City of Heroes (BKS) Issue 4

City of Heroes #4 “Dread Carnivale Part 2”
Attribution
Cover Artist	Brandon McKinney
Publication Information
Publisher	Blue King Studios
Released	2006
Media Type	Magazine
Pages	28
Chronology
Canon	non-canon
Series	1
Preceded by	City of Heroes (BKS) Issue 3
Followed by	City of Heroes (BKS) Issue 5

Pressing the Tsoo for more information, War Witch presents the very real possibility to a Tsoo Lieutenant that she’s ready to perforate him unless he gives up what he knows about Vanessa DeVore. He pleads with her, trying to convince her that he knows nothing. Satisfied with their interrogation, they tie-up the Tsoo and leave the criminals for the PPD to deal with, while Horus tells his buddies that he might know someone who can help them out.

After worrying about his sister’s increasingly mysterious circumstances while on a job hunt, Apex and company arrive in a seedier neighborhood in the city. They are quickly bounced by a group of 5th Column soldiers, but make quick work of the goose-stepping goons. Shortly afterwards, they meet with Horus’ friend, Kayla. She tells them of a contact she has inside the Freakshow named Ray Hanson who may be able to help them and agrees to join their team in order to help them meet Hanson.

After 30 minutes and a fight with Freakshow punks, Kayla ‘encourages’ on of the enemy survivors to take the quartet in to the Freak’s compound. There, they find themselves outnumbered by Freaks with a boss who’s ready to have them ripped to shreds. Horus takes an opportunity to fast talk the leader, convincing him that his makeshift podium is actually a highly volatile fusion generator. The leader agrees not to fight and gives them all of 5 minutes to talk to Hanson. Ray Hanson reveals to them that Vanessa DeVore is the reason he joined the freaks, and their cybernetics allowed him to break free of her control. He directs them to where they can find DeVore and encourages the group to leave before the Freaks take them hostage.

The heroes venture to an apartment building pointed out to the by Hanson and are greeted at the doors by a pair of Carnie sentries.  War Witch takes the lead and they make quick work of the garishly dressed skanks and press onwards to the buildings penthouse.  There, they find the lavishly decorated court of Vanessa DeVore, who welcomes them in only to take them in to her custody.  Along with Hillary Rourke, the Carnies begin to interrogate the trio.  Hillary finally relieves War Witch of her long green locks with a dagger and then asks for DeVore’s permission to kill them.  DeVore refuses and instead opts to turn off their brains permenantly.  Before she can do that, however, War Witch reveals to DeVore Hillary’s own treachery in their defense.  DeVore tears through Hillary’s mind to learn that she’d stolen Salome’s Ruby.  The Carnie mistress sends her cronies to recover the jewel from Hillary’s collection, and then allows the heroes to fight Hillary to the benefit of her own amusement.  After Hillary’s defeat, DeVore KO’s the trio and deposits them outside of their own apartment building.  They return home to find Apex’s sister Sally inside and waiting for them.  She reveals to them that she’d finally secured a new job in Paragon City and asks to room with them.  Apex looks to War Witch for her approval, but she’s too tired to even care and hopes that Sally is only a wrong memory or apparition implanted by the Carnies.

Interesting Stuff

• ’’The third panel of page 4 includes obvious references to Batman as War Witch calls the Tsoo a bunch of “Jokers” and Apex admits that they are not the “World’s Greatest Detectives”’’