Morlocks #2

Issue Date: 
July 2002
Story Title: 
The Rocket's Red Glare
Staff: 

Geoff Johns (writer), Shawn Martinbrough (artist), Gregory Wright (colorist), RS and Comicraft’s Oscar (lettering), Pete Franco (assistant editor), Mark Powers (editor) Joe Quesada (editor in chief), Bill Jemas (president)

Brief Description: 

Dr. Metellus, the leader of the Sentinels Project, tells somebody named Slater to make sure that the Chicago Morlocks get killed. Actually Metellus is a lonely man, his wife abandoned him because of his obsession with mutants. In the tunnels beneath the city, Litterbug has his army tattoo burned off him. The group decides to start with their last wishes, well aware that they can only stay at the surface for 7,5 minutes before the Sentinels can lock on their signatures. They start with Shatter, who wants his best friend, his dog Hank, rescued. The Morlocks break into an animal asylum and after mindwiping the guard retrieve the dog. Next up is Electric Eve, who claims to want her grandma‘s diamond ring back from her former employer. The others keep some bodyguards busy, while Eve goes and kills the man – actually she wanted revenge as first acted as her dealer and later forced her to work as a prostitute. Postman gets angry with her, since she made them accomplices to murder. Suddenly the Sentinels arrive, having locked on their signatures. At the police headquarters the officers who earlier had a run in with the Morlocks are examined. Only one of them remembers the encounter, and although he is still in shock, the captain order him to lead a special swat team into the sewers.

Full Summary: 

With a hot shard of metal, Postman tries to burn Litterbug’s army tattoo from his arm. The Morlocks are staying at an abandoned underground-station and a little bit of the others hear Litterbug screaming. Cell asks Shatter what his last wish is, since he is going to be first. Shatter tells him that they are going to free his best friend. In turn Shatter asks Cell what his last wish is going to be, but Cell doesn’t know yet. Angel Dust is worried about Litterbug, but Eve tells her to ignore it. Eve had already been living on the streets before she discovered that she was a mutant and she tells Angel Dust that she will get used to pain. Angel and Eve get in a fight. Shatter and Cell try to restrain Angel, but her superhuman strength is enough to throw them clear across the station. Shatter hits the ground hard and when he gets up, his baseball cap is gone and he has a large hole in his head. Angel is shocked and runs away, blaming herself. Trader tries to stop her, but fails.

Meanwhile the Sentinels are patrolling above Chicago and the Dr. Metellus is talking on the phone to a man called Slater. Metellus thanks him for sending the video tapes, and also informs him that he has got full support from Washington. Metellus orders Slater to kill all Morlocks in Chicago and promises that he and his entire team will get a reward. He then tells him that he is going to spend this evening with his wife, while a letter is visible next to the phone in which his wife tells him that she is leaving him. He turns on the video and watches a tape of the extermination of several mutants by the Sentinels.

Shatter finds Angel Dust in one of the many tunnels, and tells her that the hole in his head was not her fault, it was caused by a failed suicide attempt. When he began to manifest his abilities, Shatter tried to shoot himself only to discover his invulnerability – the bullet did only a slight damage. Litterbug and Postman then arrive with Litterbug’s army tattoo covered in scars, though it’s still visible. The Morlocks decide to go on with their plan to make each’s last wishes come true. Postman tells the rest that according to Litterbug a Sentinel needs 7.5 minutes to lock on to a mutant signature. Angel asks how he knows, but Litterbug quickly dismisses the topic, replying that he is been watching them. Angel remains skeptic.

In a police station, the officers whose minds were wiped (by Postman) after they chased a murder suspect into the sewers are being debriefed. The doctor tells the captain of the station that their memories are probably never going to return, only officer Vanleer remembers what happened to them. Vanleer is still in shock about what he saw in the tunnels, but the captain orders him to lead a special unit into the tunnels so that they can kill the Morlocks.

In an animal asylum, a hole opens in the floor. The Morlocks enter the building to free Shatter’s best friend, Hank, his pet dog. Postman wipes the guards mind of these events and some other things (home, address, telephone and sex) to punish him for being cruel to animals. Shatter gets his dog and is amazed that he still recognizes him, despite his changed looks.

Next on the list is Eve, who claims that she wants her grandmother’s ring back from her ex ..., her employer, Ricky. While the others keep the guards busy, Eve enters the elevator to the penthouse, where Ricky is lies in a pool and is talking to someone on the phone. Ricky grabs a gun when he sees the elevator opening, but relaxes when he sees that it is well shaped female. Only interested in her looks, Ricky doesn’t even recognize her, but finally remembers Eve; when she tells him her story : she was addicted to heroin and Ricky used to be her dealer. Ricky then used her as a prostitute until a customer was killed, apparently by Eve manifesting her mutant power. Ricky tries to reach for his gun without alerting Eve, but Eve steps into the pool and turns on her power, electrocuting Ricky while she herself passes out.

Since Eve’s stunt blew all the lights in the building, Trader comes up to check on her and wakes her up. Eve tells him that she knows he too is after revenge, and that all the stories about revenge leaving one hollow are nonsense – it feels great. The other Morlocks arrive too, Postman is angry that Eve lied to them about her wish, and that she has now made them accomplices in murder. Suddenly Hank, starts barking, and when Shatter looks up to see what’s bothering him he gets blasted by a Sentinel. Four of the mutant hunting robot loom over them stating : “Mutant Targets Locked“.

Characters Involved: 

Angel Dust, Cell, Electric Eve, Litterbug, Postman, Shatter, Trader (all Chicago Morlocks)

Hank, Shatter’s dog

Vanleer, police officer

Ricky, Eve’s former dealer
Sentinels

Dr. Tom Metellus

Story Notes: 
Issue Information: 
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