Invaders Now!

TheCorpulent1

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I could've sworn there was another thread for the Invaders, but it's not coming up in the search. Anyway, Newsarama just posted an interview with Christos Gage about Invaders Now!:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/invaders-now-christos-gage-100908.html

Nrama: With the team reforming in whole for the first time since WWII, what's the dynamic like there? Are the Invaders pretty much picking up where they left off (a very long time ago), or is there some adjustment to be done?

Gage: It varies. For some, like Namor, the intervening years have been full of activity, whereas for the original Human Torch, who was inactive (he's an android) for decades on end, the war years seem not that long ago at all. There's some adjustment for all of them ... in our first issue, we see Toro going to Bucky (now Captain America) for advice on acclimating to a world that's passed you by. But when you get down to it, these heroes share a bond they can never really share with anyone else, and trust each other like they trust few others. They went through the crucible of war together ... people who would never otherwise have come together uniting to face the ultimate threat and the horrors only war can bring. When the bullets start to fly, that comes out. The biggest adjustment is probably on the part of Union Jack, who is the only character who is not the original version and wasn't around during the war.
 
I read the first issue. I'm interested.
 
Is this a mini or an ongoing? Is Blazing Skull in it? He was an Invader wasn't he?
 
Is this a mini or an ongoing? Is Blazing Skull in it? He was an Invader wasn't he?

It's a mini series, lasting five issues. It takes place after AVENGERS/INVADERS and HUMAN TORCH, which both were longer and probably had more involvement by Alex Ross. This mini has Ross on covers and most of the writing is likely being done by Christos Gage.

Blazing Skull is NOT in it. His last appearance remains THE LAST DEFENDERS #2, unless I missed something. And that was two years ago already.
 
I've always liked Gage's work, and after reading Avenger/Invaders and Human Torch I'm interested in this, but my budget is already stretched thin. Maybe I'll be able to pick it up at a con or something down the road, but for now its a pass.
 
I was interested if the Blazing Skull were in it but since he's not I'm not so sure. I'll give it a skim. I was about the only guy in the world who actually really enjoyed the New Invaders series from a few years back and due to that I grew to like Jim Hammond and Union Jack. I'm fairly indifferant about Namor, Bucky, and Steve (outside the uniform), so we'll just see what happens.
 
I read the first issue and liked it. I know literally nothing about the Golden Age Vision, but he worked well as the driving force behind this reunion. There's apparently some mystical significance to the original Invaders for this specific mission, and the Vision had a hand in ensuring all of the originals would return (except for the original Union Jack, whose soul was at peace, so he had to settle for the current one, Joseph Chapman, instead). It's all setup this issue, but the conversations between various Invaders were engaging enough to keep me interested.

I was a bit confused at Jim Hammond talking like he just woke up in the present yesterday, given that he came back in Avengers West Coast and spent years in the present (even organizing the new Heroes for Hire while the main heroes were out for Heroes Reborn), but I dropped The Torch due to boredom, so maybe he went through some kind of memory wipe in that. Kind of a shame, since I liked how he'd matured and become more human previously, but whatever. Chalk it up to Ross' well known Golden/Silver Age fanboyism if that's what happened.

The art was pretty good too, although the figures and faces felt a little loose and awkward in some panels.
 
Apparently in THE TORCH, the Mad Thinker was able to resurrect the android Hammond after experimenting on his corpse and a captive Toro, but without his memories. But that's from Wikipedia.

I never read AVENGERS/INVADERS, and THE TORCH #1 last year didn't quite wow me to invest $4 for 7-8 issues. The writing on INVADERS NOW! #1, though, was much better. Christos Gage seems to be behind much of that, as he's credited with the script while Alex Ross, aside for the cover, only shares a co-story credit. Gage is usually a solid writer, often under appreciated. Given that it's only five chapters, I may stick around for the rest. The Invaders, ideally, should serve as Marvel's answer to the JSA, so I wouldn't mind seeing a decent try at them.

