PANEL 1
ANNIHILATOR
I DON’T THINK IT’S, UH… FOR ANYTHING BAD.
(cont)
JUST YOU TOUCHING ME…
(cont)
IT’S ALL, UH, KINDA INTENSE, I GUESS.
PANEL 2
ANNIHILATOR
WE BOTH KNOW THE REASON WE SET THIS UP, BUT NOTHING NEEDS TO HAPPEN TONIGHT IF YOU AREN’T READY.
PANEL 3
KYLE
I’M READY, DUNCAN. I’VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH. THIS IS WHAT I WANT.
(cont)
REALLY.
PANEL 1
ANNIHILATOR
SELF-DEFENSE WOULD, OF COURSE, BE ONE THING.
(cont)
BUT TO DELIBERATELY PLAN TO HARM A “HERO” UNDER THE AGE OF 18 IS A DEATH SENTENCE.
(cont)
ONE THAT IT IS WELL KNOWN I WILL HELP ENFORCE, IF NEED BE.
PANEL 2
KYLE
UNDER 18…
(cont)
SO, AFTER TODAY I GUESS I’M GOING TO NEED TO BE CAREFUL, HUH?
(cont)
AND THAT’S WHY YOU’RE TELLING ME THIS, ISN’T IT?
PANEL 3
ANNIHILATOR
YOU STILL HAVE POWERFUL FRIENDS.
PANEL 4
ANNIHILATOR
AND AT LEAST ONE THEY WOULDN’T DARE CROSS.
PANEL 5
ANNIHILATOR
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU?
KYLE
THAT I’D ALWAYS BE SAFE WITH YOU.
ANNIHILATOR
AND YOU ALWAYS WILL BE.
(cont)
EVEN IF WE’RE NOT PHYSICALLY TOGETHER.
PANEL 6
ANNIHILATOR
YOUR HANDS ARE SHAKING.
PANEL 1
ANNIHILATOR
RELAX. THE TRUTH IS, BOTH THE VIGILANTE AND SO-CALLED SUPERVILLAIN COMMUNITIES HAVE KNOWN ALL YOUR REAL NAMES FOR SOME TIME.
(cont)
AND WHERE YOU LIVE.
PANEL 2
KYLE
YOU HAVE?
PANEL 3
ANNIHILATOR
YES. EVEN THE “PROTECTED” INTERNS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADULT TEAMS.
(cont)
THE GOVERNMENT KEEPS YOUR IDENTITIES OUT OF THE PAPERS, OF COURSE, BUT YOU’RE STILL KIDS. THERE’S ONLY SO CAREFUL YOU CAN BE.
PANEL 4
KYLE
GOD. BUT IF EVERY SUPERVILLAIN KNOWS WHO WE ARE…
ANNIHILATOR
THEN YOU ARE JUST AS SAFE TODAY AS YOU WERE YESTERDAY.
PANEL 5
ANNIHILATOR
EVEN BAD GUYS HAVE RULES, KYLE.
(cont)
AND ONE OF THEM IS THAT NO ONE MESSES WITH CHILDREN.
(cont)
THOSE WHO DECIDE TO BREAK THAT RULE ARE DEALT WITH…
PANEL 6
ANNIHILATOR
SWIFTLY.
PANEL 1
KYLE
SPOOKY DESERVES IT.
(cont)
HE’S SAVED A TON OF PEOPLE, HE’S WON DOZENS OF FIGHTS, ALL ON HIS OWN…
PANEL 2
KYLE
EVEN IN MY CASE, I GET IT.
(cont)
BEFORE COMMANDER FOUND ME, I WAS KIND OF A MESS. I WANTED IT FOR THE WRONG REASONS.
PANEL 3
KYLE
BUT YEAH, SOMETIMES THEY REALLY ARE UNFAIR.
(cont)
LIKE WITH PAUL, THEY ACTUALLY TOLD HIM FLAT-OUT HE’D DO MORE HARM THAN-
PANEL 4
KYLE
CRAP! I MEANT, LIKE, UH, WITH-
PANEL 5
ANNIHILATOR
FLUKE?
PANEL 6
ANNIHILATOR
ALSO KNOWN AS PAUL NICHOLAS JACKSON OF 197 ADSIT COURT. AND ONE OF TWO OF YOUR BEST FRIENDS.
(cont)
YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO DID HIS HOMEWORK, LITTLE HERO.
PANEL 1
ANNIHILATOR
YOU COULD HAVE SIGNED UP FOR AN INTERNSHIP WITH ONE OF THOSE “ADULT TEAMS”.
PANEL 2
ANNIHILATOR
ISN’T THAT THE PROPER WAY FOR EXCEPTIONAL YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME DO-GOODERS IN THIS CIVILIZED MODERN AGE?
