- Writers: Keith Giffen and Bill Mantlo
- Penciller: Bart Sears
- Inkers: Joe Rubinstein, Tom Christopher, Pablo Marcos, and Dick Giordano
- Colorist: Gene D’Angelo
- Letterer: Gaspar Saladino
- Cover Penciller: Bart Sears
- Cover Inker: Joe Rubinstein
- Editor: Andrew Helfer
Cover: I’ll work in rows from left to right and top to bottom:
1st row: Superman with the Atom on his shoulder.
2nd row: Martian Manhunter; Mr Miracle; Captain Atom; Green Lantern Hal Jordan.
3rd row: Firestorm; Booster Gold; Wonder Woman; Animal Man; Dr Fate; Deadman; Hawkman.
4th row: The Spectre; Rocket Red; Power Girl; Green Lantern Guy Gardner; Starman.
Page 1: The Gene Bomb detonation as seen at the end of the issues in Aftermath. In the bottom left is the craft of the Dominator I’m calling Derek just to distinguish him from his fellow Dominators.
Page 2 – Panel 1: Firestorm.
Page 2 – Panel 2: Martian Manhunter and Blue Beetle.
Page 2 – Panel 3: The Flash.
Page 2 – Panel 4: Captain Atom.
Page 2 – Panel 5: Batman.
Page 3 – Panel 1: Superman who, at the end of Aftermath, had exiled himself from the Earth, hence why he’s in space.
Page 3 – Panel 2: Hal Jordan.
Page 3 – Panel 3: Amanda Waller.
Page 3 – Panel 4: Robotman and Lodestone at the funeral of Celsius who died during First Strike.
Page 3 – Panel 5: Animal Man. ANIMAL MAN #7 was not branded as an INVASION! crossover so was not included in the Aftermath write up.
Page 4 – Panel 2: And the person responsible for the bomb, Derek the Dominator.
Page 4 – Panel 6: Derek heads back to Dominion World to tell the others what he’s done.
Page 5 – Panel 2: Major Force.
Page 5 – Panels 6 and 7: The effects of the Gene Bomb begin to manifest as Major Force feels sick.
Page 6 – Panel 1: Not far away, Captain Atom has his own problems.
Page 7 – Panel 1: Starman and the giant mouth of Samantha Morgan, one of the Power Elite, a team dedicated to taking down Starman.
Page 7 – Panel 3: On the left is David Winters; in front of him is Frank Donovan; in the top right is Stanley Hale; all are members of the Power Elite.
Page 7 – Panel 5: On the left is Dennis Blake; and on the right, Olivia Hardy; the last two members of the Power Elite.
Page 8 – Panel 2: Firestorm feels the effects of the Gene Bomb.
Page 8 – Panel 5: The Rocket Red Brigade.
Page 9 – Panel 1: Robotman falls to an exploding Tempest. The grave of Arana Desai aka Celsius is in the foreground.
Page 9 – Panel 3: Left to right are Scott Fischer; Lodestone; and Tempest.
Page 10 – Panel 2: Seated is Oberon; to the right is Max Lord.
Page 10 – Panel 5: Offering to help is Lex Luthor. His right hand is mechanical, having lost it to Kryptonite radiation poisoning from the Kryptonite ring he wore.
Page 11 – Panel 1: The Flash.
Page 11 – Panel 2: Elongated Man spread over the floor with his wife, Sue Dibny, in the doorway.
Page 11 – Panel 3: Booster Gold; Fire; Ice in the background; and Martian Manhunter who needs Fire kept away from him as flames are his weakness.
Page 11 – Panel 4: Black Lightning.
Page 11 – Panel 5: Belle Reve prison, the base of the Suicide Squad.
Page 11 – Panel 6: Markovia, home to Geo-Force. Something is waking up there.
Page 12 – Panel 2: From the top of the panel down are Babylon, the bodyguard of Dr Heinrich Megala, with General Eiling behind the desk.
Page 12 – Panel 6: Keen to keep the situation from spiralling, Dr Megala suggests the unaffected heroes contain those who are affected.
Page 13 – Panel 2: The Justice League shuttle arriving at the Happy Harbour Secret Sanctuary, original headquarters of the Justice League of America.
Page 13 – Panel 8: And the question of Superman’s whereabouts is raised.
Page 13 – Panel 9: A crystalline mountain in Manhattan.
Page 14 – Panel 1: Back with Max Lord and Oberon.
Page 15 – Panel 1: Green Lanterns Guy Gardner (at the top of the panel) and Hal Jordan.
Page 15 – Panel 2: They’re attempting to help Captain Atom who exploded back on page 6.
Page 15 – Panel 3: The answer as to why Guy and Hal haven’t been affected by the Gene Bomb will be revealed soon.
