Pendragon Comics - The Pendragons 34

The Pendragons

Issue # 34

Brought together in defense of Avalon and the British Isles, the Pendragons are the officially-sanctioned heroes of Great Britain. Originally led by the Black Knight, the group is composed of the remnants of the old Knights of Pendragon group, as well as several other heroes. Willing to die for their beliefs, the Pendragons stand united as England's best defense against threats of a superhuman nature.

Special "Silver Anniversary" Pendragons logo created by Kell Carpenter, inspired by the logo created by Des Davies!

Written by Barry Reese

What Has Come Before: The Pendragons are in a state of emotion turmoil: Unbeknownst to almost all, Captain Kerosene has only months to live and is seeking to put his affairs in order; the vile Red Lord has returned to Earth, claiming Darkmoor as his own domain and transforming Cam McClellan into Dark Albion; Union Jack and Spitfire's unlikely romance has them headed to the altar; Dark Angel is dealing with the recent revelations about her father; and Betsy Braddock is about to return with a new outlook on both the team and the world around them....

Ravenmaster David Copeland held his black hat in his hands, his fingers tightly gripping the brim. He was no stranger to pomp and cirumstance, having served 22 years with the Royal Marines before beginning his service at the Tower of London, but he still felt strangely out of place standing before the Prime Minister. Particularly with this kind of news. "They're all gone, m'lord. Even the ones whose wings I clipped myself."

"And how can that be?" Prime Minister Blair inquired. "I though the clipping process rendered them incapable of flight."

"Not quite true," Copeland explained. "Trimming the feathers under one wing just means that they get less lift on that side. Means the best they can do is fly in an arc... But you're right in that they shouldn't be able to fly away like this."

"Maybe it's the gargoyles? Ever since the Barrier went up, the gargoyles have been tormenting the pigeons."

"They don't seem to have a taste for ravens, m'lord." Copeland cleared his throat before continuing. "All but our clipped ravens began to disappear early last week. They would fly within a mile or so of the Tower and then turn tail. It was almost like they didn't like the smell of the place. Then, one by one, our clipped ravens began disappearing. We haven't found a' one of them."

Blair sat back in his chair, his eyes flickering briefly towards one of the small creatures who cleaned up the offices. Magical beasts were common now and many of them had begun demanding voting rights, civil protection and the like. It all made for an interesting time for the Prime Minister, who was still rebuilding public faith in the office after the Winthrop Scandals. "What do you think it means?"

"I... To be honest, m'lord, I think it's related to what happened in Darkmoor last week. The coming of that Red Lord and such. Everyone's felt it since, a chill in the air that wasn't there before... a sense of an impending storm, even when the skies are clear. And there's all those folks who are disappearing, people who are being called to serve the Lord and... Well, it feels like we're headed to war with those demons."

"You know the old legend, don't you, m'lord? It says that when the ravens leave the tower, that the White Tower will crumble and the commonwealth will fall. That's why we keep the clipped ones around. So that the day of legend won't ever come." He swallowed hard, unable to hide his fear. "But it's here. Now."

A sudden crack of thunder made both men jump. Though it was only late afternoon, the sky outside had darkened considerably and thick sheets of rain began to fall. They struck the window pane like rocks, echoing loudly. Blair glanced at the ravenmaster and saw terror reflected in the man's eyes. "I'll call the Pendragons, shall I?"

Gulliver Jones sat on the terrace outside his bedroom, sipping warm tea and feeling a growing sense of dread in his heart. He could see a huge rainstorm beginning to drench the mainland and it seemed to be headed towards Lyonesse. The sea serpents who swam just outside the island were more active than usual, too, as if they felt ill at ease.

Gully closed his eyes, feeling the weight of years pressing down on him. He was old and dying, with no one would miss him. His attempts to mend fences with his estranged daughter had failed miserably. She'd closed the door in his face and hadn't listened to his words of apology. She didn't know of his illness and probably wouldn't have cared if she did.

