Marvel Noise

I haven’t really been following this title, and now I’m very, very sorry. I also haven’t been following every tie-in with this event, but I’ve been following some of them and this is one of the few issues that has been entirely in the present. This is what I’ve been looking for in the narrative. Battles against overwhelming odds, chase scenes, and a surprise on the last page to get you ready for the next issue. What more can you ask for?

Brian Reed tells the tale of what happens to Ms. Marvel as one of the only heroes fighting the Skrulls in New York. I don’t know where all the other heroes in the Marvel U are, but I can tell you where the Skrulls are. Well, actually I can’t because they seem to be popping up everywhere, but there are a boatload of them in this issue and Mr. Reed makes it clear that they don’t like Ms. Marvel, or her resistance to their invasion, very much.

Doing a fine job on art, we’ve got Adriana Melo on pencils, Mariah Benes on inks, and Paulo Siqueira on pages 11 – 16. They convey the scale of the invasion and the overwhelming forces the heroes face beautifully. Now, I generally try to keep my reviews on the positive side but I have to interject here that while the art is well done, it doesn’t really do anything for me. These are professional comic book artists who have achieved mastery of their art form, so I don’t want to take away from that, but I didn’t feel that this was the best this book could have or should have looked. That said, the story does move along well and is one of the best tie-ins I’ve read so far.

Recommended for anyone following Secret Invasion.

COVER: GREG HORN
WRITER: BRIAN REED
PENCILS: ADRIANA MELO and PAULO SIQUEIRA
INKS: MARIAH BENES and PAULO SIQUEIRA
COLORS: CHRIS SOTOMAYOR
LETERS: DAVE SHARPE
EDITOR: STEPHEN WACKER
Rated T+ …$2.99

Do You Trust Ms. Marvel?

Iron Man has discovered the latest Skrull infiltrator and it’s… Ms. Marvel? Enter the extra-sized Ms. Marvel #25, from acclaimed writer Brian Reed (New Avengers: The Illuminati, Captain Marvel) and new series artist Adriana Melo, beginning a story right on the front lines of Secret Invasion. But is Ms. Marvel here to help us…or destroy us? And what does this issue’s cover, from renowned cover artist Greg Horn, mean for the future of the Marvel Universe? This issue also features a stunning variant by the acclaimed Terry Dodson, who also provides a connecting cover on Captain Marvel #4.

“The Secret Invasion is pretty rapidly becoming less and less of a secret to both Captain and Ms. Marvel,” revealed Brian Reed. “Ms. Marvel #25 has it all. Secrets are revealed, someone is killed, almost nobody is who they seem, Carol Danvers saves Captain Marvel’s life, and a Skrull steals the Space Shuttle! We’re also excited to welcome the new art team of Adrianna Melo and Mariah Benes. They have walked onto this book and made it their own, creating absolutely spectacular pages of art. For this first issue, they’re joined by Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema, two great and classic Marvel artists, who help us revisit Carol’s days as a NASA security chief… and learn that this invasion started a long time before Carol Danvers was a super hero!”

Series editor Steve Wacker said, “Brian’s been getting a lot of much deserved attention because of his work on Captain Marvel as well as right here on Ms. Marvel, so if you haven’t climbed on board the Reed train yet, now’s the time!”

Marvel urges retailers to check their orders on Ms. Marvel #25 as the series directly ties into 2008’s most-anticipated event, Secret Invasion, and continues to garner critical acclaim. Just who — or what — is Ms. Marvel? Find out in this can’t miss anniversary issue!

MS. MARVEL #25 (SI:I) (JAN082167)
MS. MARVEL #25 DODSON VARIANT (SI:I) (DEC078128)
Written by BRIAN REED
Penciled by ADRIANA MELO
Cover by GREG HORN
Variant by TERRY DODSON & LAURA MARTIN
Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC—3/6/08, On-Sale—3/26/08