AFTER THE CRUCIBLE # 1

By Barry Reese

WHAT HAS COME BEFORE : They are the world's greatest heroes, united together in the common belief that they should use their incredible abilities to make the world a safer place. After a string of victories against the likes of Indigo and Kalathar, the Crusaders were betrayed by individuals within the government that funded them and they were stranded for eight long years on an alien world. Six months ago, they returned to find a world gone mad : their teammate, the Comet, was now a criminal and the government had enacted a Superhuman Registration Act that required all heroes to register their secret identity with national authorities. The world needs the Crusaders more than ever....

Remember to Check Out the Who's Who for more details and explanations!

Classic superhero fun for the whole family!

JANUARY 2, 2000. WASHINGTON, D.C.

Michael Barnes had to admit it -- he was impressed. He was kneeling behind several large crates, watching as the man he'd once replaced -- Joe Higgins, aka the Shield -- moved into position. Down below them, a group of superhumans known collectively as the Riot Squad were arguing over some subject or another. Their attention was divided, obviously, but the skill used by Joe Higgins in moving closer to them was undeniable. Joe wore the mannexalar weave armor like he was born to it, the sometimes bulky suit not betraying his movements in the least.

The two men, both of whom had worn the name and uniform of the Shield in the past, had tracked the villains to their lair. Since the Crusaders' return from the void*, Joe and Michael had acted as a team of sorts, each learning much from the other. From Michael's perspective, however, he'd learned far more from Joe than vice versa. Joe was the consummate hero, a man born to lead. Michael, on the other hand, had much more self-doubt and was still recovering from injuries he'd incurred as the Shield years before. The armor held him together, however, and made him strong again.

(*In Crucible # 6.)

Joe glanced up at Michael when he was in position and nodded, his gaze seeming to say We've got them dead to rights, partner. Make your move.

Michael stood up, hoping his voice sounded imposing enough as he boomed out "Put your hands up and no one gets hurt! You're all under arrest for violating the Superhuman Registration Act, Section 32-B!" Michael's modified Shield uniform included a cloak, one that rippled dramatically as he stood.

The leader of the Riot Squad was the Eraser, a slightly overweight man with a dangerous disintegration power. He wore a dark green bodysuit, with a yellow oval on his chest. He glanced at his companions, the avian killer known as the Buzzard and the insane killer called Sting. "The Shield! You idiots! I told ya not to let yourselves get tailed!"

The Buzzard sneered, "It was most likely you who betrayed us, Eraser! I've had my doubts about you as leader ever since--"

Michael blinked, hardly believing his eyes. Were these guys really wasting valuable time arguing amongst themselves while he confronted them? Idiots. You can give a guy a fancy costume and superpowers, but you sure can't raise his IQ, apparently.

Sting lunged at Michael, his hands outstretched into bony claws. He was a slender man, with bone-white skin and an acid touch. Michael activated his force field just in time to avoid the danger. "Silence! There can be only resolution to this -- we must kill the Shield! And it shall be Sting who accomplishes that deed!"

Michael winced, amazed that any human being could actually speak that way. Then again, he worked day-in and day-out with one....

Joe Higgins, known the world over as the Shield, made his move. While the villains were all converging on the American Shield, he jumped into the fray. "Criminals, beware! You face not just one Shield, but two!"

Michael grinned beneath his facemask. Joe was something else -- a living comic book come to life, though with a few foibles. He evaded another blow from Sting before firing an electrical bolt at the villain. The shot rang true, sending Sting to the ground. "Get better dialogue before you try to move into the big leagues, friend."

The Shield, meanwhile, had picked up a crate and hurled it towards the flying Buzzard. The crate shattered on impact and left only one villain conscious -- the Eraser.

The Shield pointed a finger at the Eraser. "You know the law, Eraser. All superhumans within the continental United States are required to register with the Commission. That's just the tip of the iceberg, too -- you're wanted in five states for crimes ranging from simple theft to deadly assault. I'd recommend you surrender without prejudice. Any resistance will only make your case look that much worse."

The Eraser looked from one Shield to another before laughing. "Haw! That's real funny, patriot. You guys just don't know who you're dealin' with -- I was going to invite my Eliminator buddies to join up with my new group, but I guess they're just going to miss out."

