Awww - that's a nice ending. It's not very often that you get a happy ending in a story like this. Congratulations, Joe! I do have two questions, though - first, why is this called 'Behind the Mask'? Joe's not wearing a mask - it's greasepaint. I know, I know, psychologically he's wearing a mask - two different identities, all that - but I can't help but think that it's an awful waste of a good title when it could have been used in a creepier context. Also, I'm wondering just how this thing with Ogu is going to work. If Ogu is in his adult form already, then does that mean he's going to stay a baby forever? That could get a little awkward after a few years. Or is he a real baby, and his species simply gains adult-level intelligence much earlier? Is he a shapeshifter, perhaps, who, believing that he's a real baby, will subconsciously adjust his form accordingly as he grows older? (Hey, a Skrull! This is published by Marvel, right?) And I find it interesting that, when Ogu finds out that humans are "gentle, full of kindness", he says that there is "no need" to invade Earth. The implication, therefore, is that these are NICE aliens who would only invade us if it was for our own good - kind of the ultimate expression of 'tough love'. (Which makes for an interesting picture of the other civilizations out there who are aware of these guys and wish to avoid being invaded - presumably, at the first hint of a spy they start raising small, cute animals in immense numbers and give away truckloads of free candy to children on streetcorners until the aliens go 'well, nothing for us to do here', and leave. Then they go back to warmongering and stuff.)