Man of Fire

Paul Anslem has been transported from 1943 to the present day. Learning that his buddies in the war all died, he returns to the apartment owned by his future self after visiting their graves.[1] The elder Paul explains that the war wasn’t entirely hell thanks to the heroes that existed in that time. It’s much different now though, as bystanders are usually the victims of their supposed defenders, who don’t seem to know where they are coming from.[2]

Soon, they are visited by the New Avengers — Ronin (Clint Barton), Luke Cage, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Wolverine (Logan), Echo (Maya Lopez), Iron Fist (Danny Rand) and Doctor (Stephen) Strange — along with the two of the Invaders — Bucky (James Barnes) and Toro (Thomas Raymond). They have come because they need to send Paul and the time displaced Invaders back to 1943 before the timeline is erased and replaced with a new one where the Nazis won the war. After explaining the dire circumstances, Strange tells everyone that they need to locate the cause of this time displacement, the Cosmic Cube. However, despite his past regrets the elder Paul Anslem insists that he doesn’t have the Cube. Despite this, Strange is certain that Paul is somehow tied to all of this.

Meanwhile, the Human Torch (Jim Hammond) has returned to the SHIELD helicarrier, but not to rescue his comrades Captain America (Steve Rogers) and Sub-Mariner (Namor), but to liberate the Life Model Decoys (LMDs) that he believes are enslaved there.[3] He finds opposition from the Mighty Avengers — Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers), the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), Wonder Man (Simon Williams), the Black Widow (Natasha Romanov), Ares, and the Sentry (Bob Reynolds). He warns them that they don’t know what they are facing. That’s when the LMD’s called for back-up pull their guns on the Avengers, as the Sentry lunges at the Torch to stop him. While Reynolds has boasted having the power of a million exploding suns, he is ill prepared for the Torch unleashing the full might of his flame. This causes the energies in Bob to build up, forcing him to fly high into the sky to harmlessly explode.

Inside the helicarrier, the situation is being observed by SHIELD Director Tony Stark (aka Iron Man). Before he can act, some more LMDs get the drop on him. However, he won’t surrender without a fight.

Back outside, the rest of the Avengers are beat back by the terrifying heat given off by the Human Torch. He is horrified that SHIELD has used the technology pioneered by his creator to create an army of expendable slaves. However, he spares their lives because he wants to prove that mechanical life forms are not like humans. With the Mighty Avengers defeated, the Life Model Decoys then bow to their liberator![4]

Meanwhile, Doctor Strange uses his magic to determine how Anslem could have influenced the Cosmic Cube to create this disaster. What he discovers is that Paul is only part of the influence. In fact, the Cube seems to be channeling the desires of the general public who are mourning the loss of Captain America, who was recently murdered in this time.[5] At that same time, Toro is looking at old photos that Paul has hanging on his wall. He is shocked to see a photograph of Paul standing next to Toro’s own grave and asks what happened. Paul explains that Toro died years before Cap did and that nobody was around to save him at the time. Thomas then demands to know where his grave is located.[5]

Aboard the helicarrier, Tony Stark is brought before the Human Torch in the command room. There, they argue about if the Life Model Decoys are really alive. Admittedly, Jim can’t answer all of Tony’s questions. He also ignores Stark’s warnings about the timeline and leaves to liberate the rest of the LMDs. That’s when Tony looks up on the monitors and sees that, despite Jim’s assurances they wouldn’t kill, the Decoys are now starting to use lethal force. This leads Tony to wonder who might be pulling their strings.

Outside, Ms. Marvel orders her team to shut the LMD’s down before they accidentally kill Captain America and the Sub-Mariner, or crash the helicarrier and kill countless civilians in the process.

While this is happening, some of the LMDs lead the Torch to where Cap and Namor are being held. He learns that they have been placed in a VR simulation to prevent them from learning any more about the future. In order to free them, the Torch is instructed to hook himself up and enter the simulation and convince them to escape from the illusion.[7] Inside the simulation, the Human Torch discovers that Captain America and he Sub-Mariner are living out a simulation of World War II alongside simulations of the other Invaders. They seem unaware that they are in the middle of a simulation.

Meanwhile, Toro flies to Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn to see his own grave. Seeing that he died, Toro lashes out with his flames before breaking down and wondering why the Torch or any of his allies were there to save him.

Recurring Characters

Mighty Avengers (Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, the Wasp, Wonder Man, Black Widow, Ares, the Sentry), New Avengers (Ronin, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Echo, Iron Fist, Doctor Strange), Captain America (Barnes), Invaders (Captain America (Rogers), Bucky, Human Torch, Toro, Sub-Mariner), Paul Anslem, SHIELD

Continuity Notes

1. Due to the Sliding Timescale, it has become increasingly impossible for Paul Anslem to have survived into the Modern Age of the Marvel Universe. As of this writing (September, 2024), there has been no official explanation. I have posited a theory on how this could be in my index entry for Avengers/Invaders #1.

2. This is a side-eye to what was presently going on in the Marvel Universe at the time of this story. Namely the passage of the Super Human Registration Act (SHRA) that required heroes to register with the government. This caused a division in the community with one side supporting registration and others being against it, making them outlaws hunted by authorities, as seen in Civil War #1-7. This law will remain on the books until Siege #4.

3. Hammond was convinced that the LMDs are sentient in Avengers/Invaders #2. Next issue we’ll learn that this is all a trick orchestrated by Ultron, who had infiltrated SHIELD’s computers back in Mighty Avengers #6.

4. The Human Torch was created by Phineas Horton back in 1938, as seen in Marvel Comics #1. Per Avengers Annual #21, Horton’s creation of such an advanced android was thanks to the machinations of Kang the Conqueror as part of a long seeded plan to conquer the Modern Age. However, the Life Model Decoy’s aren’t actually based on Horton’s designs, at least not initially. As revealed in S.H.I.E.L.D. (vol. 2) #2 and Secret Warriors #26, SHIELD’s LMD’s were based off a prototype created by legendary inventor Leonardo Da Vinci. That said, I think it is safe to say that the Torch’s claim that Horton’s technology being used with LMDs is a presumption on his part. Hammond has had a history not really knowing much about the science that created him.

5. At the time of this story, everyone believes that Steve Rogers was murdered by an assassin in Captain America (vol. 5) #25. In reality, he was shot with a chronal bullet and is re-living his life in a constant loop. He will be rescued from this purgatory in Captain America: Reborn #1-6. Here, Strange says while he didn’t found the Avengers, Cap was its heart and soul. The Avengers first formed in (you guessed it) Avengers #1,but Cap didn’t end up joining the team until issue #4 of that series.

6. The present day Toro was killed in action after being brainwashed by the Mad Thinker, as seen in Sub-Mariner #14. The reason why the Human Torch wasn’t there to protect him was because Jim had been deactivated in Fantastic Four Annual #4 and buried and wouldn’t be revived again until Avengers West Coast #50. Toro himself will remain dead until he is resurrected at the end of this series. Here, Toro’s grave states that he is a “loving husband”, this is in reference to the fact that he was married prior to his death. His wife, as also revealed in Sub-Mariner #14, was Ann Raymond.

7. The LMD’s tell Jim that SHIELD’s VR technology is based off that used by the X-Men in the Danger Room. The Danger Room was first seen in X-Men #1, it was an automated training facility that taught the team how to use their powers as well as fight as a team. Later on, it was upgraded using advanced holographic technology given to the team by the alien Shi’ar starting in New Mutants #1.