The Death Wish of Terrible Turpin!
Kalibak lays waste to Dave Lincoln's apartment building. Locating the private investigator's apartment, Kalibak comes for Lincoln. After emptying his revolver, to no avail on Kalibak's iron hide, Lincoln, in desperation, hurls the weapon itself at Kalibak. Putting himself between Kalibak and Claudia Shane, Lincoln brings the fight in close, to defend Shane. News of the conflict reaches Metropolis Police Commisioner, Matt Kiernan. It would seem to confirm Police Sergeant Dan "Terrible" Turpin's account that a phantom war between Godlike beings has broken out in Metropolis. Kiernan has tried to keep the aged Turpin off the case, but when the call comes in, there's no stopping the obstinate Police Sergeant. Orion and Lightray arrive at Victor Lanza's home, as yet unaware of the danger Lincoln is facing. Turpin has the block around Lincoln's building cordoned off, and prepares to engage. Kalibak fires down on the police, wiping out most of the ground units with a single shot from his Beta Club. The assault on his fellow officers fuels Turpin's fire, making him more determined than ever to bring Kalibak in. At Lanza's apartment, Orion and Lightray become aware of the situation via a televised news broadcast. Police snipers bombard Kalibak with a hail of bullets, from an adjacent rooftop. Suddenly, Turpin leaps across, tommy gun blazing, to close with Kalibak. With one swing of his mighty arm, Kalibak buries Turpin in broken bricks and roof debris. Turpin counters with grenades.
Kalibak is blown off the roof, but catches himself on an outcropping. Regaining the rooftop, Kalibak takes out the snipers with a single blast from his Beta Club. Staggered, Turpin is in no condition to stop Kalibak from lifting him up and hurling off the roof. Before that can happen, though, Orion and Lightray arrive. Kalibak contemptuously drops Turpin on the rooftop, to fully engage Orion. With two blows from the Beta Club, Orion is felled. Lightray attempts to melt Kalibak's weapon, but it proves too durable to be consumed easily by LIghtray's energy powers. Orion recovers, wrenching the Beta Club from Kalibak's hand. Already weakened by Lightray's barrage, Orion finds he is able to snap the Beta Club in half, before pounding the two ends into Kalibak's head. As Orion and Kalibak viciously tear into one another, LIghtray sees to the injured Turpin. Though horribly battered, Turpin is undeterred. He places Lightray under arrest, as his men bring up the special weapon Turpin ordered. The fury of Orion's battle with Kalibak reveals Orion's true, savage face to the world. As Orion closes in for the kill, Lightray suddenly whisks him away from Kalibak. Turpin fires the weapon, which is tied in to the Metropolis power grid. The sum totality of the city's electrical power is poured into Kalibak, and at long last, the titan falls, as does Turpin. The Police take Kalibak into custody, while ushering Turpin to a hospital. Orion fears Lightray's reaction to his true face, but his friend reassures him that nothing between them has changed.
Beat the Black Racer!!
Fastbak is in a race against death, to find young Esak before the Black Racer. The surrounding space around New Genesis is littered with perils delivered by Apokolips. Fastbak dodges burning meteors, terror bats, and swarming Parademons, before closing in on Eask. The Young God has been caught in a Magna-Target, being drawn inexorably down to Apokolips, where it can be shot at and destroyed. With the Black Racer bearing down on him, Fastbak pours on the speed. With one last burst of acceleration, Fastbak rescues Esak before the Magna -Target is blown from the skies of Apokolips. This time, at least, the Black Racer has been thwarted from claiming another life.
The Stone of Vengeance
This story was originally published in Adventure Comics #77. A plot summary of this story can be found on that issue page.
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