Secret Invasion Review – “Secret Invasion: Runaways / Young Avengers”

Here’s the next “Secret Invasion” review. Tomorrow will see “Deadpool #1-3,” Friday will see “Black Panther #39-41” and then the reviews will pick up again next Tuesday and Wednesday with “New Warriors #14-15” and “Ms. Marvel #28-30.”

General Information

Title: Secret Invasion: Runaways / Young Avengers #1-3

Author: Chris Yost

Illustrator(s): Takeshi Miyazawa (art) and Christina Strain (colours)

Cover Date: Range from August to November 2008

Cover Price: $2.99 US / $3.05 Can

Detailed coverage of all applicable issues of all Secret Invasion related titles can be found at this address.

Premise

Following the events of Joss Whedon’s run on Runaways, the team visits New York to give Klara a glimpse of how a location familiar to her has changed in the future. Then the Skrulls attack. Xavin soon realizes what’s going on, and tries to defend his team, but when he learns that Dorrek VIII (also known as the Young Avengers’ Hulkling) is on Earth, priorities change.

High Point

“Oh, right. It is you, I can tell now from the stick up your–”

Low Point

The final decisions made by the team. That was a bit of a let down.

The Scores

This doesn’t feel very original. In fact, it’s a little too much like “Civil War: Young Avengers and Runaways” for my liking, in terms of plot as well as tone. I give it 3 out of 6.

The artwork is nice. It’s definitely a manga style, despite the very non-manga cover art. Still, the action and characters are both very clear. I give it 5 out of 6.

The story is all about Xavin and Dorrek, which works well in the context of the Secret Invasion. Their interaction with and reactions to each other and the Skrull invaders are well in character for both parties, moving this piece of the story along nicely. Dorrek’s significant other gets a lot more visibility than Xavin’s, but that seems to naturally fit the story, and Karolina’s moments are pretty good ones. If you’re not reading the main title, this will feel rather unresolved, but as a tie-in, it works well enough, particularly since it pays close attention to which Young Avengers get seperated from the rest in the main series. I give it 4 out of 6.

The characterization of the leads is great, and it’s solid for the others, though not particularly deep for any of them. I give it 5 out of 6.

The emotional response is good, as I’m already a fan of both teams. I’m not sure it would have that affect on someone who doesn’t already collect them, though. It’s also nice to see how two of Earth’s four existing Skrulls cope with the invasion. (The other two are Jazinda, whose story is covered in the “X-Factor” and “She-Hulk” issues, and Crusader, whose story is covered in “Avengers: The Initiative.”) I give it 5 out of 6.

The flow works well, bridging flashbacks with “current” footage nicely in each issue with a consistent story structure and very specific time stamps. I give it 5 out of 6.

Overall, it’s a solid tie-in, but it doesn’t stand alone well. It’s the rare crossover tie-in that does, though. I give it 5 out of 6.

In total, Secret Invasion: Runaways / Young Avengers receives 32 out of 42.

Secret Invasion Review Checklists

Background reviews:

Infiltration reviews:

Main Event reviews (including date the last issue should be available, or “complete” if they’re all out):

  • Secret Invasion #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7: October 22, #8: November 19, full series: November 19
  • Avengers: The Intiaitive #14-19: November 26
  • Black Panther #39-41: complete
  • Captain Britain and MI 13 #1, #2, #3, and #4.
  • Deadpool #1-3: October 8
  • Guardians of the Galaxy #4-6: October 15
  • Incredible Hercules #117, #118-120
  • Iron Man: Diretor of S.H.I.E.L.D. -35: November 19
  • Mighty Avengers #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, 17-20: November 26
  • Ms. Marvel #28-30: complete
  • New Avengers #40, #41, #42-47: November 26
  • New Warriors #14-15: Complete
  • Nova #16-18: October 29
  • Punisher: War Journal #24-25: November 29
  • Secret Invasion: Amazing Spider-Man #1-3: October 22
  • Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four #1, #2, and #3.
  • Secret Invasion: Frontline #1-5: November 19
  • Secret Invasion: Home Invasion (online only)
  • Secret Invasion: Inhumans #1-4: November 12
  • Secret Invasion: Runaways / Young Avengers #1-3
  • Secret Invasion: Thor #1-3: October 29
  • Secret Invasion: Who Do You Trust?
  • Secret Invasion: X-Men #1-4: November 19
  • Thunderbolts #122-125: October 22
  • X-Factor #33-34, She-Hulk #31-33

Aftermath (Dark Reign) reviews:

  • Avengers: The Iniative #20-?
  • Dark Reign: New Nation
  • Invincible Iron Man #8-?
  • Ms. Marvel #34-?
  • New Avengers #48-?
  • Secret Invasion: Dark Reign
  • Secret Invasion: Requiem #1
  • War Machine #1-?
  • several unannounced titles, I’m sure