Nikki St Clair was the sweetest, most talented actor in the city until she was cast in a horror show musical as the Tap Dance Killer. Now, unable to shake the role, this 1920s-esque bizarre mobster assassin is out on the streets dealing damage with a theatrical flair that leaves 'em, quite literally, slain in the aisles! These first two issues also feature the first appearance of a knockout new villain -- the murderous clown PUNCHLINE! Get a ringside seat as this menacing new hard-hitter steps into the squared circle and starts punching tickets on his revenge tour!
F
THE TiTLE OF THiS SERiES
MiGHT HAVE YOU WONDERiNG
iF THiS iS THE STORY OF A
HERO OR A VilLAiN.
THE SHORT ANSWER iS --
-- iT’S COMPLiCATED.
OKAY, NikKi, YOU
GOT TWO CHOiCES --
STAND HERE AND GET
SHOT in the asS --
-- OR TAKE A
RiDiCULOUS
LEAP OF FAiTH AND
HOPE FOR THE
BEST --
not
much of a
choice.
at least
this way I got
a shot to NOT
get shot.
OW!
OMigOd!
‘SCUSE ME,
EVERYBODY. JUST
FElL OUT OF BED!
YOU KNOW HOW
iT iS!
WHoOPS!
H-HOLD
ON, JASON!
I GOtTA CAlL
THE POLiCE!
NiCE! NOTHiNG CONSPiCUOUS
ABOUT A WOMAN HANGiN’ ON
TO A BOX-TRUCK iN PRiSON
COVERAlLS, RiGHT?
FiVE BLOCKS LATER...
SOrRY TO
BAiL ON THE
FARE, HOKE!
I’lL CATCH
YOU NEXT
TiME!
HOW
YA DOiN’?
C'MON,
BE HERE,
JONElLE!
GoOD.
f
LiFE CHANGED FOR NikKi WHEN
SHE WAS CAST iN A HOrROR SHOW
MUSiCAL TiTLED NOTHiNG LiKE
VAUDEVilLE. SHE LANDED THE
ROLE OF THE STAR AsSAsSiN!*
Don’t want
your love,
DON’T GOT
the Time!
e
I’m the Tap
Dance KilLer,
Where’s the
e
next crime?
p
ALSO iN THE SHOW'S MURDEROUS MOB WERE ACTORS ViNCENT ReED
AS THE CRiMELORD, SiR TErROR, AND KLAUS MiROGOLD AS THE
CReEPY, NECROPHiLiAC WAX MUSEUM CURATOR, FLETCHER.
WHEN WE STRike
the belL --
TerRor
Rings from Top
TO BOtTOM!
f
what is it
WE SElL?
e
v
BEATings,
mutilations,
EVEN KilLs --
WE GOT ‘EM!
e
*As told in that way
ofF-broadway sensation
APama The
Undiscovered Animal
isSues 10 & 11!
A WOMAN WHO CLAiMED
TO REPRESENT THE
MUSiCAL’S PUBLiSHiNG
COMPANY AUDiTED A
REHEARSAL aND GAVE
THE THESPiAN TRiO A
SCATHiNG REViEW --
YOU ARE THE
WORST ACTORS I'VE
EVER SeEN!
WE’RE GOiNG TO
CLOSE BEFORE WE OPEN
UNLEsS YOU THReE CAN
TURN THiS CATASTROPHE
AROUND!
I'M GiViNG
YOU ONE LAST
CHANCE!
LET’S AlL
TOAST --
-- to
MAKING IT
ReEEaAL!
THEY WERE
FOREVER
CHANGED!
THE TRiO EMBARKED ON AN AlL ToO
REAL CRiME SPReE, KiDNApPiNG
ANTOiNE BRUNEtTi -- THE CONSiGLiERE
FOR THE iNFAMOUS ROMERO MOB.
BRUNEtTi WAS MURDERED AND LEFT
ON DiSPLAY AS A WARNiNG THAT A NEW
CRiME POWER WAS TAKiNG OVER.
THE ROMEROS RETALiATED, SHOWiNG
UP AT THE THEATRE ON OPENiNG
NiGHT. ViNCENT ReED WAS SHOT --
-- BUT NikKi CAME READY. SHE DREW
LiGHTNiNG FAST, AND DUSTED THReE
OF THE GANGSTERS FROM STAGE LEFT
BEFORE ANYONE ELSE WAS HURT.
DURiNG THE MELeE A DUDE NikKi HAD RECENTLY STARTED
DATiNG NAMED iLYiA ZJARSKY TACKLED HER iN AN AtTEMPT
TO CEASE HER “AUDiENCE-SHoOTiNG RAMPAGE.”
DESPiTE NikKi'S CLAiMS OF MEMORY
LOsS AND SELF-DEFENSE,
SHE WAS SENT TO PRiSON WHERE
SHE'D BeEN AWAiTiNG HER TRiAL.
iLYiA ToOK A SLUG TO THE ARM THAT
WAS intended for NikKi’S HEART.
BACK iN THE PRESENT...
UH, HEY,
JOjo --
N-NikKi?!
YOU SCARED THE
LiFE OUT OF ME!
H-HOW
DiD YOU GET
HERE?!
LONG STORY,
I’lL EXPLAiN
LATER.
DO YOU HAVE
A CHANGE OF
CLOTHES?
JUST A
SWEATSHiRT, BUT
iT WON’T FiT!
iT’lL BE FiNE.
I NeED YOUR
SKiRT ToO.
WHAT?!!
THReE MiNUTES LATER AMiD A CACOPHONY OF BLARiNG SiRENS --
MAY I
ASK WHAT iN
THE QUeEN’S
NAME iS GOiN’
ON OUT
HERE?!
SOUNDS
LiKE THE
DAMN D—DAY
iNVASiON!
THERE’S
AN ESCAPED
PRiSONER,
MA’AM!
OH, HElL
NO!
I’lL NeED
TO TAKE
A LoOK
iNSiDE!