Page 16 – Panel 2: Aboard the JL shuttle are Booster Gold and Blue Beetle.
Page 16 – Panel 5: Animal Man mid-meltdown.
Page 17 – Panels 4 to 6: Booster uses his force field to pick up Animal Man so they can transport him somewhere safe.
Page 18 – Panel 4: Left to right are Floronic Man, Ram and Gloss of the New Guardians.
Page 19 – Panel 1: Flying above them, top to bottom, are Hawkman, Hawkwoman (to the right of Hawkman’s top-most wing), Kilowog, and Mr Miracle.
Page 19 – Panel 2: As Kilowog says, the New Guardians were chosen to “be the next step in mankind’s evolution!” If you don’t believe me, check out my notes on MILLENNIUM.
Page 20 – Panel 2: At Belle Reve, left to right, are Captain Boomerang; the Atom on the shoulder of Amanda Waller; Nemesis toward the back; and Rick Flag.
Page 20 – Panel 3: Atom refers to dropping off Chronos; he defeated the villain in Aftermath.
Page 20 – Panel 4: On the left is Nightshade and, crawling from her shadows at the bottom, is Count Vertigo.
Page 21 – Panel 1: The Rocket Reds on the left handily identify the members of Soyuz: Vikhor at the top and Rusalka at the bottom.
Page 21 – Panel 2: Left to right are Perun; Gregor Gregorovich of Blue Trinity; Morozko; and Firebird. Perun’s speech balloon should probably be pointing to one of the Rocket Reds.
Page 21 – Panel 3: Firestorm, exploding.
Page 22 – Panel 1: Back with the Flash in Cuba. Google translate suggests “Ghost of Marti!” for the Spanish phrase spoken by the bystander.
Page 22 – Panel 2: Manhunter who plans to stop Flash.
Page 22 – Panel 3: Starman has aid containing the Power Elite.
Page 23 – Panel 1: The Spectre and Dr Fate.
Page 23 – Panel 2: Batman investigating the crystalline mountain we saw back on Page 13; he believes someone is inside calling for help.
Page 23 – Panel 3: Guy Gardner and Hal Jordan struggling to contain Captain Atom.
Page 23 – Panel 4: Hawkwoman takes out Gloss and (almost) Kilowog.
Page 24 – Panels 1 and 2: Martian Manhunter takes out Tempest.
Page 24 – Panel 4: Robotman subduing Scott Fischer.
Page 24 – Panel 5: Just to the side of the Manhunter can be see Lodestone.
Page 25 – Panel 5: They’re joined by Green Lantern G’nort.
Page 26 – Panel 2: Having escaped from the Starlag prison, Snapper Carr and Tigorr are making their way home.
Page 26 – Panel 4: This may be the first time the team name of Blasters is used to refer to the survivors of the blaster field experiment from issue #1.
Page 27 – Panel 2: Broot, Tigorr’s team mate in the Omega Men.
Page 27 – Panel 3: Moshe Levy, another of the Blasters.
Page 28 – Panel 2: Captain Atom; Hal Jordan; and Guy Gardner.
Page 28 – Panel 3: It seems the person inside the crystalline mountain was Major Force who’s seen on the stretcher.
Page 28 – Panel 5: Amanda Waller.
Page 28 – Panel 6: General Eiling.
Page 28 – Panel 9: And another question about Superman’s whereabouts.
Page 30 – Panel 1: General Eiling; Babylon; and Dr Megala.
Page 30 – Panel 3: Dr Megala reveals that the heroes are dying.
Page 30 – Panel 5: Amanda Waller is already on the scene.
Page 31 – Panels 1 to 3: The metagene is described by Dr Megala to the rest of the briefing room.
Page 31 – Panel 6: In the front row, left to right, are Amanda Waller; General Eiling; Oberon; and Max Lord. Directly behind Oberon in the blue checked suit is Dr Will Magnus, creator of the Metal Men.
Page 31 – Panel 7: The first hint that Max Lord is unwell.
Page 32: The traditional cross-over mass gathering of heroes; only this time, they’re all tucked up in hospital beds. There are 70 numbered beds in the image on the right (click to enlarge the picture) and most of the occupants are difficult to make out. Rather than list a whole bunch of unknowns, I’m going to list those that have been identified. If you think you can put a name to any of the others, use the Contact Me tab at the top of the page and let me know.
19) KIller Moth
27) Bouncing Boy? Odd because the Legion haven’t been involved in the Invasion
28) Ambush Bug
29) Ultra Boy; another Legionnaire
31) Might be a miscoloured Ice as Guy Gardner is standing over her
33) to 37) look like the members of Soyuz but 38) is Firebird, the leader of the team, which makes six in total when there’s only five of them
41) might be White Feather from the Inferior Five
42) Nightshade
43) unsure who the patient is but Starman’s sat watching them
58) Extrano
59) Gloss
60) Floronic Man
61) Ram
68) maybe Animal Man
Page 33 – Panel 1: Once again, Max is unwell.
