Untouchable Comics/The Venusian/Son of Venus

The first issue of Untouchable Comics's The Venusian.

Synopsis
the citizens of the city of Fartherend are abuzz with gossip and rumors when a mysterious man in a metal suit begins combating its growing criminal underworld. This catches the attention of Police Captain John Kestler, who begins investigating the man in the armor. However, it also inspires the criminals in question to fight harder and go bigger to counteract their new foe.

Plot (unfinished)
A group of criminals stand out the back side of an unidentified building. Inside of the building, another criminal chucks boxes down to the others, who catch them and put them in the back of a van.

The underling shrugs at this and goes back to smuggling the boxes.
 * Leader Criminal: Be careful with those, you got me? The boss'll kill us if there's even a scratch on the goods.
 * Underling #1: What're we grabbing, anyway?
 * Leader Criminal: Questions like that could get you shot.


 * Leader Criminal: Pick up the speed, we gotta get out of her fast.
 * Underling #2: Why? Cause of the rumors?
 * Leader Criminal: Seriously? Don't tell me you actually believe that BS, man.
 * Underling #2: The world we live in now, anything's possible.
 * Leader Criminal: Yeah, anything but tha--

A noise is heard behind them. The leader turns around and sees that a trash can has been knocked over. He pulls a gun and approaches the trash can, only for a cat to walk out from behind it. He puts his gun away and turns back.


 * Leader Criminal: See? It was... nothing...

The leader stares at something off-panel.


 * Underling #1: What? What'd you see?

On top of the van stands The Venusian, donned in blueish silver armor and staring down at the leader. The leader grits his teeth and pulls his gun again, firing off several rounds at Venusian, the bullets bouncing off of him. He then jumps off of the van and runs towards the leader at superhuman levels, grabbing him by the shirt and quickly spinning around, tossing him away so hard and so far he flies into the back of his own van, smashing through the boxes. Diamonds pour out of the now broken boxes.


 * Underling #2: Diamonds!?
 * Venusian: Eyes on me.

The underlings turn to face Venusian.


 * Venusian: We aren't done here...

The criminal who was tossing the boxing from the window above and one of the underlings pull guns, firing off at Venusian, who simply stands there and allows the bullets to bounce off of him. He curls his hands into fists and his arms begin emitting a strange energy. He fires off a blast of energy behind himself, the force of which launches him forward. He punches the criminal by the van, using the momentum of his launch to knock the criminal out instantly. He then turns and fires a bolt of energy at the other criminal standing in the window, hitting him in the chest and launching him further into the building. We don't see what happens to him, but the loud bang that follows indicates he likely smashed against the ground. Venusian then looks around the area, counting the unconscious bodies.


 * Venusian: Two, three... Could have sworn there was a fourth...

The van drives backwards into Venusian, revealing the fourth criminal has gotten inside and is driving it. He runs over Venusian, who ends up on the other side of the van. He gets back up despite having been run over and the van instantly slams back into him. He grabs on to the van's front, placing one hand on the hood and the other hand underneath.


 * Underling #1: Come on and die, you piece of--!

The van suddenly stops moving. The tires are still going but the van is immobile.


 * Underling #1: Huh?

It's revealed that Venusian is levitating slightly off of the ground and has picked up the front of the van. He flies into the air, picking up the rest of the van as he does (the leader criminal falls out the back of it in the process) before letting it go and allowing it to crash into the ground. The underling crawls out the now smashed door window of the car, covered in blood but alive. Venusian lands next to him and crouches. He places his middle and index fingers on the underling's neck and stares off at nothing. The lenses of his helmet flash and make a beeping noise.


 * Venusian: High chance of a broken rib but you'll live.

He punches the underling in the face, knocking him unconscious too. The next day, Police Captain John Kestler slams a news paper down in front of his two employees, Eli Bloomer and Ian Rodie. Rodie picks it up.