Elsewhere in the castle, the girls were helping Jackie pick out her wedding dress. Beautiful Jacqueline, who had won Gully's heart years before. Their romance had ended bitterly, but Gully had never forgotten her or the nights they'd shared. He'd been so prepared to hate this Joey Chapman bloke. To be jealous of his youth and vigor. But he liked the young man quite a bit, actually. And that made it all the worse.

"How long do they give you?" Jackie had asked last evening, when she'd come upon him alone in the kitchen. He had thought himself alone when the wracking coughs had overtaken him. He'd spat up flecks of blood that stained his shirt and he'd dropped his cup, shattering it. When Jackie had stepped into the room, there was no hiding his illness.

She'd sat with him long into the night and made him promise to be part of the wedding party. He'd lied and said that he'd love to.

But he had no intention of being here when the wedding came. He'd hoped to spend his final months serving Avalon as best he could, but with the looming nuptials, he'd lost his desire for that. He wanted to go back home, to the place where he had been born, and die there. He didn't want to be at the wedding, looking older than dirt, while the woman he loved married a bloke young enough to be his grandson.

He heard footsteps behind him and smelled the soft wisp of perfume. He placed the scent immediately -- not quite as high-class as Jackie or Betsy, but not without its merits. Shevaun Haldane, the Dark Angel, sat down beside him. She wore cut-off jeans over black leggings, combat boots and a t-shirt depicting the famous 'RW' logo of pop star Robbie Williams. Her hair was swept over to one side, revealing a beautiful face that was marred -- in Gully's opinion -- by too many piercings. The one in her nostril particularly disturbed him.

Shevaun's words, laced with sadness of her own, were not what he would have ever expected. "I never knew my father. Not really. He was always there, but I was just a means to an end. I wasn't really treated like a daughter. And I know that things aren't great with your own flesh and blood... And I know that you're sick. I've sensed it. So... I'm here to offer you something."

Gully's eyes opened wide and he found that no words could be found. Was he grateful? Or scared? He wasn't sure. "Why...?"

"Because you're a good man. And I wish I had known you when I was younger. Maybe you could have steered me on to the right path. I don't know. I just wish... I wish I'd had a dad like you, I guess. And I've seen bad deaths. Plenty of them. Lonely and rotting away in some room somewhere, with no one to hold their hand at the end. I don't want you to go like that."

Adam Crown stepped around a corner, a smile touching briefly on his lips. He still remembered waking up here, after the Lady of the Lake had healed him from his wounds. He'd been touched once more by the grace of Avalon, being charged with the sacred task of helping the Pendragons defend England. Since then, he'd come to terms with his own place in the lineage of Arthur... and found love in the form of a young precognitive named Ginny.

All in all, he had a lot to feel grateful for and all of it was thanks to the vision of loveliness that he expected to see before him.

The Lady of the Lake normally appeared as a painfully beautiful woman, formed out of water. But what he saw today was something quite different. A woman of flesh and blood was there, bathing in the stream. Her back was to him, but Adam could tell that she was remarkably well-formed, with long purple-colored hair that ended just before a shapely rear. "Good lord," he whispered, half in awe.

The woman turned partway, glancing at him over her shoulder. Her eyes twinkled in amusement and Adam felt color rush to his cheeks. How he hadn't recognized her was beyond him. The purple hair, after all, should have given it away. But there was definitely something different about Betsy Braddock now. An air of confidence and power that wasn't there before. Her voice was sweet as she wrapped her arms about her breasts and sank lower into the water. "Hello, Adam. Do you mind turning away for a sec?"

"Oh. Of course." Adam glanced away, feeling a bit of confusion creep into his embarrassment. "I can't believe you're... you're bathing in the Lady's stream. It seems almost sacrilegious!"

Betsy stepped from the water and began dressing in her Captain Britain uniform. When she was done, she stepped into Adam's line of vision and said "Avalon is meant to be enjoyed. It's not some nature preserve where we have to check our bags every time we leave. Many people call the place home, remember?"

"I changed my look after putting some ghosts to bed*. I guess you're here to talk to the Lady?"

"Gone." Betsy turned away, walking towards a small gazebo located nearby. A breeze was blowing, lightly lifting the fallen leaves into little whirlwinds of color. They danced about Captain Britain's feet.