Page 33 – Panel 2: Max Lord asks the question, but Dr Megala responds as if Eiling spoke.
Page 33 – Panel 4: Flash is in the bed toward the top right, with Firestorm in the other. There’s no corresponding match in the main picture on Page 32.
Page 33 – Panel 5: A comatose Captain Atom.
Page 34 – Panel 2: Despite having been shown in the briefing room at the mediplex, Oberon is now at the JLI embassy, fielding calls for aid.
Page 35 – Panel 1: A comatose Fire (who’s actually known as Green Flame around this time)
Page 35 – Panel 2: Blue Beetle try to cheer up Fire, despite apparently “battling villains in New York” according to the caption on Page 34 – Panel 1.
Page 35 – Panel 3: Guy Gardner, charming as ever.
Page 35 – Panel 4: Martian Manhunter stops the argument.
Page 35 – Panel 6: Guy leaves a bunch of power-ringed flowers for Ice.
Page 36 – Panel 2: Creeper has been dropped off by Wonder Woman; they crossed paths in WONDER WOMAN #26 as shown in Aftermath.
Page 37 – Panel 1: Left to right are Rocket Red; Max Lord; Starman; Hal Jordan; Robotman; Guy Gardner; Martian Manhunter; and Amanda Waller.
Page 37 – Panel 2: Max is sending the heroes off to Dominion World to find a cure.
Page 38 – Panels 5 and 6: Max finally keels over.
Page 39 – Panels 4 and 5: Batman delivers Major Force to the General.
Page 40 – Panel 6: As mentioned in the caption on Page 34 – Panel 1, Booster Gold and Blue Beetle team up to fight criminals in New York.
Page 40 – Panel 7: Just visible over Batman’s shoulder is Commissioner Gordon.
Page 40 – Panel 9: And the usual refrain of “Where is Superman?“
Page 41: The heroes gathered by Max Lord and Amanda Waller head off to Dominion World to try and find the cure for the Gene Bomb.
Page 42 – Panel 3: And they run in to Superman.
Page 42 – Panel 6: And they’re then interrupted by the arrival of a spaceship which is the one currently manned by . . .
Page 44 – Panel 3: . . . the Omega Men and the Blasters, of course. The image on the right (click to enlarge) is numbered with the key as follows: 1) Broot 2) Carlotta Rivera 3) Starman 4) Fritz Klein 5) Guy Gardner 6) Amos Monroe 7) Dexter Fairfax 8) Rocket Red 9) Mrs Levy 10) Harpis 11) Superman 12) Martian Manhunter 13) Snapper Carr 14) Robotman 15) Unknown 16) Tigorr 17) Moshe Levy 18) Hal Jordan 19) Auron 20) Elu 21) Doc
Page 45 – Panel 3: Broot and the others know there is more to the Blasters than the newly arrived heroes.
Page 45 – Panel 4: The original version of Snapper, introduced in the 1960s, was hip-talking, finger snapping youth who, as J’onn says, ended up being the Justice League’s mascot.
Page 46 – Panels 2 to 5: Scott Fischer of the Doom Patrol dies.
Page 47 – Panels 2 and 3: Amanda Waller admits that she admires Max Lord’s abilities.
Page 47 – Panel 4: And Max reveals he heard her.
Page 48 – Panel 1: Hal Jordan coming to console Kalista; Jordan and the Omega Men have long had an association since the team first appeared in GREEN LANTERN #141 from 1981.
Page 48 – Panel 3: The body of Primus who died in issue #2.
Page 49 – Panels 3 and 4: Here we discover the real reason for the invasion and the fate of Derek the Dominator.
Page 50: The heroes arrive at Dominion World just in time to hear the news that the Dominator responsible for the bomb may know of a cure.
Page 51 – Panel 3: At the moment, the Dominators are unaware of the ship’s arrival.
Page 51 – Panel 5: And Hal Jordan has an idea.
Page 52 – Panel 2: That snap you hear . . .
Page 52 – Panel 3: . . . is Snapper Carr’s newly activated power – the ability to transport himself and another person, in this case the Martian Manhunter who is disguised as a Dominator.
Page 53 – Panel 4: An hour later and J’onn reveals he has the location of Derek the Dominator.
Page 53 – Panel 5: Trouble is, he’s on the other side of the planet.
Page 54 – Panel 1: General Eiling and Dr Will Magnus.
Page 54 – Panel 3: In the middle of the soldiers is Metamorpho.
Page 54 – Panel 5: The caste Metamorpho woke up in was mentioned way back on page 11.
