Sigh. It’s getting incredibly hard not to sound like a broken record when reviewing the Secret Invasion tie-in issues of New Avengers. Once again, we only get cursory appearances by the New Avengers cast (though Spider-Woman-Skrull just about counts, I suppose) and once again, the issue serves solely to plug a continuity gap. Usually that means the issue is delivering the kind of revelations that should be in the main series, but in this case it feels a little more like an exercise in plugging continuity leaks, explaining exactly how the infiltrating Skrulls could make it through House of M unrevealed.

It’s not a particularly satisfying explanation, and for all the hints at some deeper Skrull involvement in the events of House of M, it turns out they were mainly just along for the ride as much as anyone else. It seems that it was all a happy coincidence that M-Day occurred just when the Skrulls needed the mutants gone.

What’s worse is that the material “Spider-Woman” had in the original House of M mini doesn’t remotely support the suggestion that she was the Skrull Queen back then. While some of Bendis’ “They were a Skrull all along!” revelations make sense, this one feels like it’s been really been hammered to fit into continuity, and no attempt is made to address incongruous scenes - instead they’re glossed over entirely.

Now, since it’s Bendis, it’s not a complete train wreck, and she does squeeze some decent character moments out of the situation. Seeing Veranke overwhelmed by the situation and briefly reverting to her Skrull form (in private) is a rare moment of vulnerability for a previously unflinching character, as is her emotional reaction to discovering the events of the Annihilation crossover. It’s worth noting that this is the first time, I believe, that Veranke has been shown reverting to Skrull form, so if the notion that the real Spider-Woman has pulled a switcheroo on Veranke is true, it did at least occur post-House of M.

The issue’s real saviour is Jimmy Cheung, who can’t seem to put a foot wrong. His widescreen style and ability to pack in characters makes him a perfect fit for a universe-spanning book like Avengers. The only shame is that he can’t draw more issues, because under his artistic direction, even a weakly-plotted issue like this seems perfectly executed. Of all the various Secret Invasion tie-ins that have turned up in New and Mighty Avengers, this one genuinely does appear to be the least essential of the bunch.

Next issue, New Avengers is finally back to the present with a story about The Hood and his band of villains resisting the Invasion. The snap back to current events doesn’t come a moment too soon after months and months of retcon action.