Dark Dominion - The Story

"FEAR IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL"

THE STORY:
__0. None So Blind...
__1. Haunts of the Very Rich pt1 - "The Gathering Darkness"
__2. Haunts of the Very Rich pt2 - "Let There Be Light!"
__3. Haunts of the Very Rich pt3 - "A Man's Home..."
__4. Foxhunt pt1 - "Bad Moon Rising"
__5. Family Skeletons pt1 - "Things That Go Bump In The Night"
__6. Family Skeletons pt2 - "What Dreams May Come"
__7. Once A Hero! pt1 - "Vexed!"
__8. Once A Hero! pt2 - "Repent Ye Wicked!"
__9. Once A Hero! pt3 - "Hell Hath No Fury!"
_10. The Way To Avalon!

Issue #0 (November 1993 Trading Card set)
None So Blind...
Dark Dominion #0

Written By: Jim Shooter
Drawn By: Steve Ditko
Inked By: Keith S. Wilson, Grey
Painted By: Marcus David
Lettered By: George Roberts
Edited By: Deborah Purcell
Cover By: (Not credited)
Heroes: Michael Alexander/Glimmer
Villains: Chasm, Skinner, Clunk, Skewer
Supporting Characters: Mercy, Salvage
My Rating: 10 (out of 10)
Synopsis: In his apartment, Michael Alexander thinks he sees something out of the corner of his eye. He quickly spins around and tosses things aside in an unsuccessful attempt to find whatever it is he saw. Michael then makes his daily trip to McDonalds for a coffee and a sausage. He brings the sausage to Mercy, a homeless woman ranting on a street corner and tries to get her to tell him what's tormenting her-to no avail. At a bookstore, Michael checks to see how well his new book's selling-and it's not selling well. Later, Michael walks by a storefront for a psychic he has known for a while. Despite Michael's skepticism, the psychic tells him that he's going to get into big trouble that night. As Michael walks home, four big men asking for a light approach him. Showing no fear, Michael suggests the men go home, and when he reaches into his jacket they run off. Michael pulls out a small flashlight. At home, Michael again sees something out of the corner of his eye. This time Michael concentrates and when he spins around, he sees something. Surprised, Michael goes to see Mercy and notices that she's actually ranting to something that he can now see. He asks Mercy to help him understand better so she brings him to the bowels of the city. On their way, Micahel asks about the huge tendrils looming over the buildings. She explains that it's the "Growth," a manifestation of evil. In the bowels, Michael sees the steampit where the "Growth" emanates from and they observe Clunk and Skewer disposing a body in the steampit. As Mercy runs off, Michael watches Chasm and Skinner torturing another man. Skinner grabs Michael and Chasm orders him to throw him into the steampit immediately because he senses that Michael has no fear. Michael escapes from Skinner and sees a demon trying to warn Chasm. Michael gives chase and turns into Glimmer before eradicating the demon. Michael then finds Mercy being terrorized by Clunk and Skewer. He runs them off by attacking them from the substratum and the hard world. Back in the city, Michael goes to the storefront psychic and asks if she can see the "Growth". When she doesn't, it confirms his thoughts that she is a fraud. In his apartment, Michael turns into Glimmer, grabs his annoying little demon and tosses him outside.

Issue #1 (October 1993)
Haunts of the Very Rich pt1 - "The Gathering Darkness"
Dark Dominion #1

