Starbolts #562: New Year, New Problems

 Hail! 

    A new year is upon us and with that several new "danglers" that need to be resolved. These are of course dangling plot lines that will have to be solved next year and possibly into the year after depending on how long the stories go on for. We've got plans for stories involving Ruby, Snake, Rudo, the Nanobots and all sorts of things. This year we even find out a bit more about our mysterious couple who were last seen in the 2020 year end comic.  Who are they? What are they planning?

    Relax. All will be revealed in time. For now we know their names. They are Nikki and Calvin and they have some history with the Starbolts. Are they friend or foe? Eh, that remains to be seen. For now we have much to look forward to regarding them and the resolution of the many other plot lines.

    So, what about Medea and Crimson Justice? Well, I think CJ will recover just like he recovered from his ailment in 2020. Medea is doing just fine by herself.  It's probably a good idea to just leave her alone, you know.

    Well, I hope everyone has a great new year! See you in 2022 for more Starbolts action!

Starbolts #561: The Most Wonderful Time of Year

 

 Hail!

    This year's holiday comic takes a different turn as we don't necessarily have a Christmas theme. But, it does present a Christmas message nonetheless. The message is that family is important and that just because things may look bleak, there may be a sign of hope. You never know unless you try. Granted Selena is very lucky in her case that her sister accepts her as a lesbian. Some people aren't as fortunate. It really does depend on the family and everything. Still, family is important and Kaori gave her the best gift of all.

     I also wanted to spotlight Kaori as we don't show her that often. We learned that she is an orphan and was raised by Stan's old friend and teammate, Ganetsu. We also learned she may be a little jealous of Sara and Crystal over the void witch thing. We'll be covering more of that in future comics.

    As far as Selena go, I think their relationship was made a bit stronger. As a Starbolt, Kaori usually helps strangers. This week she helped her girlfriend see that she was worried over nothing. That's bound to score some girlfriend points if you ask me!

See you next time!

Starbolts #560: The Next Great Lesson

 

 Hail!

    This week some valuable lessons have been learned. The first being to never judge outward appearances. Sure Adelphus may have looked and played the eccentric fool. However, he is brilliant. The problem is that the years are catching up to the wizard and sadly it's taken a toll. Stan will happily accept more time on the council as they find a suitable replacement. Who will it be? For all we know it could be Lucas. He learned an important lesson this week. Never spare against a Starbolt. Well, you can. Just make sure they aren't a super-soldier, alien or an android. As long as it's none of those people you SHOULD be okay. Emphasis on should. Results may vary. Poor Lucas. I think the Order of Korun needs to employ a strict regiment on hand-to-hand-combat. That's clearly where Crystal excels.

    Speaking of Crystal, she learned that what she experienced with Marcus is normal, healthy sex. That is a huge deal for her. Yes, they've had sex before. But, that's not the point. The spells were definitely inhibiting the pleasure centers of her brain because of past trauma. She didn't know what good sex was supposed to feel like because of the blocks and because Cody was so abusive. 

    What happens next? Well, Crystal is definitely going to explore this "soul bound" magic Cece was talking about. We'll be sure to cover more of that next time. In the mean time, we have a Christmas comic coming! Stay tuned!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #559: Trial by Magic

 

 Hail!

    It looks like the plot thickens this week as Stan makes the scene as only he can. Stan is a wizard and a very well renowned one. His words have weight and while he isn't on the council that much, he still has a lot to say--especially concerning his two daughters. I liken his actions this week to when Nick Fury told off the "World Security Council" in the first Avengers movie. Will there be consequences to all of this? Probably. As Stan himself said, there always is.

    In my mind, Adelphus was overjoyed when Stan burst through the doors. Not because he was bored or anything. It was more that he relishes in the excitement of seeing Stan do magic. He was happy when Stan freed Crystal. This is probably because Adelphus was the one who vouched for Stan's entrance into the Order. We may get into their history next comic.

   Sara and Crystal will be assessed and there will be some talking going on. You can bet Cassandra is off fuming somewhere. She and Lucien definitely had a history together. While they were together, I don't think it ever went beyond a certain point. I dunno if she holds ill will toward the girls. She definitely does for Cece. Time will tell what happens on that front. Stay tuned! 

See ya next time! 

    

Starbolts #558: Trouble at the Temple

 Hail!

    Wow! This week we learn a bit more about Cece's backstory. I should really add some of this to the official timeline page. I will do so in time. The events of the comic's flashback took place over a few centuries. Lucien's death occurred some time in the late 1800s in Rhode Island. Ahh, Lucien. The guy is a bit of a jerk isn't he? You could say he got swift justice for what he did. However, we will see next week that this wizard was no ordinary douchey mage. Nope. He instituted some policies for the Order of Korun that greatly irked Stan Whitefox when he came around. How? You'll see!

    Stan is definitely not going to be pleased to hear that the council is persecuting void witches. Sara and Crystal, like the other metahuman Starbolts, already faced persecution from just having special powers. The Department of Metahuman Affairs was created to combat those who would harm someone just because they had superpowers. Most of the world has greatly accepted people with metahuman gifts by now and yet now the magic community seeks to undo some of the strides made in that area. So, yeah. Stan is gonna be MAD. 

    More on this next time. It's never a dull moment with this team is there? It should be noted that the guardsmen at the temple have this sort of Visionaries/Captain Power thing going on. Ironically enough both series were from 1987 and I had toys from both franchises. I have no idea what I was thinking. I just thought it looked cool and it fits somehow!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #557: Calling the Order

 

Hail! 

    When the Order of Korun has to call in an eccentric old wizard, you know they are scared. Granted he is the leader and most wisest of all Jedi   wizards in the Order. He's still pretty eccentric and perhaps doesn't know how to read a room. I get the feeling he probably will be disappointed by Crystal and Sara's "scrolls". The twins and everyone else will give the old guy a break. He's over nine hundred years old and he's wearing 3-D glasses for some reason. I haven't figured out why and it's not really a plot point. Sam and I just thought he should look like the 10th Doctor, David Tennant.

    For his personality, I was thinking of going with an even more eccentric Dumbledore. It seemed the best way to go. I was thinking Gandalf. But, I couldn't really get that personality down so this eccentric old guy came about. 

    It looks like Adelphus has some history with Cece. We'll probably delve into that as time goes by. Right now we have two void witches who need to be "evaluated".

