Appearing in "Red, White, Black & Blue"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Donald Ferguson
- Jessica
- Beatrice Ferguson (First Appearance)
- Susan
- Brit Jr.
- Cecil Stedman
- Jessica's mom
- Jessica's dad
- Donny Ferguson (First Appearance)
Villains:
- Alien army (First Appearance)
Other Characters:
- Invincible (Mark Grayson)
- Guardians of the Globe
- Capes, Inc
- Commander Capitalism
- Kid Thor
- Batwing
- Knockout
- Bolt
- Kid Fusion
- Liberty League
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Red, White, Black & Blue"
The issue begins with an alien trying to eat Brit. Brit is annoyed because he says he has many more important things to do.
At the Ferguson household, Donald is meeting with his estranged wife. He tells her that there are things happening in his life and he wants to talk. He asks her when she stopped loving him. He has so many great memories of their life together and he wonders when it went downhill.
Beatrice responds that she thinks about Donald all the time. She loved him so much and thought they had the perfect marriage. Then one day he went on one of his missions and he came back different. She didn't know what happened to him but something happened that changed him. He just kept growing more and more distant and eventually she just couldn't take it anymore. He was like a completely different person.
Donald responds that that was a mission to Egypt. They had been sent in to stop a powerful superhuman. But something went wrong and he died in an explosion. His body was recovered and they rebuilt him. He's 98% machine now. His memories were there but his emotions were not. They programmed him to not remember the accident, he had no idea. It has taken years for him to regain control of his emotions but now he's almost completely back to normal. He was hoping now that she knows that they could try to work things out.
His wife is shocked to find out that he died. She's having trouble understanding that he is some kind of robot now. Donald tells her that the correct term is android. But, yes, only a portion of his brain was saved, everything else is man made. Beatrice apologizes to him. She never knew that what was happening was something he couldn't control and was not his fault.
She walks up and gives him a hug. Donald gets a call from the office and tells her that he has to leave. They agree to continue their conversation later and Donald flies out the window with jet boots installed in his android body.
Meanwhile in France, one of the French leaders is meeting with an alien commander. He says the French have sat on the sidelines for too long, it's time for the rest of the planet to see what they're made of. He tells the alien his battle plan is acceptable as are his terms. France gets the United States to do with as they please and the aliens get the rest of the planet. He tells the alien that their forces are currently mobilizing. But the alien informs him that they just need France for intelligence purposes, their army will not be needed or wanted.
At a government hanger, Donald arrives to find Brit waiting for him. Brit asks him how things went with his wife and Donald tells him as well as could be expected but they didn't have as much time to talk as he wanted.
They walk into the hanger and Brit's ex-wife Susan and her son Kid Fusion are there. Susan gets angry when she sees Brit, she didn't know that he was going to be there. The scientist with her tries to calm her down but she tells him to stay out of this, that Brit killed her husband. The scientist responds that that was the same husband that was endangering every person on the planet. He also tells her that Brit is responsible for arranging this whole thing that they are about to attempt. If it wasn't for Brit she would be in jail for her involvement in her husband's plans. So she needs to calm down and let them do their work.
Brit tries to apologize but Susan just tells him not to speak to her. The scientist interrupts to explain what they are planning on doing to help her son. They are going to load him into a launcher and fire him into the sun. If it works, it will take him nine days to reach the sun. But they don't know if he will last long enough to reach the sun once they take him out of the stasis they have him in. If it works her son will be able to absorb all the solar energy he needs to restore himself. With his powers restored he'll be able to get back to Earth on his own. They wanted Brit on hand just in case something malfunctions.
They launch Kid Fusion without any problems. Brit approaches Susan before she walks off. She tries to tell him to leave but he persists. Brit wants her to know how sorry he is for everything. He wishes things with Richard could have gone differently but he's trying to make up for it. He had to use a lot of favors to make this happen and keep her out of prison. He doesn't want her to hate him but Richard was threatening the whole world.
Susan admits that what they were doing was wrong. But Brit has a son now and can understand the pain and sorrow they felt to see their son dying. They were out of their minds with grief. She knows it doesn't make it right but she was so worried about her son. She puts a hand on his chest and thanks him for all of his help and then gives him a hug.
Jessica sees this and doesn't look happy. Brit sees her and introduces her and Brittany, Jr. to Susan. Jessica reminds Brit that they both agreed since they had kids that they wouldn't have any other lovers unless it was discussed first. Brit assures her that nothing like that is going on with Susan.
Later at the Pentagon, Cecil apologizes to Donald for any trouble finding out he was an android caused him. He tells him that it was mostly Erickson and Rodgers that pushed for it. Cecil thinks he probably should have told him upfront and he isn't sure if they did the right thing. But Donald says that it is a lot better option than being dead. He's not happy with some of the personal problems that it has caused but he still feels like he should thank Cecil and the others. Cecil still thinks Donald should take some time off, maybe spend some time with his wife. Donald says he can do that.
At Brit and Jessica's house, Jessica seems to still be upset about the previous day. She asks Brit if she's too young for him. He responds that you can never be too young (within legal limits of course). He's saved from further talk by Jessica's parents arriving for dinner.
