Credits: Written by Warren Ellis, pencilled by Randy Green, inked by John Tighe, Richard Friend & Luke Rizzo and edited by Mike Heisler.
Cast: Union, the Sword of Damocles, Fairchild, Batallion and Winter.
Plot: After an overlong previously on… Union has arrived on the moon, just ahead of the rest of the group who are heading in from Gamorra and finds the Sword of Damocles waiting there. There we get a bit of info about Union, that he is Ohmen, a displaced solider from a world called Aegena. He has tried to be a hero, gave it up, but is determined to try again.
Across from him stands the Sword of Damocles, from a parallel universe, he is also a man called Ohmen from the planet of Aegena. The two men face one another, understanding deep down, that this is a twisted reflection of themselves.
The two battle, the differences between them become clearer. The Justice Stone attached to Union’s chest that lost the power to generate it’s staff, on the Sword this is a sword, generated by a Devotion Stone, which is inside his stomach.
The Sword taunts Union, mentioning that Union is cut off from his world, but the Sword is not. Then we see some of the Sword’s thoughts and we learn that he trepanned himself to remove unclean thoughts. We also learn he castrated himself. He thinks it inconceivable that Union hadn’t done the same. The tide turns as the more powerful Sword is about to kill Union. At that point, his sword dissipates, absorbed by Winter of StormWatch, whom he hospitalised here. This levels the playing field. Union realises that if he doesn’t stop the Sword, more people will die. Then in the midst of the fray, Union realises that the Sword’s religious devotion is a weapon against him. He blasphemes, he insults and waits for the Sword to lose control and with that, he is able to kill the Sword, absorb his weapon and declares that although the moon is a cold lifeless rock, it is theirs and it’s time to take it back.
Notes: Union was one of WildStorm’s only traditional super heroes, costume, cape and the whole world saving thing. It never really took off as a title and the character slipped into the background of the WildStorm universe. This issue seems to be an attempt to rehabilitate that character and for the most part it works. The moment where Union comes up with a plan to enrage The Sword completely reinvents the character. By the start or the issue I barely remembered who this character was, by the end, I liked him and wanted to see more.
Verdict – Writing – 4 out of 5: It’s hard to write positive things about Warren Ellis, considering so many women have come forward over his predatory behaviour. The thing is, this was the era where he was on the rise, he did some great comics and this fits alongside any of them.
Art – 3 out of 5: The team of Green and Tighe works really well, solid storytelling and good facial features. Nothing spectacular is happening here, but it serves the writing and the story being told.
Overall – 7 of of 10: As I begin to tire of this story, this issue brings my interest back and reignites the desire to keep going.
Next Time: The Man of Steel rises.
My Marvel Life 