Resistance

Resistance
Writer	Mike Costa
Artist	Ramón Pérez
Publisher	Wildstorm, DC Comics
Publication Date	Issue 0: October 8, 2008 Issue 1: January 14, 2009 Issue 2: January 28, 2009 Issue 3: February 25, 2009 Issue 4: March 25, 2009 Issue 5: April 29, 2009 Issue 6: May 27, 2009
Issues	7
Length	160 pages
Availability	Paperback
Website	RESISTANCE

Resistance is a 2009 comic book limited series published by Wildstorm, based on the Resistance video game series. The series was written by Mike Costa, with art by Ramón Pérez. The prequel Resistance #0 (which was available as part of the Resistance 2 Collector's Edition) was written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, and with pencils by C.P. Smith. All seven issues, including Resistance #0, are collected in a single volume published on February 9, 2010.

Plot Description

“	The Chimera have conquered Europe and turned their attention to North America. The U.S. government has lost contact with Fort Anchorage, the largest American military base in the world...and the safest place for Robert Oppenheimer to conduct his experiments. Now, a clandestine unit serving under Sergeant Capelli must infiltrate the base and secure Oppenheimer-but can anyone stop the Chimera from getting their hands on the first Atomic Bomb?	”

Issue #0

In 1950, at the Project Abraham compound in Alaska, SRPA physician Doctor Martin Ortiz interrogates Private Jordan Shepherd, a volunteer who failed to disclose his medical history in which he is immunocompromised that has jeopardized the entire experiment. As Ortiz continues to grill Shepherd for whatever secrets he is hiding, Shepherd starts to recall his life prior to volunteering for Project Abraham.

Shepherd was raised in Clearwater, Florida by his single father. His father was a very religious man and an alcoholic who lived a lifetime of setbacks and disappointments. When Shepherd was twelve he contracted a miasmal fever and he fell behind on his chores. His father physically beat his son in order to "[thrash] the fever" out of him until Shepherd had enough of the abuse and he ran away from home. But Shepherd unwittingly wandered into a chemical testing zone and was exposed to the hazardous chemicals. He was then discovered by the company who conducted the test and they hospitalized him, curing his fever, and as well giving Shepherd's father a pecuniary settlement. The elder Shepherd used the money to purchase a house in a better neighborhood for himself and his son before he wasted most of it on alcohol, which eventually contributed to his death. Shepherd soon inherited their home.

In 1945, Shepherd married a woman named Hannah. By then, Shepherd worked as a traveling Bible salesman in which he was away from his wife for long periods. While he was away, Hannah fell sick and suffered a miscarriage. Shepherd received the devastating news and returned home, where he found his neighbor, Mr. Hetterwood, with his arm around his wife. Shepherd did not realize Hetterwood was only comforting Hannah’s loss, but in his state of mind he mistakenly assumed his neighbor was having an affair with Hannah. Consumed with grief and rage, Shepherd attacked Hetterwood until he realized his mistake.

Guilt-ridden and fearing that he may have inherited his father's anger, Shepherd tried to redeem himself by doing something decent with his life. He does so by enlisting in the U.S. Army. By choice, Shepherd kept to himself from the other men in his unit as he did not want their camaraderie; he was simply interested in duty. Because of this, the other soldiers mocked Shepherd’s quiet and solitary personality. One day, Shepherd saw a notice from a "confidential project" canvassing for volunteers. Shepherd eagerly joined the project. However, Shepherd deliberately did not share his medical history as he was determined to not lose his place in the project, and end up living a life of no consequences like his father.

The experiment drastically mutated Shepherd to slowly turn into a Chimeran creature. In the present, Ortiz continues his tirade on Shepherd which he accuses him for causing a "world of problems". Ortiz’s words agitates Shepherd, who then suddenly launches a psychic attack on Ortiz's mind. A panic team is quickly summoned in which they then sedate Shepherd.

