-The name of the team is still yet subject to change-

Appearing in this issue:

Our Heroes, Full Members of the Team:
PLAYBOY, Jack Diamond, head of Diamond Industries, unofficial team leader. (Blake Hindman)
Rebel, flying spokesman for Black Label cigarettes. (Daniel Shiu)
Torch (of Liberty), team player and flying energy projector. (NPC)

Probationary Members:
Kid Comic, young sidekick with the ability to assume the powers of comic book characters. (Steve McDonald)

Master of the Air
Opening page: Jack Diamond a.k.a. Playboy surveys Bodega Bay, California, flanked by two US Marines armed with shotguns. The town is badly damaged, wrecked vehicles, and the bodies of dead birds are everywhere. "What has happened here?" thinks Jack.

Next page: New York City, 17^th April 1963. Outside of Spin Records, Billy (Kid Comic's secret ID) and his sister waits in line, with a crowd of other teeny boppers, to have her copy of the "Rebel's Yells" album jacket autographed by Rebel. Rebel had been plagued by a headache all day, but bravely showed up to please his fans.

Billy looks up and sees a small passenger plane being attacked(?) by seagulls, the plane's two engines splutter and die and the plane begins to glide down. Rebel (with his exceptional hearing) has heard a little of the plane's distress but until Billy ran in and whispered to him, Rebel was not sure what was going on. "You want me to show you how well I can fly? Let's go," says Rebel snatching up Billy and flying up out of the building and after the plane.

Once out of sight of the crowd, Billy used one of his many comic books to transform into Eagle-Man and together they flew after the stricken plane. Rebel used his great strength to catch the plane and guide it to a gentle water landing (unfortunately Rebel was between the plane and the water and managed to knock himself semiconscious). A Port Authority patrol boat was nearby and arrived to help unload the passengers to safety. (Rebel was a bit annoyed that Kid Comic tried to claim credit for the rescue.)

After the rescue, Rebel and Kid Comic returned to the HQ. On the way back they noted that there were a lot more birds about than usual. They arrived back at HQ just in time to receive an urgent call from the NY Chief of Police. He instructed them to turn on the television, on the television was a man in armor who claimed he was the Master of the Air. "I control New York City and the air around it. No one can enter or leave without my permission. No broadcasts will be allowed except for mine. I will free New York City when I am paid one hundred million dollars in cash and bearers' bonds." Then the screen dissolved to static. The Chief of Police reported bird attacks on any aircraft approaching the city and on some people.

Torch arrived soon afterwards and the three heroes tried to figure out what to do next. It was decided that the Master of the Air must have placed broadcast units around the city to allow the Master to control broadcasts and the birds. The trio flew over to a nearby building and inspected the aerials on it finding a control box that had obviously been recently wired into the system. Kid Comic changed into his science legion form and dismantled the box, unfortunately triggering a broadcast alarm.

Meanwhile, Jack Diamond had been flown to New Jersey by military jet. He immediately surveys the situation and sent for his spare Mustang and the experimental DIX-4LW jet engine from Diamond Industries. Since the telephone land lines were still available, Jack called the team and let them know he was on his way.

Mounting the DIX-4LW on a universal tripod bolted above the passenger seat with tanks of jet fuel in the back. Brushing off the warnings of the Diamond Industries engineers, Jack fired up both engines and set off across the bridge. The jet engines blew any offending birds out of the way as the Mustang tore across the bridge and down the streets of Manhattan at top speed. Arriving at the Empire State Building, Jack dashed inside and took the express elevator to the Headquarters. Jack arrived just in time to help fight off an attack by four Air-Warriors, the agents of the Master of the Air, equipped light powered armor, jet packs and assault rifles. After a short sharp battle, the heroes managed to capture two of the Air-Warriors but the other two escaped.

Almost immediately there after the team was attacked by birds, birds and more birds. The team fought its way through the swarm to take refuge in the planning room. From there, to the sounds of the birds trying to get in, the team planned its next move. From examining the control box and the Air-Warriors' armor Jack and the F. U. Turing (of the Science Legion), it was decided that the birds were controlled by sonics. Jack built a counter-signal unit which drove the birds away (and cleared up Rebel's headache). They also found out that the Master of the Air operated from a radar shielded Zeppelin over the Atlantic.

Donning retrofitted Air-Warrior jet-packs the team flew out to confront the Master of the Air in his element. The remaining Air-Warriors (6) intercepted the team and were defeated in aerial battle. The team then stormed the Zeppelin, captured the Master of the Air (after a quick fight), and reversed the frequency of the bird control sonics (causing birds to attack the remaining Air-Warrior's armor).

The Zeppelin was seized by the government (and Diamond Industries are in on the team investigating it) and the heroes were feted as the saviors of NYC.

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