The Vanguard

The Vanguard Issue #0: Such Great Heists

An issue of Pulse-pounding action!

The issue began with Omus,Zeus, Olney, Pulse, and The Fool responding to a bank robbery in progress. They found the doors of The Eagle City First National Bank smashed in. Upon entering they found a group of thugs holding bank patrons hostage, two super villains: Ultimus and Heat Spike, and the defeated Justice Gang, who had failed to stop the robbery. Ultimus was tying Elasto into painful knots with two large, red, hands of energy he had created with his powers. Heat Spike had grabbed Atlas by the hair and was smashing his head repeatedly into the remains of the counter of a bank teller window, the fact it that it was destroyed a testament to how long Heat Spike had been at it. Lightning Lass lay unconscious, sprawled below a large crater where she had made impact with the wall. A dull pounding sound echoed throughout the bank, emanating from down the hall where the vault was. Upon noticing the heroes, Ultimus ordered the thugs to attack. Pulse, Zeus and The Fool made quick work of the thugs while Omus and Olney moved up to engage Ultimus. Olney turned into his gaseous form and began suffocating Ultimus, leaving him in a coughing fit and thus vulnerable to attack from Omus. The pounding noise stopped and suddenly a new threat emerged from the hall, the giant stone figure by the name of Deadrock. The Fool turned to engage Heat Spike and Pulse and Zeus battled Deadrock. Ultimus was on his last legs. The Fool and Heat Spike fought savagely butthey both shifted some focus to helping their allies. Heat Spike attempted to hurt the gaseous form of Olney with super-heated metal and was unsuccessful. The Fool attempted to distract Deadrock with taunts allowing Zeus to bruise him. Pulse focused attacks on all three villains. Deadrock managed to approach Pulse and hit him with his stony fist, dealing a staggering blow. The wounded Pulse, his protective visor shattered, teleported to a safer distance. Eventually, with the timing of dominoes, the three villains went down. First Ultimus, then Heat Spike, and finally Deadrock. The press, police and paramedics arrived. The Justice Gang were intact and Atlas left the scene on a gurney. Zeus attempted to lift Deadrock for cameramen and news photographers only to have him crumble to dust in his fingers. The police attempted to question The Fool but he escaped by bounding toward and breaking through a window. The press swarmed Pulse and Omus. Omus had little to say on the matter and Pulse was not in the mood, sporting a massive headache and black eye. They all returned to The Stockade after a job well done.


