Slingers #11

Background

Dan Lyons passed away in the hospital, shortly before Johnny Gallo arrived to see him.

Hornet provided Ricochet with explosive disks.

Prodigy showed up with his red cape, showing the group that he was alive after he betrayed them.

A billboard came to life and attacked the group, and they were taken to Hell. There they found the Black Marvel's soul in a green crystal and the demon Mephisto.

Story Details

In Hell, the Slingers were held captive as Mephisto told them about how this is all entertainment for him. He explained how he came to Dan Lyons when he was an old man in a nursing facility. Lyons' body was frail and he had given up on life, knowing that the best of his life was behind him. Mephisto arrived and offered him the ability to be a hero again, for his standard fee. As Mephisto spoke, Prodigy broke from his cage and tried to free Dusk from her container but was grabbed by the demon. Prodigy was incinerated but returned to his prison unharmed.

Mephisto gave them a choice: if they forgave Lyons, they could go home. Ricochet refused, while Dusk and Hornet were appalled by him. Prodigy stayed silent. Mephisto grew tired of their bickering and separated them to face their own trials and test how they operated when they worked alone.

Prodigy appeared in front of a burning house that looked like his childhood home. Inside, he found a boy that looked like he did as a kid. He asked if anyone else was home and the kid said that he already knew that there wasn't. He ordered the kid inside his cape, which then rebelled against him and refused to let the kid enter. He tore out of the cape but by then, the fire had consumed the house. Prodigy was alone and afraid.

Ricochet appeared in a sports stadium, in front of a cheering crowd. He was soon facing death traps and escaped them. The crowd cheered his name, until they began throwing rocks at him. They knew he was a mutant and was out to kill him. He was saved by Prodigy, who told him it was all a hallucination.

Hornet fell from the sky while being attacked by crows. He managed to kill them with a energy blast but he still hit the ground. After he hit the ground, the suit crumbled away and he was left helpless.

Dusk found herself in a beautiful fantasy land, the one she used as a child to escape to. She was attacked by hissing white copies of herself and was awoken by the others.

Mephisto was unimpressed with their solo skills and wanted to see how they operated as a team. He sent his demon horde after them.

General Comments

This issue is thrown together. It was the end of the series and effort was left at the door. The trials that Mephisto forced on them didn't make sense. I understood Ricochet's fear of being discovered as being a mutant, but there was no context for the other heroes fears. What is Prodigy's backstory with a burning house? Why the boring crow attack for Hornet? What is going on with the white versions of Dusk? A fear of who she is "supposed" to be? The series was ending so it didn't matter.

Overall Rating

They needed an ending and this was what we got.