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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Sept 10, 2017 16:06:14 GMT -5
Invaders #5
The Cover Kirby cover here and it is another solid one IMO. The colours are great and you get some excellent background scenery IMO.
The Story So this ish starts off with the entire team trashing a US defense factory! Out of nowhere, we see Namor, the Torches and Cap just trashing the place. All of the workers are in disbelief that the heroes they trust are doing this. It finishes with the Torches lighting off some oil cans which cause a large explosion, demolishing the factory. They flee, leaving puzzled people to wonder if they have defected and become Nazis. Bucky, however, was not seen during this.
We then scenes to a boy listening to the radio. A message interrupts and it is....gasp...the Red Skull! He manages to overtake the radio (and TV) waves to tell all of America that the Invaders are in his control. So now we have an idea of what is going on. The FBI is baffled because, according to their knowledge, Skull died in battle months ago (anyone have a clue which Golden Age is this is referencing?)
Mr. Stuart, who is the liason guy with the FBI that the Invaders, then gives us some back story. After their U-Man battle, the Invaders are called back to the US. Mr. Stuart tells them he needs their help selling war bonds. A man named Mr. Lyles has apparently paid and arranged a large parade for the Invaders to promote the purchase of war bonds. So they all ride on a float in this parade and all is peachy, until some Nazis try to attack. They are disposed of quickly by the group but then, out of nowhere, The Red Skull's head appears in some vortex in the sky. The Torches try to shoot fireballs at it but get sucked in. Namor then follows and finally Cap. Bucky is left for last and Red Skull's face appears in the vortex only to laugh at him because he is not super-powered. He says he has no use for Bucky and the vortex disappears.
We return back to Mr. Stuart who was telling this tale to the President. The Invaders had been missing since that event, until they showed up to destroy the factory at the start of the book. They are talking about how to handle this when Bucky bursts in. He had been in the hospital (he had a nervous break/shock after Skull insulted him) but now claims to have a plan that requires him to have control of the radio and TV. He does not want to tell them, so that his plan can be secret. Again, he is dismissed and he ends up walking away. Both Mr. Stuart and the President feel bad and wonder if they did the right thing.
Opinions To me, this was the most interesting issue so far. The Giant Size and Invaders #1 were good, but this was a step in a different direction. I like the Red Skull's involvement and I also like that Bucky is dealing with some personal stuff, being just a boy in tights as it were. It makes me wonder what his plan is (although I am guessing it involves bringing together some of the other superheroes mentioned in the ish). Oh and that was a neat part of this book. It had Bucky and Toro looking at comics of themselves (in Marvel Comics and older Captain America issues) and pointing out how they did not seem as accurate. During this scene, Mr. Stuart also makes them aware that their presence seems to have inspired others, and we see mention of Fin, The Patriot, Whizzer and Miss America. It was a neat little addition (and likely set-up) that worked well for the overall story.
Will I ever find out how Skull created a vortex in the sky? Likely not...this seemed a bit silly to me but it is a comic book 
Quote of the Issue "He...he just ignored me...like I was an ant, not even worth stepping on!" - Bucky's response after Red Skull says he has no use for the boy.
History Bit The radio show that the boy is listening to before Red Skull's message interrupts was called Fibber McGee and Molly...an actual show that ran through the 40's up until 1956. |
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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Sept 10, 2017 17:05:15 GMT -5
The end blurb says this story continues in Marvel Premiere #29. Funny that, 3 years ago when I was helping a friend sell of some stuff, I kept that particular issue. No reason, it was an oddball title and it was one of the few that survived the weird bags he had them in. Without it, this review thread would be missing a key piece!