OH! UH, {gulp}
G-GOOD MORNiNG
OFFiCER.
iS THERE A
BACK RoOM
HERE?
JUST A L’iL
STORAGE AREA.
I'lL SHOW
YOU.
AFTER A PROMPT, THOROUGH SEARCH --
SO OfFiCER
TYLER, ARE
YOU SuRE YOU
WON’T STAY WiTH US
‘TilL THE COAST
iS TOTAlLY
CLEAR?
SOrRY, NO
CAN DO.
BUT iT
WOULD BE A
GoOD iDEA TO
LOCK THAT FRONT
DoOR AFTER I
LEAVE.
I HAVE
NEVER BeEN
SO SCARED iN
MY LiFE!
fw
HOW WAS I
GOiNG TO EXPLAiN
THAT I HAD NO
SKiRT ON?!
GiRL, DON'T YOU
EVER --
THReE MONTHS AGO.
WElL, WElL,
WElL, CHRiSTMAS
COME EARLY THiS
YEAR. LoOKY
THE BiG-SHOT
ACTREsS!
WHAT DO THEY
CAlL HER AGAiN?
“TWiNKLE TOES
TErROR”?
NAH, SHE’S
THE “TAP DANCE
KilLER.”
AlL I
SeE iS
MONEY.
GET OUtTA
MY FACE. I GOT
NOTHiN’ TO DO
WiTH YOU.
OH, NO? YOU KilLED
THReE ROMEROS,
SiSTER! YOU HAVE A LOT
TO DO WiTH EVERYBODY!
-- USSGHH
I’M GOnNA GET
ELiTE STATUS, TRiPLE
POiNTS FOR TAKiNG
YOU OUtTA COM--
BAD iDEA,
B$&*#!
UnNNgGN!
EiiEEEE!
BREAK iT
UP, NOW! AlL
OF YOU!
YOU'RE
DEAD,
GiRLY!
THERE'S
NOWHERE iN
THiS PLACE YOU
CAN HiDE FROM
ME!
OH, DiD THAT
LoOK LiKE I WAS
HiDiNG?
YOU NAME THE
TiME, AND I'lL
FiND YOU!
ENOUGH,
ST CLAiR!
A WeEK iN THE HOLE.
MAN, if I JUST
SiT HERE AlL DAY
I’lL GO CRAZY!
WHAT --
MEAN?
I'M THE TAP DANCE
KilLER. I GOT TO GET
BACK TO MY GiG.
DOES --
WHAT DOES
iT MEAN TO BE
THE TAP DANCE
KilLER?
iT --
THE HOLE iS iNTENDED TO BE A PLACE
OF PUNiSHMENT AND REFLECTiON --
-- BUT FOR NikKi
iT WAS LiKE
A CHAPEL.
A PLACE
WHERE
SHE
FOUND
THE
ABSOLUTE
CENTER
of HER
BEiNG.
HEY, NikKi,
YOU'RE GREAT
AT THAT!
I’ve beEn
listening for
days, and my jaw
is on the ground
out here!
THANKS,
ALice.
I PLAYED
CLARiNET AlL
MY Life. I KNOW
ABOUT MUSic!
YOU’RE
ON ANOTHER
LEVEL!
Big
Time!
Day six.
HE’S A GoOD MAN,
BUT EVER SiNCE HE
STARTED THiS GAMBLiNG
I’M KiND OF AT A LOsS.
{SiGH} NO PUN
iNTENDED.
iT’S OBViOUS
THAT YOU LOVE
JErRY DeEPLY, AND
iT’S iMPORTANT THAT
YOU SUpPORT HiM,
BUT JErRY
NeEDS TO WANT
TO FiX JErRY. YOU
FeEL ME?
I KNOW THiS
GUARD NOW iN A
WAY I’VE NEVER
REAlLY KNOWN
ANYBODY.
iT feEls
like I CAN
ANTiCiPATE
HER every
MOTiON.
HER SPeECH
PAtTERN, THE WAY
SHE BLiNKS HER EYES,
THE GENTLE SWAY iN THE
WAY SHE STANDS. SUCH
SPECiFiC TRAiTS --
-- UNiQUE AS A
FiNGERPRiNT.
f
p
Um, | --
ALiCE! WHAT
ARE YOU DOiNG? YOU
UNLOCKED THE
DoOR!
WHAT? I DiD?
OH, JeEZ YOU’RE
RiGHT! I, UH, BLANKED
OUT THERE FOR
A MiNUTE.
GoOD
THiNG YOU’RE
SO HONEST.
CLICK
iNTERESTiNG!
PRESENT. THE EUCLiD ARENA...
FLOYD MisSES
WiTH THAT RiGHT!
HE'S BeEN HAViNG NO
LUCK COnNECTiNG HERE
iN THE THiRD ROUND.
C’MON,
DRAYTON!
TAKE HiM
OUT!
FLOYD comes in the heavy
favorite, BUT HAYES iS
HAViNG HiS WAY WiTH HiM!
OH, MY! HAYES WiTH A
DEVASTATiNG UpPERCUT!
WOW!
AND
it’s
OVER!
DRAYTON HAYES
WiTH A THiRD ROUND
KNOCKOUT OF THE
FORMER CHAMP!
AND THE HOMETOWN
CLEVELAND FANS ARE
EATiNG THiS UP!
YOU JUST WiTNEsSED
THE MENACiNG WAYS OF
DRAYTON HAYES!
HOlLOWAY,
YOU’RE RUnNiN’ SCARED
WONDERiNG WHAT’S THE
MAtTER, HiDiNG iN A GLAsS
MANSiON THAT’S ABOUT
TO SHAtTER!
THE NiGHT SoON
COMES WHEN JUST
HALF MY MiGHT’lL
TAKE THE TiTLE!
FROM HiS SECOND ROW SEAT ONE OF HAYES'
NEWEST FANs WATCHES WiTH CUnNinG iNTRiGUE.
AH, PoOR
DRAYTON HAYES. iN
AND OUT OF TROUBLE
HiS WHOLE LiFE.
