Pendragon Comics - The Pendragons

The Pendragons

Issue # 78

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 surviving members of the old Knights of Pendragon group, as well as several other heroes. Willing to die for their beliefs, the Pendragons stand united as Britain'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!

Pendragons Roll-Call: Captain Britain (leader), Cybermancer, Ghost Rider, Nocturne, Polaris, Spitfire, Union Jack

Written by Barry Reese

"Nasty bit of business, this." Joey Chapman tapped his fingers on the table, keeping beat with the thrumming trance music that filled the air. He and his companions had come here, to the Slimelight club in London, on a mission of great urgency -- or so Ghost Rider had claimed. But the Pendragons had been at the club for nearly four hours, having their senses assaulted by loud music and bright lights, with no sign of either the vampire Blackout or his supposed victim, Stacy Dolan.

Jackie regarded him with a look of bemusement. "You're a laugh riot these days, luv."

Joey leaned back in his booth, reaching out to squeeze Jackie's hand across the table. In the dim lighting, she looked a bit exotic and he felt himself grow excited looking at the curve of her lips and the way her eyes were glittering. "We're in a good place, that's all. Puts me in a right frame of mind. I'll be honest... I'm glad you're not leader of the team anymore. And," he hastened to add, "that's not a put-down on your tenure at all. Just that you're more relaxed without having to worry about this lot."

"That's true enough." Jackie smiled wickedly. "You want to dance? I haven't been out dancing in ages... and I might as well enjoy this second chance at youth."

Joey laughed heartily, pulling her from the booth. There had been a time when Jackie had been much, much older than him. She'd been his best mate's mum, in fact... but love sometimes had a way of making fools of everyone, and Joey had found her youthened form irresistible.

While the newlyweds shared a turn on the dance floor, the rest of the Pendragons continued their vigils throughout the rest of the club. Suzi Endo was at the bar, fending off numerous offers of drinks, while Betsy Braddock and Gray Poldark stood near the fire exits. This left Lorna Dane and Dan Ketch at the front entrance to the club.

Lorna swayed gently to the music, keeping her eyes on Dan. They'd become fairly good friends in the short time he'd been part of the team and she could read his nervousness. "Calm down. The fact she's not here might just mean that Mephista was yanking your chain."

Dan sighed, hesitating. Lorna couldn't help but think he looked very cute when he became thoughtful. "We've known each other since we were kids. She was always there for me and... I guess I took it for granted that we'd eventually get married. It was just kind of something that everyone in the neighborhood assumed, you know? But the whole thing with Ghost Rider made it all so complicated... We broke up and got back together more times than I can count. And then I died. That pretty much put everything on hold," he said with a smile, recognizing how insane his life truly was. "But after I came back, I found out that she was under the Barrier with me. It seemed too perfect, like it was destiny or something. But something just didn't click."

"I can sympathize. I've had a similar relationship with a guy named Alex." She caught his eye and, wondering why she felt it necessary to say it, whispered "It's over with him."

Lorna started to say something in reply, but she found herself holding back. Before they'd all left from Lyonesse, Dan had shown them a picture of Stacy... and the girl who'd just entered looked a good bit like her. "Is that her?"

Dan followed her gaze and immediately moved towards his old girlfriend. Stacy was dressed in a provocative outfit, showing off her long legs and well-toned body. "Stacy! I need to talk to you!"

"I wanted to warn you. Blackout's coming for you." He looked at her from head to toe. "Why are you dressed like that?"

"I'm on a date," she stammered, feeling the color rise to her cheeks. "You said Blackout's here?"

Dan was still hung up on the fact that she was on a date, but he didn't have a chance to follow upon the questions that were popping up in his mind. He felt a hand on his shoulder and assumed it was Lorna. He turned his face towards "her" but instead of the green-haired beauty codenamed Polaris, he saw the white skin and long hair of Blackout. The vampire was smiling, revealing sharp canines.

"Hello, Dan. You're looking good. But not as good as the sweetmeat in front of you." He licked his lips while winking at Stacy. Just as flames began to dance around Dan's head and the sickly sweet smell of burning flesh began to permeate the room, Blackout drove a clawed hand into the young man's midsection. Blood sprayed out over Stacy's dress, making her scream. The noise was mostly drowned out in the din of the nightclub, but a few people standing nearby began backing away as the spirit of Noble Kale began to assume control of his descendant's form, transforming him into the Spirit of Vengeance known as Ghost Rider.

Blackout grabbed hold of Stacy Dolan, pulling her kicking and screaming towards him. As a former police officer, she knew exactly where and how to hit an assailant, but none of her blows fazed him.

