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FEMFORCE #22
COVER: The Count / Black
EDITORIAL CONTENT: Part 3 of Bill Black
Interview
MILESTONES: Joan Wayne's first encounter with the
Black Shroud
1st Story: Nightmare! (24 pgs)
Credits:
The Count,writer / penciler; Mark Propst, inks; Walt
Paisley, letters;
Metcalf / Allen / Sheppe, grey tones; Bill Black, inks /
edits
Synopsis:
Joan Wayne's sleep is haunted by frightening nightmare
experiences inflicted by the Black Shroud. In addition to
enduring a number of terrifying menaces, Joan is forced to
face images of former friends now turned against her. She is
assaulted by She-Cat in 1937 New York, shot by Colt in the
Old West, and nearly drowned by Tara. The Shroud manifests
himself as an amorous Paragon and a comforting Nightveil,
taunting Joan mercilessly after each appearance. Finally,
Joan battles three visions of her former Miss / Ms. Victory
persona before watching an aged, decaying Joan Wayne wither
into a skeleton. Joan awakens from her dream in a cold
sweat, praying that her horrifying experience has ended,
when the Shroud appears one last time in the night to
torment Joan, gloating that there is no safety and no
sanctuary. |
Others |
Saloon Patrons; Old West Citizens; New York Citizens |
Geography |
Orlando; New York; Old West; at sea; unnamed city |
Sites |
Rad's apt; New York streets; saloon; hospital room;
unknown dreamscape |
Time |
Present (one night); 1937; late 1800's; timeless dream
period |
Magic & Technology |
Colt's pistols |
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Notes:
Every character, every place, and every time except for
Joan Wayne, her Orlando apartment, and the Black Shroud
himself appear only in the nightmares the Shroud inflicts on
her.... The dream fantasy between Joan and Paragon is the
first glimpse at any romantic relationship between them,
though in reality he is still involved with Nikki Latimer at
this time. |
2nd Story: Meanwhile, Back at FF HQ (4 pgs)
Credits:
Bill Black, script; Bill Marimon, art; "da Colonel" (James Sanders,
III) and "da Propst" (Mark Propst) inks, Walt Paisley, letters
Synopsis:
In a brief episode taking place immediately after the induction party
of FF 20, She-Cat tells Stardust, Thunderfox, and Nightveil the rest
of her "dream" in which she used Dr. Jimenez's time machine to travel
to the Old West. Her dream self, returning to Latimer Labs, comes
upon a scene of brutal carnage as Rip Jaw and the Black Commando
stand gloating over the bodies of the Femforce that they have just
murdered. She-Cat herself is saved from death at the hands of the
villains by the timely arrival and quick guns of Buckaroo Betty. Back
in reality, She-Cat is stunned by the appearance at FF HQ of Betty
herself. The joke turns out to be on She-Cat, however, as Betty's
features fade to become those of Nightveil, who displays a rare sense
of humor in using her mystical powers to have some fun with her
teammate.
Others |
None |
Geography |
Orlando; Bayport, WI |
Sites |
Femforce HQ; Latimer Labs |
Time |
Halloween day, on the morning after the induction
party |
Magic & Technology |
Rurian starship; Betty's six-shooters |
Notes:
This is a brief retro-continuity story that takes place in between FF
20 and FF in the House of Horror. Repairing Stardust's cruiser is
part of the "cleanup" chores the ladies undertake before going to the
Haunted House as seen in H of H. Using that book as a firm root in
time, we see that the induction party must have taken place on
October 30, not on September 14 as shown on the invitation Rad
displays on the splash page. One might assume that Rad's invitation
was deliberately falsified to keep her from being a party crasher....
This story, along with FF 20, sets the stage for Betty's return and
permanent residence in the present during the Shroud wars.... Betty,
Rip Jaw, and the Black Commando appear in this story only in
She-Cat's recounting of her dream.
Page 3 of this story was supposed to be in FF 20 but inker Propst
"lost" it and was 2 months late in turning it in!
3rd Story: The Little Man Who Was All There (6 pgs)
Notes:
Golden Age Cave Girl reprint not detailed in this index.
TOP
Based on
The Official Guide to The AC Universe by Ken Kerouac
Entire contents Copyright (C) 1995 - 2015 AC Comics - Used by permission
of AC Comics..
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