Unity |
What Has Come Before: Three members of the Avengers -- the Black Panther, the Angel and Jocasta -- have journeyed back in time from the year 2028, eager to prevent the Martian Empire from gaining dominion of Earth. To this end, the Pendragons and their new allies split into two teams. One group (Captain Britain, Angel, Celtic Phoenix and Nocturne) journeyed to the Shi'ar homeworld of Chandilar to seek aid. They found that official help was not forthcoming, but that the rogue Shi'ar named Deathbird was willing to share her 'secret weapon' with them -- who turned out to be the mutant master of magnetism, Magneto. The second group (Hulk, Black Panther, Jocasta, Android Andy, Breeze and Dark Angel) arrived at a Martian military base, eager to end the aliens' Ionic-based weapons program. The Martians were leeching energy from a captured Ionic-based lifeform and the Pendragons assumed this being was Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man. But when the battle turned sour and the being was freed, he stood revealed as Count Nefaria. Together with the villain turned comrade, the Pendragons escaped the base, having crippled much of the Martian military. Back on Earth, Lord Pumpkin and the Hellfire Club managed to taint the magic of Avalon... and now a makeshift group of heroes composed of Union Jack, Wynter, Cybermancer and the "new" Captain Britain must undertake a quest to restore order to the mystical realm.
Asteroid M
"I'd sooner kill you than trust you." Warren Worthington's words were laced with such venom that T'Challa feared they would be followed by an assault. Instead, the vengeful Angel merely stood his ground proudly, ignoring the angry stares of many in the room.
Magneto, Lord of Magnetism and ruler of Asteroid M regarded the beings before him with both interest and amusement. His features were mostly hidden beneath his infamous helmet, but all could when his eyes had widened upon the visitor's entrance. The English superhero group known as the Pendragons had formed just prior to the Black Mass Barrier being raised, so he knew of their existence... though none of these heroes had been a part of the team then. Alongside them were several beings claiming to be from the future -- and given the grizzled appearance that Warren Worthington possessed, Magneto believed them.
There was also the matter of Count Nefaria and Deathbird, both of whom were surprise additions to the heroes. It was Nefaria who spoke next, his words dripping with sarcasm. "I knew you were an idiot from the way you mismanaged your business holdings, Worthington... but I had no idea that you were a failure at common courtesy, as well."
The Hulk, standing with one mammoth hand on the Phoenix's shoulder blinked in surprise. "Come again?"
Nefaria sighed dramatically and cast an aristocratic eye over the mutant that flanked the room. They were faithful servants of Magneto, having been rescued from the Martian horde in exchange for their vow of fealty. Nefaria knew their like well, for he had often surrounded himself with sycophants... and he also knew beings like Magneto. Kindred spirits, born to lead. "My apologies, Magneto... My rude companion does not speak for the rest of us, believe me. We recognize your power... and your wisdom in retreating from Earth to form your own army."
Magneto's lips twitched in a smile. "Nefaria, if you believe you understand me at all -- then you are the greatest fool here."
Captain Britain saw the villain's cheeks redden at the insult and she intervened before the scene got any uglier. She'd been among those who'd been furious that Deathbird had led them here... but she was pragmatic enough to realize that Magneto and his new Acolytes were just what they needed. War makes for strange bedfellows, Nocturne had told her... and he'd been right. She flashed an understanding expression at Warren, but she also followed it up with a mental warning to keep his mouth shut. "Magneto," she began aloud, using her telepathy to augment her presence. She saw many in the room respond immediately, silencing their whispering and giving her their full attention. Magneto had too much willpower to be affected, but she was playing to the gallery here. "We're here to let you know that we've done a tremendous amount of damage to their largest base on Mars. We've liberated the man who was powering their most impressive weaponry. And we have knowledge of their future actions, thanks to T'Challa and the others. What we don't have -- yet -- is the sheer firepower to liberate the Earth."
Magneto nodded, as if he knew these things very well. "Betsy Braddock... I've been very curious about the state of Europe since the Barrier was erected. It was the source of quite a bit of speculation. I'm glad to know that you and your allies have flourished. But if you think that I am prepared to be a savior of mankind, you are wrong. I made an offer to all mutants to join me here -- but less than two hundred did so. Your former teammates in the X-Men bid me well, but claimed that it our responsibility to stay behind and aid the humans. The same humans who once hounded the Jews and the Homosexuals into concentration camps, not dissimilar from the ones now favored by the Martians. What is happening now is merely their just desserts."
