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Invaders, The #1: Review

Jan 2019
Chip Zdarsky, ?

Story Name:

[War Ghosts Part I]

Review & Comments

Rating:
4.5 stars

Invaders, The #1 Review by (July 30, 2019)

Review: The latest Invaders title starts off with a bang: Subby is planning to go to war and it's up to Cap, Bucky, and Jim to stop him. The stakes are pretty high as Carlos Magno's art makes Namor look grim and scary; this guy we can believe will cause havoc. And that's without considering the two surprise moments: What is Namor's connection with Professor X? And why is he talking to himself on the last page? These two incidents will be explained in the Secret History of the Sub-Mariner in issue #5 but for now we're scratching our heads. And Butch Guice is one of Marvel's best artist for portraying WW2-era action as he did on Cap's title during the Brubaker years. Good start to the new series, I hope they can sustain it.

Comments: Story follows from AVENGERS (2018) #8-9. Carlos Magno drew the modern scenes while Butch Guice did the wartime episodes. First appearance of Randall Peterson and his daughter Nay (short for Namor). In place of the cover logo, there is a black banner that reads “Stan Lee, 1922-2018.” Issue includes a brief tribute to Stan.






 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Invaders, The #1 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, is on a WW2 battlefield under fire. His friend Randall Peterson is okay but he asks Namor to find their other pal Tommy. Namor, weakened from having been out of water so long, finds Tommy just in time to see him gunned down by Nazi troops. Namor goes berserk and kills the two enemies before collapsing. He awakens to Captain America's giving him a drink of water and telling him the battle's over and they won...

...and Namor awakens from his recurring nightmare as his aide Machan offers comfort and assurance that his plans for conquering the surface world are ready....

While Captain America fights a horde of virtual villains in the Avengers' training room, he chats with Jim Hammond (the original Human Torch) who is writing a history of the Invaders and he can't count on his own memories as his creator included the ability to forget to make him more human. They move on to their concern that Namor is at war with the surface world again and Jim pleads with Steve to help their friend....

WW2: in the aftermath of the battle, Cap learns that Subby's pal Tommy was killed. Hearing that Namor will not attend the burial service, Cap tracks him down at a cafe where he finds Namor canoodling with a local girl. Cap tells him that this behavior is inappropriate for one who lost friends and comrades that day; Namor counters that he is not human and is coming to resent having to protect frail humans (and he picks up a random guy by the throat to illustrate) when he should be out killing Nazis. Cap reminds him that Tommy was his friend and he should pay his respects and walks out, spotting Bucky in the bar and telling him to come along too....

Namor and Machan take a swift seacraft to the land of the Sea Blades, another renegade Atlantean splinter group that Namor wants reunited with his people for the coming war. Parleying with their leader Karris, Namor demands they return to their rightful home under their rightful king. Karris refuses, even pricking Namor's chest with a dagger to release a few drops of blood. With a wave of his arms, Namor parts the waters before him, leaving the Blades gasping on dry ground. Defeated, Karris gives in to Namor's demands....

As Namor explains that he now has power over water itself to Karris, we see Namor, in US military uniform, attending the memorial....

Jim Hammond visits his old comrade Randall Peterson at his home on the coast of Maine. The elderly and infirm Randall helps Jim with his memories of the Invaders and gives him a large photo album to help with his research. Outside of her father's earshot, Randall's daughter Nay (named Namor after her father's friend) asks Jim to return the album as the contents are personal. As he hands it over, a few photos fall out; picking them up Jim sees that one is a picture of Namor with Charles Xavier....

Cap announces his intention to visit Namor alone which Tony Stark thinks is a foolish idea; Steve contacts Bucky, the Winter Soldier, for help in persuading Namor not to start a war....

Underwater, Karris explains to his aides Namor's audacious plan of conquest but they are concerned as Namor is standing by his ship and apparently talking to himself....



?
Alex Guimaraes
Butch Guice (Cover Penciler)
Butch Guice (Cover Inker)
Romulo Fajardo (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Captain America
Captain America

(Steve Rogers)
Human Torch
Human Torch

(Jim Hammond)
Winter Soldier
Winter Soldier

(Bucky Barnes)



> Invaders, The: Book info and issue index

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