She-Hulk vs. Super-Skrull’s parenting, Pt. 1

While the Super-Skrull doesn’t arrive on Earth until Secret Invasion, we’re going to go back about a year before the Marvel event took place to follow whatever She-Hulk’s (real name Jennifer Walters) up to during that time.  It’s bounty hunting.  I know she’s a lawyer by trade, a lawyer in the first twenty issues of the volume we’re reading today, and a lawyer currently in her ongoing series.  But she’s taking a break — mainly due to her being disbarred.  Long story.  Anyway, using the following issues, we’re going to tell our final piece of that beautiful Super-Skrull puzzle we’ve been putting together the past two weeks.
She-Hulk #24, written by Peter David and drawn by Shawn Moll
She-Hulk #26, written by David and drawn by Moll & Val Semeiks
She-Hulk #27, written by David and drawn by Semeiks
She-Hulk #32, written by David and drawn by Vincenzo Cucca
She-Hulk #33, written by David and drawn by Cucca

Like all Hulks, She-Hulk can transform from her human to green form at will.  Unlike her bigger, angrier cousin, she retains all her intelligence and doesn’t need any certain emotions to trigger the transformation.  She definitely got the better Hulk deal — and she saves majorly on the cost of pants.

Allow me to introduce Jazinda, a Skrull hiding out on Earth away from the prying eyes of all governments and space empires.  During Secret Invasion, Mr. Fantastic (of course) invented technology to detect Skrulls when shape-changed, but currently Jazinda can’t be found out unless she shows off her pointy ears and bumpy chin in public.  Also, I’m not certain, but Jazinda may be the only Skrull to have an actual head of hair.  Remember Super-Skrull’s wife?  That woman could only keep her head warm with those sexy tentacles of hers.  In summary, I have no idea what Skrulls find attractive about other Skrulls.

You’ve noticed that She-Hulk’s comics come across with a radically different tone than her cousin’s comics.  It’s not to say that She-Hulk’s not filled with all the self-loathing and psychological nightmares that make Marvel superheroes so great (my goodness, is she a mess), but She-Hulk allows herself to have more fun than most other superheroes.  Most likely due to her being seven feet tall, practically invincible, and without the constant worrying of her supporting cast that plagues so many of her fellow superheroes.  But Jazinda’s our focus today, and trust me, if anyone can understand Roz’s daddy issues, it’s Jazinda.

In a morally suspicious plan, she gets Roz’s dad to care about his daughter again.  It’s an uncomfortable scene, but much like her father (who c’mon, you’ve figured out by now) her morality borders on that very thin line between total selfishness and the greater good.  Still, we trust She-Hulk’s judge of character, and Jazinda’s intentions definitely mean well.  Y’know, good intentions through trauma infliction.

You wonder why the Super-Skrull never mentioned his daughter when he tried so valiantly to save his son?  Well, one’s his legacy that will immortalize and inherit all the spoils and glories of the Super-Skrull’s triumphs.  The other’s a dirty Skrull Benedict Arnold who shall only receive an impalement from her father instead of that hug she so obviously needs.  Why is she a traitor, you ask?  It has to do with this confession in the next few pages.  Not the bear stuff.  I just wanted to show you She-Hulk’s opponent chuck a bear at her.

Allow me to briefly cover the She-Hulk/Iron Man feud.  First, it’s bitterness over the aftermath of the Civil War.  Second, they slept together, and he briefly took away all her superpowers.  Well, he’s sorry, okay?  More importantly, I like to think that Jazinda was so unable to handle real emotional talk from She-Hulk that she had no choice but to interrupt the conversation with a discussion-changing secret.  The real reason probably lies in She-Hulk admitting she trusts Jazinda and the poor Skrull realizing she hasn’t been totally honest with her friend about her immortality, but either theory works. Personally, I’ve always been partial to stunted emotional failings in my characters.

Okay, let’s jump to Secret Invasion.  Y’know, when the Skrulls invaded Earth and Jazinda knew about the invasion ahead of time and didn’t tell She-Hulk about it.  So in an effort to strike a blow at the Skrull army, She-Hulk and Jazinda capture one of the Skrull’s major religious figures.  For morale-busting purposes.

That may be the only time history that the head of a major empire-consuming religion has been tied up in a trailer home.  Also, She-Hulk and Jazinda wear the same outfit now.  But I know what you’ve been looking forward to: the daddy and daughter reunion.  That’s for next time, though good news to end with today — our supervillain has arrived to reunite with his sole remaining child.  Well, to kill her.  He did mention that in the hologram message thingie earlier.  On Monday, we wrap a bow on our Super-Skrull saga once and for all.