Manhattan
One Month Earlier

In this corner, we have Fin Fang Foom. Once believed to be an ancient dragon from the Valley of the Sleeping Dragon in China. In truth, he’s an alien from the difficult-to-pronounce planet of Kakaranathara. To make things easier, it’s mostly referred to as Maklu IV. He can change his shape, fly, and barbecue with his acid breath before he turns you into snack food.

In the other corner are Speedball, Spider-Woman, Ricochet, Rage, Joystick and Gravity. The New Warriors. Or at least the latest incarnation of them. Five young men and women brought together by a disgraced hero who made a back-alley deal with GeneTech to reform the Warriors. Now with Patriot gone, the Warriors are still kicking. The guy who pilots the War Chopper, their handy helicopter, is Eddie McDonough, also a former hero himself.

“We have any idea what this guy wants?” asked Joystick.

“He’s a giant dragon in a major city, so obviously he wants to destroy it,” said Ricochet. “Haven’t you ever seen Godzilla?”

“I’m not a Matthew Broderick fan,” said Joystick.

Speedball groaned at this. “Not Fraudzilla…”

“Gravity, mind giving me a boost?” asked Rage. Gravity nodded and began to alter the gravitational forces that held Rage to the ground. The larger man suddenly flew on the wind currents as if he were weightless and the second Gravity released his hold, Rage plummted towards Fin Fang Foom.

Rage grabbed onto the creature’s ear and swung around, landing on his back. There, Rage began to furiously pound on Fin Fang Foom’s rough hide, trying to cause some degree of pain. Fing Fang Foom flew into the air and Rage started to fall back. He grabbed onto one of Foom’s fins and held tightly to it as the dragon flew towards the sky at near-supersonic speed.

“Could I get a little air support up here?” asked Rage, shouting into his earpiece.

“Gravity, think you can handle that, bud?” asked Speedball from the ground.

“Yeah, I got it,” said Gravity, rocketing off. “Damn, we need more fliers on this team…”

Gravity flew past Fin Fang Foom and generated a massive forcefield around his body. The dragon immediately noted this and slowed his ascent before cutting loose with a burst of flames from his mouth. Gravity held his ground, trying to maintain the forcefield as Fin Fang Foom continued to pummel it.

“I meant could someone grab me before I fall!” shouted Rage. But Foom continued to shake his massive body and Rage found himself in freefall, heading towards the city below at a rapid speed. Suddenly, he was stopped, caught in a psionic web. Spider-Woman hung upside down in front of him.

“Gotcha,” she said.

MEDIA BLITZ

Part II: Here Be Dragons

By Dino Pollard

Previously-Taped Broadcast

“Hello and welcome back to Marvels! The show that brings you the latest scoop on the superhero community!” said Mallory. “I’m your host, Mallory Keirn, and we’re here right now with a pretty colorful member of the New Warriors, a young woman known as Joystick!”

The camera cut to reveal Joystick sitting across from Mallory in full costume. Her cheek rested in her palm and she appeared bored as a joystick flashed and dematerialized in her open hand.

“Welcome to the show,” said Mallory.

“Right, pleasure to be here,” said Joystick.

“So Joystick, tell us, how did you become involved with the Warriors?” asked Mallory.

“Patriot recruited me,” said Joystick.

“And how did he convince you to join? By promising to let you get a peek at his shield?” asked Mallory.

Joystick rolled her eyes. “No, he blackmailed me.”

“So what is it you do, Joystick?” asked Mallory.

“I have superhuman strength and I can generate these energy batons,” she said.

“What’s life like with the New Warriors?”

“Interesting,” said Joystick. “Never a dull moment, really.”

“And what about your past?” asked Mallory.

The baton remained in Joystick’s hand as she wrapped her fingers around the hard light. “Excuse me?”

“What about your past? As a criminal?” asked Mallory. “Word has it you had quite a record.”

“I was young, I was stupid, and I got mixed in with the wrong people for the wrong reasons,” said Joystick. “That’s why I joined the Warriors.”

“I thought you just said you joined them because you were blackmailed?”

“I was, but Patriot’s gone now,” said Joystick. “And I’m staying with the team because I’m trying to make amends for my past.”

“Well, we see you a lot with Ricochet in battle, are there any sparks there?”

“Not even a glimmer,” said Joystick.

“He mentioned you were a character when we interviewed him,” said Mallory. “Even called you Joy. You sure there’s nothing going on there?”

“Positive,” said Joystick, narrowing her eyes.

Manhattan
One Month Earlier

As Gravity concentrated his forcefield, he suddenly found that there was no pressure against it. He dropped the field and saw that Fin Fang Foom was gone.

“What the hell…?”

Gravity flew back towards the city and saw the Warriors waiting for him. He touched down in the center of their group. “Hey guys… I… uhh… I think I lost the dragon…”

“What do you mean you ‘lost’ him?” asked Joystick. “How do you lose a giant dragon?”

“I dunno, but he was there… and then he wasn’t,” said Gravity.

“You’re the superhero nerd,” said Ricochet, looking at Spider-Woman. “Can this guy teleport or something?”

“What do you mean ‘superhero nerd’?” asked Spider-Woman.

“Yeah, you’re the big fangirl on the team,” said Ricochet. “I bet you’ve Googled this guy once or twice.”

Spider-Woman sighed. “No, he can’t teleport, as far as I know. Basically, he’s big and strong and can breathe fire.”

“And that’s it?” asked Ricochet.

“That’s it,” said Spider-Woman.

“Not quite…”

Spider-Woman had a surprised expression on her face. They turned and saw a man-sized Fin Fang Foom with his arm wrapped around Joystick’s throat.