"You can't mean that," Breeze exclaimed. The Pendragon's speedster had remained near the back of the group, huddled against Android Andy, who held the injured form of Jocasta in his arms. She'd never warmed to these sorts of things, where mass numbers of heroes came together... They'd always made her feel out of place. But she wasn't about to stand quietly by while someone spouted off nonsense. "You know better than anyone how it feels to have your family torn from you... to watch as a bunch of nasty buggers strip you of your basic humanity! These Martians are even worse than the Nazis -- they see the entire human race, human and mutant both, as nothing more than food and entertainment!"
"Perhaps we should hear them out," a female voice said. Blue-skinned and beautiful, she wore the briefest of uniforms, one that showed off a toned figure. Mystique stood off to the side, her eyes locked on Magneto, who seemed a bit incensed that one of his followers had spoken out like this. "Earth is our home, Magneto... and as annoying as Charles and his little soldiers can be, they have a point that our greatest chance for survival comes from working with humanity. If we save them now, how can they not accept us?"
"You're being naive," Magneto warned. "Humanity fears us. Even if we swooped in now and destroyed the Martians, there would be some who would link us to what happened... Who would accuse of profiting from--"
"We should be profiting!" Nefaria exploded. "Without us, humanity is lost! But if we save the world, we can institute ourselves as their new leaders. You could have your mutant safe haven, Magneto... You could--"
Magneto reacted quickly and not even the telepaths in the room could sense his intentions before it was too late. He stretched out a hand and narrowed his eyes, summoning forth the incredible gifts he possessed. Though there was no iron in Nefaria's blood for him to manipulate -- for the villain was composed of pure Ionic energy -- there was more than enough in the floor beneath him. A section of the floor rose up like a hand, gripping Nefaria in its grip. "Don't attempt to break free," Magneto warned. "Or you will see my power in its full glory... and you won't survive the experience, I promise you."
"We're wasting time with all this," the Hulk warned. "If all you're interested in is ruling over your little rock here, Magneto, then we're better off going elsewhere. But I'm disappointed in you. For all your talk about being better than humanity, all you're acting like now is a coward -- a blowhard who'd rather run than fight. People are dying down there, damnit! People like your boy Pietro. I notice he's not here -- Did he decide he'd rather die like a man than like a dog?"
"How dare you?!" Magneto bellowed and the force of his words caused the entire artificial asteroid to rumble. For a moment, Captain Britain wondered if Bruce had pushed too far... Magneto's daughter, Wanda, had died in the events leading up to the Black Mass. If Pietro were dead, too... "My son has chosen to fight with the Avengers. That is his right and I respect him for making that choice. But I cannot make that same decision. I have a responsibility to see to the survival of my people. Of my race."
"Shut up," Molly said under her breath. "Shut up and watch."
At her side, the woman known as Dark Angel stirred. "Did you say someth--"
Magneto suddenly cried out, his hands clutching at the sides of his skull. He tried to say something but his words were lost in a steadily rising cry of agony. His eyes began to bulge and he fell to his knees.
Dark Angel touched Molly's arm, her face betraying something that her teammate didn't miss. Shevaun didn't trust her... a lot of the Pendragons didn't, not since she'd become the living repository for a force older than time itself. The Phoenix Force. The power of creation was at her disposal now... and with it came the old adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Or so they all thought. "What are you doing? We need him! We need--"
"No," Magneto whispered, holding out a hand for someone to help him up. He looked weak and confused, his helmet having fallen away. As his old ally the Toad lifted him back to his feet, Magneto stared straight at the Phoenix. "These things you showed me... They will happen just like that?"
"Yes. And worse."
Betsy and Shevaun shared a look of concern. Both had offered to share their visions of the future with Magneto, but he had refused to allow them access to his mind... neither had the strength of will to pierce his defenses, either. But Molly had done it without even breaking a sweat. I hope it doesn't come to it, Betsy thought. But Gray and I have been thinking about what to do if and when she loses it. It's horrible to plot against your friends....
"I will not force anyone to fight. Any who choose to remain on Asteroid M will have the freedom to do so. I am not a dictator, no matter what you think." Magneto pulled away from Toad, trying to restore his own dignity.
