It's Memorial Day - Here's to Beating the Nazis! Invaders 35-37

 The Invaders #35 (December 1978)
"Havoc on the Home Front!"
Roy Thomas-Don Heck/Alan Kupperberg/Rick Hoberg

The Invaders #36 (January 1979)
"Crushed by the Iron Cross"
Roy Thomas-Alan Kupperberg/Chic Stone

The Invaders #37 (February 1979)
"The Liberty Legion Busts Loose"
Don Glut-Rick Hoberg/Alan Kupperberg/Chic Stone

Doug: Nostalgia's a powerful thing isn't it? Even as an adult, I couldn't wait for the first Invaders issue not drawn by Frank Robbins and Frank Springer. Trouble is, around the time those arrived, Don Heck got the art assignment. And here's my obligatory "I am not being mean to Don Heck" statement -- love the man's Silver Age work; his Bronze Age stuff not so much. So anyway, I'm working out of the Invaders Classic series of trades on this one -- volume 4 has the same cover as issue #35 above. The Whizzer was great during his brief tenure in the Avengers, wasn't he? Why wouldn't I be drawn back to this issue? Wait -- it has the whole Liberty Legion in it as well? Sign me up! Ah, but therein lies some trouble -- as you can see, today you're getting a full-blown arc rather than a single issue. But is that your gain?

Invaders #35, with pencils presumably by Alan Kupperberg

Doug: I'll start you off with three 100-Word Reviews, and then I'll go into my usual format for thoughts on the story. Here you go:

Invaders #35 - The Invaders are called Stateside to deal with a saboteur who made a “withdrawal” from a munitions installation. Cap, Namor, and the Torch are in Times Square meeting an adoring public when the Whizzer suddenly arrives. He relates (for us) a brief history of the Liberty Legion, and why he needs the Invaders’ help. Miss America had investigated a German-American tavern when she saw a professor kidnapped by two German toughs. Trailing them, she encountered the Iron Cross and engaged him in battle. She was joined by her Legion teammates, who were soon trounced. Hence the need for the Invaders.

Invaders #36 - The kidnapped man is Professor Schneider, designer of the Iron Cross armor. The wearer of the armor is Helmut Gruler, Schneider’s childhood friend. Gruler says time and again throughout the story that he is not a Nazi, somehow distancing his intense jingoism from the darker aspects of Hitler’s Germany. Gruler needs Schneider to make “improvements” to the Iron Cross armor. Meanwhile, the Invaders (now in an Atlantean ship) follow the trail of the captured Liberty Legion. Namor is engaged by the Iron Cross in the Atlantic, and their battle rips open the U-boat in which the Legion is being held.

Invaders #37 - As water pours through the gaping hole in the U-boat, the Iron Cross grabs Professor Schneider and hightails it out of there. Aboard the vessel, the crew unsuccessfully attempts to murder the Liberty Legion. Thin Man heads out into the ocean to assist Namor in getting the sub to the surface. They accomplish the task and once everyone’s safe, a team of Namor, the Torch, Miss America, and Red Raven pursue Iron Cross. The Torch melts the inner workings of the mechanical suit, causing Gruler to fall into the ocean; Schneider tells that the blueprints were destroyed with the suit.

Invaders #35, with pencils presumably by Don Heck

The Good: As alluded to above, the art. It's not spectacular -- and actually, one might consider it rather middling in comparison to other Bronze Age luminaries, especially the young guns who were breaking out in the late 1970s: Byrne, Perez, Miller, et al. I think my impression of it is just clouded by my joy at freedom from depictions of ballerinas in the throes of rigor mortis. Anyway, the pacing is really solid, all of the players look exactly as you think they should look, etc. Namor has a certain haughtiness about him as he should, Cap is focused, the Whizzer a bit frantic -- it's all here. The most interesting aspect of Invaders #35, however, is that you can plainly see the panels where Don Heck did the pencils and those where Alan Kupperberg did so. I've provided a few samples to support this. Again -- nothing wrong here... it's just noticeable.