    I also included a bit about Jack as I needed to have some closure for that arc. He DID kill Emil and he felt bad about it. That just means he feels guilt and remorse. Given time he should be fine. He proved that despite everything he isn't a monster and that's what separates him from Emil Tartakoff.

Anyway, we'll be back with more comics soon! Do stay tuned because we're heading to this Jedi temple the Order calls home. See ya next time!

Starbolts #556: Taking a Breath

 Hail!

    You've got to love the daddy/daughter moment this week. Last week's comic was more about Crystal and what she has been going through with her spells and everything. When compared to Sara, it seems that Crystal is more her mother's daughter. She seeks solace with those around her even though her trauma was more external. Sara on the other hand is more introspective like her father. She internalizes everything and sometimes she needs a little coaxing to let all of it out. Yeah. Sara's definitely a "daddy's girl".

    Still, this was a great talk and it's probably a good idea to have her wait on the training since she has a baby on the way and she still has to contend with everything else in her life. Crystal is very much the same way because like her, she just found out she was a Whitefox all along and a void witch. Both ladies have a lot to process and are going to deal with it in different ways.

    Now Jack is back and it looks like the Order of Korun wants to speak with Sara and Crystal. What could they want? Tune in next week and find out!

See ya then!

Starbolts #555: Like Mother, Like Daughter

 

Hail!

    There's a whole lot of naked this week isn't there? Yeah, I figured I'd address it right out of the gate rather than avoid talking about it. At least certain bits have censor bars or blurs on the characters. I couldn't decide on the best option for Marcus so I went with a bar. A blur doesn't really work when it's a small sprite like these. Anyway, it is clear that the two definitely had sex. This week I wanted to show another side of their relationship and show that Crystal will eventually be okay. She's been in therapy for a long time and given enough time she will be fine as she's with the man she loves.

    Marcus loves Crystal and will help her get past the hurdles she has to deal with. Who better to help her than a runner, right? She knows that there's no easy fix to her problems. But, at least she has a man who will help her out no matter what. Talking about the issues she has to contend with like the dreams help. Any other man would have been like "You're dreaming about another dude?! BYE!" Not Marcus. They get each other. Even he has certain issues and they work through them together. Perhaps she can help him jump a few of his own hurdles. 

    What I didn't include in this week's comic was a bit about how not only did the spells not like Marcus touching her. They worked to dampen the pleasure center in Crystal's brain. I'm not sure if it will be revealed to Crystal or not. She and Marcus clearly had sex before and had a more pleasurable experience this time around. She will connect the dots, I am sure. The spells messed her up quite a bit given how they were conjured during emotional distress. Now than that's not an issue, she's finally free to become the woman she was meant to be and that's all she ever wanted. She wants to be confident like her mother and her twin sister. Letting go of the past and dealing with her trauma is a way to do that. Since she's now in control of her magic, she can work on being confident without spells getting in the way.

    Now we turn to Andrea and her story. She too had dreams and nightmares. She dreamt of having a daughter and instead got two beautiful girls. When they were lost, she had nightmares until Crystal and Sara were revealed to be her biological children all this time. If things went according to plan, Elaine would have carried the twins to term. Sadly things didn't go by the book. But, at least things worked out and her dream did eventually come true. The story she told Crystal resonates with her because of her own backstory. With her true history known and confidence gained, she is about to become a force to be reckoned with!

  That's all for this week. Tune in next time for Sara's talk with her dad! That's going to be fun!

See ya then! 

Starbolts #554: Spelling Trouble

 

Hail!

    Well, it's safe to assume what Marcus and Crystal are off doing. They're clearly going to do their taxes. Seriously. Yeah, they're not. This comic marks a turning point in the life of Crystal Whitefox like many other comics I've written. This time she is a new woman with renewed confidence in what she wants and who she wants. I'll try to explain.

    When Crystal's spells were first created, they constantly prevented her from experiencing what she wanted to experience with Marcus or any man she truly loved. In a way they were acting like Zarantha since she hated her need for intimacy. Even though the two lovers clearly have had sex before, the spells were always "on" and thus prevented her from feeling the closeness associated with sexual intimacy. Those days are obviously over and now she can be with a man she trusts and obviously loves her just as much as she loves him.

    This week we also learn how her invisibility was activated. She actually managed to keep it a secret for three years as it was activated in school when she was thirteen. Of course this was no ordinary school. This school was part of the "Truman Show"-like world Terra Nova created for Crystal. Her classmates were basically the children of Terra Nova agents and chances are "Ms. Waters" was also a Terra Nova plant. Poor kid. It's obvious she was a Terra Nova plant.

    That's not all! We've also revealed how Cody met Crystal. However, there is much more to the story than just the "coming out party". We'll be revealing that sooner or later. Now we know that Cody was MUCH older than Crystal and spent three years with her.

    So, what's going to happen now that the spells are back to being just spells? Well, that remains to be seen. Crystal is free to live her life however she wants and is free to be with Marcus. However, this doesn't mean her issues have been resolved. They're still there and will be taken care of. Right now she's on her way to being the woman she was always meant to be. 'Nuff said.

See ya next time!

Starbolts #553: Lessons in Void Magic

 

 Hail!

    This week Sara and Crystal learn a bit more about the ins and outs of void magic. It's the third force that binds the universe together in harmony. The other two are of course primal magic and the Centurion force. They all work with and against each other creating a sort of "rock-paper-scissors" dynamic between them. It's hard to explain. But, the twins can now basically do anything and everything. It should come in handy.

    Now, though, it looks like their lessons will have to be put on hold since there's a bit of a snag. What are these voices that Crystal is hearing? Why are they asking the same thing over and over again. What do they mean by "Why does he touch me?" Are they referring to Marcus? I hope not. That could be bad news for our favorite speedster. 

   Next week we shall figure out what the voices are. If they're her spells trying to talk to her, then we might be in for some drama. Stay tuned!

 See ya next time! 

Starbolts #552: The Witching Hour

 Hail!

    This week Crystal found out the truth about her powers and in a couple of weeks she is going to find more than she bargained for. I won't spoil what happens. But, there is definitely more to the story of her powers manifesting themselves during moments of stress or trauma. It also turns out that Marcus has been very helpful in helping her deal with her trauma. More on that later, too. 

    Both Sara and Crystal seem to be taking the revelation in stride and in the coming weeks they will be exploring what it means to be void witches. Firaxil has a point. Now he and Crystal know who they are and the Arronfelds can't take that away from them. Very nice of course. =) What will they discover in the void? They'll be coming back changed, I can guarantee that. How? We shall see!

