Piratecat Comics & MnM presents six issues of Code-4: Reunion (updated 4/06)

[Piratecat]

Piratecat Comics presents the collectible six issue Mutants and Masterminds miniseries:

Code-4: Reunion

From the 2005 Freedom City Police Department’s internal training manual, p. 43, in the chapter entitled ‘Radio Protocol’:

Code-4:

- FCPD definition: radio code designating meta-human activity. Upon receipt of a called in code-4, the dispatching officer will contact designated superhero groups or appropriately trained law enforcement. No other officers should attempt to apprehend the code-4 suspect.

- [obsolete usage] The name of a now defunct group of Freedom City superheroes active 1992-2000, disbanded after Black Apollo incident of 12/31/99.​

-- o --

Reunion - Issue 1: AGONY’S GAMBIT. Can Freedom City's reunited superheroes defeat the menace of the obsessive Agony and her inhuman Soldiers of Pain? Played Feb. 25, 05

Reunion - Issue 2: PAST AND FUTURE PAIN. The newly reformed Code-4 brings their old headquarters out of mothballs, just in time to meet the fury of the unstoppable ONSLAUGHT! Played Mar. 10, 05.

Reunion - Issue 3: THE PERFECT MAN. A trip to Freedom City's Cape & Cowl Club indicates that international philanthropist and superhero Rutger Paragon may be up to something. Is Mr. Perfection allied with Bloodmoon, and actually a force for evil? Featuring a no-holds-barred super-battle against SIX master villains! Played Mar. 24, 05.

Reunion - Issue 4: MEDIATION. With his beautiful penthouse apartment in shambles, Rutger Paragon has vowed to bring the miscreants to justice. But did he mean the villains. . . or the heroes? Code-4 takes on Paragon Technologies and the Mediator class battle automatons! Played Apr. 7, 05.

Reunion - Issue 5: Forthcoming

Reunion - Issue 6: Forthcoming


Featuring:

Capellan as the mountainous Boulder, deceased mobster turned concrete powerhouse
Blood Jester as the Eternal Sentinel, cosmic guardian of an ancient legacy
Blackjack as the feline Nine Lives (9-L), the undefeatable man
Katrina as the glorious Wave, beautiful mistress of water and wind
Wulf Ratbane as the awesome Omnibot V, remote-controlled weapon and cybernetic marvel
Aravis as the miraculous Reformer, once voted Freedom City's most eligible meta-bachelor of 2002
Alomir as the all-powerful Neutrino, radioactive master of atomic might
and KidCthulhu as the ever-popular Rubber Band (R.B.), elastic defender of Freedom City

Catch the wave: catch Code-4!®

 

[Piratecat]

AGONY’S GAMBIT: Issue 1, Prologue


December 31st, 1999.
ASTRO Labs, Freedom City.
11:59 pm.

Light in the shattered laboratory came only from arcing electricity, burning super-computers and the radiant glow of unconscious superheroes. Bent and twisted bodies lay unmoving across the rubble: a blood-smeared elderly man wearing a lab coat, an impossibly long leg sticking out from beneath a chunk of ceiling, a haggard-faced hero with armor of flickering light. In the center of the high-tech wreckage lay the corpse of one of the most infamous men in the world. Curled up beside him and screaming uncontrollably was a faceless woman, clawing at herself as silver energy ran unchecked through her slim frame.

The only man standing was a handsome youngster in a black costume. Unable to help the screaming girl, he stood and stared upwards through the hole in the ceiling. He winced as a shattered bone in his forearm snapped back into place, but he didn’t take his eyes off the sky.

Behind him, a pile of shattered rubble moved, shifted, and stood. A living wall of concrete shaped like a man staggered over to stare at the dead villain and the screaming girl. He crouched to try and help the girl, but as far as he could tell she was oblivious to his presence. He turned to the young man instead.

“Whut happened?” rumbled the man-mountain.

“The only reason we’re all still alive is because Jane Doe drained him dry, just before he activated the graviton trembler. Now Black Apollo’s a husk, and Jane won’t stop screaming.”

“Huh.” The living stone stopped to consider for a moment. “Whut about his kid? Bloodmoon? Whut about these others?”

The young man took a deep breath as a broken rib realigned itself to no longer press on his lung. “I’ve called an ambulance. All hurt, all unconscious. They’ll probably be okay, except maybe for Dr. Arkham. And Jane. She keeps screaming, Boulder. I don’t know how to stop her from screaming.” He traced a finger along his stylized “9” insignia on his chest, and realized idly that he was probably still in shock.

Boulder took his massive hands and shook the young man ever so slightly. The man’s head bobbed back and forth like a punching bag. “9-L, listen to me. Whut. About. His kid?”

Nine Lives blinked and tried to focus. “Bloodmoon’s anti-grav device was smashed by Neutrino. He got flung into high orbit, and he wasn’t wearing his helmet. I think he’s dead. As soon as the Sentinel is conscious again, he can fly up and look.”

“Yeah? Good for him.” The girl’s screams didn’t quite drown out the mournful wail of an approaching ambulance as Boulder turned to lift rubble off of his friends. The sky above them suddenly exploded with fireworks, a shimmering cascade of color that filled up the night.

“Happy New Year,” whispered Nine Lives.

Please flip page to continue.

