Invaders Classic - Volume 3 by Roy Thomas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book collects Invaders #22 and #23 as well as #25-#34. #24 was a reprint of the Golden Age Submariner/Human Torch story in the Golden Age Marvel Comics #17 which I really wish they'd included but I guess you can't always have what you want and it's not necessary to understanding the stories.

At any rate, here are the issues we did get.

Issue 23 features Toro needing serious medical care after the Invaders last book and Roy Thomas (who loves the Golden Age of comics) retcons a new origin for Toro that makes him a mutant. It's actually pretty clever.

Issues 24 and 25 have the Invaders facing a threat in the form of an anti-imperialistic Egyptian metahuman, The Scarlet Scarab. The character is a lot like Namor which poses some problems for the plot as well as for both our heroes and General Rommell. In Rommell, there's a bit of an anachronism as he's portrayed as a Nazi. While Rommell fought for Germany, he wasn't part of the Nazi Party and was more of a nationalist who ended up trying to assassinate Hitler. It's not a big deal other than for being a rare breach in accuracy.

Issues 26-28 sees Bucky trying to find a Doctor to help cure Toro but the only one who can help is locked in an internment camp. Bucky tries to get the Doctor out to help, but runs smack into Agent Axis, a man who is actually the multi-personality combination of three different Axis Agents.It also introduces the Kid Commandos as a Japanese-American Girl and a black boy get Superpowers. I think it's good that they addressed the internment issue. The Kid Commandos are a far better idea than what Timely put out during the war with the far less interesting, "Young Allies." And I actually liked Bucky and Toro leaving temporarily as it allowed stories with more focus and along with the Liberty Legion (established in prior issues) gives this comic a much better focus.

Issues 29 and 30 involve the Teutonic Knight and begins by explaining how the Big 3 Invaders each encountered him individually and how he became even more deadly based on what he obtained for them with issue 30 being the wrap up. A solid story.

Issue 31 is an oddball that has the Invaders battling a version of the Frankenstein monster created for the Nazis by one of Frankenstein's ancestors.

Issues 32 and 33 have Hitler and his scientists scheming to contact Asgard bring the Norse gods into the War. The story does a good job playing off Hitler's belief in the Norse mythology and their vision of gods and shows how he's able to trick Thor into temporarily entering the war on the side of the Axis by pointing out that their enemies are known as the Invaders and in Russia, they're helping an evil man named Stalin. True enough but not the full story. There's a guest appearance by a future Marvel baddie who still despises Hitler (it was a very clever cameo) and a power up for Union Jack.

Issue 34 has the Invaders dealing with the Destroyer (formerly Union Jack's identity and now held by his friend) apparently going evil. This is an okay issue more than anything else.

Overall, in its the third volume, the Invaders continue to be a very well-written book. It's success is driven by writer Roy Thomas' love for the Golden Age era of comics and for his ability to reimagine it in a way that's believable.




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