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Invaders #27

Oct 1977
Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins

Story Name:

Agent Axis, Master of Murder!


Synopsis

Invaders #27 synopsis by Peter Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars

Bucky awakens to find himself a prisoner aboard Agent Axis' mechanical mole, along with Dr Sabuki and his daughter Gwenny Lou. On learning that Toro is in a nearby hospital, the villain has his men divert the mole there to capture the young hero. As Axis' trio of henchmen snatch Toro from his bed, a kid named Davy Mitchell who was visiting the hospital sees them and they grab him as a hostage when the hospital guards arrive. Aboard the mole, Dr Sabuki explains that Agent Axis wants him to try to separate the villain back into the original three men comprising him (see INVADERS ANNUAL #1) but Sabuki has refused. Now Agent Axis holds the hostages against him—but Gwenny, Davy, and Bucky fight back, at least until Axis threatens to shoot the comatose Toro. Sabuki relents and agrees to help Agent Axis, which is what the villain wanted all along....

The other Invaders, Captain America, Sub-Mariner, and Human Torch, arrive in the relocation center at Sandy Flat where they confront the commander Captain Sims over the wretched conditions the Japanese prisoners, many of whom are American citizens, are kept in. Learning the latest details on Bucky's adventures, the Invaders go in search of him, via the tracking device in Bucky's belt buckle....

Dr Sabuki agrees to help Agent Axis in his efforts to reverse his condition with one condition: that he operate on Toro first. The villain agrees and once they arrive at Agent Axis' underground citadel, Sabuki performs the delicate surgery and successfully removes the Nazi bullet from the boy hero. Axis does not allow him time to rest but rushes the doctor to a complicated surgical device which has Axis, Gwenny Lou, and Davy all hooked up, with the complication that any error on Sabuki's part will cause the same result on the kids, and any attempt to escape will cause them to be electrocuted. But Toro, recovering much more quickly than anyone could foresee, attacks one of the henchmen who is threatening Bucky and the latter punches the baddie in the face so that his gun goes off, putting several bullets into the surgical machine and sending electrical current through all three subjects. Agent Axis escapes and to his surprise, Gwenny Lou also rises from the table, firing solid sunbursts at him. Then Davy also discovers he now has the power to whirl about (like a human top) and evade the trio of henchmen. Axis takes Sabuki hostage and orders the three youngsters killed—but then the Invaders crash through the wall and the situation changes....


 

Review / Commentaries


Invaders #27 Review by (December 10, 2018)

Review: A very claustrophobic issue with Frank Robbins' crowded panels suiting the cramped conditions of the mechanical mole and the villain's underground chamber. Plus, we have some retconned diversity in the heroes' ranks with an Asian American girl and an African American boy joining the lineup. And more detail is given on the plight of the Japanese in the internment camps, proving that Roy Thomas has an educational aim as well as entertainment. All good enough to forgive the cover murder device's not appearing in the issue!

Comments: Part two of three parts. Origin of Golden Girl. First appearance and origin of Human Top (Davy Mitchell). This Human Top has no connection to the Golden Age hero of that name, or the Ant-Man villain who would later become Whirlwind.

Period Pop-Culture Details: “Great day in the morning!” catch phrase from radio series FIBBER MCGEE AND MOLLY, Lon Chaney horror films.




> Invaders comic book info and issue index

Elektra

Excelsioring your collection:
DIAMOND SELECT TOYS Marvel Premier Collection: Avengers Endgame Captain America Statue, Multicolor
Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Frank Robbins
Frank Springer
George Roussos
Gil Kane (Cover Penciler)
Klaus Janson (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Bucky Barnes
Bucky Barnes

(James Barnes)
Captain America
Captain America

(Steven Rogers)
Human Torch
Human Torch

(Jim Hammond)
Sub-Mariner
Sub-Mariner

(Namor McKenzie)
Toro
Toro

(Thomas Raymond)

Plus: Agent Axis, Golden Girl (Gwenny Lou Sabuki), Human Top (Davy Mitchell).