FAiLED DRUG
TESTS, AsSAULT
AND BAtTERY,
ARMED RObBERY --
THE LiST JUST
GOES ON AND
ON.
THEY’lL
NEVER GiVE YOU
THAT TiTLE SHOT,
MY FRiEND, BUT
NOT TO WOrRY.
iVAN P.
FLETCHER HAS
FAR GRANDER
PLANS FOR
YOU!
JONElLE’S HOUSE.
SO YOU FeELiNG
AlL BEtTER NOW?
NiCE’n COZY?
YES, MY
DEAR. THANK YOU
SO VERY --
-- THEN HOW
'BOUT YOU TElL
ME WHAT THE FLYiN'
HElL iS GOiNG
ON!
SURE.
YOU DESERVE
THAT.
AT
LEAST!
I WASN'T MAKiNG ANY FRiENDS iN PRiSON,
AND iT AlL HAD TO DO WiTH THiS ONE LADY --
MY NAME
iS CARLOtTA
ViTAlLi.
AND
YOU --
SOrRY, WAS
THiS SUpPOSED
TO SCARE ME?
‘CAUSE
YOU DON’T
LoOK SO --
-- ARE
DEAD.
-- DON’T
FLAtTER
YOURSELF!
JUST
KNOW iT
WAS ME WHO
ORDERED
THE HiT.
TURNED OUT SHE
HAD A WiDE NET.
HEY, I
GOtTA TALK TO YOU
ABOUT THiS CARLOtTA
CHiCK. iS SHE FOR --
-- OH, NO, NO!
I WilL NOT BE
SeEN TALKiNG TO
NikKi ST CLAiR. I'M
GEtTiNG PAROLED iN
TWO MONTHS.
WALK ON BY,
ST CLAiR.
EVEN THE SERVERS
HAD iT iN FOR ME.
THiS ONE
iS YOURS,
NikKi.
OH, YOU HAD
iT iN THE BACK
WAiTiNG SPECiAL
JUST FOR
ME?
FRigGiN’
GREAT.
AND EVERY TiME HER
GoON-EtTES AtTACKED ME
I WAS THE ONE THAT GOT
TOsSED iN THE HOLE!
ALiCE, I GOT A
LitTLE PROBLEM
HERE, AND iT'S CAlLED
THiS WHOLE PLACE
WANTS ME DEAD.
I'VE
NOTiCED. LET
ME SeE WHAT
I CAN FiND
OUT.
ALiCE, WAS A GoOD EgG.
THE ONLY PERSON iN
THE JOint I TRUSTED.
ONE PROBLEM --
CLiNK
RiSE AND
SHiNE, NikKi.
-- THiS MORNiNG WHEN
THE DoOR OPENED iT
WASN'T ALiCE.
YOU
MiGHT AS
WElL KNOW WHY
I ToOK SUCH
AN iNTEREST
iN YOU.
iT iS
BECAUSE OF
MY LATE SON,
RAMON.
NiNE YEARS AGO
I PLED GUiLTY TO A
MURDER CHARGE iN his
PLACE, SO THAT HE
COULD BE FReE TO
LiVE OUT HiS LiFE --
-- A LiFE THAT
ENDED ON THE
NiGHT OF YOUR
THEATRiCAL
KilLiNG
SPReE!
I HAD EVERYTHiNG TO
DO WiTH YOUR TRANSFER HeRE
AND YOUR DELAYED HeARiNGS.
AND WHiLE YOU’VE BeEN TOUGh
To HAMmER DOWN --
-- iT iS FiNAlLY TiME FOR
YOUR UNFORTUNATE AcCiDENT.
GO GET
HER, TiGERS.
I CAN’T FUlLY EXPLAiN
WHAT HApPENED NEXT.
BUT iT WAS LiKE I COULD
SeE TWO SECONDS iNTO
THE FUTURE.
THiS’lL
ONLY HURT
FOR A --
THE MOMENT PLAYED OUT LiKE A
SONG I’D PERFORMED DOZENS OF TiMES
BEFORE. I KNEW AlL THE PARTS --
THE
iNTRO --
THE VERSES --
THERE’S
THReE OF YOU,
AND ONE OF HER!
KilL HER ALREa--
THE CHORUS --
THE BRiDGE...
D-DON'T HiT
ME. PLEASE...
oOH, I REAlLY
OUGHTA, BUT YOU’RE
JUST A FRAiL OLD
WOMAN!
MEsS WiTH ME
AGAiN, AND SeE
WHAT HApPENS!
OKAY, NikKi,
WHAT NOW?
A COUPLE MORE GUARDS
GOT KNOCKED OUT ON MY
WAY TO THE EXiT --
I had no plan, BUT
KNEW iF I STAYED I
WAS DEADER THAN
DRiFTWoOD --
I RAN. THERE WAS NO
ONE TO EXPLAiN iT TO.
-- MADE it
to the yard --
-- ALARM WAS
BLARiNG!
I RAN STRAiGHT AT THAT
THiRTY-FoOT WAlL --
-- LEAPT HiGH AS I COULD
AT THE MidDLE OF iT --
--THEN DiD ONE OF
THOSE PARKOUR
KiCK-UP THiNGS --
-- AND
REACHED
THE TOP!
YOU JUMPED
OVER A THiRTY
FoOT WAlL?!
WElL, I
KiND OF RAN
AT iT, AND
KiCKED-up
HALFWAY.
RiGHT.
YOU CAN'T
STAY HERE.
JOJO, I ONLY NeED A
COUPLE DAYS. I GOtTA
GET MY BEARiNGS AND --
-- AND WHAT?!
WHERE CAN YOU
GO? MEXiCO?
SWiTZERLAND?
YOU'RE AlL OVER
THE DAMN
NEWS!
I GOT
A PLAN.
GimMiE TWENTY-
FOUR HOURS.
CAN'T
WEAR OUT
MY WELCOME
WiTH joJO.