Issue #1 - Dancers On A Plane

The United States' largest military base in the world, Fort Anchorage, Alaska, has been captured by the Chimera. Efforts to drive back the invaders have failed, and the government keeps the news a complete secret from the public. The government then formally activates the Sentinel Program (which was previously only training-based) for the first time.

The first team of trained Sentinel soldiers, immunized to a certain degree (several visual symptoms are seen on the soldiers) to the Chimeran virus, is activated as "Sentinel Team Alpha". The team consists of Lieutenant Murphy, Sergeant Joseph Capelli, Sergeant Benjamin Warner, Corporal Hank Leavitt, Specialist Campbell, and Specialist Waldron. Their commanding officer Major Welles brief them on their first mission, dubbed the "maiden voyage of the Sentinel Program"; they will be taken to Alaska for insertion, surgically enter the base, rescue key surviving personnel and materials, and then rendezvous with an air-evacuation. They are also told to not directly engage the enemy.

Capelli questions Welles that even he understands the urgency of a possible invasion, but he does not understand over not using a larger force, or other divisions capable of keeping secrets, instead of the Sentinels. The Major answers that the Chimera have captured the atomic bomb.

Sentinel Team Alpha

James Grayson recalls his childhood in the 1930s, remembering how he and his brother Johnny were truly happy. However, that all ended when the Chimera came. Their father was recommissioned as an officer, and Johnny soon enlisted as a pilot, with James not far behind. The elder Grayson was eventually killed in combat and his death drove Grayson to realize his father's example was not his own. Shortly afterwards, James quit the R.A.F. to live his own life. Johnny tries and fails to look after James and their mother, eventually causing a rift between the two brothers.

As Europe was left under siege by the Chimera, Britain was suffering from supply shortages and decreasing morale while the United States refused to help the European nations. One evening, Johnny and James get into an argument, as Johnny insists to his brother that he cannot go into London after having heard the military plans to enact martial law and lock down the city, and he must take care of their mother. James angrily retorts that Johnny does not really care about his safety or their mother's, but instead cares more about appearing like a "hero". Johnny, however, counters that James does not fully understand what is going on and tries to explain that the war against the Chimera is growing more dire. But James does not believe him, claiming that Johnny is trying to control him before running away from home.

A few days later, Johnny is called up to fight in Europe. With his father dead and his mother under the care of the R.A.F., James found a "new family" in that of a street gang.

Issue #2 - False Start

Sentinel Team Alpha is on a ship en-route to Alaska. Despite their differences, they get along well, mostly because they feel that they have a deep connection due to being Sentinels.

Suddenly, the ship is attacked by an aquatic Chimera, a Kraken. Murphy uses a heavy gun to shoot its tentacles, but the Kraken sinks the ship. Only the Sentinels and a sailor escape the ship and make it to shore. The team and the sailor salvage some weapons and ammunition before making a forty mile hike to Fort Anchorage. The Sentinels are able to endure the cold due to their superhuman nature, but the sailor is an exception and he is rendered incapacitated from the cold. The Sentinels are forced to carry the sailor.

During their journey, Campbell is suddenly shot dead by a Chameleon, a creature with cloaking technology. The Sentinel has trouble trying to shoot the Chameleon, as it soon kills the incapacitated sailor. Capelli manages to outmaneuver the cloaked Chimera before fatally jamming his combat knife into its throat. The team then continue on their journey, leaving the bodies of their dead comrades behind.

The Chimeran War had advanced to France. Johnny and his squadron engage in a high-risk operation over Berlin before his plane is shot down. The news of Johnny's apparent demise reached his family. Though devastated, their mother was proud about her son's sacrifice. James is left ashamed and eventually decides to reenlist a week later when France falls to the Chimera. He is unable to rejoin the R.A.F., but the Royal Marines are willing to accept him along with anyone available.

While going to the recruitment office, James' criminal past catches up to him as his old gang refuses to allow him to leave. James is forced to fight his old gang until policemen arrive and arrest the gangsters. As the gang are being taken away, one of them begs James not to leave them. James replies, "Sorry, kid. This is a family thing."