Page 54 – Panel 6: Metamorpho was indeed dead; he died during the events of MILLENNIUM.
Page 55 – Panel 2: This is Richard Redditch who is about to be picked up by . . .
Page 55 – Panel 5: . . . two mysterious men in black. His story continues in THE SPECTRE after INVASION has finished and he doesn’t appear again in these pages.
Page 56 – Panel 1: The hunt for Derek continues, the Manhunter this time being accompanied by Robotman.
Page 56 – Panel 4: Nice of J’onn to let us know how he’s going to get past the guards in the prison.
Page 57 – Panels 1 to 3: The rest of the heroes listen in to J’onn bluffing his way in to the prison.
Page 58 – Panel 1: Here’s Derek, reaping the rewards of his actions which are so different to what he imagined back on page 4.
Page 58 – Panels 2 to 5: Derek’s somewhat confused when the Manhunter simply turns away.
Page 59 – Panel 2: And Robotman explains to Broot what just happened.
Page 59 – Panels 5 and 6: J’onn explains they need Derek’s own lab, back on the Starlag prison that Tigorr and the others had escaped from.
Page 60 – Panel 3: And just to make things worse, the Dominator’s finally discover the heroes’ ship in orbit and think it’s a Khundian spy.
Page 61 – Panel 2: Moshe Levy bugs Tigorr.
Page 62 – Panel 5: Guy Gardner, Superman, and Hal Jordan attack the Dominion ships.
Page 63 – Panels 1 to 3: The marked difference in their attacks: Superman goes for the ship but hopes the crew are safe; Hal Jordan uses a more directed approach; while Guy Gardner just blows the thing up.
Page 64 – Panel 3: The ever irascible Batman.
Page 64 – Panel 6: Amanda Waller and Dr Magnus.
Page 64 – Panel 7: Dr Megala with Babylon behind him.
Page 65 – Panel 2: Snapper Carr teleports Martian Manhunter into the Starlag prison.
Page 65 – Panel 3: Where they join the previously teleported Doc.
Page 66 – Panels 1 and 2: The Citadellian guard discovers he has prisoners again . . . or at least visitors.
Page 66 – Panel 6: Martian Manhunter and Doc begin creating the antidote to the Gene Bomb.
Page 67 – Panel 2: When Snapper left the others, he was clearly recruiting his fellow Blaster, Frag.
Page 67 – Panel 5: Whose power is that of making explosions.
Page 68 – Panel 4: Outside the Starlag, the other heroes are arriving. From the top down are Superman; Hal Jordan; Rocket Red; Guy Gardner; and Starman.
Page 69 – Panels 1 to 4: As with page 63, this page shows the different fighting styles of the heroes.
Page 70 – Panels 1 and 2: The antidote is created and stored in the large, clear globe.
Page 71 – Panels 1 to 3: An emergency evactuation is needed to avoid the Khunds who are fast approaching.
Page 71 – Panel 4: Broot with a roll call.
Page 72 – Panel 4: However, the Khund aren’t after the heroes, instead they open fire on the Starlag itself . . .
Page 73: . . . which is destroyed as the heroes escape.
Page 74 – Panel 2: Back on Earth, General Eiling and Dr Megala realise there is nothing more that they can do.
Page 75 – Panel 1: Unknown to them, the heroes are placing the antidote to the Gene Bomb in Earth orbit.
Page 75 – Panels 3 and 4: A genuinely touching scene between Rocket Red and Tigorr.
Page 76 – Panel 1: Left to right in the power ring bubble are Rocket Red; Starman; Carlotta Rivera’s head; Martian Manhunter; Fritz Klein; Snapper Carr; Dexter Fairfax; Mrs Levy (with Moshe in front of her); Amos Monroe; and Robotman. Some of the identification of the Blaster’s is a little guess work but they’re all accounted for. Outside the bubble are Guy Gardner, Superman, and Hal Jordan.
Page 76 – Panels 3 to 5: Superman had been subconsciously masquerading as Gangbuster, as shown in First Strike and Aftermath, and exiled himself from Earth.
Page 77 – Panel 4: The antidote bomb explodes above the Earth.
Page 78 – Panel 1: The “odd atmospheric disturbance” General Eiling mentions is, obviously, the result of the antidote. Note that it’s been ongoing for half an hour, so the cure wasn’t instantaneous.
Page 78 – Panel 2: And just as General Eiling is about to deliver the bad news with Amanda Waller watching . . .
Page 78 – Panel 3: . . . he’s interrupted by one of the doctors.
Page 79 – Panel 1: Leaving the offices of the Daily Planet is the editor, Perry White.
Page 80: And in a callback to the last page of issue #1, we see the bold headline of the Daily Planet:
Crisis on Earth-Prime 