In Marvel Comics lore, the Skrull have always been trying to invade earth. They really felt like they belonged in the DC Universe instead of Marvel, but they've always been there, fighting the Avengers or the Fantastic Four or simply all of the superhero population on the planet (and face it, it's a pretty packed place). This time, though, the main enemy of the Skrulls is Spider-Woman -- a superhero the uninitiated are probably unfamiliar with. I'm more initiated than some, and I had no idea who she was.

I will tell you this, though: while watching Marvel Knights: Spider-Woman: Agent of S.W.O.R.D. (on DVD 6/14), I discovered that Spider-Woman is one of the most intolerable superheroines ever. Her British (is it British?) drawl refers to everything so contemptuously that you wonder if anything ever pleases her. Sure, this five-part miniseries deals with the aftermath of some pretty bad traumas, but that's no reason for her to act haughty about it.

If a different voice actress had been chosen to voice her, though, this set would have been thoroughly enjoyable. The storyline is fairly good (standard comic fare) but the art is dark, noir greatness. It looks painted rather than inked, and while the animation is the standard fare for motion comics, the art seals the deal.

The series is short, with five ten-minute episodes rounding out the series -- just the right length so that the story doesn't become too tedious. There's a behind the scenes featurette and a music video included on the set as well. Of course, this set has a target audience: comic buffs. Kids won't like it; it's too dark (they'll probably dig the much more lighthearted Marvel Knights: Black Panther). Fans of Marvel comics (or at least of Marvel Knights), on the other hand, probably already have this item on pre-order. If you don't, you can order it on Amazon.