Before reading, please read Strangers #4.

Strangers: A New Twist #5
September, 1998

Demolition Derby

Written by Lex
Created by Steve Englehart
Property of Malibu Comics

High above San Francisco floats Yrial. She's "sitting" on the air with
her legs crossed. She's in communication with her Chieftain. There is
a projection of his head floating in front of her.

"…and then the human's law enforcement officials took The Chill away."

"Thank you for your report, Yrial. I'm glad your magik was able to get
through to me. This must mean that the StarFoam is calming down. But,
unfortunately, I think it will still be a few months before it is back
to normal."

"How much longer must I endure this pathetic existence with these
Strangers?"

"I want you to stay for a long time. It will be a good learning
experience for you, Yrial. And you might even make friends with these
Strangers."

"If you wish, my Chieftain."

"I look forward to your next report." The Chieftain's image fades away.

With a deep sigh Yrial looks down at the city. She sees something
unusual happening. "Hmm…I should probably contact the Strangers so they
can deal with it." Yrial closes her eyes and concentrates her magik.
She creates an image of herself in the headquarters of The Strangers,
where they are all gathered.

"Your city is in trouble again."

"Don't show so much enthusiasm, Beanpole," says Zip-Zap. "What's up?"

"Three very large men are heading towards the Golden Gate Bridge. They
are leaving a large path of destruction in their wake so it doesn't look
so good for the Bridge."

"Thanks for informing us, Yrial," says Atom Bob.

"Whatever."

***

Three men walk through the Golden Gate National Park. They are headed
for The Golden Gate Bridge. All three look like very strong men. The
one in front is the smallest (but an average height for a normal
person). He is wearing a sleeveless, leather jacket and blue jeans. He
has his blonde hair in a Mohawk.

The person behind him is a large man in a blue and dark green costume.
Over his right shoulder he carries a chain with a large wrecking ball
attached to it.

Trailing behind them is the largest of the men. All he wears are jean
shorts and a brown vest. The man has dark gray skin and two horns
sticking out of his head where his shoulder-length, brown hair parts.

"Can ya explain to me what we're doing one more time, Billy?" asks the
large guy with the horns.

“Okay, Rhino,” says the man with the Mohawk. You, me and Crusher are
gonna trash the Golden Gate Bridge. And don’t call me ‘Billy!’ My name
is Bulldozer!”

“Okay…but why are we gonna trash the Bridge?” asks Rhino.

“For kicks,” says Crusher. “Just like when we were kids. Remember how
we would go out and trash the neighborhood?”

“Oh yeah, that was fun. And we never got caught. Mom and Dad though it
was some punks from the other side of town.”

“Exactly,” says Bulldozer. “The only difference now is that we’ve got
these ultra powers. Now we can cause destruction on a much grander
scale. Now we are the DEMOLITION SQUAD!”

A few minutes later they reach the Golden Gate Bridge.

“Okay boys,” says Bulldozer with a big grin. “It’s show time.”

“I don’t think so,” says Lady Killer. The three men turn around and see
all seven Strangers. “I want to know who you clowns are and what your
intentions are towards the Bridge.”

“Who we are?” starts Bulldozer. “We are the Demolition Squad. We were
on the cable car with you when the lightning, or ‘Jumpstart’ that you
called it on the news, hit us. The three of us are brothers and all
three of us got strength powers. Me, I can change my arms into ultra
strong metal.” Bulldozer demonstrated by transforming his arms like he
just said.

“Now me,” says Crusher. “I’m Crusher and I have ultra strength, plus I
can take complete control of any one object I choose. And I chose this
wrecking ball and chain.” As demonstration Crusher throws the ball down
into the park where they came from. The wrecking ball crashes though
ten or twenty trees when he says “Stop!” and it comes to a complete stop
right there in mid-air. “Return.” The wrecking ball flies back towards
him. And he grabs the chain as it’s about to fly right past him. He
looks at Rhino and says, “Your turn.”

“Hi, I’m Rhino,” says Rhino with an innocent smile.

“He’s our youngest brother,” says Bulldozer. “Only 12. Besides ultra
strength, he has thick gray skin like a rhino plus rhino-like horns on
top of his head.”

“His head always WAS pointed,” snickers Crusher.

“Enough if this,” yells Grenade. “You’re not destroying the Bridge
while The Strangers are here!”

“Well we’ll just have to take care of that won’t we,” says Bulldozer
with an evil grin.

“Slam ‘em Strangers!” yells Zip-Zap as he starts running around Crusher
super fast, creating a mini-tornado.

Before he is lifted off the ground, Crusher sticks out his ball and
chain and Zip-Zap runs right into it and falls to the ground, clutching
his chest.

“Wait!” yells Lady Killer. “None of us have ultra strength. How are we
going to handle these guys?”

“I don’t need ultra strength,” says Grenade. “I can handle them just
fine.” He runs and blasts shrapnel in Bulldozer’s face, temporarily
blinding him.

“That’s not gonna work long,” says Electrocute. “We need a better
plan.”

“I think I’ve got one,” says Atom Bob. “I’m gonna try something new.”
Atom Bob turns his power on himself and changes his physical structure
from flesh and bone into pure diamond. “This oughta work.” Bob runs
out to the fight and punches Rhino in the jaw. Rhino flies through the
air for about ten feet. “Hey, it worked.”

“Ok, that’ll give us some time,” says Lady Killer to Electrocute,
Spectral, Yrial, and Zip-Zap (who just got up and joined them). “Candy,
I want you to blast them with your electricity. That should take them
out. But so you’re protected I want Dave to use his purple flame as
protection for you.”

“Sounds good.”

“And Yrial, can you use your magik to disorient them enough for us to
take them out?”

“I suppose, but I don’t know how long it will last.”

“Alright, we’ve got our strategy so now let’s take them out. Leon if
you will please?”

“SLAM ‘EM STRANGERS!”

What wonders a little organization can do. Electrocute blasts Rhino and
Crusher with a vast amount of electricity. Bulldozer tries to save them
by punching Electrocute with his metal fists. He is stopped by Spectral
who turns up his purple flame and creates a purple force field around
Electrocute.

Yrial casts a disorientation spell on Bulldozer and Atom Bob runs up to
him and gives him one good punch, knocking him out.

“AAAHHH!!!” screams Electrocute as she falls to the ground.
“I’m…all…out…of…juice.”

But her efforts weren’t in vain. Rhino and Crusher fall to the ground
in pain from Electrocute’s blasts. Zip-Zap then runs up and ties a
strong cable around those two.

“Well it looks like a job well done Strangers,” says Atom Bob as he
transforms himself back to flesh and blood. “I was worried there for a
while. I wasn’t too sure we could handle people with ultra strength.”

“Oh of course we could handle them,” says Grenade with a confident look
on his face.

“We showed real teamwork today,” says Lady Killer. “I’m very proud to
be a Stranger.”

“Here, here,” says all of them except Yrial.

“Say, can I keep this?” asks Yrial as she uses her magik to lift
Crusher’s wrecking ball.

“Why would you want to, Beanpole?” wonders Zip-Zap.

“Well I love to…collect things. It would make this experience with you
Strangers much better for me. Would we be able to have a trophy room?
And can I be in charge of it?”

“I don’t see why not,” says Lady Killer.

“Anything to keep you happy,” mutters Grenade.

“Thank you.”

NEXT ISSUE: Do you have a death wish? You don’t? Well, you will!
Hahahahahahaha!

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