In 1941, the FBI received reports of a new Allied costumed adventurer working within Germany itself. The FBI pieced together the history of this hero, the Mighty Destroyer, and the files stated that he was an American reporter named Keen Marlow. Keen had been imprisoned in Hamburg, Germany when he received superhuman endurance and became the Mighty Destroyer.
While battling Master Man and Warrior Woman at Hitler's castle, Berchtesgaden, Captain America was overcome by Warrior Woman and thrown over the castle's parapet. He would likely have been killed in the fall, but a costumed man was there to catch him. The man turned out to be the Mighty Destroyer, and when Captain America heard his British accent he realized the FBI's report was not totally accurate. He learned that the Destroyer was actually Brian Falsworth--the son of Cap's former teammate Union Jack. Brian had actually been in imprisoned in Hamburg, after he withdrew his support of the German government. He was imprisoned alongside the sickly scientist Eric Shmitt, who had developed a super-soldier serum similar to the one that created Captain America. He was dying, and didn't want the Germans to learn his secret formula. He had one flask of the serum hidden in his coat, and he begged Brian to make sure the Germans would never obtain it. As soon as he said this, Prof. Schmitt died. Brian drank the formula, and was instantly stronger. He escaped prison and became the Destroyer.
Brian then accompanied Captain America to Berlin, in order to save the other captured Invaders. During a battle with Nazi soldiers, the Destroyer was seemingly destroyed when a German grenade went off near him. Actually, Brian had ducked into a manhole and was saved. He then learned that his father and sister, the Invader Spitfire, along with Brian's friend Roger Aubrey (then known as Dyan-Mite) were being held prisoner at the Institute of Nazi Science. Brian freed them, and donned his father's old Union Jack costume. As the second Union Jack, Brian became a member of the Invaders himself (see more information on the Union Jack page--eric).
The reason Lord Falsworth, Spitfire, and Dyna-Mite had been at the Institute of Nazi Science in the first place was to find the scientist that shrank Roger Aubrey to only a foot tall and have him reverse the process. Before being captured they were able to track down Colonel Dietrich, the man responsible for Roger's transformation. Lord Falsworth took Colonel Dietrich back to Falsworth manor and kept him working to find a cure for Roger's condition. Dietrich ultimately returned Roger to his full height, and Roger decided to adopt Brian's old Destroyer guise. The Invaders offered Roger membership, but he turned them down in order to work solo inside Germany itself.
A few months later, Roger was ambushed by Master Man. The Aryan superman took Roger prisoner and wore his costume to brand the Destroyer as a traitor. Unwilling to believe Roger had become a Nazi, Union Jack II and Spitfire investigated. They battled Master Man and freed Roger, who helped them to defeat the Nazi. His name now cleared, Roger once again donned the colors of the Mighty Destroyer and returned to Germany to battle the Nazis from within. It's unknown what exactly became of Roger Aubrey following the War.
INSIDE STORY: The Destroyer is the Golden Age character Roy Thomas took the greatest liberty with. He threw the whole Keen Marlow character out the window, in order to introduce Brian Falsworth into the Invaders mythos. While I'm not fond of rewriting history, Brian Falsworth was certainly more crucial a character than Keen Marlow ever could've been. And, it should be noted, Roy didn't just 'pretend' Keen Marlow didn't exist. It was explained as being either misreporting or a deliberate cover-up by the FBI. And we ALL know that that's not too hard to believe.
Like the Blazing Skull, if Roy ever writes any more Invaders tales, I think he may make the Destroyer at least an honorary member. It was always hinted at in the original series, and I think Roy might've eventually written that story.
First Appearance: MYSTIC COMICS #1 (1941)
Other Appearances: (Brian Falsworth)INVADERS #18-21;
(Roger Aubrey)INVADERS #26,34
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