The Linear Men: Summaries & Annotations Part IV
ZERO HOUR: CRISIS IN TIME #0 (September 1994)
Dan Jurgans, Jerry Ordway
The DC Universe is no more. All reality emerges from the dark--a new beginning, a fresh start. But this remade universe may not be the cure-all it appears to be. A final battle must still be fought by the Spectre...and one more mission awaits Earth's remaining heroes. But its success carries a high price.
The Flash #0 (October 1994)
0.1.1-0.1.2 - Waverider rushes towards Wally West as he vanishes into the anomaly.
The Power of Shazam! #25 (April 1997)
The third year of this series kicks off with the Family Reunion storyline. Sivana has used the Rock of the Eternity to rewrite history. By ensuring that Theo Adam never killed the Batsons (Billy and Mary's parents), he has retained the wealth and position which he lost during the Power of SHAZAM graphic novel. In this version of time, C.C.Batson and Marilyn receive the gift of SHAZAM's power to protect them from a cave-in during their expidition to recover the Scorpion artifact (inspired by the Republic serial). C.C.Batson (as Captain Marvel) and Marilyn go on to become a husband and wife super-hero team. SHAZAM, however, realises that something is wrong. After questioning Sivana, he learns that, yes, he could try to reorder time, but doing so will mean killing C.C and Marilyn and destroy the Batsons' hope of a (relatively) normal family life.
The Power of Shazam! #26 (May 1997)
The Linear Men are aware of the temporal breach caused by Sivana and insist that SHAZAM restore the time line to its proper form. C.C.Batson agrees to pluck our original Sivana out of the time stream before he sets his own disruptive future in motion. In the mean time, Billy and Mary bluff Ibac into believing that they too have the power of SHAZAM (which, in this time line, they don't), long enough for Marilyn to arrive and drive IBac away.
The Power of Shazam! #27 (June 1997)
Waverider catches up with C.C. in the time stream, while he ponders whether or not to set things right or to protect his children. In the end, C.C.Batson agrees to rectify the time line in exchange for Waverider's promise that the children would be well looked-after (a promise fulfilled with the recovery of C.C.'s will, clearing the way for the Bromfields to adopt Billy, as they did with Mary). The end of issue #27 sees SHAZAM reassume his spirit form and position at the Rock of Eternity.
Impulse/Atom: Double Shot #1 (February 1998)
The Atom tries to use his time pool to reverse the events that killed one of the Teen Titans, but instead unleashes a time wave that reverses his age even more, and has the same effect on the visiting Impulse. Now, it's up to Linear Men Waverider and Liri Lee to set things right, while trying to babysite both the toddler Impulse and the adolescent Atom. But boys will be boys, and they end up unleashing dinosaurs and Khund warriors!
Chronos #1 (February 1998)
Walker Gabriel is trying to steal a prototype tachyon generator. Suddenly Desmond Mikhalali Gage, a Linear Man, appears and informs Walker "You're under arrest by order of the Linear Authority." Walker begins to run and is blasted by a gun on stun. The Linear Man reaches over Walker and is suddenly shot to death by Konstantin Vyronis.
Chronos #2 (March 1998)
2.1.1 - ‘At the nexus where time wraps around itself like a morbius strips, there is a watchtower— --the stronghold of the temporal guardian's known as the Linear Men. They call this place the Vanishing Point.'
2.1.2 - Inside a circular, multilayered room a funeral mass is in session. Matthew Ryder is leading the ceremony for the fallen Linear Man. "Today, brothers and sisters, we mourn the death of Desmond Mkhalali Gage, who gave his life in the line of duty. He died as he lived, defending the linear integrity from those who would twist time for their own gain. As we scatter the remains of his physical body through-out the timestream, we commend his soul to eternity. Rest in peace, my friend. Your sacrifice will not be in vain."
2.1.3-2.1.5 - Gage's body is lowered from the highest level to the lowest where it's particles are scattered through time.
2.2.1-2.2.5 - After the service Matthew Ryder calls upon Tavern and reviews his record and then appoints him to bringing Walker Gabriel to justice if he is the murderer.
2.16.1-2.16.10 - Tavern appears in the past and ‘activates a holographic field that transforms his appearance into that of a United States Marshal...' He then enters the sheriff's office and gaisn the whereabouts of where Walker Gabriel is.
2.21.6-2.21.7 - Tavern approaches the wagon which Walker Gabriel is rummaging through.
Chronos #3 (April 1998)
Walker exits the wagon just in time to have a gun barrel pointed at him. But suddenly Alex Damaskinos brings down the Linear Man and escapes with Walker to the past. Later, Matthew Ryder informs Tavern that Walker may be in "fifteenth-century Florence." Tavern rushes to the time period and takes on the image of a knight. He then tracks Walker down but Walker manages to get his gun and Vyronis makes his move and the timesmasher activates.
Chronos #4 (May 1998)
Walker Gabriel visits Chronpolis where he encounters a bearded Rip Hunter and aged versions of other series characters. (note: The suit on underneath the orange space suit. Yiu can clearly see the language communicator of the Pre-Crisis Rip Hunter.. Time Master.) Suffice to say, after recieving a completed version of his suit, Vyronis attacks and kills everyone as Walker escapes back to Renaissance Florence. Walker merges with the old timeline's Walker leaving Tavern still defensless. Vyronis then executes his machine but it doesn't work, so Wlaker takes matters further into his own hands and propels himself and Vynros into the future where they fight, until Walker gains the upper hand. When Walker and Vynros reappear the Linear Man gains the upper hand and tries to arrest everyone but Walker escapes leaving Fiorella and Vynros behind.
| Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII |
Special Thanks to Mark Wann of The SHAZAM! Page
who supplied me with great summaries of The Power of Shazam! #25-27.
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