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October 1992 |
In the previous issue, in a western desert, Eclipso "eclipsed" a batch of superheroes and a few villains. The "mind-slaves" bear the half-moon mark of Eclipso on their faces. The slaves include Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Hawkwoman, Star Sapphire, and other heavy hitters. They're confronted by other heroes including Hawkman, L.E.G.I.O.N., Lobo, Starman, Nightwing, Guy Gardner, and others. But before a battle can erupt, a solar eclipse arrives. Eclipso controls a path of darkness from the Earth to the Moon, and goes - taking his mind-slaves with him. The team leaders, who bicker endlessly, are Hawkman and Vril Dox. They urge all heroes who've encountered Eclipso to rendezvous in Las Vegas, the nearest city. |
All kinds of heroes congregate, including our favorites. (Except when did they encounter Eclipso?)  |
Here's a closeup of the boys.  |
On the Moon, in his palace, Eclipso experiments. He can physically absorb heroes or villains, grow in mass, and use their powers without any ill effects. Holding hands in a circle, he melds with the slaves to grow huge and powerful. He leaves one slave free as his "ace in the hole", the hyper-powerful Lar Gand / Valor. On Earth, the heroes argue, complain, kvetch, snarl and bark at each other. Finally they mount an expedition to the Moon. Along the way, Lar Gand attacks, but Guy Gardner lands the ships on the Moon. Lar Gand holds back and lets them land - per Eclipso's orders |
Everyone gathers, most in space suits.  |
Starman, Eclipso's latest nemesis, wants a full frontal assault on the palace. Ace objects. "Then... why did [Eclipso] retreat back inside just when he had us off-balance? This feels like a set-up, some kind of trap!"  Leave it to a master strategist to spot the flaw. But he's ignored. |
It is a trap. As the team steps into the palace, they hear echoes, or gargoyles talking? No, it's Eclipso, who IS the palace. And, we learn, is masquerading as Starman! And - bingo! - all the invading heroes are eclipsed, ready to be absorbed! Eclipso absorbs people right and left, but he wants Bruce Gordon, his alter ego. Bruce is absent. Until sunlight - which Eclipso hates - flashes at the door. |
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Superman and a stack of high-tech and light-empowered heroes crash the party with solar weapons. The "Solar Team" blasts Eclipso with pure sunlight. Absorbed heroes go flying free. Superman would join the fight, but he gets jumped by an eclipsed Lar Gand. Bruce Gordon and team force Eclipso to release all the heroes. The villain is surrounded. No, the heroes are, because the palace IS Eclipso. More brawling as Eclipso grows into a giant. Gordon has a bomb. The real Starman shows up, angry over an earlier failure, grabs the bomb, carries it inside Eclipso - and BOOM! Still, somewhere (in Lar Gand's mind?) Gordon and Eclipso are still battling. Lar Gand, non-eclipsed, flies in grabs Bruce. Eclipso explodes in a fiery flash of sunlight. |
Our heroes return to Earth, the Challengers among them.  |
All should be well, except it's not. Some people feel permanently violated by their eclipsing. Black Canary says, "I don't think I'll ever be 'all right' again." An omen? A black diamond plunks down on the Moon. Eclipso will be back... |
Comment It's nice to see the Challengers got invited to the party. Ace makes one observation that's ignored, and we don't see our boys do anything else, but there was lots of fighting. No doubt they were in the thick. |