LASSITER IN PERIL

A few weeks ago, Dr. Lassiter, a friend to many AlertForce members and mentor to some, was brutally assaulted, apparently by a clone of the Gas Guzzler created by the DOA. Mantis rushed her to a hospital, where she is slowly recovering from a coma. Will AlertForce have its revenge on the DOA? That remains to be seen...

SCHEDULE TO THE END OF FEBRUARY

29-Jan Rox
30-Jan April
31-Jan Greg
1-Feb Bryan
2-Feb Dickie
3-Feb
4-Feb
5-Feb Paul
6-Feb Rox
7-Feb April
8-Feb Greg
9-Feb Bryan
10-Feb
11-Feb
12-Feb Dickie
13-Feb Paul
14-Feb Rox
15-Feb April
16-Feb Greg
17-Feb
18-Feb
19-Feb Bryan
20-Feb Dickie
21-Feb Paul
22-Feb Rox
23-Feb April
24-Feb
25-Feb
26-Feb Greg
27-Feb Bryan
28-Feb Dickie

WAITING FOR YOU ON YOUR ARRIVAL AT ALERTFORCE MANSION...

It's P.A.L., everyone's favorite former-AlertForce member and Programmable Automatic Lifeform. He looks at you and says:

"I've decided to rejoin AlertForce! From the headlines I've seen, it looks like you can use the help."

U.S. MILITARY ATTACKS SECRET PACIFIC ISLAND

From the National Inquirer:

Sources have reported that an ultra-secret team of supers equipped by the U.S. Military recently were spotted investigating and doing battle with unknown, possibly terrorist supers on an island in the Pacific, with unknown results, casualties, and effects.

For months, rumors have been circulating on and around the remote Pacific island of Umpapa-maumau, that an unknown force was creating and moving a legendary mobile island, spotted moving, appearing, and disappearing at various locations around the south Pacific, most within 250 nautical miles of Umpapa-maumau. Then people began disappearing, and other legends of underwater races, and giant, Godzilla like lizards began to resurface with renewed vigor.

Then, approximately a month ago, some fisherman reported seeing a black helicopter near the island, landing on a secluded beach, launching missiles and apparently attacking something.

Most recently, black, unmarked jets have been seen near Umpapa-mauau, and an unknown island was seen rising, then sinking into the sea again by not one but three passing vessels, including one Norwegian vessel filled with photojournalists and scientists on a mission for the National Geographic magazine. Although at extreme long range, they did obtain some fuzzy photographs which appear to show several people being air-dropped onto the island, followed by localized flashes of lightning and fog, and other indications of super or paranormal combat. This was followed shortly by the island slowly sinking away into the deep, before the vessels could approach for a better view. A single unmarked black jet was seen in the area by observers.

Rumors and observations such as these can only lead to the conclusion that the U.S. military is conducting experiments, and outfitting supers for reasons nefarious and unknown. The Enquirer will be following this story closely in the coming days and weeks.

BANE CORNERED

Psychologically and physically, Bane is cornered in this image. With the DOA closing in, business demands pressing on her, her mentor in a coma, her best robot buddy still M.I.A., and her feelings about AlertForce in flux, Bane's "Opal" slowly pushes to the fore...

12 TRAPPED MINERS SAVED, MINE COLLAPSE KILLS 1 ON SURFACE, ROGUE SUPER BLAMED

FROM THE UNIONTOWN HERALD-STANDARD:

A renegade super who identified himself only as "Earth" was blamed for the destruction of the Ada number 7 mine in Fayette County yesterday, as triumph and relief turned suddenly to emergency yet again.

The 12-hour saga began with a mine cave in trapping 12 miners in an uncertain location, over a mile into the mine. Rescue efforts were hampered until a squad of super-women from the Pittsburgh-based PMS team (Iron Maiden, Afterburner and Zephyr) appeared and blasted through the rock wall, found the miners, and brought them to safety.

However, shortly after the miners were rescued, a deep rumble was heard in the mine, and the entire mine suddenly and catastrophically collapsed. It was this collapse and sudden subsidence which caused damage to several homes in nearby Allison, Pennsylviana, and killed one resident, James Carbondale, a longtime resident, who was crushed under debris. No other injuries or fatalities were reported, despite severe damage to over 30 homes.

PMS member Iron Maiden told authorities that the miners had been imprisoned by a super -- some kind of mutant earth monster -- who proclaimed himself the protector of the earth, and pronounced judgment on the miners, who had "wounded" the earth. The strange being demanded that humanity stop polluting, burning, and destroying the world, lest it face his wrath. He allowed PMS to remove the miners from harm's way, but made good on his threat to destroy the mine.

