What If? #4

How different would our world have wound up if the Invaders never disbanded? Where would Cap, Namor, the Torch and the rest of the team be now?

The inventor of the original Human Torch decides to continue his android studies. Unfortunately the next robot is not so benevolent and decides a race of androids replacing humans would be pretty neat.

In this issue we see Captain America and Bucky being tied to a rocket. Unfortunately the Invaders do not arrive in time to save them. After the war in Europe is over, President Truman asks them to remain a team with Spirit of 76 acting as Captain America.

They continue with the efforts in the Pacific, but are unable to stop the nukes from hitting Japan, and the war is over. Truman asks again for the group to stay together so they can fight crime and the black market on the streets of America.

After a lengthy period of doing just that, the Invaders. Now calling themselves the All Winners Squad. Decide they need to take a vacation. So they split off and go their separate ways. We learn a little bit about Human Torch and his creator, and we follow them home.

When they arrive, Torro reaches out to shake the professors hand, only to find he is caught. Human Torch realizes the ruse, and tells Torro to flame on. This melts the professors skin to reveal that he is a robot. Shortly after they see the person who is running the robot is an android himself.

Adam 2 he is called, and he quickly makes his escape and using a wall of water captures the heroic duo, Adam 2 throws them into a water tank and proceeds to attempt to drown them. Adam 2 leaves, and Human Torch sets himself ablaze in order to alert the fire department. Instead a hero named Patriot hears them, and comes to the rescue.

The professor tells them that Adam 2 has a plan to replace a presidential candidate with an android. After a battle at a political convention, they find the politician is former war hero Jack Kennedy. The All Winners Squad take on Adam 2s army of Androids to stop the switch, but not without suffering their own losses as well.

Notes:

• Despite it being a What If, Marvel decided sharply that this issue was canon.
• This issue contains the Hostess Superhero Ad, Spider-Man and Madam Web!