Cover: Jack Kirby & Joe Sinnott

The Invaders #12

Jan 1977 · Marvel · 0.30 USD

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“To the Warsaw Ghetto!”

About this Issue

The Invaders #12 (January 1977) marks the first appearance of Jacqueline Falsworth as Spitfire — fully costumed, named, and active as a superhero — making it one of the most significant debut issues in Marvel's Bronze Age WWII mythology. The issue also formally restructures the Invaders' roster, with Spitfire stepping into the team vacancy left by her permanently disabled father Lord Falsworth (Union Jack), giving the series both a new British hero and a pointed emotional throughline about generational sacrifice. Writer Roy Thomas used the story to push the series beyond pure wartime action, setting a superhero adventure directly inside the Warsaw Ghetto and grappling — however imperfectly for its era — with the lived reality of Nazi persecution of Jewish civilians, a tonal ambition unusual in Bronze Age Marvel. The Warsaw Ghetto two-parter (issues #12–13) has since been noted by reviewers as one of the more socially engaged story arcs of the entire Invaders run.

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writer Roy Thomas · artist Frank Robbins · inker Frank Springer · colorist Phil Rache · letterer Joe Rosen · letterer Irv Watanabe · cover Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott

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History

Roy Thomas served as both writer and editor on The Invaders, with Archie Goodwin listed as a consulting/editorial presence on the series. Issue #12 was penciled by Frank Robbins and inked by Frank Springer — Springer having replaced Vince Colletta as regular inker around this stretch of the run, a transition that reviewers have noted improved the visual consistency of Robbins's characteristically kinetic linework. The Spitfire character herself was the direct narrative result of a multi-issue setup: Baron Blood had bitten Jacqueline in issues #7–9, and issue #11 delivered her a life-saving artificial blood transfusion from the original Human Torch Jim Hammond, with that synthetic blood interacting with the vampire bite to grant her super-speed — the full costumed payoff arriving here in #12.

Trivia · 8 facts

First appearance of Jacqueline Falsworth as Spitfire in costume: she dons her costume and takes the name 'Spitfire' (named after the British Supermarine Spitfire aircraft) in this issue, officially joining the Invaders team.
Spitfire's powers were established over the preceding issues: Baron Blood bit Jacqueline in Invaders #7–9, and a blood transfusion from the original Human Torch (Jim Hammond) in issue #11 gave her superhuman speed as a result of the synthetic blood reacting with the vampire's bite.
Spitfire joins the team in explicit replacement of Lord James Montgomery Falsworth (Union Jack), who was permanently crippled when Baron Blood dropped a boulder on his legs.
The story, titled 'To the Warsaw Ghetto!' (Part 1 of 2), is set in Nazi-occupied Warsaw; the Invaders learn that Professor Johann Goldstein (the Blue Bullet) was coerced by the Nazis into treason by threats against his younger brother Jacob Goldstein, whose first appearance occurs in this issue.
Jacob Goldstein makes his first appearance in this issue; a young geologist living in the Warsaw Ghetto, he is a supporting character whose story continues into issue #13, where he becomes connected to a new version of the Golem.
Written and edited by Roy Thomas, with art by Frank Robbins (pencils) and Frank Springer (inks); cover art by Jack Kirby.
Baron Blood appears only in flashback in this issue, following his apparent death in the earlier Baron Blood story arc (Invaders #7–9).
The issue was later collected in Invaders Classic: The Complete Collection Vol. 1 (Marvel, 2014), a trade paperback reprinting Invaders #1–22, Giant-Size Invaders #1, Marvel Premiere #29–30, and Avengers #71; the issue also received an earlier Australian reprint in The Invaders (Yaffa/Page, 1977 series) #4.