What is Secret Invasion about? Exploring the comic's storyline and how the MCU changes it

The second project of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Five, Secret Invasion, is all set to release this June on Disney+. Seeing the return of Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, the spy-thriller will focus on the secret Skull invasion taking place on Earth. Surely an intriguing concept, the trailer piqued the interest of many.

For the unversed, Secret Invasion is based on a comic book of the same name from Marvel. It is one of the biggest events of the Marvel Universe, and it looks like MCU's approach to it will be rather grounded in a way. With that being said, here's what Secret Invasion is about and how the MCU's version is different from it.

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Secret Invasion focuses on the Skrull invasion of Earth in the comics

Secret Invasion comic book cover (Image via Marvel Comics)

Secret Invasion was a huge Marvel comic book crossover that ran from April 2008 to December 2008. It was written by Brian Michael Bendis and has been one of the biggest events to take place in the Marvel comic book universe. It sees the Skrulls as the main villain of the story, and in many instances sees them impersonate the heroes of Earth as well.

The story picks up right after the war between the Kree and Skull, and it focuses on some of the biggest heroes forming the Illuminati in an effort to confront the Skrulls. The group consists of Iron Man, Mr. Fantastic, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Namor, and Professor X, who plan to attack the Skrull Empire so that they don't invade Earth again. However, they get captured by them, and are successful in escaping, but not before they are studied by Skrull scientists.

However, after a while, Princess Veranke, a future successor to the Skrull throne, tells the current Emperor, Dorrek, that she saw a prophecy that foretold the end of the Skrull Homeworld. Not taking her claims seriously, Dorrek sends Veranke away to exile. However, the Skrull homeworld is eventually destroyed by Galactus and Veranke takes over the throne due to her Skrull lineage.

Needing a new home, she decides to lead an invasion of Earth as she had already studied the heroes of the planet when they had been previously captured. This is what kicks off the Skrull invasion, and sees the Skrull shapeshift into some of the biggest heroes of the Marvel Universe while creating distrust among many.

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The MCU version will see Gravik as the villain instead of Veranke

While the invasion is billed as a huge crossover event in the comics, the MCU is taking a more grounded approach. Rather than multiple superheroes from the Marvel Universe taking center stage, the series will instead focus on Nick Fury going on a covert ops mission to figure out which parts of Earth the Skrulls have invaded.

The story seems to be a direct follow-up to the set-up fans got in Captain Marvel. The series will also feature an original villain called Gravik, who will be played by Kingsley Ben-Adir. Gravik is the leader of a rebel group of Skrulls who has disbanded from Talos' faction and believe that they need to infiltrate Earth in order to survive.

So instead of Veranke, the series will see Gravik as a villain.

This certainly does seem like a fresh take on the comic book storyline. The trailer gives off quite the spy-adventure feel and considering that the Avengers won't play a big part in this story, it will be interesting to see Nick Fury take the lead. The series may also lead into the story of The Marvels, which will be interesting to watch.

Secret Invasion is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ on June 21, 2023.