"Vox Populi, part one"
Script: Doselle Young
Pencils: Warren Pleece
Inks: Garry Leach
Colours: Ian Hannin
Editor: John Layman
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Issue 3
"Vox Populi, part one" Script: Doselle Young Pencils: Warren Pleece Inks: Garry Leach Colours: Ian Hannin Editor: John Layman |
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April 1st, 1901. Somewhere in Texas a child is being born to an already large poor black family. Otis, the baby's father is discussing it with an older woman, who tells him to consider it a blessing. As the sky turns red, he says it is more like a Curse. Four Figures descend from the sky, a strange amalgam of a crow and a man in a business suit. they pull out weapons and begin to slaughter the family. They are alchemy's opposite, a slip in the Clockwork, they are the Fevermen. As soon as everyone outside is dead, they move into the house, "Clear and Bright".
April 1st, 2001. Jackson King is standing atop a building, aksing somebody "What the hell do you think you're doing?". He's observing a man about to shoot a politican giving a jingoistic line to a crowd. King then telepathically tells the man to take the shot. the man turns, pulling a pair of headphones from his ears. His name is Caleb, and they are obviously friends. The weapon is a spirit rifle, and he has another piece of "nasty hardware" for King as well. King tells him to do his job, and calls him Condition Red.
Condition Red fires at the Politician, causing something to pull away from him. It coalsesces and turns out to be Hitler's ghost. King then teleports down to Hitler, and uses the "other piece of nasty hardware", a spirit collar, which Hitler himself used on the Marquis DeSade in 1922, to bind Hitler. King expresses Great pleasure in making Hitler his bitch.
Somewhere in Texas, Professor Q and Christine are driving to meet a woman named Addie Vochs, who is a century baby just like Jenny Sparks. Unlike Jenny, Addie hasn't been able to fulfill her destiny, another manifestation of the Glitch plaguing the super-system. Unlike Jenny Sparks, Elijah Snow and Axel Brass, however, she was born on April 1st, 1901, the Genethliacal new year..
The Crown. Farmer enters Union's Quarters. They are a bizarre affair, with the severed heads of Union's victims adorning the walls, and Union himself looking at Images of his previous life. Farmer has already began to try and add humanity back to Union, who says he likes his current incarnation just fine. They have a mission, now, however, to provide backup at an arms shipment.
Back in Texas, Christine and the Professor arrive at Addie Vochs' house, the same one the Fevermen attacked in 1901. They are met by Corrinda, a woman who doesn't like them one bit. As they try to get to see Addie, she comes out to meet them, and asks them "What the hell do you want?"
The Middle of Nowhere. Condition Red has decided to crash the arms shipment, much to Jackson's disapproval. As King is giving out, Farmer and Union arrive, late because Farmer insisted they rescue a busload of Prison Inmates from a fire. King reveals his plan, they're going to sell Hitler's soul into psychic slavery. Even Farmer has no objections to the plan, and soon the buyers, a trio of gigantic demons, wearing business suits but otherwise looking like they walked out of an HP Lovecraft story. King hands over Hitler and gets a bundle, while chatting amiably with the creatures. He promises to sell them Stalin if he finds him, and then heads back to the others. Condition Red suggests that King got a cute little puppy, but when they look at what's in the bundle, they react with horror. "I guess we could call it a puppy."
Back in Texas, Christine is talking to Addie, preparing her for the Truth, when the sky begins to turn red again. Corrinda runs outside, looks to the sky, and and warns somebody that someone's trying to reset the clock. A feverman responds "Clear and Bright, Little Harlot, Clear and Bright."