INVADERS #23

"THE SCARAB OF THE NILE!"
Writer & Editor: Roy Thomas | Illustrators & Illuminators: Frank Robbins & Frank Springer
Colorist: George Roussos | Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Consulting Editor: Archie Goodwin

The Plot: Captain America, Bucky, Namor, and the Human Torch stand by in a hospital waiting room as Toro undergoes surgery. The surgeon soon appears, stating that Toro is stabilized but still has a bullet near his heart. Only one doctor is proficient enough to remove the bullet: Sam Sabuki of California. Namor volunteers his flagship to ferry Toro quickly to the U.S.A., but Spitfire arrives just then to announce that the Invaders have a new mission. Bucky volunteers to take Toro in the flagship while the rest of the team goes with Spitfire, and the Torch ultimately agrees.

The Invaders are dispatched to British-occupied Egypt and deal with a terror group called the Sons of the Scarab, who are wreaking havoc there even as the German General, Rommel, advances toward Cairo. The group, joined by Union Jack, arrives in Egypt soon after, where they are immediately ambushed by the Sons of the Scarab. The villains escape, and the Invaders meet up with their liaison officer, Major Harrison, and an Egyptian civilian archaeologist, Doctor Faoul. The British believe that the Sons of the Scarab are hiding out in the pyramids, and they want the Invaders, advised by Faoul, to ferret them out. While Captain America, Union Jack, and Spitfire head to the front line to aid the British against Rommel's forces, the Human Torch and Namor go with Faoul to the pyramids.

The Torch and Namor dig their way into a hudden chamber, where a mysterious ruby scarab waits. Faoul grabs it, revealing, beneath his clothes, ancient Egyptian garb that marks him as a Son of the Scarab. The ruby gifts Faoul with incredible powers, as he brags to the heroes that his not simply a member of the Sons -- he is their leader. He holds his own against the duo and then takes off to assist the Nazis in driving the British from Egypt. Meanwhile, Captain America and the others struggle to hold the line againt Rommel's advance.

Continuity Notes: Namor states that his kingdom was attacked by the Axis, leaving his grandfather in a coma. A footnote points readers to a reprint story from GIANT-SIZE INVADERS #1. The same page also sees the Torch recalling how Toro was injured by a Nazi gunman in issue 21.

The Invaders meet with their government liaisons at their Big Ben rendezvous point, which a footnote reminds readers was established in ANNUAL #1.

Spitfire says that her father, Dyna-Mite, and Oskar are interrogating the Nazi scientist, Colonel Dietrich, at Falsworth Manor.

Namor mentions that the pyramids are as old as Atlantis itself, and he believes that makes them kindred to his civilization. He is also able to read some of the Egyptian hieroglyphics inside one of the pyramids. Later, Faoul suggests that the pyramids are older than anyone knows, and that they were not built by man.

My Thoughts: I don't usually get very political around here, but it's interesting to note that I'm not exactly certain who I should be rooting for in this story. Of course I root against the Nazis. You always root against Nazis. But in terms of Doctor Faoul, I'm not so sure. He just wants the British out of Egypt, and it's not hard to blame him for that. He wants his country back. It's noted early on that Egypt is "technically" a sovereign land, but the British maintain a military presence there. The Invaders, then, are sent to shore up that military presence to fight back against the Nazis -- which, again, is a noble purpose. You gotta stop the Nazis.

But Fauol is in the middle, a freedom fighter of sorts, who has unfortunately chosen to ally himself with the Germans. He's teaming up with the enemy of his enemy in order to get his way. What he plans to do afterward, however, is unknown. Will he turn on the Nazis if he's successful in driving the British out of Egypt? Since I doubt that will happen next time, we may never know, but I do hope to get more of his side of the story next issue.

Now -- beyond all that rumination, I really like this one. Something about it gives me a bit of a James Bond vibe, though I can't quite explain why. It could be as simple as the expedition to the pyramids evoking memories of THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, my favorite Roger Moore outing. But in any case, a bit of globe-trotting beyond the usual confines of Europe is a welcome occurrence in this series. World War II was fought on many fronts, and it's nice to see the Invaders jump into a different one than usual. Plus we have the ongoing Toro plot continuing, the introduction of a new villain, and the usual great Frank Robbins artwork. What's not to like?!