltrating earth’s population by looking like humans – regular folks, people in high leadership positions and superheroes.

In “Secret Invasion,” the recent comic book miniseries, Fury goes to Iowa to investigate a Skrull sighting. He inadvertently learns the Skrulls are again seeking conquest through infiltration. The defenses put in place after the last invasion are ineffective.

Though the series kicks off with Nick Fury, it centers on Maria Hill, a former SHIELD agent now with the CIA, as she works to stop the Skrull plot.

“Secret Invasion” is a good five-issue read. A fine complement to the on-going Disney+ series.

A recommended work for long-time comic book fans familiar with the Skrulls (they made their first appearance in “Fantastic Four” No. 2, released in December 1961 – making the Skrulls older than almost every other Marvel character save the FF, the Mole Man, the Sub-Mariner and Captain America) and for people who watch the live-action shows seeking a little more background.

So because certain fans have been into the hobby a long time, we're supposed to unreservedly support this no matter how poor? I'm sorry, but this is yet more fluff-coating on the paper's part. Secret Invasion was cobbled together by awful writers with no genuine respect for the original stories, and Brian Bendis was one of those such writers back in the mid-2000s. And what really makes this a bad idea for reading is that it's a universe-spanning crossover event. Why do these blatant columnists not recognize the crossovers are but some of the most embarrassing directions taken under editors like Joe Quesada? It's just shameful.

Besides the above, the paper also fawned over a Darth Vader comic:

“Return of the Handmaidens” collects the monthly “Darth Vader” comic, issues No. 28-32.

The story arc also serves as a reminder that the various “Darth Vader” series remain some of the best “Star Wars” stories available in comics, books, television or film.

Because he's otherwise a villain, right? Sorry, no sale. This is just more fawning for the sake of promoting all the wrong kinds of roles in entertainment, and not just in comics. But, hardly a shock in an era where heroism's been marginalized for the sake of PC insanity.