Michael bent down to handcuff Sting, keeping an eye on Joe's interaction with the Eraser. The Eraser was a relative newcomer to the ranks of supervillains, but he had garnered a reputation for being ruthless. He hoped that Joe wouldn't let his guard down around him.

The Shield moved forward. "What are you talking about? What new group?"

The Eraser raised a hand to ward the hero away. His disintegration touch crackled with energy. "Wouldn't you like to know, flag-boy? Let's just say I've got some powerful new friends." The Eraser raised a hand to the yellow oval on his uniform. "Emperor? I could use a little help here."

The flash of energy that enveloped the Eraser was so abrupt that neither Shield could make a move to stop it. In a heartbeat, the Eraser was gone.

Michael slammed a fist into his other palm. "What the hell? How could he have done that? There was nothing in the reports about his having teleportation capability!"

Joe rubbed his chin. "I don't think he normally does. He mentioned an 'emperor.' That must be someone associated with this new group the Eraser belongs to."

Michael nodded. "Hmm. Well, if the Riot Squad were any indication of the sort of guys the Eraser hangs out with, I don't think we have anything to worry about."

Joe Higgins remained silent for a moment more, lost in thought. Though he couldn't put his finger on any one thing, something about this whole affair left a very bad taste in his mouth. "This might be good excuse to call in the other Crusaders, Michael. I know they wanted to explore their individual lives for awhile, but it's been six months -- and the criminal element is starting to unite under someone's leadership."

"You sure you're not blowing this out of proportion? The Eraser is strictly second-rate. It's not like we're talking about Kalathar or Inferno here."

Joe grunted. "Maybe you're right. But I'm not going to take any chances. It's time to bring the group back together."

EVERGREEN, WASHINGTON. THE COMET DOME.

The city-wide sphere still encased the smoking wasteland that was once Evergreen, Washington. Destroyed in a fit of madness by its one-time protector, the Comet, Evergreen had been reduced to a nuclear-irradiated No Man's Land. Only the sphere kept its horrifying effects from spreading into the world's atmosphere. It also kept out would-be looters, pillagers of the dead, who would want to find treasure amidst the holocaust.

The man who stood outside the dome ignored the miles of warning signs that surrounded Evergreen. He had no fear of radiation -- it was the least of his concerns, in fact. Wrapping himself in a bundle of energy, he strode forth.

The dome seemed to open up for him, as if welcoming him home. His features were obscured by a mask, but the costume spoke volumes about his identity. He wore the colors and uniform of the Comet himself.

Security cameras silently recorded his progress into the dome. Somewhere, in an hour or so when the tapes were reviewed, an alarm would be sounded. Had the Comet cheated death yet again? And if he had, what peril was the world now in?

Maria frowned as she stared at the business text before her. It was extremely frustrating, to find herself eight years behind in her studies -- her father's business had been forced into the incompetent hands of her brothers during her absence and it was going to be a long, hard road to return it to stability. The young woman ran a hand through her long hair and wished that her college courses could be handled as easily as some of the Jaguar's opponents. When she was transformed into the primal creature known as Jaguar, Maria felt capable of anything -- but in her natural form, things were much more taxing.

Jason Troy watched his new bride with a wistful smile on his face. He was seated on the couch next to her, in a home bought mainly through Maria's funds. She'd had a difficult time convincing everyone that she was alive and well, but that had been nothing compared to what Jason had gone through. His mother had remarried and now had two new stepchildren. Jason felt like an odd man out.

A man. The very thought still appealed to him. He'd played at being a man for so long as the Fly, it was hard to realize that after eight years on an alien world*, he was a grown-up now. Grown-up and married, to one of the sweetest, most beautiful women alive. Life was pretty darn good.

(*For the full story on this untold adventure, only hinted at in the past, see our first Annual -- coming soon!)

The all-too familiar sound of the Crusaders signal device seemed somehow out of place in the Troy home. In the six months since their return, Jason and Maria had barely transformed into their heroic personas even once. Jason stood up as soon as the alarm sounded, however, his instincts immediately reacting. "Whoa. Where did we stash those communicators?"

Maria sighed, closing her book. "Upstairs, in the shoebox under the bed."

Jason didn't even bother running upstairs. He touched the fly-ring he still wore on his finger and was immediately transformed into the winged Fly. With a buzz, he zoomed upstairs and retrieved the signal device. "Fly here. What's up?"

The Shield's confident voice came through loud and clear. "Hello, Jason. The Crusaders need you and Maria -- can you make it?"