SHE'S A GoOD
FRiEND, AND THERE'S
NO NeED TO MAKE HER
AN AcCOMPLiCE. SHE
DOESN'T NeED TO KNOW
EVERYTHiNG.
TRUTH iS I
HAVE OTHER
FRiENDS --
HEY,
BOYS.
-- AND WE GOT
UNFiNiSHED
BUSiNEsS.
WHOBODY GOES
HERE? ONE FALSiSH
MOVAMENT AN’ I BLOW YA
TA SAH-MiTHEReENS
EVEN!
NikKi! WE WERE
HOPiNG YOU --
EASY UZi. THiS iS
A beloved friend.
RAViSHiNG AS
EVER, MY DEAR.
HuuGGhhrkk!
-- SCUSE ME,
MADE iT OUT iN
THE CLEAR.
YEAH, AND WHEN THE NEWS
BROKE THAT Vince WAS KiDNApPED
FROM the HOSPiTAL
BY A CLOWN --
-- I KNEW
Y’AlL WERE
GEtTin’ BACK
TOGETHER.
LoOK, I'M
DYiNG TO GET BACK
TO WORK. I NeED
AN ADVANCE.
BUT OF
COURSE.
HENRY,
SeE TO iT THAT
MZ. ST CLAiR HAS
EVERYTHiNG
SHE REQUires.
AND I'lL NeED A
PHOTOGRAPHer
to --
HWWAuuUGGZZZ
YOU GOT
iT, SUGAR.
PoOR THiNG.
iT'S JUST NOT
WORKiNG OUT
WiTH HER.
WHAT'S NOT
WORKiNG OUT?
OH, YOU'VE
BeEN AWAY FOR
ToO LONG.
WE'VE GOT A
LOT OF CATCHiNG
UP TO DO --
BUT
FiRSTLY --
OKAY, GoOD
TO YOU SeE YOU
ToO, KLAUS.
PLEASE, CAlL
ME FLETCHER.
I'VE GOT SOMETHiNG
TO SHOW YOU.
I HAD
FAiTH YOU’D
COME BACK.
THAT'S NOT
ONE OF YOUR
DEAD ONES,
iS iT?
HEAVENS, NO. iT'S
JUST A MAnNEQUiN.
LET ME TElL YOU
ABOUT SOME OF THE
iMPROVEMENTS.
OH.
THE FABRiC iS
A BUlLETPRoOF,
COMPOSiTE
POLYMER.
THE CANE is OF
a STRONGER, yet
slightly lighter,
AlLOY THAN THE
PREVious.
AND our new
costumer, Gaspard,
insiSted on THAT
design patTern.
LOVE
iT!
THAT iS
SOME Tight
S%&$
THERE,
BOY.
There’s an
entire Arsenal
being put
together, but
this --
-- THiS iS A
customized 1924
SMiTH & WEsSON
HAND EJECTOR
44 SPECiAL.
I BELiEVE iT'S
THE FiNEST REVOLVER
EVER MADE.
BANG.
WE'S ABOUT
TO HAVE SOME
FUN. THANKS,
FLETCH.
ANYTiME,
DARLiNG
NikKi.
I
WOUlDN'T
CAlL ME
THAT.
APOLOGiES,
I FiGURED YOU
FOR A PRiNCE
FAN.
YES, TO
THiS... YES,
TO THiS...
AnNND
THiS.
I THiNK THiS
SCARLEtT PEONY
WOULD BE NiCE
ON YOU.
SHoOT,
CAN’T DECiDE.
I'lL JUST
TAKE ONE OF
EVERYTHiNG.
HOPE YOU'RE
ON COmMisSiON.
YOU TOTAlLY
REMiND ME OF
SOMEBODY.
{SiGH} LATELY
PEOPLE KeEP TElLiNG
ME THAT I LoOK LiKE
THAT ESCAPED CONViCT
NikKi SiNCLAiR!
CAN YOU EVEN
BELiEVE iT?
HA! NO,
THAT'S NOT iT.
HmMM... iT'lL
COME TO ME.
LoOKiNG
GREAT,
NikKi, HOLD
THAT.
you
sure you
don’t want
to smile
for this
one?
Nah. I’m
goOd.
WHAT ARE
YOU DOing
with alL these
ANYWAY?
JUST
NEVER YOU
Mind.
CLICK
CLICK
CLICK
ROCKWElL GYM. DRAYTON HAYES
iS NEARLY COMPLETE WiTH HiS FiNAL
FiVE MiNUTE REPETiTiON...
iT WOULD BE A LiE TO SAY
THE ONLY THiNG ON HiS
MiND iS A TiTLE SHOT.
THE DEBTS HE’S AcCRUED
HAVE TEMPTED HiM TO
THROW A FiGHT, BUT HE --
WHAT
iS THiS?
W-WHO..?
HElLO,
DRAYTON! THEY
CAlL ME UZi
CLOWN! THE
PREsSURE’S
AlL MiNE!
THEY’RE ABOUT
TO CAlL YOU
WHoOPED --
Here
it comes,
here it
comes --
YOU WHizZBAlL RASCAL!
I WAS TWO-HUNDRED PERCENT
POSitive HE WAS GOnNA TURN
ME TO SUSHi!
WHAT
DiD WE BET
ON THAT? FiVE
BUCKS?
Fifty.
THE iNFERNO
BEHiND ME iS THE HOME OF
ESCAPED CONViCT, NikKi
ST CLAiR, AKA THE TAP
DANCE KilLER.
thE HOME, WHiCH
HAD BeEN BOARDED
UP, WAS SET ABLAZE
some hours ago.
it iS ToO EARLY
TO SAY WHAT CAUSED
THE fire -- -- BUT iT'S
WElL DOCUMENTED
THAT ST CLAiR SHOT
AND KilLED THReE
PEOPLE AlLEGED TO BE
AfFiLiATED WiTH THE
ROMERO FAMiLY.
