Surface Tension #4
Previously in Surface Tension #3
Suface Tension – Chapter 4: Choices
More than Meets the Eye
Blue Ryan isn’t looking too hot. The effects of the transformation has reached his pretty blue face. But a little facial scaling isn’t enough to deter him from searching for his brother, Kyle. He and Shauna reach his family’s home and encounter a gaggle of Selkies hanging out by a nearby bunker. Blue Ryan touches one and realizes they were once human. He enters the bunker and finds out he’s not the strangest member in his family, anymore. Kyle has gone Selkie.
The Transformer Brothers catch up and this triggers the rest of Blue Ryan’s memory:
It’s just after the car crashed and Ryan is stuck under the vehicle. Kyle is safe, but Seasick. Meg tells his father that she’ll take care of the boy. Not one to be grateful, the boys’ father threatens to shoot her. Ryan tries to stop his father and gets accidentally shot for his trouble. Not one to accept responsibility, the boys’ father blames Meg. Ryan, on the verge of death, tells his father to let Meg go and leave. Not one to stick around, the boys’ father leaves with Kyle. Meg does her water dancing over Kyle’s wound to buy him time and the two are drawn to the sea with the other Sea Sick. An ethereal floating woman tells them not to be afraid. She will bring them home.
Blue Ryan carries Selkie Kyle out of the bunker. His father and Shauna are there to meet them. Determined to see the transformation through, Blue Ryan accepts his father’s apology, bids Shauna a sweet adieu and walks into the sea with his brother.
Universal Soldier
Cassal and Shariq are having a hard day. Lucky for them, the Sea Monster they antagonized doesn’t want to eat them. It heads towards Megumi and Mary. Jean Cassal Van Damme goes after it. He drops some E. Hemingway and sacrifices himself to blow up the Sea Monster, saving Brieth. “You’re discharged…sarge”
Origin Story
Blue Meg’s transformation has progressed to the melty-lumpy stage, leaving her unrecognizable. She’s determined to access the rest of her memories, with Mary’s help:
Meg wakes up a couple of days after her trance to find her hands changing. She has been infected. Mary tells her of the Sea Sickness compelling people towards the water, including Mary’s husband. Meg urges Mary to leave the island and relates what the Masked Crusader told her – some humans can be saved.
Melty Blue Megumi is human herself again in her hypnotic state. The Masked Crusader (aka Erik Gravinsky) comes to her and tells her the story of the Coral:
The nomadic Plasmoids travel the universe building organic Coral cities wherever they go. When they leave, the Coral is absorbed into environment, helping it to flourish. Some Plasmoids remained on Earth after the rest moved on. They fell into hibernation until the destructive humans poisoned the planet to such an extent, the Plasmoids awakened. Their last instruction was to have the Coral repair the planet.
Erik was the first human to interact with the Coral. They absorbed him, learning all about the human species. Less than impressed, the Coral decided the best thing for the planet was to get rid of all the humans. In a nice way, loving way. Working from within the Coral, Erik became The Masked Crusader, determined to save mankind from the mass destruction. He mutated the Sea Sickness virus so some colonies of people were immune. The Coral discovered this aberration and created a destruct sequence to get rid of the stragglers.
Erik needs Meg to help stop the Coral. He’s sending her back to Breith as Super Megumi. He’s also created a team of Toxic Avengers to help her. And then he dies. Ahhhhhh…
Thoughts
Great pace to this entertaining issue. The back-story of the Sea Sickness wasn’t surprising but was pretty inventive. It’s nicely balanced with a good dose of camp (intended or otherwise) and I continue to love the sea-inspired artwork.