     Poor Crystal, though. She had to deal with some serious body image issues when she was growing up. She developed early thanks to the serum from her mother and puberty was kind to her. The adults in her life were less than kind as we'll see soon. Jed leering at her and Ruby calling her names did not help her. She couldn't help looking very attractive. Part of her hangups still linger in the form of confidence and sexual abuse didn't help either. It's no wonder she is still in therapy. Luckily, Marcus is there to help her and it has been helpful. Firaxil has also helped. Both women have had to deal with a lot and they will be coming out of this changed. 

    Her nightmares, though, are another issue that will be resolved in time. How, exactly remains to be seen. Seeing images of Cody in her head is never a good thing and Marcus plans on undoing everything he ever did to her. It'll take time, patience and understanding. We'll be seeing how that develops in future comics.

See ya next time!

Starbolts #551: That Old Void Magic

 

 

Hail!

    This week we begin a new storyline and it starts with a look into the backstory of Cecilia Rivera. You might remember her from a few stories ago where she was Sara and Crystal's primary caretaker when they were little.  See Starbolts #450 and Starbolts #451 for details. She was under the employ of Elizabeth King and was instrumental in saving Sara's life. Cecelia was then tossed into a mental hospital and was forgotten until Crystal and Sara freed her many years later. Now the truth is out. Cece was a witch all along!

    Everything makes sense now, right? She had no family. No one knew she was in the asylum and thanks to Zarantha her mind was zapped. This caused Cece to not remember who she was. Poor Cece. She lost her people. She lost her memories. Everything. We need to make it up to her!

    Don't worry. Sam and I will! The next few comics will have Sara and Crystal exploring what it means to be void witches. Next comic will actually have an in depth look at how void magic effected Crystal more than it effected her sister. Both will be changed for the better once this arc is done with! Trust me!

It's a shame Marcus and Crystal were interrupted in the shower. More on that next week. 

See ya next time!

Starbolts #550: More Than Machine

Hail!

     One storyline ends and another begins as we celebrate the comic's 550th issue! We start with Jack and Anya wrapping things up in Gronzy before heading back to Singapore for a much needed vacation. Seriously, they need one after dealing with Dimitri and Emil. Those baddies won't be seen again for quite some time. Especially since one of them is quite dead. However, we may be seeing Piotr and Natalia again some day.

  Now let's talk about Jack and Anya. Jack is a little broken due to the cybernetics in his body. Even after Aquita and the finest doctors enhanced him to the point where he is close to human as possible, he still has some issues. Something as simple as breaking a glass would mean more to a cyborg than it would for the rest of us. So, Anya is doing whatever it takes to make Jack feel human. The night was always going to end in romance anyway. The wine incident just kicked it into high gear. Now that's love. She wanted to show him he can't break her. It's a shame about that rug, though. It's just as well. It wasn't coming back with them anyway!

    Onto the next story! It looks like we finally find out who the void witch was and it looks like it was Cecilia all along. How is she a void witch? What's her story? We'll find out next week for sure. In case anyone is keeping track, this is now the fourth woman Zarantha has screwed. I think she has an issue with people with hair. I really do. 

See you next time as we delve into Cece's background! 

Starbolts #549: Destination Gronzy

 

 Hail!

    Whew! What could be worse than facing a genetically enhanced hulking monster that killed your grandparents? Jack found out firsthand that meeting your girlfriend's parents is always going to be the hardest think you ever do in your life. Jack has never done that before and this week he performed that task admirably. Sadly, he never had the chance with his first girlfriend, Scarlett. They were always "too busy". I wonder if they even know she's gone. That's a story for another time.

    This is a pivotal milestone in Jack and Anya's relationship and Starbolts #550 promises to take it even further. What'll happen? You will just have to wait and see. 

    As far as this comic goes, we got a look into the background of Anya Petrov. She was an orphan who lost her birth parents in an explosion in Kiev. She was raised by two former spies. Eagle-eyed readers should get the first names of the adoptive parents. I wasn't about to go with the stereotypical "Boris and Natasha" or even "Ivan". Their names come from the real names of two very awesome Russian superheroes, the Black Widow and Colossus. Even their character designs draw some inspiration from Piotr Rasputin and Natasha Romanov.I thought that was clever. =D

    All of the loose ends are wrapped up and now we're going to celebrate Anya's joining the ranks of the Starbolts in #550. After that we'll be getting a special Halloween-like storyline for Sara and Crystal. Stay tuned! 

See ya next time!

Starbolts #548: Mission: Moscow

 

 Hail!

    It certainly seems like Dimitri did not want to come home. What will await him now that he's back on the soil of "Mother Russia"? Nothing good, I wager. At first he will have what will no doubt be an excruciatingly long debriefing. Then he will be tried for his crimes of abandoning his post, assault and everything else. Once they get Jack's report, he will most likely be put in a gulag as he feared. We probably won't be seeing Dimitri for a very, VERY long time.

    The good news is that now Anya is free to be a Starbolt! Hang on a second, though! She wants Jack to meet her parents? That's not going to go the way he expected. More on that next week. Does she mean her literal parents or something else? We'll keep you guessing until next week. After that it's onto Starbolts #550. I can't believe we're there already! It seems like yesterday we were at Starbolts #500! Time flies when you're having fun!

 Enjoy the comic and we'll see ya next time!

Starbolts #547: Flight of the Eagle

Hail! 

    Well, this is an interesting turn of events. It looks like Jack has decided to finally embrace his heritage and become Iron Eagle after all. When he met his grandfather in Starbolts #504, he was adamant in refusing to pick up the shield. What happened? What changed? I'll explain why in future comics. Right now Dimitri has to be delivered to Moscow. It doesn't take a lot to imagine what his superiors are going to do to him. Suffice it to say Dimitri's debriefing will be quite unpleasant. At least the monster that killed the first Iron Eagle and Spitfire is dead and their spirits can rest easy knowing it can no longer threaten the world and their daughter, grandchildren and unborn great-grandchild.

    I'll also answer where the creature came from another time. We know that Terra Nova made the monster. Was he one of Clive's creations? No. He just likes to clone hot girls. That's just ten shades of creepy right there. Don't worry. He never did it for any form of gratification. He thought of Sara and Crystal as weapons. Nothing more. So, where did Emil come from? That'll be revealed in time. Do stay tuned for that!

    See ya next time!