I liked that we got a peek into the workings of the Stateside Liberty Legion, and to be perfectly honest wish we had been able to see more. I don't know if there was ever discussion of a spin-off WWII series featuring the Legion, but there should have been. Madeline Joyce seemed an able spy, and the angle that there would be an expatriate in New York who had built a weapon for Germany was a nice plotline. It is unfortunate, however, that as Miss America took the lead in the case she ended up being the one captured. "Helpless female" trope... You know, I look at the Liberty Legion the first time they are assembled in the story and there is really no reason they should not have been a successful launch on their own. The Whizzer and the Patriot do what Quicksilver and Captain America do, the Thin Man of course mimics Reed Richards, Red Raven = the Angel, Jack Frost is an early version of Iceman, and Blue Diamond would seem somewhat similar to Wonder Man. If we think of Miss America as the then-popular Ms. Marvel, then what's not to like? The Liberty Legion should have had the best of many corners of the Marvel Universe.

The flashbacks/recaps aspect of the story will serve as a segueway to my next section. While I think flashbacks are good for the month-to-month reader, let's face it -- this is no longer how we read comics. So while there was certainly merit in bringing new readers up to speed on the Liberty Legion's history, it did play out a bit long. Same thing for the origin of the Iron Cross armor. It wasn't bad -- just a bit cumbersome. I'm always torn about whether I liked the convention of one-page recaps that were en vogue when I stopped reading new comics (seemed a waste of a perfectly good splash page) or if I preferred the in-story rehashing of last month's details. I guess both have merit. 

The Bad: If Helmut Gruler had stated one more time that he was not a Nazi, I think I'd have screamed. But as a teacher of these sorts of issues, I did appreciate Roy Thomas's efforts. One aspect of the Holocaust that we strive to make clear with teachers we train at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is to use precise language. It's incorrect to make blanket statements such as "The Germans did..." or "The Nazis did..." simply because of issues of collaboration by non-Germans, and the point that Thomas makes with Gruler was true; it was certainly true that Gruler's nationalism could have existed without him being a member of the party. So while it became about as tiring as a Claremontian "I'm the best at what I do, and what I do isn't pretty.", I understood.

The Iron Cross was a somewhat formidable foe for our heroes, but really he was just a Titanium Man from an earlier era. And when you consider that Iron Man beat the Titanium Man by himself on numerous occasions, I never really felt like our heroes were threatened -- regardless of how much they got slapped around.

When the Thin Man ventured outside the damaged U-boat and attempted to repressurize it by pressing his body against the hull, I really had a difficult time suspending my disbelief. The pressure of the sea alone would have killed him. And with no breathing device? Pfah...

With such a large ensemble cast, it was tough for any of the heroes to get major face time. I thought the creators did a decent job of keeping everyone in character -- but such moments to shine were fleeting. Cap in particular seemed short-shrifted. I also felt like the Whizzer was pining just a bit too much for Miss America; given that she was arguably far more powerful than he, I'm sure she could take care of herself. She did, in fact, fight the Iron Cross to a standstill for several minutes, something Namor himself accomplished.

After giving some consideration to this story over several days, I'd suggest hopping in the wayback machine and running this tale as an annual. That would have pared it down a bit and probably made it read better. Just a thought.

The Ugly: The unevenness of the art could be jarring at times. I'd mentioned the panels that sometimes moved between Don Heck and Alan Kupperberg as lead penciler; I think the same thing happened in Invaders #37 between Kupperberg and Rick Hoberg. Additionally, the inks are incredibly sketchy at times in that issue. Sketchy like Vinnie Colletta hopped up on too much espresso. It wasn't bad art, per se; it just made me feel like I'd suddenly landed in a different book.

Invaders #37 - what's up with the scratchy inks in this portion of the book?

Time well spent? I won't say "no", because as I said at the top there was a definite sense of nostalgia and even love for these characters I followed in my youth. But fine literature? Uh, not so much. So let's just call it a nice diversion of four-color fun and leave it at that.

If I Had A Buck... Not Ready For Prime Team Players

Martinex1: There is great fanfare for superhero teams around here and seemingly continuous conversation about the big guns from DC and Marvel.  The Avengers, X-Men, and the Justice League are certainly the leaders of the pack when it comes to four-color creations, film adaptations, and their corporations' profits.  And there are other top notch teams that certainly get a lot of respect from comic enthusiasts.  The Fantastic Four, Defenders, Teen Titans, and Legion of Superheroes have avid followers.  The Guardians of the Galaxy made their way to the big screen and are now an upper tier property.  But even defunct mags like the Invaders, Champions, Inhumans, and Doom Patrol have serious defenders; their characters are fondly remembered and eke their way into television plots and other titles.

