Appearing in "Crushed by Iron Cross!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Iron Cross
- Gerhardt
- Karl
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Crushed by Iron Cross!"
Iron Cross defeats and abducts the Liberty Legion, minus Whizzer, who seemed to escape to save his own life but actually went to find and recruit the visiting Invaders. Realizing Miss America's active communicator could still be used to track her, the Invaders and Whizzer board Namor's jet to boost the signal and follow it to Iron Cross' U-Boat base. There, Iron Cross, revealed as Helmut Gruler, is demanding Professor Schneider, his old friend from when they were both patriotic Germans before the war, to make the final improvements to the armor he designed for Germany's hero. While Schneider disagreed with Hitler's rhetoric and hoped to save his designs for after he was removed from power, Gruler believed in fighting for Germany regardless of who controlled it. He holds the Liberty Legion's lives as hostages to demand Schneider do his bidding.
When the Invaders find the sub, they realize only Namor can take them on directly while underwater, though Whizzer is especially anxious about doing nothing while Madeline is imperiled. Iron Cross meets Namor for an underwater battle that ultimately damages the sub, freeing the Legion but also dooming it to sink. As Iron Cross escapes with the professor in a protective diving suit, Namor and the Invaders are left with the problem of rescuing the Liberty Legion from a sub quickly filling with water.
Notes
- Shooter is credited as consulting editor.
- This issue contains a letters page, "O.K. Axis, Here We Come!". One letter is printed from Al Schroder II.