Starbolts #546: No More Super-soldiers

 

 Hail!

    It's finally come down to this. The monster responsible for the deaths of the first Iron Eagle and Spitfire is loose and has come to finish what he started. If he has his way, he would go after Sara, Sara's unborn child, Crystal, Andrea and the first Lady Liberty. Helping him on his quest, of course, is Dimitri. Dimitri is not quite right in the head at the moment. You can thank the Russian variant of the super-soldier serum he ingested for that.

    The American variant gave Jack and his sisters some of their fantastic abilities. The sisters received high endurance and resistance to injury as well as Jack. The three of them also "blossomed" early as puberty was a trigger for the serum as I explained in the comic. It should be noted that when Sara and Crystal eventually joined the Starbolts, no one noticed any super-soldier-like tendencies until the great reveal that they were the twin daughters of Stan and Andrea Whitefox.

    Of course Clive Marshall was giddy at the prospect of getting two super-soldiers in the employ of Terra Nova. That's why he experimented on the both of them. He wasn't about to miss his chance to really examine what made the girls tick. At least he's in jail now along with the rest of Terra Nova's inner circle. There's still much the Starbolts have to clean in the wake of Terra Nova's dissolution. That green guy is definitely one of them as he did kill the three Whitefoxes' grandparents.

    Jack is now face to face with their killer. It's up to him to stop him before he kills again.

    Now that we know what all three Whitefoxes inherited from their mother. What have they inherited from their father, the world's greatest sorcerer? Stay tuned and find out!

Starbolts #545: MIssion: Singapore

 

  Hail!

    As the Starbolts track down the nanobots, Jack has a mission of his own to undertake. It seems that Anya's former partner, Dimitri Smirnov, finally went crazy due to the super-soldier serum coursing through his blood. Time for some backstory!

     The original serum courses through the blood of Jack, Sara and Crystal thanks to their mother, Andrea. However, the three of them all have varying levels of super-soldier-like skills because each offspring has different amounts of the serum inside of them. Jack has the most and as a result is a true super-soldier. Sara and Crystal being twins allowed for only great agility, endurance and the like. They can match their brother in a fight. But, in the end he has more inside of him. 

    Anya and Dimitri both received variants of the serum their government created in the wake of Andrea's adventures as the second Lady Liberty. Her serum changed her and she passed it down to her children. In Anya and Dimitri's case, they were both test subjects the Russian government wanted to use in order to create their own brand of super-soldier that was unlike the American variant. There was one small problem. The Russian variant drove men completely insane while women were left untouched. Why that happened is anyone's guess.

    Now we're back to today's comic and Dimitri has released the creature responsible for killing Iron Eagle and Spitfire as seen in the flashback from Starbolts #507. You can bet that Jack won't be happy about this creature bring allowed back into the world. Maybe he SHOULD have taken a Centurion wrecking ball as backup. I mean you can't go wrong with a cosmic powered sledgehammer, right? You might call it "overkill". I call it "leveling the playing field". This creature is bad news. Very bad news. We'll see just how bad he is as we march on to Starbolts #450.

    One side note before we go. I looked up the skyline of Singapore and those buildings are fancy. I wondered how I would copy the style....and the neon. It's like the city is in the future. That would have definitely pushed the boundaries of what I was capable of. Still, what I came up with was good. 

We'll see how the rest of this spy movie unfolds next week! See ya then!

Starbolts #544: Loading Norad.exe

 Hail!

    This week Norad has been saved and something quite different has emerged in his old body now that Pegasus and the nanobots have successfully merged programs. You can probably debate over what happened after Norad went into his new body. My best guess is that the two entities came to a mutual understanding and decided to merge. The One and Pegasus no longer exist in the conventional sense. What was left behind is something completely different and now the Starbolts are left behind to try and find a cure for the nanobots while it's off seeing the world.

    I don't think the Starbolts will take the nanobot's departure lightly and will attempt to find where it went off to. I mean since it has a life threatening ailment wouldn't it make sense for it to say behind with those who would want to treat it? Who can say? It's not very logical.

    Next time we're going to be switching gears to a story about Jack and Anya as we head into Starbolts #550! Stay tuned!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #543: Android Connections

Hail!

    It took a little luck and ingenuity but Pegasus managed to reach his son. Looks like the Starbolts all have fathers who would win "good dad" awards. You could say that Pegasus learned from the greats and was just emulating them and you might be right about that. But, I'd like to think that Pegasus put his own spin on things. He presented Norad with a logic conundrum. How do you bond with an emotional being and still remain emotionless? That's a flaw in the nanobots logic.

    We're going to see how this all plays out next comic. I really like how the first bit with Sara and Holly turned out. Sara may not have been the best person to talk to about relationships and the like. I disagree. Perhaps her experience gives her a different look at how bonds are made. Her sister, Crystal, would have given her a similar answer as their backgrounds are remarkably similar. Holly has a lot to learn about what it means to be human and I think the Starbolts will help their new friend out.

     As far as Norad goes, he seems to be back on the right track. He's got a new albeit temporary coat of paint. His father arrived to save the day and now they have to deal with "The One". We'll see how this plays out next time!

See ya then!

Starbolts #542: The Best Hope for the Future

Hail!

    This week, a hero makes his final sacrifice as Pegasus seeks to save his son even at the cost of his own program. This makes Pegasus what he sought to be all his life--human. In the next comic, father and son will definitely meet. I'm sure Norad will learn a few things from him. I'm not sure if this death or the one at the hands of Terra Nova was more heroic. When he died the first time, he was bringing vital information back to the Agents and that allowed them to find and save Crystal. Now he's here saving his son's program from alien nanobots. Either way, he's still a hero and he definitely made his mark amongst his friends.

    I thought it was a nice touch getting every single surviving Agent of S.T.A.R. grouped together even if it was a holographic call for a number of them. I thought it was cool seeing the Agents together. I know Yeena was present. She and Sirak were new recruits when Pegasus died. I've made the timeline reflect that. The Starbolts were in action a year before his death. So, Sirak and Yeena became members of the Agents around the same time as M'anta, Shrall and Aquita. Make sense? If only Firaxil could convince Dendra and Nisson to join. Hmm...Maybe someday they well.

    As for the Starbolts themselves, you can tell they have a knack for eavesdropping. I think it's pretty clear who was talking in the caption boxes! Every Starbolt was there. We just didn't see them all. There are a lot of them! Now they are waiting news on their friend, Norad. Will he be saved? We'll find out next time!

