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Avengers (1998) (New Editions) #11
Avengers: Once an Invader
Who is the mysterious figure that claims to be Captain America, and what mission is he recruiting the super-soldiers of past wars to accomplish? As the new Invaders hit the battlefield. Namor the Sub-Mariner marshals his forces against a crucial island nation But whose side will the Avengers come down on? Collects Avengers vol. 3, #82-84; Invaders #0 - plus a classic encounter between the two teams, as told from both sides, in AVENGERS (Vol. 1) #71 and INVADERS ANNUAL #1!
152 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2004
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About the author
Chuck Austen
431 books16 followersChuck Austen (born Chuck Beckum) is an American humor novelist, comic book writer and artist, TV writer and animator. In comics, he is known for his work on X-Men, War Machine, Elektra, and Action Comics, and in television, he is known for co-creating the animated TV series Tripping the Rift.
In his most recent prose novels, Chuck Austen has been going by the name Charles Austen.
In his most recent prose novels, Chuck Austen has been going by the name Charles Austen.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 17, 2015
After this short arc, an unsuccessful attempt to relaunch the dormant Invaders, Chuck Austen’s reign of terror ended. The actual story is almost pointless. A murky series of machinations created a new Invaders team and led to an invasion of a Middle East country. The Avengers got involved to attempt to avert a crisis. It played poorly and had almost no impact on the team in the long term. And the attempted Invaders re-launch quickly fizzled.
Instead, viewers got treated to more terrible characterization. In spite of her “big secret,” Kelsey was so utterly transparent that even people who had never met her could have guessed who the new Captain Britain was. Her violent tantrum at her own memorial (while in costume) would have been tacky enough under normal circumstances, but given that her traumatized children, who believed she was dead, were present, it was utterly unforgiveable. Hank Pym was still an insensitive jerk who assumed Kelsey had deliberately ditched her kids, because she was tired of them. Then we had the rabbit hole of conflating the flirtatious banter in which Hawkeye and Wasp used to indulge in the ‘60s and ‘70s as a long-suppressed desire to bone each other senseless. That Hawkeye suddenly claimed to “never have forgiven” Hank for hitting Jan flew in direct opposition to the original arc (where Hawkeye was Hank’s biggest supporter and shamed his teammates for not doing more to help him) and years of stories in West Coast Avengers, where Hawkeye’s faith and support were instrumental in Hank’s redemption. But forget all that, because not only were Hawkeye and Wasp getting it on, they were brain dead enough to do so somewhere that Hank could walk in. There was not a single redeeming grace to any of this writing. Once again, some great art (this time from Scott Kolins) went utterly to waste in service of a plot that had no reason to exist. The inclusion of a Silver Age cross-over featuring the Avengers and Invaders just showed how truly terrible this pointless arc was.
A version of this review originally appeared on www.thunderalleybcp.com
Instead, viewers got treated to more terrible characterization. In spite of her “big secret,” Kelsey was so utterly transparent that even people who had never met her could have guessed who the new Captain Britain was. Her violent tantrum at her own memorial (while in costume) would have been tacky enough under normal circumstances, but given that her traumatized children, who believed she was dead, were present, it was utterly unforgiveable. Hank Pym was still an insensitive jerk who assumed Kelsey had deliberately ditched her kids, because she was tired of them. Then we had the rabbit hole of conflating the flirtatious banter in which Hawkeye and Wasp used to indulge in the ‘60s and ‘70s as a long-suppressed desire to bone each other senseless. That Hawkeye suddenly claimed to “never have forgiven” Hank for hitting Jan flew in direct opposition to the original arc (where Hawkeye was Hank’s biggest supporter and shamed his teammates for not doing more to help him) and years of stories in West Coast Avengers, where Hawkeye’s faith and support were instrumental in Hank’s redemption. But forget all that, because not only were Hawkeye and Wasp getting it on, they were brain dead enough to do so somewhere that Hank could walk in. There was not a single redeeming grace to any of this writing. Once again, some great art (this time from Scott Kolins) went utterly to waste in service of a plot that had no reason to exist. The inclusion of a Silver Age cross-over featuring the Avengers and Invaders just showed how truly terrible this pointless arc was.