"So you'll help us?" Nocturne asked, surprised but pleased. He'd heard so many stories about Magneto and his great power -- with him, Molly and Nefaria all on their side, how could the Pendragons lose?
The Master of Magnetism nodded slowly. "You all have a plan, I take it?"
Captain Britain smiled at him, making a sign that suggested he was right. "I knew you'd come around, Erik."
"And how did you know that?"
"Because Asteroid M had another name once. A more beautiful one, I think."
Magneto nodded slowly, his entire demeanor seeming to lighten. "As a child, I read The Once and Future King by T.H. White. It gave me hope and direction. It led to this... and to that name you're referring to. Once upon a time, I called this place Avalon."
Avalon
Kelsey Leigh dearly wished that her son could be here. He always had such a bright mind, one that devoured all that she set before it. The old legends of King Arthur were second nature to him and he could spout off whole paragraphs of text from Le Morte d'Arthur. It was a funny little game they'd play sometimes -- she'd throw out a name or line and he'd reply with everything he could remember in relation to it. Poor boy... That can't be something that wins you respect on the playgrounds. But I know he'd love this. Yes, he would.
"It's awe-inspiring, isn't it? Pity you have to see it in this state, though -- In full bloom, there's nothing more wonderful than Avalon."
Kelsey nodded slowly, hearing Union Jack's words but not truly listening. Her ears were alive with the sounds of buzzing fairies, of long forgotten verse and with the songs of lost summer. She knelt and ran her hand through the lush grass. It felt dry and brittle, but still vibrant. For now. "It's dying, isn't it?"
"Death's not always the end of things," he replied. She remembered what Suzi Endo had told her about him -- that he was a vampire, like in all those old movies that had scared her as a youth.
She rose, gripping the hilt of the Sword of Power. She was glad she had it -- the feel of it against her leg made her feel secure. Ever since she'd accepted Roma's strange offer, she'd felt empowered in so many ways. For most of her life, she'd felt like a failure... like someone or something who simply wasn't as complete as they should be. But Roma believed in her for some reason... and Kelsey didn't want to let her down.
The white-haired mage known as Wynter stepped forward from the line of trees surrounding them. He stared forward, at the Green Chapel, and his eyes were shaded with worry. The normally blue skies of Avalon were flushed a deep purple and many of the realm's denizens were fleeing into the woodlands, as if unwilling to remain near the Chapel. "Whatever darkness has taken root here has done so in the Chapel. We'll need to purge it completely if Avalon is to survive."
"What happens if we fail?" Cybermancer asked, landing nearby. She'd soared high above, curious about how far the tainted effects had spread. The answer hadn't been good.
"Avalon is linked to the lifeblood of the Omniverse," the mage replied. He waved a hand through the air, as if parting a curtain. The four heroes began to levitate at once, each gliding effortlessly towards the Chapel. "Whatever occurs here will have repercussions throughout space and time. This darkness will spread."
Kenneth Crichton said nothing as the wizard made his pronouncements of doom. He knew Wynter only vaguely, but he'd heard his mother comment on his nature often enough. We're a sorry group if we're the ones to save Avalon, he mused. You'd think that the Green Knight would have chosen better champions--
A figure suddenly swirled into view, blocking the group's access to the Chapel's doorway. He rose from the ground up, in a splash of water that solidified into the broad-shouldered figure of Dane Whitman -- known as both the Black Knight and the Lord of the Lake.
Wynter paused in his spell, allowing the group to hover above the outcast Pendragon. "Whitman... Do you know what's caused this?"
"Nice to see you, too, Wynter." Dane looked and sounded more weary than Wynter had ever seen him. "A sorcerer has unleashed a Demon Seed. It's spreading its roots throughout Avalon -- and it's going to bear fruit soon." He stepped forward, his eyes locked entirely on Kelsey Leigh. "You're the girl who's been empowered by Roma?"
"I'm hardly a girl," she answered, feeling a bit more defensive than she had any reason to. Something about this man and the way he was looking at her made her uncomfortable, though... He's looking at me like he feels sorry for me, she realized. "I'm a grown woman -- and I'm the new Captain Britain."
"Fancy that. I wonder what Betsy will have to say about it when she returns...."
"Let's save the banter, please." Union Jack motioned for Wynter to drop them all and he immediately stepped towards Dane when he was back on the ground. "If you know how to save Avalon, then tell us."
