Marvel’s Meet The Skrulls is not what I expected, but that is far from a bad thing. With Captain Marvel about to hit theaters, it makes sense we would get a renewed focus on the Skrulls, but Meet The Skrulls tackles them in a largely down-to-Earth way. Writer Robbie Thompson and artist Nico Henrichon give us an inside look at a small Skrull family who are undercover among Earth’s civilians for one specific mission, but it’s the dysfunctional family dynamics that really steal the show.
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That said, the mission itself is also compelling, and that added weight upon the family’s shoulders is what allows the interactions between the family to flourish. It could literally mean life or death, and that fight for survival provides the stakes and tension the story needs without overwhelming what makes the book so interesting.
The book’s strength is the family itself, who despite their Skrull origins are immensely relatable. You might not know what being a Throneworlder has to do with the wider scope of things, but you do know what it’s like when someone seems to have an inside track with your boss. You don’t know what it’s like to have your mission target not play ball, but you do know what it’s like to not be accepted by someone based on your appearance or personality. You might not understand what losing your planet is like, but you do know the loss of a loved one, and despite all the Skrull history touched on here, Thompson finds unique ways to boil it down into something anyone can relate to.
It wouldn’t work either without Henrichon’s art. Whether in their human or Skrull form, the reader is brought further into this world and it’s characters thanks to stellar expression work. Henrichon’s Skrull designs are fantastic, giving off an air of intimidation while also humanizing them throughout the issue, like say when Madison asks her mom how she was able to get incriminating photos of a congressman, or when Carl breaks down in what appears to be their lost child’s room.
All this is happening right under the noses of civilians, and while you won’t agree with that whole “let’s take over Earth” thing, you will find it hard not to root for them to at least accomplish part of their goal. Sure we don’t want Earth to be a new Skrull Throneworld, but hey, what if you just took Florida, or perhaps one of the Dakotas? We’d be fine with that, right?
Meet The Skrulls is not required reading, but it is well deserving of your time. If you give it a chance you’ll find a family that despite being from an ancient alien race are very much what you come in contact with every awkward Thanksgiving. Come and meet the Skrulls, and odds are good you’ll want to stay and learn all about them.
Published by Marvel Comics
On March 6, 2019
Written by Robbie Thompson
Art by Nico Henrichon
Letters by VC’s Travis Lanham