See ya then!

Starbolts #541: The Fallen Agent

 

Hail!

    Looks like Pegasus was the one who locked our heroes in the mausoleum! It turns out that the android is still technically alive. He's just confined to the room because of the virus Terra Nova injected him with all those years ago and he's basically a sentient hologram now. We'll see how long that lasts!

    This week we also learn quite a few things. The first thing we learned was how Pegasus knew about Crystal shortly before she was rescued. She was also referred to as "Ahyoka" a number of times. My best guess is that the android knew what Stan and Andrea were going to call their twin girls. Next week he'll be calling Sara "Carter" for sure. I should probably say Pegasus knew something was in Kentucky worth investigating. Either way, he paved the way for the rescue of Crystal, Sara and by extension Firaxil. His death most likely occurred within the first year of the Starbolts' existence. We'll learn about that next week, too.

    Speaking of next week that's going to be quite the reunion. The Agents meet the "ghost" of their fallen comrade just before he sacrifices himself for the greater good. It's a shame that Charlotte isn't able to be there. I reckon Charlotte and Pegasus were pretty close as they played chess together and talked about humanity. It's a safe bet that he did not take her death well. You can see what happened in Starbolts #469!

    We also learned that Phil Smith investigated Kentucky. He went to Bowling Green, found Crystal and reported it to the boss. This then allowed for Marcus and Mateo to find and rescue her and Firaxil. I figured that bit of a plot needed to be elaborated on. So now more of her story makes logical sense!

   It should be noted that the "she" Pegasus talked about in the last panel was Charlotte. Charlotte was very much involved with the children of the Agents as she retired shortly after Kevin was born. Those two were pretty close and I'd hate to say it but I think her husband was jealous of the connection she had with the android. He couldn't deal with that.

We're definitely learning so much about the Agents this year! Stay tuned for more!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #540: Science Girls

 

Hail!

    One day Crystal will be "Science Girl". She's got an aptitude for engineering. She just needs to apply herself a bit more and show more confidence in her work. Perhaps her "science girl" skills would be useful in the predicament she, Marcus, Smith and Holly now find themselves. I wouldn't want to be stuck in a mausoleum for an android!

    I think a bit of a background on Pegasus is in order. Pegasus was an Agent of S.T.A.R. like Stan, Andrea and even Phil. Like Norad, he was an android and was a prominent member of the team. Pegasus was unfortunately destroyed by Terra Nova and his remains were brought back to the Department of Metahuman affairs for study. Some of his parts were used in the construction of the android Starbolt we know as Norad. The rest is indeed history.

    Though, it should be noted that Phillip Smith aka Bullseye was once very good friends with Kevin's mother, Charlotte as they were both on the team. Charlotte passed away as seen in Starbolts #469: The Call. 

    The elder Agents getting the spotlight is the theme of this year. We've gotten nuggets of backstory for several of them and more are on the way. It's always a good idea to learn more about the legends of the past before we move forward. The Agents may be Earth's mightiest heroes. But, they are people with deep backstories!

   Tune in next time as we delve into the background of Norad's "father", Pegasus!

Starbolts #539: Even Androids Can Cry

 

Hail!

    Well, that's one android down and another to go. Now the team has to save Norad from the nanobots. Sadly, they've taken quite a bit of a heel turn. They want a new body and are willing to torture Norad and boot out who they call "an aberration". I'm not sure they can be reasoned with. Time will tell.

    As far as Crystal goes, she clearly has huge motivation in saving Holly. Like her, Crystal was also a victim of Terra Nova. It's a topic we've discussed many times in the comic. She wasn't about to let Holly fade away into the night because of what TN did to her. Sara and Crystal will discuss her actions next time. I'm pretty sure she'll be understanding. This situation proves that while Crystal does have some smarts, she's more her mom than anything else. She wouldn't be a great scientist. But, she is an amazing Lady Liberty.

    Anyway, at least the emergency transfer was a complete success. Now Team Science has to figure out a way to save Norad AND give the contentious nanobots what they want in a timely manner. They have been getting rather pushy....

See ya next time!

Starbolts #538: The Logic of Attachments

 

  Hail!

    This week's comic puts the focus solely on Norad as we figure out what makes him tick. He's clearly becoming more human all the time as his brainwave patterns are based on his co-creator, Kevin Stanton's. As such, he might have Kevin's mannerisms when it comes to love. Love didn't come easy for our boy genius in the beginning. Now he's with Angela and is all the better for it. In Norad's case, the android has a lot more to contend with. He's not sure if his feelings are real or not. He's unsure about a lot of things. They'll be worked on, I am sure.

    Now we come to Syntax. It's clear to me that residual bits of Holly Demers still exists within the Syntax program. They're reasserting themselves as evidenced by that kiss. Holly is acting on what she considers to be instinct. When she kissed him, she didn't know she was once human and now she does know. It remains to be seen what this means for her going forward. Syntax is proving to have a positive effect on Norad, I think. He's learning a lot about emotions and in turn she is learning what it is to be human through his eyes. She is definitely an ideal companion for Norad!

    And now we have the Nanobots. Sigh. These little guys are certainly making life hard for our friend Norad, aren't they? Well, they're definitely testing Norad. What answers could they be seeking? What do they want with Norad? We'll find out soon enough. 

   See ya next time!

Oh and it should be noted that Syntax is looking up Holly's life and everything about showgirls in that panel. She's trying to sort through it all. Poor Syntax. Don't worry. It'll get better! 

Starbolts #537: The Ghost in the Machine

 

Hail!

    Well, it looks like Syntax really is an actual "ghost in the machine". She was killed by Terra Nova and put into a metal form. Terra Nova likely picked her for Sven's experiment because she would be easily missed regardless of how attractive the young woman was. If you're in Vegas, what's one missing showgirl among thousands? That was Sven's philosophy. Don't ask me why Tom is smiling holding her unconscious body. That was clearly taken before the procedure.

    Either way, it looks like Sara and the rest of the Starbolts are fixing yet another of Terra Nova's leftover mistakes. I think I've lost count of how many nefarious plans the Starbolts have fixed since the fall of that terrorist organization. 

    So, what happens now? Well, Syntax is going to be uploaded into a new body. Norad, too. From there, Syntax is probably going to have to save Norad. After saving him and the nanobots, the future is unclear. Will she stay with the Starbolts? Will she leave and return to Las Vegas? That last one is extremely doubtful!

