Authority 21




Authority 21
"All Tomorrow's Parties"
Script: Doselle Young
Pencils: John McCrea
Inks: Garry Leach
Colours: Ian Hannin
Editor: John Layman 		Monarchy 1 cover

Plot

It's early 2000, The Authority have just toppled a south east asian dictatorship and are having a party on the Carrier and everyone's invited, Including Jackson King and Christine Trelane. However, Jackson is none too pleased about attending, going more for the fact that the head of the UN bureau for Metahuman affairs, Shinya Hoshino (He's the bald guy who talks to Gamorra in Authority 3), has asked them to go and liase with the Superhero community.

Meanwhile, down in the Engine room, The Engineer and the Doctor are having a talk about how if Stormwatch hadn't killed their predecessors, they would never have become heroes, and the refugees the Authority had saved might not have been rescued. Union kills himself, with nobody noticing. Back at the dancefloor, Christine dances sensually to the Chemical Brothers while Apollo has a conversation with a barman who knows him very well. Jackson decdes it's time to go, but Christine reminds him they haven't talked to everyone yet. Jackson uses his telekinesis to clear a path off the dancefloor, and stalks off in a rage.

While Jackson stares out at the earth, Christine runs into Flint, who hasn't been enjoying herself either. They head off to the Carrier's baths, where they hop into a hot tub. Jack Hawksmoor goes to have a chat with Jackson, at the insistence of the rest of the Authority. They end up arguing and fighting, and Christine reveals to Flint that she hasn't had a period in 18 months, her powers are gone, and she feels like something is "rearranging her Feng Shui". As Jackson goes back to staring at the Earth, Energy starts emanating from Christine. the Bartender looks up, the same energy coming out of his eyes.

While Jackson is staring out the window, images of Henry Bendix and his Father appear, and advise him to stop sitting back an popping anti-depressants and start actually doing something. They remind him that he has the key to the Nevada Garden, and that Christine will back him to the hilt. She appears, naked, sitting atop the earth, telling him they've got work to do.

Jackson picks up Union's Justice stone, and goes down to the baths and gets Christine, telling Flint that they're going to make a brand new band. They head fo home, planning to marry, gather the faithful, and do great things.....

Unsolved Mysteries

What does the barman have to do with this?
What happened to Jackson and Christine?
Why did Union kill himself?

Analysis

  • There are a couple of continuity errors between this issue and Authority 13/14. From Authority 14, it looks like the first time Jack and co. note that the Doctor's in trouble is when the middle of Singapore gets blown to pieces, but here, they're trying to reestablish contact with him only a page or two after he detects Jenny Quantum. Also, Jackson and Christine aren't in formal wear in Authority 13.
  • there are a lot of musical references in this issue. Christine says that Jackson is depressed because somebody else(The Authority) gets to be the Beatles while he and Christine are stuck playing the Flower Pot Men, When they're on the dancefloor, Jackson complains about the quality of the mucic (Chemical Brothers), and after he and Christine have their Ephiphanies, he tells Flint they're putting together a brand new band.
  • The Bartender has a strange reaction to Jackson and Christine's Ephiphanies. He begins to stream rainbow energy from his eyes(which are hidden behind glasses), and seems confused by what happens. Also, he seemed to know Apollo very well.
  • Flint's face seemed to have healed from the injuries she suffered in the WildC.A.T.S/Aliens crossover. She hasn't fared well since Stormwatch disbanded though.