Meanwhile in France, the alien commander informs the French leader that it is time to strike. They know all of the planet's strengths, weaknesses, and strategic locations. There is no reason to wait any longer.
When the attack starts Brit sends Jessica and her parents down to his secure basement. The attack comes just as Donald and Beatrice finish having sex. Donald tells her to put some clothes on and he grabs their son from downstairs and flies off to find somewhere safe for them.
Next we get a scene of the aliens attacking all over the globe. Japan gets attacked. Big Ben in London is blown up. The Ladies Room gets invaded. The Kremlin and the White House are both attacked by alien forces.
Donald lands at a military base with his family to find it under attack. He runs into the fight to provide cover while Beatrice and Donny run for the safety of the bunker. A soldier tries to escort Susan down to the bunker as well but she tells him that she needs to be out there. Donald sees her and tells the soldier to let her go. Donald asks the soldier if the Guardians of the Globe have been activated. The soldier replies that they have already joined the fight, the attack is all over the planet and not an isolated incident.
Brit drives up just as Donald gets a call from Cecil. Cecil tells them to get to Washington DC right away. Donald grabs Susan and Brit and flies off.
Inside the White House, the French leader lets the alien commander know that he has control of the Oval Office. He settles in to watch the destruction of the United States.
Outside the White House, Donald, Brit, and Susan arrive and join in the fight. They find that the aliens are extremely physically fragile and easy to kill. But they have a ton of troops, ships, and weaponry.
Next we see scenes of fighting around the country. Brit, Donald, and Susan continue fighting the aliens outside of the White House. Savage Dragon and SuperPatriot fight to save Chicago. Invincible and the Guardians of the Globe are fighting the invasion and so is the team from Capes, Inc.
The fighting in Washington DC suddenly takes a turn for the worse. Susan gets killed by a laser that hits her in the head. Donald takes a laser blast to his torso that takes him out of the fight. Brit begins to fight with even more fury but he's terribly outnumbered.
He gets the help he needs with Kid Fusion returns to Earth after successfully recharging his powers in the sun. He sees the alien invasion all over the planet and flies in to help. He takes out alien ships all over the globe and then gets to Washington DC and routs the alien army around the White House.
Inside the White House, the French leader mourns that they were so close to winning. Cecil enters the room and agrees that they did get close, closer than he'd like anyone to ever get. But he estimates that Kid Fusion will have completely beaten the aliens within eighteen minutes. Cecil calls the French leader a traitor for selling out his planet to the aliens. He says he doesn't usually get his own hands dirty but he's going to make an exception and he strangles the French leader with his bare hands.
Outside the White House, Kid Fusion returns and asks Brit where his mom is. Brit says he's sorry but Susan is dead. Kid Fusion gets angry and demands to know if Brit was there and involved. He thinks Brit let her die and attacks him. He can't hurt Brit but the attack starts to drain his power. Brit tells him that he's killing himself and to stop, but it is too late. Kid Fusion runs out of power and collapses to the ground dead.
Donald walks up and asks Brit if he is okay. Brit looks down and says no. He can't take it anymore. He tells Donald that he quits.
Epilogue, six weeks later:
Donald arrives at Brit and Jessica's house looking for Brit. Jessica tells him that he's down in the basement. She says he's been down there for three weeks. Donald walks down and finds Brit not looking very well. The basement is dirty, Brit hasn't shaved, and his clothes are filthy.
Donald tells Brit that everyone is worried about him. He knows it has been hard on him with his ex-wife Susan and her son dying. But he's been through worse so Donald isn't sure why this is hitting him so hard.
Brit replies that he's seen worse but not something that was directly his fault like this. He explains that when he left Susan she was devastated. He didn't hate her, he just didn't want to be with her anymore. He didn't want to ruin her life but he did for awhile. Then she met Richard and feel in love and was happy so he was happy for her. He was overjoyed when their son was born. She always wanted kids and seeing her happy made him feel less guilty about leaving her.
But then her son got sick. Then he had to kill Richard when he was a threat to the planet. The guy that had brought happiness back to Susan's life was dead because of him. Susan died defending the planet and then her son died trying to kill Brit when he blamed him for Susan's death. Brit feels he single-handedly destroyed the whole family.
Donald angrily asks Brit what about his own family. Jessica and Brittany, Jr. are right upstairs living their lives, having to currently do it without Brit. Brit replies that they are better off without him. It's only a matter of time before he hurts them too.
Donald yells that that is bullshit and he can't really believe that. But Donald gives up arguing with him on that subject and tells Brit that his government still needs him. Brit says he's not interested.
Donald tells him that if he came back he would probably be working under Director Slitter since Cecil has been working with Invincible and Donald is now the liaison for the Guardians of the Globe. Brit doesn't think working with Slitter is much of an incentive to return. The government has Invincible and the new Guardians of the Globe and they can always contract out with Capes, Inc. They don't need him like they used to. So if they really need him for something only he can handle, Donald can call him. Otherwise, Brit just wants to be left alone.
Trivia
- The issue was originally issued in black and white. It was later reissued in color (with colors by Val Staples.
- Additional scenes of the alien invasion can be seen in Invincible #16.