The Ghost Rider stood tall, ignoring the fading pain in his midsection. Dan would be damaged when he returned, but the wound was not fatal. "Unhand her," he warned Blackout, curling his mystic chain about one hand.

"Even better," a woman whispered, moving so fast that no one even saw her. "Let me do that for you." A split second after the words went past, Stacy was out of Blackout's grip and was safely kept on the far side of the club, with Spitfire at her side.

Blackout blinked in surprise, but recovered quickly. He backed away slowly, looking around as the other Pendragons began to emerge. "Now, Dan... I didn't know we were inviting over friends. Guess it's time to show you how improved I am, eh?"

"You're outnumbered and way outclassed, I'd say." Nocturne was the closest to the vampire now and he still wore his slacks from the waist down. He'd ditched his shirt and jacket, though, revealing the purple and black uniform that was becoming famous throughout Europe. "So let's save us all a few bruises and just have you give up?"

"You're funny," Blackout grinned. "Let's take you down first." The Lilin jumped towards Nocturne, moving faster than Ghost Rider had ever seen him do. He grabbed hold of Nocturne's neck and bit a chunk of flesh from it, leaving blood spraying into the air. The only thing that saved the hero's life at all was the fact that his Looking Glass had warned him of the attack at the last second, allowing him to turn his neck just enough to avoid a fatal bite.

Captain Britain's rage and fear was almost palpable to all the Pendragons, for it carried over the psychic bond she held with each of them. Betsy Braddock flew towards her lover, landing at Nocturne's side as he lay bleeding on the floor. "Union Jack -- get him some help!"

Joey moved to his mate's side, frowning. He hated running from a fight of any kind, but he knew that Betsy wanted this bloke for herself.

A psychic knife appeared around Betsy's right hand, sizzling with energy. "You're going to pay for that, you bastard."

Blackout laughed at her, raising both hands and clenching them into fists. A wave of darkness came from him, enveloping everyone in the club. For the first time, there were multiple screams of terror and there was a lot of pushing and shoving as clubgoers tried to find the exits. The Pendragons found themselves buffeted about in the sudden confusion. Betsy tried to feel Blackout's mind, but it was too hard to pick him out amongst the psychic 'noise' all around her.

"This isn't right," Polaris said, lifting herself and Ghost Rider up into the air with her magnetic powers. "Your flame isn't even dinting this stuff. It's not normal darkness."

"Blackout's powers have been augmented somehow. He seemed faster than before. I must reach Stacy and make sure she's unhar-- Aargh!"

Polaris jumped as Noble Kale screamed beside her. She reached out, finding his leather jacket with her hand. "Dan? What's wrong?"

"Dan is in the void," he replied weakly. "In this form, I am Noble Kale only. But that is beyond the point. I have sensed the spilling of innocent blood... Stacy's blood."

The last two words were spoken so hoarsely that Lorna could barely understand them. There was such pain laced in each one of them that she knew he'd been lying earlier. There was a lot of Dan Ketch in the Ghost Rider, whether Noble Kale wanted to admit it or not.

The darkness began to fade, but the club was in shambles. Tables were overturned and glasses were shattered along the floor. But none of this mattered, for the Ghost Rider was staring at the still form of Stacy Dolan. She lay next to the far exit, a bloodied Spitfire at her side. "Let me down," Kale demanded and Polaris set him gently down next to the woman that Dan Ketch had once loved, and perhaps still did.

As the Spirit of Vengeance fell to his knees, the transformation began. The flames died away, leaving only Dan Ketch to cradle the violated body of his ex girlfriend. "No, Stace...."

"I'm sorry, Daniel," Spitfire whispered, holding her hands tightly over a gash in her belly. "The beast surprised me. I should have taken her out of the building...."

Cybermancer stepped up beside Captain Britain. "I got a new scan of him, Betsy. My armor can track him now. He's giving off a strange energy vibe."

Betsy nodded, but she didn't reply. Not verbally, at least. She sent a powerful telepathic message to Dan, one that was laced with concern and regret. Take her to the hospital, Dan. Gray, too. We'll get this guy for you. I promise.

Dan rose, shaking his head. "Thanks, but no." He wiped at his eyes. "But somebody else should take Gray and get him checked out. I'm going with you guys."

"Why would that be?" Dan turned to look at her, his eyes full of a frightening fury. "She's dead."

Nathaniel Essex sat down in the center of his spacious laboratory, ignoring the squawking of the parrot next to his chair. It rested on a perch, making noises that were alternately soothing and grating. Essex enjoyed the bird's company, but at the moment he could not afford to spare it a moment's kindness. He was troubled, despite the recent success of his nanotech technology. He had successfully altered Blackout, triggering hidden potential with his genes.

But it would not be enough. Not if his enemies were truly as powerful as they appeared.