Kestler heads off as Eli gives an annoyed sigh.
 * Ian Rodie: "Mysterious hero foils diamond heist". You think it's the same guy as last time?
 * Capt. John Kestler: And the time before that, and the time before that.
 * Ian Rodie: Any suspects?
 * Capt. John Kestler: Of course not. If I had suspects, the guy would've been arrested by now!
 * Eli Bloomer: No leads, no suspects, nada. So, what're we here for?
 * Capt. John Kestler: I want the two of you's help in tracking this guy down. He's making hard-working cops look like idiots, and I won't stand for it anymore!
 * Ian Rodie: You think he'd be easy to catch? I heard he had these... abilities. Dangerous stuff.
 * Capt. John Kestler: He is a vigilante that is breaking the law. He can't go unpunished.
 * Eli Bloomer: Rodie has a point, how are we supposed to arrest someone who can likely kill us.
 * Capt. John Kestler: I don't know! Improvise!

Bloomer wraps an arm around Ian's shoulder and pulls him in.
 * Eli Bloomer: Great.. just freaking great…
 * Ian Rodie: Got any ideas, Bloomer?
 * Eli Bloomer: Can't say I do. But you know how it is.


 * Eli Bloomer: With you by my side, little man, I'm sure this guy'll be a easy as pie!
 * Ian Rodie: Please get off of me...
 * Eli Bloomer: Come on, don't get all up-tight, bud!

Bloomer noogies Ian, who groans in irritation. Meanwhile, the leader criminal from earlier in the issue sits in a prison cell reading a book when the door to his cell opens up.


 * Prison Guard: Hey, MacCulloch. You're free to go.
 * MacCulloch: Bail?
 * Prison Guard: Something like that.

MacCulloch walks out of his cell and sees a white-haired woman waiting for him. She smiles.


 * White-Haired Woman: Mr. MacCulloch.
 * MacCulloch: Do I know you?
 * White-Haired Woman: No, but you're familiar with my employer. The one you call "boss"?

MacCulloch's eyes widen. Later, the white-haired woman stands inside of a large building in front of the men's bathroom. The door opens and MacCulloch comes out, having changed out of his prison attire.


 * White-Haired Woman: Unfortunately, we couldn't get our hands on your actual clothes. I hope the replacements are good enough.
 * MacCulloch: I've worn worse. Now, which way to the boss?
 * White-Haired Woman: Just follow my lead.

MacCulloch follows the woman through the building.


 * MacCulloch: So, you got a name, sweetheart?
 * Molly: My name is Molly, and with all due respect, I'm not your sweetheart, Mr. MacCulloch.
 * MacCulloch: Jesus, alright...
 * Molly: So, have you and "the boss" met before?
 * MacCulloch: He gave most of his orders over email.
 * Molly: Then consider this an honor. He doesn't meet with many of his subordinates. He must have seen something in you.

MacCulloch gives a proud smirk. Molly stops in front of a door.


 * Molly: We're here. Please don't say anything you think will upset him.
 * MacCulloch: Got it.

MacCulloch opens the door and walks in. Inside is a room with no windows and no lights, with all of the light coming from lamps and TVs that display footage from around the city. In the middle of the room is a desk with a man sitting in a swivel chair that is facing away from MacCulloch.


 * MacCulloch: ...Boss?
 * MacCulloch's Boss: "Boss"... That's right, I never did give you my name. That won't do if we're going to work this close...

The man turns around to face MacCulloch, revealing he is a man in a green suit with scars covering his hands and an eye patch.


 * Michael Maverick: I am Michael Maverick. Don't make me regret telling you that. I see you failed I’m your heist.
 * MacCulloch: You don't understand! The man who stopped us wasn't human.
 * Michael Maverick: You know… two of my subordinates said the same thing. Okay, I can hear you out. What did this superhuman do?
 * MacCulloch: I shot him and the bullets bounced straight off! He then grabbed me! All I remember was him throwing me. After that, I was out cold.
 * Michael Maverick: Interesting. It seems that we're facing a threat we aren't prepared for. You heard of evolution, right MacCulloch?
 * MacCulloch: Yes?
 * Michael Maverick: Well, we are like animals, MacCulloch. We have been the apex predator for a while. Then this mystery man arrived, causing us to plummet to second place. Second place isn't how an animal survives. They need to evolve to survive. Change. Adapt. Do you get what I'm saying?