Yet another crossover that's a crossover...because they said so, that's why!

I would've sworn this story came after #116, the end of the "Morgan's Quest" storyline, but nope! One short. From 1987, Warlord #115, "The Citadel of Fear!" Written by Michael Fleisher, art by Ron Randall.

The issue opens with a desert caravan that tempts fate by talking about the recent scourge of the desert...the Warlord? Who has been leading raids for captives, taking them to a "citadel of terror" from which no one has ever returned--okay, first off, it's "Citadel of Fear," it's right there in the title; second, if no one ever returned, how did anyone hear about it? Regardless, during the attack, one caravanner kills himself rather than be taken, leading the Warlord to kill one of his own men in rage.

Meanwhile, much closer to Shamballah, Travis, Mariah, and Shakira have just arrived, their quest to save the magically-aged Jennifer seemingly a failure. More oddly, Travis seemed to have forsaken his wife Tara, now declaring his love for Mariah. Shakira thinks Travis is acting a fool, and rides off...I'm more than 90% sure Travis wasn't 100% faithful to Tara, if that sort of thing was even an issue in Skartaris. Back at the citadel, the "Warlord" marches his prisoners in, then unmasks: she's Y'smalla, a Vashek assassin. And she's using an image inducer-style device, courtesy of her partner here: Desaad! Yes, Darkseid's lackey, from the New Gods Desaad. This issue was a Legends crossover; I have to say it's been a dog's age since I've read that one. Anyway, Desaad has some kind of mission there, but is also enjoying the opportunity to torture peasants and feel their pain--that seems new; I would've thought he'd be all about inflicting pain but not receiving it; unless I'm misremembering. (Y'smalla got an entry in an Who's Who update, shortly after the Watchmen entry, but that probably makes her one of the better-known Warlord bad guys. Check after the break!)

Travis and Mariah ride into a village, that had earlier suffered a raid by the fake Warlord, so they're not thrilled to see them. They're captured and going to be burned at the stake, although a rider does take off, to tell Tara. The rider gets there in time to see Tara captured by Desaad, so then has to ride back and save Travis and Mariah. He then takes them to the citadel, where Travis tells Mariah while he doesn't love Tara anymore, he still has to save her. That's not entirely true, though: Mariah knows Travis only loves her because of a magic amulet, and is feeling more than a little guilty about this. In the Citadel, Desaad had planned on killing Tara, in front of all the captives, as Morgan, to further break them; but with Morgan coming Desaad has to think quickly and create a different illusion: Tara getting fed grapes by loincloth-clad hunks.

Still, Travis sees through the illusion, with another magic item, a ring I'm guessing was from a prior issue even if I don't recall it right this second. Desaad knows when it's time to bail, and skips out as a huge chunk of machinery is about to crush Tara and Mariah, with Travis only having time to save one! Knowing she'd never be able to live with herself, Mariah tosses the amulet into a fire, freeing Travis to save Tara. Luckily, even though they weren't close, Shakira had stayed nearby, and helps Mariah get clear. Tara and Morgan are reunited; while Desaad consoles himself with the thought that he had damaged Morgan's legend, and Y'smalla was still out there...

Warlord had a Crisis crossover around issue #91, but I don't know if readers were clamoring for the book to be part of the DC universe. This wasn't the last time the New Gods would come up, either. After the break: how about I blog the same damn comic twice, because I found it in the quarter bin, and didn't think I had done it already since it was scheduled for seven years from when I originally wrote the post?

Because it amuses me, and because I didn't want to have a solid week of Warlord posts, I've scheduled them out to 2030; but let's sneak one in now! From 1987, Warlord #115, "The Citadel of Fear" Written by Michael Fleisher, art by Ron Randall.

A desert caravan of merchants is almost safe and dry, when the scourge of the sands attacks--the Warlord, "and his blood-mad horde!" Riding his traditional armored black steed from back in the Grell days, Warlord wants prisoners, even killing one of his own men for letting a merchant kill himself to avoid "the citadel." Meanwhile, near Shamballah, the Warlord and his companion Shakira and his new girlfriend Mariah--wait a minute! That's not right...Travis wonders what their next course of action will be, since he still hasn't figured out how to save his daughter Jennifer, or how to tell his wife Tara he was with Mariah now. We'll probably get to the previous issues eventually, but Mariah has accidentally-on purpose used some kind of love amulet to make her long-time crush way too devoted to her. Shakira, seemingly far more chaste than I would've ever guessed, calls Travis on it, then takes off in a huff.

Back at the aforementioned citadel, as captives are shuffled off to the dungeons, the 'Warlord' makes a report to none other than Desaad of the New Gods! Under an Apokoliptan disguise, Y'smalla of the Vashek Assassins was greatly enjoying the opportunity to destroy the Warlord's good name; while Desaad had some mission going (maybe even a plot against Darkseid!) but was mostly just enjoying torturing captives, and experiencing their pain as well. Y'smalla knows he's a nut, but she was getting what she wanted, so...Long-time DC readers may actually recognize her from the house ads for Who's Who Update '87! Bottom left corner!

Travis and Mariah ride into a trashed village, and are immediately attacked by the villagers, who are confused why the Warlord would return without his horde, but are more than willing to have them both burned at the stake. A lone rider leaves to get his queen, but Tara has her own hands full, as she's visited by a disguised Desaad, who captures her. The rider goes back to free Travis and Mariah, and leads them to the citadel; where in front of his collected prisoners, Desaad plans to torture Tara to death under the guise of the Warlord, which should kill his reputation throughout Skartaris.

Travis pushes hard on the way to save Tara, explaining to Mariah that he still felt he owed her that; while Mariah feels like dirt. Desaad tries a bit of trickery first, with an illusion making it seem like Tara was just at a really hedonistic spa day, but a magic ring from a prior issue lets Travis see through it. Well, Desaad figures he's probably done enough, right, so time to split; as falling machinery is going to crush Tara and Mariah, and Travis only has time to save one of them! Knowing she would hate herself, Mariah tosses the amulet into a fire, to free Travis to save Tara, while the returning Shakira saves Mariah. Shakira did that sort of thing a lot: leave, then come back like she couldn't trust her friends not to die without her constant guidance. Reunited, Travis kisses Tara, while Mariah wonders if it's better to have loved and lost, and Desaad takes his leave of Skartaris, wondering what damage he might have done to the legend of Travis Morgan...Look, they had to justify the Legends crossover somehow! 

The next issue would be the conclusion of "Morgan's Quest," which had been running since #101: so many side-quests! Poor Jennifer had probably spent at least a couple months as a 100-year-old woman, but hopefully we'll blog that one someday. Maybe even someday before 2030, but no promises!