"What do you mean -- gone?" Adam asked, following her. His temper was rising now and had no patience for games. "And where have you been? We could have used your help against the Red Lord... and Union Jack says that Blackheart is back and is now a servant of the Bane! And do you know what's happened to Cam? We've all fallen to bloody pieces and you're nowhere to be found! Damn it, you're supposed to be our leader!"

Betsy sat down in the gazebo, seemingly taking Adam's criticism in stride. "I am sorry. I should have been with all of you. You're right." She sat back, looking out over the water. "And Cam's corruption hurts me more than you know. I was the one who made the decision to let him on the team, remember? And now our youngest member's been taken by the Bane. I can't help but wonder if it was my fault somehow."

Adam shifted somewhat. "It wasn't really your fault. I just... Needed to blow off some steam. But where is the Lady? We need her help."

"Once I'd dealt with my own problems, I began to hear reports about what happened in Darkmoor. I traveled here, hoping to find out if the Bane had struck against the Lady. Instead I found her missing, with only a message left behind."

Betsy pointed skywards and Adam followed her gaze. A few words hung there, formed out of the clouds themselves. Niamh's daughter shall soon come.

Captain Britain nodded. "Yes. So I think it's safe to say that she hasn't forgotten us... and that she plans to bring us some aid." She rose, running a hand through her damp hair. "It's going to be okay, Adam. I know it will be."

She stepped past him, back into the sunlight, and spread her arms out wide. The golden rays that fell about her seemed to glitter and gleam off her uniform, making her look angelic. "Because we've seen the glory that exists beyond the mortal world. We've tasted the bittersweet rewards that Avalon can give. We have something to fight for, to believe in. All the other side has is fear of loss and retribution." She looked towards him, the smile back in place on her lips. "We're the Pendragons... and England shall not fall on our watch."

And Adam felt his own spirit lifted by her words and by her confidence. Something's definitely different about you, Betsy. You've always been a brilliant strategist and a caring soul, but now... now you're truly a leader. And I think that I'm okay with following you. For the first time, I really am. "To Avalon," he said, caught up in a rush of sudden emotion. He drew forth Excalibur, holding it high.

He stood looking up at the starry sky, watching as two large dragons soared overhead. They were obviously having a good time together, clasping hands and occasionally wrestling. It was a sweet moment, but the viewer felt little warmth at the moment. Instead, he felt naked and vulnerable here. He had little choice in the matter, however... If he wished to be true to his principles, then he would have to betray his leaders.

He turned towards the sound of the voice, seeing two dark-suited gentlemen walking towards him. Petkus was impressed -- he had not heard their approach at all. "Yes. You are with the Weird Happenings Organization?" he asked, his English slightly distorted by his Russian accent.

The taller of the two men nodded. The ground was still quite wet from the earlier rain storm and it sloshed as he moved forward. "We're here to escort you to a debriefing center. For what it's worth, we think you're doing the right thing."

"Unfortunately, certain members of the EU leadership would disagree. I wish that we had met someplace a bit less... open?"

The two men looked around the small park. The shorter smiled. "You're quite safe. In fact, we've got a three block area under surveillance. Nothing is going to happen."

Josef frowned, not wanting to tempt fate in such a manner. He followed the two men as they moved towards a parked car nearby, but his senses stayed on alert. Just as one of the men reached for the passenger side door, Josef noticed an odd reflection in a pool of water, located just behind the rear tire. It looked like something unusual had been placed there, held up by wire and tape... "No! Don't touch the door!"

His warning came too late. As soon as the WHO agent began to open the door, a tiny switch was thrown... and the car burst into flames. The force of the explosion was enough to tear the flesh off the second agent, but Josef had reacted with tremendous agility. In the same instant that he'd begun to shout his warning, he'd thrown off his sweater and pulled off a collapsible shield fastened to his back. The shield was mostly a metallic color, though a large red star dominated the center of the protective device. At the middle of the star lay the old hammer and sickle design that had been so associated with the former Soviet Union. The symbol had fallen into disfavor not long ago, but with the rise of the Barrier had come the return of the Communist regime... and they loved all the signs of the past. As the force of the explosion hit his shield, Josef Petkus gritted his teeth and resisted the urge to cry out.