Written By: Len Wein
Penciled By: Joseph A. James
Inked By: Mike Barreiro, Bob Downs, Charles Yoakum
Painted By: Tim Perkins
Lettered By: George Roberts
Edited By: Deborah Purcell & Ed Polgardy
Cover By: Joseph A. James & M. Witherby
Heroes: Michael Alexander/Glimmer
Villains: Chasm, Skinner, Clunk, Skewer
Supporting Characters: Mercy, Salvage
My Rating: 8 (out of 10)
Synopsis: The story opens at dusk as Michael Alexander eats dinner at a midtown Manhattan McDonalds. A knife-wielding man on drugs starts freaking out, so Michael enters the Quantum Substratum and removes the quantum creatures from him. As Michael helps to ease the man's torment, he catches a glimpse of a woman (who looks just like Peaches) watching him from the substratum, but he looks again and she's gone. After the police take away the now-calm man, Michael walks outside as Glimmer and we see that New York City is crawling with a growth of evil creatures of the substratum. As he walks down the street, Glimmer sees the woman again and runs toward her, but she disappears before he catches up to her. Michael goes to Mercy and asks that she bring him to someone who knows more about the Quantum substratum. Mercy takes Michael underground to The Bowels of the city to talk to Salvage. Salvage says he has heard about people who walk the substratum that have lost the ability to make the transition back to the real world. Just then, the woman appears, but is taken away by nightnaughts. Glimmer follows into her, but it is a trap leading to Chasm--the woman is just a shape shifting Plaguer! Evil creatures converge on Glimmer, but he holds his own against them, and only stops fighting when Chasm threatens Mercy's life. With Skinner holding a knife to mercy's throat, Glimmer returns to the real world and is knocked out by Clunk and Skewer. With Michael knocked out, Clunk and Skewer hurl him into a steampit...and certain death.

Issue #2 (November 1993)
Haunts of the Very Rich pt2 - "Let There Be Light!"
Dark Dominion #2

Written By: Len Wein
Penciled By: Joseph A. James
Inked By: Steve Leialoha
Painted By: Tim Perkins
Lettered By: George Roberts
Edited By: Deborah Purcell & Ed Polgardy
Cover By: Joseph A. James & Mike Witherby
Heroes: Michael Alexander/Glimmer
Villains: Chasm, Skinner, Clunk, Skewer
Supporting Characters: Mercy, Leper, Peeper
My Rating: 7 (out of 10)
Synopsis: Deep beneath Grand Central station, Michael Alexander has been hurled into a steampit by Chasm and his henchmen. After Chasm, Clunk, Skinner and Skewer leave with Mercy; Glimmer climbs out of the pit. Michael had not been unconscious, and changed to his Quantum form as he fell. Changing back to the real world, Michael becomes sick and vomits at the thought of the human remains and atrocities he saw at the bottom of the pit while he was on the Quantum plane. As Michael tries to figure out what Chasm will do with Mercy, Leper happens by and offers help in finding Mercy. Leper and Michael visit Peeper, who knows a lot about The Bowels and finds out that Chasm & his cronies took Mercy above. Unable to locate Mercy, Michael returns to his apartment and sees a news report that a new skyscraper built by Charles Mal was opening…Michael is shocked to see that Charles Mal is known to him as Chasm!

Issue #3 (December 1993)
Haunts of the Very Rich pt3 - "A Man's Home..."
Dark Dominion #3

Plotted By: Jim Shooter, Len Wein, Joe James & Janet Jackson
Written By: Len Wein (uncredited by mistake)
Penciled By: Joe James
Inked By: Bob Downs
Painted By: Tim Perkins
Lettered By: George Roberts
Edited By: Deborah Purcell & Ed Polgardy
Cover By: Joseph A. James, Mike Witherby & Janet Jackson
Heroes: Michael Alexander/Glimmer
Villains: Chasm, Skinner, Clunk, Skewer, Muriel Powers, Cutback
Supporting Characters: Mercy, Leper, Peeper
My Rating: 9 (out of 10)
Synopsis: Michael returns to the bowels and tells Leper that he's going after Mercy, who he figures is inside Mal Tower. Inside, Glimmer confronts Chasm who burns him with hellfire projectiles. Michael returns to the normal plane where the fire doesn't affect him, and is promptly beaten unconscious by Clunk and Skinner. Chasm has Clunk, Skinner and Skewer dump Michael back in the Bowels and rough up some of the other residence to set an example. Back in his apartment, Michael laments his overdue bills and when he turns into Glimmer, he sees demons of doubt getting the better of him. A Hollywood studio calls, interested in optioning his book, Dark Dominion, into a film and requesting a meeting. Michael gets on a plane, but figures out that Chasm arranged the whole thing in order to get him out of New York. Returning to New York, Michael gathers all of Mercy's friends together and convinces them to get Mercy as a group. At Mal Tower, security men are waiting and Cutback gives Michael one of Mercy's fingers with a threat that Skinner will snip them all off if they do not leave. Michael turns into Glimmer and finds Skinner as he's about to cut off a third finger. Michael fights Skinner--alternating between the Quantum plane and the real work--and eventually knocks him out. Michael and the group confront Charles Mal, who disappears after his goons run off. Before leaving the tower, the group takes a detour to the executive dining area and has a feast.

