Savage Dragon #267
We Are Gathered Here Today!
January 2024
20 Pages
CREDITS
Erik Larsen: Story & Art
Jack Morelli: Letters
Nikos Koutsis: Colors
Mike Toris: Flats
Gavin Higginbotham: Editor
Josh Eichhorn: contents under extreme pressure. Handle with care.
HEROES
Malcolm Dragon
Battle Girl
Paul Dragon
Freak Force
– SuperPatriot
– Dart III
– Lightning Girl
– Mighty Man VI
– Ricochet
Past:
Dragon
Battle Girl
Malcolm Dragon
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Maxine Jung Dragon
Tyrone Dragon
Amy Dragon
Jackson Dragon
Madeline Dragon
Alex Wilde
Angel Murphy (Alternate)
Frank Darling Jr.
Laila Darling
Mildred Darkling
Jack Stewart
Jon Day
Thunder-Head
Past:
Maxine Dragon
Jackson Dragon
Tyrone Dragon
Frank Darling Jr.
Laila Darling
Mildred Darkling
Tierra Jones
VILLAINS
Past:
Mister Glum
The Absorbanoids
The Tyrrus Combine
SUMMARY
Several years ago, Dragon goes into battle alongside his kids against a group of super-freaks to rescue an abducted Frank Darling Jr. They eventually succeed when Dragon uses his super-aim to kill the man holding the young man hostage. Battle Girl hugged her childhood friend and perhaps this moment sparked the beginning of their attraction for one another.
Some time later, Dragon was feared killed at the hands of OverLord which caused Malcolm and Angel to move in with Mildred Darling and Frank. As time went on, Frank and Angel began flirting until, in the aftermath of the Absorbanoid invasion, their professed their mutual love. It was not much longer when the Tyrrus Combine invaded the Earth with the intention of eradicating humanity, Frank found himself hiding in a basement with Tierra Jones. Fearing that they would soon be killed, the friends ended up sleeping together.
This betrayal prompted Angel to leave Frank, especially when she then learns that Tierra is now pregnant with his baby. Frank and Tierra end up getting married to raise Laila as a couple but this eventually breaks down. Meanwhile, Angel ended up getting involved with sexual escapades with Malcolm and Maxine that soon included Tierra. When Tierra died as a result of carrying a Chosen One baby, Frank and Angel ultimately end up back together and now are ready to marry.
Back in the present day, Malcolm checks in with Frank ahead of his wedding that he is ready and gives advice to up his game at sex considering his bride has slept with a couple of superheroes. Maxine double checks with Angel that she is ready to be married as they enjoy their final sexual act together before the wedding brings all of that to a close. During the ceremony, Frank is suddenly gripped by a headache but continues on regardless.
Once the young couple are wedded, Frank abruptly pulls Angel away and they end up having sex right there in front of their guests. Meanwhile, in Dimension-X, Mister Glum is stood alongside the child doppelganger of Angel. It is revealed that Glum has actually traded his mind with Frank so that he can finally be reunited with “his” Angel. He had destroyed his device on his departure, leaving Frank stranded in another realm and his new bride unknowingly sleeping with the alien despot…
BACKUP STORY
NORTH FORCE
Hearts of Stone
8 Pages
CREDITS
Tom Pinchuk: Writer
Nikos Koutsis: Art & Color
Mike Toris: Flats
Jack Morelli: Letters
HEROES
North Force
– The Canadian
– Blue Jay
– The Flame
– Grizzly
– The Jet
– The Knight
– The Raptor
Captain Tootsie
VILLAINS
Stone Men from Cyrus-5 (Death Issue)
SUMMARY
On their journey to the home world of the Stone Men, the Canadian badmouths Malcolm Dragon over his decision to remain on Earth with his family. He believes strongly that heroes should sacrifice their personal lives in service of the rest of humanity but Captain Tootsie tries to put across the other point of view. Raptor and Jet discuss their upcoming war with an entire race and are concerned that they are acting without a real working plan.
North Force touches down on Cyrus-5 but the device created by Captain Tootsie to destroy their foes is damaged in the opening move. As the heroes valiantly battle against overwhelming odds, Jet and Raptor once more find themselves together. They suspect that they are doomed imminently and end up away from the battle and about to sleep together before the end. Suddenly, Captain Tootsie’s weapon is repaired and unleashed.
As the sonic emissions tear apart the Stone Men, North Force are able to claim total victory and are able to return home. The superheroes take off back for Earth and again the Canadian rants about Malcolm as their mission would have been easier with his help. Captain Tootsie defends his friend again and points out that relationships are important and are the reason people have to fight. Jet and Raptor listen in as their allies debate the wisdom of not having someone to care for.
BACKUP STORY
CREDITSSimon Mallette St-Pierre: Story & Art
HEROES
Amy Dragon
Jackson Dragon
Madeline Dragon
Tyrone Dragon
GUEST VILLAINS
The Tech Brotherhood
– Algorithm (First Appearance)
– Chad (First Appearance)
– Start-Up (First Appearance)
– The Tech Brobot (First Appearance) (Death Issue)
SUMMARY
The Dragon triplets walk through the streets of San Francisco where they see homeless men kicked out of a property and ordered to leave by a trio called the Tech Brotherhood. They want to clean up their home town and do not want these desirables ruining the appearance of the city. The super-powered children defend the targeted men and their enemies unleash a gigantic robot on them. The kids are able to destroy the Tech Brobot and send its creators running.
