Today, dear reader, we finally conclude (kinda) the saga of marvelous heroes that is 1963. For today’s journey, heroes we have seen in previous issues will unite as the Tomorrow Syndicate (like the Avengers).
Our tale begins while the team is having casual conversations, arguments and just a normal day. in their secret hideout inside of Mt. Rushmore.
Here, we meet the members. We have USA and Hypernaut from issue 3, Horus from issue 5, Inframan and Infragirl who appeared at the end of issue 2, and N-Man from issue 4.
They discuss the weapons retrieved by the Fury from issue 2 and go out to find their source. Using a radiation tracker, they find a hideout in Lexington Avenue emanating the same strange radiation as the weapons.
The team sets up a perimitter around the radiated area, and using an X-Ray scanner, find the location of Mystery Incorporated’s secret underground base. They shrink and grow back inside the base only to find a mysterious portal.
As they vanish in the portal, leaving the unseen Fury behind, they travel through this unknown dimension of mystery, only to find a silver age group that USA was a member of, with USA still among them! This team is called the Victory Vanguard, and are comprised of a younger USA, the original Fury (new Fury’s father from issue #2), King Zero (may be an homage to Namor), and the original Hypernaut (whose origin differs from our Hypernaut and never joined a space corps, similar to the relation of Hal Jordan and Alan Scott of the Green Lanterns).
After asking directions from two versions of a superhero named Blur, as well as a sidekick named Blur Boy, we discover that this location is a multiversal train station! And here we begin the mother of all easter eggs. First off, the Blurs themselves are an homage to the Flashes (Barry Allen and Jay Garrick, with Blur boy being Wally West a.k.a. Kid Flash). On the bottom panel of page 11, we see cameos by Superman (holding a “Death Certificate,” ha ha), either an angel from heaven or of the X-Men, and Swamp Thing. On page 12, on the bottom panel, we see the Awesome Android in line. Finally, in the same panel on page 12, we see Jay Garrick, Batman, and Catwoman sitting in the waiting area.
The team leaves off to find a horrifying alternate earth. Mount Rushmore has been replaced with the heads of famous criminals, police badges mounted as trophies in a twisted version of their own base, and worst of all…EVIL DUPLICATES!
After escaping an evil Hypernaut duplicate, and visiting/leaving yet another strange world in seconds, the team stumbles across a multiversal wall of familiar and unfamiliar characters.
The team finally lands where they wanted to be. Oddly enough, it’s a modern day version of their world. It’s dark, gloomy, mysterious and frightening to the team.
Youngblood’s SHAFT! And behind him are monitors watching Johnny Beyond, Fury, Mystery Incorporated, and many other non-1963 superheroes!
Unfortunately, despite the advertisement, this is the end, folks. The 80-page finale never happened. However, 1963 characters would go on to make crossovers in titles such as Shadowhawk, a Touch of Silver, and the very last issue of Big Bang Comics. Other than that, this is it. I hope you enjoyed the ride through Alan Moore’s marvelous adventure. Thanks for joining! And as a parting gift, enjoy these final one shots!
