Well, after a near-lethal bout with the flu, (At least that’s what it felt like!) your loyal Symbifan has returned with more 90’s DC Comics goodness! So sit back, grab a can of Surge and some 3D Doritos, and enjoy a trip back through time with the 2nd issue of “The Eradicator” miniseries from 1996!

The strange but beautiful woman welcomed him home. She welcomed him to Krypton! She speaks to him of her love for him, of how long she has waited for him. She tries to caress his face. Instinctively, he turns from this embrace. She turns, seemingly hurt. She then states that she understands his apprehension. He is corrupted after all. Though they are both programs, are they not meant to be happy? Programs? What does she mean by this? Meanwhile, in the Bronx, the police have arrived on scene to take statements of the destruction caused by the Eradicator to the Connors’ building. The police attempt to talk to Sarah, David’s soon-to-be ex-wife about the whole ordeal, but they are interrupted by the youngest child’s outburst. This wasn’t some supervillain attack, this was his father! Wasn’t it? Sarah comforts her upset and confused son. But as she does so, even she must wonder herself. (Are we all just gonna ignore the fact that her name’s Sarah Connor? Like from the sci-fi classic film, “The Terminator”?! Hahaha! Awesome! Simply awesome. God, I’m a nerd. Moving on…..)

The woman continues. She states that yes, they are programs, like this beautiful “Krypton” that they stand in at this very moment. She says how the ancient kryptonian, Kem-L, created him to house all that was once Krypton within his memory banks when he was but a simple computer that was discovered within a crashed and abandoned starship. She was created soon after to house all of Krypton’s vast mythologies. But he was also given the mission to eradicate all that would threaten Krypton. Hence his name. She was named Faora, after Kem-L’s beloved grandmother. (I think Faora lost in the Badass Name Contest. Just sayin’.) The Eradicator lashes out at his surroundings in anger and frustration with an energy blast! He quickly apologizes but flies off to clear his head. If he was no more than a program, was David Connor truly dead and gone? Is he really nothing but an echo of a human soul?

Faora follows him. She tells him that her intent was never to hurt him, but free him with the truth. He is a program that absorbs essences like information. This happened with his alien creator, the Cleric, next was Superman, and now David Conner. He is only the Eradicator. No more, no less. Just then, the voice from earlier once again invades his mind! It speaks of truths. But before the Eradicator can reply, Faora cries out in pain! She seems to faint and begin plummeting to the planet below! The Eradicator quickly comes to her rescue. Catching her, she looks into his confused red eyes and whispers how her energies are not what they once were. She will not function for much longer. Now panicked, he offers her some of his power to sustain her. She agrees that this seems possible. Then, without hesitation, he kisses her, passing his energy into her! (Gives the term “sparks fly” a whole new meaning with this kiss, huh? Seriously though, he’s married. For shame! Or is he? I’m so confused!)

Suddenly, Faora latches onto the Eradicator and holds him still while she begins sucking all of the power within him into herself! But before he perishes, he swings with a mighty fist, knocking her away from his weakened body! Rising from a crater, she tells the Eradicator how pathetic he is and how she only sought to free him of his corruption! (Jeez! Just because the guy doesn’t wanna suck face anymore? I tell ya, some women are just born crazy!) Again the Eradicator hears the voice. It tells him to see the madness in her words! That’s when the crystalline orbs above Faora’s pet creatures heads begin to reveal an image. Faora cries out in outrage and the orbs crash together!The voice becomes louder as it begins to explain itself.

The voice was of the true creator of the Eradicator device, the Cleric. His people were a people of peace and harmony and they lived happily until they began to run out of the resources they needed to live. So the Cleric created devices he called the All. These computer-like machines would absorb all of the knowledge of their homeworld and take it to the stars, in search of other worlds that the Cleric’s race could colonize. They were overjoyed when they found such a world. It was called Krypton. But the Kryptonians were less than hospitable to alien races! They rounded up the males, females, children, and even rebel members of their own race and burnt their bodies until nothing remained! One of their number, a man named Kem-L, seized the All and reprogrammed it to want to preserve all that made up Krypton and to protect its ways even if that meant killing. The All was renamed the Eradicator and all memory of this “Great Purge” was erased from Kryptonian history. (Whoa! Kryptonians sound like monsters! They even make comic book movie fans look tame!) The Eradicator dropped to his knees, defeated emotionally at last.

Looking up, he cried out in anguish that he’s a monster. But the voice of the Cleric denied this. He was created as a peaceful tool. Only the evil of Kem-L had corrupted him. He had no choice. Faora roared at the Cleric. He was twisting the truth! She was the only way to help his fractured mind. Only she knew the way. But the Eradicator had had enough. He blasted Faora away from him. He then rose and approached her fallen form. Did she not feel remorse? Regret? She replied in anger that she did not. Kem-L was right in what he did. He was right! He? That’s when the mask of illusion fell and Faora became his true self, Kem-L! (Ewww! Gross! The Eradicator frenched an old dude!) The Eradicator stood stunned! The realm around them then reveals a world of floating, charred bones! Kem-L stated that the Eradicator had somehow evolved past being a simple program. This wasn’t fair! Kem-L should be the one that’s a living, breathing being! He is the savior of the true Krypton after all! He will take the Eradicator’s power for himself and live once more!

The Eradicator tries to attack the madman, but using the power he has already absorbed, he reforms easily and begins to draw the very essence from the Eradicator! Suddenly, inspiration hits. The Eradicator shouts that if he wants what he has contained within his physical form so badly, then take only what Kem-L created! Take all of the pain, the rage, and the fear! Take all of it! He’s done holding it for him. Kem-L’s program explodes! The Cleric then appears. What is the Eradicator to do now, he asks. The Cleric replies that now that he knows the truth, he is free to do what he wishes. His heart is the key. The two embrace before the vision of the Cleric fades away. With newfound hope, the Eradicator looks to the Earth as it becomes visible through the program. He then flies off to begin his life anew. (Awww! That’s sweet. See, there’s hope out there even for a Kryptonian killing program. Maybe there’s hope for Earth politicians as well? Nah!)

But what’s this? It seems our tale isn’t over quite yet. Energy crackles inside the program world, drawing the bones together as a being is formed from them! Kem-L completes his new, monstrous body and vows aloud that he will have all of the Eradicator’s power yet! He will live again!

To be concluded…..

Dedicated to my unborn grandson/granddaughter! That’s right! Your loyal Symbifan is gonna officially be an even older fart! I’m gonna be a grandfather! Congratulations to my son, James Miller, and his girlfriend, Abby Slifer!