City of Heroes (Top Cow) Issue 1

Overview

City of Heroes #1 "Hard Crash Part 1"
Attribution
Writer(s)	Mark Waid
Penciler	David Nakayama
Inker	Rick Basaldua
Colorist	Sonia Oback
Letterer	Troy Peteri
Cover Artist	Rodolfo Migliari
Publication Information
Publisher	Top Cow Productions
Released	June 2005
Media Type	Magazine
Pages	36
Chronology
Canon	non-canon
Series	2
Preceded by	N/A
Followed by	City of Heroes (Top Cow) Issue 2

City of Heroes Issue 1 is the first of twenty comic book issues published by Top Cow Productions. It introduces the principal characters of the series (the Freedom Phalanx) and begins the first major story arc of the series. It details the events of the Power Crash in 2005. It can be found here: [1].

Synopsis

Lord Recluse puts in motion a plot to remove all of Paragon City's heroes' powers, and Statesman goes missing! Narrated by Manticore.

Storyline

This is the first part of the Hard Crash storyline.

City of Heroes (Top Cow) Issue 1

City of Heroes (Top Cow) Issue 2

City of Heroes (Top Cow) Issue 3

Characters

Heroes

Freedom Phalanx

Manticore

Positron

Sister Psyche

Statesman

Synapse

Aurora Borealis (echo)

Villains

Arachnos

Lord Recluse

Mu Mystics

Arachnobots

Clockwork
Outcasts

Supporting Cast

The heroes of Paragon City
The citizens of Paragon City

Mentioned

Crey Industries Rikti

Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details

Freedom Phalanx and a multitude of other heroes fight an alliance of Clockwork and the Outcasts. 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...'

The Paragon Times: Vol. 3 No. 1

Following the main comic is an issue of The Paragon Times. It contains items from an "in-character" perspective, and features several items of player and fan artwork.

In-Character Content

This issue has an announcement describing the game's Issue 4 release, which added Arenas to the game. It also contains a Hero Spotlight on Positron, in the form of an in-character interview.

Fan Work

• The Sentimental Sort by Veronica Rose (fiction)
• Forge by Mobius Scape (artwork)
• NightLash by Chris Haley and Steve Bowcutt (artwork)
• Hothouse by Michael Bennet (artwork)
• Mahogany Dodd by Omar Noory (artwork)
• Underwear on the Outside by Tim Buckley (comic, debut appearance)

Quotes

• "I wonder if the shame-spiral of defeat hasn't left a sad mark on the Clockwork King." ~Manticore
• "You'd hate to miss a sight like this: Outcasts trying to sneak up on Synapse and Sister Psyche. That's right--using stealth against a speedster and a mentalist." ~Manticore
• "We'd taken our invincibility for granted." ~Manticore
• "Nobody's powers are working!" ~Unknown heroine
• "Statesman? Wake up, pal. C'mon. Your fat ego must've taken most of the blast..." ~Manticore
• "Don't touch me, you weirdo! Weirdo! ~Chloe (a child speaking to Sister Psyche)
• "Poke me AGAIN, and I WILL hurt YOU." ~A slightly deranged Sister Psyche.
• "Statesman said!" ~Sister Psyche
• "Our 'friend?' You mean Statesman?" "In quotation marks, yes." "That's HARSH." ~Aurora Borealis, Manticore, and Sister Psyche.
• "I'm calling the police!" ... "What costumed hero has ever called the police?" ~Synapse and Manticore
• "With the powers, I could put the whole, sick ordeal behind me! But now? Now I'm just a torture victim and that's all." ~Synapse
• "Statesman said--" ~Positron
• "'Statesman said.' 'Statesman said.' Screw Statesman." ~Manticore
• "Besides, since you always do whatever the hell you want to do anyway... ...we decided we needed to keep an eye on you." ~Synapse to Manticore
• "Nothing can be done! It's too late! ...because I'm already dead." ~Statesman

Images

Alternate Covers

• 

  Dale Keown variant cover B (used in the official site download)

• 

  George Pérez variant cover C

• 

  George Pérez foil variant cover C

Comic Images

NO SPOILERS HERE!!