The Monarchy (comics) explained

The Monarchy
Schedule:Monthly
Ongoing:y
Publisher:WildStorm (imprint of DC Comics)
Date:April 2001 – May 2002
Issues:12
Superhero:y
Main Char Team:Jackson King
Christine Trelane
Condition Red
Union
Professor Q
The Metropolitan
Vox Populi
Malcolm King
Fenris
Jon Farmer
Writers:Doselle Young
Artists:John McCrea
Warren Pleece
Creators:Doselle Young
John McCrea
Tpb:Bullets Over Babylon
Isbn:1-56389-859-4
Subcat:Wildstorm Publications
Sort:Monarchy, The

The Monarchy was an American comic book series written by Doselle Young with art by John McCrea. It was published by WildStorm, an imprint of DC Comics. The series focused on ex-Stormwatch members Jackson King and Christine Trelane (formerly known as Battalion and Synergy) gathering a team of superheroes for the extra-dimensional Weavers.

Creation

The series was a spin-off of WildStorm's successful The Authority, where King and Trelane had made minor supporting appearances.[1]

Publishing history

The Monarchy was preceded by a larger appearance for the characters in The Authority #21[2] During publication, Young frequented DC's official messageboard, interacting with fans of the series.[3] The Monarchy ran for 12 issues before ending due to low sales; Young felt delays to early issues adversely affected the series' fortunes and expressed hopes of continuing the series further down the line.[1]

Plot

During a party on the Carrier with the Authority, where King is increasingly annoyed with his former teammates and their methods, the Weavers contact King and inform him that the universe as they know it is threatened by Chimaera. To combat Chimaera, King and Trelane have to gather a group of unique individuals. They accept - leaving their jobs with the United Nations as liaisons to the Authority, get married and disappear.[4] The UN orders FBI agent Morro to investigate their disappearance.[5]

Over the next few months King and Trelane gather resources; they resurrect the superhero Union, free the chaos-artist Condition Red from his imprisonment and enlist Professor Q. Next they enlist Jon Farmer, who had been a member of a previous, alternate version of the Monarchy called the Throne. Farmer had been living as a priest for years, but King and Trelane convince him to join them.[6] The team also recruits former Stormwatch member Union, resurrected as a merciless vigilante.[5] King and Trelane then obtain essential weapons: a Kheran Dream Engine and an unrevealed weapon in exchange for the spirit of Hitler, who had possessed a politician. Their next recruit is Addie Vochs, a Century Baby whose powers had been repressed by the Fever Men, evil creatures of pure thought.[7] Vochs is rejuvenated and receives her powers.[8] King then investigates the former home of Henry Bendix, a genius and one-time Stormwatch commander. He finds information on creating a powerful being by binding an ancient Native American god to the soul of a human.[9] King follows the instructions, tying the spirit of Los Angeles to the failed superhero Bram Dusk, but the resulting creature turns on King and kills him. In the end, Dusk takes control and becomes the Metropolitan.[10]

Chimaera notices the threat of the Monarchy, while the Monarchy find out what exactly Chimaera is: due to the Authority's frequent travels through the Bleed, their characteristics and aggression were imprinted on many worlds. Several alternate versions of the Authority band together and conquer other worlds, forming Chimaera, an ever-expanding empire of evil Authorities led by the Higher Power, a reptilian version of the Authority. Chimaera attacks the Throne, the base of the Monarchy. The Monarchy manages to escape thanks to Jon Farmer’s sacrifice. Trelane leads her people towards a sanatorium where Malcolm King, Jackson's younger brother, is staying. Agent Morro is questioning Malcolm, but finds Malcolm has the Kheran Dream Engine and is a member of the Monarchy. Morro suddenly starts to remember a hidden program Jackson King put in his mind: he's King's backup and has King's plans telepathically planted inside his mind. Christine arrives and greets Malcolm, while Addie Vochs calms Morro. The Monarchy regroups and opens their attack on Chimaera following the plans Jackson left in Morro's head.

Elsewhere Bendix, now allied with the Weavers, finds the spirit of Jackson King and resurrects him as a being of pure willpower. King contacts the essence of Farmer and shapes it into a sword. Bendix also reveals the secret weapon they received in return for the spirit of Hitler: Fenris, the mythological wolf of Norse myth. King, Bendix and Fenris attack Chimaera as well. Together they defeat the troops of Chimaera and Trelane leads Malcolm and Addie Vochs to combine their powers, curing Chimaera's corrupted center. Trelane recruits a young boy named Matt who has the power to create superhumans and takes the Monarchy to the Throne, a mobile world and their new headquarters.

Characters

Reception

Reviewing the Bullets Over Babylong trade paperback in 2012, Chaos McKenzie of Ain't It Cool News praised the series' vision.[11] Frank Plowright of Slings & Arrows however felt the series was a let-down compared to The Authority,[12] while Chad Evett of Comic Book Resources appreciated the series' attempts to do something different with the genre but felt let down by the ending.[3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: DC's 'The Monarchy' ends with #12 . 7 December 2001 .
  2. Book: Inside the World of Comic Books . 9781551642963 . 2007 . Black Rose Books .
  3. Web site: Reread Reviews -- the Monarchy . 5 July 2009 .
  4. WildStorm. Doselle Young. John McCrea. Garry Leach. The Authority. 1.
    1. 21
    . February 2001.
  5. WildStorm. Doselle Young. John McCrea. Garry Leach. The Monarchy. 1.
    1. 2
    . June 2001.
  6. WildStorm. Doselle Young. John McCrea. Garry Leach. The Monarchy. 1.
    1. 1
    . April 2001.
  7. WildStorm. Doselle Young. Warren Pleece. Garry Leach. The Monarchy. 1.
    1. 3
    . July 2001.
  8. WildStorm. Doselle Young. John McCrea. Garry Leach. The Monarchy. 1.
    1. 4
    . August 2001.
  9. WildStorm. Doselle Young. Dean Ormston. The Monarchy. 1.
    1. 5
    . September 2001.
  10. WildStorm. Doselle Young. John McCrea. Garry Leach. The Monarchy. 1.
    1. 6
    . October 2001.
  11. Web site: AICN COMICS: Even More Reviews For You!! - Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news . Chaos McKenzie . Aintitcool.com . 2012-02-21 . 2015-06-22.
  12. Book: The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide . 9780954458904 . 2003 . Slings & Arrows .