Strangers

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The Strangers
Cover to Strangers #1 Art by Rick Hoberg and Tim Burgard
Publication information
Publisher	Malibu Comics
Main character(s)	Atom Bob Electrocute Grenade Lady Killer Spectral Yrial Zip-Zap
Creative team
Creator(s)	Steve Englehart Rick Hoberg

The Strangers is the title of a comic book series created and written by Steve Englehart. It was originally drawn by Rick Hoberg, for Malibu Comics’ Ultraverse imprint.

The Strangers consisted of a group of random passengers on a cable car who were struck by what they believed to be a bolt of lightning, but was actually a "jumpstart": one of the bursts of energy emitted by the Entity from the Moon, which transformed them into "Ultras".

History

The cable car the passengers were on went out of control and crashed into a car driven by Johnny Domino, driving a piece of metal into his brain. This accident caused Johnny to no longer need sleep and to develop the ability to hear evil thoughts, which led to his becoming the Ultra-Hero, Night Man. The villain known as Rune was also on the scene and later ate one of the super-powered, unnamed passengers.

Elana came to sponsor the team, having developed a fortune in the fashion business. It was at one of her shows where the villain Rafferty attacked. Despite threats to kill, Rafferty only murders an old lady, right in front of the group.

More villiany

The group takes an ocean trip, where they encounter and battle super-powered pirates. They soon discover these pirates were also civillains from the cable car and had decided to band together and use their powers to commit high-seas crime.

The team travels to many areas, such as the moon to combat events affecting all Ultras, Yrial's city to deal with politics therein, and many alternate dimensions. Grenade and Electrocute later become a romantic couple. The team helps Hardcase and his partner Choice invade the Groom Lake facility of the mysterious organization known as Aladdin. Spectral reveals he is gay, to the acceptance of all his friends. Around this time they confront J.D. Hunt's personal enforcers, TNTNT.

Grenade gets into deep trouble when his girlfriend is re-programmed by her original makers, Nu-Ware. With the additional help of the mystical Teknight, he believes he will be able to defeat TNTNT. Electrocute attacks also, defeating the two heroes.

J.D. Hunt Jr.

J.D. Hunt's son, knowing the Strangers held his father prisoner, visits the hero's headquarters, temporarily located at Labrava Fashions, on Pier 25. He negotiates with the only two Strangers left, Zip-Zap and Spectral. He threatens to have the other heroes sold off unless they make the trade. Despite Grenade and Teknight having rescued themselves from the prison, the two need additional help in escaping. Spectral's mechanically talented friend Mike adjusts Electrocute's systems, preventing them from being overridden in the same manner again.

At the time of this incident, Len and Yrial are in Europe in an attempt to help Atom Bob. They encounter dangers on a mysterious mountain.

Frustrated to be unable to his powers effectively and corrupted by demonic magic, Atom Bob ends up a villain. Night Man exposes him.

Membership

The Strangers were an Ultra-hero team consisting of:

• Electrocute - a gynoid (female android) named "Candy", created as an elaborate sex toy by billionaire villain J.D. Hunt. She develops sentience after the accident and becomes a superhero with the Strangers. She has the ability to project bolts of electricity, as well as a highly durable body.
• Atom Bob (Bob Hardin) - Art student who gains the ability to rearrange matter on the molecular or atomic levels.
• Grenade (Hugh Fox) - close friend of Bob with an explosive temper, gains the ability to fire explosive blasts.
• Lady Killer (Elena La Brava) - Fashion designer who gains perfect aim with any weapon, even if she has never used it before, and can throw any object she can lift with deadly precision.
• Spectral (Dave Castiglone)- Able to envelop himself in different colored flames, each color granting him a different power: Red (enhanced strength and aggression), Orange (fire manipulation), Yellow (flight), Green (plant growth), Blue (water manipulation), Indigo (space-vacuum survival), Violet (protection). Castiglone later revealed he was gay.
• Yrial - Sorceress from a magic flying city.
• Zip-Zap (Leon Balford)- Urban teenager who gained super-speed.

In other media

The Strangers (save for Lady Killer and Yrial) appear in the final two episodes of the Ultraforce animated series. According to Steve Englehart, via his personal website, this was supposed to be a back door pilot for a Strangers animated series, but plans were cancelled following Marvel's purchase of Malibu.