THE ROMERO FAMiLY
HAS LONG BeEN BELiEVED TO
HAVE TiES TO ORGANiZED
CRiME AND --
-- THiS COULD
iNDeED BE A FORM
Of RETALiATiON.
iT'lL BE
OKAY. iT'S
JUST A --
MY LiFE
WAS iN THAT
HOUSE,
JOjo.
AND NOT
JUST THE JOBS
I HELD TO PAY
FOR iT --
MY ARTWORK,
COSTUME DESiGNS --
THEY WERE AlL
iN THERE.
I KNOW.
YOU JUST
STAY HERE AS
LONG AS YOU
NeED.
I HAVE NO CHOiCE.
ME AND EVERYONE I KNOW
ARE GOiNG TO BE SitTiNG
DUCKS iF I DON'T
FACE THiS HEAD ON.
BESiDES
SHE WANTS
THiS --
WHO AM
I TO TElL
-- THE
HER NO?
OTHER ME.
-- SO THiS AlLEGED GOLF
DOCTOR TAKES ME iN A
RoOM, AND SHOWS ME A
ViDEO OF MY SWiNG
WHiLST CRAbBiN’ ABOUT
MY TECHNiQUE --
A ViDEO?
THAT AiN’T GoOD,
LOUiE. WHAT’D
YA DO?
I SAiD, I DON’T
CARE iF YOU’RE TiGER
WoODS’ OWN PERSONAL
PROCTOLOGiST --
DELETE iT NOW, OR
I’M GOnNA --
N-N-NOW
H-HOLD ON.
W-W-WE --
HEAR ME
OUT, SeE!
NO ONE SO MUCH
AS TWiTCHES OR I
UNLOAD ON THiS
FiSH BArREL!
GOT iT?!
S S
S
S
HOW Did SHE
GET BY SECURiTY?
DON’T MAtTER --
SHE’S ABOUT TO
GET DRilLED!
I SAiD NO
TWiTCHiNG!
NOW, THiS
GUY, HE GETS
iT! THAT’S
WHAT I --
-- ApPRECiATE!
THE
FUN
WAY iT iS
THEN!
YaARGH!
AND I ONLY
CAME HERE TO
TALK!
BACK iN VAUDEVilLE TOWN...
FLETCHER, YOU’RE
A GENiUS! Just wait
tilL THOSE PidDLY
WANKSTERS GET A
LOAD OF --
I GOT
THAT ADVANCE
COVERED, AND
THEN SOME!
JUST DON’T
EXPECT THE
ROMEROS TO BE
DROpPin’ OfF NO
FRUiT BASKET
NEXT CHRiSTMAS.
TAP, YOU
SHOULDN'T GO
ROGUE LiKE
THAT! WE'RE
FAMiLY
HERE.
-- HEY ViNCE!
I CAN
TAKE CARE OF
MYSELF.
NONSENSE!
I WON'T HAVE YOU
GOiNG OUT WiTHOUT
SUpPORT AGAiN.
FLETCHER,
I BELiEVE AN
iNTRODUCTiON
iS iN ORDER --
ABSOLUTELY!
MiSTER
HAYES, WOULD
YOU Kindly JOiN
US iN THE
PARLOR?
NiCELY
DONE, DRAYTON!
CARE TO TElL NikKi
YOUR NEW
NAME?
HE CAME
UP WiTH iT
HiMSELF.
MY NAME’S
PUNCHLINE!
AND |’M
JUst THE
CLOWN--
to
WRECK
THIS
toWN!
NikKi --
-- SAY HElLO
TO YOUR NEW
PARTNER!
WHAT--
THE --
ACTUAL --
F$%@?!
great question, nikKi, but
unfortunately it’s time to
punch the clock on this
CHAPTER! The answer wilL
be here in isSue 2!
LoOk,
you big --
CLOWN, this is
MY COMic!
so if you'd
kindly {uRGh} move
over ABOUT five feEt
or so, we’lL Be able to
get a Respectable
{uUhN} cover shot!
FLYing
FiSTS of
devastating
Fury
TO AMAZE
AND THRiLL!
THE OfFiCE OF CY FiSHER,
COUNCiLMAN FOR WARD Seven.
LiSTEN’A ME, CY.
WE CAME THROUGH
WiTH OUR END OF THE
DEAL. WE OUTSPENT
YOUR OpPONENT BY
FOUR TO ONE.
YES DEnNY,
BUT you esSentialLy
scared ofF her
funders. That’s not
what I was ENVisioning
When we made
our deal.
There’s nothing
but suspicion
around me. I neEd
GRAsSRoOT
SUpPORT To --
GRAsSRoOT,
AsSRoOT!
YOU WON THE
DAMN ELECTion!
YOU promisED
you’d make
things
hapPen!
The
bridge
deal!
WE NeED
TO SeE THAT
BRiDGE DEAL
NOW, CY.
OH, I CAN
SHOW YOU THE
DEAL, I JUST
CAN'T GET iT
SiGNED.
is that a joke,
CY? I got a FunNy
joke for ya in my
jacket herE.
GimMiE
A BREAK,
DEnNY.
LiKE YOU’RE
ACTUAlLY GOing
to ShoOt
ME.
I have
beEn given
carte blanche,
and am fulLy
prepared to --
CHANGE
OF PLAN,
COUNCiL-MAN.
THERE'S A NEW
Pit bosS iN
TOWN who’s KeEN
to have a word
with you.
DEnNY AND
MARio, YOU are
DiSMisSED. I
SUgGEST YOU EXit
two minutes
ago.
SUgGEST?
No, You don’t
sugGest nothin’
to me, chickie.
Then let’s just play the
‘who can draw faster’
game. that’s my
favorite.
WHat'S THis
SUpPOSED TA
BE?
PUNCHLiNE.
PUNCHLiNE?
WHAtTAYA, SOME
KiNDA JO--
GReETings CY, THEY
calL me Sir terRor.
These are my partners,
Tap Dance KilLer
and PUnchline.
the goOd news
is you don’t have
to worRy about the
romero mob
anymore. they’lL
be finished in
a month.
the
betTer news
is now you
get to deal
with us!
and our
customer
service rating is
through the
roOf.