Issue #3 - Fool's House

Team Alpha finally reached Fort Anchorage. Upon arrival, they find that the hangar doors are open. They enter the hangar and find a giant cocoon nest. They continue into the facility until they find a survivor: Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer. The scientist explains to the team of how the Chimera attacked the base and it is just the "first wave of the invasion of America."

The Chimera overwhelmed the base within the first five minutes of the battle. All non-essential personnel fled into the hangars, but they quickly fell victim to Spinners and wrapped in cocoons as previously seen by the Sentinels. Oppenheimer chose to hide in the bunker, where they developed nuclear weapons, while the other survivors desperately tried to escape but failed. The Chimera had come for the bomb while Oppenheimer remained hidden for four days without food until now.

Furthermore, the Chimera were able to launch their massive ground assault without being detected is because of their weather-control technology. For the last twenty years, the Chimera had been cooling northern Asia to the point they have re-frozen the ancient land-bridge between Asia and Alaska, thereby allowing them to cross into Alaska. Oppenheimer fears that the Chimera will use this opportunity to send their ground forces into North America unimpeded without anyone realizing in which he estimates they will invade the United States within four days.

Then without a warning, a Hybrid bursts into the room and attack Oppenheimer. Waldron manage to kill the Hybrid by firing his gun into its mouth. Oppenheimer then realizes that they are too late; he has been trying to synthesize an aerosol to eradicate the cocoons, as they have hatched hundreds of Chimera.

Johnny Grayson survived his crash along with his gunner Ryan. Stranded in Chimeran territory, they make a harrowing journey back to human lines while avoiding Chimera. After about a week, they find a group of survivors who were heading in the wrong direction into Chimeran territory. They informed them of their mistake and joined the survivors, in which Johnny became their leader.

Another week later, the survivors begin making complaints to Johnny's "no fire" policy, which forbids making campfires as the Chimera can easily detect their presence. They can only make small, controlled fires for cooking. Some of the survivors, tired of being freezing from the cold, defy Johnny's orders and start a fire. Johnny tries to stop them, but a Chimeran patrol finds them. Johnny orders the survivors to flee before telling Ryan to set fire to the woods to cover their tracks and delay the Chimera. But Ryan is fatally shot.

Meanwhile, James is in basic training and tries to readjust to military life. He also reunites with his former friend and gangster, Derek, who is drafted into James' group. This leads to a fight breaking out between them in the mess hall. James prevails over Derek, but he is punished for his actions by his superior. He is given a week to guard refugee camps for survivors coming from mainland Europe.

Issue #4

With at least two-hundred of Chimera outside the door, the Sentinels realize they must fight their way out. They desperately run and shoot their way through the horde but Oppenheimer is wounded when a Hybrid takes a bite out of the doctor. The Sentinels manage to escape with Oppenheimer and seal the hangar door.

The group later fortified themselves in the mess hall and found rest before planning their next move. Warner convinces Capelli to look after Oppenheimer while he looks for more bandages for the doctor. Oppenheimer then asks Capelli why he chose to fight as he can tell the Sentinel is "full of pain and hate." Capelli explains that his choice began at Project Abraham.

Capelli explains to Oppenheimer for why he fight.

Capelli vividly remembered two other candidates at Project Abraham, Nathan Hale and Jordan Shepherd. The candidates were "changed" but Shepherd was exceptionally changed "the worst." Many of the candidates kept their distance from Shepherd, but Capelli did not. Capelli's bunk was closest to Shepherd's and he began having "waking visions" and thoughts that were not his own. He saw into the actual mind of the Chimera, their feelings, and what they intend for humanity. This is why Capelli chose to fight.

Leavitt comes up with a plan to get the bomb. The Chimera have taken the bomb in the hangar and have no reason to move it because they are using the base as a beachhead for their invasion of North America. The Sentinels leak gas into the hangar to flush the Chimera out, where Capelli would be waiting for them with a minigun, which he salvaged from a VTOL, while Murphy and Leavitt will disable the bomb based on Oppenheimer's direction.

