Issue(s): Fantastic Four annual #24 (Super-Skrull story only)
Cover Date: 1991
Title: "A matter of honor"
Credits:
Len Kaminski - Writer
Christopher Ivy - Penciler
Tim Dzon - Inker
Ralph Macchio - Editor

Review/plot:
This story bridges the Super-Skrull's appearances between Silver Surfer #28 and Hulk #374-375. The latter explained how he was still alive after his seeming death in the former, but it seems that someone thought there was still an unanswered question around why the Super-Skrull would be back to doing relatively mundane things for the Skrulls after his actions in Silver Surfer should have made him a war hero. And this story starts with the fact that, soon after the second Kree/Skrull War, he was a war hero.

The problem is that Super-Skrull finds his actions in Silver Surfer #28, where (as Michael notes in the comments, going even beyond the retcon in Hulk) he allowed Reptyl to think that he killed him, to be dishonorable. However, Empress S'ybll still wants the universe at large to think that Super-Skrull is dead (his appearance at the war ceremony is a double-fake propaganda effort; i.e. the Skrulls are pretending that they are pretending that the Super-Skrull is still alive). So Super-Skrull is not allowed to go challenge Reptyl to another fight.

However, after praying to the Skrull War God, Sl'gur't...

...he has a revelation and goes after Reptyl anyway.

He then goes to S'Byll to confess what he's done, fully expecting to be put to death. Instead she demotes him, placing him under the command of Commander K'Targh of the Imperial Star Fleet.

Definitely a "greasing the wheels of continuity" sort of story, but it's good for that purpose. I do think it's odd that the Super-Skrull is so concerned about honor. By nature, the Skrulls are literally two-faced (or more), so you would think that deception would be part and parcel of their war strategies. But indeed, that's certainly S'Byll's philosophy, so Super-Skrull must just be an unusual case.

Christopher Ivy, normally an all-purpose inker, does really well as penciler here, drawing clear figures with a slightly cartoonish style.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: This takes place after Silver Surfer #29-30 and before Hulk #374-375.

References:

• Silver Surfer #28 showed Super-Skrull seemingly dying, but Hulk #374-375 showed that that wasn't really the case.
  
• Reptyl is complaining to his crew that Clumsy Foulup tried to assassinate him in Silver Surfer #29 when Super-Skrull shows up.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Fnord, I think you're misinterpreting this Annual. They're not just saying that the Super-Skrull survived his "death" via the method shown in Hulk 374-375. They're saying that he allowed Reptyl to defeat him and think he was dead. IOW, K'lrt threw the fight in Siver Surfer 28. I think this story was probably written BEFORE Hulk 374- maybe it was supposed to appear in a previous Annual or Marvel Comics Presents- and it was intended to show how the Super-Skrull survived. I also think that either Kaminski or some editor had problems with a loser like Reptyl defeating the Super-Skrull.

Wow, Sl'gur't looks just like she does in Secret Invasion! I didn't know the Skrull religion was this old!

It's sad Super-Skrull feels he has to hide from Reptyl by pretending to be dead forever. Very sad.