The next Day, cleveland, buckeye neighborhoOd...
GReETings,
mister Crawford.
My name is
Becky hilL.
I’m your
neighbor from
a couple streEts
over on
WoOdland.
may I
borRow just
a moment of
your time,
dear?
I’m colLecting
SiGNATURES TO seE if we
can get a four way stop
sign at the corner of
Notre Dame and
111th StreEt.
OKAY.
YEAH?
the cars just go
whizZing by, and what
with Mount Carmel SchoOl
being so close --
abso-toOt-ly
WOW,
YOU'VE GOT
A LOT OF
SiGNATURES
HERE!
THANK YOU.
HAVE A BLEsSED
DAY NOW!
ALRight.
You toO!
-- I worRy
about the
safety of
our kids.
can I
count on
you today?
May I
HELP YOU?
Hi, mRS. St
ClaiR. My name is
MisS Becky hilL,
I’m your neighbor
from a couple
streEts over on
WoOdland.
could I
borRow just a
moment of
your time?
SeE, I’m
colLecting
SiGNATURES TO
adD a four way
stop sign at the
corner of Notre
Dame and 111th
StreEt --
certainly.
WOULD YOU
CARE TO COME
iN?
THAT WOULD
BE DELiGHTFUL,
YOUNG LADY.
You must have
read my mind. I’ve
always said there
should be a four way
stop there.
cAN I GET
YOU something
to drink?
COfFeE?
Oh no,
I’m quite
fine.
SO, I was a
trafFic guard AT
mount carmel
schoOl --
-- and saw,
first hand,
tHeSE cars
zipPing by.
HOw is it
THAT we haven’t
met before?
actualLy, I
think I’ve seEn you
and your family at st.
Elizabeth’s, right?
... Nikki ..?
AW, MA!
I wanted to
SURPRiSE
YOU!
OH, You’ve
acComplished
that.
DAD
HERE?
NO. HE'S
With YOUR
NANA.
poOr
NANA’s gotTa
be worRied
sick.
Yeah, that’s
why I wanted to
stop by and let
yOU know that I’m
doinG fine.
GReat,
in fact.
Um, We
alL are.
and the
police calL
daily, and have
beEn here
five times
now.
GREAT?
AS in,
‘ESCAPED
CONViCT’
GREAT?!
YOU NeED TO
TURN YOURSELF
iN AND --
MA, THEY
WERE GOnNA
KilL ME iN PRison!
WHAT COULD I DO?
I HAD TO GET
OUT!
I thought
I’d never seE
you again.
HOW DiD
THiS HApPEN TO
YOU OF AlL
PEOPLE?
EVERYTHiNG’S
GOnNA BE
ALRiGHT, MA.
I GOT A SWeET GiG. MAKiN’
MORE CAbBAGE THAN I EVER
WOULD'A WiTH THAT ACTiN’
BiT. even brought
yA something.
CAlL iT A
MOTHER'S
DAY CARD.
JUST DON’T
ASK WHERE iT
CAME FROM,
RiGHT?
Wh-What? I don’t
want this! What have
you gotTen yourself
involved in?
Yup. SHOULD'A
FiGURED AN OLD
BiRD LiKE YOU
WOULDN'T GET WiTH
THE PROGRAM.
I’m late
for the
doOr.
NikKi WAiT!
DON’T GO! I WANT
TO HELP YOU! WE’lL
CAlL THE --
-- YOU’lL CAlL
NOBODY!
TElL THE OLD
MAN I SENT MY
REGARDS. LATER ToOTS.
I MEAN, UH, THANKS FOR
THAT SiGNATURE!
cleveland city jail --
CarlotTa VitalLi is
also atTempting to
decipher the imposSible
puzZle that is
nikKi st clair.
The romero mob has
ruled this city for two
generations. They are
proud and to be feared.
MORE
BAD NEWS,
CARLOtTA.
This is
kind of --
-- UNBELievable.
they are not to be taken
out by some pretTy girl
actresS in a ridiculous
vaudevilLe getup --
WHAT
NOW?
MARio
WAS HiT.
HE WAS
apParently
tosSed up into
some ceiling,
AND...
-- His head
GOt lodged,
AND HE HUNG
TO DEATH.
it Was
ST CLAiR.
TALK TO
CASEY. HE HAS A
ViDEOTAPE. TElL
HiM TO LEAK iT
TO THE MEDiA. I'M
getTing
out of
here.
A GANG
Now...
AND HER
GANG.
Two weEks ago --
GAuUUGhHH!
EASY
LizZY. eEeaSY,
My dear.
-- a drugGed,
and grogGy
drayton hayes
begins to stir.
WH-WHERE
AM I?
AH, Mr
Hayes. YOU’VE
AWOKEN!
WE HOPE
YOU’lL FORGiVE THE
SOMEWHAT BoORiSH
METHOD with which
WE ApPLiED FOR
YOUR DiSPATCH.
THERE WAS
NO TACTFUL
WAY TO DiSCUsS
THiS iN A
GYMNASiUM --
WHAT iS
THiS? GET ME
OUtTA HERE!
NOW!
A COMPLETELY
UNDERSTANDABLE
REACTiON. AlLow
ME to --
-- I'M
GOnNA KilL
YOU!
FLETCHER,
iF I MAY --
WHAt I’M ABOUT
TO TElL YOU HAS
NOTHing to do
with us!
it instead has
alL things to do
with the magnificent
drayton hayes
reaching his
potential!
I want
you to think
about AlL the
hurdles in
your life.
we PLAN to
obliterate those
hurdles, and award
you an existence
like NO other!
TWO HOURS LATER...
-- adDitionalLy you’re earning
FiVE PERCENT OF THE GROsS profits,
as we’re GRANDFATHERing YOU iN at
the top level.
But financials
only get us
so far --
SAY
HElLO,
LizZY.
H-HOW
DiD SHE..?
