Hey, this isn't a reprint book!

Wow, Empyre was only a year ago? I think I read at least a little of it at the start, either from the quarter bin or maybe some had Alex Ross covers and were randomly purchased? I don't remember how it ended, but this one sets it up: from 2020, Road to Empyre: the Kree/Skrull War #1, written by Robbie Thompson, art by Mattia De Iulis and Javier Rodríguez. 

I wasn't sure if the above was part of the story, or a house ad for the crossover; but it's like a Skrull propaganda poster against their insidious foes from earth. Kinda neat. I have a random issue of Meet the Skrulls somewhere, about a sleeper cell-slash-family of Skrulls on earth; and this also serves as a possible wrap-up to that series. Although daddy Skrull had been killed, betrayed by their handler; the mom and three daughters were still trying to uncover "Project Blossom," which was intended to uncover Skrulls. They discover a Kree had been working on the project, which prompts the mom to recap the first meeting of the Skrulls, the Kree, and the Cotati. You may recall, it didn't go great. 

One of the daughters, Ivy, is a little dejected at having to live during a war spanning thousands of years, and wishes the Celestial Messiah had brought a lasting peace. That cues up the Mantis/Swordsman recap, as well as for Sequoia, or Quoi. I thought he had appeared in the Silver Surfer story in Marvel Fanfare #51, but that wasn't in continuity: Avengers: Celestial Quest was, but I haven't read that.

The Skrulls are nearly blown up at their hotel, so they're getting close to the project. They follow-up on an intercepted message from Hulkling, and look him up: I never read Young Avengers, either! 

But, I read the next one, as Ivy wonders if the Kree and Skrull always have to fight, from Fantastic Four Annual #18, where the Kree and Skrull observers from the death of Phoenix are hoodwinked into working together and making peace. That perhaps inspires Skrull mom to not murder the sleeper cell of Kree they find--redheads with blue skin? I forget what the Kree used to blend in; but together they listen to a message from their new emperor, Dorrek VIII, who had united the Kree and Skrull empires against a common foe...and was on his way to earth. 

This is "To be continued...in the thrilling pages of Empyre!" but I don't know if either sleeper cell was seen further in the series, or were still on earth. I wouldn't be 100% comfortable with them still being out there, since they weren't just observers, I think both were straight-up spies at best. Or maybe I'm just prejudiced against Skrulls: it's how I was raised, I'm trying to work on it!