Issue 1 - Colossus of Doom
Special thanks to J. Cole Weston for transcribing this text

MISSION COMMAND CENTRAL CONFIDENTIAL REPORT EYES ONLY From: Major General Steven Q. McFarland To: United Nations Security Council Date: September 18, 2007

Esteemed Council:

As you know, it has been some months since the formation of the dreaded area known as the SPIRAL ZONE. To clear up some of the confusion caused by the break-up of communication links caused by the Zone, my office has prepared this report.

On June 18, 1987, the United States was due to launch a new type of military space shuttle, designed to attain top speeds in Earth's atmosphere or beyond. It also had built into it several other military capabilities being declassified at this time.

At 0703, control over all phases of the launch was lost to us, with commands overridden by an outside source. That source later proved to be a former NASA scientist and engineer, one Dr. James Bent, now code-named "Overlord". Bent apparently duplicated secret clearance documents, and with the aid of his accomplices, skyjacked the launch.

Bent forced the shuttle to circum-navigate the Earth beginning at the north polar region, racing in a spiral pattern as he traveled. Witnesses below recounted that as the craft piloted overhead, it dropped strange black pod-like objects that exploded on impact.

The pods detonated. But this was merely to create a protective crater, guarding against interference as they carried out Overlord's intentions. The pods "unfolded", if you will, transforming themselves into giant generators. These generators have been shown to conduct an awesome amount of energy, to which chemicals have been added as well. The combination formed an intense, deep mist, thicker than the thickest fog. Anyone who comes into contact with this fog slowly becomes changed.

Their intelligence and their will become as foggy as the surroundings. Even their skin changes, erupting in ugly spore-like formations, as a result of the bacteria that thrives in these areas. We say that they become "zoned." They completely lose their free will and are easily manipulated by other people. They will obey any command put to them by one of stronger will. These "zoners" are still able to perform tasks and functions despite their diminished wills, making them slaves to whoever commands them.

More and more of these "zone generators" sprang up all over the globe. They were reported in Moscow, New York, Paris, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, London, Havana, Los Angeles and Boston.

Overlord completed one spiral circuit around the Earth, and was about to start a second, in effect enslaving the entire planet. By then, however, combined forces of the world's military outposts pursued the errant shuttle. One finally brought it down.

It was a lucky shot.

Overlord ditched the shuttle and parachuted into the remains of the Chrysler Building, now his base of operations. For the united forces of Mission Command Central, it remains to confront the world as it is-half-enslaved and half-free; to defend against further incursions against the Free World; and to liberate the unfortunate denizens of the SPIRAL ZONE.

There are several facts related to the Zone that may aid in the final downfall of Overlord and his plans for world conquest.

We know that a Zone Generator destroys the wills of all who come within its radius in a matter of forty-eight hours. The Zone Generators themselves feed off human energy to continue functioning. That is why Overlord never kills, even members of the M.C.C. who have sworn to bring him down. He needs as much human life energy as possible to keep his Zone Generators operable. As far as we can tell, the SPIRAL ZONE does not extend its dominion underwater. Furthermore, once a Zoner is removed from the effective radius of the Zone, he or she slowly regains free will. That is why we of Mission Command Central avoid killing the unlucky victims of the Zone, even if they are commanded by Overlord to raise weapons to us. The Zoners can be liberated and restored to normal life, if "normal life" can be said to exist on this bedraggled planet this time.

Overlord and his henchmen are not affected by the SPIRAL ZONE. They have been inoculated against the dire effects of the Generators. These inoculations exacted a terrible price, however. It caused the permanent scarring of each of them, transforming their visages into the fearsome form they now take.

Our own hand-picked strike force, the Zone Riders, are equipped against the effects of the SPIRAL ZONE. Their armored suits create a breathable atmosphere, insulating them from the effects of the Zone. These suits are powered by a rare substance known as Neutron-90, which is in such short supply that it restricts the number of suits that can be manufactured.

With any luck, however, there may not be a need for Neutron-90 or armored suits for long. If the intrepid Zone Riders are ultimately successful, we may soon see an end to the machinations of Overlord … and the final destruction of the SPIRAL ZONE.