The Avengers face their most dangerous foe… Chuck Austen. Having already completed one story arc that introduced the all-new and unnecessary Captain Britain (Kelsey Leigh – because Kelsey is such a popular name in the UK), Austen moves on to help launch the Invaders‘ new series. I’m not sure if a promo tale from Chuck Austen counts as ‘help’. Once a terrible writer…
Crossover: This is a four-part crossover to promote the launch of the ‘New Invaders’ ongoing series.
Must-Reads: Issues marked with a ✔are essential to the story; every chapter is required to follow this story, but the story itself isn’t recommended.
Spoilers: The issue descriptions and fallout section contain spoilers, so be warned!
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- ✔ Avengers #82-84
- ✔ New Invaders #0
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | The USAgent starts up his very own Invaders line-up, recruiting Union Jack, Spitfire and the Blazing Skull into his ranks. Their first mission is to bring down Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the Avengers. A funeral service is held for Kelsey Leigh so the world and her kids believe she’s dead for no apparent reason. Hawkeye makes a move on the Wasp… |
| ✔ | Avengers #83 USAgent recruits Namor the Sub-Mariner and Tara (aka Invader-1 – a synthetic humanoid with the powers of the original Human Torch). The team assist Namor’s Atlantean forces against the Mazikhandarian Navy. Spitfire makes it clear she doesn’t approve of USAgent’s methods. Henry Peter Gyrich warns Ant-Man and the Falcon that the new Invaders were unwittingly formed by the Red Skull. Hank Pym walks in on Hawkeye and the Wasp while they’re fooling around in their undies… |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Avengers #84 Hank Pym goes missing after finding the Wasp has been cheating on him. The new Invaders attack Mazikhandar with the intention of bringing down their dictator, President Hassan. The team install a new leader, General Rafiq, who murders Hassan while the Invaders are busy fighting the Avengers. |
| ✔ | The New Invaders #0 The Invaders’ true leader is revealed to be World War II hero the Thin Man. He discovers the Hassan who killed by Rafiq is a synthetic humanoid who replaced the true Hassan when Dell Rusk (an identity used by the Red Skull) killed the real Hassan. The Invaders are defeated by the Avengers, but the deal is already done. Rafiq will stand trial and Mazikhandar will come under the rule of Atlantis. |
| Must Reads | Issue & Fallout | Event/ Crossover |
| ✔ | Avengers #500-502 (2004) Wasp and Hawkeye’s rocky relationship comes to a head. Avengers Finale #1 (2004) Wasp and Hank Pym get back together. | AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED |
| ✔ | New Invaders #1-3 (2004) Fin, Nia Noble and the original Human Torch join the Invaders; the New Invaders take son Axis Mundi and the Pterorists. | |
| Captain America #3 (2005) Union Jack amicably assists Captain America. | ||
| Invaders #6 (2005) Sulumor is killed by Wolverine. | ENEMY OF THE STATE | |
| ✔ | New Invaders #7-9 (2005) Captain America leads the Invaders against U-Man; Tara is revealed to be a pawn of the Red Skull, created to kill Captain America, Namor and the Human Torch; the Torch sacrifices himself to save Tara; Tara is deactivated. | |
| Cable & Deadpool #27 (2006) Thin Man goes on to assist GW Bridge and Domino on their mission to take down Cable. | BLOOD OF APOCALYPSE | |
| Captain America #18 (2006) Union Jack and Spitfire go on to assist Captain America again. | ||
| Civil War: Choosing Sides #1 (2006) USAgent goes on to act as a US envoy in Canada. | CIVIL WAR | |
| The Last Defenders #1 (2008) Blazing Skull goes on to join the Defenders. | ||
| Captain America #46-48 (2009) Captain America (Bucky Barnes) and Namor recover the Human Torch’s remains and give him a proper burial. | ||
| ✔ | The Torch #1-10 (2009-2010) The original Human Torch is resurrected again. | |
| All-New Invaders #1 (2014) The original Invaders reform. | ALL-NEW MARVEL NOW! |
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Avengers vol.5: Once an Invader | Avengers (1963) #71 Avengers (1998) #82-84 Invaders Annual (1977) #1 New Invaders #0 |
Reading Order © 2024 Omniverse Comics Guide
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