A version of this review originally appeared on www.thunderalleybcp.com
December 29, 2018
After all that build-up with the new Captain Britain, we just kind of toss her away.
But not until after the whole storyline stops making any sense. For instance, Captain Britain blames Captain America for not stopping the Wrecking Crew. That, she says, caused her death. OK, but she knows that it was actually . So that doesn't make sense.
And the politics of it are reversed. It was the United States who touted pre-emptive warfare.
Perhaps, you say, the whole thing is just a ruse to cover for her torment. I guess, but then we totally abandon her for a series of strangers in the garb of long-forgotten heroes. Perhaps if they weren't all just jerks, they might be interesting. Thus, the Blazing Skull comes the closest to being interesting, but it's not clear if there's anything left there.
But not until after the whole storyline stops making any sense. For instance, Captain Britain blames Captain America for not stopping the Wrecking Crew. That, she says, caused her death. OK, but she knows that it was actually . So that doesn't make sense.
And the politics of it are reversed. It was the United States who touted pre-emptive warfare.
Perhaps, you say, the whole thing is just a ruse to cover for her torment. I guess, but then we totally abandon her for a series of strangers in the garb of long-forgotten heroes. Perhaps if they weren't all just jerks, they might be interesting. Thus, the Blazing Skull comes the closest to being interesting, but it's not clear if there's anything left there.
October 15, 2024
Ci sono due cose positive in questo albo.
La prima è che sono le ultime storie di Chuck Austen sulla testata. Dovunque sia stato, questo autore, ha demolito personaggi senza motivo e i Vendicatori non hanno fatto eccezione.
La seconda è il tentativo di rilancio degli Invasori in chiave attuale.
Scott Kolins ai disegni è bravo, ma è la storia che abbina momenti senza senso, messi lì solo per far vedere quanto pessimi siano i personaggi a fianco di qualche buona idea. Tipo, appunto, i New Invaders, serie che per fortuna non sarà scritta da Austen.
Diciamo che siamo sulle 2 stelle e grazie a Kolins.
La prima è che sono le ultime storie di Chuck Austen sulla testata. Dovunque sia stato, questo autore, ha demolito personaggi senza motivo e i Vendicatori non hanno fatto eccezione.
La seconda è il tentativo di rilancio degli Invasori in chiave attuale.
Scott Kolins ai disegni è bravo, ma è la storia che abbina momenti senza senso, messi lì solo per far vedere quanto pessimi siano i personaggi a fianco di qualche buona idea. Tipo, appunto, i New Invaders, serie che per fortuna non sarà scritta da Austen.
Diciamo che siamo sulle 2 stelle e grazie a Kolins.
October 16, 2023
This book was a mess. We have a false group of Invaders assembled by can't-get-a-break US Agent based on the orders of the false Secretary of Defense who was actually the Red Skull. His mission of destabilization eventually gets the attention of the current Avengers, but not before some new Hawkeye-Wasp entanglement.
To cap it all off, we get some issues of the old Invaders comic that show a time-traveling adventure they got into because of Kang and the Grandmaster so that they could fight the Avengers?
Such a weird compilation.
To cap it all off, we get some issues of the old Invaders comic that show a time-traveling adventure they got into because of Kang and the Grandmaster so that they could fight the Avengers?
Such a weird compilation.
August 8, 2019
Why spend a good chuck of time introducing Kelsey as Captain Britain in the last arc, only to have her play no role in this? This was a pretty good collection with lots of classic comic fun and adventure. Nothing to write home about.
September 14, 2018
Even worse than the last volume. Truly awful.
November 5, 2018
One star for sexy Namor and a few panels of good character interactions.
October 20, 2014
Okay main story though confusing. But couple with a pair of lame and garish reprints. I think I've been reading around this plotline though. I think the Thunderbolts come back to this island. And otherwise it feels kind of like a setup for the replacement Avengers. Anyway not great but not horrible.
July 1, 2012
This is just to introduce a new superhero team. The Invaders get together to help Namor, and doing so go up against the avengers. Simple storyline, lots of action.
March 15, 2016
Eh. A forgettable story leading into an Invaders relaunch.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews