Synopsis[]
When The Baku escapes custody and arranges a meeting with Yuki Matsumuro in attempt to combine two Japanese criminal clans under his control, Heroes Alliance respond by engaging the assistance of Japanese hero, the Bujin, to infiltrate the Baku's forces. Although originally reluctant to join the team due to believing they obsess over the "bigger picture" and forget the civilians that are affected, The Bujin is convinced by Shell to aid the team.
The Bujin is discovered and captured by The Baku but successfully summons Heroes Alliance to confront him and his sizable army of ninja warriors. In the midst of the battle, Bombshell encounters Matsumuro and reveals that the two are working together. The original plan was that the merger-proposal would bring The Baku out of hiding and Alliance could then take him down, thus granting Matsumuro the full control of both clans. However, Bombshell reveals that she released The Baku from prison so that both clan leaders would meet, making them both vulnerable and easier to take down.
Bombshell's plan works perfectly as she takes down Matsumuro, new recruit Amalgam (who, after putting an end to his failed search for C.L.A.W., decided to join the Alliance) easily defeats The Baku and the rest of the team force the remaining ninja to retreat.
The Bujin explains that, now that the ninja have no clan leader to guide them, the Japanese Underworld will be in disarray for quite some time. He decides to stay in Japan to make sure it stays that way, but offers his services to the Alliance if they ever need it.
Continuity[]
- This issue features the first appearance of The Bujin.
- This issue features Amalgam's debut with Heroes Alliance.
- The issue also debuts the villains The Baku and Yuki Matsumuro and their respective clans: The Yamada Clan and The Bakuto Clan.
- The events of this issue put the Japanese Underworld in disarray, leading directly into the events of The Bujin Series.
References[]
- Bombshell states that The Baku escaped from prison during the closing of The Heroes Unite. This refers to the events of Energize: Hunted and Heroes Alliance 6.
- When talking about Heroes Alliance's lack of the "bigger picture," The Bujin claims that both Energize and Nemesis could have been stopped had someone kept an eye on them at an earlier stage. This refers to Energize: Hunted, where the two powerhouses clashed, and also reference to Shell Issue 15, where he trained Nemesis for the Heroes Unite.
- In order to convince The Bujin to assist the team, Shell explains the nature of his origins as well as his reasoning for joining the Heroes Alliance. This refers to the Shell: Origin story and Shell #6.
- During the battle, the team jokingly reference their teleports and that they have frequently had trouble with teleportation. This refers to Heroes Alliance 1 and Heroes Alliance 5. They also reference a previous battle with the villain Anarch, which happened in Heroes Alliance 2.
- During the battle, The Baku says he knows of Shell and his killing of The Oyabun, which in turn unsettled the Japanese Underworld. The Oyabun is one of Shells arch-enemies, who fought and died fighting Shell in the events of Shell Issue 8.
- Amalgam references his origins and his creators, CLAW. This refers to HU Adventures 8, his first appearance.