The original Vision is...interesting. He seems to act a bit too much like Spectre from KINGDOM COME, as a vague caped mystical guy who fills plot holes and often talks in philosophy or exposition. But given his origins, maybe that fits. He's basically a human who spent a lot of time in "the smoke dimension" and acts as a sort of interdimensional cop.

Plus, it allows Gage to reunite with Union Jack, who he wrote in an oft overlooked mini from 2006. It works seamlessly with other books; Spitfire's thing with Blade is referenced, for instance. Plus, threats like Atom-Smasher and the N'Gari pop up in quick cameos, as well as Rockslide & Anole from Utopia. The artwork was quite good, too. Gage seemed to be at ease writing the characters chatting with each other. Overall, I'd say it was a solid package, and I read little of the two prior mini's and still enjoyed it.
 
You guys are talking me into maybe trying out this book. I'll see if I can afford it at the shop today.
 
Haha, those two Li'l X-Kids geeking out over the Human Torch was great. :D
 
Indeed. Who WOULDN'T want to meet the man who killed Hitler? ;)
 
That thing with Namor afterward was a bit awkward but I appreciated the sentiment. It does seem like there's a gaping chasm between the killers and the non-killers in comics. The killers are the norm now, but they tend to go way, way overboard and trivialize it like Wolverine and the Punisher and now Archangel; on the other end of the spectrum are the heroes who refuse to kill anyone as a moral absolute. The Torch represents the kind of mindset that sees killing for the serious action it is but still recognizes its necessity sometimes. Interesting message. :up:
 
I skimmed this issue and it did look pretty good but I already had a heavy load and my wife wouldn't be happy if I broke the price number she suggested I not break. So I opted to pick up Batman 703 instead of this one (as I couldn't get both). My shop had tons of copies left though so I may pick it up later on a lighter week. We'll see.

I mean, it has Anole and Rockslide in it! :)
 
That thing with Namor afterward was a bit awkward but I appreciated the sentiment. It does seem like there's a gaping chasm between the killers and the non-killers in comics. The killers are the norm now, but they tend to go way, way overboard and trivialize it like Wolverine and the Punisher and now Archangel; on the other end of the spectrum are the heroes who refuse to kill anyone as a moral absolute. The Torch represents the kind of mindset that sees killing for the serious action it is but still recognizes its necessity sometimes. Interesting message. :up:

I agree. Namor's point was that there's a time to do what is necessary and a time when it isn't. That there are threats that need to be put down and killed, but that killing EVERY threat isn't needed, either. In other words, the ideal soldier. Ideally, a soldier doesn't slaughter any and every enemy they encounter, but the option is always on the table, and they have to be able to utilize it. Steve Rogers operates that way, and Namor's remained allies with him.

The philosophy goes deeper. There are many commentators, especially on the 9th anniversary of 9/11, who claim there are major differences between the WWII generation and the 21st century generation, and their determination to stop a threat. But that's fodder for another discussion. Still, it was a smart sort of statement. It's nice when Namor says something more than "Imperious Rex!" and being angry or arrogant.
 
Yaaay.
more union jack.
i liked new invaders..the final vampire storyline was great.
hope this is good look forward to reading it.
and we get the invaders in the captain america movie...double goodness!
 
Why did Dynamic have The Torch mini? Does Marvel have stake in them. I've felt at times like they are a sublet of Marvel. With Fighting Yank(another GA hero) big during the SuperPowers Project of a few years back.

As to the Invaders, this Golden Age Vision is a character I had to spend some time Google-ing/Wiki on. It sounds like he's from a race of mostly observers but not total pacificts like say The Watcher.

I think with the Invaders now in the present day that after this min you have to separate Human Torch and Toro. Having two fire beings on the same team is redudant especially if that slot can be filled by another useful hero for variety.
 

Invaders Now! #3 Preview


rwp6de.jpg
 
Looks like Union Jack got mutated. :(

Overall, it's been an entertaining series so far.
 
poor UJ....ive enjoyed this mini so far too...but it seems an eternity between issues.
 

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