Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S. #1 is an issue of the series Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S. (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 2013. It was published on October 30, 2013.
Synopsis for "Issues of Trust"
Six years ago, Steve Trevor had been flying over the ocean in a violent lightning storm, recalling his father's warnings that trust is a dangerous thing. He had been sent to these coordinates in order to find a downed aircraft, but he had seen no sign of any wreckage. As an airman, Steve had been forced to put trust in the crews of people who kept him in the air - but sometimes, trust in so many people could get a man killed. On that night, he was hit by a bolt of lightning, and his plane also went down. He was sure he would die until he caught sight of the island, and made an emergency crash landing. He had barely landed - barely survived landing - when he met her: Diana.
Now, Steve is jolted awake suddenly by an adrenaline shot to the heart, administered by Etta Candy. Unsure of how he got there, he refuses her suggestion that he rest and demands a uniform, a side-arm, and some coffee.
Later, Etta explains that things are bad. Much of the Washington, D.C. headquarters has been destroyed and its employees scattered to the winds. He had appeared outside the building unexpectedly, and Steve recalls that he had been sent there by Zatanna in order to protect him from the threat of the Crime Syndicate. Steve insists that the Justice League needs A.R.G.U.S.'s help, and demands that a team be mobilized. Etta warns, though, that someone released a list of every A.R.G.U.S. agent to the public that morning. Since then, super-villains have been targeting those agents, and many have been killed. Unfortunately, besides her, Steve, Dale Gunn in Detroit, Dr. Stone at the Red Room, and the twelve remaining agents in Washington, there is nobody left.
Soon after explaining this, Etta and Steve are disturbed to receive a transmission from the Crime Syndicate, as the weapons of the Justice League are distributed among the Secret Society of Super-Villains, and it is announced that the league is dead.
Five years ago, Steve had brought Diana back to the United States to meet the president, and gain recognition as an ambassador for Themyscira. Steve was surprised, though, when he was called away by the President without Diana.
Against Etta's advice, Steve prepares to go to the Society by himself and make them tell him what they did to the League. Etta warns that A.R.G.U.S. needs his leadership. Steve is insistent on saving the League, but he is frustrated that the Crime Syndicate's signal has knocked out almost all of their electronics. The few remaining electronics are able to receive a broken transmission warning that Deathstroke is attacking the White House. Given that the president has the A.R.G.U.S. Key, Steve decides that they must focus their attention on saving the president and acquiring the key before following through on his mission.
At his meeting, five years ago, the president asked Steve just how much he trusted Wonder Woman. The world had changed since she and the Justice League fought off Darkseid and the Parademons. Steve stated unequivocally that he trusted Diana implicitly - but his answers began to become more flimsy as the president asked about the other six members of the League. The president explained that he did not trust the League. He didn't know enough about them. To that end, he had greenlit the formation of A.R.G.U.S. - a research group meant to unite Superhumans with the US Government - while spying on them. He had chosen Steve to lead that organization. Should the Justice League fail, it would fall to Steve and A.R.G.U.S. to be the first line of defence for mankind.
At the White House, Steve leads his men inside in search of the President, but they are attacked by Shadow Thief and the rest of Deathstroke's team. Confronting Slade on his own, Steve demands to know where the president is, recalling how he had once trusted Slade with his life, and learned that he was wrong to. Deathstroke offers no substantive response, but to leap at him with sword raised.
Elsewhere, Etta receives word that Steve's signal has flatlined. She has little time to grieve for him, though, as a blinding light fills the remains of the A.R.G.U.S. building. That light settles into the shape of a man, who demands to know what has been done to him.
Appearing in "Issues of Trust"
Featured Characters:
- A.R.G.U.S.
- Steve Trevor (Flashback and main story)
- Etta Candy
Supporting Characters:
- Diana of Themyscira (Flashback only)
- Madame Xanadu (Flashback only)
- Zatanna (Flashback only)
Antagonists:
- Secret Society of Super-Villains
- Shadow Thief
- Deathstroke
- Copperhead
- Cheetah (On a TV or computer screen)
- Hyena (On a TV or computer screen)
- Doctor Phosphorus (On a TV or computer screen)
- Hector Hammond (On a TV or computer screen)
- Hugo Strange (On a TV or computer screen)
- Black Mask (On a TV or computer screen)
- Deadshot (On a TV or computer screen)
- Mammoth (On a TV or computer screen)
- Crime Syndicate
- Ultraman (Flashback only)
- Superwoman (Flashback only)
- Power Ring (Flashback only)
- Owlman (In a photograph only)
- Johnny Quick (On a TV or computer screen)
- Atomica (On a TV or computer screen)
Other Characters:
- Blockbuster (Cover only)
- Dale Gunn (Cover only)
- Killer Frost (Cover only)
- Arthur Light
- Plastique (Cover only)
- Scarecrow (Cover only)
- Signalman (Cover only)
- Superman (Flashback only)
Locations:
- Themyscira (Flashback only)
- United States of America
- Washington, D.C.
- White House (Flashback and main story)
- A.R.G.U.S. Headquarters (Destroyed)
- Washington, D.C.
- Greece
- Athens
- Temple of Hephaestus (Flashback only)
- Athens
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in Forever Evil: A.R.G.U.S..
See Also