Testament #2

Issue Details

Synopsis

This issue uses the story of Sodom and Gomorrah as the basis for its parallel narrative (Genesis 18:20-19:29).The issue begins with Abram, later known as Abraham (though his name had already been changed by this point in the Biblical narrative), is asking God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if he can find ten innocent people in the cities. The narrative then shifts to a conversation between Dr. Green and Dr. Stern as they look out over a band of college age protesters outside the Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Center for Functional Nanomaterials. Dr. Green cryptically suggests that they use the “disciplinary capabilities” of the RFID tags that have been implanted in each of the protesters arms because a number of the protesters are part of the Neonationalists—a terrorist group. Dr. Stern begs Dr. Green to reconsider harming the protesters as there are many protesters who are not Neonationalists. Echoing Abram’s plea, Dr. Stern suggests that they would be wrong to harm the entire group if even just ten of the protesters were innocent. The narrative then shifts to an orchestrated dream that Jake and Dinah are sharing, in which, a half-dressed Dinah, seduces Jake; both awaken from the dream amazed and confused. Astarte is standing in the background admiring her handiwork. The next morning Jakes’ father suggests that he should avoid the protests that day, while Amos suggests the same to Greco and Dinah. Like Lot, Jake decides to go down to the protest in order to rescue his ex-girlfriend, Miriam, from the coming disaster. Jake later finds Miriam at the protest but is unable to convince her to leave. The narrative then returns to the Sodom and Gomorrah narrative as a man, Melchizedek in human form, arrives at Lot’s house to warn him of the impending punishment about to befall the two cities. Almost as soon as the man is in the door, a large group from Sodom demands that Lot bring the man out so they can rape him. Lot refuses, but does offer them his virgin daughters instead, which the people refuse. The man then places his hands on the door and with a bright flash, incapacitates those on the other side. He then turns to Lot and warns him that his fate will be the same if he fails to leave the city that night with his wife and daughters. He warns them not to look back, or they will be annihilated. The story shifts back to the resistance’s hideout. As Jake is defending his father, they hear screams outside. A group of Neonationalists are attempting to rape and old man, Tyrone, with a stick. Amos, Greco, Jake, and Dinah go outside to defend Tyrone. The Neonationalists are distracted by the group long enough for Tyrone to unleash what seem to be bolts of lightning, incapacitating his attackers. Amos and his friends take Tyrone in, place a blanket around his shoulders, and give him food. The climactic last three pages place the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and Jake’s attempt to pull Miriam away from the protest side by side. Lot and his family flee, while Jake forcibly takes Miriam by the arm to lead her away. Fire and brimstone begins to fall on Sodom and Gomorrah, and Dr. Green activates the implants. Lot’s wife looks back and is turned to a pillar of salt, while Miriam breaks free of Jake’s grip running back to the protest only to grasp her arm and shriek in pain. Across the last two pages Melchizedek rationalizes that she (the antecedent of which is both Lot’s wife and Miriam) could have saved herself if she hadn’t looked back. Moloch retorts that Melchizedek won’t stand a chance if he keeps killing his own.