Edit: Looks like I may also need Marvel Premiere #30! |
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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Sept 10, 2017 20:50:24 GMT -5
Marvel Premiere #29 The CoverKirby cover here as well and for me, it falls a bit flat. I don’t feel like a lot of effort was put into the bodies on the characters, especially those in the background. I am also not a huge fan of the background. Granted, it is probably difficult to reveal 8 heroes on a page at once but I have seen better examples from the time period and, for me, this is a bit on the simple and safe side. The StoryBucky Barnes barges onto the set of a live TV show to speak with the Patriot. They scuffle, as Patriot doubts Bucky being who he says he is, but they eventually stop. Bucky convinces the Patriot (who was on TV telling the American public not all superheroes were under Red Skull’s spell) and Bucky is let on air, telling about his captured comrades and pleading for other costumed heroes to reach out to him. We are then treated to a file on Red Raven, who appeared in Red Raven Comics #1. Then, we cut to him boarding a plane that was flying without lights. He tried to have these Nazis surrender peacefully but they knock him out. Then, we see another plane arriving and onboard it…The Thin Man! A cut scene has us back to Bucky looking at Thin Man’s file and it gives us a brief origin as revealed in Mystic Comics #4. The Thin Man boards the same Nazi plane, frees Red Raven and they defeat the bad guys. Thin Man gets a radio from his lady, Olalla, on his own plane saying that Bucky is calling for heroes. Thin Man and Red Raven sound like they are in! Back to Bucky, and he is now looking at the Whizzer’s file, which recounts his history from USA Comics #1. We then see the Whizzer stopping a Nazi attempt to blow up a train. The bad guys appear to be able to get away in their high speed car but Miss America appears (and we are then shown her file, recapping her first app from Marvel Mystery Comics #49). She stops the Nazi bombers just as Whizzer appears on scene. The car radio is playing Bucky’s message, so he and Miss America decide to race to Manhattan. Our final scene shows Professor Elton Morrow giving a lecture at a museum when Nazis storm the stage. He ducks out and turns into the Blue Diamond (first app. Daring Mystery Comics #7-8) and he comes out to battle. He ends up outside as the police arrive and overhears a taxi radio playing Bucky’s message. Our final scene has everyone showing up at the television station. For one last challenge, one of the TV crew is a spy and he has a bomb ready to blow up all the heroes. However, our last hero, Jack Frost, appears and freezes the bomb. Now we have all 8 together and Bucky reveals his plan to force Red Skull to send out the Invaders, who they can battle and hopefully bring them back on their side. OpinionsI liked this issue a lot. To me, it was one of the better stories so far. Thomas does a good job resurrecting some classic Golden Age heroes. There is a letter page where he explains why he choose who he did and how he came up with the Liberty Legion name. He talks about Red Raven being the main one he wanted to have, and how Blue Diamond was one brought up by a friend as a good character to use. Overall, it is a fun story too. Of course it is a bit silly to have them all conveniently come together the way they did but hey, it’s a comic book and I liked it. I also missed Robbins a bit on this one (Don Heck did the interiors) and his style was not the greatest in some parts. Quote of the Issue“Thanks, guy. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you’re not just an ersatz hero after all.” – Bucky’s response to meeting the Patriot, who sticks up for Bucky and his idea. I had to look up the meaning of ersatz…and you should too if you want a small lexiconical lesson courtesy of 1976 Roy’s BlundersA few errors I noticed… 1. He says Red Raven has only been seen in that issue and in X-Men #40…but to my knowledge, Red Raven appeared in a Sub-Mariner #26. 2. The Red Raven quotes the famous “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” line from Casablanca….a movie which came premieres in New York November 1942 and had its national release on January 23, 1943. This does NOT jive with the timeframe (and even the cover!) which has the Invaders doing battle in April of 1942 at the time of the issues. 3. A typo refers to the origin of Thin Man’s powers coming from the mystical Kalahi society…it should be spelled Kalahia as it was correctly just moments ago in the same speech bubble. For the most part, Roy's history has not been terrible...at least the cover headline is accurate
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 10, 2017 21:01:46 GMT -5
The story goes from Invaders #5 to Marvel Premiere #29, to Invaders #6 and then MP #30. I believe the death that Roy is referring to is the first appearance of the Red Skull, when he is George Maxon, owner of the Maxon Aircraft Company, who uses the Red Skull identity to sabotage his own planes, in aid of becoming Hitler's man in the US, after they conquer it. Maxon and the Skull appear dead at the end of that first story, though he would return. I'd have to check; but, i believe the Skull makes mention of Maxon later, though I might be confusing that with the Tales of Suspense story, where Cap is captured and the Red Skull relates his origin, stating that Maxon was a fake. Anyway, I believe Roy was putting this between the Maxon Red Skull story and the first appearance of the later, German Red Skull, from Captain America #7. Fibber McGee and Molly was a massively popular radio show and was noted for the gimmick of McGee's closet, where things invariably come crashing down, to great use of sound effects. It also featured pompous neighbor Throckmorton . Gildersleeve, who spun off into his own radio show, The Great Gildersleeve, which was also spun off into a tv series, with actor Harold Peary playing him on both media, as well as in 4 films. he's also parodied, in a Bugs Bunny cartoon "Hare Conditioned," in 1945. Harold Peary, as Gildersleeve...  The cast of Fibber McGee and Molly...  One of the notable episodes... |
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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Sept 10, 2017 21:07:10 GMT -5
Yeah I figured out the reading order...they blurbed it at the end of the ish. As it stands, I will have to read Marvel Premiere online (grrr) and also Invaders Annual #1 when the time comes as I do not have those.