Issue #4 (January 1994)
Foxhunt pt1 - "Bad Moon Rising"
Dark Dominion #4

Plotted By: Jim Shooter, Janet Jackson & Philip Nutman
Penciled By: Charlie Adlard
Inked By: Keith S. Wilson
Painted By: Oclair
Lettered By: George Roberts
Edited By: Deborah Purcell & Ed Polgardy
Cover By: Charlie Adlard & Mike Witherby
Heroes: Michael Alexander/Glimmer, Nudge & Louise Johnson (from The Good Guys)
Villains: Chasm, Skinner, Mule
Supporting Characters: Elephant
My Rating: 5 (out of 10)
Synopsis: At the Port Authority Bus Terminal, Nudge emerges from a dimensional veil, but runs away when she hears everyone's thoughts in her mind. Chasm gets word that Nudge is in town and he orders his demons to bring her to him. Likewise, Mule hears from a spy that Chasm is after someone, so Mule figures she's of value and goes after her also. After being mugged in an alley, Nudge is taken to a hospital. Ellie McDonald tells Michael that she was brought to the homeless shelter, but wandered outside and was picked up by a limousine. Michael investigates at the shelter and finds out from a demon that it was Skinner who picked up the girl. In a midtown hotel, Chasm takes a peak at her id for information. He sees passion in her for War Dancer, but is cut off when demons sent by Mule begin to attack him. The demons distract Chasm while some men manipulated by Mule take Nudge. Chasm knows that Nudge has the secrets of ultimate power, and plans a trip to California then has Skinner mobilize some men for help in getting the woman back. While Skinner and his men make their way to Mule's underground lair, Chasm and an army of demons do the same. Glimmer gets to Nudge after Skinner incapacitates Mule's men and Glimmer knocks out Skinner. Michael brigs Nudge to Bellevue Hospital, but the next day when Mrs. Johnson arrives looking for her, they find that Nudge has left the hospital.

Issue #5 (February 1994)
Family Skeletons pt1 - "Things That Go Bump In The Night"
Dark Dominion #5

Written By: Len Wein
Penciled By: Joe James
Inked By: Mike Witherby
Painted By: Tim Perkins
Lettered By: George Roberts
Edited By: Ed Polgardy
Cover By: Joseph A. James, Jim & Janet Jackson
Heroes: Michael Alexander/Glimmer
Villains: Lurk
Supporting Characters: Mercy, The Puritan
My Rating: 9 (out of 10)
Synopsis: A woman named Rachel Cooper waits for Michael Alexander at McDonalds and asks him to find her missing 5-year-old daughter, Sarah. When Michael asks Mercy about a creature that would snatch a girl from her closet, Mercy tells him that it's Lurk, who feeds on the fears of Children. Meanwhile, at the Port Authority bus terminal, a religious man calling himself "The Puritan" and his son Judah get off a bus and enter a blind alley following the moans of a helpless man. It's a trap, but The Puritan fires energy bolts from his walking stick that incinerates three would-be muggers where they stand. At the Cooper house, Michael checks out Sarah's room and finds thick roots of growth as well as a Shadow Lurker hiding under the bed. The room has known an unspeakable evil. In the closet is a small door that opens to the girl's nightmare made manifest. Michael finds Sarah sobbing…and Lurk finds Michael.

