Milestone's (DC) Icon and Rocket

I do actually. You don't.

You realise the post where you said "icon was datamined" can be viewed simply by going back 1 page right? A picture of Icon Datamined, oh no, wait, now its Rocket, now the Datamined detail must have been Rocket not Icon. Weird.

Woke up 2 days ago with a cold so thank you for this post, the sheer desperation of it trying to be right yet being contradicted by your own post 1 page away really cheered me up.

You can't Datamine an MMO whose Save Files are stored remotely. The End. Stop looking at people Datamining games like Elden Ring and thinking you can apply it to DCUO, you can't. You basically just tried to say a mouse is the same as a truck.

Great News with Rocket in this next DLC. I've been EXTREMELY busy lately so I haven't had time to update this thread with Icon and Rocket #9 - but I soon will.

I haven't even had much time in the GAME, either.

Here's hoping that ICON will make it into a future DLC - OR as an ally.

I'd drop cash right away for such a thing.

He's EASILY my favorite DC Character and has been since my oldest son introduced him to me back in 2016.

This is simply awesome - thanks Trykz.

I've been VERY busy and not been able to even play the GAME as much over the last few weeks - much less update this thread with Icon and Rocket #9.

But THANK YOU for this AWESOME news.

Looking forward to ICON in a future DLC.

Talks2muchsense - what I've learned in life is that sometimes it's time-consuming "Being right".....or "thinking" that we're right or "thinking" that we know more than perhaps we REALLY DO.....

In those times - I simply be silent. I chose SILENCE or NOT ANSWERING sometimes because - guess what -

I could be wrong. Sometimes "I AM" wrong.

You don't HAVE TO fight EVERY FIGHT.

Think on these things.

So your take is that it was a complete coincidence? Interesting lmfAo. So I just had a really lucky random guess? FoH lmao. Take your L.

Hey if they got one, you know they gonna bring the other they have too! Milestone dc pt2 maybe lol

You do realize they download files early for a new dlc right? You had downloaded the anniversary event befor Thursday. Any new stuff in was in those files. So I icon and they put in rocket, you don’t think icon gonna be in there too eventually? Or maybe I just assumed is was icon and it was rocket? There is too much of a coincidence for the data mine to be completely innacurate let’s not be ridiculous here.

You're already being ridiculous so it's a little too late for that.

Let's cover the first few things here. You probably heard about "Datamining" from people doing it to other games. As I mentioned before, you probably saw it last with Elden Ring. Datamining is the act of someone scrubbing through a games data files and/or save files in order to try to find something that is not currently available in that game. Assets such as clothing, weapons, vehicles, power ups, items, etc etc. In regular games, most of these would be removed before the game even launches, but sometimes some are left in because removing them caused X Error and there isnt time left to find out why. With MMOs, as you mentioned, a Pre-Load is performed which will sometimes have new "assets" available to be viewed. That's an explanation of Datamining when it comes to Games, there's a real world application for it but let's just say I don't want to easily confuse this by explaining that too.

Your Post was from December 3rd. Take 2 mins to go back and check that if you'd like. So what you're suggesting is that the Devs started uploading the New Episode (which probably won't launch till March) files into the game some time before December, and before they would have uploaded the Anniversary Event itself too. Actually you're suggesting that the New Episode was uploaded with the Current Episode, because this "Datamine" had to have happened before December 3rd. Because that's how time works. The problem is, with your severe misunderstanding of how Datamining works, Time is exactly what you didn't account for. Have you ANY idea how much nonsense code a Dataminer has to go through before they find something worth posting about? Most of the games you heard about Datamining from were being mined for Months. Unless you know, with 100% certainty that you're looking for (X Item), Months is pretty standard when it comes to Datamining.

This is, of course, why your story is absolute nonsense.

What's faaaar more likely, if the picture of (Rocket, no Icon, no Rocket, no Icon, no Rocket....) is even real, is there was an internal leak. It probably wasn't even done on purpose. As many have pointed out throughout multiple threads, a few DCUO Devs have left. Sometimes in game development you have to bring your work home with you. Things fall out of bags. Like concept art drawings. There was also this thing called Covid which caused a lot of people, including Game Devs, to work from home too.

But see here's the real kicker, it's been over a month and you still refuse to say where you got the information from. Refuse to post the picture or link where it was leaked, refuse, well, anything tangible at all. So yes, it's honestly, hand to heart easier to this time believe it was a coincidence than to believe you. A person refusing to prove something is untrustworthy.

Also in future, can you make sure you have thought out what you want to say before wasting someone's time with 2 unnecessary replies instead of 1. It's not a good look when someone is so desperate to say something they forget there's an edit button.

Cheers.

That’s a book. You seem upset. I’m not reading that lmfao. ✌️

That's OK, it's more so there for others anyway.

DC's version of MLK's "Perfect Union"..................

One day soon....one day soon I pray.

Yeah, I was kind of wondering where you were when the DLC was announced having Rocket in it. I figured you'd be all over that.

Some headway at least, right? Maybe you'll get Icon by next year?

Controller, DC Legends mobile game just announced that the stars of your thread are joining their ranks in February!


I think Icon is the "Freebie" (Log in reward toon) and Rocket is the Siege-PvP event toon.
More info on their reddit; https://www.reddit.com/r/DCComicsLe...augustus_freeman_rocket_raquel_ervin_join_dc/

Trust me - I'm as happy as the proverbial Pig in Slop about this news, lol....




Just been very busy with Real world stuff.

Icon and Rocket #10 - Febuary 1994. By Dwayne McDuffie, writer. M.D. Bright, Penciller. Mike Gustovich, inker. Steve Dutro, letterer. J. Brown and David Montoya, painter color. Matt Wayne, editor.



This issue marks Icon's first direct confrontation with the powerful and dangerous Bang Baby called Pyre (Holocaust). Pyre was once the leader of the super-powered gang called The Blood Syndicate, until he and its current leader, Wise Son, had a falling out and this gang didn't want him around anymore.

Pyre has seemingly unlimited control of fire - able to emit flames from his hands and even control of it to the point where he can use it to deplete the oxygen from the air. He uses this tactic to defeat Agent Donner of the Shadow Cabinet in issue #9.

Pyre also has super strength, nearly on par with Icon.

This issue starts off with Raquel Ervin, Rocket, apologizing to Icon for her poor choice of joining The Star Chamber. The Star Chamber is a team of super-powered beings who were duped by a mysterious being named "Dharma" into confronting The Shadow Cabinet.

Holocaust recruited Rocket to join The Star Chamber. Icon - after being recruited by Agents Donner and Blitzen - joined The Shadow Cabinet.

"Dharma" led both teams to believe that the fate of Dakotaverse was at stake and thus began the Shadow War. This "war" would span several side issues and feature more Milestone characters like Xombi and Hardware and wrap up with The Star Chamber's eventual defeat at the hands of Icon's Shadow Cabinet team.

After this conflict, Icon and Rocket are discussing her choice of actions and the ramifications behind it. He actually APPLAUDS her for standing her ground and joining The Star Chamber - even if it was a bad choice. He applauds her for realizing that she did in fact join the wrong team after being duped by Holocaust (Pyre) and she made amends shortly after realizing her mistake.

Icon - after smoothing things over with his young partner Rocket - ends their conversation by stating that he is not angry with HER - but with two beings from the defeated Star Chamber. One of these beings he isn't able to locate at the moment but the OTHER one, Holocaust - he can speak with him and thus begins his journey to an eventual confrontation with him.

Icon finds the Police Sergeant that he befriend during he and Rocket's initial conflict with the police - Sergeant Elliot. Sergeant Elliot's team is in the middle of attempting to stop an armed robbery of a local bank. He agrees with chat with Icon but not until after the robbery is stopped. This is where Icon decides to bring the armed robbery to an end to facilitate a quicker meeting with the Sergeant.

Icon begins his determined walk towards the robbery scene - with the robbers using their guns against him to no avail. The bullets are flying but bouncing off of Icon's broad and impenetrable chest harmlessly. As he approaches one of the perpetrators he punches him through a wall and thankfully this convinces the remaining criminals to cease their activities.

Once the scene is secured and the robbers are in custody, Icon begins his conversation with Sergeant Elliot about the Bang Baby Holocaust (Pyre). Elliot warns Icon that Pyre is VERY dangerous - so much so that even The Blood Syndicate wishes nothing to do with him.

Sergeant Elliot tells Icon that Pyre is now a racketeer - using his numerous night clubs he runs to as fronts for the money he makes. He also says that Holocaust is VERY BRUTAL - and this is one reason why no one will testify against him and why charges are rarely brought against him.

The sergeant predicts that unless Holocaust is stopped he will OWN Dakota within a year.

The scene now shifts to Raquel Ervin, Rocket. She is stopping by her mother's job to visit her and to hang out and comes across ANOTHER super-powered bang baby - albeit one that is not in his usual uniform - Virgil Hawkins AKA Static Shock.

Virgil is complaining about the quality of the food to his sister who also works here at the "Bullet Proof Fish Shack". His underlying issues is that Mrs Ervin, Rocket's mother, evidently fired him for some reason and instead HIRED his sister to take his place. Now, he sees fit to hang around the restaurant and harass his sister because of this slight.

Virgil stops his shenanigans long enough to see Raquel Ervin stepped through the door. He is immediately taken aback by her looks and calls her his "Nubian Queen" and gently grabs her hand and plants a kiss on it. He then proceeds to suggest a "June Wedding" for the both of them to which Raquel calls him a geek.

Raquel, after brushing off Virgil Hawkins (Static) advances, states that she is there to see her mother. Mrs Ervin replies that she has no daughter - at least one who stays away from home for DAYS without letting her know where she is or what she's doing. Unbeknownst to Mrs Ervin is that her daughter had been involved in saving the world during her confrontation with The Star chamber and The Shadow Cabinet - and she is unaware of her daughter's alter ego as Rocket.

Mrs. Ervin then tells her daughter that her former boyfriend, Noble, stopped by with $200.00. As Rocket attempts to grab the money out of her mom's hands she then tells Raquel that the money isn't for HER - but for the abortion that she thinks Rocket wants.

As discussed in detail in Icon and Rocket #7 - She has ALREADY decided, after talking with Icon, that she is going to KEEP her baby and raise it best she can. She has yet to discuss this with her mother.

The scene then cuts back to Icon and his eventual confrontation with Holocaust. He lands in front of the most successful night club in Dakota city, The Hot Spot, and makes his grand entrance in his uniform - with his cape flapping behind him as he fills the entrance to the club and the patrons stare in astonishment.

One of the huge bouncers asks him "What does he want?" Icon replies with a stare - "I want to dance. Do YOU?"

The bouncer wisely steps aside and one of his lackeys radios ahead to Holocaust letting him know that Icon is there to see him.

With loud music and bright lights blaring, Icon strides into the club looking for Holocaust. He finds him above on a balcony and Holocaust greets him with "You found me. What's your pleasure?"

Icon replies that his "pleasure" is seeing justice done. He flies to the balcony where Holocaust is smugly standing and lands directly in front of him and states that he is there to ensure that the likes of him are stopped and are unable to continue flouting the laws and institutions.

Pyre responds that he has NOTHING on him and Icon replies that this is true - for now.

Holocaust goes further with their conversation, stating that he is aware of what Icon REALLY wants from him - which is knowledge of what happened at The Big Bang event. He tells Icon that HE was, in fact - at the Big Bang and is a PRODUCT of it. He tells Icon that he learned a lot of what happened with the production of the special tear gas that turned many of the survivors of that horrific event into super-powered freaks and monsters but concludes with he isn't telling Icon ANYTHING that he knows.

Holocaust then BLASTS Icon with a full force shot of his fire - point blank to Icon's chest. The resulting strike knocks Icon through several walls and out of the night club - shattering the roof of the building and lighting up the night sky with a bright orange and red glare.

Holocaust - underestimating Icon - believes that the fight is over. He tells one of his lackeys to order a full round of drinks for ALL of the patrons. His lackey replies that the club has emptied in lieu of the confrontation with Icon that has started.

Icon flies through the hole in the building that he was just blasted through and agrees with the lackey's assessment of the night club patrons - telling him that HE TOO - should leave the club as well.

Icon backhands Holocaust into a wall - knocking him several feet. The collision destroys the wall and Holocaust responds with more fire blasts. He tells Icon that if not for his involvement with The Shadow War that he would've emerged from it even more powerful than he is NOW....

As it is, Icon thwarted those plans and has come into direct conflict with him. An enraged Holocaust emits MORE blasts of fire from his hands and Icon deftly avoids it and rips a large arcade machine from the wall it was attached to.

Icon sends the machine flying towards its prey and it strikes Holocaust directly - exploding upon impact and knocking Holocaust to the floor, defeated.



Icon proceeds to lecture his defeated foe - on his dereliction of responsibility to his many friends who died at The Big Bang and his choice of using his powers for greed and corruption.

He ends the conflict, for now, by telling Holocaust that he is NOW on his radar and that they will meet again.

Holocaust (Pyre), arises from his defeated position and reflects on what has happened and what is to come. He reflects on Icon's lecture to him.

He thinks about his defeat by Icon's Shadow Cabinet team and what he was able to obtain - even in his 1st loss against Icon.

he then pops a small vial out of a pocket within his body armor. This vial has a green liquid substance in it - "Quantum Juice". This Quantum Juice is what was laced with the tear gas during the terrible tragedy of the Big Bang. This substance is what gave Holocaust, Static, The Blood Syndicate, and many others their powers while, unfortunately, killing so many other youth at the same time.

Holocaust opens the container near his nose and inhales it. He acknowledges the danger involved with what he is doing but sees no other option that to risk either death - or perhaps gain even MORE POWER - for his eventual conflict with Icon once again in the near future.

He acknowledges that the risks outweigh the rewards. He'll find out soon enough.

Icon and Rocket #11 - March 1994. By Kurt Busiek, writer. Ron Wilson, penciller. Maria Beccari, inker. K. Brown, painted color. Steve Dutro, letterer. Matt Wayne, editor.

This issue takes somewhat of a break from the main storyline in that it details Icon and Rocket's adventures through the eyes of a young child, Todd Loomis. Todd is in Miss Bagerto's 4th grade class at Hester J. Louisiter Elementary school. and a HUGE admirer of both Icon and Rocket and their heroic exploits.

Todd happens to get involved - dangerously so - to his subjects in this case as he admires their work around Paris Island.



The story opens with young Todd observing the Dynamic Duo doing work against some gun dealers. Rocket is using her kinetic energy belt to blast the dealers with their own energy - redirected back at them - as they try to blast the two with their high-tech weapons.

The projectiles bounce harmlessly off of Icon's broad chest.

Icon notes that this is the fourth time the duo has encountered gun dealers with such high-tech weaponry and openly questions how they acquired such tech. One of the dealers utters some curse words at Icon and tells him to get used to it.

Icon becomes annoyed, as the dealers continue to pour on the onslaught of bullets and other projectiles but becomes concerned as they ricochet off of his body but onto the innocent onlookers. Here is where Rocket springs into action - without Icon uttering no more than two words of warning.

The two - nearly a year into her persuading him to become a superhero - are really starting to gel together as partners.

Rocket darts into action, using her kinetic energy-absorbing belt to block the projectiles but at the same time absorbing the spent energy to use it for future engagements.

Rocket - still used to speaking her mind - utters some choice words at the dealers while saving the onlookers. Icon - always in lecture mode - curtly asks her to watch her language and reminds her that she's a young lady.

The two of them - wanting to end things quickly at this point - both rush into the crowd of gun dealers, knocking them down and at the same time shattering their weapons.

Icon bends a steel beam around one of the dealers, lecturing him while rending the steel beam around his wrists effortlessly. The dealer, hurt and shaken by Icon and Rocket's attack, shamelessly exclaims that there WILL be more dealers on the street as well as MORE high-tech weapons.

Icon makes note of this. He also notes that OTHER Paris Island superheroes like Static and Hardware, are ALSO encountering similar situations with gun dealers with high-tech weaponry. He seems to wonder if their actions - as noble as they appear to be - are REALLY making a difference.

Rocket believes in what they are doing and reminds Icon of the EXAMPLE they are setting. Icon responds, questioning if Rocket truly believes her own words, as honorable as they sound.

Off in the distance, young Todd Loomis has observed the ENTIRE incident, looking on with awe as his heroes are cleaning up their neighborhood. He notes the TEAMWORK they exhibit, as well as the relationship they have with law enforcement as they show up to apprehend the dealers. He states how his mom made him an Icon cape for Christmas, as he punches make-believe foes and jumps into the air like he's flying.

He juts out his chest after vanquishing his imaginary foes and brags about how he's protecting not only his neighborhood but also his mom.

As young Todd proceeds onto his next adventure he hears noises from a nearby building that he thought was abandoned. He wonders what Icon and Rocket would've done in such a situation and then - dangerously - starts his own investigation.

As he finds his way into the mysterious building he stumbles across the SOURCE of the influx of weapons and hears conversations as he tries to find a safe spot to eavesdrop. He sees several more gun dealers with HUGE open crates of weapons. They are talking among themselves as they assemble the weapons.

The large crates bear the label of "ALVA INDUSTRIES" - which is Edwin Alva's handiwork. Edwin Alva is HARDWARE'S main antagonist. Hardware (Curtis Metcalf) is the Tony Stark of Milestone Media's Dakotaverse and is a close friend to Icon and Rocket.

Young Todd manages to scoot away unbeknownst to the dealers and tries to warn his mom about what he's seen. She calls his observations "cute" and gently chides him for his supposed imagination.

Young Todd even goes to law enforcement. They commend him for his Icon outfit but don't believe his seemingly wild story.

He wonders about contacting Icon directly but reasons that he doesn't know who he is nor where he lives. He DOES believe, however, that Rocket is the more accessible one of the duo and starts off, Icon cape flapping in the wind behind him - to find Icons partner Rocket.

He finds some of his male friends hanging out in front of their homes but they give him assorted nonsensical answers - like how one of them has a DATE with her. He finds some of his female friends and their responses aren't any more serious than the previous group.

Todd continues on until he happens across Rocket as she is landing nearby. She seems to know the youngster from her neighborhood but doesn't take him seriously as she ponders whether to go back out on patrol.

She tells him to go bother Static.

Exasperated momentarily, he ponders giving up. But he then wonders what ICON would do in such a situation, lifts himself out of his dejection, and then decides to not give up. It is at this point that one of the dealers he observed finds his small eavesdropper and lift him up by the back of his shirt.

The dealer proceeds to take the child, squirming, into the warehouse hideout and presents his find to his fellow dealers. They exclaim that they are going to kill the youngster for eavesdropping on them, getting directly to the point and showing no hesitation at such a choice.

Todd Loomis - not ready to kick the can just yet - strikes his abductor in his private area with his foot. The embarrassed gun dealer quickly recovers and reaches angrily for a weapon and takes aim but before he can pull the trigger one of his partners wisely warns him about firing his weapon around so much ammunition. He tells him and the rest of their crew to fan out and locate their diminutive antagonist.

Ever resourceful and full of dangerous fearlessness, Todd finds a nearby crowbar while hiding behind one of the large weapons crates. This particular crate houses rocket launchers.

The child smartly and quickly assembles the weapon, working with fervor that is based off of fear and manages to fire off a projectile that exits the building in a fiery explosion above the warehouse.

Young Todd is then located by one of his abductors. The man brings his weapon directly to the fearful child's face and is about to pull the trigger.............

...until he hears the loud crash of shattered glass as both Icon and Rocket - clued in by young Todd's weapon launching - descend upon both a frightened Todd Loomis as well as the gun dealers.

Rocket quickly looks around and realizes that this warehouse is the source of the high-tech weapons. Icon tells her to stay sharp as they are about to deal with the gun runners and save the child.

The dealers open fire, desperately trying to fend off the intruding duo. As the bullets bounce harmlessly off of Icon he bends over, grabbing boards from the wooden floor and yanks most of the foundation right from under their aggressors, immediately disabling and disorienting them.

One of the dealers manages to toss a grenade towards Rocket but it explodes harmlessly near her. The explosion DOES, in fact, appear to overload her belt and the blast temporarily knocks her out of the warehouse. She rushes back in to observe the dealers unloading ALL of their remaining weapons into Icon, in a desperate and foolish attempt to defeat their foe.

Icon, angered by the continued useless onslaught of weapons, warns his aggressors one more time to give up and surrender. The answer from one of them is to aim a rocket launcher at Icon, threatening to fire.

Todd Loomis - seeing his beloved hero in danger - bravely (and foolishly) launches himself towards the dealer aiming the rocket launcher. The weapon goes off - firing the projectile into the roof of the warehouse as the gun dealer is knocked off balance.

The dealer, further enraged at this point, grabs the young child and tells him that he is about to die. But Icon and Rocket spring into action striking the dealers and knocking them into the large crates, shattering several of them and knocking the aggressors unconscious.

The Dynamic duo then congratulate and apologize to their young(er) savior and thank him for his bravery, telling the excited lad that they should've listened to him from the start.



Law enforcement rounds up the dealers and hauls them away as Icon and Rocket fly off to their next trouble spots. Young Todd Loomis - the NEW hero of Paris Island - watches them fly away and proudly puffs out his chest at a job well done.

Icon and Rocket #12 - By Jackie Ching, writer. Wilfred, penciler. Mike Gustovich, Inker. Steve Dutro, letterer. J. Brown, painted color. Matt Wayne, editor.



This issue starts off in Raquel Ervin's (Rocket) neighborhood. She is reflecting on her pregnancy, the neighborhood she'll have to raise her son in, and the fact that both her mom and her grandmother were raised here as well.

She states that it is no place to raise a child.

There is a man dressed in a nice jacket, shirt, slacks and tie that is walking nearby. This man encounters Rocket doing her superheroic duties of saving him from being robbed by some criminals in her neighborhood.

Hurling expletives her way, one of these men try to grab Rocket from behind but she throws him over her shoulder. The other man unloads on her with his semi-automatic weapons, which bounce harmlessly off of Rocket's energy field and at the same time POWERS this energy field with the bullet's kinetic energy....the same energy she then uses to fly at super-speed and apprehend one of the escaping criminals.

The man is shocked by Rocket's display of power and gives up.

Icon shows up towards the end of Rocket's engagement with the neighborhood toughs and reminds her of her Geometry test tomorrow. He also reminds her that she is a full time STUDENT and only a PART-TIME superhero.

He then flies off, effortlessly lifting the three captured criminals that Rocket just apprehended.

As Icon is flying away, Rocket hurls a math equation his way, getting a head start on the answer to her toughest problem on her math homework:

"Hey Icon, what is the circumference of circle X when X = 2 (pi) r and Area = pi r (squared)?

As she is awaiting his answer so she can jot it down, the same gentleman that she saved from harm brushes up against her and gives her an ominous looking card. The card is labeled "Gideon's Cord" and has a phone number listed as well as the picture of a young woman.

Rocket keeps the card but thinks nothing of it at the moment as she is beginning to relax in her room and start her math homework. As she laments having to juggle school, heroics and pregnancy she wonders how long she can balance the three?

As her pencil starts the process of solving the math problems she hears a faint scratching at her window. It is Icon, smiling at her and uttering the answer to the math question she gave him as he flew off.

She smiles and thanks him and she jots down the answer.

The next day begins with Icon in his alter-ego persona of Augustus Freeman IV, High-powered Attorney. He is in his Law office conversing with one of his colleagues. They are talking about "Gideon's Cord" - the name that was on the card that the mysterious gentleman gave to Rocket just yesterday.

His colleague alleges that "Gideon's Cord" is nothing more than a terrorist-like group that targets abortion clinics. Augustus Freeman IV disagrees - at least initially - correcting his friend and reminding him that it's just an allegation.

Nickson - his colleague / friend reminds Mr. Freeman of the bombing recently by this group that killed a mother and her young child. He states to Mr. Freeman the alleged goal of "Gideon's Cord" - As an essentially non-violent civil protest group aimed at discouraging young women from having abortions.....but what catches BOTH of their eyes is the FINAL part of the slogan:

"By any means necessary".

The scene shifts away from Augustus Freeman IV's and Mr. Nickson's discussion about Gideon's Cord, focusing now on Raquel Ervin and Josie, a close friend of hers who is contemplating an abortion. Her friend is telling her about her abusive boyfriend - which helps to explain the blackened eye socket that her friend tragically displays.

Josies boyfriend, Bilbo, is threatening her into having their child - with violent and abusive behavior. Josie is trying to decide otherwise.

As Raquel and Josie talk, Josie realizes that Raquel Ervin is ALSO pregnant - MUCH to her surprise.

Josie tells Rocket that the pregnancy was not her choice and that she intends on terminating the pregnancy. She wants no part of Bilbo - as he is a leader of a local gang called "Society of the cross". He claims it's a legitimate business but the illegal arms and other shady dealings state otherwise.

Josie tells Raquel of the times that Bilbo takes her hard-earned money from her job...earned to pay for the roof over their heads and for utilities. She details his often violent and threatening demeanor towards her.

She tells Raquel, with the wound on her eye and sweating profusely with fear, that she threatened to leave him but he told her that he'd kill her parents if she left. Josie further explains that she wants no part of Bilbo being in her life and what he put upon her.

She then exclaims that she's truly happy for Raquel Ervin's pending birth of her son. She asks Raquel Ervin / Rocket about her mom's thoughts on her pregnancy and she states that she freaked out but her mind is made up.

Raquel tells Josie to not worry - as she says that she will journey with her to the clinic. Josie mentions that this will be very dangerous - as she recalls the recent bombing of the same clinic and the unfortunate killing of two of its inhabitants.

Rocket then starts to brainstorm.

The next scene, ironically, pans to Icon as he is flying above a disturbance nearby. He happens upon a gun deal in progress and recognizes a few of the participants as member of Gideon's Cord.

Icon exclaims to the surprised men - "Put your guns away".

The men open fire on Icon but he uses his quick reflexes and lightning-like speed to dodge the projectiles. They cannot find him in the hail of bullets, gunfire and smoke.

Icon swoops in and grabs ALL of the weapons and before any of the goons can react they hear the deafening sound of crunching metal as Icon renders their arms useless.

Among the crew of goons Bilbo emerges from his previous hiding spot in one of the vehicles. He has a grenade launcher at the ready and surprises, momentarily - Icon.

Enter The Rocket - Raquel Ervin - as she joins the fray and grabs the weapon from Bilbo's grasp. She jokingly tells Icon that they both need to work on their timing.

Icon - annoyed that his partner is endangering not only herself but her UNBORN child - reminds her of her "condition" - much to her displeasure.

During their back-and-forth, Bilbo speeds away in a van. But not for long.

The scene now cuts to a conversation between Icon and Rocket in their alter-ego personas. He is disclosing to her that the gentleman that she saved - at the start of this issue - was in fact a doctor at the clinic that was given a card with "Gideon's Cord" on it by the activists of that group.

The doctor exclaimed to Augustus Freeman IV that he had been threatened several times by this group. He also stated that the doctor gave him tips as to the whereabouts of their group.

Mr. Freeman warns his young partner that it may be dangerous to take her friend Josie to that clinic but she believes that as long as they are on the scene then things will be safe.

The scene cuts to a suburb of Dakota, called Glenrock. There are a group of people outside of the clinic in a circle, holding hands and praying. They notice that Raquel Ervin and her friend Josie are approaching.

One lady, holding a cross, tells the two that they don't have to do it. She utters God's love to them as they proceed. Other members of the prayer circle try to persuade the duo to change their minds.

A nurse ushers them in, telling them to hurry.

A doctor greets the duo and shows them into the examination room. Her friend Josie thanks her as she departs.

As Raquel waits outside for her friend she recalls how much of a friend that Icon / Augustus Freeman IV - is to her and how she's thankful for him being in her life. She calls him her Guardian Angel.

The scene cuts to the next day, in Augustus Freeman's law office, as he and his colleague Nickson is discussing more information on Gideon's Cord. Nickson exclaims that the gun dealers that Icon and Rocket encountered had definitive ties to Gideon'c Cord. They both state that this will be enough information to hold the group accountable in court.

The scene then cuts to an enraged Bilbo - in a bullet-proof vest and armed for combat - breaking into the clinic where his frightened former girlfriend Josie is present. He grabs the hair of a terrified nurse and screams to her "Where is my Josie??"

As nurses and clinic workers rush by in terror, the lead doctor tries to buy time - telling the deranged teen gunman that the police are on the way. Bilbo - still enraged - remains in pursuit of Josie.

She emerges from the examination room, shocked and frightened and shambles her way towards Bilbo. He calls her his little sweetpea then asks her why is she there?

Enter The Rocket - in full uniform. She tells Bilbo to get her hands off of her friend and asks him how did he get out of prison?

Bilbo exclaims - "Ten thousand dollars of bail money".

He then opens fire on Rocket, as he holds Josie in his tightened wrists with her screaming in terror. The gun blasts only fuel her kinetic energy powers given to her by the belt she wears and she lunges at Bilbo and disarms him.

At this time, law enforcement has arrived and is securing the scene.

Rocket, for once thankful to see the uniformed officers, thanks them profusely as they lead away Bilbo in handcuffs.

Icon FINALLY shows up, with Rocket cracking yet another joke on why he is habitually late to their encounters. He deflects her humor, instead reminding her of her pending pregnancy and the potential harm she is placing herself in.

He threatens to confiscate her belt if she doesn't focus more on her schooling and her condition. She retorts that he simply doesn't like the competition she provides him.

She ends by hugging him and thanking him for looking out for her.

Icon and Rocket #13 - By Dwayne "Trouble Man" McDuffie, writer. Mark "Dolomite" Bright, Penciller. Mike "Rooster" Gustovich, Inker. James "Godfather of Soul" Brown and David "Rollo" Montoya, Color Painters. Steve "Rerun" Dutro, Letterer. Matt "Slappy" Wayne, Editor.



This is one of my favorite issues of the original 42-issue run from back in the 1990s. On the cover of this epic comic is none other than the One of a kind Rufus T "Buck" Wild - Dakatoverse' Mercenary Man.

"Buck" Wild is a parody of African American superheroes from the 1970s. His various identities are references to Luke Cage, Black Goliath, Falcon, Black Lightning and Brother Voodoo.

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Rufus_Wild_(Dakotaverse), from the DC database.

His powers are as follows:

Powers and Abilities

Powers

• Superhuman Strength: Buck Wild could easily lift and throw cars or smash walls with his bare hands.
• Superhuman Durability: Buck Wild was bulletproof.
• As Buck Voodoo, he displayed the ability to take control of Kingfish's body.

This particular issue starts off with Buck Wild crashing through a window and breaking up a gathering of two-bit hoods. With guns blaring Buck Wild's foes gun blasts ricochet harmlessly off of Buck's chest but they continue their hopeless onslaught anyway.