KYLE
YEAH, WELL, I TRIED THAT.
(cont)
A FEW TIMES, ACTUALLY.
PANEL 3
KYLE
I GOT, UM, REJECTED.
(cont)
WITH WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AS A KID, THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT MY “PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE.”
PANEL 4
KYLE
OUR WHOLE TEAM IS MADE UP OF “REJECTS” FROM THE YOUNG SUPERHERO DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, ACTUALLY.
PANEL 5
KYLE
EXCEPT SPOOKY, OF COURSE.
(cont)
BOTH OF THE REGIONAL ADULT TEAMS HAVE ASKED HIM LIKE TWICE. EVEN AS A REGULAR MEMBER.
ANNIHILATOR
THAT HARDLY SEEMS FAIR.
PANEL 1
KYLE
EVEN THOUGH WE AREN’T OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED, WE DON’T REALLY OPERATE OUTSIDE THE LAW.
(cont)
COMMANDER HAS A LOT OF CONNECTIONS WITH THE MILITARY. AND WITH SEARCH AND RESCUE.
(cont)
SO WE BASICALLY HAVE PERMISSION.
PANEL 2
KYLE
WE JUST HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT MISSIONS WE TAKE ON.
(cont)
THERE’S ALWAYS THE CHANCE THEY’LL SHUT US DOWN IF WE CAUSE TOO MUCH TROUBLE.
PANEL 3
ANNIHILATOR
“THEY”?
PANEL 4
KYLE
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. EXSEC. CONGRESS.
(cont)
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON’T WANT US DOING WHAT WE’RE DOING.
PANEL 5
KYLE
WE AREN’T EXACTLY POPULAR WITH THE ADULT TEAMS, EITHER.
ANNIHILATOR
WHY EVER NOT?
PANEL 6
KYLE
THEY’RE SCARED ONE OF US IS GOING TO GET KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED AND THEN THERE’LL BE SOME KIND OF CRACK DOWN ON THE WHOLE IDEA OF “SUPER-HEROES”.
(cont)
I MEAN, I GET IT. FLYBOY’S JUST FIFTEEN.
(cont)
IF HE GOT HURT AND IT GOT ON CAMERA… IT’D BE A BIG MESS.
PANEL 1
KYLE
HEH. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
(cont)
IT’S JUST FUN TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT’D BE LIKE.
(cont)
WHETHER MAYBE WE COULD MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT ON THE WORLD.
PANEL 2
KYLE
YOU KNOW, IF THERE WEREN’T SO MANY RULES.
(cont)
AND THE OTHER STUFF THEY HAVE HEROES DOING.
ANNIHILATOR
YOUR TEAM SEEMS TO HAVE DONE A FINE JOB OF WORKING OUTSIDE THE LAW.
PANEL 3
ANNIHILATOR
WINE?
(cont)
MONTRACHET 1978.
(cont)
I ASSURE YOU, IT’S QUITE GOOD.
PANEL 4
KYLE
UM, O.K.
PANEL 7
KYLE
MM. THAT’S, UM, SMOOTH.
(cont)
OR, Y’KNOW. WHATEVER.
(cont)
IT TASTES GOOD.
ANNIHILATOR
I’M GLAD YOU LIKE IT.
PANEL 1
ANNIHILATOR
SO YOU USED TO READ COMIC BOOKS TOO?
PANEL 2
KYLE
A LITTLE BIT.
(cont)
BUT REAL LIFE SUPERHEROES WERE ALWAYS MORE INTERESTING, I GUESS.
PANEL 3
KYLE
I DO KIND OF LIKE THE IDEA OF THERE BEING HUNDRED OF HEROES AND DOZENS OF TEAMS.
(cont)
AND ALMOST ALL OF THEM INDEPENDENT.
(cont)
NO GOVERNMENTS OR CORPORATIONS TELLING THEM WHAT TO DO.
PANEL 4
ANNIHILATOR
SOUNDS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF AN ANARCHIST IN YOU THEN.
PANEL 1
KYLE
WOW. UM, THIS PLACE IS HUGE.
PANEL 2
ANNIHILATOR
I REALIZE THE FLOWERS MIGHT SEEM A BIT MUCH.
(cont)
BUT AFTER OUR LAST DATE, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A FUN TOUCH.
KYLE
HEH. YEAH. I’LL GUESS I’LL NEVER LOOK AT A PETUNIA THE SAME WAY AGAIN.
PANEL 3
ANNIHILATOR
HA!
(cont)
IF YOU WOULDN’T MIND IGNITING THE CANDLES, I’LL KILL THE LIGHTS. A BIT MORE ROMANTIC, I THINK.
PANEL 4
KYLE
SURE.