Issue #6 (March 1994)
Family Skeletons pt2 - "What Dreams May Come"
Dark Dominion #6

Plotted By: Ed Polgardy, Jim Shooter & Len Wein
Scripted By: Len Wein
Drawn By: Louis Small, Jr.
Inked By: Mike Barreiro & Bob Downs
Painted By: Tim Perkins
Lettered By: Rod Ollerenshaw
Edited By: Ed Polgardy
Cover By: Louis Small, Jr.
Heroes: Michael Alexander/Glimmer
Villains: Lurk
Supporting Characters: Mercy, The Puritan
My Rating: 9 (out of 10)
Synopsis: Glimmer tries to rescue Sarah from Lurk, but Lurk hurls him out of the Substratum (much to Michael's surprise) and the door to the nightmare disappears. Sensing that Sarah's stuffed bunny, Mr. Flopso is the key to bringing her back, Michael takes the toy and leaves. Meanwhile, The Puritan arrives at Hell's Kitchen and begins preaching to the homeless, recruiting followers. At his apartment, Michael is unsuccessfully trying to look up information about Lurk. When he changes to Glimmer, he asks aloud what strange secrets the stuffed bunny knows. Suddenly, a substratum version of Mr. Flopso comes to life and tells Glimmer about a back door to Lurk's world. He also shows Glimmer how to grab hard objects while in the substratum as well as pull hard objects into the substratum. Glimmer and Mr. Flopso make their way back to Lurk's domain where Glimmer eventually convinces Sarah to stop feeling guilty and afraid of Lurk. Lurk loses his strength and shrinks down enough for Glimmer to step on him. When Michael and Sarah return to her room, Michael confronts Sarah's father about his abusing Sarah. He turns into Glimmer and destroys a creature, then suggests that the father get some help for his problem.

Issue #7 (April 1994)
Once A Hero! pt1 - "Vexed!"
Dark Dominion #7

Written By: Len Wein
Drawn By: J.G. Jones
Inked By: Mike Barreiro
Painted By: Tim Perkins
Lettered By: Rod Ollerenshaw
Edited By: Ed Polgardy
Cover By: J.G. Jones
Heroes: Michael Alexander/Glimmer, Galahad, Peaches
Villains: Vex
Supporting Characters: Thea Hamston, Bill Hamston, Peeper, Mercy, Salvage, The Puritan
My Rating: 9 (out of 10)
Synopsis: Michael is summoned to his Publisher's office and is told that since his last book, "Dark Dominion" was a poor seller, they cannot publish his new book and make money. Michael becomes angry at the suggestion that he label his journals as science fiction rather than fact and storms out. Outside, Glimmer encounters Vex causing a mid-town Manhattan traffic jam. Vex tosses Glimmer aside and disappears before finishing the fight. Noting the increased power of some demons, Michael looks for--but can't find-Mercy. At Times Square, Mercy is listening to The Puritan preach when a substratum demon suddenly appears and attacks The Puritan. Using his walking stick, The Puritan fires an energy bolt and kills the demon. This impresses Mercy who pledges to follow The Puritan. In The Bowels, Glimmer runs across Peaches and at her suggestion follows her deeper into the Bowels to Galahad. Galahad has is suffering from serious wounds he got while battling in the substratum, and he asks Glimmer to be his successor. Despite his weakness, Galahad starts teaching Glimmer some of the secrets of the substratum. Galahad starts by warping great distances in the Quantum Plane. Because the demons of the Dark Dominion have started striking the hard world, Galahad asks Glimmer to be his successor. Glimmer accepts, then takes his leave.

Issue #8 (May 1994)
Once A Hero! pt2 - "Repent Ye Wicked!"
Dark Dominion #8

Written By: Len Wein
Pencilled By: J.G. Jones
Inked By: Mike Barreiro
Painted By: Tim Perkins
Lettered By: Agnes Pinaha
Edited By: Debbie Fix
Cover By: J.G. Jones
Heroes: Michael Alexander/Glimmer, Galahad, Peaches
Villains: Vex
Supporting Characters:Mercy, The Puritan
My Rating: 7 (out of 10)
Synopsis: Michael finds Mercy at the ATM machine she calls home. She tells him a little about Vex, then takes him to meet The Puritan. When Mercy introduces Michael, The Puritan calls him "the chosen one" but Michael rejects the praise and asks what The Puritan is doing. The Puritan says that he had visions of apocalypse and a great warrior who will dance away the world. When The Puritan and his flock become more persistent that Michael save them, Michael phases to the substratum to get away from everyone and is surprised that The Puritan can see him. Glimmer goes to the bowels to see Galahad and discovers Vex and the Vexlings attacking. After the Vexlings are taken care of, Vex disappears. Galahad gives Glimmer no answers about The Puritan and substratum creatures in the hard world, then he and Peaches go to Avalon so he can recover from battle. Later that night, Michael visits The Puritan at his Hell's Kitchen camp. As Michael talks with The Puritan, the camp is attacked by Vex, who is fully manifested on the hard world. Michael starts attacking the Vexlings while The Puritan uses his walking stick and wildly fires energy bolts. As part of a wall come tumbling down, Michael saves Mercy but hurts his arm. Vex finally disappears after an onslaught from The Puritan, but Judah is discovered badly hurt under some rubble. The Puritan asks Michael to heal his son and when Michael says he can't, The Puritan becomes angry.

