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Section Zero (comics)
Encyclopedia
Section Zero is an American comic book
series, published in 2000 by Gorilla Comics
, a minor comic book
company that also acted as an imprint
of Image Comics
. It was written by Karl Kesel
with artwork provided by Tom Grummett
.
The series featured a fiction
al covert organization working for the United Nations
. Their mission being the investigation and containment of unexplained phenomena from around the world.
At its start Section Zero was intended to be an ongoing series
, but due to financial problems experienced by Gorilla Comics, only three issues were published.
Gorilla Comics was intended to be a creator owned company financed by a comics related website, eHero.com.. The website proved to be a financial failure, leaving the creators to personally finance their own books. Along with the other Gorilla Comics creators, Kesel and Grummett attempted to continue the series they started, but these efforts proved to be unsuccessful.
n country Siatok, Sam Wildman, Titania Challenger and Tesla recruit him onto Section Zero.
Shortly after returning to the abandoned Air Force base
that serves as Section Zero's HQ, the team is sent to investigate a series of livestock killings in Australia
. After they leave, A. J. Keeler contacts the Ghost Soldiers and orders them to follow.
that ends when it drags Titania Challenger though a portal shaped like a ring of fire.
. There they face the forces of the Rat King. After defeating their foes, the team is confronted by the Ghost Soldiers.
American comic book
An American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
series, published in 2000 by Gorilla Comics
Gorilla Comics
Gorilla Comics was a short-lived American comic book imprint launched in 2000 by creators Kurt Busiek, Tom Grummett, Stuart Immonen, Karl Kesel, Barry Kitson, George Pérez, Mark Waid, and Mike Wieringo...
, a minor comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
company that also acted as an imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
of Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
. It was written by Karl Kesel
Karl Kesel
Karl Kesel is an American comics writer and inker whose works have primarily been under contract for DC Comics...
with artwork provided by Tom Grummett
Tom Grummett
Thomas "Tom" Grummett is a Canadian comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work as penciller on titles such as The New Titans, The Adventures of Superman, Superboy, Power Company, Robin, New Thunderbolts and Heroes.During his run on The Adventures of Superman, Grummett and...
.
The series featured a fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al covert organization working for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. Their mission being the investigation and containment of unexplained phenomena from around the world.
At its start Section Zero was intended to be an ongoing series
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
, but due to financial problems experienced by Gorilla Comics, only three issues were published.
Gorilla Comics was intended to be a creator owned company financed by a comics related website, eHero.com.. The website proved to be a financial failure, leaving the creators to personally finance their own books. Along with the other Gorilla Comics creators, Kesel and Grummett attempted to continue the series they started, but these efforts proved to be unsuccessful.
Publication history
The three issues of Section Zero that were published were dated June 2000, July 2000 and September 2000. A fourth issue was solicited, but was never published.Characters
- Sam Wildman the team's field leader.
- Dr. Titania Challenger the last living member of a family of scientific adventurers. She is also Sam Wildman's ex-wife.
- Tesla a childlike alien who pilots the team's flying saucer. Tesla has no memory of his life before he began working for Section Zero.
- Thom Talesi an American teenager of AsiaAsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n decent. Tom has a magical tattooTattooA tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
that allows him to transform into an insect like being for a twenty-four hour period.
- A. J. Keeler the group's leader. Keeler secretly also leads the Ghost Soldiers, a second covert group that may or may not be working against the best interests of Section Zero.
- Sargasso a reptilian being who worked for Section Zero in the 1960s and 1970s only to be found in the present.
Issue #1
After rescuing Thom Talesi from a murderous mob in the Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
n country Siatok, Sam Wildman, Titania Challenger and Tesla recruit him onto Section Zero.
Shortly after returning to the abandoned Air Force base
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
that serves as Section Zero's HQ, the team is sent to investigate a series of livestock killings in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. After they leave, A. J. Keeler contacts the Ghost Soldiers and orders them to follow.
Issue #2
The team discovers and rescues Sargasso from a cave inside Ayers Rock. Not long after this they find themselves in a fight with a saber-toothed tigerSaber-toothed cat
Saber-toothed cat or Sabre-toothed cat refers to the extinct subfamilies of Machairodontinae , Barbourofelidae , and Nimravidae as well as two families related to marsupials that were found worldwide from the Eocene Epoch to the end of the Pleistocene Epoch ,...
that ends when it drags Titania Challenger though a portal shaped like a ring of fire.
Issue #3
Attempting to seek the Ring of Fire, the team journeys to its last known stable location, the abandoned subway tunnels beneath New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. There they face the forces of the Rat King. After defeating their foes, the team is confronted by the Ghost Soldiers.