As Queen Veranke stood poised for victory, a single bullet from Norman Osborn—the former Green Goblin—tore through her skull on live television.
The final stand took place in Central Park. It was a sea of green skin against spandex. In the heat of the mud and blood, the heroes finally found their footing. But it wasn't a hero who ended the war. Secret Invasion by Brian Michael Bendis Omnibus...
The invasion was over, but the world had changed. The heroes were seen as failures who let the enemy into their homes. Norman Osborn was the new national hero. The age of heroes was dead; the Dark Reign had begun. 💡 As Queen Veranke stood poised for victory, a
It started with Elektra. When the leader of The Hand fell in battle, her body shimmered and shifted, revealing the green, chin-furrowed corpse of a Skrull. The Avengers stood over her body in a silence that felt like a death knell. The realization was a poison: Anyone could be a fake. In the heat of the mud and blood,
Iron Man looked at Captain America. Spider-Woman looked at Wolverine. The questions became a heartbeat. Are you you? Have I been sleeping next to the enemy? The Skrulls had spent years kidnapping heroes and replacing them with sleeper agents so perfect they didn't even know they were spies until a psychic "trigger" word was spoken. Then, the sky cracked open.
It ends the "Initiative" era and launches the "Dark Reign" saga. If you'd like, I can: List the essential tie-in issues included in the Omnibus. Explain which characters were Skrulls the longest. Summarize the aftermath for Norman Osborn .