Long Night #1Long Night #1
Title: “The Long Night”
Writer: Todd DeZago
Pictures: Bryan Hitch & Paul Neary, Ivan Reis & Randy Emberlin
Colors: Paul Mounts
Editors: Jaye Gardener & Tom Brevoort
In New York City, below the streets, below the sewers, in tunnels that are so old that they no longer appear on any map, in chambers carved into bedrock, Roxxon maintains a laboratory. Chief Compton says that he trusts that everything proceeds according to Dr. Harrow’s approval. Dr. Harrow says that things hardly meet his approval. He says that the people here regard the equipment as if it were a video game. He says that each piece of equipment requires delicacy. He says that as Compton is aware that Roxxon has met with failure in this area before and that he will not tolerate that failure again. He says that he trusts that he has made himself clear. Compton says that he is clear, but she assures Harrow that they have planned for every contingency. He asks if she does really. Compton says that they have continual monitoring of both physical and cerebral activity, the status of the dome itself, and they are backed up with the synaptic disrupter should unforeseen problems arise. Harrow says that they had better not. He says that he will not lose his prize again. Harrow looks down at the dome where Dragon Man remains inactive. Harrow says that once he has unlocked the secret of what makes Dragon Man tick that he will be able to create the army of synthezoids that Roxxon is so eagerly awaiting.
At Yancy Street Station, Thing sits in the
subway waiting for the train. He thinks how he told Reed that he
didn’t want to take the Fantasti-car because he didn’t
want to attract attention, but now he is about to be noticed by
two news anchors, Brent Scarsdale and Beth Duncan. He says that
the last thing he needs is to have Brent asking him a lot of
questions. Thing keeps his head down and they pass him by. Brent
tells Beth that he knows that he should have told her that he was
married, but that doesn’t mean they still can’t do a
little “undercover investigation” of their own. Beth
says that she is telling him no for the last time. A group of
punks start coming up to Thing and making fun of his for being a
fat guy reading a muscle magazine. Thing decides to just let it
pass so as not to attract attention, but when Beth Duncan comes
to his defense the punks start to harass her. Brent is backing
away and is about to abandon Beth when 
Thing
grabs the punks by the backs of their jackets. He says that it
was one thing when they were just bothering him, but when they
start bothering a woman that was defending him that really
“pearls my harbor”. Thing asks if they know what time
it is.
As the train speeds away, the punks lie unconscious on the ground at the station. On the train, Beth says that was magnificent and thanks Thing. She asks if she can have an interview. Thing decides that he may as well since it will be a long ride back into the city.
In Manhattan, She-Hulk is running for the train, as it is about to leave while carrying two feet of papers. She makes it onto the train and says that now she has to find some place to sit down with all of these legal briefs. She says that she may be the strongest woman on the planet, but that in this awkward position the last thing she needs is for someone to bump into her. Suddenly there are legal briefs everywhere. Three construction workers start asking She-Hulk if she is going to a costume party and asks if she got enough of that make up to do her whole body. A young girl on the train asks Jen if she really is the She-Hulk. She says that she has seen her on television. She-Hulk says that today she is just trying to be Jennifer Walters, Attorney, but that getting the legal briefs back to the office isn’t going as well as she had hoped. Danika introduces herself and helps She-Hulk pick up her papers. The construction workers starting pointing out She-Hulk’s butt and says that it reminds them of the rolling green hills of Ireland. One says that he would like to kiss her Blarney Stone. She-Hulk says that if it were just her that she would ignore them, but that Danika is only 13. Danika says that she is only 12. Moments later, the three construction workers are standing in their underwear tied to a pole in the middle of the train. She-Hulk, Danika, and an old woman are sitting in their now unoccupied seats. The old woman thanks She-Hulk for the seat and says that sometimes it takes a lady to be a gentleman these days. She-Hulk says that she doesn’t want Danika to get the wrong idea. She says that violence is always the last resort, but that it can also be a very effective way of communicating with the ignorant inconsiderate slime balls.
In tunnels even deeper that those occupied by the Roxxon laboratories, a group of vampires have gathered and begun chanting the name Bonham. Bonham appears and says that the time has come. He says that they have hidden themselves for too long, and that tonight they will take back the night and feast. Bonham asks Charel and Donsah if it is done. The two female vampires crawl up to Bonham and say that the charges are in place. He says that is excellent and that there is no better time to feast than when the prey is terrified and trapped.
At Roxxon’s lab, Compton tells Harrow that all systems are secure and that they are ready to begin transport. Harrow tells Compton to give her men the word and he will see if they can carry out this simple mission without incident.
She-Hulk is telling Danika that she doesn’t consider herself a superhero. She says that since fate decided to giver her these powers….
