Secret Invasion #8 (of 8)

So here's the final issue of Secret Invasion, and since it wraps up the latest mega-event, it has a lot riding on its shoulders. So does it deliver?

Well... in some ways yes, in others, no.

As always, we try to avoid spoilers here at Chuck's Comic of the Day - so I'll try to avoid giving away any major plot points - but I will say I got angry when a long-time Marvel hero was killed early in the issue.

Yes, this is a comic book, and I can think of many ways the character could be saved - but I really didn't like the way this was handled. Of course, writer Brian Bendis had been assasinating the character of this hero for years now, so perhaps it's a mercy.

Moving on... in some ways, the story is excellent, as the battle reaches an epic conclusion, and we see some of the fallout from the events. Most of the questions are answered, although a few loose ends are left dangling.

Also, the art is outstanding, and Leinil Francis Yu and Mark Morales wrap the series up with a outstanding effort, capturing the emotions and the power of the final battle.

But still, there are problems. My second-biggest complaint about the comic ties into one of the new storylines springing out of the ending, as the President honors one of the heroes of the war - who also happens to be a well-known supervillain who seems to have reformed.

My son was especially angry that the President who provides the honors is obviously Barack Obama. Hey, Marvel - portraying him as someone easily fooled is not a great way to welcome him to office.

My third-biggest complaint (and this is the last one) is that, like every other mega-event in recent years, this story doesn't end! Instead, it's used as a springboard for the next big super-duper-mega-sellout-series, Dark Reign. Could we please just once get something like a satisfying conclusion to an event like this?

That would at least allow the fans to catch their breath before plunging into the next series.

So overall, some strong moments, some bad ones - it's probably the best limited series from Marvel in quite a few years, but that's faint praise indeed.

I've been a big fan of the series so far, and while the ending isn't as bad as, say, Civil War, I still feel let down.

I was hoping for so much more.

Grade: C+