Invasion was set in 1999 (at the time some 22 years in the future) when the UK was invaded by a soviet-style force called the Volgans. The series was centred around one man, Bill Savage, who had lost his family to the invaders and was fighting back any way he could.
It was one of the original line-up of series in 2000AD Prog 1. Of all the original series, this one lasted the longest in its first continuous run. It ran to Prog 51 before replaced by Colony Earth. It then took a break for just over a year before returning for a single story called Disaster 1990, a prequel to the earlier stories. It then disappeared until 2004, when it came back as Savage and has been running off and on ever since.
It is debatable whether Disaster 1990 & Savage should be considered as part of the Invasion series, but Barney, the unofficial 2000AD database, does.[1][2]
Recurring Characters[]
Bill Savage[]
- Savage is the main protagonist of the story. He was a lorry driver at the time of the Volgan invasion. He returned home from a job to find his house destroyed and his family killed. He finds his shotgun in the wreckage and fights back at the Volgans[3]. He is quickly spotted and recruited by the resistance. To start with, he heads up a resistance group in London's docklands, and then moves north to Scotland.
Lt. Peter Silk[]
- Lieutenant Peter Silk is the resistance operative that first spots Savage in London, makes contact with him, and recruits him into the Resistance[4]. He is a trained frogman and sole survivor of the Royal Navy underwater team which attacked the Volga[5]. He is also a qualified pilot. He becomes Savage's second-in-command, travelling from London to Scotland with him. He is killed by Sgt. Georgi on the way to Canada as part of Col. Volgaska's trap[6].
Brigadier Bentley Pearson[]
- Brig. Pearson was the man in charge of the resistance and, supposedly, Savage's superior. Although, whether Savage ever actually took any notice of the Brigadier's orders is doubtful.
Big Nessie McNairn[]
- Nessie was a Scottish female wrestler and a friend of Savage's. She helped him and Silk escape after they had been captured by Volgaska. Later, when Savage had Prince John in tow, he came across her again. This time she was in a circus, posing as a bearded lady. She helped Savage and his men escape again, and this time went on the run with them as far as Liverpool. She saw them onto a ship bound for Canada, but was then captured by Col. Volgaska. When Volgaska tried to shoot the prince, she managed to drag her overboard, killing them both.
Marshal Vashkov[]
- Marshal Vashkov was leader of the Volgans.
Colonel Rosa Volgaska[]
- Col. Volgaska was a feared Volgan colonel renowned for her ruthless efficiency. She laid a trap for Savage and Silk and managed to capture them. Savage, however, called on some outside assistance and managed to escape. Volgaska was disgraced and imprisoned, but negotiated her release some time later with another plan to capture Savage. She lured Savage, Silk and the Prince on to a ship bound for Canada, then sprung a trap just as he thought he was safe. She was drowned when Nessie McNairn dragged her overboard.
King Charles III[]
- King Charles III is the reigning monarch at the time of the Volgan invasion in 1999. He escapes from Britain and goes into exile in Canada.[3] He makes a broadcast from Canada prior to an attack on Doomsdale Nuclear Research Station.[7] He is the father of Prince John.
Prince John[]
- Prince John was the son of King Charles III and heir to the British throne. He was on board a ship sailing close to the British shore when he was shipwrecked and became stranded in Britain. Savage kept him safe until he could secure him safe passage back to Canada where the rest of the royal family were in exile.
Simon Creepton[]
- Simon Creepton is a collaborator with the Volgans who was made Prime Minister of Britain after the invasion.[4]
Stories[]
- The Resistance (Prog 1 - Prog 5)
- Wembley (Prog 6)
- Train Story (Prog 7)
- Concorde (Prog 8)
- Ships (Prog 9)
- Dartmoor (Prog 10 - Prog 11)
- Death Line (Prog 12)
- The Doomsdale Scenario (Prog 13 - Prog 15)
- Carchester (1977 Summer Special)
- Bounty Hunter (Prog 16)
- Slaves (Prog 17)
- Breakout (Prog 18)
- The Road to Hell (Prog 19)
- Hell's Angels (Prog 20)
- Sandringham (Prog 21)
- Cheddar Gorge (Prog 22)
- Tyne Tunnel (Prog 23)
- Hadrian's Wall (Prog 24)
- Bathtub (Prog 25)
- Warbird (Prog 26)
- Dirty Jocks (Prog 27 - Prog 31)
- Tank Trap (2000AD Annual 1978)
- Volgess (Prog 32 - Prog 33)
- Collaborator (Prog 34)
- New Recruits (Prog 35)
- Jump Jet (Prog 36)
- The Prince (Prog 37 - Prog 44)
- The Return of Rosa (Prog 45)
- Deadlier than the Male! (Prog 46)
- Escape From Liverpool (Prog 47 - Prog 51)
- Untitled (2000AD Annual 1979)
- The Oil Rig (Dan Dare Annual 1979)
- Disaster 1990 (Prog 119 - Prog 139)
- Untitled (2000AD Annual 1980)
- Invasion! 3000AD (Prog 1034 - 3000AD supplement)
- Savage Book One: Taking Liberties (Prog 1387 - Prog 1396)
- Savage Book Two: Out of Order (Prog 1450 - Prog 1459)
- Savage Book Three: Double Yellow (Prog 1526 - Prog 1535)
- Savage Book Four: The Guv'nor (Prog 1577 - Prog 1586)
- Savage Book Five: 1984 (Prog 1632 - Prog 1641)
- Savage Book Six: Crims (Prog 1685 - Prog 1699)
- Savage Book Seven: Secret City (Prog 1740 - Prog 1749)
- Savage Book Eight: Rise Like Lions (Prog 2013 - Prog 1823)
- Savage Book Nine: Grinders (Prog 2015 - Prog 1923)
References[]
- ↑ http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=prog&page=profiles&choice=119
- ↑ http://www.2000ad.org/?zone=prog&page=profiles&choice=1387
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Invasion: The Resistance Part 1, 2000AD Prog 1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Invasion: The Resistance Part 3, 2000AD Prog 3
- ↑ Invasion: Ships, 2000AD Prog 9
- ↑ Invasion: Escape From Liverpool Part 3, 2000AD Prog 49
- ↑ Invasion: The Doomsdale Scenario Part 1, 2000AD Prog 13