As he rushes into the fray, he screams out "Alright you mother-lovin' finger-licking chicken pluckers! You done messed up now!

'Cause I'm Buck Wild, Mercenary Man!!"

"It's ALWAYS Christmas!" (Sounds familiar?) (Luke Cage).

As he grabs two thugs and cracks their skulls together, he hollers "You don't have a chance anyways, with my belief-defying strength!"

While he is fighting, he's making references to images running around in his head. It's hard for him to focus at times.

He regains his focus long enough to see a thug with a gun pointed directly at his face. As the gun goes off, the bullet strikes him directly in his right eye. The criminal finds out - to his astonishment - that YES even Buck Wild's EYES are invulnerable. The blast only causes Buck to tear up in the eye and it further enrages him.

"Sweet Easter! You shot me in the eye! Things is sho-nuff about to get UGLY!"

More thoughts are running through his mind, as a result of the experimentation that resulted in him gaining his powers. It's hard for him to focus at times. He regains his composure long enough to grab the hand of the person who just shot him in his eye, crushing the gun AND his hand, and simultaneously throwing him into 2 other criminals, knocking the three of them unconcious.

He punches through a thick wall, grabbing a large pipe from it and uses this pipe as a make-shift human collar as he bends the large pipe around roughly a dozen crooks.

As he gloats over his victory, he screams out a familiar refrain of his:

"That takes care of YOU - now I'm abouts to get PAID!!"

He is interrupted by the one and only Lysistrata Jones' with her metallic whip. He is immediately mesmerized by her pretty skin, Bette Davis eyes, Angela Davis hair and tight hip-hugging jeans.

He recognizes that she is, in fact, in cahoots with the crooks that he just apprehended but he is taken aback by her soul-stirring afro and beauty and leaves himself open for Lysistrata's potent weapon, her "P-Whip"......

She snaps this whip around Buck and he is immediately immobilized, under her spell.

Ms. Jones lets out a loud cackle of laughter as she marvels over her prize catch.

The scene then cuts to our popular super heroine, Rocket. She is standing on the ledge of a building looking out for trouble while on patrol.

She is thinking about her super-hero lifestyle and that she's only 15 years old and pregnant. She is noticing the weight gain. She notices her increasing bathroom use.

She notices that none of her friends hang out that much anymore. She's been out of school for two straight weeks, doing superhero-type things. Her grandmother is upset with her. She isn't getting along with her mother.

She takes a deep breath, leaps off of the ledge of the building - executing several mid-air flips along the way. The slick aerial maneuvering is Rocket's way of building momentum and using that to power her kinetic-energy belt.

Right before she crashes into the street, she disappears in a loud "BOOM" of clouds and smoke as her belt kicks in and propels her into flight.

As she is rocketing through the air she notices a crackhouse on a corner. She mentions how this appears to be one of the few crackhouses that The Blood Syndicate haven't shut down, yet.

She crashes through the wall with a loud BOOM, happening upon three goons up to no-good. They recognize her immediately as The Rocket, Icon's partner, and open fire.

Little do they know that the gunfire only serves to power Rocket's inertia belt. She aims her hands at her foes as she lets loose with a blast of stored-up energy, knocking her assailants out.

As one of the goons regains consciousness, he curses her out and exclaims how the prisons are full of goons like him and how he's be back on the streets fast.

Rocket disagrees with his statement and as she balls her fist she is about to give him a super-powered punch....but not before she hears a deep and commanding voice behind her.

Her mysterious and super-powered partner, Icon, has entered the fray. He tells her to put the criminal down and let Law Enforcement do their jobs.

She reluctantly drops her foe, and then a lecture ensues from Icon. He reminds her about appropriate force and what did she think she was going to do with the man that she was about to punch?

She comes to herself - reminding him of her sometimes uncontrollable mood swings that comes along with her pregnancy.

The lecturing continues - with Icon telling Rocket that he doubts that her mother was out battling criminals and placing herself in jeopardy while carrying her.

Rocket - in her typical fashion - exclaims nonchalantly:

"So?"

Icon sighs and calmly suggests that she take maternity leave. She retorts that the belt offers her a measure of protection. Icon agrees but tells her that her current duties are still taking her away from her schooling and preparing for motherhood. He's been in deep thought about his young partner and begins to give her some ideas on how to proceed but......

With a LOUD crash, the wall of the building opposite the pair shatters and a large frame lumbers through. It is none other than Rufus T "Buck" Wild, Mercenary Man!

"What it be about, homeys!! You Icon and the Rocket, right?? Well, I be Buck Wild!!"

Buck tells the shocked pair that the crackhouse they crashed is the property of his main mistress Lysistrata Jones. He sees the pair as a threat and unloads on Icon first, with a super-powered right hook to Icon's jaw.

The strike sends Icon flying of the building. As Buck turns towards Rocket, he says that he doesn't wish to hit her but warns her to not give him any lip.

Rocket seems more concerned about her partner than Buck at the moment.

She finds Icon dazed across the street against a wall. Buck Wild landed a good shot on him but he says that he is more embarrassed that he allowed himself to be taken by surprise.

