Comics’ Greatest World—Cinnabar Flats

(Dark Horse, 1993)
™ and ©1993 Dark Horse Comics, Inc.

The place is a top-secret base known as Cinnabar Flats, discovered after a mysterious explosion in 1947. Finding an underground complex of alien origin, the military built a base on top of it in order to keep tabs on it. The bottom of the complex is off limits because of a mysterious virus that killed most of the people that ventured there. Some of those that survived were given unique abilities and were used by the military. These unlucky ones became monsters and were placed in cells deep within the base: Block 13.

Once there had been a jaillbreak, letting a group now called “Division 13” make their way to freedom. Now, in a risky plan, they broke back into the base to rescue others from the block. Before they could execute their plan, however, the aliens who had been observing since Comics’ Greatest World: X decided they were close enough to their quarry (“the heretic”) and attacked the base. Suddenly, Division 13’s risky plan began looking downright suicidal.

By week two, “Hero Zero,” The aliens have attacked the base at Cinnabar Flats, feeling that they have at last closed in on their quarry. Plowing through guards and helicopters, they eventually penetrate the base to reach the Vortex. The Vortex is a temporal/spatial distortion caused by the mysterious explosion at the base in 1947. It also seems to be the key to finding the “heretic” whom the aliens seek.

As the aliens scan the Vortex with their energy staves, they inadvertently disrupted the continuum within, allowing a great demon in the form of a dragon to escape. It doesn’t get far, however, before it meets Hero Zero. Zero is a being who shares his consciousness with a boy named David. When danger threatens (as it does so often in Cinnabar Flats), David turns into Hero Zero, an armored, 100-foot tall powerhouse

As week three, “King Tiger” begins, the Vortex is erupting at the secret military base at Cinnabar Flats. While soldiers deal with Division 13’s prison break and the mysterious aliens now scanning the Vortex, a new menace is threatening the world outside.

Five demons have passed into this plane by combining their forces into a form reminiscent of a Chinese dragon. Hero Zero battled the dragon, but only succeeded in breaking it apart into the individual demons. Streaking toward freedom in their new world, they suddenly encountered a mystical barrier—and Earth’s latest defender. He calls himself King Tiger, a young man equally adept with sword, bow, and magic. He traps the demons within a large circle inscribed in the desert sand, then enters it to do battle. It’s five against one…the demons don’t stand a chance!reminiscent in design to Ultraman. Hero takes on the demon, forcing it to split into five smaller demons. Defeating them, however, falls to King Tiger.

Following the events of Comics’ Greatest World: King Tiger, this comic completes the introduction to Comics’ Greatest World and sets the scene for the battles to come.

As the fourth issue, “Out of the Vortex” begins, the Seekers who have appeared frequently in CGW have made their way to the secret research facility at Cinnabar Flats. After easily defeating the military force stationed there, they turn their attention to the great glowing orb of energy in the center of the complex: the Vortex. From within, they read the energy signature of the one they seek, but it seems to come from a great distance. They then decide to join their powers together to send a more powerful scanning beam into the Vortex. Doing so triggers a great explosion of energy, temporarily distorting time for miles around. When the disturbance subsides, a new figure appears from out of the Vortex: the Heretic (albeit in greatly changed form). Now begins the true fight for the future of Earth!

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