Johnny Grayson manages to escape with the survivors to Dunkerque. But by this time, the Chimera have nearly overrun Europe and every non-infected human is trying to evacuate the continent. Unable to return to England, Johnny is recruited by the Maquis, a group of pilots and soldiers helping the UED underground. Their commander, Roland Mallery, informs Johnny that the Chimera are planning to invade England by tunneling under the English Channel. Mallery offers Johnny to help the Maquis to attack the Chimera's earthworks.

Meanwhile, James fails to attend his graduation due to being "pissed" from being dumped by his girlfriend. The next day he is reported to active duty and meets his commanding officer, Stephen Cartwright. James and his group are then assigned to patrol the Southend and arrest civilians who did not evacuate; the British feared the Chimera's constant bombardment from across the channel might have spread their virus to England and infect the civilian population.

While on patrol, James and his men find a child, whom James recognizes as Marcus, wandering the streets. Unwilling to see Marcus end up in a lab, James allows Marcus to escape while assaulting one of his men in the process. Immediately afterwards, a Chimeran digging machine emerges from the ground along with Hybrids.

Issue #5 - Target With Five Faces

Capelli, Warner and Waldron mow down hundreds of Chimera before they make a fighting retreat. With the Chimera focusing their attention on the Sentinels outside, Murphy and Leavitt enter the hangar and find a Titan guarding the bomb. They wound the Titan by stabbing its groin before throwing a grenade into its open mouth.

Outside, Capelli and the others continue their fight. Waldron is killed by a Titan. Warner runs back to the mess hall to get Oppenheimer before Capelli regroups with a tank. Using their new transport, they move to the hangar where Murphy and Leavitt are not able to disarm the bomb. The group attach the bomb to the tank and plan to drag it off-site. Just as they chained the bomb, they see a Chimeran battleship heading their way.

In October 1950 the Chimera began their invasion of England. While engaging in a raging firefight with the Chimera, James saves his men from a Titan while bringing down a crumbling building which blockaded three city blocks, thereby slowing down the Chimera's advance and allowing British forces to evacuate. Meanwhile Johnny is flying back to England. During the transit, Johnny meets Rachel Parker and informs her about the Maquis' efforts to stop the Chimera’s earthworks which had ended in disaster. Parker reassures Johnny that their government is aware of the situation and plans to report the dire situation in Europe to their superiors.

Johnny soon reunites with James, who is in a hospital because of an injury to his leg. Johnny admonishes his brother for his habit of disobeying orders and endangering the lives of his fellow men despite his actions had saved lives and temporarily stopped the Chimera's advance. Johnny further mentions that he had seen James' bootcamp record and is ashamed that his brother is still "pigheaded". James replies by accusing Johnny for leaving both him and their mother to be a "hero". Johnny again tries to advise James to be more responsible, but James refuses to listen and he bitterly tells him to "bugger off". This would be the last time James sees Johnny before England falls to the Chimera.

Issue #6 - White Flag

Capelli is sitting in an interrogation room and is approached by an unnamed government official, who tells Capelli to tell him what happened in Alaska, as Capelli is "in a world of trouble."

The Sentinels and Oppenheimer get inside the tank before the Chimeran battleship tears into Fort Anchorage. As a result, the ship accidentally scooped the tank onboard. Capelli senses the ship is banking around and heading back to Europe. Leavitt estimates the ship will soon fly over the ocean and give the Sentinels enough time to use the tank to blow a hole in the hull and throw the bomb out so the SRPA can reclaim it later. Chimera soon discovers their presence and the Sentinels hold their ground with the tank's main gun and fallen weapons from dead Hybrids.

The Sentinels soon used up the tank shells to blast through the hull. Murphy suddenly orders Capelli to man the tank's gun while he makes sure the bomb is defused. But Capelli replies that they must use the tank to move the bomb out. But Murphy yells at Capelli to, for once in his life, stop questioning him and do something he asks. Capelli reluctantly complies before noticing Warner and Leavitt getting in the tank as well. Leavitt informs that Murphy had told them to fall back to the tank. Before everyone realize what is going on, Oppenheimer takes control of the tank and drives themselves out of the ship.