    I did talk to my co-writer, Sam about how Terra Nova seems to take in attractive women and turn them into weapons and do all sorts of experiments on them. We both figured it is a coincidence. Or it could be that Terra Nova likes to create femme fatales for their sick games. At least they are gone and now the Starbolts have to clean up what they left behind. Who knows what other loose threads Terra Nova has left hanging around? It's hard to say. They have so many secrets! More are bound to be revealed, soon!

 See ya next time!

Starbolts #536: Nanobots with Nothing to Lose

 

Hail!

    Well, it looks like the nanobots that inhabit Norad are no longer passive and docile. I suppose it makes sense that they are desperate now that they're facing their own extinction. Since their deaths are inevitable, they will do whatever it takes to get the Starbolts to listen. What do they want? Will they release Norad and Syntax?

    Speaking of Syntax, we've now got a glimpse into who she really is. Or was. Her name was Holly Demers and she was once a Las Vegas showgirl. Terra Nova seems to have a thing for women don't they? Sara, Crystal, Shenra and now Syntax have all been part of some sick experiments. Don't worry. Guys have been subjected to experiments, too. They were an equal opportunity terrorist organization after all. 

    Here's how I see Syntax's creation. Holly was a showgirl and she was taken out by Terra Nova after they found that no one would miss her. They took her mental engrams, personality and everything and put it into a metal shell. I'll explore this in detail next week as she is going to  have a heart-to-heart talk with Sara about her Terra Nova origins.

    Back to the Nanobots. Why didn't they just TELL Norad what was going on? Surely he'd have listened. Here's hoping for the best for the nanobots. They sure aren't making live easy for our android friends. Will Norad and Syntax get new bodies? If so, what happens to the Nanobots? Tune in and find out!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #535: Into the Blue Again

Hail!

    Well, it looks like Norad is in a pickle! Our android friend and Syntax have to deal with dying nanobots with nothing to lose. They used to be passive. What made them go aggro all of a sudden? We'll find out soon, I promise. It looks like the start of a new storyline featuring Norad and we will definitely delve into the origin of Syntax. I think you will find her to be a literal ghost in the machine!

    After Aquita's harrowing ordeal, it looks like it affected her more than she realized. A swim wasn't going to be enough to shake off the horror of seeing two black auras. She needed something more. She needed a reset to her brain. Thankfully, her husband was there and I don't think it takes a lot to figure out what they're doing by the pool.

    Aquita was swimming naked as she is comfortable with nudity. As Aquans swim a lot, they tend to not have the same view of nudity as some humans do. Sure they swim with clothes on. But, sometimes they like to swim naked as well. Also, if an Aquan woman were to show themselves as naked before a potential mate, that means they are ready to take a mate for life.

    In this case, Aquita wanted to swim naked as it was refreshing to her. Mateo showing up is an added bonus. After this is over, I wouldn't say she was cured. But, she is on the mend. It's going to take time and seeing a pink or blue aura will definitely help speed things along. Black auras tend to have a negative impact on Aquan psyches. It remains to be seen how this will effect Robkas and Kahlia going forward. The two are stuck with each other. But, I don't think they'll be happy with each other.

    At least we know Aquita will be fine. She has her husband, son, family and friends to help her. That's all we can hope for.

See ya next time for more on Norad and Syntax!

Starbolts #534: Losing Your Tail

 

Hail!

    I should probably explain what Aquita said. Basically, Robkas has ruined his life. Aquans take sex very seriously as they are a telepathic race. They bond with their mates for life and thus have to be very selective in choosing their life partner. They do not consummate their union unless they are ABSOLUTELY sure. And it's usually the woman who initiates the mating ritual. If their love isn't pure, their bond is meaningless and the two become hollow. Robkas also mated with Kahlia in an attempt to make Aquita jealous. This backfired horribly and now he has to live with his decision. As far as Kahlia goes, she has no real feelings for him. They can't read each other and if they can't read each other, there is no bond. That is a hard concept for an Aquan to deal with as they are a race of telepaths.

    This isn't to say personality and chemistry don't also play a role. They do. This scenario is more about being able to connect telepathically to one another. An Aquan can obviously connect to another Aquan or a non Aquan as we've seen with Mateo and Jenna in the past. However, problems can arise if they can't adequately sense the other person. In this regard, Robkas and Kahlia are probably doomed as their telepathic needs can never be met.

    I hope that clears things up. Robkas is now stuck with Kahlia, a woman who has also mated with various Aquans for the wrong reasons. In a way, this makes them a perfect pair. Now, there is no stigma attached to it because it was their choice. They just can no longer read each other like I said. They have to live with their choices and she was never able to read him anyway.

    I think this lesson will affect Marcus the most because he has been in a relationship for about a year. When he gets back to Earth, he's really going to up the romance with Crystal. He is the youngest of the original Starbolts and so he still has a lot to learn about love.

    We also learned a bit about Aquan development this week. Baby Aquans start off sort of like tadpoles. I didn't have space in the sprite to put in a tail. But, baby Criam definitely had one. And his hands and feet were like dolphin flippers. The baby has a lot of developing to do. I'm sure he'll swim circles around his older cousin some day!  

    I also liked writing that scene with Aquita and her mother. We seem to be doing many scenes with the Starbolts and their parents lately. Huh. I should probably write one with Marcus and his parents. That'd be cool. Perhaps I will since Aquita's words hit home for him. He loves Crystal and she loves him. But, now he has firsthand knowledge about auras and what all that really means. He's gonna be a changed man. Probably for the better!

Time will tell!

See ya next time!

Starbolts #533: The New Prince

 

Hail!

    The new prince is finally here and his name is Criam J'arrsti. Longtime readers will remember that Criam was the name of Aquita, Shrall and M'anta's grandfather. The elder Criam was the one who liberated Aquarius from the Mosqukatara. You can read about his heroic sacrifice all those years ago here. Now he carries on the name for a new generation. Will he be king? It's hard to say. He WILL be meeting his cousin, Sirak, next week though!

    Speaking of next week. Expect Aquita to FINALLY confront Robkas over his latest ramblings. It's a safe bet she's just going to give him the cold shoulder as he usually does. And of course Kahlia is no prize herself. Seriously. She hit on Marcus on live television. Oh and to make it worse Crystal probably saw it. She knows Marcus would NEVER stray. However, she does have just cause to beat up that lady. Kahlia clearly has issues and she and Robkas were made for each other!