BACKUP STORY
MEGATON 2
Dead Line
16 Pages & Cover
CREDITS
Gary Carlson: Story
Erik Larsen: Art & Plot
Sam Grainger: Inks & Letters
HEROES
Graphic Fantasy:
Vanguard
Mighty Man (First Appearance)
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Graphic Fantasy:
Roxanne Wells
Wally
VILLAINS
Graphic Fantasy:
The Tyrrus Combine (Holograms Only) (First Appearance)
SUMMARY
Vanguard sits down for an interview with Roxanne Wells where it soon becomes clear that they are both attracted to the other. Vanguard talks all about his mission which is to act a safeguard for Earth against his people’s enemies, the Tyrrus Combine. These intergalactic despots wish to conquer all life and he has been sent to this remote region to keep an eye out for the threat so he can signal his allies to come in full force.
They decide to continue the interview on Vanguard’s Orbitor spaceship but Roxanne’s colleague Bobby Berman mistakenly thinks she has been abducted after finding a discarded joke note about alien spies for an impending invasion. He is secretly the superhero Mighty Man and transforms into his powered form and flies up to Vanguard’s vessel to attack. This leads to their fight going all the way down to Earth where numerous innocent civilians are killed.
The fight eventually concludes with Vanguard victorious and he returns back to his home. Mighty Man is left comatose as a result of his beating and the media starts to panic. A call is soon placed to Complex III in Chicago where Paul Dragon of the S.O.S. is contacted. He is asked to help bring down Vanguard and he vows to apprehend this apparent threat…
BACKUP STORY
MEGATON 3
To Battle The Dragon
15 Pages & Cover
CREDITS
Erik Larsen: Story & Art
Gary Carlson: Editor
HEROES
Graphic Fantasy:
Vanguard
Mighty Man (Death Issue)
The Society of Superheroes
– Paul Dragon
– Smasher
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Graphic Fantasy:
Angel Dragon
Ann Stevens (First Appearance)
Roxanne Wells
Wally
SUMMARY
Vanguard and Roxanne enjoy spending so much time together on the Orbitor where they spend most of their time having sex. Both are completely unaware that the media has helped fuel a panic about the presence of Vanguard. Paul Dragon holds a press conference where he promises to locate and arrest this alleged alien spy and avenge the murder of a now deceased Mighty Man.
Whilst attempting to make dinner, Vanguard offers to head down to Earth to pick up a missing ingredient but when he is recognized as the “killer alien”, word soon reaches to Dragon who races across the country to confront his target. Paul and Vanguard are soon fighting which takes them up to near space and back again. Paul realizes that he had underestimated his foe but also quickly suspects that this has all been a misunderstanding.
As the conflict continues, Vanguard’s translating helmet is damaged which prevents Paul from learning more about his opponent. With no other choice, he is forced to go all-out and eventually renders Vanguard unconscious. Paul announces his success and that his prisoner is being held at Complex III where they will try to get to the truth over this potential threat. Roxanne learns of her lover’s arrest and vows to release him with Wally’s help…
BACKUP STORY
MEGATON 4
Dungeons & Dragons
22 Pages
CREDITS
Erik Larsen: Story & Art
Gary Carlson: Editor
HEROES
Graphic Fantasy:
Vanguard
The Society of Superheroes
– Paul Dragon
– Mako
– Poison Dart
– Rock
– Sgt. Marvel
– Smasher
– Star
Mighty Man II (First Appearance)
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
Graphic Fantasy:
Angel Dragon
President Ronald Reagan
Roxanne Wells
Wally
VILLAINS
Graphic Fantasy:
Animal
Mace
SUMMARY
Roxanne and Wally teleport directly into the prison cell of Vanguard with a space helmet and prepare to immediately depart. Paul Dragon intercepts them and instead asks to talk to the group to learn the truth about Vanguard’s presence on Earth. He and his wife Smasher learn the truth behind the young warrior’s mission to protect the planet and a plan is concocted to turn the tide of public opinion to the side of the innocent Vanguard.
The S.O.S. are charged with cleaning up the streets of Chicago and rounding up all villains in the city within the next two weeks. Paul then explains to his inner circle that he simply wants to keep the other heroes away and also wants this group to feed information to the criminals to keep them at large. This is because Paul wishes to have all the villains attack an abandoned Complex III and allow for Smasher, he and Vanguard to save the day.
This mission is carried out almost perfectly but around ten times the number of supervillains than anticipated gather to launch their assault. The trio of heroes stand their ground and Vanguard stands tall amongst them even when it all looks a bleak. A brand-new Mighty Man arrives on the scene and together with Vanguard and the S.O.S. veterans they finish off their foes. Vanguard is hailed as a hero but celebrations are short-lived when a Russian missile is launched at this spaceship and blows it up along with Wally…
PIN-UPS
Ryan Alexander-Tanner: Malcolm Dragon & Freak Force vs The Vicious Circle
Erik Larsen: Megaton Comics
Erik Larsen: Berzerker