Steel Guardian had once been his name, chosen to emphasize the changes in his homeland. But now he wore an older name, one that he had dedicated himself to redeeming. Josef Petkus was the Red Guardian, a product of a Russian military program designed to create their own answer to Captain America.

He was also, until very recently, leader of the EU-approved superhero team, the Commonwealth.

Pulling on his mask, the Red Guardian dove into the alleyways of London, knowing now that his hopes were in vain. WHO could not protect him after all. That meant that his words of warning would have to remain his and his alone... and it meant that he would be the only one who could prevent armageddon.

A huge shadow loomed over him as he streaked into an intersection, avoiding the few vehicles out this late. He didn't know if the Commonwealth had pursued him, but he couldn't discount the possibility. I know them, though. Their fighting styles and their tendencies. I can take them.

The shadow which had hung over him suddenly dropped down in front of him. It was one of the dragons he had seen earlier and the great lizard regarded him with a toothy grin. "What's the 411, my brother?"

Red Guardian skidded to a halt. The dragon... He'd read reports of such a beast joining the Pendragons. Could he trust them? Holding his shield before him, he said "I have news of great importance."

"I see. Well, then... Perhaps you can come with me and we can get this all sorted out, yes?" The dragon held out a sharp claw. "My homies call me Rathoon."

Josef relaxed a bit and placed a gloved hand on the dragon's claw. "I am called the Red Guardian. And I would very much like to meet your teammates... But my news must first be given to someone in high office."

"Ooh. I have to say, my gossipy nature is all a-twitter." Rathoon said, with a playful flick of his wrist. "Can you give a hint?"

Josef found himself slightly vexed by the dragon's attitude... but he also felt an immediate sense of trustworthiness from the elder being. Besides, the weight of carrying the secret within him was almost too much... The opportunity to share it beckoned to him. The words spilled forth from his mouth in a heated rush and he could see the impact they made on the dragon. "There was a recent attempt on Victor Von Doom's life. It failed... But now he's cracked the secret of his attacker. It was a futuristic cyborg called Death's Head II. He's got an army being built. An entire army of the most dangerous robots ever built. And he plans to send them against the Red Lord."

Next Issue: The wedding of the year is looming ever closer, while Captain Kerosene and Dark Angel make plans for a far more solemn ceremony. Plus: the Red Guardian meets the Pendragons and we get a glimpse into the life of Dark Albion.

A long letter from Trav Hiltz this time around -- you may remember that Trav himself wrote issues 3 & 4 of Pendragons and did a bang-up job on them!

In my ongoing quest to catch up on my reading and following your offer to write some more Pendragon I sat down and have read issues 5-12 to see what you've been up to. Good stuff. You've really built yourself a nice little corner of the Marvel U to play in. I'll just spout off some random bits that stuck with me:

The good: I like that the Pendragons are a loose knit team, not just Avengers UK. Nice job fixing Betsy Bradock. I was never a fan of her ninja girl bit. Loved how you wrapped up the vampire hunt storyline. Very clever and unexpected to have Blade beat them to the punch. Glad that you brought back Adam, Grace and Ghost Rider. Great fight scenes. You and Derrick make me jealous. I always have trouble with my fight scenes. You guys make it look too easy. Miracleman! Nice to see him in action. Just don't let Todd Mcfarlane or Neil Gaiman catch you! Spring Heel Jack wins my vote for best new villain. I got a real chuckle out of him.

The not so good: The romantic sub-plots seem forced. The Jackie/ Joey/ Romany triangle was rough, though it was nice to see Romany act like an adult. Kate and Wynter doesn't work for me at all. Sorry. Must be that traditional cliche of wizards don't get the girl. Let's face it, Gandalf never got laid. Poor Gaiwan and Peter. Two of my faves. I'm gonna miss them. Especially since I liked Peter and Grace as a couple. All in all, a lot of fun and I can't wait to catch up till # 31.

Thanks for all the comments, Trav! I'll try to address some of the points you raised: