“Yesterday’s” Comic> The Invaders #4

It’s like the clown car of comic covers. How many characters can you fit?

The Invaders #4

FINAL ISSUE

Marvel (August, 1993)

This being the only tale I have of the Invaders (an odd name for the good guys considering how “invader” is usually used). Set during World War II, the team is led by Captain America and consists of the original Human Torch (an android), the Sub-Mariner (during one of his good guy phases), Miss America, the Whizzer (shut up), and two characters I’ve never heard of before–the Blazing Skull (looks like Ghost Rider’s relative) and Silver Scorpion (she wears some kind of gadget-laden armor). As we join our heroes they are the prisoners of the Battle-Axis, a mostly American group of Nazi sympathizer superhumans led by “Dr. Death”, who helped create the Human Torch but wants revenge for not having his genius recognized. As Dr. Death discusses his deadly plan for the West Coast of the US (because he’s one of those villains that likes to go on about his evil genius) he also lets drop a key piece of evidence that Volton is also an android, which doesn’t sit well him to learn his existence is a lie. The Invaders break out and talk the Golem into joining back up with them and even the mist being Aarkus (aka the Vision) decides (once his way back to the mist dimension is available to him again) to help stop the Battle-Axis. Volton fries Dr. Death and the other Battle-Axis surrenders.

What they got right: Odd as it is to see a World War II superhero adventure in the 1990s they got the right writer. Granted, this being the action-filled finale I can’t judge the series as a whole but each of the heroes and most of the villains give at least an idea as to their character.

What they got wrong: The 90s art, while not bad, still sneaks in enough to be mentioned. Since there’s so little to discuss it’s worth mentioning. Also, Doctor Death dropping the final hint that allows Captain America and the others to realize Volton is an android was rather convenient. There was no reason for him to even spout that little factoid.

Recommendation: It works as a curiosity as to the old World War II superhero team (and this was a Nazi-fighting  superhero team in comics back in the 1940s) but without reading the other three that’s the best recommendation I can give.