Like Swedish lightning, Special Agent Woodleaf's SAAB hurtles across the sand! 
Anima #5 is an issue of the series Anima (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 1994.
Synopsis for "Wheel of Fortune"
In Death Valley, a group of Navaho Indians discuss the gods. They tell the story of an early people who lived inside the Earth, and angered the gods by boasting about their magic. The gods showed their power by allowing the people to climb to the surface world on a great ladder. Two people were left behind, an old man and an old woman. They were too weak to make the climb, and angrily insisted that everyone else would return to the Earth with them someday. The Navaho also tell of the Tsanati, guardians of the gate to the underworld. The Tsanati are mythical beings who constantly dance to keep the gates closed. The old Navaho storyteller reminds her listeners that there are many gates, and gates swing both ways.
It is shown that the superconducting supercollider in Nevada contains such a gate. The facility begins to reach critical, and security guards see the Tsanati dancing. The Tsanati fall prey to a giant web, and all of the scientists are knocked unconscious.
Anima continues to fly over the desert until the energy she stole from Maxilla wears off. This makes her woozy, and she falls from the skies into a Navaho camp. The Indian's leader, Pete, tells her that she is the prophesied Gateway Woman and he can explain her purpose.
Kyle Woodleaf also drives towards them, chasing the dimensional rift. Maxilla meets Jeremy Mason at the airport, who is unaware that his mother and sister fled her custody. She tells Jeremy that his sister is sick and very dangerous. He agrees to participate in her experiments if it will help Courtney.
Anima wakes up at the reservation, where Pete explains that his people believe names are very sacred. Their name is connected to the spirit world, and it is endangered by the Nameless One. Even the Nameless One has a name, and it is very powerful.
Back in Rain City, the Boojum gang consider their next move. Pockets finds tickets in his pocket, although he insists that he didn't steal them. He tells the group that sometimes items appear in his pockets he didn't place there, and sometimes items disappear when he put them there. Slam and Judy agree to keep Liv's secret that she is HIV-positive. Alison and Dred suggest moving on, but they are reluctant to leave Anima behind wherever she is.
The supercollider begins to have a meltdown, as the fusion chamber breaches and the crack between worlds grows wider. The scientists are possessed by creatures from the collective unconscious, turning them into various evil fictional scientists.
Dwight Mason wallows in his alcoholism and attempts to call his son. Maxilla does not pick up the phone, ignoring him. Dwight looks through his pictures and decides to call on his old friend Cady.
Kyle Woodleaf drives through Indian country, stopping to ask residents if they've seen Courtney Mason. This trip leads him to a casino, where he sees a vision about the fusion chamber. Realizing it must be in danger, he leaves abruptly and donates his winnings to the charity Special Agents Against AIDS.
The Navaho teach Anima about her powers. Pete explains that she can draw energy directly from the spirit world, and does not need to drain humans unless she wants to. They help her bond with Animus, making her able to use his full powers instead of fighting them. Anima and Animus truly become one.
Anima and Woodleaf both travel to the fusion chamber. Anima bursts through the walls to fight the Nameless One, as he attempts to bring his army into the physical world. The Nameless One mocks Anima as she fights her way through his controlled scientists. They race against time as the chamber nears meltdown. Anima realizes she can break his control on reality if she cuts the Tsanati loose from their webs. Their is a giant vortex into the Arkana, and Anima is sucked into it. Kyle Woodleaf arrives just in time to see this, and he leaps in after her. The scientists, returned to their normal selves, shut down the chamber seconds before it would explode.
Appearing in "Wheel of Fortune"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Animus
- Boojum
- Dwight Mason
- Jeremy Mason
- O.D.D.
- Pockets
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Archai
- Storyteller (First appearance)
- Cady (In a photograph only)
- Dr. Jekyll (possessed scientist)
- Dr. Moreau (possessed scientist)
- Evelyn Meary (scientist)
- Hugo (Maxilla's cat)
- Janet (security guard)
- Murray (security guard)
- Navaho Indians
- Billy (Single appearance)
- Pete (Single appearance)
- Norman Hill (scientist)
- Tsanati (guardians of the underworld)
Locations:
- California
- Tellus International Airport
- Nevada
- Death Valley
- Nevada Superconducting Supercollider
- Rain City
- Mercy Hospital
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is heavily Elvis-themed. There are several Elvis songs featured, and references to Elvis made. Elvis appears as the narrator at the end of the story, having returned to Earth from the Arkana.
Trivia
- Anima says that the Tsanati are like Frodo caught in Shelob's web. This is a reference to The Lord of the Rings before the movies came out, which is kind of cool.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Anima Recommended Reading
- Anima (Volume 1)
- Bloodlines
- Titans: The Fickle Hand