''Codename: Strykeforce'' was a comic book series by
Top Cow
Top Cow Productions is an American comics publisher, an imprint of Image Comics founded by Marc Silvestri in 1992.
History
During the early years of Image Comics, which was founded in 1992, co-founder Marc Silvestri shared a studio with Jim ...
''Codename: Strykeforce'' is an offshoot of another series called '' Cyberforce'', which is about a group of
cyborg
A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.
shock troops. The series lasted for fourteen issues. The first nine were written by David Wohl and
Marc Silvestri
Marc Silvestri (born March 29, 1958) is an American comic book artist, creator and publisher. He serves as CEO of both Top Cow Productions and Image Comics.
Early life
Marc Silvestri was born on March 29, 1958 in Palm Beach, Florida.Rosenberg, Aa ...
, and illustrated by
Brandon Peterson
Brandon Peterson is an American comic book writer and artist, known for his work on Marvel Comics from Paterson New Jersey and Top Cow's '' Codename: Strykeforce'' in the 1990s.
Career
Peterson's early works for Marvel include a ''New Warriors'' ...
, with the last five written by
Steve Gerber
Stephen Ross Gerber (; September 20, 1947 – February 10, 2008) was an American comic book writer and creator of the satiric Marvel Comics character Howard the Duck. Other works include '' Man-Thing'', '' Omega the Unknown,'' '' Marvel Spotlig ...
and illustrated by
Billy Tan
Billy Tan Mung Khoy, commonly known as Billy Tan, is a Malaysian comic book artist.
Early life
Billy Tan was born in Malaysia and moved to the United States when he was 18, in 1989 to study business at the University of Kentucky. He began working ...
Mung Khoy. A few fill-in artists included Joe Benitez in issue #8 and Michael Turner in issue #14. Issue #0 was published between #13 and 14 with a story by
Mike Heisler
Mike Heisler is an American comic book writer known for his work on the series ''DV8'' and ''Union''. He also penned the Gen¹³ mini-series ''Gen¹³: Interactive'' and the one-shot ''Gen¹³: The Unreal World''.
Heisler got his start in the in ...
and art by Anthony Wynn. Gerber and Tan also handled the two-part ''Cyberforce/Codename: Strykeforce'' crossover, which ended with the character Stryker disbanding Codename: Strykeforce.
The comic was relaunched in 2004 as ''Strykeforce'' which lasted for 5 issues. The relaunch was written by
Jay Faerber
Jay Faerber (born 1972) is an American comic book and television writer. Faerber is known for his work on ''Generation X'' and ''New Warriors'' for Marvel Comics, and '' The Titans'' and '' Connor: Spotlight'' for DC Comics. He later wrote his ow ...
and penciled in by Tyler Kirkham.
Story
Issue #0
When a mission comes along that Cyberforce won't touch, Stryker puts together his team to take care of business. Team members include Stryker, a cyborg with three cybernetic arms on his right side which can be detached; Phade, a mutant who can alter his molecular density; Black Anvil (often referred to simply as Anvil), a short cobalt blue powerhouse with incredible strength; Bloodbow, an expert marksman; Icarus, a man with hollow bones and the power of flight. The mission turns out to be a set-up and Phade disappears after using his powers too long and his molecules drift apart. They find that one of their opponents has also been deceived and she joins the team as Tempest, a woman with the power to control the weather.
Between the story in issues #0 and #1, Anvil is sent to the
Himalayan Mountains
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
to recruit Killrazor, a martial arts expert who can create knives from any portion of his body.
Death's Angel
Stryker and Icarus are sent to
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
to protect President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
during a peace conference. The proceedings are attacked and Stryker protects the president but Icarus is killed. Several other dignitaries are abducted by a villain who called himself Death's Angel, and Strykeforce tracks him to his nuclear submarine. After boarding the sub, and after a few skirmishes, they narrowly prevent a nuclear missile strike on New York. Instead of payment for the mission, Strykeforce takes the sub as their new base of operations.
Stormwatch
Stryker and his team are asked to board Skywatch by Weatherman One Henry Bendix and search out an alien who can duplicate people down to a genetic level. The alien duplicates Anvil and begins to stir up trouble between Strykeforce and Stormwatch, the super team that lives on the space station. The alien is eventually uncovered and fought by both teams. After the encounter, however, the alien accidentally kills Bloodbow and decides to take his form and replace him as a member of Strykeforce. For the remainder of the series (issues #8-14), Bloodbow is the female, alien shapeshifter Sh'rrrnn.
Scavengers
Stryker next accepts a mission from Joshua Thornewood to find a
Fountain of Youth
The Fountain of Youth is a mythical spring which allegedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks or bathes in its waters. Tales of such a fountain have been recounted around the world for thousands of years, appearing in the writings of Herod ...