This is really the first issue where I make
an effort to add some originality to some of the rip-off characters I created
instead of just killing them. I'm talking about Doctor
Octagon and the Chaos
Corps. I mean even though he is
a total scam of the Marvel villain, I kind of liked him and as it will
turn out later on in the series, a pivotal character.
Anyway, some of the members of the Chaos Corps who are now incarcerated in Rykers Island prison are clearly planning for an escape. The individuals I am talking about are
Red
Ninja and Bazooker
(formerly known as Bazooka Boy
from Issue 1 whom I thought I killed. We are treated to a pretty
nice plan implemented by the Doctor to rescue them from the prison involving
attack helicopters and Proton Ninja
Shock Troops. You get a lot of gunfire and laser fire and whole buttload
of explosions. The end result of this scene is that they secure the
two villains but lose one Proton Ninja in the effort. I guess looking
back on it, it wasn't a very good plan, but hey, that's what lackeys are
for.
Meanwhile we cut to Space Ninja in his alter ego of Sushi Slash, which as I continue on these little retrospectives, is a name I really fucking hate. What we get is that the police are looking for Space Ninja but not to put him away. He changes
and
meets up Captain Dearborne, the Officer in Charge of Super Powered Investigations.
This guy apparently likes the Ninja unlike the aggressive Lieutenant Hextler.
The Captain is looking for information on Doctor Octagon and the Proton
Ninja. He wants some answers to the Rykers Island breakout.
The Ninja tells a whole lot about the Proton Ninja that they are modern
day ninja trained both in the ancient arts and modern espionage and assassination
techniques. He bottom lines it by telling the Captain that only two
people can stop them, one of them is dead and Space Ninja is the other.
The Captain politely reminds him not to take the law into his own hands.
The Ninja then uses a previously unmentioned Ninja power to sense the presence
of Ninja. Hey, I needed to move the plot along rather than have him
swing around the city on his battle pole until he "happens to run across
the bad guys" (like I have in the past).
We cut to Doctor Octagon giving a pep talk
to the reformed Chaos Corps. Along with old super lackey Beetlemania,
we get Bazooker in his new suit and Red Ninja in his outfit. I also
threw in this cheesy villain from South Africa called Colonel
Crunch, a guy with a steel jaw and diamond teeth. What
can I say, at least he was original. They agree that they are going
to take out the Ninja. Once again, a supercriminal forgets about
making money through crime and instead focuses on revenge. What makes
this plan different is that the Doctor known the Ninja's true identity.
To be honest with you, I really don't get into how he knows this until
several issues later, but the plan was twofold. To get rid of the
stupid name and to set in motion the plot points that culminate later on.
Back at the Daily Bugle, a job that I was trying to divest the character of, a Proton Ninja spy posing as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D in order to track down the address of Sushi Slash. When the spy reports to Doctor Octagon, he prepares to send a hit squad to his house but the Ninja beats him to the punch and attacks the Chaos Corps HQ.
A fight ensues with the members of the CC doing a pretty good job fighting
and the Ninja doing a pretty good job of fighting back. The combat
scenes in the next couple of pages aren't too bad and I am fairly proud
of them. Bazooker is a villain I am really proud of, even though
I will change his name to Blaster in later issues.
The Ninja quickly takes care of the sad-assed Colonel Crunch by locking the Colonels jaw open with the explosive-tipped grappling hook from his Battle Pole.
The
Ninja then takes on Bazooker and Beetlemania at the same time. He
really puts the hurt on the insect by stabbing him with the pointy end
of his Battle Pole and kneeing him in the testicles. Red Ninja tries
to sneak up behind Space Ninja, but the Ninja is not the fool he used to
be. He senses the bad guy and guts him.
While the Ninja is fighting Red Ninja and Beetlemania, Bazooker gives us a good demonstration of the capabilities of his weapons. He fires a pair of explosive shells at the Ninja that are like mini rockets. To top it off, they are heat seeking. But the Ninja sort of dodges them (I know) and the shells end up hitting the armored Bazooker, taking him out of the fight but not killing him. I'm sure I kill Red Ninja, so it is unlikely that he will pop up again, however, considering the continual inconsistencies with my storylines, who knows.
Beetlemania isn't out of the action, but Doctor
Octagon has to berate him about screwing around. The Ninja interupts
their conversation and hits Beetlemania with a pair of knockout darts from
his Battle Pole. Yep, the pole was turning out to be a pretty useful
tool. You need to be aware of the fact that the attack that Beetlemania
suffers is very important come issue 16 so remember this. That just
leaves Doctor Octagon and the Ninja and unlike past issues where he ran
away, he decides to fight. There are some good fight frames and during
that time they talk about who is a ninja and who is a ninja master.
In the end however, the Ninja beats the Doctor and the Doctor hauls ass,
telling a lackey to take care of the Ninja. The Ninja quickly takes
care of the lackey but the Doctor escapes using a Matter Transmitter.
Cheated again.