This $1 Challenge is NOT about those teams.  This game of If I Had a Buck focuses on the many teams that have graced the spinner racks of the past but did not catch on quite as dramatically as the superstars.  These are the "Other Guys, the "C-Listers," the "Also-Rans." 

Now don't get me wrong, some of these teams had long running titles.  And some of these teams may be your all-time favorites.   Some of them had all-star creative teams.  Others had lots of marketing support from their companies.   And some even had tremendous success and popularity in spurts. But let's face it, they never really made it long term.   

Part of their appeal may be in their offbeat rosters.   The teams consist of characters that are probably not household names.  There are, however, great stories in their runs.   I tend to be enthusiastic about these types of team books, because when I pick one up I typically find something new in the approach, something weird in the plotting, a costume I really like, and a personality or conflict with a different nuance. 

So as always, take your dollar and spend it on four selections from our quarter bin.  Share your thoughts, your memories, your observations and suggestions.   I am curious (as I am sure others are as well) if there was gold to be mined from these offbeat teams and their titles.

A Simple Question About Captain America

Doug: Is Captain America a person, or an ideal? As we come to comics in the modern age, the guise of Captain America has been worn (in "reality" as well as through retcons) by Steve Rogers, Isaiah Bradley, William Nasland, Jeff Mace, William Burnside, Roscoe Simons, John Walker, James Buchanan Barnes, and Sam Wilson.

EDIT: File this under "great minds think alike". Late last night (7/28/15) we received an email from frequent commenter Tom. Tom had a couple of suggestions for post ideas. I almost laughed out loud when I saw his second one. I'd written today's post around three days ago, and then opened this:

Tom: Idea #2 is a little late. I meant to send it for the 4th of July but you can use it on any patriotic occasion. It would be titled "The Many identities of Captain America/Steve Rogers." We all love Cap, right? So discuss Bucky as Cap, Falc as Cap, the fake Caps,etc. but also Steve as Cap, Steve as Nomad, Steve as The Captain (is that who he was? I dunno). So, when you think about it, there were a lot of takes on America's superhero. So...which stories/incarnations did you like...not like?

So there you have it. Not exactly what I've posited at the top, but it certainly should enhance the rest of today's conversation. Thanks, Tom!

Arc of Triumph? Invaders 5,6, Marvel Premiere 29, 30

Karen: This four-parter, over four months, was the introduction of the Liberty Legion, the American homefront WWII super-team full of obscure characters that Roy Thomas plucked out of his old comics and brought back to give modern Marvel some history. I dug it, even if they didn't pop up too often. There were a bunch of artists who worked on these four books: Rich Buckler, Dick Ayers, Don Heck, and of course...Frank Robbins. Any thoughts on this hero-filled extravaganza?

Who's the Best... WWII-era Super Group?

Giant-Size July: Marvel Two-In-One #20

Marvel Two-In-One #20 (October 1976)
"Showdown At Sea"
Roy Thomas-Sal Buscema/Sam Grainger

Doug: Yeah, we know this is a "regular sized" issue, but it's also the conclusion to the 3-part opus Roy Thomas began to weave in Fantastic Four Annual #11, tying the FF into a story involving Marvel's World War II-era heroes: the Invaders and the Liberty Legion. We'll have more oversized goodness for you next Monday. And seriously, can you deny the Kirby-coolness of a white cover with floating heads? On to our final chapter...

Doug: When we left Bashful Benjy at the conclusion of Marvel Two-In-One Annual #1, he had vaulted into the sky from a bent flagpole. His target? Why, only a giant flying swastika, put together with Nazi know-how as well as technology stolen by a bunch of super-powered Ratzis: Sky Shark, Master Man, and Merrano the U-Man! These do-badders had lately been opposed by Marvel's "newest" WWII sensations, the Liberty Legion. Ben now entered the fray after a lot of sideline-standing, and once he lands he's going to meet our newest refugee from Thomas' Invaders mag.

Karen: I wonder what the story is behind this odd three-parter? I can't help but think that maybe it was originally intended to be told in just the two annuals, but somehow stretched out into this regular-sized issue. It's certainly an odd situation.
Doug: It is an odd bit of continuity. I thought a comment from frequent BAB reader Edo Bosnar about Marvel Two-In-One Annual #1 violating that unwritten Annual rule of being a nice done-in-one story was interesting. I'd not given that a thought. But yes, this tale's long enough to be in a graphic novel or treasury edition!

