PLOT:

Toro erupts from his Inhuman cocoon with apparently no changes. He and Torch get reacquainted, and Toro explains he doesn't remember anything, but flashes of the New Iron Cross -- another nuInhuman. Segue to Iron Cross fighting neo-Nazis in Germany, including one with some sort of wind powers?

Back to Torch and Toro walking through the labs at Camp Hammond, where Speedball's cat has apparently gained his powers somehow. Having finished with their the tests, the lab scientists plan on killing the cat, since Speedball hasn't claimed him. WTF??? Where is Speedball? And why did he abandon his cat?

Back to Iron Cross caught up in some sort of whirlwind by the superpowered neo-Nazi. But she's not worried, because she knows the Invaders are coming! And with no regard for ancient monuments, either, as they crash their ship into the cathedral / church. Falcon-Cap and Radiance are with them. Fight scene ensues, until Toro starts screaming and changing into some lavender flaming or gaseous creature. Who may be melting bullets? It's a bit unclear, except he's not himself.

And then Namor gets blasted in the back, and we see on the last page it's some nuInhuman named Lash (who I've no idea who he is).


REVIEW:

If this wasn't the next to the last issue, and if we hadn't gotten an Invaderless story last issue, I'd be quite content with this issue. However, it is the next to the last issue and we didn't get any Invaders last issue, and I'm frankly wondering how in the world Robinson is going to tie everything together into a satisfactory conclusion, when he's introduced yet ANOTHER plotline this issue and hasn't done anything with all the other story lines he's been introducing and weaving together.

I expected to see Martians and Killraven and Union Jack and Spitfire in this issue and have some hint how it tied into the Martians at that Chessworld with Tanalth and Markarri and the Kree -- plus Galactus. Instead we've got some lame Inhumans and Speedball's cat! Well, Lash (and the cat) may not be lame, but he certainly isn't a character I know or care about, and even more importantly connects to previous plotlines.

Besides my expectations being disappointed, the only other problem I had with this issue was Falcon Cap just showing up with the team. Instead of the Speedball's cat scene, I'd much rather have had some scene with Hammond, or Steve Rogers, asking him to join them against the Neo Nazis. The Invaders all have a WWII connection, and Falcon Cap doesn't. And no, I don't think wearing the suit is enough, so I'd have liked to seen that explored, if he was joining the Invaders. Also, where's Bucky??? You'd think he'd want to be around when Toro came out of the cocoon.

Steve Pugh remains awesome. His art is slick and he delivers on the big action scenes, without skimping on details. I hope he gets to work his magic on another Marvel book as consistently as he has on Invaders. He has given Robinson's story it's own artistic identity, with only a few interruptions from Marc Lamming -- whose work was also good, and not too disruptive.