Invaders (comics)

Invaders (comics). The Invaders are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team, primarily active during World War II, consists of prominent heroes from the Marvel Universe's Golden Age who fought against the Axis powers. Originally conceived by writer Roy Thomas and artist Frank Robbins, the team retroactively established a shared history for characters like Captain America, the Human Torch, and Namor the Sub-Mariner.

Publication history

The team first appeared in Giant-Size Invaders #1 (cover-dated June 1975), a one-shot that led directly into the ongoing Invaders series. Writer Roy Thomas created the team to explore the untold World War II adventures of Marvel Comics' flagship heroes, effectively forming a wartime Allied super-team. The original series, primarily illustrated by Frank Robbins, ran for 41 issues until 1979. The concept has been revived multiple times in subsequent decades, including the 1993 Invaders miniseries by Roy Thomas and Dave Hoover, and the 2004 New Invaders series. Modern revisitations include the 2010 Invaders Now! miniseries and a 2019 volume written by Chip Zdarsky that explored the team's legacy in the present-day Marvel Universe.

Fictional team history

The Invaders were officially formed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in response to the threat posed by the Third Reich's own superhuman operatives, such as the Red Skull and Baron Zemo. Operating from bases like London and the USS Eldridge, the team battled enemies across Europe and the Pacific Theater. Key early missions included confronting the Blitz-era threats of Master Man and Warrior Woman, and thwarting the Axis powers' Project: Blitzkrieg. The team's history is deeply intertwined with other wartime groups like the Liberty Legion, the Kid Commandos, and the British V-Battalion. Following the war, the team disbanded, though its members were later instrumental in forming Avengers and other modern teams. Their legacy has been revisited during events like The Korvac Saga and Secret Empire, where their wartime actions had lasting consequences.

Members

The core founding members of the Invaders are Captain America (Steve Rogers), his sidekick Bucky Barnes, the Human Torch (Jim Hammond), his youthful partner Toro, and Namor the Sub-Mariner. Other prominent members who joined during the war included the British spy Spitfire (Lady Jacqueline Falsworth), her brother Union Jack (Brian Falsworth), and the Destroyer (Roger Aubrey). Allied heroes like Miss America, the Whizzer, and Blazing Skull also fought alongside the team. Later incarnations, such as the New Invaders, featured legacy characters including U.S. Agent, Thin Man, and Blonde Phantom, alongside veterans like Namora.

Collected editions

Several of the team's adventures have been reprinted in trade paperback and hardcover formats. Key collections include Invaders: The Complete Collection volumes, which compile the original Roy Thomas series. The Invaders Classic line reprints the early issues, while Invaders: The Axis collects stories focused on battles against the Red Skull and Baron Zemo. Modern series like the 2019 run by Chip Zdarsky have been collected as Invaders: War Ghost. Significant crossover events featuring the team are found in Marvel Universe: The End and All-New Invaders collections.

In other media

The Invaders have appeared in various animated series and video games within the Marvel Animation and Marvel Games universes. The team is featured in episodes of The Super Hero Squad Show and Avengers Assemble, often in flashbacks to World War II. Key members like Captain America and Namor appear in the animated film Ultimate Avengers. In video games, the team's history is referenced in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance and Lego Marvel's Avengers, with characters like the Human Torch and Bucky appearing as playable fighters. The concept also influences the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the World War II exploits of Steve Rogers and the Howling Commandos echoing the team's premise.

Category:Marvel Comics superhero teams Category:Comics about World War II Category:Characters created by Roy Thomas