SKULL THE SLAYER #7

"BURY MY HEART IN THE CITY OF GOLD"
Writer: Bill Mantlo | Artists: Sal Buscema & Sonny Trinidad
Letterer: Karen Mantlo | Colorist: Petra Goldberg | Editor: Archie Goodwin

The Plot: Skull, Ann, Jeff, and Doctor Corey are esorted by the Incas to their city of gold, where the High Priest, leader of the group's captors, presents them to their king. Meanwhile, in the United States, Senator "Stonewall" Turner meets with Freddy Lancer about Lancer's plan to head into the Bermuda Triangle and find Skull.

Skull and friends are dropped into two separate pits, where they find themselves up against hungry dinosaurs. In one pit, Ann, Corey, and Jeff fight two pterodactyls, while Skull battles a stegosaurus in the other. Ann stabs one pterosaur with a spear while Jeff shoots at it. When Skull's energy belt begins to glow, the High Priest turns on his king and throws the monarch into the pit with Skull. Nonetheless, Skull's strength belt allows him to kill the stegosaur. Meanwhile, Ann finds some grenades on a soldier's corpse and hurls one at the remaining pterodactyl, killing it.

In the aftermath of the fight, Doctor Corey captures the treacherous High Priest, while the king unmasks himself as one Captain Victor Cochran of the United States Navy, who has been trapped among the Incas for thirty years.

INVADERS #8

"UNION JACK IS BACK!"
Author/Editor: Roy Thomas | Artist: Frank Robbins | Inker: Frank Springer
Colorist: Petra Goldberg | Letterer: John Costanza

The Plot: At Falsworth Manor over dinner, Lord Falsworth tells the Invaders about his time as a costumed secret agent during World War I, concluding the story with his one and only encounter with Baron Blood on the Tower Bridge, where he fought the vampire off to save a member of Parliament.

The next morning at dawn, Captain America chats with Jacqueline about her father's war stories, and the two encounter John Falsworth in the estate garden, shortly after Jacqueline mentions that she never sees him about during the day. That night, the Invaders set out to hunt Baron Blood. But using trickery and dummies, the Baron takes out the Human Torch and Toro, then Namor. Captain America and Bucky confront Blood and are captured, thrown into a death trap with their teammates.

Lord Falsworth, clad once more in the costume of Union Jack, appears to aid the Invaders. With the help of his rigged revolver, he sends Baron Blood into retreat and frees the heroes. Jack asks to join the team, and the Invaders agree.

Continuity Notes: Not regarding continuity, but worth noting: as the cover blurb indicates, beginning with this issue, the previously bi-monthly INVADERS is now on sale every month.

IRON FIST #7

”In the name of the immortal Master Khan--“

”IRON FIST MUST DIE!”
Author: Chris Claremont | Artist: John Byrne | Inker: Frank Chiarmonte
Letterer: Joe Rosen | Colorist: Bonnie Wilford | Editor: Archie Goodwin

The Plot: Colleen saves Iron Fist from execution, then engages Angar and Master Khan’s men while Iron Fist chases after the fleeing Khan. Meanwhile, not far from Khan’s palace, Misty engages in target practice and chats with Jeryn Hogarth.

In the palace, Iron Fist confronts Khan, who attempts to save himself by opening a portal to K’un L’un and offering Iron Fist a chance to return there. When Iron Fist refuses, Khan tries to sweeten the deal by exposing the treachery of Yu-Ti, who stands at the other side of the portal. But still Iron Fist refuses, instead destroying the mystical crystal Khan used to open his portal. Khan is sucked into the ensuing maelstrom despite Iron Fist’s attempt to save him.

Later, Iron Fist and Colleen reunite and head for Jeryn’s plane.

Continuity Notes: A footnote tells us that the events of last issue happened “only minutes ago”. That's a relief. I was afraid Khan had been prepping Iron Fist for execution for a full month or more.