Eternal Champions (also known as The Eternal Champions) is a six-part story in the Eternal Champions series, first appearing in Issue 19 of Sonic the Comic. The strip acted as an introduction to the characters, although wasn't chronologically the first story in the series.
Staff[]
- Michael Cook - script
- Brian Williamson - B&W art (first 4 parts)
- Steve White - colours (first 2 parts)
- John M Burns - colours (parts 3 and 4 only)
- Bambos Georgiou - art, possibly inks (parts 3 and 4 only)
- Jon Haward - art (final two parts)
- Tom Frame - letters (first two and final two parts)
- Steve Potter - letters (parts 3 and 4 only)
Story[]
The time is 1994, the place Tokyo, Japan. Inside a tall, gleaming tower, arms dealer Nakano conrgatulates Tashida for smuggling out the Bio-Key plans from under the nose of the government. However, their meeting is interrupted when ninja Shadow Yamoto, previously considered dead, bursts through the window and kicks Tashida to the ground. As the assassin picks up the documents, Nakano orders his armed guards to kill the lone killer. However, she is no longer alone, as she is suddenly joined by the other eight Eternal Champions - nine ultimate warriors fighting across time for the soul of the future. R.A.X. Coswell is most pleased with himself, following Shadow's orders to the letter, but Jonathan Blade is less impressed by his flirting. When wizard Xavier Pendragon's magic fails to work against the armed guards, his staff proves sufficient. Jetta Maxx uses gymnastics to avoid her attackers, but when she notices Nakano fleeing, it is up to Larcen Tyler to protect her from another attack. The bloody jaw of a guard awakens the bloodlust of Midknight and causes the guards to flee, but Trident and Slash head them off. With the victory achieved for now, Yamoto realises that Bio-Key creation is now underway - the very technology responsible for The Overlord.
The nine teleport to Nakano Industries, where several waves of defences attempt to stop the Champions from gaining entry. However, these robots and soldiers are tougher than their previous foe; a contraption attached to a large robot hooks Blade, Yamoto and Slash, taking them out of the battle and into Nakano custody. Realising they are outnumbered, Larcen plans a return to Fortress Eternity to regroup, but RAX takes over the teleporter and takes them to the Cyberdome, a 2345AD gladiator-style combat arena. The team easily take out the guards and pick up some guns capable of saving their friends. Meanwhile, Nakano uses a Brain Scanner to learn what his captives know of his plans. Yamoto blocks him with her ninja mind control, Blade appears to know little of the plan and Slash's readings only show fire. Nakano orders his assistant to turn up the power, but this only results in Slash breaking out and freeing his friends. Blade mocks Slash for not having a brain and Yamoto has to break them up. Back at the Cyberdome, the heroes break into the Ammo Store but are caught by armed guards.
The six are forced into a tournament that only the winner can survive. Larcen appears to be winning his fight with Jetta, but a misogynist remark turns the tables in her favour. Back in Tokyo, the three break into the Computer Operations room and begin to search for clues towards the Bio-Key development. Things aren't going well in the Cyberdome, with Larcen panicking about dying again. The bout between Midknight and Xavier is a close one, with the wizard again preferring his staff over magick. RAX and Trident head to their fight, but a heckle from the crowd leads to RAX punching his opponent early. Trident is furious, but it was really just a distraction to attack the guards and free their teammates. Unfortunately, the real Cyber-fighters aren't happy that they've lost their place in the Dome.
The fight isn't so tough against the rookies, but the guards have managed to regroup outside the Ammo Store. RAX realises that the guns attached to the fighters are ready to use, but Midknight notes they are bio-welded to their bodies. Trident isn't bothered, ripping one gun right off the arm of a warrior. Now armed, RAX teleports the others back to Tokyo, where the other three have just managed to escape after infiltrating the Computer Operations and destroying many files on the Bio-Key. The reunited nine get ready to go back in and wipe out every piece of Bio-Key knowledge, but Nakano appears in a mech, ready to kill everyone with his Bio-Key-ready technology. The machine is capable of reacting to Nakano's thoughts alone, meaning he can launch missiles with just a glance. It is too late for the Champions!
A final brawl between good and evil erupts. The gun seems to be useless against the mech's thick armour and the warriors' martial arts skills are proving just as pointless. Nakano reveals that he plans to sell his research to world governments and international terrorists, ensuring his infamy in global warfare. Trident has had enough and forces the machine into the ocean. He is furious that Nakano boasts of war like the humans who destroyed Atlantis, so knocks him out and shoots the ship from inside, destroying it. Trident returns to the surface but is badly wounded, requiring immediate medical attention. Both Trident and Yamoto express concern about the cyber-weapon and Nakano still being around, but Jetta insists on returning to Fortress Eternity. It soon becomes clear that Nakano did survive and has discovered the Cyberdome's gun, allowing him to speed up his research into Bio-Key technology...
Trivia[]
- In the first part, Nakano has a helmet in his office. This is the mask of Red Stealth, a character from the Kid Chameleon series which was made by the same creative team.
Timeline[]
This is the first Eternal Champions story, although Reality Check occurs before this chronologically. The next story is Larson's Revenge.