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Avengers / Invaders #2: Review

Jun 2008
Jim Krueger, Steve Sadowski

Story Name:

Book Two: Battlefield Brooklyn!

Review & Comments

Rating:
2.5 stars

Avengers / Invaders #2 Review by (September 27, 2013)
Review: Iron Man is still brooding about Cap’s death, if he’s going to beat himself up I hope he uses his repulsor rays…oops, the Invaders almost stopped to think through their situation but fortunately the arrival of the Mighty Avengers puts an end to that…whoa, Cap can punch out Iron Man? While being held in mid-air? That’s new...AAAAH! KILL IT, KI—oh, wait, it’s just Subby looking like a psychopath, with the speed effect making his hair look like Norman Osborn’s…Oh look, Wolverine gets the last word; ‘bout time he showed up, seeing as how he’s on the cover of issue #1. Really, Marvel is showing some restraint by not putting him on the covers of all the issues he isn’t in…So who is going to cause the most trouble, Bucky Cap, Human Torch, or Paul Anselm? Can’t wait to find out—though my money’s on Tony Stark!

Comments: No inkers are credited for the series. It’s not obvious but the photographer on the scene is Peter Parker.


Avengers / Invaders #2 Review by (September 27, 2013)
After Iron Man suggests Immortus or Kang could be behind the Invaders' time-travelling, Ms Marvel half-jokingly mentions Black Panther's Time Frog which hasn't been used for a while. This refers to the 2 brass objects known as King Solomon's Frogs - 1 can take you through time, the other through space. They showed up in #1-4 of the 1st BP series. Contrary to Carol Danvers' assertion the Frogs were very recently used by BP when he and Storm were part of the Fantastic Four in FF#546 and BP(2005)#27-34.

Captain America doesn't understand how Iron Man knows his name's Steve. He also thinks IM is a new version of the Nazi Iron Cross, 1 of the many WWII characters invented by Roy Thomas in the Invaders, this time #35-37. (Actually aged Helmut Gruler died recently in Citizen V and the V-Battalion #3, still using the Iron Cross armour to keep him going.)

There are 2 clues to the photographer being Peter Parker. 1st, the Daily Bugle photograph is credited to ...ter Parker. 2nd is that he sees Spider-Woman's silhouette and calls her Jessica. But then we don't really know it's SW until next issue.

This issue reveals that Toro is a mutant - no explanation was ever given by Timely as to his fire powers. This subject will be pursued with complications in the Torch limited series that followed this 1.

The Mighty Avengers are in this series somewhere between World War Hulk and Secret Invasion, with nary an issue of their own mag in sight. In particular according to the Marvel Chronology Project they are between the funeral for a future Invisible Woman in FF#562 and Hulk Smash Avengers #5.

Spider-Woman was also at the funeral, and we'll learn why she isn't with the team next issue.

The New Avengers here are Echo, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Ronin, Spider-Man and Wolverine. Dr Strange hasn't been with them since their Annual #2. As explained there he's having to deal with what he did/happened to him in World War Hulk. But he'll rejoin them from next issue. And his problems didn't stop DrS making a few other appearances including trying to help Peter Parker save Aunt May in Friendly Neighbourhood SM #24 during One More Day. (That arc happened before NAv#38, so from that issue on his teammates no longer know his secret identity.)

The New Avengers in this series are between their #38 (and #39 for Echo, Ronin and Wolverine) and Secret Invasion. Apart from Echo they've all been busy with their own stuff since NAv#38-39, although Ronin only managed Captain America (2005) #37 where he confronted Bucky Barnes in his new role as Cap. But the other 4 plus Dr Strange did take part in the mass battle in FF#556-557 and the funeral in #562. In between separate apps in Daredevil the old team of Danny Rand and Luke Cage got together for Immortal Iron Fist #16-20. And of course Spidey and Wolvie did lots of things. SM gets stuck into his Brand New Day world. And Logan's apps include the Messiah CompleX and Divided We Stand events.

The Bucky Barnes Cap is in this series between his #42 (the end of Red Skull's plan to get his man elected President of the USA) and Secret Invasion. He'll take a bigger role in this series from #4.




 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Avengers / Invaders #2 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Iron Man, now SHIELD Director, is must deal with the sudden arrival of the World War II-era Invaders in the modern world. Ms Marvel tells him that the consequences of the time paradox could be disastrous and once again tries to persuade him that Cap’s death was not his fault. He still can’t convince himself though and he calls out the Mighty Avengers: Wasp, Sentry, Black, Widow, Wonder Man, Ares, Ms Marvel and himself, to locate the missing heroes—with strict orders to keep them from harm lest the Avengers never exist….

The confused Invaders regroup at the Brooklyn Bridge and try to figure out what’s going on. A newspaper claims that it is the year 2008 but they don’t know whether they have traveled in time or the Nazi gas is causing them to hallucinate. They don’t have time to explore further as the Avengers arrive and Iron Man call on them to surrender. The Invaders respond with violence. Ms Marvel easily takes down Bucky while Human Torch is defeated by Wonder Man (and a distracted Toro seconds later—loser). Iron Man tries to talk sense into Captain America but the patriotic her will not listen. Iron Man hoists him into the air but Cap manages to punch him out—but Wasp enters his ear and renders him unconscious. Namor, having clobbered Ares and Wonder Man (or, more accurately, clobbered Ares with Wonder Man) hurls the former’s axe at Iron Man and flies off to seek refuge. A photo of Iron Man with the battle axe wedged in his chestplate makes the front page of the Daily Bugle. The new Captain America, Bucky Barnes, sees it and recognizes his old partner Steve Rogers—and the younger version of himself….

Meanwhile in Manhattan, the displaced young Paul Anselm looks up his contemporary self, and we discover it is the old man seen at the modern-day battle in issue #1. After introducing himself, the two sit down to talk….

In the Helicarrier brig, Iron Man tries to assure the captive Cap that they are in custody for their own safety—and the safety of the world.… In a special cell where the sprinklers are on constantly, Human Torch cannot burst into flame. A SHIELD agent enters to speak with him and Torch responds with a spark to the chest which should render him unconscious—except the agent is a Life Model Decoy and it shorts him out…. In a lab, Toro, still believing he is a prisoner of the Nazis, wonders why they are examining him and what they mean by "mutant"…. Bucky removes the plastic explosives concealed under fake skin on his arm and blows the door to his cell, heading out in search of Cap….

At Dr. Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, the New Avengers decide on a course of action: free the Avengers from SHIELD custody….



Steve Sadowski
inLight Studios
Alex Ross (Cover Penciler)
Alex Ross (Cover Inker)
Alex Ross (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Black Widow
Black Widow

(Natasha Romanoff)
Bucky Barnes
Bucky Barnes

(James Barnes)
Captain America
Captain America

(James "Bucky" Barnes)
Captain America
Captain America

(Steve Rogers)
Human Torch
Human Torch

(Jim Hammond)
Iron Fist
Iron Fist

(Danny Rand)
Iron Man
Iron Man

(Tony Stark)
Luke Cage
Luke Cage

(Power Man)
Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel

(Carol Danvers)
Ronin
Ronin

(Clint Barton)
Spider-Man
Spider-Man

(Peter Parker)
Wasp
Wasp

(Janet Van Dyne)
Wolverine
Wolverine

(James Howlett)

Plus: Echo.

> Avengers / Invaders: Book info and issue index

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