Story: "Ashes to Ashes" (23 Pages)

Credits:

Brian Augustyn (plot, script)
Sal Velluto (pencils, inks)
Ken Lopez (letters)
Trish Mulvihill (colors)
Chris Eades & Rob Simpson (edits)

Feature Character:

Firebrand III (Alejandro "Alex" Sanchez; first appearance)

Supporting Characters:

Leo McCloskey (Alex's partner on the police force)
Javier Sanchez (Alex's brother, a Catholic priest)
Christina Sanchez (as a spirit, Alex and Javier's deceased sister, next in #6)
Noah Hightower (a wealthy man)
Devlin (his lawyer; first appearance of all five)

Villains:

Mr Asch (first appearance, behind the scenes) and his men (Frank and Eddy named; first appearance of all, Eddy dies)

Other Characters:

Doctor Newton P. Lovell (first appearance, next in #5)

Comment: Three months elapse between pages 6 and 7, two months between pages 10 and 11 and another two months between pages 16 and 17

Synopsis:

Police detective Alejandro Sanchez is investigating what he believes to be a serial kidnapping, and for his troubles has his apartment blown up when he returns home. He barely survives the blast, being visited by his long-dead sister as he hovers close to death. When he awakens from a coma three months later, he discovers that he is barely able to move, and that only due to some experimental surgery paid for by the wealthy Noah Hightower. As his mobility begins to improve (it should peak at 80%), Sanchez is asked by Hightower to become a super-hero, using a suit that will boost his mobility to well over the levels it was at before the blast. He is sceptical of the idea, but when his partner Leo McCloskey is attacked a couple of months later, he dons the suit and rescues his friend, though the bad guys get away.