Issue #9 (June 1994)
Once A Hero! pt3 - "Hell Hath No Fury!"
Dark Dominion #9

Written By: Len Wein
Pencilled By: J.G. Jones
Inked By: Mike Barreiro
Painted By: Su McTeigue
Lettered By: Clem Robins
Edited By: Pauline Weiss
Cover By: J.G. Jones, Su McTeigue & Mikellner
Heroes: Michael Alexander/Glimmer
Villains: Vex, Mule, The Puritan
Supporting Characters: Mercy
My Rating: 7 (out of 10)
Synopsis: The Puritan attacks Michael with energy bolts from his walking stick, and after being hit with one, Michael manages to warp away. Mercy give The Puritan her copy of Michael's book "Dark Dominion". After reading it, The Puritan declares Michael a devil and himself the chosen one. The next day, Michael tried to give Mercy her usual breakfast, but mercy rebuffs him and calls him a devil. Just then, a demon sent by Mule summons Glimmer to Central Park. Mule gives Glimmer some advice about not remaining on the Quantum Plane and suggests an alliance to fight The Puritan. Glimmer refuses and warps away. Back in Manhattan, Glimmer sees that The Puritan is indeed having a positive affect as the roots of growth at withering and demons are not to be seen. The sight of storm clouds gathering over the city out of an ice blue sky guides Michael downtown where The Puritan is preaching apocalypse upon the city. Michael confronts The Puritan and his god-complex while Judah, his son, agrees that violence will stop nothing. The Puritan, blind with rage, strikes down his son and fires an energy bolt at Michael. After a brief battle, The Puritan raises his walking stick high and summons lightning to strike down his enemies. A bolt of lightning strikes The Puritan and turns him into salt.

Issue #10 (July 1994)
The Way To Avalon!
Dark Dominion #10

Written By: Janet Jackson & Len Wein
Drawn By: John Ridgway
Inked By: Dave Cockrum
Painted By: Su McTeigue
Lettered By: Rod Ollerenshaw
Edited By: Pauline Weiss
Cover By: John Ridgway
Heroes: Michael Alexander/Glimmer, Nobody, Spellcaster
Villains: Mule
Supporting Characters: Styx, Thrakhal, Galahad
My Rating: 7 (out of 10)
Synopsis: Glimmer warps around the world following the trail of Galahad and searching for the mystical substratum refuge called "Avalon". While stopping for a bite to eat in Minnesota, a substratum being named Styx introduces himself and offers to ferry Glimmer across the barrier to Avalon. A magnificent city that seems to float in the sky, Avalon looks both futuristic and classical incorporating traits from all ages of man. Styx takes Glimmer to see the ruler of Avalon, Thrakahl. Thrakhal sends Glimmer on a mission to recover a box from a young man with a powerful mind. Meanwhile, Mule tries to recover the box for himself, and visits Nobody from "The Good Guys" who has the ability to walk the Quantum Plane. Outside of Disneyland, Michael Alexander retrieves the box from a homeless person, but just as he's about to open it, Spellcaster from "The Good Guys" grabs the box while Nobody jumps on Michael. Just then, several of Mule's minions attack Glimmer and Nobody while others enter the hard world and try to get the box from Spellcaster who traps them with a spell. Michael asks Nobody and Spellcaster what the box is and is told that it has the power to make wishes come true. Michael gets the boys' permission to take the box someplace safe and warps to Avalon. Michael gives the box to Thrakhal, who tosses it into a fireplace, but doesn't see Nobody take it back.

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