    I'm also planning on doing a long awaited scene with Aquita and her mother. I really want to make one before they head back to Earth. Stay tuned for that and of course future comics!

See ya next week!

Starbolts #532: When Similarities Attract

 

Hail!

    Only a complete and utter douche like Robkas would have a political announcement at the same time a royal birth is taking place. But, it gets worse. They're in the same building. I want it known that the Starbolts are right to chastise Robkas due to his crimes. He has been a constant thorn in their sides since his return ages ago. The man has some serious issues and the Starbolts don't tolerate him. Why should they? He kidnapped Aquita, brainwashed her, took part in several attempts to take over either Earth or Aquarius and countless other crimes.

    Then there's his girlfriend. It looks like Kahlia Motres is cut from the same cloth. M'anta asked Firaxil to do a quick check on her file before he arrived at the beach. It didn't take long as he used his Centurion helmet. The helmet includes an uplink to any criminal database depending on what world the Centurion is on and Kahlia appears on the list. She did some time. But, is she really reformed?

Who knows? I wonder if Robkas and her even have a future. They do seem to deserve each other.

Either way, next comic sees the birth of the new prince! Stay tuned!

See ya nest week!

Starbolts #531: Unexpected Arrivals

 

Hail!

    This week's comic brings us two unexpected arrivals for the Starbolts. First off we have Angela and Kevin having a long awaited and much needed reunion. Things were tense for a while since she went to Demonsk without his input. That put a little strain on their relationship. Thankfully, they worked things out and are getting back on track. As for that little cave they went to, well....it's an underwater cave. I think they'll have privacy there. Much needed privacy. The cave was discovered by Aquita and she and Mateo have made it into a love nest. How did she find out about it? Good question. I doubt the princess would have told her.

    It looks like Robkas is back in town with a new girlfriend. Her name is Kahlia. We'll be hearing more about her in the next few comics. What is Robkas's endgame here? He wants to be senator, right? Is he using her to get the job? OR is she using him? It's hard to say. Basically, Kahlia is an Aquan version of Crystal with zero inhibitions. He should be careful. Then again, perhaps he's also in on it.

    I really liked how that sunrise panel came out. It took a few tries. But, I think it works. See ya next time for more of what Robkas is up to now that he's back. What does this mean for our heroes? Stay tuned!

Starbolts #530: Flight of the Phoenix

 

Hail!

    This week's comic got a little steamy didn't it? Well, it makes sense given our fiery heroine and her husband have good cause to celebrate. Jenna is now fixed and the two are very happy about the results. There's a reason for that.

    Aquans thrive on physical and telepathic contact with their mates as they mate for life. It had been about a year since Jenna's transformation and in that time M'anta couldn't touch her or touch her for very long. A kiss would only be brief because of the temperature of her skin. Physical contact was out of the question and sleeping next to her was like sleeping next to a heater.

    They tried being intimate telepathically and while that worked to some degree, she was missing the physical closeness with her husband. He also missed being physical, too.

    The scene gives new depth to their relationship and by extension Mateo and Aquita's since they are a mixed couple too. The only difference there is that Mateo is a human male. 

    Still, I wanted this comic to show a new depth to M'anta and Jenna's relationship. Their love was tested by the whole "Jenna becoming a living inferno" scenario. Now that she's back to normal. Who knows what will happen? Time will tell.

    Meanwhile, it looks like Shrall and Tayalla's baby is about to make his or her debut next week! The original Starbolts and Firaxil are off to Aquarius to witness the birth! It should make for a fun few comics. 

See ya next time!

Starbolts #529: Rise of the Phoenix

 

Hail!

    Jenna has risen like a phoenix from the ashes and so that will be her new code name. It suits her and that bird-like costume is purely a coincidence. I think I'll make minor alterations as time goes by. Perhaps I'll include a bird-like image on the chest.  The white spot is where her mouth would go. It's not a full helmet. It's a decent design. I'll probably change it a little. Phoenix is also a cool code name, too.  I was struggling to think what I could use for a name and then I thought Phoenix was cool. Sure a member of the X-Men has used it. But, here's the thing. Jenna hasn't been replaced by a cosmic entity nor is she going to go crazy and destroy stuff. Her phoenix is more like the bird of legend and less like the X-Men character.

    M'anta and Jenna definitely had a happy reunion here and we'll be sure to catch up with them next week. We'll need some closure on that front and maybe we'll see the suit in action! No maybes about it. I want to see those wings! That should be cool! I also liked writing that bit with Richard and M'anta. Richard is basically a surrogate dad to him now that his father Sirak is gone. So he's been helping the poor guy out when he's troubled. Sure he's eccentric sometimes but he cares and that's the important thing!

    Though, part of me is sad that we never got to see Bruce Springsteen play for Crystal. HAHAHA! Nah, I think she's fine either way.

See ya next time!

Starbolts #528: From the Ashes

It's finally begun! Jenna has been cured of the ailment that has plagued her since the mid 200s of this webcomic. It all started way back in Starbolts #239 and ended with Jenna's powers getting out of whack. Ever since her victory in Starbolts #275, her powers have been out of control. So, now what? What's going to happen next? Well, like a phoenix she has rose from the ashes. She's not going to be reclaiming her role as Lady Liberty as Crystal has settled into the role. She'll create a new name for herself and we will see what that'll be in the next couple of comics. Phoenix has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

I really liked how the interaction with Stan and Jenna's father, Richard played out. As you can see Sara was smiling a bit in one of the panels. If there wasn't confirmation that she takes after her father, then that'd be it. 

Anyway, now that Jenna is finally cured, what's nice for our fiery heroine? Stay tuned!

Starbolts #527: Fighting My Way Back

 

Firaxil has finally returned from his two month-long mission to New Inobus and as you can tell he missed Sara very much *ahem*. Yeah. Probably would have been a good idea to wait a little bit before barging into the middle of class, Firaxil. Just saying. Then again the big guy misses his wife. Who can blame him for barging in like he owned the place. 

    As you can see we have ten New Starbolts. That's almost the same amount of teens the Starbolts had before adding Tanis to their ranks. The Starbolts had fifteen. The New Starbolts might get there at some point. That's always a possibility. New metahumans are popping up every day. Who know who else is out there? And since Terra Nova is gone, it'd be a lot easier for the Starbolts to find and locate metahumans for training.