"It" as described by Joseph Capelli.

In the present Capelli reveals what happened afterwards. Murphy had used a syringe to give Oppenheimer a shot of his own blood, akin to an adrenalin, as he needed him awake. The Sentinels survived the fall due to their regeneration, but Oppenheimer did not. When they regained consciousness half an hour later, they were fifty miles away from the battleship before they saw the vessel suddenly explode in a nuclear mushroom cloud. Seventeen hours later the Sentinels were retrieved by a submarine that was sent to investigate the blast. Capelli realized Murphy had no intentions of following Leavitt's plan while everyone dies. So he made the decision to sacrifice himself to save the others while he remained on board to prevent the Chimera from obtaining the bomb by detonating it. Capelli is touched by what his commander did as he considers him a hero.

The official, however, is not very pleased with how the mission had turned out. He criticizes the Sentinels, and especially Murphy, for losing the bomb, the very weapon SRPA had sent Alpha Team to recover. Furthermore, his actions consequently led to the death of Oppenheimer, one of the only men who knew how to build another atomic bomb, and thereby creating a setback to the American nuclear weapons program. The official believes Leavitt was the only one who understood the mission, but Murphy and Capelli only botched it. Just as he calls Murphy and along with Capelli a "disgrace," Capelli punches the man in the face.

Welles muses over needing "monsters" as Capelli lies in captivity.

Capelli stands over the official and angrily retorts that Murphy's actions had also allowed the bomb to destroy the ice-bridge and irradiate the entire area, making it impossible for the Chimera to cross over from Russia to North America by land, and therefore Murphy had saved everyone in the United States. But the official is unmoved and he spitefully declares to Capelli that he is "done": he is heading to the brig, and he would not come out until SRPA is ready to drop him into the "asshole of the Chimeran war machine."

As Capelli is being led away in handcuffs, Major Welles and a high-ranking officer have heard the entire interrogation. Welles deems the mission a disaster, specifically a failure of leadership. However, he notes Leavitt to be promising. Welles also notes that there will be more recruits coming up through Project Abraham which will allow the SRPA to specialize with teams. Welles is certain they can find a place for every Sentinel, even Capelli. A private comes up to Welles and shows him a letter found in Capelli's effects; it is addressed to someone named "Sarah". It is a total breach of protocol, but the SRPA could not find a single woman with that name in Capelli's file. The private, however, knows that some of the men at Project Abraham were more "familiar" with "Cassie". Welles cuts off the man's words by telling him to speak nothing more. He explains to the confused private that SRPA has taken everything they can from the Sentinels and made them less human. Welles wants to leave Capelli alone so he can mourn his humanity in his own way.

Johnny and along with his entire squadron was shot down again. James remains on Cartwright's bad side. But due to the current situation, Cartwright sends James back into combat rather than the brig. James is assigned to lead a squad to clean out conversion centers in enemy lines. Before James is sent away, Cartwright gives his condolences to James for the loss of his brother.

James Grayson attends his brother's burial.

James and his squad's assignment was a horrifying ordeal, as they not only eradicate people that are turning into Chimera but the ones that were still human. After a month of clearing conversion centers, James, who believed himself numbed to the horrors, comes across Johnny, who is infected and partially converted into a Chimera. James orders one of his men to give a pistol to him, which he then euthanizes his mutated brother.

James gives Johnny's body a burial and keeps his brother's flight jacket. He tells himself that what he saw was not his brother, but nevertheless he says goodbye to Johnny, to England, to the life he had and the punk he used to be. Though the world is worse, James swears to be a better man and he will never forget.

Trivia

• John Gillespie Magee, Jr.'s sonnet High Flight appears in the introduction of issue one.
• James's, as well as his brother Johnny's, eye colour erroneously keeps changing from blue to brown.