Thanks for the note on the Red Skull!
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Post by Jeddak on Sept 10, 2017 21:27:44 GMT -5
Just a quick note, if a little late. The name of the alien spaceship in issue 2, Tekeli-Li, is another of Roy Thomas's literary references. It's the cry of the giant penguins in Edgar Allen Poe's Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, as well as that of the shoggoths in H.P. Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness. I'm more familiar with the latter, but it's always possible that English teacher Roy was thinking of the Poe.
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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Sept 10, 2017 21:53:48 GMT -5
Awesome! I have lovecrafts collected work. I will read that story ASAP
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Post by mikelmidnight on Sept 11, 2017 13:02:34 GMT -5
I liked this issue a lot. To me, it was one of the better stories so far. Thomas does a good job resurrecting some classic Golden Age heroes. There is a letter page where he explains why he choose who he did and how he came up with the Liberty Legion name. He talks about Red Raven being the main one he wanted to have, and how Blue Diamond was one brought up by a friend as a good character to use. You may not be aware of this, but pre-Invaders, Roy had tried to sell Marvel on a 40's series featuring Bucky, the Whizzer, and Red Raven, to be drawn by Barry Smith! I personally think that's a truly terrible lineup for a team, but I was always sorry he never did a Liberty Legion special which featured this story along with a second story starring the remaining four members of the team. |
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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Sept 11, 2017 13:47:18 GMT -5
That is neat! I like Red Raven the most. Whizzer reminds me of the Flash, who has never grown on me in any way. That and his name is really lame. I also like Jack Frost and Blue Diamond. I would have given Blue Diamond a much different costume though...
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Sept 11, 2017 13:56:46 GMT -5
^What is that from!? If Brain Drain looked like that it would have been awesome! , back in the glory days. Here he is in other forms: Brave and Bold 65 Doom Patrol 121   A living brain inside a metal box, being cared for by a talking gorilla... If there ever was material for the "what I like about comics" thread, it is such an example of unhindered, absurd and wonderful idea! |
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Sept 11, 2017 14:04:58 GMT -5
Thanks for the info tarkintino and chaykinstevens!
Skull The Slayer has intrigued me...how does it stack up? I have long considered trying it and Kull. Conan too, which I have read some of the earlier stuff but it does not pull me in like superhero books do. I really, really loved the first three issues at the time, the Marv Wolfman ones. They were very much in the Edgar Rice Burroughs tradition, but with an added touch of modernity (the Bermuda triangle and space aliens being involved). High adventure, civilized people thrown into the age of the dinosaurs, etc. Then under Englehart and later Mantlo it suffered from two simultaneous syndromes: the "Sudden change of direction" syndrome, and the "Let's kill all these characters for shock value but oh whoops we better get them back as our hero now has no one to talk to" syndrome. The final issues and the Marvel-two-in-one conclusions tried to get back to the original concept, but you can't unscramble an egg so it didn't really work. The art also became sort of generic... Steve Gan had done an interesting job in the early issues, but was replaced by the ever-dependable but kind of by-the-numbers Sal Buscema. Overall I would definitely recommend it if you find the series at a low price, but wouldn't pay more than a couple of bucks for each issue. |
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Post by Prince Hal on Sept 11, 2017 14:17:16 GMT -5
Doom Patrol, back in the glory days. Here he is in other forms: Brave and Bold 65 Doom Patrol 121 A living brain inside a metal box, being cared for by a talking gorilla... If there ever was material for the "what I like about comics" thread, it is such an example of unhindered, absurd and wonderful idea! If you haven't dipped your toe into the Doom Patrol, please do. You'll be in up to your neck almost immediately.  |
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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Sept 13, 2017 9:51:24 GMT -5
