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FEMFORCE #36
COVER: Black / Heike
EDITORIAL CONTENT: Feature on the Shroud's
influence on the AC Universe
MILESTONES: Defeat of the Shroud; Return Of
Azagoth; Haunted Horseman revealed as Buckaroo Betty's
father; Hypnotic Eye is destroyed
Story: Darkfire Descending (Under the Shadow of
the Shroud Pt. 3)(45 pgs)
Credits:
Rik Levins, plot; Bill Black, script / edits; Brad Gorby /
Dick Ayers, art; Mark Heike, inks; Walt Paisley, letters
Synopsis:
The effect of the expanding Well of Souls has rippled around
the world, causing a series of natural disasters to erupt.
Ms. Victory dispatches teams of heroes to assist, and they
instantly transport to global locations via dimensional
gateways created by Astron, Astra, and Commando D. Above
Jungle Island, Nightveil, Dr. Weir, and the Green Lama work
desperately to close the portal when the black sphere
covering Florida suddenly dissolves and assumes the familiar
form of the Shade.
The titanic figure, still under the Shroud's control,
next appears at the Weir Asylum, where he abruptly ends the
battle between the Shroud's minions and the Justice Squadron
by crushing both hero and villain alike. He is about to
seize Darkfire, but Vanessa has recovered her Mento-Helmet
and uses it to contact Synn back at Femforce HQ. At
Darkfire's mental command, Synn transports herself,
Darkfire, and Buckaroo Betty into limbo. In the limbo void,
the trio contact the Haunted Horseman, who is revealed to be
Betty's father. Back in reality, the Haunter confronts the
Shade and enters his psyche, where he destroys the five evil
spirits who are feeding off Roger Brant's body and are the
source of the Shroud's control over the Shade.
Free again, the Shade reveals to the heroes that he knows
how to close the Well of Souls, and the heroes are all
recalled for a final assault on Jungle Island. At that
moment the Shroud appears in Dragonfly's body, determined to
put an end to the heroes once and for all. Finally realizing
that the heroes pose an actual threat, the Black Shroud uses
the heroes' desire not to harm Dragonfly to his advantage
and swiftly takes out all of the heroes except Betty, Synn,
and Darkfire. Soon they too fall, writhing in pain. Aided by
Darkfire's mental guidance and by the Haunter's merging with
her, Betty blasts open Stella Stargaze's purse with her six
gun, and aims a second fateful shot at the Hypnotic Eye
which has rolled out. In an explosion of power, Azagoth
emerges from his long prison within the Eye. With the
combined mystical powers of the forces of good, the Shroud
is trapped within the clenched fist of the Purple Claw,
which is hurled into its final resting place in the
dimension of the Elder Gods. Using the Shade's knowledge,
the well is sealed and Jungle Island is restored to its lush
tropical grandeur. With the crisis over, the Vault heroes
talk of starting a new life, and Betty decides to remain in
the 20th century. |