FLETCHER iS
A GOD-DAMNED
GENiUS!
THAT'S HOW!
and if she can do
that, imagine what you
can acComplish when we
adD such force to your
own devastating
Why,
craft!
MR. HAYES,
Just think
about it --
-- more
BANK than
you can
spend!
-- power
like you’ve
never
imagined!
-- and a
family of rogue
rascals that love
and, let’s face it,
deserve each
other.
BUT
WAit -- there’s
more!
AREN’T THERE
SOME BASTARDS
WiTH WHOM YOU’D
LiKE TO Dish out
A LitTLE --
-- PAYBACK?
We have
alL the names...
tony shapiro,
Slade isley,
BEnNY simMs,
and we’re ready
to act.
BUT
HERE’S THE
THiNG --
-- iF YOU
DON’T WANT
THiS, WE DON’T
WANT THiS.
SO iF YOU
PREFER --
-- WE’lL PUT YOu
Back TO SLeEP, AND
YOU'lL AWAKEN iN THE
GYM WHERE YOU CAN
GO BACK TO THE
LiFE YOU HAD.
LET'S
DO THiS,
asSholes.
SoON...
how are we
feEling now,
drayton?
rEEeally...
tired...
THiS iS the...
THE WEiRDEST-Ass
NiGHTMARE... I’VE
EVER...
Nighty
night,
then.
as DRAYTON goes under, his THOUGHTS
drift back to the night when he bet
everything he had — and didn't have
— on himself to beat KeEnan TanNer!
this is it! the
number five ranked
drayton hayes
versus number
TWO, tanNer!
the victor was
on their way to
a title match.
HE WAs
never more
focused and
determined!
remember,
stay to his
left! YOU GOT
THiS, DRAY!
keEp hydrated,
BRO!
THanks,
benNy.
But there
was something
strange in
the air that
night --
EVEN stranger,
the water --
TAnNER iS JUST
COVERiNG UP! HE’S iN
SHELTER MODE AND
NOTHiNG MORE!
drink up!
you don’t
WAnNA Be getTin’
thirsty out
there!
enough
with the water,
benNy! we don’t
neEd him getTin’
bloated!
a win tonight would
finalLy get him out
of debt from loan
shark, slade isley.
alL of a
sudDen TAnNER HAS
comE alive!
TAnNER NOW
pumMeling
hayes!
HAYES is
in trouble!
WHO COULD
HAVE SeEN THiS
COMing?
Hayes is
down! it’s
over!
His dream of
a title shot
wilL have to
wait --
then two weEks
later another
shocker --
I can’t get
you a fight,
drayton.
NO ONE
WilL TOUCH
YOU.
YOU OWE
ME BiG TiME,
HAYES.
Slade
isley ALWAYS
COlLECTS.
I’m sick
of waiting for
the “big payout”,
while you keEp
losing alL our
money, dray!
I’m
gone.
Dylan,
THAT’s DRAYTON
HAYES. He was
gonNa be champ
of the world.
loOk at
him now.
it’s not exactly
the boxing you’re
known for, but if you
can do thirty of
these iN AN HOUR
YOU'lL BE floOr
champ.
YO, iT’S
DRAY!
BEnNY!
WH-WHAT ARE
YOU DOiN' WiTH
iSLEY?
SOrRY THiNGS
HAVE GONE SO
SOUTH, BRAH. YOU
LoOK LiKE YOU COULD
USE A DRink.
I’d hoOk
you up, but I’m
Retired from the
water-jockey
businesS!
Know what
I’m sayin’?
‘WATER
JOCKEY...?’
GET OUT
HERE, BEnNY!
I Know what
you did!
YOU
BACK-STAbBin’
PUNK!
I’m not
sure what
This waS ABOUT,
OfFiCERs --
-- BUT I wilL
be presSing
charges.
This is Sarah
livingston outside
the City courthouse
where CARLOtTA
ViTAlLi is soOn
expected to walk
out a freE woman.
seven years ago she
confesSed to the
murder of Alfonze
rutigliano, but a
recently surfaced
surveilLance
video has changed
everything.
the tape shows
rutigliano being
shot to death in
his hot tub by
CARLOtTA’S SON,
ramon vitalLi.
the shoOter then
has what seEms to
be a mental
breakdown,
clearly distraught
for nearly thirty
minutes --
-- until his mother
CARLOtTA VitalLi
arRives, and is seEn
taking his gun.
carlotTa is
left holding
the weapon as
police arRive.
Minutes ago, judge
Porter ruled that
calotTa has served
more than her
sentence for what
amounts to wrongful
confesSion and
perjury.
Ramon
then
leaves.
WHY'D
YOU DO iT,
CARLOtTA?
HE WAS MY
SON. iT WAS
THE ONLY THiNG
I COULD THiNK TO
DO TO PROTECT
HiM.
DO YOU HAVE
ANY iDEA HOW THiS
TAPE MiGHT HAVE
SURFACED?
WHAT
WilL YOU
DO NOW?
NONE.
I’m JUST...
mortified, and
so sorRy to
those afFected
by MY
deception.
I’ve beEn
in mourning
ever since my
son’s death,
but it’s time
to turn the in the coming
page. weEks I’lL be
forming a charitable
foundation with a
misSion of lasting,
positive impact
on our beloved
city.
HEY NiK, I’m
home! I WAS
THiNKiNG SUSHi.
YOU DOWN?!
HElLZ TO
THE YEAH! I'M iN
FOR FOR A RAiNBOW,
SCORPiON, AND A
WoNTON SOUP.
HAVE 'EM
HOLD THE SESAME
SeEDS, AND I'M
BUYiN’.
OH, YOU
HAVE MONEY
NOW?
YES, WElL
I, UH, I SAW
MY MOM
TODAY.
THAT'S...
GREAT?
HOW iS
SHE?
NOT
GoOD. SHE'S
FREAKiN' OUT.
DO NOT LET
HER KNOW
I'M HERE.
