You're a hero. They want to give you everything. 
Strange Adventures (Volume 5) #1 is an issue of the series Strange Adventures (Volume 5) with a cover date of May, 2020. It was published on March 4, 2020.
Synopsis for "Chapter 1: They floated above the ground"
In a bookstore, Adam offers to sign a copy of his memoir "Strange Adventures" to a woman, who says the part regarding Adam's daughter resonated with her. Later that night, Alanna speaks about a morning talk show wanting Adam to make an appearance.
In the past, Adam counts down and is promptly teleported by the Zeta Beam to Rann. Alanna greets him, but all is not well. Sardath reveals the Pykkts have come to invade Rann.
After a night of passion with his wife, Adam promptly appears in the talk show. At another book signing, a man thanks Adam for his service on Rann. That night, Alanna informs Adam that he got an offer to appear for a briefing with the senators.
On Rann, Adam soars through the air, bearing witness to a large army of Pykkts who shortly fire at him. Adam shoots back without hesitation.
On a third book signing, Adam is confronted by an angry man, who claims to know about the Pykkts and demands what did Adam do on Rann. The incident gets recorded and the video goes viral the same night. Alanna is dismissive of it, but Adam is less than pleased.
Adam is shot down from the sky and is confronted by a Pykkt tank-bot, claiming that the Pykkt Empire are the true rulers of Rann and demands Adam's arrest. But the space hero isn't having any of it and proceeds to blast the tank-bot to oblivion, all the while explaining why being Rann's hero has given his life purpose.
In the present, Adam is awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Despite the incident at the bookstore, Adam is still in demand everywhere.
In the heat of battle, Adam is contacted by Sardath, who informs him that the Pykkts have invaded the capital and his family need him posthaste. Complying with the Rannian scientist, Adam flies off.
Adam offers to sign another man's copy of Strange Adventures, but the latter was preoccupied about a story regarding the angry man from the earlier incident, much to Adam's confusion. Not long after, Adam and Alanna watch the news revealing that that same man was found killed, after having his head blown right off his neck.
Adam has arrived to the capital. Sardath tells him that the city has been compromised and they must regroup elsewhere to fight another day. Alanna insists upon staying, but Adam concurs with Sardath. Alanna then asks about Aleena.
In their hotel room, Alanna is taking calls. She insists that Adam is a war hero and that none can comprehend what he has done for them. At a conference, Adam enforces that he is proud of his service on Rann and that any rumors regarding any form of misconduct and dishonor are completely false. Adam and Alanna fly through the night sky as a radio interview regarding Adam's actions quickly falls apart when the subject of his daughter is brought up.
On Rann, Adam's daughter Aleena also wishes not to leave the capital, but Adam reassures her that it'll only be for a little while and that her protection is their top priority.
In a rooftop, Adam hands his ray gun to someone, who asks what they're supposed to do with it. Adam bluntly expresses that the public thinks he killed the angry man, which he didn't. It turns out the someone is Batman and Adam requests that the Caped Crusader investigate him without holding back, to do what he must to establish that Adam is as clean as a whistle.
At dinner, Adam revealed to Alanna that Batman declined the offer, so Adam requested him to find someone who Adam didn't know, but who was also as smart as him, while also being tough and fair. Alanna disregards Adam's concerns, claiming that this is the Pykkts striking back.
As Rann succumbs to the wrath of the Pykkts and after a close encounter with one of them, the Strange family make it to their ship…just as the Zeta-Beam is preparing to fling Adam back to Earth. Aleena is scared again, but Adam barely manages to think of the experience as the start of a great adventure before getting warped away.
After staring aimlessly at the ceiling, Adam is alerted by Alanna that they have a visitor. After solemnly folding down a family photo of him, his wife and his daughter, Adam greets the visitor, while expressing his thanks that Batman could arrange this meeting. The visitor, addressing himself as Michael, has read Adam's book and wishes to get started right away.
Appearing in "Chapter 1: They floated above the ground"
Featured Characters:
- Adam Strange (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
- Alanna Strange (Flashback and main story)
- Aleena Strange (Flashback only)
- Batman
- Sardath (Flashback only)
Antagonists:
- Pykkt Empire (Flashback only)
- Murder Men (Flashback only)
Other Characters:
- Janice (Voice)
- Mister Terrific (Cameo)
Locations:
- Earth
- Los Angeles (On a TV or computer screen)
- Washington, D.C.
- Capitol Building (Mentioned only)
- Lincoln Memorial
- National Mall
- White House (Mentioned only)
- Rann (Flashback only)
- Ranagar (Flashback only)
Items:
- Adam Strange's Ray Gun (Flashback and main story)
- Rannian Jet Pack (Flashback and main story)
- Zeta-Beam (Flashback only)
Notes
- According to Tom King, the woman who gets her book signed by Adam is the same one who got a selfie with Scott Free and Big Barda in Tom King's earlier title, Mister Miracle.
- DC references:
- One of the people in the bookstore getting Adam's signature (specifically the man thanking Adam for his service) is holding copies of Mister Miracle and The Sheriff of Babylon, both of which are also by Tom King and Mitch Gerads.
- Similarly, the man who yells at Adam is wearing a Black Canary shirt. Specifically, the logo is from Dinah's fourth volume.
Trivia
- The existence of this series was foreshadowed twice. The first time was at the end of Mister Miracle #12, which had Scott wearing an Adam Strange shirt. The second time was in Heroes in Crisis #5, via [two sequential panels] that featured Adam and Mr. Terrific.
- The title of this chapter comes from an interview with real life comic book artist Carmine Infantino as he talked about the process of designing Rann.
See Also
Links and References
