View source for Life… in the Heart of the City (comic story)


{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Life… in the Heart of the City'' (comic story)}}{{Comic Story
|title1= ''Life… in the Heart of the City''
|image1= Life… in the Heart of the City - P1.png
|caption1= Title page of the story.
|other_titles=
|hero(es)= [[Kelly]] & [[Jenkins]]
|villain(s)= [[Bureau of Singularity]]<br>[[Agent Watertower]]
|featuring=
|setting= [[Reality Z-25 31-H]]
|length= 15 pages
|crossovers=
|format= Black & White
|writer(s)= [[Paul Hoppe]]
|artist(s)= [[Paul Hoppe]]
|pencils=
|inks=
|colours=
|dates= October 22nd, 2012 - January 21st, 2013
|original_link= [http://cosmicbeholder.blogspot.com/2012/10/journey-into-misery-4-page-1-new-level.html]
|seriesnav= ''[[The Cosmic Beholder]]'' comic stories
|previous= ''[[Rodney's Epilogue (comic story)|Rodney's Epilogue]]''
|next= ''[[Singularity War (comic story)|Singularity War]]''
}}'''''Life… in the Heart of the City''''' was the fourth chapter in the ''Journey Into Misery'' subseries of the webcomic ''[[The Cosmic Beholder]]''. Written and drawn by [[Paul Hoppe]], it was released both in serialised webcomic form and in a limited print run. 

Although [[Jenny Everywhere (Reality Z-25 31-H)|Jenny Everywhere]] was a recurring character in ''The Cosmic Beholder'', she played no part in this story, which instead starred the [[Terrific Two]] ([[Kelly]] and [[Jenkins]]).
==Contents==
===Plot===
With the [[Terrific Two]] back in [[New York City]], [[Kelly]] is in the process of announcing to [[Jenkins]] that she intends to become a supervillain to fund her “expensive lifestyle” when a group of dour-looking secret-agent types with black suits and sunglasses literally burst into the room, announcing that the two are under arrest in the name of the [[Bureau of Singularity]]. It transpires that the Two having survived their original encounter with the [[Vanilla Pudding]]s of [[Riegel 6]] represents a deviation from the officially-sanctioned course of history.

However, the bureaucratically-minded Singularity agents begin arguing among themselves about what part of their code, precisely, gives them the right to arrest Kelly and Jenkins. The two take the opportunity to slip away. After blending in withan animal-rights protest to stay undetected, the two make their way to the rooftops, but even there they are not safe from the Bureau's forces, as they are confronted with the robotic [[Agent Watertower]]. Though Jenkins tricks the watertower into destroying itself, the sewers prove no safer a hiding place, with anthropomorphic crocodiles working for the Bureau trying to stop them. However, they too are defeated when Kelly uses her fire-based abilities to ignite the methane in the sewers, causing an explosion. 

Tired, naked and covered in mud, the two end up being confused for the stars of an amateur performance art show, and Jenkins' quick improvisational skills make their act a success. The oddball troupe invites them to stay, and, realising that the Bureau don't seem to be able to detect them within the already chaotic and paradoxical New Yor underground art scene, the two agree to stick around.

===Worldbuilding===
====Universes====
* This story takes place all in [[Reality Z-25 31-H|one universe]], later named as [[Reality Z-25 31-H]].
====Other====
* The [[Bureau of Singularity]] also prosecute “interdimensional loitering”.
===Continuity===
* This story references the events of the original [[COMIC]]: ''[[Journey Into Misery (comic story)|Journey Into Misery]]'' on two occasions, first with [[Kelly]] recalling how her company was destroyed by aliens, and second through the [[Bureau of Singularity]]'s claim that Kelly and Jenkins were originally both fated to die “on their adventure in space”.
* The next long-form ''[[The Cosmic Beholder (series)|The Cosmic Beholder]]'' story, [[COMIC]]: ''[[Singularity War (comic story)|Singularity War]]'', follows on directly from this story.
==Behind the scenes==
===Read online===
''Life… in the Heart of the City'' is available online [http://cosmicbeholder.blogspot.com/2012/10/ on the ''Cosmic Beholder'' blog].
[[Category:Stories]]
[[Category:Comic Stories]]
[[Category:Surviving Stories]]
[[Category:Written by Paul Hoppe]]
[[Category:Drawn by Paul Hoppe]]
[[Category:Released in 2012]]
[[Category:Installments of The Cosmic Beholder]]
[[Category:Featuring Kelly]]
[[Category:Featuring Jenkins]]
[[Category:Featuring the Bureau of Singularity]]