Thing tells Beth that he ought to do the right thing with them. He says that varies from punching out bad guys or just helping when he can.
Bonham tells Charel to activate the charges and that everything should be in place by now. He says that the hunt begins and the feast awaits. She-Hulk’s train, Thing’s train, and Roxxon’s lab all feel major impact from the blasts.
Compton wants to know where that explosion came from and says that it wasn’t their equipment. She says that she wants a casualty report. Harrow calls her a fool and says to forget about her men. He says that he wants to know about the creature and if the apparatus has been damaged. As one of the men gives his status report, Dragon Man comes to live and smashes through the dome.
She-Hulk and Thing each find the lights on their respective trains. They both lift up rubble for the people to pass under. They says that what they are lifting is heavy and awkward so to hurry. They both tell their fellow passengers to keep heading in the direction that they were going.
She-Hulk’s construction workers tell her that they don’t have to listen to her. They say that they are going back the way they came. She-Hulk tells them to wait, but the structure collapses before she can get them to turn back.
Thing pulls up some wreckage off a little girl. The little girl starts screaming when she sees Thing. Thing says that he forgot that his face doesn’t look like the face of a beautiful angel. He asks Beth to grab her. The mother takes her kid and thanks them, but the little girl is crying about the monster. Beth says to Thing that must hurt. Thing says that you get used to it.
She-Hulk and Thing both lead their groups and tell them that as long as they stick together that they have nothing to worry about.
Brent Scarsdale is live reporting about the two explosions on the ends of the tunnel. He says that it is believed that their own Beth Duncan is one of the people trapped in the tunnel. He says that they will report more as information comes in. Brent asks someone off camera if they think that he looked concerned enough when he mentioned Beth. The off-camera man says, “We’re still live, doofus.” Brent murmurs uncomfortably.
Jen and Ben’s parties meet up with each other. They tell each other about their explosions. Thing says that they have to get the people out of there before things get any worse. Suddenly Dragon Man appears.
At the Roxxon labs, Compton is dispatching teams to recapture Dragon Man and one to repair the containment unit. She says that she wants to be ready to move again in ten minutes. One of the men says that the po-cy tanks were ruptured and that they can’t turn them off. Compton asks if they can fix it. He says that welding it would ignite the gas. He says that they can cold seal it, but that it will take twenty minutes and that they are losing a lot of gas. Compton starts to give Harrow her report, but Harrow starts freaking out on her. He says that he can assure her that he is going to take steps to see that she is stripped of her authority. He tells her to find his Dragon now.
Dragon Man breathes fire at She-Hulk and Thing. She-Hulk says that something has Dragon Man annoyed. Jen asks Ben if he thinks that Dragon Man was responsible for the explosions. Thing says that he doesn’t know.
Beth says that Thing and She-Hulk told them to keep going in the direction they were coming from, but that she thinks she hears voices coming from a direction. They follow the voices.
She-Hulk says that they have to think of some way to calm him down. Dragon Man breathes more fire at them. She-Hulk freaks and says that is enough with the flames. She says that she paid seven hundred bucks for her jacket. Dragon Man suddenly becomes very still. Its tongue sticks slightly out of its mouth. She-Hulk says that is done and asks how they control it now. All of a sudden, Roxxon’s team is there blasting Dragon Man and enraging him again. She-Hulk yells for them to stop, but they do not hear. The squad’s leader says that the scrambler is ready, but that they are only going to get one shot at this. Thing and She-Hulk are trying to stop them, but the blast hits them and knocks them off their feet. Dragon Man becomes livid.
The Roxxon party responsible for getting them moving again radios in that it looks like they are going to have to dig their way out and that all possible exits have been sealed off. Bonham watches them with his followers surrounding him. He says that it appears that their long wait is over and that the appetizers have arrive. He tells them to feed. Beth Duncan and the other passengers arrive as the vampires are mauling the Roxxon employees. They back up slowly. Bonham smells the She-Hulk’s blood. He says that it is a scent like no other. He says that it is strong and powerful and that it is a blood that he must have.
She-Hulk and Thing wake up from the effects of the sonic disrupter to find Dragon Man fighting with the Roxxon employees. She-Hulk says that personally she would rather beat up the Roxxon guys, but that she guesses that they should take Dragon Man out of the picture. Thing says that they will have to drop a house on him, but She-Hulk says that they will have to see what they can do. As they rush Dragon Man, She-Hulk tells Thing to send him her way. Thing punches Dragon Man into the air. She-Hulk punches a girder that is holding up a bunch of wreckage. Dragon Man is buried beneath the wreckage as it falls. The Roxxon team reports back to Compton that Dragon Man is down and says that there is no way it is getting up after that. Thing tells She-Hulk that there is no way that is going to keep him down. Thing stops when he starts to suggest something. She-Hulk asks him if there is some trick for dealing with it. Thing says that Dragon Man likes girls and that Sue always gets a little seductive with him. He says that she has him eating out of her hand in no time. She-Hulk says that she doesn’t see that happening, and that maybe Thing should sweet-talking him. Dragon Man’s hand shoots up out of the wreckage.