Headline research reveals that approximately 10 years ago, a being matching the description of this so-called "earth monster" was seen in association with none other than AlertForce. A known environmental radical, not much more is known about this mysterious creature.

Officials from the Ada number 7 mine were not available for comment on the situation.

GIANT ATTACKS APARTMENT BUILDING, ALERTFORCE THWARTS PTA CAPTURE

FROM THE DETROIT FREE PRESS:

A 25 foot tall giant was spotted attacking the Freedom Towers apartment complex this afternoon, and police and PTA elements were quickly summoned to the scene. On arrival, the PTA secured the area and took the giant into custody, after an apparent battle of supers had left the creature incapacitated in the parking area. Witnesses indicated that the giant had been bested by an unidentified man and woman, who had battled the beast through the parking areas and into and out of the neighboring building, causing property damage and at least one casualty along the way.

Although the male and female supers who bested the giant were not to be seen, PTA officers took the giant into custody and attempted to move him to a secure incarceration facility. However, ten minutes into the trip the PTA convoy was attacked by Alertforce members identified as Green Lantern and Jurgen, late of California. The two rogue supers trashed the PTA transport, and made good an escape into the sky, with the giant in tow. Their motives and purposes in attacking the PTA remain to be determined.

ALERTFORCE HISTORY LESSON NUMBER 500

REAL NAME: Rex Razor
HERO NAME: Raxor X
POWERS: MAGNETISM (like Magneto, only not as angry, not as many henchmen, not as powerful, not as much hair...)
STORY: Rex Razor was the victim of a government conspiracy in the America of another dimension. He and a few other victims were able to escape to this dimension, where they joined AlertForce in 2001. Razor X was part of AlertForce for less than a year, during which he became increasingly eccentric, and sometimes delusional. He was convinced that there existed a sentient race of telepathic sharks, which he spent most of his time searching for. His whereabouts are currently unknown.

LEAPING LOUPER!

If you ever look up and see this coming, I'd venture a wild guess and say you are about to be on the receiving end of a martial arts attack, devastating blow, with 3 hero points spent!

ALTER EGO SPOTLIGHT: RETRO EDITION

NAME: VALERIE LAWSON
SUPERVILLAIN NAME: VIBRA
HISTORY: Valerie's father was the supervillain known as VIBRON. His powers included superspeed and vibration shock wave. VIBRON was killed in battle with AlertForce members, and his daughter, who inherited his powers, swore vengance.

WHY IS SHE WEARING A BIKINI? Because she's hot.

ALERTFORCE HISTORY LESSON AND ALTER EGO SPOTLIGHT NUMBER 896: SABRINA

NAME: Sabrina DeLeon
SUPERHERO NAME: Sabrina (original, eh?)
POWERS: Magic and Warp
TIMEFRAME: Sabrina was a member of AlertForce for a short time in the late 1980's, during the team's time in New Jersey. She left the team after being beaten by the supervillain POUNDER and traumatized by witnessing the death of the WALL at the hands of POUNDER. She drifted for a time, then became a student of the Earth's sorceror supreme, Stephen Strange. She remains an associate of "Doctor" Strange to this day. She is also friendly with Mister Mystico. The image above is from AlertForce archives, and depicts Sabrina during a Danger Room workout with Charge and Loup Garou.

MILITARY CHOPPER CRASH LANDS IN MALIBU

From the Los Angeles Times, by reporter Brock Leslie:

Yesterday afternoon, an upscale residential neighborhood in Malibu was the site of chaos and explosions, as a military prototype helicopter suffered a systems failure and crash landed on the helipad of the manse of the famous and eccentric private detective James Greywolf.

The incident occurred at approximately 4:30 pm, when government officials report the pilot of the craft detected smoke coming from an instrument panel. In a heroic effort to minimize the danger from the crash over a populated area, the pilot and his flight crew were able to maintain control of the craft (a military prototype not yet in wide use) and to spot the small residential helipad at the Greywolf mansion. Putting down there, the pilot avoided crashing into any homes or other dangerous areas. Unfortunately, just after the chopper crashed down, a full system meltdown caused a violent explosion, that resulted in the loss of the pilot and co-pilot, and one woman who had been a guest at the Greywolf estate, and who was nearby when the crash occurred. Apparently, the woman, identified as Sarah Vogel of San Diego, an oceanographer, was struck by shrapnel from the blast. The identities of the pilot and co-pilot who lost their lives have yet to be released by the government.

As to why this test flight was taking place over a residential area, why the chopper design has not been publicized, and whether this has anything to do with Greywolf or his rather famous associate, Loup Garou (who has been spotted in or near the vicinity of the crash site many times, and has been known to travel with Greywolf), no answers are forthcoming.