Buck continues through the wall after the pair of heroes. Buck exclaims "Aunt Jemima's do-rag! You's about one tough son of a biscuit!! But Baby once I lay a taste o' my belief-defying strength on you, you'll be down fo' the count in a Uncle Ben's instant!"

Buck effortlessly lifts a nearby car and prepares to hurl it Icon's way.

As Icon and Rocket stare in disbelief, Icon states that his dialect is unfamiliar. Rocket chimes in that it sounds more like Chester Himes meeting Amos and Andy. She further exclaims that she doesn't think it's slang but brain damage.

Buck hurls the vehicle at the pair, hollering "you mother-huggin' flock-pluggin' hog-head cheese eaters! Take THIS!!"

Icon gets airborne, hovering a few feet above the ground and effortless catches the vehicle, exclaiming "I believe I will. But only for a moment."

Icon hurls the red car right back at Buck Wild, with more force than was used to initially throw the car his way. Buck is shocked and unprepared as the vehicle crashes into him, knocking him to the ground with a loud "WHAM!"

"Sweet Easter! I better duck! Mama didn't raise no fools!"

Icon stands over his temporarily stunned foe, stating that he'd argue Buck's claim vigorously.

Buck, enraged at this point, balls up his fist and winds up.

"You motherless - " Buck screams, as he hopes to land another blow on Icon. Icon catches Buck's fist in mid-strike, effortlessly - stunning Buck Wild.

Icon, mildly bothered at this point - says "Absolutely NO mothers", as he applies pressure to Buck's fist that is still in Icon's larger hands. This show of strength brings Buck Wild, Mercenary Man - to his knees.

Icon asks his foe to yield but Buck, clearly out-matched and in pain, refuses - saying that he has no other choice than to fight Icon and win.

Icon is stunned as he feels a soda can clank upside his noggin, turning around and facing the neighborhood inhabitants of Dakotaverse.

The locals are screaming for Icon to GET AWAY from Buck....to leave him alone. They tell Icon and Rocket that Buck is indeed one of the GOOD GUYS.....

Icon, in shock, exclaims to the neighborhood onlookers gathered around him that Buck interfered in him and his partner shutting down a drug house. They respond back that Buck must've had good reason to interfere, defending their loyal super-powered mercenary.

The locals tell Icon stories of how he's helped ALL of them out in one way or the other...and how he even let them repay him on installment. They tell the stunned Icon and Rocket that he is the only hero they have!

Buck - with his fist still in Icon's larger hands locked in a grasp - tells the crowd NO! He tells them that the pain is helping to jog his memory of how he got his powers............

While in front of the judge, Buck remembers that he plea-bargained down from the crime he committed than landed him in prison. He states that while prison was rough, he decided to lay low, read and educate himself and stay out of trouble while incarcerated.

He remembers how one of the guards was racist towards him, striking him with his club while in his cell making rounds. Buck believes that the reason for the angst from this guard is because he used to date his sister.

In despair, Buck realizes that he wouldn't last long under these conditions and starts to look for a way out. He volunteered for an experiment while in prison - one where prisoners were frozen for a period of time in a state of suspended animation.

The agreement was that if he survived the experiment he'd have time slashed off of his sentence. But there was a major malfunction and the machine that Buck was entombed in exploded but HE - miraculously - survived.

Buck Wild emerged from the flames and smoke of the explosion with tungsten-hard skin and incredible "Belief-defying" strength.

Buck, with his fist still in Icon's grasp, looks up with a clear-head and tells him that he can now let him go. He doesn't want to fight anymore and he is instead thankful to Icon for helping him to remember.

Rocket, listening intently to Buck's story - repeats that his brain froze in 1972? She then wonders if it has indeed thawed yet..............

Icon, listening intently to Buck's story, asks Mr. Wild to continue. Buck says that a few weeks later he was released on furlough a few weeks later and never returned to prison - staying out of trouble and gaining employment as a neighborhood mercenary, fighting crime but getting PAID to do so.

He then approaches Icon, grabs his hand and tries a Soul Brother hand shake on him in appreciation of him. This leaves Icon in an awkward state because he is not - as of yet - familiar with the handshake but stands by intently as Buck tries to teach it to him.

He THANKS Icon profusely for the firm grasp on his fist previously because the steady pain jarred his memory as to what his original task was - which was to bring in his Mistress Lysistrata Jones.

Buck storms off to the building where Ms. Jones is inside. Buck yells that it's PAYBACK TIME! as he walks determined towards her hideout.

Rocket says ' "You're going to let that fool go inside alone and face Lysistrata?" Icon responds "No I suppose not."

The two catch up to Buck as the three of them begin to put a plan together. As they lay out a plan Buck storms ahead, as expected, crashing through the roof and RIGHT INTO THE clutches of Lysistrata Jones' metallic mind-controlling whip.

Icon, gaining Ms. Jones' attention, tells her that her whip will have no affect on him but he is mistaken as HE comes under her mind-controlling whip's spell.

Rocket, ever resourceful and alert, comes to BOTH Buck's and Icon's rescue, punching Ms. Jones squarely in her jaw and knocking her out for the authorities to take her into custody.

Buck Wild thanks Rocket for saving his life not once but TWICE. He marvels at the two of them and what he'd like to pattern himself after from this point forward.

Ms. Lysistrata Jones, in the Foxy Flesh baby lol.

Buck Wild's arch nemesis.