ARgGH! WHAT
AM I GOnNA DO
WiTH YOU? I AM THE
WORST LiAR. SO ARE
YOU JUST GOnNA LAY
LOW TONiGHT?
ACTUAlLY I WAS ABOUT TO ASK iF
YOU WANTED TO SNEAK OUT WiTH ME
TO PLAYHOUSE SQUARE AND SNAG
A COUPLE SEATS TO FREAKY
FRiDAY — THE MUSiCAL.
CAN'T.
TONiGHT'S THE VOTE
AT OUR NEiGHBORHoOD
COmMUNiTY FOUNDATion,
AND YOURS TRULY
iS ON THE
BAlLOT!
OH RiGHT!
TOMOrROW
THEN?
LoOK, I REALize
YOU'RE THis CoOL
MASTER OF DiSGUiSE,
-- ET CETERA, ET
CETERA --
-- BUT I
ALSO KNOW YOU'RE
NikKi ST CLAiR, the
notorious ‘g’, AND I
WOULD BE like, ‘WORST
NiGHT OF MY LiFE,’
TErRiFiED.
OKAY. FLYiN'
SOLO, but
you’re gonNa
misS out on
alL the --
-- FUN!
PUNCHline
ToOK A huge
RiSK in joining US,
AND NOW WE’re
gonNa DO RiGHT
BY HiM.
THERE'S BeEN A
LOT OF LoOSE LiPS
AROUND WHAT HApPENED
WiTH YOU, DRAYTON, SO
TONiGHT we setTle
AlL scores!
iT STARTS WiTH A
ViSiT TO TONY SHAPiRO!
HE WAS THE BoOKiE THAT
ToOK THE BET FROM
DRAYTON BEFORE THE
TAnNER FiGHT.
SHAPiro set
the whole plan
in motion.
THE DRUGS
iN YOUR WATER
WERE FROM A GUY
NAMED CHASE
SANCHEZ.
it was a mix
of a sedative
with a steroid,
which is why you
failed your
drug test.
HiS DEN
iS AT EAST
55TH AND PAYNE.
Sanchez ALSO
MADE A FORTUNE
ON THE FiGHT.
NEXT STOP, THE
HARVARD CLUB.
That’s where you’lL
find your favorite
loan shark,
Slade isley!
you guys
had a history
of bad bloOd.
he was determined
to not let you
become champ.
shapiro told
isley about the
wager you placed
on yourself, and
isley came up with
the scheme to end
your careEr!
I'M TElLiN’ YA BEnNY.
THE TAP DANCE KilLER
WAS THERE, BUT iT
WASN'T HER! iT
WAS THiS BiG-AsS,
MOTHER-fuckin’--
iSLEY’s DEAD
ToO? BOTH
OF 'EM?!
YOU-YOU
GOtTA BE
KidDiN' ME!
WHO DiD iT?
-- CLOWN!
DRAY-HAY,
i-is that
you?
D-DRAY..?
DUDE,
iT iS YOU.
L-LoOK
MAN--
I DiDN'T
KNOW THE
WATER WAS
POiSONED --
C'MON, MAN,
I CAN G-GET
YOU iN ON THE
ACTiON.
I G-GOT
LOTS OF --
OF ANYTHiNG
YOU NeED.
i-iF THAT'S
EVEN W-WHAT
THiS iS {urk}
ABOUT.
H-HEY REMEMBER WHEN WE
WERE iN FOURTH GRADE?
ON OUR BiKES, T-TAKEN A
SHORTCUT THROUGH THAT
MACHiNE SHOP?
THE OWNER
S-SCREAMiN'
AT US?
YOU
R-REMEMBER
THAT STUfF --
-- D-DON'T
YOU, DRAY?
OR, OR
HOW ‘BOUT THAT
CHRiSTMAS WHEN
WE PUT AlL OUR
TRANSFORMERS
TOGETHER?
and that night
we hoOked up with
ashanté and {urp}
karen from
garfield...
YEAH, I
REMEMBER!
-- and it
meaNT a lot
more to me THan
it ever did
to yOU.
fletcher!
you were
supPosed to get
rid of that
blue-faced
ABOMination!
first
I’m going to
prove that
under my
supervision --
HurRicane
LizZy
is gentle as
a LAMB!
shocking
truth
about
Creating Characters
This was my original
concept design for
the modern version
of The tap Dance
KilLer.
the face-paint
ended up switching
to her right side,
and the reason
I prefer that
is based on
a scientific
Hypothesis
of sorts.
Because we
westerners
read things
from left
to right, is it
posSible that,
on some
subconscious
level, we also
seE the world
and people from
left to right?
if yes, the Tap
Dance KilLer
should lead
with the Paint
side on her right
(being seEn on
the left) to
DifFerentiate
from her
NikKi St Clair
alter ego.
I knew early on that
I wanted her named
after Cleveland’s
St Clair Avenue.
I was strugGling
Mightily with the
first name.
Epiphany St Clair?
Tia St Clair...?
Diane and Jada loOked
at some of the early
images and said,
“she loOks like
a NikKi.”
NikKi St Clair...
Yeah, that’s got
a serious ring
to it.
NikKi wilL
be short for
NicoletTe.
Her midDle
name, Sarah,
is tribute to the
greatest jazZ
vocalist of alL
time, which is not
up for debate.
I had the idea for a
heavyweight boxer who becomes
a super-powered clown named
Punchline several years
before Tap Dance
KilLer #1 debuted.
I thought he’d make
for a sweEt vilLain in
our Apama THE
UNDiscovered
Animal series,
but then when the
whole vaude-vilLain—
Apama story
hapPened it
opened up a nice
opPortunity for
PUnch’s origin
related to the
science of
fletcher.
this is my final
concept ilLustration.
The costume toOk
forever. There’s
about ten difFerent
versions.
I found a completely
badasS tony atlas
photo that inspired
the body pose here.
And oh, yes,
Punchline and
apama are
gonNa have
THE throwdown
one of these
days.
Josy Jones
Change language