    Next let's talk about the new Inobe Centurion. We didn't want to leave poor Victo alone right after he got his powers. So, we gave him a week before Firaxil headed back home. Makes sense. He'll do a great job as a Centurion and if worse comes to worse, he can always ask Firaxil for help.

    Slowly but surely the Starbolts are returning home. Next up we check in on Jenna and finally get her powers straightened out. 

See ya next time!

Starbolts #526: A New Deputy in Town

 

Hail!

    This week we're checking in on Firaxil and it looks like he is homesick for Earth. Specifically his wife and unborn child. There has to be a way to remedy the situation and the Centurion Corps found an easy solution. Victo Gavren has been made a deputy Centurion! I just hope he won't be douchey like John Walker on Falcon and the Winter Soldier. That reminds me. I'm gonna go on record and say that the U.S. Agent is the Avenger with the most punchable face. He narrowly beats out Starfox and that dude's gimmick is charisma. U.S. Agent was never my favorite Avenger. Probably should have made a top ten worst Avengers video back in the day. Walker would definitely be at the top followed by Starfox.

    Back on topic. Some time has passed since Firaxil left Earth and he is anxious to get back. Don't forget. This was all Sara's idea. Well, he needed to stay with his parents for a while too. Now, will Gavren be up to the task of being a Centurion? Or will he end up like Walker? Time will tell. Tune in for the action next time!

 See ya next week!

 

Starbolts #525: Coming Home Again

 

Hail!

    Well, it looks like there is a new development in the Tanis saga as he wants to stay on Earth with the Starbolts. Will they let him stay? Probably. We'll see more of him, soon. But, we're going to jump ahead to New Inobus for the next couple of comics so we can see what Firaxil is up to. Then we'll be going to Aquarius for the birth of Shrall and Tayalla's baby. April is going to be a busy month for the Starbolts. 

    At least we have some progress in the form of Ethan Knight taking interest in what's going on with Angela. What exactly is "void magic"? Why do so many people call it a myth? There are so many questions. Could "void magic" be responsible for Angela's condition? And what about Jenna and Norad? It seems like many Starbolts are broken this year doesn't it? Well, it keeps them all human. That's all I can say!

Keep it here for more Starbolts action this month and beyond! See ya next time!

Starbolts #524: Angels Don't Give Up

 

 

Hails and horns!

    Well, as one adventure comes to a close, it looks like another one begins. Along for the ride to Earth is Rudo. What could he be up to? We'll find out soon enough. Right now Angela's story has come to a close. But, don't worry. We WILL be revisiting her in the not too distant future. Next week we'll be seeing what Firaxil is up to. Could it tie with the current storyline? MAAYBE! Depends on how you look at it.

    As far as Tanis goes, I wonder why he's going to Earth. Maybe he's looking to make amends? Maybe he's looking for a way to help Angela? Maybe it's both? Hard to say. Who doesn't love a good mystery? Actually, who doesn't love a good retribution arc? That's what this story is looking to become. See ya next time!

Starbolts #523: Medea All Along

    Who's been pulling every evil string? It was Medea all along! Yeah, I may have picked that up from Wandavision. Great show. You should definitely check it out on Disney +. Now we have Falcon and the Winter Soldier and that looks promising. Gotta love MCU goodness. It's been so long since we've had anything MCU related and I welcome it!

    Back to the comic. It looks like Medea has been celebrating the loss of her husband, Demonstorm. I don't think she's "grieving" so much as enjoying herself. She was never really in love with him and never really wanted to go along with his evil schemes. She was always sort of just there. Is she complicit? Oh, yes. Very much so. She could have stopped so much hurt and destruction. But, she didn't. She's still a villain. I don't think she's much of a threat now and besides....I think she's enjoying her time with Taurol. I wonder if Tanis will like it if he's his new daddy.

    However, it looks like we might have some problems coming soon as Rudo walked into the transdimensional gateway. Where is he going to go? We'll find out soon enough. Trouble is brewing!

    Angela still has some issues to work out. We didn't feel like we should end things as easily as that. Will she'll be fixed? Stay tuned!

 See ya next time!

Starbolts #522: Ritual Revealed

 

Hail!

    If things on Demonsk couldn't get any worse, now Tanis and Angela have to go and find Tanis's mother. Where could she be? How was she the power behind the throne? We'll have to wait and see. Is Medea even still alive? So many questions. So little time. They will all, of course, be answered.

    This week's comic also references the nanobots who attached themselves to Norad way back in Starbolts #27. Longtime readers might remember them being a part of Norad and if you can translate part of the passage, it says that the nanobots have a lifespan of only five years. It's been two years since Norad fused with the creatures. Uh oh. I hope Team Science can fix him up before time runs out!

    For now let's focus on next week. Will Angela find the answers she seeks? Will they find Medea? Stay tuned! 

See ya next time!

Starbolts #521: Rudo Awakening

 

Hail!

    It's been almost eight years since Starbolts #200 and finally we've learned what happened after the door closed between Demonsk and the Starbolts' home reality. A "son" named Rudo was born and he definitely lives up to the name if is attitude is any indication. Someone needs to teach that boy some manners. And that someone should be Tanis. Don't let Rudo's attitude distract you from the main goal of this story and that should be finding out what Demonstorm did to Angela way back when the comic was starting! We're close to finding out the answers to all of her questions!

    Still, I can't help but wonder what brought Tanis back in Starbolts #215. I guess that really is a mystery for another time. Kidding. I actually DO know what brought him back and Tanis knows too. He just isn't sharing right now.

    Anyway, tune in next week as Angela finally finds out what the deceased lord of Demonsk did to her.

See ya next time!

Starbolts #520: Visiting Scenic Demonsk

 

Hail!

    Welcome back to scenic Demonsk where the hellish landscape has been replaced by lush forests and the people have been forced to be happy as if their lives depend on it. Because it totally does. Well, it looks like a lot has changed in Demonsk since we last saw it in Starbolts #200. Demonstorm himself appears to be gone and someone who claims to be his son is now in charge. Who is he? We'll find out more about him and what he did to his people next time.

    The mood of the people drew inspiration from the '90s film "Demolition Man" where Sylvester Stallone's character wakes up in a seemingly utopian future where people are far too chipper for their own good. It's a decent action movie and it's got a nice moral to it. Check it out wherever movies are available. Or look it up on YouTube.     

    Back to the comic. It looks like all may be lost for Angela. I hope whoever this guy is can help. Is he friend or foe? Tune in next week and find out!

    See ya next time!