Zenith is a British superhero comic strip which appeared in the magazine 2000 AD. Created by writer Grant Morrison and artist Steve Yeowell, with original character designs by Brendan McCarthy, the story first appeared in 2000 AD #535 (22 August 1987). Zenith himself (real name Robert McDowell) Zenith Pop Fax did not appear until the second episode – the first episode set the backdrop for his introduction.
Shallow and sarcastic, Zenith was a distinctly Generation X superhero, featuring regularly in 2000 AD from 1987 until 1992, with occasional appearances since. The series was an early success for Morrison, who has since written popular works for DC and Marvel, using their own characters. The first series won the 1987 Eagle Award for Favourite Single or Continuing Story."Previous Winners: 1988" at the Eagle Awards website, archived at The Wayback Machine. (Retrieved 22 September 2018.)
Publication history Zenith appeared in August 1987 during a period when editor and assistant editor, Steve MacManus and Richard Burton respectively, were shaking up 2000 AD by publishing numerous new stories which gave fresh talent a chance.Bishop, 2007, page 120 Grant Morrison had been thinking along the lines of Zenith since 1982, but "[t]he original version had a more traditional superhero costume and was a little grimmer in tone", and the final concept came together as "... a reaction against torment superheroes". Despite liking both Dark Knight and Watchmen, they felt that "... both books felt pompous and concept albumy to me as a young man in the '80s". They found more of an influence in the work of Brendan McCarthy: "... tell the truth on to the page and let your psyche all hang out" and it was McCarthy who would provide the initial character designs, although he never drew the actual story, because Morrison said "... the story as it unfolded would have been too ponderous and long-winded for him".
With hindsight, Morrison stated: "I like Phase I the least now –- it wears its influences a little too obviously on its sleeve".Bishop, 2007, page 157 They rated Phase III far higher, considered as "one of the greatest superhero crossover events ever".Bishop, 2007, page 129
In America, Zenith Phases I and II were reprinted in colour in Fleetway/Quality's monthly 2000 A.D. Showcase title, beginning in the jointly numbered issue #29/30, and running through issue #45 (September 1988-December 1989). These issues featured new covers by American comic book artists such as Jackson Guice, Tom Lyle, and Bart Sears. According to the series' index at the Grand Comics Database, "the end of the Phase II storyline was also the end of the Zenith reprints, as Phase III was still in progress in the British weekly. It ended in March of 1990, but by that time [2000AD Showcase] was about to be cancelled"."2000 A.D. Showcase #45", http://www.comics.org/issue/47157/
Zenith returned for Phase IV in 1992 but Morrison's attention was elsewhere: "I'd moved on and was more excited by the possibilities of working with American superheroes. By 1992, Zenith seemed like something dragged up from my past". This however does not mean they think any less of the story: "I like a lot of things I write under duress. I actually really like the last book of Zenith. I'm very fond of it".
Titan Books published five trade paperbacks of Zenith between 1988 and 1990, collecting Phases I through III. For years after that, attempts to re-publish the series (including the never collected Phase IV) were prevented by a copyright dispute between the publisher and Morrison. In 2007, Morrison explained: "Fleetway have no paperwork to confirm their ownership of Zenith, so I'm currently involved in legal proceedings to clear things up".Bishop, 2007, page 216
In 2013, British publishing company Rebellion Developments began publishing a complete collection as a hardcover book limited to 1000 copies.2000AD's official website The book sold out within two days of being announced and the delivery date was brought forward to early October. The book collected all four phases and has a nearly exhaustive collection of covers and pin-ups. Whilst parties involved in ongoing legal proceedings are, as a rule, barred from speaking publicly of them, it appears that Morrison has been unsuccessful in halting that initial publication. Zenith Books 1 and 2 could be pre-ordered for a December 2014 launch through mainstream distribution chains. In 2023, the entire series was reprinted in two hardback volumes by Hachette Partworks.
A new Zenith text story, "Permission to Land", appeared in prog 2050 in September 2017. It was written by editor Matt Smith, with a new illustration by Steve Yeowell.
Zenith also appeared in a story unconnected to the Zenith universe – "A Night 2 Remember", a strip about '2000AD{'}s 25th anniversary celebrations, which appeared in prog 1280.
List of stories
All written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Steve Yeowell, except where otherwise indicated.
