Difference between revisions of "City of Heroes (Top Cow) Issue 1"

Freedom Phalanx and a multitude of other heroes fight the Clockwork, while some Outcasts look to take advantage of the situation and take down some heroes. Unbeknownst to them, Lord Recluse uses Mu Mystics to cast a spell on the entire city, covering the War Walls in magical runes. Heroes' powers and medi-porters fail them, Clockwork fall out of the sky, and death and despair are the order of the day. Six weeks later (June 6, 2005) it is clear that the loss of power is effectively permanent. The Freedom Phalanx has gone into hiding at Statesman's command, in case whoever caused heroes' powers to fail starts hunting them.

Manticore approaches Sister Psyche, so that they can find Statesman, who has been missing while the Freedom Phalanx lays low. It is revealed that Sister Psyche still has an "echo" of Aurora Borealis in her mind, a relic of when the two were trapped in one body as a result of Sister Psyche's exertions during the Rikti War. Because of the loss of powers, the echo of Aurora is constantly battling with Sister Psyche for control of the body they share again. Despite this battle, Manticore convinces her / them to help him find Statesman and "force some answers".

While driving to Synapse's house, Manticore and Psyche comment on how nice the city looks, due to Arachnos's drones repairing and cleaning the city. Manticore notes that most heroes have left the city, to places where their powers still work. However, there are still some left in the city, including Synapse. Unfortunately, Synapse threatens to call the police on them, an idea Manticore scoffs at, saying: "What costumed hero has ever called the police?" The loss of his powers has hit Synapse hard - because they are the result of a torturous experiment at the hands of Crey, he can use them to "run away from the memory" of that torture, and put it behind him. Without his powers, he sees himself as "just a torture victim."

After failing to recruit Synapse to his cause, Manticore calls Positron. Unfortunately, Positron's containment suit is all that stood between his body's anti-matter generation and its explosive reaction with the world. He has rigged a makeshift bunch of wires and equipment to his suit inside the Freedom Phalanx Headquarters, and changed the code to the HQ to prevent anyone from coming near him. He tries to tell Manticore this, but interference on the call leads Manticore to miss the main part of the message, and only hears that Positron is at HQ.

Manticore attempts to break the door to the HQ with some arrows hidden in his cane, but his shot is caught by Synapse; "A catch made out of desperation, not skill." Positron had called Synapse in a panic, and they decided that rather then let Manticore go off on his own and potentially call attention to them, they would keep an eye on him. Synapse also implies that they too are having doubts in Statesman's ability to rescue them. Psyche, Manticore, and Synapse enter the Freedom Phalanx HQ, and find Positron in his makeshift containment web.

The heroes discuss whether or not they should even try to find Statesman, with Sister Psyche noting that most of the ordinary citizens in Paragon City are getting along just fine without heroes. Manticore activates the main power, and the group is greeted by a massive hologram of Statesman. It was automatically activated, and put in place by Statesman in the event that he was unable to help the Phalanx. It ends with Statesman saying despite wanting to help, if the Phalanx is hearing the recording he can't - because he's already dead.

To Be Continued...'