Madame Mirage #1

Superstar writer Paul Dini (52, Lost) makes an explosive return to Top Cow in 2007 when he brings brand new character Madame Mirage to the Top Cow!

But who is this beautiful woman who appears out of the mist? As deadly as she is beautiful, she is cutting a bloody path through the city's villains, who now wear suits and have "legitimate" businesses. But who is her ultimate prey? And how does this Mirage take form? And why is her destiny and that of her sidekick Harper so irrevocably entwined? These and many other questions will be asked along with the most pivotal question of all – Who is Madame Mirage?

Dini weaves a tale of murder, intrigue and revenge in a world of high-tech espionage and treachery. Joining Dini is rising artistic star, Kenneth Rocafort (Hunter-Killer) with his atmospheric and kinetic style. The first issue features two covers by sensual cover artist Greg Horn (Superman Returns, She-Hulk) as well as a stunning cover by series artist Rocafort. Madame Mirage – you'll never forget her… if you can make her acquaintance and live to tell the tale. Oversized first issue featuring bonus additional pages of story and art!

Around the turn of the twenty-first century mankind got one of its greatest wishes--bio-engineering and cybernetic technology advances have allowed mankind to create individuals who have strength and power that normal people could only dream about. These powers allow a dedicated few to work for the betterment of mankind and the salvation of its people. These wonderful turns of events come with a price. Why work hard to better the living condition of so many when it is so much easier to use such gifts to victimize the general population? With a rise of heroes came a surge of similarly augmented people intending to break, loot, seal, and kill anyone that stands in their way. A world protected by their advanced saviors was now ripe for the taking by those who wished it harm.

With super-powered villains numbering far greater than those willing to serve and protect a global treaty was enacted banning such living weapons. Those twisted scientists and high-powered criminals that could escape persecution hid out from capture and went underground. In an ironic twist those who chose to use their powers to help their fellow man turned themselves in peacefully--and paid the price for their admirable goals when they faced hard time in prison. Most of them would quietly serve their time and then slip out into anonymity.

Many of the super-criminals that haunted the world would band together, pooling their resources. These vast resources allowed the conglomerates that they formed to bribe as they pleased, securing high power in industry. Their enhanced skills were still used under the table, contracted to the highest bidder.

This brings us to the present--Los Angeles. Former super-criminal come hit-man for hire Vinnie (the Hummingbird) removes his cloak revealing a high tech apparatus strapped to his back and jet-engines boost him high above the city streets. His flight and first mission within the organization that employes him will come to an abrupt and premature end as a tall, dark woman clad in a white dress, black stockings, and black hat would take aim and fire two shots directly into his jet pack.

Vinnie's death of the explosion would make headlines in the next morning's newspaper. Senior members of Aggressive Solutions International would now debate what, if any ties remained to Vinnie. One in particular, Roger Maitland, would use this event to plot his early retirement. With a briefcase full of ten million dollars and millions stolen from the corporation over the years in offshore accounts Roger decides to make his move. As he is leaving the office for a dinner meeting a paranoid Roger sees everything that is said to him on the way out as out of the ordinary--from his secretary to the man next to him in the elevator.

At the grill Roger meets his girlfriend April who he tells about the week long business trip that he is planning in Europe and the two go separate ways. A large man grabs April and feigns knowing her and brings her in close. As the human mountain is about to make his move a woman jumps out of the stall next to them and firs three shots at point-blank range into his back. With the towering man stunned and on the ground she grabs April and the two sneak into a secret room behind a broken mirror to see the same woman that had secretly killed the Hummingbird the night before. They explain that the large, blond man was under Roger's employ and was paid ten thousand to kill her. To prevent her from getting into more trouble her saviors knock her unconscious, and put her in a taxi destined for her home.

Roger gets back into his limo to realize that his driver has been replaced with the shadowy woman and he has no way out. Speeding through the LA streets she explains her detailed knowledge of everything that A.S.I. is responsible, that she is responsible for the death of their newest recruit, and that earlier that afternoon she played the role of both his secretary and the man in the elevator at A.S.I. headquarters. A frightened Roger attempts to bribe her with a the suitcase of money, which she tells him is sadly a buck and a half short of her asking price. As Roger pleads for his life she disappears into a wisp of smoke and the limousine flies head-on into the jet that was supposed to carry Roger to his peaceful future in Europe. The authorities that were chasing the speeding limo get out of their cares to see the shadowy woman blow them a kiss and then disappear into the flames of the wreckage. What is left of her is a pair of stylized, burning, nested M's on the ground.

The next day the Dude, the hitman Roger Maitland hired to kill his girlfriend was released early by the hospital due to a lack of any real tissue damage by the bullets. Back at A.S.I. headquarters he explains what happened to his superiors who know that Roger was siphoning money from them all along. When he removes his jacket they notice a disk that a nurse at the hospital had slipped onto him. They play the disk and the shadowy woman introduces herself as Madame Mirage, and explains what she has done so far and that no one within the corporation is safe from her before disappearing into a cloud of smoke again. The man she addressed on tape is now forced to go tell the other board members that they all now have a problem.