Dane grinned. "You know, with that cocky attitude of yours, you almost remind me of Joey... But his accent was far less cultured than your--"
"Save it, you bloody sod! How do we save Avalon?!"
Dane drew his sword and it glowed with a fierce inner light. He nodded towards Kesley and she felt a cold chill go through her, one that worsened with each of his words. "Her. The only way to save Avalon is to destroy her...."
"How much longer 'til we reach Earth?"
Betsy Braddock continued to stare out the window for a moment more before answering. She and Gray Poldark -- aka Nocturne -- were in a private room aboard Asteroid M, hurtling towards their homeworld. "Shevaun told me we should be there in about an hour."
"And then what?" he asked, moving up behind her. He wrapped his hands about her waist and she leaned into him, feeling warm and soft.
"Then we attack the Martian mothership... According to T'Challa, this will leave all their soldiers on their own, without direction. A fractured enemy should be easier to defeat. And with no reinforcements coming from Mars any time soon...."
"Actually I meant, what happens after we destroy the mothership? Do we go back under the Barrier? Or do we stay on the outside, fighting the remaining Martians?"
"We can't stay outside the Barrier. We're defenders of Avalon."
"But we're not there now, are we? And you can feel what's happening, just like I can. Like all of us can. Something's wrong there -- and it feels like the Pendragon spirits are weakening within us."
Betsy turned to face him, the two of them silhouetted in the window as starlight flooded in around them. "I have a bad feeling about all of this, Gray. I feel like I'm standing on the precipice of something awful."
"I know what you mean." He leaned close and kissed her gently on the lips. "We'll pull through though, don't worry."
"Did the Looking Glass tell you we would?" she teased, mentioning the prophetic lenses that rested in his mask.
"No... I don't need it this time. I just know that everything works out when we're together."
They kissed again, harder this time.
"Will she survive?" Andy asked, hovering around Dark Angel and T'Challa as they worked.
Shevaun stifled a grin. She understood Andy's concern for his friend, but there was something so wonderfully earnest about him... He was like a lost little boy in some ways. "We're doing our best," she replied, bending low over the examining table. "My father taught me a lot of science, but this is way beyond me... I wish Suzi were here. This is more her field than mine. My best guess is that her internal power source has become corrupted. It's still producing energy, but it's not flowing properly. To be honest, I'm not sure there's much hope."
"Jocasta has been upgraded many times over the years," T'Challa said. The Black Panther had one arm in a sling and looked like he should have bee confined to bed -- but his warrior spirit wouldn't allow it. "If you can just stabilize her condition, we'll put her in stasis and hope that we can do something for her back in our time."
"That much I can do," she replied, busily beginning the laborious task of putting all of Jocasta's systems on standby.
The Panther noticed Andy staring forlornly and he moved towards the android, patting his shoulder. "You've grown fond of her," he said.
"She has awakened new emotions in me. When I was with my father, he taught me to love and to play. But now I feel... Regret. Remorse. Fear. Loneliness. I wish I had gotten to know Jocasta better -- to find out what it was like to love and give birth."
"Those are common enough feelings, Andy." T'Challa looked a bit sad as he continued "All living creatures are confronted by death -- Learning to cope with the possibility of dying or losing your loved ones is a difficult but necessary step."
"What does love mean to you, T'Challa? For me, it has always meant the warmth of my father's expressions... and the wonderful songs and stories that he's taught me. Is that all love is? The pleasant nostalgia you feel for someone? The desire to not see them harmed?"
"That... is a difficult question, my friend. I think that the desire for self-sacrifice is inherent to any interpretation of love, however. The tendency to surrender favorable conditions for yourself so that another can benefit... to do so selflessly and unconditionally... that is a major part of love. And love is what makes us human."
Andy nodded, his magically-charged heart pumping faster and faster.
"You're bloody insane...." Kelsey Leigh took a step back, fighting the urge to draw her blade and defend herself as the Black Knight approached.
"Roma's up to her tricks again, Ms. Leigh. I'm sorry, but it's true."
"How do you know my name?"
"I know far too much about you, to be honest. More than I want to know -- comes with the whole 'Lord of the Lake' territory."
Cybermancer stepped between them, her force shield activated. It hummed around the two women, protecting them from any blows that might come. "Explain yourself, Whitman -- or I'm going to knock you to the other side of the kingdom."