"Phase I" in 2000AD progs 535–550 (1987) "A Zenith Interlude 1: Whitlock" in 2000AD prog 558 (1988) "A Zenith Interlude 2: Peyne" in 2000AD prog 559 (1988) "Phase II" in 2000AD progs 589–606 (1988) "Interlude 3: Maximan" (art by Manuel Carmona) in 2000AD Winter Special 1988 "Phase III" in 2000AD progs 627–634, 650–662, 667–670 (1989–90) "A Zenith Interlude: Shadows & Reflections" (art by Jim McCarthy) in 2000AD Annual 1990 "Tales of the Alternative Earths" (text story by Mark Millar, illustrations by Simon Coleby), in 2000AD Winter Special 1990 "Phase IV" (colours by Gina Hart) in 2000AD progs 791–806 (1992) "Zzzzenith.com" in 2000AD "Prog 2001" (after prog 1222) (December 2000) "Permission to Land" (text story by Matt Smith, credited to "Martin Howe") in 2000AD prog 2050 (2017)
Plot
Phase I Originally published in 2000AD Progs #535-550 (15th August - 28 November 1987) A flashback to 1944 shows the battle between the British super-soldier Maximan and his more powerful German counterpart Masterman in Berlin. The latter is actually Iok Sotot - one of the Lloigor or Many-Angled Ones - and easily defeats his opponent, but the Allies have planned for Maximan's failure and the USAAF drop an atomic bomb on the city destroying Masterman's body. In present-day 1987 and a rebuilt Berlin, former Nazis known as the Cult of the Black Sun engineer Iok Sotot's resurrection in an improved Masterman body. He decides to eliminate all possible opposition by neutering the surviving members of 1960s British superhero group Cloud 9. However Ruby Fox, formerly Voltage, survives the attempt on her life by regaining her powers under duress. She attempts to recruit Zenith, the son of her two missing former team-mates Dr. Beat and White Heat who uses his own powers entirely to promote his career as a pop star. He is initially apathetic until Ruby says she'll tell him what happened to his parents if he helps. They approach Peter St. John, formerly Mandala of Cloud 9 and now a key Conservative MP in Margaret Thatcher's government who has faked losing his powers. He dismisses them but is visited by Masterman soon after and warned to stay out of the forthcoming battle.
Instead they travel to Wales to visit Siadwel Rhys, formerly the powerful pyrokinetic Red Dragon. He has slipped into alcoholism, after losing his powers. Zenith drops him from high altitude to re-awaken his flying ability, and then his pyrokinetics. They are able to sober him up and recruit him but when they return to London it is already under attack by Masterman, who kills Rhys. Fox and Zenith fare little better until St. John intervenes, giving Zenith an opening to destroy the host body. This reveals the true form of Iok Sotot, but St. John planted a telepathic post-hypnotic command in its mind during their meeting which he uses to kill Iok Sotot's mind. At Rhys' funeral he dismisses his decision to help as simply being to curry favour ahead of the general election - and soon after he is returned as MP for Hertfordshire South and promoted to Minister of Defence, with the heavy implication he has used his psychic abilities to secure his promotion. While Ruby decides she is going on holiday before she tells Zenith anything further about his parents the affair has benefited him greatly as well, allowing his records to top the charts.
Short interlude episodes focusing on Maximan and Doctor Michael Peyne (creator of the world's superhumans) appeared in 2000AD Progs #558-559 (23 - 30 January 1988).
Phase II Originally published in 2000AD Progs #589-606 (25th June - 24 December 1988) In a prelude, Ruby's holiday sees her meet up with David Cambridge and Penelope Moon - Cloud 9 members Lux and Spook, long thought dead - on Alternative 303, an Earth where dinosaurs still exist - as they plan to stop the mysterious "alignment" planned by the Lloigor. Zenith meanwhile is on the verge of a planned American tour when he is attacked in his flat by the huge mechanoid Warhead, controlled by Peyne and Scott Wallace, a computer wizard and owner of Wallace International. He is only saved by the intervention of CIA agent Phaedra Cale, who has been monitoring Peyne. Wallace meanwhile takes over the weapons systems of the nuclear submarine HMS Resolve, aiming two nuclear warheads at Whitehall. St. John attempts to juggle responding to the crisis with visions of a blackened sun and the Omnihedron since his contact with Iok Sotot, while also fielding a brief visit from Spook. Zenith and Cale infiltrate Wallace's base at Schiehallion but are captured by Shockwave and Blaze - Peyne's latest creations, working for Wallace who plans to take over the world and make it a better place. He executes Cale and prepares to launch the missiles.
With the British unable to locate Resolve and unwilling to risk a panic, only elite figures such as the Royal Family are covertly evacuated from London. Meanwhile, Zenith is loosely imprisoned and finds out more about his abilities in discussion with Peyne. The scientist plans to use Zenith, Blaze and Shockwave to breed a race of superhumans to restore the planet - planning to kill him after he impregnates them when his biorhythm is at its lowest and he loses his powers. Peyne tells Zenith his parents were killed by CIA Shadowmen, psychically enhanced hitmen. He used genetic material from White Heat's corpse to create Blaze and cell-scrapings from Fox to create Shockwave - and placed the barely-living Dr. Beat inside the Warhead armour. Peyne leaves Warhead to kill Zenith. However, Zenith's published birthdate is not his real birthday and thus Peyne has miscalculated his biorhythm information.Zenith's published birthday is 8th January - that of Elvis Presley. His actual birthday is never clarified. Zenith easily destroys Warhead - killing his father in the process - but Wallace has initiated the launch of the missiles from a secure vault, with a riddle set up as the passcode. Zenith uses his crude telepathy to contact St. John, who is above London and hopes to intercept the missiles. He gets the correct answer and enters, persuading Wallace to abort the launch. Fed up and disinterested, Zenith leaves - while St. John uses his mental powers to trap Wallace in his vault with no electricity. Zenith returns to his flat and is confronted by Chimera, a hugely powerful creature composed entirely of thought, created by Peyne at the same time as the other Cloud 9 members, which after assuming a myriad of shapes turns itself into a small-scale omnihedron.
In an epilogue Lux, Spook and Voltage travel to Ayers Rock and meet with Black Flag, a team of superhumans from Alternate-5 who arrive by Einstein-Rosen bridge and plan to help battle the Alignment when they are interrupted by the arrival of a dying messenger - Jimmy Quick - from another Alternative, fatally injured by the Lloigor.