Doug: Once on the airship, Ben discovered that its pilot was the Nazi mastermind (is that correct, because it's pretty punny) Brain Drain. Ben's of course shocked at the look of this... thing, and who wouldn't be? We then get the obligatory ~2-page recap before Ben begins to tear the flying swastika apart. As he's ripping into it, though, it obviously begins to spin out of control, clipping several buildings along the New York skyline. Finally diverted out to sea, the airship returns to its base, the same base where Sky Shark had found refuge in the previous chapter. But once down, Ben is greeted by Brain Drain's allies -- the aforementioned super-powered Nazis! Ben puts up a fight, feigns unconsciousness, and then rips through all of them once he's lured them in close. Sky Shark offers just enough resistance through the use of his pistol to allow Master Man and Merrano the ins they need to keep pummeling the Thing. And then the cavalry arrives!

Karen: Oh my. Der Brain Drain. Look, I like 50s sci fi movies with disembodied brains, but this guy, with his little eyes bobbing around, was just goofy. In light of all our discussion previously about Ben being Jewish, I thought his fight with Master Man, and the dialogue there, was pretty interesting. Master Man: "I suspect you are not...Aryan!" Ben: "That's the kinda bull we're fightin' this war to get rid of! Me, I'm just a pure-bred human bein'..." Again, it's just a simple comment that any hero might make, but if you interpret it in the light of Ben being Jewish, it adds another layer to it.
Doug: Yep. I can't recall if, after writing the synopsis for this issue, I went back to the MTIO Annual #1 post and inserted the line of questioning about Ben's heritage. Perhaps I thought of it at the time -- but you're certainly right in that there have been plenty of signs of Roy's perhaps-cloaked intentions throughout this entire story.

Doug: Sal Buscema has a couple of really nice larger panels in this story. At the beginning of this scene the appearance of the Nazi muscle is well-rendered; straightforward, but exciting. Here we see the Liberty Legion descending from the Thin Man's airplane to join the fray. It's good stuff! Once on the base, the LL begins to kick some major butt. This is a different sort of battle than the Invaders would fight -- this group doesn't have Namor's power or the advantage of the Torches flying and heat manipulating. We get a pretty good brouhaha, with the Legion displaying their powers (don't you think Roy was pushing hard for an ongoing series with these guys? It's too bad the mini-series hadn't been invented yet).

Karen: Yeah, the Liberty Legion is to the Invaders what Cap's Kooky Quartet was to the founding Avengers team: under-powered! Blue Diamond is tough, but I don't think he was super-strong; the Patriot's just an average guy; two members, Red Raven and Miss America, are mainly fliers; the Whizzer definitely could fit in with the Invaders though. Not so sure about Jack Frost or especially the Thin Man.
Doug: Ben continues to pound away at the swastika airship, until Brain Drain blasts off and away. He's followed shortly by Sky Shark in his plane, and the battle basically ends. When the Watcher reappears, Ben's pretty certain that the danger's over... as that dope Sky Shark had been flaunting the second half of the vibranium cylinder that started this whole mess, it was a pretty easy grab for Ben during the fracas. So with what he'd come back in time for, good-byes are said, the time platform's set for 1976, and it's off to the future (or present). Once back, Ben has some final words with the Watcher. Once he fades out, the rest of the FF finally burst into the laboratory. Ben nonchalantly tosses the reunited cylinder to Reed and heads off to find Alicia, for what we hope was a happy ending!

Karen: This issue was a fast read, especially compared to the other two. All in all, not a bad story, although I think the FF Annual was heads and shoulders above the second and third parts. I just looked at this issue (and the MTIO Annual) and kept thinking, "This is just ridiculous."
Doug: I liked this story, despite the silly parts and Roy's sometimes over-wordiness. It was fun to see the WWII heroes, and Ben's just a great team-up guy. Marvel really mined gold with their two leads, as opposed to DC's choices of Batman and Superman. While they are without a doubt the Distinguished Competition's biggest stars, neither of their personalities are even close to Spidey's or the Thing's. I think that's why Marvel could pair those guys with just about any B- or C-lister in their stable. Those two guys are just people people!

Karen: I've always kind of thought of Ben's role in the Marvel Universe as 'everybody's favorite uncle'. He's the kind of guy that is easy to get along with, doesn't have any airs or pretensions, and is a big softy at heart. You could team him up with anyone from Cap to Thor to Man-Thing -Ben got along with 'em all!