Who IS the Munson?

We begin Milestone week with Hardware #10, and a story entitled “In Harms Way!”.  This story, ably penned by Dwayne “I write ALL the good Milestone Comics” McDuffie and drawn by industry legend Rich Buckler, begins with Hardware looking to put an end to Edwin Alva’s (his corrupt evil boss at Alva Industries) piece of the drug trade in Dakota.  He puts this plan in motion by taking out Darryl Gardner, a minion of Alva’s who controls 15% of the Dakota drug trade.  His success in this venture, leaves him with 3 main drug dealers for Dakota: Don “Jolly Jock” Cornelius, The Demon Fox Tong, and Holocaust (The latter two should be very familiar to fans of Blood Syndicate).  Two of these have known superpowers either working for them (the Tong) or in charge (Holocaust) of their operations.  With this knowledge in hand, Hardware makes plans to take out Don Cornelius’ operations, figuring that organization may be easier to deal with.

However, unbeknown to our armored hero, Don Cornelius has employed a “superpower” to help him as a bodyguard and problem solver.  His name is Harm, and we see him first protecting his employer from a hit-man.  During this hit on Don Cornelius, the reader is treated to Harm’s thoughts as he appears to be hiding something from his employer.  While defeating the hit-man, Harm thinks of his true motive in “protecting” Don Cornelius.  He is doing it to gain his trust, and get himself deeper into the organization he has been working months to get into.  He complains to himself about the spot that this hit-man has put him in, as Cornelius ordered Harm to kill him.  He manages to defeat him, and then places a phone call to people that the reader surmises he is working with to enact his plan for Cornelius.  He refers to them as the “dugout”, and asks for the “coach”.  “Coach” whoever he or she is, agrees to take the hitman of Harm’s hands and to keep him out of sight so that he can pass him off as dead to Don Cornelius.  Obviously this course of action suggests that Harm is not out to *ahem* cause anyone permanent Harm (sorry about that folks… unintentional pun I swear!), but what is he doing this all for?  Is he intending to bring down Cornelius to stop the flow of drugs into Dakota, or is he looking to take over his organization.  Definite food for thought there, folks.

Harm returns to the Don ’s home, basking in his “triumph” over the attempt on his bosses life.   Cornelius tells him of Hardware’s recent takedown of Darryl Gardner.  He believes, and the reader knows full well, that Hardware is coming for him next.  He tells Harm to get ready for a battle, one that he had better win.  At that same time, Hardware is gearing up to strike at the heart of the Don’s drug trafficing.  How will he do that you may ask?  By comandeering one of Cornelius’ drug shipments that jst happens to be coming in on one of his private plans that’s how.  Hardware manages to gain control of the plane, flying it not to the airport, but to the front of Dakota’s police department.  How’s that for front door service?

Word of Hardware’s actions reach the Don, and he tels his men that it just might be time to get out of town for a few days.  This realization comes too late, as Hardware is already there.  Harm decides to take him on, despite his reservations to the contrary, because as he thinks “the man who takes down Hardware would have access to ANYONE!”  The two lock in battle, and seem to be matched fairly evenly.  As the battle grows in intensity, Harm begins to explain himself to Hardware when suddenly they are interrupted by a strange woman.

 She announces to them both that her name is Transit, and that she has been looking for Harm.  Her hands suddenly glow with power, and Harm disappears, seemingly teleported away!  As the issue ends, she turns her attention to Hardware and tells him “Your name is Hardware right?  How lucky for me, I’ve been looking for you too!”  Who is this strange new arrival to the city of Dakota, and what does she want with Harm and Hardware?  Is she somehow connected to the beginnings of the Shadow War cross-over?? 

Answers are forthcoming, as tomorrow begins my recap of the Shadow War crossover as all the storylines in the Milestone line will converge.  Secrets will be revealed, heroes will rise, and the Dakotaverse will never be the same again.  Check back here at Munsonisms! for the long awaited 1st part of the Shadow War crossover in Hardware #11, see you all then.

Posted on October 1st, 2007 by Munson
Filed under: Milestone Mondays