Encore (comic story)
Encore was a backup comic in “Issue 3” of the Tales To Behold subseries of the webcomic The Cosmic Beholder. Written and drawn by Paul Hoppe, it was released both in webcomic form and in a limited print run.
It continued to feature “Jenny Everywhere” (really Jenny Nowhere posing as her) as part of Captain Evening's team of superheroes, the Odds.
Contents
Plot
The Odds have decided to extend their stay in England, in part because Merv the Griffin has felt a strange magical presence nearby. Using Professor Madison's device, he realises it is coming from under an ancient monolith, which he impulsively lifts despite the weak warnings of a local. Underneath, they find a knight in blue armour who seems as though he's been rusting away there for centuries. While the Odds are already debating with the local whether they should call the police or the mayor, the knight surprisingly gets up and staggers towards them.
They briefly fear that he is some undead horror, but he kneels before the Captain and explains that he is Sir Dennis of Inde, the “Blue Knight”, whom his magical armour made immortal, leading to him remaining trapped under the boulder for centuries. Grateful beyond belief for finally being freed, he pledges his service to the Odds. However, as he takes off his helmet, he and the Odds realise together that over all these centuries, Sir Dennis's body has withered away to nothing; he is but an immortal spirit, animating hollow armour.
While the Blue Knight is trying to get over the shock, comforted by the also undead Armstrong Fatbuckle, the police arrive, led by Chief Inspector Dennis. She starts to chastise the Odds for having disturbed an archeological site without permission, but everything takes a turn for the even stranger when Merlin appears out of thin air, explaining that he has travelled forwards in time to help the Blue Knight's destiny along. Revealing that Chief Inspector Dennis is Sir Dennis of Inde's last surviving descendant, he uses a spell to transfer the Blue Knight's spirit into her body, merging the two into a new, living Blue Knight — despite both Dennises' evident confusion and discomfort at his idea. Merlin vanishes again, explaining that he never had any choice in the matter besides, as destiny stated that he must do this. Thinking she might help with this rather confusing predicament, the Captain phones Professor Madison, who's just wrapped up the adventure she previously called him about.
Meanwhile, back inside the Insect People's hill, one of the Insect People enters Insecto's office, hoping to get him to sign some paperwork, only to find him mysteriously gone.
Worldbuilding
Universes
- This story takes place entirely in Reality Z-25 31-H.
Continuity
- This story picks up the thread of the Blue Knight, whose original incarnation from medieval times was previously introduced in COMIC: Defying the Dragon, which showed how the original Knight became trapped under the boulder.
- It also follows on directly from the previous Tales To Behold story, COMIC: Battle of Britain, which introduced Chief Inspector Dennis, without her relationship to the earlier-introduced Blue Knight yet being apparent.
- As in Battle of Britain, the other half of Captain Evening's phone call with Professor Madison was previously shown in COMIC: Singularity War. The context of this story allows the identification of the figure seen only from behind, in bed with Madison, in her cameo in Encore, as Mysto the Space-Wizard.
Behind the scenes
Read online
Encore is available online on the Cosmic Beholder blog.