Dane smiled at that. He liked spunky women -- it was a character flaw, he supposed. He sheathed his sword and turned away from them, focusing his attention back on Wynter. He hadn't actually planned on attacking Kelsey, but he certainly wanted to impress upon them all that he was serious about this. "Wynter, your sister and father never rounded up all the Failures. Some of them escaped the Chamber and became pawns of Otherworld. Kelsey is one of those -- she was part of the genetic program that eventually resulted in Brian Braddock. The spark of majesty within her is flawed, though. I don't know badly -- it could be that she's like Betsy Braddock, not flawed enough to be insane but far too--"
"I'm right here, you know."
Dane stopped, turning to look back at Kelsey. She'd pulled her mask off and stood before him with a face that could best be described as handsome, rather than pretty. There was a strength in her features that he hadn't expected... a hardness developed over years of pain. "I'm sorry but--"
"No you're not. You think I'm a failure. You said so. I've thought it enough myself over the years. But I'll tell you this -- I'm a mother and a survivor. So don't dare talk down to me or ignore me!"
Wynter sighed loudly. "Time. Is. Wasting. For the last time, Whitman -- if you know how to save Avalon, say so. Otherwise, begone!"
"Roma has designs on Otherworld," Dane answered. "Ever since the Shaping*, she's been suspecting that Brian's got a flaw of his own. Despite Merlyn's best efforts, they've ended up with an idiot on the throne. So she's decided to change the playing field. Brian's the only one who can tap into the full power of Otherworld because his entire being is suited towards that. The failures don't match up... So she's decided to alter the very essence of Avalon and, through it, Otherworld."
(*See our 25th issue)
"She did this?" Union Jack asked, staring up into the darkening skies.
"She implanted a suggestion in someone's mind -- a sorcerer named Lord Pumpkin."
"You're kidding me," Cybermancer muttered. "Lord... Pumpkin?"
"He's the one who nearly blew you and Kelsey to bits," Union Jack pointed out. "A few of my sources said he was seen in the area. He's been massing his forces for months now. I tried to take him down at one point, but he had allies who were a bit too powerful for me*."
(*See the Union Jack Weekly miniseries.)
"I find it hard to believe that my sister -- despite all her past actions -- would allow Avalon to be defiled." Wynter shook his head as he spoke, growing angrier by the moment.
"Once the tainting is complete, Avalon's power will be shattered. Roma believes she can restore it -- with Kelsey wielding the power cosmic on her behalf."
"Why not claim the power herself?"
"Because that makes her a target," Dane replied. "She wants to be behind the scenes -- just like your father."
"My father is a simpleton now. He can barely understand basic commands."
"Really? I must have been misinformed then." Dane pressed on before Wynter could question the suggestion that Merlyn was far more than he seemed. "Kelsey is linked to the seed. A part of her soul is bound to it. Kill her... or destroy the seed's avatar... and the other dies as well."
"The seed has an avatar?" Kelsey asked. She stared at the Green Chapel, noting that a figure was beginning to emerge. No one seemed to see her, but the form was definitely feminine....
"It's taken physical form, yes." Dane reached out to take Kelsey's arm. "In a minute, this place is going to go crazy. The avatar is going to send its minions after us... but you can go forward. I was trying to scare you before -- but killing it isn't the only way to end this."
Kelsey nodded, not really listening. She was staring at the woman before her. It was her, though the twisted way it walked and the horribly scarred face made her wince. This thing was all the pain and fear that had lurked within her... all the indecision and doubt had manifested in a foul thing, one that was ready to lash out and destroy all that it feared -- which was everything. "I have to accept it, don't I?"
"Can you do that?"
Kelsey raised a hand to touch her unblemished face. It was an unconscious gesture but it said much... Could she give up the strength, the self-confidence, the feeling of being normal? Of being more than normal?
"Do it, Kelsey... Or everything will suffer."
And then the air was rent with the screeches of winged monsters.... and the Pendragons took up arms to defend themselves from the twisted mockeries that were once Avalon's beloved creatures.
"Kelsey... sweet little bitch... come to me." The avatar beckoned to her, smiling cruelly. She looked all the more sinister with the scar that tilted her lip back, as Kelsey's had been for so very long. "I want to mark that pretty little cow face....."
"So you don't know what happens to me, then?"
