FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE

Membership: Death, Famine, Pestilence, War

Base of Operations: Mobile, Earth-50

First Appearance: Deathblow (Image) #10 (November, 1994)

History:  (Deathblow (Image) #10-12) - The Antichrist Black Angel planned to open up the gates of Hell and summon Satan so judgment day commence. To accomplish his goals, he kidnapped Christopher, a young miracle worker chosen by God to be mankind’s new savior. He was opposed by the Order of the Cross, their agent sister Mary, and the black-op Deathblow. The Black Angel stole the sigils of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from the Vatican, where they were kept under lock and key. He summoned up the Four Horsemen, choosing Deathblow’s fellow black-ops that he’d had to kill in Costa Mesa because of political machinations by John Lynch to serve as their vessels, knowing the conflict he’d sow within Deathblow. Deathblow’s allies Dane, Grifter and Backlash agreed to go after the Four Horsemen while Deathblow and Mary drove to the WTC to confront the Black Angel. The Horsemen continued their slaughter across the city, and each person they killed became possessed by one of the Black Angel’s demons, adding to the destruction and chaos. War was on the 4 Line causing people to become bloodthirsty and kill each other. Grifter attacked him, but soon had a whole subway car of people against him. Backlash was on the burning Brooklyn Bridge when he confronted Famine. Dane found Central Park full of diseased corpses when he ran into Pestilence. Mary and Deathblow fought their way through the WTC only to be met by Death, who Deathblow recognized was using Joseph Conrad as a host. Death drained Sister Mary’s life energy, but Deathblow stabbed him with the Sword of Heaven, and finished the Horseman off by shattering his sigil with the sword. Conrad thanked Deathblow as his soul was set free. Lt. O’Brien and Special Agent Fox tried to arrest Deathblow, still suspecting him of being Herod, but Lynch called them to rescind all warrants against Deathblow, telling them that I.O. Travis Trickle, now dead, was the real Herod. O’Brien and Fox offered to join Deathblow in his battle against the Black Angel, and he accepted. Deathblow said it was time for their final stand, and they’d either save the world or die in a blaze of glory. Deathblow radioed Dane, Grifter and Backlash, telling them of the Horsemen’s weakness, and they defeated their opponents by breaking their sigils. Deathblow destroyed the Black Angel with the Sword of Heaven and the miracle boy Christopher used the sword’s Heavenly power to turn back time and undo most of the damage the Black Angel and Four Horsemen had caused.