Story: "The Silver Wing of Terror" (22 Pages)

Credits:

George Perez (plot)
Mindy Newell (script)
Chris Marrinan (pencils)
Romeo Tanghal (inks)
Agustin Mas (letters)
Carl Gafford (colors)
Karen Berger (edits)

Feature Character:

Wonder Woman

Supporting Characters:

Etta Candy
Queen Hippolyta
Euboea

Villians:

Silver Swan
Henry Cobb Armbruster
Mister Choi

Other Characters:

Solomon Buchman and Maxine Sterenbuch

Synopsis:

Silver Swan's furious and powerful scream wipes away houses and other structures as if hit by a nuclear bomb. Her soundblast did not hit Diana, Maxine and Solomon. But Diana sees a moment of transformation as Valerie reverts to her ugly state and back again to being beautiful while screaming like hell. The Lasso of Truth tries to show Diana who Valerie really is. Valerie tries to fly away, dragging Diana along who's still holding on to her lasso. Valerie is again building herself up to a frenzy, preparing another soundblast. Diana pacifies her by throwing her straight into the water.

Diana learns from Maxine that she and Solomon has broken into the Kapatelis' home in Boston, that the cops were after Solomon, that they were trying to rescue Valerie from Armbruster and that Armbruster has instructed Choi to kill them by sending those ninjas which Diana defeated.

Maxine tells Diana that Armbruster has been using her (Diana) all along to make Valerie jealous, comparing Valerie to her, a paragon which she (Valerie) can never live up to. The only way to help Valerie is through her lasso of truth.

Maxine divulges to Diana that the contents of the pouch were the videos and records of Dr. Buchman (Solomon's father) on Valerie Beaudry which Armbruster wanted back. Diana asks Maxine why Solomon tried to kill Valerie but before Maxine can answer her, Armbruster's men arrive with a number of helicopters. Ambruster wants Dr. Buchman's records back. And if the Silver Swan will be a casualty, so be it.

When Valerie regains consciousness, she tries to talk out Armbruster's men from harming Maxine and the others. Valerie is conciliatory through it all, trying not to offend Armbruster who might get angry at her and kill her. But her pleas fell on deaf ears as Armbruster instructs his men to kill them all.

Diana defends Valerie from the onslaught of bullets by deflecting them all. But Valerie pushes her aside and begins to unleash her furiious aria. All the helicopters were damaged by the soundblasts coming from Valerie. But the effort has drained her. As she plummets to the earth, Diana rescues her. Diana brings Solomon to Themyscira to be healed from his grave wounds. She then asks Etta to accommodate Valerie and Maxine for the meantime.

To learn the truth of what happened to Solomon's father, Valerie submits herself to the lasso of truth. And the story of the Silver Swan unfolds.

Valerie was a lonely creature. She was ugly, unwanted and unloved. And when Armbruster found her, she felt beautiful, wanted and loved despite her features. But Armbruster had other plans for her. He contacted Dr. Buchman to make her beautiful. But she never undergoes surgery. Instead, she was wrapped in bandages, immersed into a tube of liquid, and emerged beautiful after unwrapping the bandages. Valerie is of the thinking that Dr. Buchman wanted to experiment on her further but Armbruster was against the idea. Armbruster talked Valerie into agreeing to the experiment and she was again immersed into the tank. While in the tank, she hears Dr. Buchman and Armbruster arguing. Then that proverbial flash of light where Valerie finds herself floating and sees Dr. Buchman trying to kill Armbruster. With this sight, Valerie became angry and she found herself screeching into high heavens, destroying everything in the lab, including the lab. Only Hank survived. Valerie feared for herself. She might go into prison for the murder of Dr. Buchman. But Armbruster took care of that. And for that, Valerie is forever indebted to him. He is the only one who truly loves her.

Etta calls Diana and Maxine's attention on the computer screen. The screen shows that there were two versions of Silver Swan. One version is two years old while the other is very recent. Then the sound of choppers hovering breaks their contemplation as Diana realizes that Valerie is not with them anymore.

Diana tries to catch up with Valerie but she is too late. Valerie is already in Armbruster's helicopter. A cry for help summons Diana back to where Maxine and Etta are only to find out that the two are held captives by Armbruster's men.