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Appearing in ""Deathgrip""

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

  • Melissa Piper
  • Mrs. Shaw
  • Ruiz the Security Guard
  • X-Men (Referenced)

Races and Species:

Locations:

Synopsis for ""Deathgrip""

At the International Technology building in Breakenridge Arizona, Rowden Piper, a scientist has invented a special gauntlet that can kill mutants at a touch. Working late at night he is found by the late night watchman, who unaware of Piper's motives politely walks him out of the building. While in San Diego, O.Z. Chase's vehicle is left unattended and is made a target by car thieves, however they soon run afoul of Chase's dog Cerberus, who scares them away. Inside the Theatrical Bookings office, Chase is hassling owner of the company and elderly crippled man, into giving her information on Alison Blaire, whom the man had been booking gigs for recently. After some argument over the morality of bounty hunting, Chase gets the information he wants and leave. Returning to the truck Cerberus chomps up his last cigar.

Elsewhere, Dazzler is on sight of an accident wherein a rock slide causes a van full of people to fall off the side of the road and vicariously teeter on the edge of a cliff to certain doom. Using a combination of her athletic prowess and mutant powers, Dazzler manages to go to the peoples rescue, she is hailed as a hero, however she leaves shortly after telling them all she is Dazzler and they are at odds about being rescued by a known mutant. She is unaware that Rowden Piper is in the crowd and notes her passing.

Piper arrives at his home where his sick daughter is being cared for. Although Melissa has been abusing drugs for years, when she went into a catatonic state when seeing Dazzler's outing as a mutant she could only say marvel at the "light" see saw. Blaming Dazzler for his daughters condition, he dawns a suit of armer which he hopes to use to kill the mutant singer and his revenge.

O.Z. Chase tracks Dazzler down to a bar called Sweet Sue's where he calls in to the U.S. Bailsbonds for further instruction. He speaks with a different man, who encourages Chase to finish his mission, this man is also curiously crumbling into dust as well. Chase is then attacked by Piper, who sees the armed bounty hunter as a threat to his mission. He then tries to attack Dazzler who defends herself with her mutant light powers. Dazzler defends herself as Cerberus goes to revive Chase. As Dazzler and Piper fight it out on the roof of the bar, his house keeper Miss Shaw drives by with Melissa. Upon seeing the familiar lights, Melissa gets out of the car and goes toward them.

As the two fight on the bars gigantic neon lights, Dazzler's light powers manage to make Melissa snap out of her stupor. Piper however, is still bent on revenge and continues to try and kill Dazzler with his death-gauntlets even after the fight knocks off his specially shaded helmet. When Piper refuses to let go of Dazzler, Alison unleashes her full power in order to save herself. The battle ends in an ironic twist, this time it's Rowden who is in a light induced stupor, and his daughter Melissa caring after him as they are being taken away in an ambulance.

Returning to her hotel room, Dazzler is shocked to find O.Z. Chase and Cerberus inside, Chase tells her that there is a bounty on her head and Dazzler agrees to go peaceably in order to sort things out. This story is continued in Secret Wars II #4....

See Also

Recommended Reading

  • O.Z. Chase and Cerberus both appear next in Dazzler # 40 (next issue)

Links and References

References

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