Number of the Beast Vol 1 1

"Verse One: To Raise Up": Somewhere in America, a mysterious containment project run by the USAF has just gained a new inmate - the still-living remains of the High, a renowned superhero who has been dead for years. After putting him into the system, the

"Verse One: To Raise Up"
Number of the Beast Vol 1 #1
June, 2008
Publisher	WildStorm Productions
Executive Editor	Jim Lee
Cover Artists	Chris Sprouse Karl Story
Verse One: To Raise Up
Writers	Scott Beatty
Pencilers	Chris Sprouse
Inkers	Karl Story
Colorists	Jonny Rench
Letterers	Saida Temofonte
Editors	Kristy Quinn Ben Abernathy
Next Issue	Number of the Beast # 2

This is how the world ends...

— The Eidolon

Number of the Beast #1 is an issue of the series Number of the Beast (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 2008. It was published on April 9, 2008.

Synopsis for "Verse One: To Raise Up"

Somewhere in America, a mysterious containment project run by the USAF has just gained a new inmate - the still-living remains of the High, a renowned superhero who has been dead for years. After putting him into the system, the two airmen who act as wardens for the facility sit down to observe events in an unnamed city.

In the City, Engine Joe has been rudely awakened by an alien invasion. Rushing into battle, he meets his team-mates, Aeronaut, Thrush, Falconette, and Wallflower. The heroes are part of a team called the Paladins, whose headquarters are on Palatine Hill. In various parts of the City, Johnny Ray-Gun and the Midnight Rider are fighting robbers in zoot suits, Neandra is fighting the Stinkbug, the Black Anvil is handling aliens from the invasion, and Mago and Tumbleweed are fighting the criminal speedster Hotfoot. Engine Joe saves a little old lady from getting run over in a car accident - only for her to be struck by a falling flying saucer. Since it is almost dawn, the Paladins decide to have breakfast.

As the city wakes, newspapers credit Aeronaut with defeating the aliens. In a diner, Engine Joe is bothered that he isn't very bothered about the dead old woman. Mago attempts to encourage his friend to cheer up, before the group is approached by Eidolon, who tells them that "he's coming back. Things will change now. It won't always be the same." Out of embarrassment, Engine Joe takes him outside, but the diner is suddenly attacked by the villainous Doctor Sin and his deadly Sin-Bot, who demands all the palladium in the team's headquarters, or he will kill innocent bystanders.

Suddenly, people around the city begin vanishing in white light. The Paladins assume that Doctor Sin is to blame. However, one of the two airmen has just pressed a large button on their console, which is labeled "Rapture"...

Appearing in "Verse One: To Raise Up"

Featured Characters:

• The Paladins (First appearance)
  • Redeemer (First appearance)
  • Aeronaut (First full appearance)
  • Black Anvil (First full appearance)
  • Engine Joe (First full appearance)
  • Mago the Magician (First full appearance)
  • Midnight Rider (First full appearance)
  • Neandra (First full appearance)
  • Johnny Ray-Gun (First appearance)
  • Thrush (First appearance)
    • Falconette (First appearance)
  • Tumbleweed (First appearance)
  • Wallflower (First full appearance)

Supporting Characters:

• The Eidolon
• The High

Antagonists:

• The Saucerlings from Saturn's Moon (Single appearance)
• Hotfoot (First full appearance)
• Stinkbug
• Doctor Sin

Other Characters

• Captain Rosado
• Sergeant Timothy Stringer
• The Mite (Cameo)
• The Petrified Girl (Cameo)
• Private Warr (Cameo)
• Urumi (Cameo)
• The Authority (Behind the scenes)
• StormWatch Prime (Behind the scenes)

Locations:

• Wildstorm Universe
  • Number of the Beast Bunker #1
    • The City

Items:

• 
  

Vehicles:

• Sin-Bot
  

Notes

• This comic also contains a preview for "Jack Hawksmoor: The Secret History of the Authority".
• One of the airmen mentioned "what happened to Bunker Four," which is a reference to the Reaper bunker's destruction in Wildstorm: Revelations #6.

Trivia

• Doctor Sin refers to the Paladins' supply of a priceless alloy called "palladium". Although Palladium does exist in the real world, it is an element, not an alloy, and it is named for the Greek goddess Pallas Athena.

See Also

• Cover gallery for the Number of the Beast series
• Images from Number of the Beast Vol 1 1

Recommended Reading

• StormWatch #48
• StormWatch #49
• StormWatch #50

Links and References

• wildstormresource

World's End Trilogy Crossover The events from this issue or series are related to the "World's End Trilogy". This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the World's End Trilogy Crossover category. Wildstorm: Armageddon Midnighter: Armageddon #1 • Welcome to Tranquility: Armageddon #1 • Wetworks: Armageddon #1 • Gen 13: Armageddon #1 • Stormwatch: Post Human Division: Armageddon #1 • Wildcats: Armageddon #1 Wildstorm: Revelations Wildstorm: Revelations #1 • Wildstorm: Revelations #2 • Wildstorm: Revelations #3 • Wildstorm: Revelations #4 • Wildstorm: Revelations #5 • Wildstorm: Revelations #6 Number of the Beast Number of the Beast #1 • Number of the Beast #2 • Number of the Beast #3 • Number of the Beast #4 • Number of the Beast #5 • Number of the Beast #6 • Number of the Beast #7 • Number of the Beast #8