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Invaders #14

Sep 1976
Roy Thomas, Frank Robbins

Story Name:

Calling the Crusaders


Synopsis

Invaders #14 synopsis by Peter Silvestro
Rating: 3 stars

Returning from their adventure in Prague (last issue), the Invaders arrive in the middle of an aerial battle over London. A German bomber crash-lands on the outskirts of the city and when the captain sees the British Home Guard approaching to give aid he mistakes them for soldiers coming to kill them and orders his men to fire. Sub-Mariner, Human Torch, and Toro pursue the fleeing Germans who run into a trio of new heroes: the patriotic Spirit of 76, Dyna-Mite who is only a dozen centimeters tall (about a foot), and Ghost Girl who manipulates light to confuse her enemies. The new heroes easily vanquish the Germans and introduce themselves to Namor and the Torches as half of a new hero group called the Crusaders....

Meanwhile, Captain America, Bucky, and Spitfire go into action to put out a fire but are beaten to the spot by three more heroes: Thunderfist (super-strength), Tommy Lightning (electrical powers), and Captain Wings (wings). They introduce themselves as the other half of the Crusaders. Returning to Falsworth Manor, they find Lord Falsworth in good health and formally induct Spitfire into the Invaders. They share accounts of their meetings with the Crusaders and the mention of Dyna-Mite upsets Lord Falsworth and he must leave for the evening.....

The next day the Invaders head out for a special mission but they are held up by a car explosion near Buckingham Palace; a cabbie named Alfie was a witness and he directs the heroes into St. James Park...

...where a masked villain intercepts a limousine and prepares to shoot King George VI—but he is stopped by the sudden appearance of Dyno-Mite followed by the other Crusaders. When the Invaders, who were supposed to be guarding the King, arrive, they find that the Crusaders have replaced them—and saved the day. Later it is announced that the Crusaders will replace the Invaders as the King's guard of honor at the next day's dedication of a ship—and Alfie the cabbie laughs a sinister laugh....


 

Review / Commentaries


Invaders #14 Review by (September 3, 2018)

Review: More new heroes? At least these guys aren't around very long. Really, this is their best showcase, each one getting a couple of panels to prove their mettle. So...these wartime heroes were newly created by Roy Thomas to take part in a two-part adventure/mystery. Who are these new heroes? Are they good guys or bad guys? We'll find out next time though the mystery really isn't that compelling: I don't think anyone waited a month in 1977 with baited breath wondering if these were really bad guys (it's the Thunderbolts that would later make assumptions like this completely invalid). Most of us were probably assuming they would be recurring characters of some sort. We were wrong but not all that wrong. Check out the next issue.

Comments: Part one of two parts. This issue and the next are the sole appearances of Ghost Girl, Captain Wings, Tommy Lightning, and Thunderfist; Dyna-Mite (Roger Aubrey) returns in issue #18 and adopts a different identity in issue #26. Spirit of '76 will be retconned by Roy Thomas in WHAT IF? #4 to be the second Captain America. According to Wikipedia, the Crusaders are based on the DC Comics team, the Freedom Fighters who at this time were battling a team called the Crusaders based on Marvel's Invaders. Cap refers to CASABLANCA (released in the USA January 23, 1943) as a “new movie” which seems a bit late for this series. On page 2, Spitfire appears to be giving the Nazi planes the English V-sign, an obscene gesture.




> 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
Marie Severin
Jack Kirby (Cover Penciler)
Joe Sinnott (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)
Spitfire
Spitfire

(Jacqueline Falsworth)
Sub-Mariner
Sub-Mariner

(Namor McKenzie)
Toro
Toro

(Thomas Raymond)

Plus: Dyna-Mite (Roger Aubrey), King George VI, Spirit of 76 (William Naslund), Union Jack (Lord Falsworth).