Review by Frank Plowright
Alien shapeshifting race the Skrulls were introduced in the earliest Marvel comics, and used sporadically for decades before the 21st century Secret Invasion event set around their capabilities and their infiltration of Earth. Yet it was 2006 before a graphic novel emerged of the 1990s Skrull Kill Krew. The writing partnership of Grant Morrison and Mark Millar had shown the way ten years earlier with their ultra-violent action-thriller showing the Skrull infiltration of Earth was already well underway.
Fortunately, due to a clever continuity-spotting reason best discovered in-story, there are individuals able to see the transformed Skrulls amid humanity, and not inclined to discussion as a first means of engagement. Instead imaginatively violent slaughter is on the agenda. There’s really not much more to Skrull Kill Krew than the jokes and slaughter, making it seem more like a 2000AD feature than a Marvel one in tone. It funnels in a good dose of Tarantinoesque dialogue, funny asides and Marvel headliners.
This isn’t prime Steve Yeowell art as it’s a short on background detail, but he tells the story well without exaggerating the comedy moments, which makes them funnier. While the Skrull Kill Krew don’t wear costumes, Yeowell’s designs as fashion archetypes make them so distinctive they might as well have costumes. Hair is given special detail.
A rapid ending suggests a series intended to run longer, but after five chapters Morrison and Millar have provided their thrills and laughs, and said what they’ve got to say. Why bother extending the joke until it becomes tired? Despite the final panel comment of Ryder and the gang only just getting started, it would be a long time before they were seen again. In fact 2009, when they re-emerged for the Dark Reign crossover. That’s combined with this for 2015’s Skrulls Must Die.