Jason Troy didn't even hesitate. Once upon a time, in what seemed like another lifetime, he'd dreamed of being a hero. That dream had never wavered. "We'll be there, Shield. You can count on us!"

JANUARY 4, 2000. WASHINGTON, D.C.

"Um, Shield? I'm not sure I like the idea of us working with the goverment again... it went sour last time, remember?" The Fly stood in the center of the new Crusader Complex, staring around at a marvelous display of technology.

Beside him, his wife nodded. She towered over her husband in her Jaguar form, looking like an Amazon warrior come to life. "I agree. The Superhuman Registration Act should be overturned and any government that would sponsor such a thing is immoral."

The two Shields glanced at one another. It was Michael who answered first. "Well -- keep in mind that the registration act came about after the Comet killed a lot of people. You guys weren't here when it happened -- I was. It was a horrific crime and it scared the non-powered people of the world."

Joe chimed in, "Michael's right. The government isn't perfect -- I know that better than any of you -- but it's up to us to make sure that people can trust superheroes again. I think the best way to do that is to make the Crusaders a stable organization again and accept some form of government sponsorship. Michael and myself have managed to swing a deal where we can use this headquarters and the two you don't have to register if you don't want. They're willing to put faith in you because of your records as heroes."

The Fly scratched his head. "Well...I guess I'm willing to play along and see how it goes. I've kinda missed you guys. But where's Josh?"

"He's elected to remain in retirement. His time as Fireball took a lot of him, I think. I won't begrudge anyone for wanting to get out of the hero business."

Michael stepped over to the round meeting table in the center of the room. "So it's just the four of us, for now. I've drawn up a list of possible applicants, however -- the Hangman, Mr. Justice and Bob Phantom, to name a few."

Jaguar took a seat, a slight frown still on her face. Unlike the others, she wasn't as willing to forgive the government excesses of the past. "I assumed there was a specific problem that needed addressing, Shield. What was the emergency?"

The Shield placed a hand on the table, everyone's attention riveted on him. Without any discussion, everyone just assumed he was in charge. "Michael and I have discovered clues pointing to some sort of villainous group in the formative stages. One of its members is the Eraser -- we think it might be prudent to nip this in the bud before it becomes a real danger."

The small group of beings who stood at attention were a potent group, indeed. The Eraser felt almost out of place amongst them. He glanced over at the men and women beside him and felt a grin spread over his face. He'd always wanted a shot at the big time and this group was his ticket to the top.

"I think it's time we began our plans in earnest." The shadowy figure who sat on a throne-like chair before them commanded instant respect. His voice was deep and rumbled like a slow-building earthquake. "The Shield is already aware of our existence thanks to the Eraser's slip of the tongue and we can't afford our enemies the luxery of preparing for us." The figure leaned forward, his oversized head revealing the pink and gray mass of exposed brain tissue. A protective dome covered his head. "The time has come for the Brain Emperor and his Malevolent Legion to rule!"

NEXT ISSUE : The Crusaders begin their recruitment drive while the Brain Emperor's Malevolent Legion pays a visit to the Comet Dome! Be here for "All My Lives Forgotten."

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Subtitled : Why in the world are you writing this?!

I like the Crusaders, be they in their original Red Circle/MLJ form or in the !mpact incarnation. They're neat characters -- a bit hokey, perhaps, but that's part of their charm in my eyes. You won't see overwhelming angst in this series (some, perhaps, but not much) -- it's about guys in spandex beating up bad guys. I'm not reinventing the wheel here, just having fun.

The Eraser is a longtime villain who, in his original incarnation, trapped the Red Circle Shield in suspended animation for years. This is his first appearance in the !mpact universe and he's slightly different from before. Ditto for his fellow Riot Squad members, Sting and Buzzard.

The Brain Emperor was the original Crusaders' number-1 nemesis but he was apparently deemed too silly for !mpact. I'm rectifying his omission and bringing along the Malevolent Legion, a concept first introduced in the 1980s Crusaders series from Red Circle. Again, these are new versions of old characters, introduced for the first time to !mpact.

In future issues, look for the introduction of Steel Sterling (who actually appeared in a non-superhero role in Crucible) and more Red Circle revivals. And don't be surprised to see the Black Hood at some point.

Let me know how I'm doing. I'm dying for feedback.

Barry Reese