For some reason, his mind drifted towards thoughts of Suzi Endo. The Pendragon known as Cybermancer had recently become his lover, which had brought many unexpected pleasures. Not only of the physical kind, which were to be expected, but emotional as well. She allowed him unwitting access to the Pendragons' database... and she was brilliant, as well. He sometimes wondered if she could truly handle being his consort, fully aware of his plans....

Mr. Sinister paused in his work, noting that the bird was silent for once. The smell of brimstone reached Sinister's nostrils and he sniffed loudly. "You're invading my domain."

Blackheart stepped into view, his ebony skin seeming to grow from the shadows. He wore a dark suit and tie, which only served to make his demonic visage look all the more surreal. "Is that any way to greet a guest?"

"You are no guest. You are an unwelcome interloper." Sinister rose suddenly, his cloak rippling out behind him in dramatic fashion. "Leave this instant or I will destroy you."

Blackheart chuckled, reaching out to stroke the Sinister's parrot. The bird stiffened, looking terrified. "You wish."

"Power. The devotion of all humanity. You know... the usual." Blackheart leaned close to Sinister, making the stench of brimstone almost overwhelming. "This little war of ours is about to turn nasty. I know what you've been doing with Blackout. You really think your little inventions are going to create something strong enough to kill me? I'm the son of the devil!"

"A devil. Not the." Sinister placed a hand on Blackheart's chest, pushing him away. "Science will inevitably triumph over magic. Mankind is a inclined in that direction."

"Liar. Fool." Blackheart spat out the words. "If you're right, why do superstitions linger? Why is all of Europe under a magical Barrier? The supernatural calls to humanity in a way that science will never do. They are mine."

"If you're so confident, you wouldn't have gone to the Prime Minister in some vain attempt to have me arrested."

"My plans for the PM are far more drastic than that," Blackheart replied, though his words sounded full of doubt. He was obviously surprised to learn that Sinister was aware of his actions.

"Play your little games of politics then, Blackheart... but I would have thought you would have tired of those after your stint in office*."

(*As Clive Winthrop, Blackheart assumed the position of PM in the Black Mass oneshot)

Blackheart turned away him, allowing the darkness to wrap around him like a lover. "Make your jests if you like, Sinister... but know this: you've come to embody a way of life that I plan to see stamped out."

Sinister waited until the demon was gone. He then turned to the parrot, who lay dead on his perch, its heart stopped. He slowly lifted it into the palm of his hand, allowing the x-bots he'd recently tested on Blackout to stream into the bird's system. It twitched like a jumping bean in his hand, the eyes taking on a lifelike gleam once more. "Think what you like, Blackheart. But the age of science will return to Europe... and I will be its harbinger."

"Yes. I am. We were fighting a vampire. I should have... I don't know.. protected my neck, don't you think?"

Spitfire sighed, but held her tongue. She was standing beside Nocturne's bed in a hospital not far from the Slimlight Club. She'd thought about taking him back to Lyonesse, but saw no point in it. Suzi was the closest thing the team had to a doctor and she was on the hunt for Blackout. And taking him to Avalon meant crossing paths with Dane Whitman, the so-called Lord of the Lake.

Gray struggled to sit upright in the bed. He was in a hospital gown, though his mask still hid his identity. Thick bandages were wrapped tightly about his neck wounds. "I wish Betsy hadn't gone after him. He's dangerous."

Gray nodded. He knew Jackie was right -- Betsy could handle herself well -- but he'd come so close to losing her not long ago. "We're engaged, you know."

"Since right before she reorganized the team. We're keeping it quiet until all the preparations are done. Brian wants us to get married in Otherworld."

"Sounds smashing to me. You two deserve one another." Spitfire reached out and squeezed Gray's hand. "Marriage is a wonderful thing. It takes some work, but it's worth it."

"I'll keep that in mind--" Gray's words trailed off as the sound of a man screaming in agony rang out.

Spitfire pushed him back when he started to rise. "I'll check on it. Stay in bed."

The woman stared at Spitfire in surprise and admiration. "My mum said you saved her life once, when she was a little girl."

Spitfire smiled, though the realization that she was old enough to have saved this grown woman's mother during her childhood was almost too much to bear. "Thanks, dear. The man who's screaming....?"

"Oh!" The nurse took a deep breath, as if remembering something quite unpleasant. "He's a criminal, brought in from Darkmoor. Eddie Brock."

"Eddie... Venom?" Spitfire craned her neck to look down the hallway, but Brock was in one of the rooms and she couldn't see him.

"That's the one. Nasty bloke. Started having some sort of seizure at the prison and they brought him here because we've dealt with their type before."