 

[Piratecat]

AGONY’S GAMBIT: Issue 1, Chapter 1

Lincoln Township, Freedom City, Massachusetts.
Now.

Nine Lives took the corner hard onto Calhoun Street, wrenching the wheel around as tires shrieked on the pavement. He gathered acceleration as he shot towards the intersection at Warren Way. The traffic light ahead of him turned red. Far too late, he slammed on the brake and scraped the nose of his car on the pavement. Sparks flew out. The dented sedan fishtailed out of control, and it took a deft spin of the steering wheel to take it through a 360° skid and leave it stopped right underneath the light.

Strobing blue flashed behind him, and a siren briefly wailed like a cat in heat. A motorcycle cop, taking advantage of Freedom City’s unseasonably warm weather.

The traffic signal overhead turned green as the Freedom City police officer got off her cycle and sauntered up to the driver’s side window. Nine Lives stayed put. He squinted slightly as she shone her powerful flashlight through the broken window into his eyes.

“All right, sir, step out of the car. That was the worst driving I’ve ever. . . oh! Nine Lives!”

“Good evening, officer.”

She swallowed. “Good evening, sir. I’m sorry to have pulled you over. I didn’t recognize this incarnation of the crime cruiser. I thought you had a different car.”

“I did. I found out the hard way that the dealer warrantee didn’t cover thrown girders.”

“Ah.” The police officer removed the beam of her flashlight from his eyes, and leaned over to touch one of the dents. The traffic light turned red again.

“But not a problem at all, officer. . .” Nine Lives squinted at her name badge. “. . . Brandt. I have nothing but respect for you and the FCPD. You make my job much, much easier.” He smiled a friendly grin. She smiled back, flattered in spite of herself.

“Are you on your way to a crime, sir?”

“Not this time, Officer.” His gaze turned inwards slightly, as if remembering something. “I’ve got a meeting scheduled with some old friends. Call it a reunion.”

“Well, don’t let me keep you, sir. Good hunting. And nice work stopping AxeBlade last week.”

“Thanks, officer. He’s better off behind bars, far away from anything sharp. Take care.”

Officer Brandt stepped away from the crime cruiser just as the light turned green again. Nine Lives floored the accelerator, and the battered car careened at top speed down Calhoun towards Southside. He hadn’t seen some of the former members of Code-4 in five years, and he was looking forward to it. He was looking forward to hearing what the government agent from AEGIS had to say.

It was going to be interesting.

Please flip page to continue.

 

[Piratecat]

AGONY’S GAMBIT: Issue 1, Chapter 2

ASTRO Labs, Freedom City
Cybernetics Wing

The long white hallway was lit by fluorescent lights. The awkward man with ginger hair weaved down it with clipboard in hand and pencil scribbling, not bothering to look up from his work as the freight-sized elevator arrived with a loud *ding!*

“Hold the door.” The voice from down the hall had a slightly metallic twang to it.

The man in the elevator reached out his clipboard to stop the closing door before looking up. Then saw what was headed for him, gathering speed as it rumbled towards the open elevator: a huge black sphere made of gleaming duralloy, six feet in diameter and bristling with subtle menace. The man in the lab coat squeezed to the side of the elevator, flattening himself against the wall. The massive metal sphere caromed into the large elevator and instantaneously sprouted four huge metal legs. A red light slowly rose from its top, shining a narrow laser onto the scientist’s face.

“Evening, Ed. First floor, please.”

“You bet.” The scientist pushed the “close door” button. The elevator began to descend. The Omnibot V hummed tinnily along with the Muzak.

“Late night in the lab, Oliver?”

The Omnibot V shifted slightly on its massive legs. “Not tonight, Ed. I’m going to a bar.”

Ed furrowed his brow. “A bar? Dr. Arkham, I know you’re running this remotely. . .”

“I don’t intend to be drinking, Ed.” The Omnibot finished humming the song. “I’m off to see some old friends.”

The elevator doors opened, and the robot retracted its legs and rolled rapidly out the building’s high-security entrance. A guard gave him a little wave as he went, disappearing down the street and into the late winter night.

Please flip page to continue.

 

[BSF]

Oooooh. Cool.

 

[Piratecat]

That'll get us started!

This is our temporary campaign that we're playing while Sagiro and Kodiak get used to being new parents. We played for the first time last Friday. I'll be recounting the story as "one chapter per post." That's going to mean that some chapters are longer or shorter than others, but I'll try to make it as much fun as we had at the gaming table.

The roster for this game is short Neutrino (still dealing with a problem in the Ukraine) and Rubber Band (on his way back from an investigation in Tennessee.) We have eight players, but on average one or two players will probably miss any given session; since it's a superhero game, swapping characters in and out is a piece of cake.

The game is set in Green Ronin's Freedom City (albeit with some customization), and the heroes are the default PL 10. You'll continue to meet them as we go.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I'll be the first to say...Oh hell yes! Was hoping for a SH.

 

[shilsen]

*pulls up a seat and gets comfortable*

This should be good!

 

[Len]

Rubber Band (on his way back from an investigation in Tennessee.)

Oh darn. I was hoping for Elastigirl.

Hey, but I like Boulder. I have no trouble imagining how a "deceased mobster" becomes a "concrete powerhouse".

 

[Piratecat]

Oh darn. I was hoping for Elastigirl.

You've got the elasta, just not the girl.