“Oh right…” said Spider-Woman. “I forgot he can shapeshift, too.”

Previously-Taped Broadcast

“And we’re back! We opened the show up with Speedball and now we close it with another veteran!” said Mallory. “He started off as an Avenger before becoming a New Warrior and he recently teamed up with the Fantastic Four! Let’s hear it for Rage!”

The camera shifted and Rage appeared, looking uncomfortable not only in the chair but also in front of the cameras. The heat from the lights didn’t help with the leather mask covering his face.

“Glad to… ah… be here,” said Rage.

“Tell us about the Fantastic Four, big guy,” said Mallory. “With Ben Grimm now out of the picture, they’ve got an extra slot open, don’t they?”

“I just helped out a little,” said Rage. “Y’know, against the Thing. And then, the Fantastic Four asked me to help them out with bringing back the Avengers from Latveria. So I agreed.”

“Oooooh, Latveria!” said Mallory. “Sounds dangerous!”

“It was, Doom’s no pushover,” said Rage. “And then… well… what happened after that is kind of a blur.”

“So are the FF considering you as a replacement for the Thing?”

“I don’t think so,” said Rage. “I haven’t heard from them since it happened. Besides, I like being with the Warriors.”

“But you look so much older than they are,” said Mallory.

“Nah, I just look it,” said Rage. “I’m really not, y’know?”

“For a guy called Rage, you sure seem pretty soft-spoken,” said Mallory.

“I just get nervous in front of the camera,” said Rage.

“And what about the Avengers? Why did you leave them to join the Warriors?”

“Just the way things work, I guess. The Warriors needed my help. It got me in some hot water with the Avengers, but now everything’s cool,” said Rage.

“If the Fantastic Four asked you to join, what would you say?”

Today

“What?” asked Speedball, looking at Rage. “You didn’t give an answer!”

“I–I dunno, I just froze up, I guess,” said Rage.

“Elvin, c’mon man,” said Speedball. “What’s that all about?”

“Nothing Robbie, honest,” said Rage. “Look, I’m not going anywhere, okay?”

“Could you believe that bitch?” asked Joystick. “Asking me about my past… who the hell is she?”

“She’s just doing her job,” said Ricochet.

“And you!” said Joystick, pointing at him. “What was your problem?”

“What?” asked Ricochet.

“‘Joy’s a character.’ You moron! Thanks to you, the tabloids are going to be filled with articles about us!” said Joystick. “Last thing I want is reputation tarnished by rumors that I’m sleeping with a Spider-Man wannabe.”

“Didn’t you go up against the Scarlet Spider a few times?” asked Ricochet. “Hey, it’s not my fault. I’m not the one who looked like she was about to assault someone!”

“Whatever,” said Joystick. “I’m getting out of here for a bit, I need some air to clear my head.”

After she left the room, Ricochet turned to the rest of the team. “Okay, did I just miss something?”

“Let her go, Rico,” said Eddie. “Fame’s not always easy to deal with, I guess.”

Manhattan
One Month Earlier

Joystick threw her head back, butting Fin Fang Foom with it. The momentary distraction allowed her to flip him over her head and slam him onto the ground. She generated an energy baton and held it to his throat. “You’re starting to piss me off, dragon.”

Fin Fang Foom started to laugh. “Oh really?” he said. He suddenly began to rapidly grow, increasing in size. The Warriors all leapt back as he returned to his true size and shape and he looked at them and began to laugh. By this point, television cameras surrounded the area.

“Blasted children…” he said. There was a hint of a smile on his face. “You may have won this day, but I promise you this is not the last you have heard of Fin Fang Foom!”

The dragon took off, rocketing towards the heavens. The bystanders around began to clap and cheer for the New Warriors and the cameras captured it all on tape.

“What just happened?” asked Joystick.

Previously-Taped Broadcast

The show returned and Mallory sat alone in front of the cameras. “Well that’s it for Marvels! A very special thank you to the New Warriors for coming on the show tonight! It was their victory over the evil alien dragon that thrust them into the spotlight! And if tonight’s show is any indication, they have no plans of leaving any time soon!

“Be sure to come back next week as we take a look at the Liberty Legion! They’re the new kids on the block, but they’re also the old ones! We’ll explore their past, present and what’s in store for the future of these legendary heroes!”

The Valley of the Sleeping Dragon

Fin Fang Foom landed in the Valley of the Sleeping Dragon. As soon as he did, he felt a mental assault and collapsed to his knees, gripping his head tightly. In the shadows, a caped man stood before him, his hands crackling with energy.

“Did you accomplish your task?” asked the man.

“Yessss,” said Fin Fang Foom. “Although I was not very pleased to, as you say, play possum and allow all to believe those whelps could defeat the likes of Fin Fang Foom.”

“Would you rather have given up the chance to reclaim your lost Makluan technology?”

“Hmph…” muttered the dragon. “Do not think this will be the last you hear from me. Why did you want the Warriors to defeat me anyway?”

“They needed a public victory. Something to thrust them into the spotlight. This is all part of the plan.”

NEXT: The Folding Circle is back! Be here for part one of “Full Circle”!

WAR ROOM

I have to apologize for the short length of this issue. The “Media Blitz” story-arc definitely did not turn out the way I had planned it to. Of course, that’s sometimes the problem when you’ve started something months in advance and then when you get to it, find yourself in a completely different mindset. So I apologize for the quality of this arc, but at least it gave you some breathing room after “Patriot Games” wrapped up.

Next issue, as the blurb states, features the return of the Folding Circle. They’re back in full-force and there’s going to be some shake-ups in the lives of the Warriors now that they’ve gotten quite a bit of publicity. All that and a new member on the horizon!

Dino Pollard