These issues are the Secret Invasion tie-ins for this book, and like everything else this series does, they do the tie-in very differently.
Athena assembles her own “God Squad” to fight the Skrull Gods.
Each recruit gets a few pages early on to orient the reader on where they are now, since many haven’t been seen much lately. Understandably disillusioned after Canada gave the Guardian moniker to the man who killed the original Alpha Flight (Michael Pointer),
Snowbird agrees to help only when summoned by the God Hodiak. Atum is summoned by Ra. The exiled Ajak of the Eternals is summoned by an Aztec God who says that if he joins the new “God Squad” and saves the Godverse, maybe the Celestials will talk with him again. And Amatsu-Mikaboshi, from Ares’ solo series, is also recruited.
After the obligatory, “Nice to meet you let’s fight,” introductions, Athena assigns Hercules to lead the attack against the Skrull Gods.
The Gods first have to venture through Nightmare’s Dream Dimension, where he agrees to help them reach the realm of the Skrull Gods if each of them allows Nightmare to know their greatest fear.
Initially they agree until Hercules realizes it’s a trick and punches Nightmare in the face. This leads him to summon an army of fears. The team escapes and goes on to the next phase of their adventure. That’s a fun diversion.
Along the way, there are hints that at least one member of the God Squad is a skrull. Also, Amadeus’ puppy is not dead–he was taken by the skrulls.
Oh, and Herc is banging Snowbird now.
When they reach the Skrull Gods’ kingdom, they find themselves attacked by various pantheons who we’re told are NOT skrulls but are the actual gods themselves. Not sure I get all that, but whatever. Atum starts eating them and Snowbird starts killing them all while Hercules tears down the skrull God palace and hits things.
The skrull Gods themselves arrive for the big final fight. I got a little lost here. It gets pretty mystical. But I’m not sure it really matters.
In the great battle, Snowbird, Ajak, and Atum are killed. (Atum explodes and Snowbird uses his spine to kill the head Skrull God.).
But they’re not really dead. Snowbird is back before the story even ends.
On the final page, Athena is shown watching from afar saying that all was going even better than she had planned it, letting us readers know that this story will continue.
This was a fun arc but it could have been a little clearer about how the whole thing got resolved. Still, solid read, lots of good humor and the characters are well written.
English (US) · 