Issue 1x2

Issue 1x2
**Cover Gallery**

**Creator, Writer**
George A. Romero

**Penciler, Inker**
Alex Maleev

**Preceded By**
**Succeeded By**
Act 1 Issue 1
Act 1 Issue 3

**Issue 1x2** is the 2nd issue of Marvel Comics' *Empire of the Dead* and the 2nd issue of Act 1. It was published on MMMM DD YYYY

## Synopsis

>
> *Five years ater the dead first walked, New York City has beome a fortress of isolation against the undead plague. The militaristic forces of Mayor Chandrake keep the streets relatively safe and the survivors enjoy gladiatorial games in which captured zombies fight for food.*
> *Penny Jones, a medical scientist, teams up with a skeptical zombie wrangler names Paul Barnum to find a way to tame the undead. But zombies aren't the only monstrous threat to NYC. Xavier, a zombie who retains a modicum of intelligence, spies the mayor's nephew in the subway draining the blood of a woman from two holes in her neck...*
>
>
>
>

From the introduction of Issue 1x2

## Plot

1. Cover
2. Welcome to New York
3. Central Park Maximus Arena and in front of a poster advertising Zanzibar, there's a large crowd, in the middle of it one man is asking for bets on tonight's fifteen fights. Migraine dashes for the bait, human flesh on a hook above the arena, and Zanizibar is loose.
4. Migraine goes for the kill with his mace Zanzibar takes it from him and uses it on Migraine's head.
5. Cannonball, also choosing the direct approach, stabs Zanzibat through the right shoulder blade from the front. Zanzibar spins around, ripping the sword'd hilt from Cannonball's hands, and then stabs Cannonball in the forehead by shoving himself sharply backwards. The crowd, or at least the announcer goes wild as meanwhile..
6. Central Park Police Precinct. Paul Barnum is coming out of the front door and is met by Penny Jones who has waited for him after the trouble in the bar at the end of Issue 1x1. She tells him that she only waited so that he can give her a lift home. They walk off, listening to the roars of the crowd in the arena. They hear someone shouting "Stop! Thief!" and we see a man running carrying what looks to be a woman's bag. He's heading towards a familiar figure in the crowd who's wearing a SWAT uniform.
7. The figure, Xavier, draws her sidearm and attempts to shoot the thief but her weapon is empty and she's restrained by the police when one of the crowd notice that the is a zombie, a "stinker". The police see the SWAT uniform she's wearing.
8. Paul Barnum identifies her as Xavier and explains to Penny that this is the officer he'd told her about, the one they'd lost. Penny asks if she can have her, and reminds him that the mayor is likely to approve. Barnum warns her that there might be other implications attached to the mayor liking her.
9. Penny dismisses his concerns and concentrates on Xavier, telling her without expecting her to understand, that she's going to "whip her into shape" and "teach her some manners". Through Xavier's eyes we see Penny, and then see Xavier's anger at Penny's words.
10. Beneath the Arena. A masked policeman is demanding, and getting, custody of a scared looking prisoner who is accused of stealing from the circus, from the arena. The Dakota Hotel. Barnum has taken Penny to the Dakota to meet the mayor. She's directed to the gym by a woman in a long white evening dress.
11. In the gym are Mayor Chandrake and two young women dressed in work-out clothes. Chandrake calls Penny over, jokingly apologizes for getting her to come there and offers her a position as one of his personal trainers. Penny seems bemused, she is tempted and says so, and that she doesn't understand why she would be. One of the young women warns her off.
12. Chandrake already knows of her request for custody of Xavier, agrees to Penny taking custody and asks for progress reports delivered in person. He kisses her hand.
13. P.S. 342, The Bronx. The people who work here drain the blood from rats and bottle it, after testing for diseases. They are paid for each rat they process.
14. The Dakota Hotel. A meeting room, Mayor Chandrake is standing at the head of a table and addressing the meeting, He speaks about eradicating the problem of the zombies. As he speaks we see images of zombies being destroyed on the Lower East Side. He asks for their vote as mayor.
15. More images from the Lower East Side, the police are saying that they've cleared the area. We can see that they have missed several zombies who are hiding, they come out after the police leave and we can see their conversation as they plan revenge. In the meeting room Mayor Chandrake has finished and is being applauded. The polite clapping is interrupted by a voice asking "Why should we trust you?"
16. It's Chilly Dobbs, he causes a disturbance, accusing the mayor of hiding a secret, Barnum appears, takes his arm and leads him away saying that this is "not the time or place". The mayor's son stops the police intervening as well, saying that he will look into it as Barnum leads Dobbs from the room.
17. At the top of some grand stairs, Barnum tells Dobbs not to cause trouble and to "get out of here". As he goes Billy Chandrake, the mayor's nephew appears. Barnum tells him that he's spoken to Dobbs and that there won't be a problem now.
18. Back in the meeting room, the council is dispersing and Mayor Chandrake is reassuring people that Dobbs' allegations, of denying people food and keeping it for himself, are all untrue. Barnum and Mayor Chandrake speak when they are alone. Chandrake asks where Dobbs is, and Barnum says that he thought it best to send him away. Chandrake says that he should have been detained but does not punish Barnum in any way. It's clear that they have a close relationship.
19. Barnum and the young women from the gym are in bed together. One of the women says that she is hungry and Mayor Chandrake apologises, saying that he hasn't eaten and wouldn't be able to satisfy them - but that he's sent for the prisoner. The prisoner is brought in by two masked policemen and given to the women. Chandrake and the police watch from the door.
20. Chandrake is on the roof of the hotel, looking for solitude but being disturbed by his nephew who has brought him a young woman as "a gift". Chandrake calls him an imbecile and tells him that his need for blood will make him careless. Bill Chandrake says that he will go and take her with him, but the mayor tells him to lave her.
21. Mayor Chandrake reveals to the young woman that he is a vampire, she seems unafraid. He feeds on her.
22. Back in the bedroom, the prisoner is unaware of the danger he is in and enjoys the company of the three young women in the bed. We leave the story as he realises, and screams in pain and terror.

## Credits

In order of appearance.

* Migraine
* Cannonball
* Scaramouche
* Zanzibar