Stormwatch #5

Midnighter's high school nickname is Murder Machine.

The representative from The Shadow Cabinet sends Adam One into the Death Pit, technically killing him. But the representative tells the rest of Stormwatch that a person has to be dead to be a member of the Shadow Council. So it looks like Adam One was just promoted for failing to lead Stormwatch? And why does the most super secret covert organization in the world (more covert than Checkmate and S.H.A.D.E. and The Blackhawks and Task Force X and probably a bunch of others I can't remember right now) need to be led by a super secret group of secret people? Is that how it always works out? Sort of like in The X-Files where the covert government programs are run by the shadowy group of old men in the dark room with the big table. It must be necessary for some reason. Or else it's just a dumb cliché that nobody knows how to stop doing.

Batman!

The next order of business is picking a more capable leader. The cover seems to think it should be between Tanner and Midnighter. But what about Martian Manhunter? He has tons of experience!

Oh, okay, forget Martian Manhunter! I guess it is between Tanner and Midnighter!

The Shadow Cabinet picks The Projectionist to lead Stormwatch because she has a background of killing and crime and suicide attempts! Makes her perfectly fit to lead this group. I guess. But while they were discussing who should be leader while giving the reader a short synopsis on all the members, Apollo and Midnighter disappeared somewhere deeper into Stormwatch Headquarters. So the cover must be the fight that is going to break out as Stormwatch tries to recruit (or recapture?) them.

The Shadow Cabinet Guy disappears (off to his island, he says) to leave Stormwatch to deal with the matters at hand. Tanner heads off to find Apollo and Midnighter while an emergency alarm goes off on board the ship. Something is approaching them inside hyperspace.

Big deal! Everyone in the DC Universe has the power to finish other character's sentences!

Everyone scrambles to deal with the alarm except for Midnighter who recognizes it as an obvious diversionary tactic! He heads to exactly the right place on the enormous ship to catch Tanner stealing Stormwatch Data Disks. And Tanner attacks him with his energy swords! What a dumb dumb! He obviously doesn't realize Midnighter's greatest super power is to beat every opponent he faces!

Before the fight can play out to the end, the Projectionist wanders into the room. Harry grabs her and enters the airlock, launching himself and the Projectionist into Hyperspace where they disappear in a twinkling gold glow. Unless that was Apollo doing something to them. But it probably wasn't.

On board Stormwatch Headquarters, a recorded message from Harry plays. He has set the Alien Horn thing seen in Superman #1 on a timer. When it reaches zero, the Horn blows itself (hee hee) and causes Stormwatch Headquarters to explode! That's the end of this issue but it leads to a mini-crossover in Stormwatch #6, Superman #6, and Grifter #7! I hope I remember to read those issues in that order. I'm sure Superman #6 will remind me to read Stormwatch first. I hope.