One of the Roxxon employees responsible for opening a passage returns shouting that they have to get out of there. He says that they were torn to shreds. Compton asks what ripped them to shreds. The man says that the tunnels are full of vampires.
Dragon Man makes it out of the wreckage. She-Hulk says that is her cue and that she is going to go check on the people and make sure that they are okay. Dragon Man approaches Thing. Thing says that he is sorry about that punch back there and says that there are no hard feelings. Dragon Man torches Thing with his fire breath. Thing says that maybe there is a hard feeling or two.
A short time, She-Hulk says that she found all of their people, and that the Roxxon guys seem to have gotten together. She says that she is still feeling guilty about the three idiots that broke from the flock. She thinks about all the crazy things that have happened. She asks what else could go wrong tonight. A voice says that depends on your perspective. She-Hulk looks up at Bonham and asks him what he is supposed to be. Bonham grabs She-Hulk and lifts her off her feet. Bonham says that what he is, is her death. She-Hulk thinks to herself that Bonham is too strong for her to throw off. She thinks that she can’t get him off with her arms, but that maybe her legs will do it. She-Hulk leaps into the air and smashes Bonham against the wreckage above them.
Dragon Man is breathing fire on Thing when She-Hulk and Bonham come hurtling through the floor. Thing realizes that he has to stop Bonham from biting She-Hulk. He turns to Dragon Man and says that the “bug-pire guy is beatin’ up yer girlfriend!” Dragon Man looks over and Thing tells him to go get him. Dragon Man roars at Bonham as he flies towards him. As Dragon Man tears Bonham off She-Hulk, Thing overhears on of the Roxxon guys saying that the po-cy tanks have ruptured, and that if they don’t get out of there soon that they will all asphyxiate. Thing says that they have to be kidding him. Compton tells everyone to pack it up and that they are leaving. Harrow starts yelling at Compton and says that they aren’t going anywhere until they recapture Dragon Man. Compton gets right back in Harrow’s face and says that there are so many variables here that the mission is a complete wash. She tells him to “shut the hell up!” Bonham calls for his disciples to come help him against Dragon Man.
She-Hulk
gets up onto Thing’s hand and Thing says that he just hopes
that he is strong enough to throw her all the way to the surface,
and that Dragon Man doesn’t decide to “flambé”
Bonham because the fire will ignite the gas. Dragon Man swats
Bonham as the vampires start to swarm in. The people are climbing
up a train car to the surface hole that She-Hulk made. She tells
Thing to hurry up because the whole place feels like it is
shaking and about to collapse. Thing says that is just Dragon Man
having fun. She-Hulk asks Thing if they should help Dragon Man
since he did come to her rescue. Thing says that Dragon Man may
seem to have the personality of a puppy dog sometimes, but that
he is still pretty fierce and that nothing is going to stop him
now.
On the pre-dawn streets of Manhattan, She-Hulk tells Thing that this is the part that she hates most of all as the media starts swarming around them. Thing says that he does too, but that the worst part is that they are trapped. Thing and She-Hulk are just finishing telling the story when Dragon Man comes bursting through the street. She-Hulk says that now they are going to have vampires all over the streets. Thing says that won’t be a problem and points out that the rising sun just burns the vampires away. The media watch Dragon Man fly away and chase after him with their cameras. Things says that was just the beginning of another crazy day in the Big Apple. She-Hulk points out Compton and Harrow getting arrested and says that Roxxon has some explaining to do. She-Hulk asks if Thing thinks that they were neglectful not going after Dragon Man. Thing says that Dragon Man never starts any trouble on his own. He asks She-Hulk if she wants a cup of coffee. She-Hulk accepts.
Site for Sore Eyes rating: 5.5 out of 10
Well the plot exists (though I’m not sure why the book does). It is filled with fairly stock uninteresting characters and as if to punctuate this there are a mass of vampires thrown in to the mix. There is nothing really gained or learned from reading the story. It has a beginning, middle, and end. I prefer the art team of Reis and Emberlin if for no other reason than they seem to remember that She-Hulk has cleavage. I’m not saying that she has to be falling out of a swimming suit or anything, but to not draw She-Hulk with her infamous figure is to deny a very real part of the character. I also enjoy Reis and Emberlin’s style more as they seem to have a more detailed style. Reis and Emberlin get a 4 and Hitch and Neary get a 3 for an average of 3.5 out of 5.