Spitfire didn't bother to ask if 'their type' meant seizures or metahumans. She pushed past the nurse and traced the screams until she was standing in the doorway to Brock's room. A number of medical personnel were in the room, trying to restrain him. He was big and strong-looking, which surprised Jackie. She'd always assumed the muscles were added on by the symbiotic suit he wore.

Brock knocked away a doctor holding a syringe. "No! It hurts! God, you don't know how badly it hurts!!!"

Spitfire caught the syringe in mid-air. "Can I offer a hand?" she asked the doctor, who was holding a broken nose.

Spitfire took one step forward, about to use her superspeed to bring her close enough to inject Brock with whatever was in the syringe. She stopped in place, however, when she saw Brock's eyes... they were completely black, looking wet and oozing. They locked on hers.

"He came to me and offered me power! He said I'd be able to summon the symbiote from far away! But it hurts! It's coming out through me--!"

Spitfire stifled a scream as inky black fluid began jetting from Brock's nostrils, mouth and eyes. He thrashed so hard that the hospital staff gave up trying to restrain him and instead backed away in fear.

He rose up on the bed, the symbiote sliding down his body. He was a changed man all of a sudden, the pain seeming to fade as he gave way to madness and power. He looked at Spitfire, whipping out a piece of organic webbing that locked about her throat. He yanked hard on it, pulling her off her feet and slamming her hard into a nearby wall. With a savage grin, he extended his bloated tongue and let it lap at the blood dripping from her skull. "Wish I had time to enjoy a nice meal of brains, but I think it's best that I be on my way."

He snarled at the horrified orderlies and burst through the window. He leaped from building to building before finally plunging downwards through the streets. He landed in the slime and grunge of the sewers, his heart hammering. "Blackheart!" he bellowed. "You did this to me... You gave me new power! Why?"

Blackheart appeared before him, still dressed in the same suit he'd worn when addressing Sinister. "Hello, Eddie. Looking good."

Venom seethed with rage, his tongue dancing about in the air. "You were telling the truth about the Spider?"

"Oh, yes. He's far closer than you ever suspected*. But I won't tell you where he is... until you do something for me. An enemy of mine has created a champion of sorts. I want you to show him off ineffectual that champion is. I want you to kill him. Horribly."

Venom nodded eagerly. He didn't mind killing. Not one bit, especially if it brought him closer to the Spider.

"He's in there." Cybermancer stood in front of her teammates, facing the gates to Highgate Cemetery. "Creepy little bugger, isn't he? And fast."

"I will make him pay," the Ghost Rider said, revving the engine of his motorcycle. "Stacy's blood was pure and untainted... and he has defiled her."

Captain Britain turned to face the Spirit of Vengeance, her colorful uniform standing out in stark contrast to the flaming skull-faced being before her. She gripped the handlebars of his bike. "Keep a rein on your emotions, Noble. He's dangerous enough without us all worrying about you." Silently, she projected But I understand what you're feeling. I'll let you be the one to take him down. I promise.

Noble Kale seemed to relax and he nodded his agreement. His emotions were in turmoil, but he trusted Betsy Braddock. If she said he'd get his chance to make Blackout pay... he believed her.

Polaris nodded, enjoying the chance to use her magnetism. She felt bad for Dan but if there was one thing she'd learned was that vengeance -- despite what many would say -- felt very, very good. She'd help him tear this vampire to pieces. The iron gates swung open at her command. "Let's do it."

"I think I see him," Union Jack whispered, drawing his pistol. He nodded in the direction of a shadowy figure that had just jumped down amongst a series of graves. "Maybe we'll be home in time to catch a few shows on the telly." He strode forward, Cybermancer and Polaris trailing close behind.

"That's not him," Captain Britain warned, her alarm growing. "Joey -- get away!"

The shadowy figure burst into the light, knocking Union Jack onto his back. Venom towered over Joseph Chapman, his mouth dripping with saliva. It landed in splatters atop Union Jack's mask. "Well, well... if it isn't my old friend*. I've waited a long time to taste your brains, Jack."

Before anyone could react, Venom had snatched Union Jack into the air and bit down upon the hero's skull....

Hope you're enjoying the current storyline. Next issue will reveal the details about Blackheart's deal with the Prime Minister and also delve further into the origins of the current feud between him and Mr. Sinister. Plus, we'll get to see the Pendragons throw down with Venom and Blackout. How cool is that?

SINISTER! You just HAD to bring Sinister into this mess! As if the X-Men have not had their fair share of problems with this genetic seeker and his dreams, you HAD to put him into the mix with the Pendragons! This WILL NOT go over well, mark my words! Sinister is out for only one person and one person only, and THAT IS HIMSELF! Beware of this person and any and all gifts that he offers!!!!