Warren couldn't suppress the smile that creeped over his face. He was walking with Breeze James, trying to answer her nonstop questions about the future. Her curiosity was overwhelming, but he'd had precious little good news for her. "Not really. I know the Pendragons held in there for years, but most of them were killed off before Braddock and the rest of Britain disappeared*. Andy was there right 'til the end, I know that much. He had quite a career. Seeing him like this, so unsure and almost timid at times... it's quite a shock."
(*See Tales of the Pendragons # 5)
"Andy being a big superstar -- that's smashing! But the rest... it's all so bloody terrifying. To think that we're all dead in the future. I've been dead before, you know... I was killed by some nasty buggers who called themselves the Parliament of Darkness. It took Jim Jaspers to bring me back, but I'll be damned if I know why he did it."
Warren started to answer, but both of them paused outside the labs as the station's intercom crackled to life. The voice that came through was unfamiliar for a moment, until the Angel recognized it as one he hadn't heard in years. Forge. What the blazes are you doing here, buddy? You didn't really join up with Magneto, did you?
"Residents of Asteroid M," Forge said "We're approaching the Martian fleet, massed above earth. I'll be using the moon to mask our presence for as long as possible but all metahumans with spaceflight capability need to be down in hangar 16 asap. The rest of you will follow your pre-assigned tasks."
"I guess that means we're to assemble with the rest of the Pendragons," Breeze muttered. She sounded a bit nervous and Warren saw her wrap her arms about herself. "I never wanted to be a hero... I mean, I love parts of it but I'm scared to death when these things happen. And aliens just make me want to take a good hot bath after being around them." She smiled wanly and Warren liked how vulnerable and beautiful she was. "I don't normally whine so. Honestly."
"It's okay, believe me. Not to get too personal, but do you have anyone special back home? Maybe thinking of them would give you some strength."
"Well, I haven't talked to my mum and dad since I came back to life -- I don't want to frighten them, you know? But I have been dating someone on the sly. Haven't even told the others about him. He's a hero, too -- his name's Scott but he goes by Micromax. Do you know him?"
"Only by reputation. He's a lucky guy." Warren grinned at her, summoning up what was left of his old playboy handsomeness. He was pleased to see her blush a bit. "You ready to go save the world?"
"I was hoping to pick up Andy first -- he's been at Jocasta's side ever since she got hurt."
Warren followed her into the lab, thinking how surreal this whole adventure really was. Somewhere out there, right now, was his own younger self. I'm doing this for you, he thought to himself. Or is it me? Either way, things are going to be different for us and for the whole damned world. Hell, we might have already changed things just by being here.
Warren almost bumped into Breeze's back as she halted directly in front of him. He heard her gasp before he noticed that something was very, very wrong. Standing before them was Jocasta, looking just as surprised as they. Lying out on the table before them, his chest plate open wide and gaping empty, was Android Andy. The computer equipment in the room was twitching like a thing possessed... but it quickly spasmed and died.
"What's going on?" Warren asked, moving to his teammate's side.
Jocasta looked shellshocked for a moment. "He... used his power over machinery to remove his own power source and give it to me, to replace my own damaged one."
"But why?" Breeze exclaimed, running her hand over Andy's metallic face. It looked barren of life now, like a simple machine. "He barely knows you!"
"He said something about self-sacrifice and about children needing their mother," Jocasta murmured. "But I don't understand this any more than you do."
"This isn't right," Warren said aloud. "He's supposed to be around for years...."
"You stupid robot," Breeze whispered, tears stinging her eyes. "There better be a way to bring you back or I swear to god, I'm going to turn you into an ashtray." She pulled his cold form against her and cradled it like a child.
Next Issue: "Unity" comes to a close: Kelsey Leigh must face her inner demons; Roma confronts her brother; the Pendragons launch their assault on the Martian mothership; and a hero is laid to rest.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
One more issue to go. I apologize if the storyline has rambled a bit, but many factors have made this a difficult time for me. Work has piled up, we're moving to a new home, etc. etc. Hopefully you've still enjoyed our little "wide-screen" epic. This has been one where I really wish I'd had some art to go along with it -- Magneto's acolytes, for instance, would have contained many familiar faces but I don't have the space to list them all by name in a prose story. Just imagine your favorites as being there ;-)
Next issue will see things come into (hopefully) clearer focus and you'll all understand the title of our storyline. The fairly unpopular character of Kelsey Leigh will also have her big pay-off. After that, she may or may not be a factor in this title.
You can reach me at aric_dacia@yahoo.com