The Invaders #6 The CoverAnother excellent cover, kudos to Kirby and Sinnott. I like the action and while it only features some of the characters, I think they picked the right ones. Patrio and Miss America taking on Cap, Jack Frost on Namor and then Torch and Red Raven going at it. Plus, a national monument to boot! I like it. The colours are excellent and again, this is an issue that really would have grabbed my attention were it on the spinner racks. The StorySo we start off with a nice recap of how the Liberty Legion formed from last ish. The public questions their ability to battle the Invaders, but the team remains confident they can overpower them and also take out the Red Skull without falling under his powers like the Invaders did. They show a page of the team stopping Nazi spies and eventually Red Skull has had enough. He is in some secret location working with Krieghund (from Giant Size #1) and supposedly the technology he is using to control the Invaders was taken from Brain Drain's old labs. Skull sends a message out saying that the Invaders will destroy various landmarks, which prompts the Liberty Legion to respond. First, Namor is at the Statue of Liberty where he is quickly frozen by Jack Frost. However, the Blue Diamond is angered and charges the frozen Namor, knocking him back into the water. Rather than counter, Skull commands Namor to leave. So nothing really accomplished here by the Legion. Next, Cap tries to destroy the Liberty Bell. He is thwarted by Patriot and Miss America. Red Skull is seen yelling in his ear to retreat, as Skull realizes that his mind control device seems to hinder the Invaders when battling. Cap escapes, and the Legion is now 0 for 2. Bucky expresses his frustration...he just wants to capture one member of his former team. Which leaves us with the Torches, who are off to the Lincoln Memorial to destroy it. Red Raven and Whizzer meet them and battle, eventually putting out young Toro's flame and capturing him. Torch is told by Skull to flea and so he does. Red Raven relays some info to Bucky, saying they have captured Toro and know which direction Torch is headed. They surmise that Red Skull's base is somewhere in Manhattan. At the very end, Thin Man (who has been working with Bucky at their base) sees a flame in the sky...and it's Torch heading straight for their secret base! OpinionsThe story is good, and I have liked the last couple issues a lot. The downside I found in this one was the art. Skull looks a bit too cartoony for my liking. And there are some close-ups on faces (like Namor's) that just seem poorly drawn. There was a nice full page image of the various Liberty legion members battling Nazi threats and I would have liked to see more of that. I think Roy is on to something with their creation...something that may have been even more interesting than the Invaders if he choose to pursue it more. I know the Legion make appearances throughout this series though and I look forward to their continued use. Quote of the Issue"It's like I told myself...Elton, old boy, stick to your anthropology!"- Blue Diamond scolding himself for charging at a frozen Namor, causing him to be let loose after he was definitely not a threat anymore. Bogart BlunderA writer in the letters page believed he found a mistake from issue 3 when the billboard behind Cap advertises the "Maltese Falcon", saying the film came out in late 1942. However, Marvel had it right as the film came out in October 1941. Where they DID mess up (and I wonder if this letter writer found that mistake) was with their Casablanca reference from MP #29.
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Post by brutalis on Sept 13, 2017 10:29:51 GMT -5
This was my 1st issue of Invaders found on the rack. Instantly had me hooked. World War II setting with Cap/Namor/Torch plus the added fun of the Liberty Legion second tier golden age heroes. As a teen this was pure fun and excitement in a comic book and I carried around whatever issues I could find with me out to school in my notebook to read again and again during breaks and lunch. My Invaders along with Kirby's Eternals are 2 well worn and well read and beloved titles of my youth. Brings back the memories of those days in school and when I doodled the characters on school work edges and any blank paper I could find.
Even had an Algebra teacher who served in WWII and he was so accustomed to my doodles on the end of tests or back pages and he came to me one day asking about what was on there because he remembered Cap and Red Raven (two of my favorites to doodle) from their original print runs. He was totally surprised to finding out they were still around.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2017 11:22:23 GMT -5
The Invaders #6 is one of my favorite books and story and you kind of nailed on the art piece pinkfloydsound17 and I've think you covered that nicely. I just dig the cover with the Liberty Legion mixed in with fantastic action scenes. Loving this thread very much!
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