| ABOUT THE AUTHORS |
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James Gauthier
James Gauthier has served as a consultant to writers of comic books and
syndicated comic strips. The Last Chance is his first novel.
Ed Martin
Ed Martin is a journalist and television critic who has written for USA
Today, TV Guide and Advertising Age, among others. He is also the author
of several screenplays. The Last Chance is his first novel.
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| ABOUT THE ARTISTS |
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Frank Bolle - Penciller
Veteran artist Frank Bolle is one of the most prolific
comic book artists of all time. He worked for Western Publishing,
illustrating science fiction strips like Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon
and Dr. Solar. Around the same time, Bolle began writing and
drawing Children's Tales, a syndicated Sunday feature with original
stories and adapted fairy-tale classics, in addition to Boys
Life, the Boy Scout magazine.
Bolle drew The Heart of Juliet Jones for King Features from
1984 to 1999, and the long-running soap-opera strip Winnie
Winkle. He currently draws Apartment 3-G a newspaper strip
that details the adventures of three career women who share
an apartment in New York City.
Bolle lives in Connecticut with his wife, Lori. He is president
of Connecticut Classic Arts and is a member of the National
Cartoonists Society. He loves to paint watercolors and does
pet portraits by commission. His watercolors have won numerous
awards at shows across the country.
Bob Wiacek - Inker
Bob Wiacek was born in Manhattan. His earliest art influences were work
by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. For three years, he attended the School
of Visual Arts in New York, where he was taught by Will Eisner and Harvey
Kurtzman. He then apprenticed at Neal Adams’ and Dick Giordano’s
Continuity Associates. In no time, he was inking DC’s Legion of
Super Heroes. His first Marvel Comics assignment, “Guardians of
the Galaxy” in Marvel Presents, launched a career that has made
him one of comics’ most sought after inkers. His long list of credits
includes Star Wars, Spider-Woman, Man-Thing, Power Pack and X-Men. Artistically
he’s been influenced by “everybody” from the aforementioned
Ditko and Kirby to Jim Steranko, Berni Wrightson, Howard Chaykin, Walt
Simonson, Craig Russell and Steve Leialoha. He lives in upstate New York
with his wife and his son Ian.
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| CHARACTER BIOS |
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BISHOP CHANCE
Bishop is a seemingly average young boy who on his fourteenth
birthday suddenly develops the extraordinary ability to mentally
control all electronic devices. |
| He also learns that his
late father, Alabaster, was ruler of a kingdom in a parallel dimension.
Bishop
and his friends Mandy, Gary and Justin are sent on a quest by Alabaster’s
followers to locate a secret portal that will allow Bishop to return
to his father’s world and become its rightful ruler.His evil
uncle Onyx follows, eager to test Bishop’s powers and learn
the location of the portal. |
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GARY O'LEARY
Gary is Bishop's best friend. He is somewhat husky, owing to his
love of sweets and his family’s ownership of the local
confectionery store. |
| He is physically strong and very intelligent.
Gary often lets his emotions get the best of him, which causes
problems for his friends as they proceed on Bishop’s quest. |
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ALABASTER
Bishop’s father was the benevolent ruler
of a kingdom in another dimension. After his evil brother Onyx attempted
to seize
control, Alabaster created a portal to Earth in search of the means
to defeat Onyx once and for all. |
| Alabaster married a beautiful Earth
woman and one year later Bishop was born. Alabaster and his wife
died in a tragic car accident, but not before Alabaster assembled
a series of clues that would one day lead Bishop back to Alabaster’s
world. |
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AQUARIAN
Aquarian is an android who was built in the
shape of a twelve-year-old boy. He is short and slender but very
strong. He was built by
Alabaster to aid Bishop on his quest. |
| He can function in almost
any environment, from the bottom of the ocean to outer space. Aquarian
has no love for humans because he was programmed that way, but
as he spends more time with Bishop and his friends he begins to
acquire many of their characteristics. |
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REPRINT
Reprint and his twin brother, Print, are the sons of one of Alabaster’s
operatives. Reprint reports directly to Christie Rae Mann. He has
red hair and is usually seen wearing a red uniform with a purple
stripe running through it. |
| Reprint and his brother
have the ability to change into any fictional character they choose.
They can assume this shape for a short time before they have to
change back to normal and recharge for the next change. While Reprint
has chosen to side with Alabaster’s army, Print has allied
himself with Onyx. |
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RANDOM
Random is one of Onyx's most powerful emissaries.
She is as beautiful as she is deadly. She has the ability to change
living creatures
into statues, for her a source of great delight. |
| She is a very good tracker
and can hunt down almost anyone or anything. Random is very emotional
and sometimes lets her emotions rule her. |
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MANDY CONWAY
Mandy is a close friend of Bishop’s. She
is sweet and compassionate and gets along very easily with everyone.
Although Mandy has a
crush on Bishop, she also has a special fondness for his rival,
Justin Wellington III. |
| They’re both interested in her, as
well. This rivalry complicates Bishop’s quest. |
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JUSTIN WELLINGTON III
Justin is the only heir to the Wellington computer fortune. He
is spoiled, head strong, quick-tempered and very unpredictable.
He resents Bishop’s friendship with Mandy. |
| Justin has secretly allied himself with
the evil Onyx. Despite his family’s great wealth and the
advantages it brings, Justin is afraid of failure and does not
make friends easily. |
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ONYX
Bishop’s uncle Onyx is an evil warlord from a parallel dimension.
Onyx and his Emissaries of Evil followed Alabaster to Earth and
discovered that they each gained a different power upon arrival. |
| Onyx acquired the ability to shape shift.
When Alabaster died, he took the location of the secret portal
back to their world with him, leaving Onyx trapped on Earth. But
Onyx knew that when Bishop came of age, he would be led to the
all-important portal by clues Alabaster left behind. Onyx and his
emissaries have spent the past fourteen years mastering their powers
and using them to gain a foothold on Earth, all the while waiting
for Bishop to acquire his powers, locate the hidden portal and
provide them with the means to return home to a world Onyx intends
to rule. |
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CHRISTIE RAE MANN
Christie Rae is Alabaster’s primary operative.
She assumed command of his followers upon his death. |
| For the past fourteen years she has
functioned as a schoolteacher so she could keep a watchful eye
on Bishop and prevent him from falling into the clutches of his
evil uncle Onyx. Christie Rae has the ability to create duplicates
of people. |
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PRINT
Print has the same power as his twin brother, Reprint - the ability
to change into fictional characters. But while his brother uses
his abilities for the side of good, Print uses his to aid Onyx.
Print wears a purple uniform with a red stripe in it. |
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ANDREW CHANCE
Bishop’s grandfather took the boy into his care when his
parents died in a car accident. Although Andrew has provided for
Bishop, he has never developed a strong relationship with him. |
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