Secret Invasion: X-Men

In this one-shot tie-in to the larger Secret Invasion event, Marvel pits the shape-shifting Skrulls against the X-Men. Writer Mike Carey and artist M. A. Sepulveda deliver a tense standalone story that forces Spider-Man to team up with mutantkind as the alien infiltration threatens their very sanctuary. It's a compact but vital chapter that explores the paranoia and shifting loyalties of the era, highlighting how even the most trusted allies might not be who they seem.