An odd thing happened to me as I was getting my dinner ready tonight and, had I known, I would have taken it as a sign. After a full day at work (which spilled over to home) I decided to cook my dinner and read the issue of "Secret Invasion" that I chose to review this week while enjoying a nice brat and a brew.

And the gas in the grill went out just before the brats were due for the first turn. Great. Dinner was cold. Freaking Skrulls.

So after making do (pan-frying a brat is just not as good as the ol' grill) I sat down and prepared myself to be dazzled by the summer spectacular that I've actually been enjoying. "Secret Invasion" #5 picks up where #4 left off. And #3. Heck, there were even some long-dangling threads from #1 and #2.

Bendis certainly put pieces in play with the intent of picking them up later, but with this issue, it almost felt like some of those pieces had been heretofore unremembered. With this issue, they were hastily wrapped up. I say hastily, because some of the thread conclusions barely ran a page.

This issue did have Skrulls though, although they were not as plentiful as in the previous issues. With the Skrulls, it was finally revealed which "heroes" from the first issue were Skrulls and which weren't. We also got an update on the condition of Dr. Reed Richards, who is by no means pleased with the fact that this all went down. Reed's not the only one either.

The Skrullish Captain Marvel reaches a resolution in his confrontation with the Thunderbolts, and it's not quite what I expected nor hoped for. Nick Fury is rallying his forces and one of the New Avengers is pained by his loss.

That said, this issue seemed to carry a lot of nothing for me. These threads have almost been dangling so long that I don't think I would have been offended if a few were just abandoned in this title to be handled elsewhere (looking at you, Captain Skrullvel).

The cushion afforded Yu before this series started has clearly evaporated, as his work throughout this issue is horribly inconsistent. Strong in parts and panels â€" like Maria Hill's Helicarrier experience (certain to be a major attraction at the Marvel Theme Park) and looking rushed at other points (the Savage Land confrontation between New Avengers and Ka-Zar and clan). To me, that's a bit of a concern, as Yu has been delivering some of the creepiest Skrulls ever. I hope he's well ahead with the final three issues so we can enjoy some very solid illustrations.

Overall, just when this series should really be cooking, the gas runs out and the story leaves me a little cold. This issue certainly wraps up those dangling ends that were floating out there so the next three issues can be a smackdown the likes of which we've all been hankering for. I just hope Bendis and Yu pull it together and deliver, as I really don't want to read another lukewarm chapter to the adventure of the summer.