Crimson Dawn #2

Issue Date: 
September 1997
Story Title: 
When The Devil Comes A Callin’!
Staff: 

Ben Raab (writer), Salvador Larroca (pencils), Thibert, Martinez, Parsons & Hack Shack (inks), Richard Starkings & Comicraft/AD&AF (letters), Liquid Color (colors & separations), Matt Idelson (editor), Bob Harras (editor-in-chief)

Brief Description: 

Gomurr prepares Tar’s soul for the afterlife. He hopes that Psylocke and Archangel will be enough to stop the upcoming danger, which will threaten the entire Earth! Meanwhile, Archangel finds Psylocke fighting the Undercloaks. He tries to help her out, but is of little use and is easily defeated. Psylocke notices her lover in danger, so she uses her psychic knife to finish the Undercloaks off. Once they are gone, Betsy finds the ring that was intentionally left for her and wonders what to do with it. Betsy and Warren once more end up in an argument about their lives together, and he leaves. Meanwhile, the Undercloaks return home and inform Kuragari about their failure, who kills them. But he is glad that Betsy has found the ring, and can’t wait to turn her soul to do his bidding. Once that’s done, he will make a family with Betsy, who will all be able to use the power of the Crimson Dawn all by themselves. Later at night, Warren and Betsy sleep. They end up in his dream, where Psylocke confronts him about the fact that she has changed so much. She also has the ring on her finger, which won’t come off. Kuragari shows up and wants to take Psylocke with him, but is stopped by Gomurr. They fight and land back in the real world. There, Kuragari shows up as well. After a battle between him, Archangel, Psylocke and Gomurr, Kuragari manages to pull Psylocke to him and vanishes with her through a shadow portal.

Full Summary: 

Chinatown:

Gomurr, in an alley, speaks in a very ancient Chinese dialect, and tries to get what he calls the hoary hosts that they embrace the eternal spirit of Tar. Gomurr admits that he and Tar never were exactly the best of friends – as a matter of fact, Gomurr hated Tar’s guts – but he would never wish the fate Tar had endured. Not to him or anyone else. Gomurr continues the ritual, and admits that he picked up a few tricks from the proctor.

Gomurr asks Tar to take the burial rite, which is performed on the site of his murder. He explains that not only does the rite recycle Tar’s soul for the journey to the next life, it also incinerates his body. Gomurr only hopes that the rest of them will be so lucky too. He has a feeling that something real bad is going to happen. He looks up, and sees Archangel flying over, not noticing him. Gomurr suspects that not even the angels in heaven, or on Earth, will be enough to save the day.

Archangel flies through the night sky, and can only think about one thing: Psylocke. He plans to fly right into the apartment, and just tell her how he feels. Suddenly, a fire comes from Betsy’s apartment! Warren flies through the window, only to get a telepathic warning from Psylocke to get out now. Warren doesn’t see why, until a shuriken just soars past his head.

Warren lands, and sees Psylocke fighting the Undercloaks. He asks what happened, but she doesn’t know. She was just training and then the creatures attacked. Psylocke continues to fight them alone. A fire comes from the battle and it spreads itself fast. She warns Warren about it. He flies outside, and flaps his wings a few times so that the rain puts it out. But the fire gets even heavier, so it’s no use. Warren sees someone approaching him and thinks it’s Betsy. He wants to get her out, but it’s an Undercloak who attacks him and Warren is easily defeated. He jokes that his metal wings would come in handy right now.

Psylocke notices her lover being harmed and uses her psychic knife to finish the Undercloak off. He turns into dust and, with his final words, warns Psylocke that she can’t escape her destiny, and that the Dawn will come for her. Psylocke will be ready for it. Startled, Warren asks Betsy what she did to him. Psylocke doesn’t see the problem. She just did what the Undercloak would have done to Warren. Would he have preferred that she didn’t save him?

Warren doesn’t know what to answer. Betsy tells him to best get used to her behavior. She stops talking, and finds the ring the Undercloaks were supposed to give to her. She’s enchanted by the beauty. They don’t notice a surviving Undercloak weeping that he and his brothers failed their task, and must return to their master, Kuragari, who will most likely be displeased. The Undercloak teleports away. Warren suspects that the ring was left intentionally. Betsy promises to check on it, but alone. She’s a big girl now and wants Warren to trust her. Warren doesn’t really know if he should do that but will think about it.

Later that night, Warren still thinks about how much Betsy has changed and why she won’t let him help her. Psylocke herself realizes what a different person she has become. She knows that Warren wants to help, but doesn’t want to accept, or feels that she needs any help from anyone. She also doesn’t know why she won’t let Warren help her.

Elsewhere in the realm of the Crimson Dawn, the Undercloak returns home and informs Kuragari about his failure. He is so angry about it that he kills his servant. But Kuragari is pleased to hear that at least they left the ring where Psylocke would find it. He can’t wait until her soul gets caught up in it, and she will become his mistress. Once that’s done, Kuragari wants to breed a whole family that can use the power of the Crimson Dawn all by themselves. He walks over to his pool, which is both surreal and sublime, and asks it to show him who would be foolish enough to stop it. The pool shows Kuragari an image of the sleeping Archangel. Kuragari can only laugh at the fact that he shall have a new queen, when she herself and her current lover are having troubles in their relationship.

Warren and Betsy are asleep. Warren awakes in his dream, and Psylocke is with her. He realizes it must be a dream, but suspects that there also must be more to it. Betsy starts to cry about the fact she changed so much. Warren tries to calm her down and cheer her up. He notices the ring on her hand, and thinks it’s affecting her somehow. The ring glows. Warren wants Betsy to take it off, now! But it’s too late. Betsy changes even more. She gets an angry look on her face, and tells Warren that Elisabeth Braddock is gone, and a new Undercloak has been reborn! She attacks him. Warren wonders that if this truly is a dream, then what Kuragari is doing here.

Kuragari wants Warren to pay for his interference. Just has he wants to strike out, Gomurr shows up and threatens Kuragari that he will never set foot on the Earth. They fight and land back in the real world. Gomurr is there too and he and Warren greet. Psylocke wants to know who he is. Gomurr tells her not to worry about that, as she’s got the ring of Kuragari on her hand and must take it off now! Gomurr warns Betsy about the fact that her soul will be in danger should she not remove it. Betsy tries to remove the ring, but can’t. It’s attached on her finger! A portal opens, and Kuragari steps through.

He grabs Psylocke and tries to pull her with him. Gomurr and Archangel try to fight back, but Kuragari’s magic is way more powerful then they are and they are defeated. Gomurr even gets thrown out of the window! Warren asks Kurgari to forget about Psylocke’s soul and to take his. Kuragari laughs, and tells Warren that his soul already belongs to him. Kuragari manages to pull Psylocke to him, and vanishes with her as the portal closes.

Archangel realizes his mistake and feels horrible. He hopes that Psylocke will be able to forgive him one day…

Characters Involved: 

Archangel, Psylocke

Gomurr the Ancient

Tar

Kuragari

The Undercloaks

Story Notes: 
Issue Information: 
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