the Invaders
They were the single greatest collection of heroes of their time, bar none. Sure, there was the Liberty Legion, the Kid Commandos, and of course, the Crusaders, but no single group of costumed heroes are as well-remembered as the mighty Invaders. When they originally formed, the Invaders consisted of five powerful men without peer, including the following:
Captain America: youthful, sickly Steve Rogers became a hero after he proved to be the one and only test subject of an experimental super soldier serum. Quickly growing into the role of the Sentinel of Liberty, he gave his all to the fight against America's enemies, the evil Nazi scourge. Captain America comes in Classic and Saga styles!
the Human Torch: created to be the perfect man by Phineas T. Horton, this android proved to be more than human when his body ignited upon exposure to air. Eventually mastering his powers over the years, he took the name of the Human Torch, and used his abilities to fight evil in all its many forms! Comes in Classic and Saga styles!
Namor, the Sub-Mariner: born from the union of an Atlantean princess and an American sea captain, Namor was raised from childhood to hate humanity and all they represent. When he saw the worst of them in the form of Nazi Germany, he allied with humans of power like his to oppose their every move. Namor comes in Classic and Saga styles!
Toro: his parents being exposed to both asbestos and radium as youths, Thomas Raymond wound up being born a mutant. As a teenager, he developed powers quite similar to the Human Torch, and the duo founded a crime-fighting partnership that lasted for years after their inevitable run-in. Toro comes in Classic and Saga styles!
Shortly after their formation, the Invaders saw the addition of two more heroes to their fold, Spitfire and Union Jack. Both from England, these two were actually relatives, but gained their impressive powers under different conditions. Furthermore, towards the end of World War II, the team gained an all-new Captain America and Bucky when the originals were lost in the Arctic.
Bucky 2: after the tragic loss of the first Captain America and Bucky over the Arctic Circle, the U.S. Government replaced them as soon as possible - for the purposes of public morale. For the role of Bucky, they chose Fred Davis, a youth with the same build and general appearance of his predecessor! Bucky 2 comes in Classic and Saga styles!
Spirit of '76 / Captain America 3: patriotic hero William Nasland fought the Nazi scourge abroad, despite his lack of super human powers. When the original Captain America was lost, it was felt he'd make a good replacement for the man, and William was honored to don his costume. Spirit of '76 comes in Classic and Saga styles!
Spitfire: attacked by the vicious Baron Blood, Lady Jacqueline was given a blood transfusion from the Human Torch. In addition to saving her life, his android blood interacted with the vampire ichor in her body to somehow grant her amazing super speed - which she used to fight vampires and other evil. Spitfire comes in Classic and Saga styles!
Union Jack 2 / Mighty Destroyer 2: when wealthy socialite Brian Falsworth met a Mad Scientist in a German prison, he was given an experimental variant of the Super-Soldier Serum to hide it from the Nazis that forced him to make it. Fighting them there for a time as the Destroyer, he returned home as... Union Jack! Comes in Classic and Saga styles!
This collection of heroes worked well together, either all together or in smaller groups, despite their individual differences. You see, they intimately knew what their Nazi foes were capable of, and were able to put aside lesser concerns such as 'personality conflicts' for the greater good. They stuck together through thick and thin, until the very end of World War II.
Once the War was over and the Nazis were defeated, the membership shifted considerably, as did their mission. No longer having Nazis to contend with, they took on various other foes that solo heroes simply couldn't handle on their own. Furthermore, they took on a new identity, that of the All-Winners Squad. That team is covered more fully in its own entry, below.
Continue on to the All-Winners Squad!