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Graded population
CGC records 7 graded copies for War Machine #5 (1994). Population is the number recorded by this grading source, not the total print run or all surviving copies.
The Wages of Death!
In Yokohama, Japan, an assassin named Deathtoll has just killed a number of Yakuza members when three more arrive and gun him down. To their surprise, the corpse begins to burn, causing them to suspect a booby-trap, but the burning body then gets up, speaks and transforms into Deathtoll, alive and well, who kills them all before they can react.
Later, in a fine hotel in Osaka, Deathtoll gets a phone call from a client who has used his services before. However, unlike the previous targets, this time they want him to kill a super hero, War Machine, who did a number on the Imayans last week. The client believes that War Machine's actions have demonstrated that he thinks he can interfere wherever he wants and they don't want him doing that to any of their business in the future. The client agrees to pay van Sant a quarter million dollars, up front.
In Los Angeles, James Rhodes arrives at the building that houses the offices of Worldwatch and finds the media bombarding Doctor Jeffries and Rebecca Bergier with questions about whether Worldwatch was connected to War Machine. Rhodes introduces himself as Worldwatch's new director and gets the three of them into the building, leaving the press outside. In the offices, Jeffries introduces Rhodes to office manager Paula Lin and computer whiz Travis Berkeley, causing Rhodes to realize that Worldwatch was closer to a full setup than he had been told by Vincent Cetewayo. In what was Cetewayo's office, Jeffries and Bergier explain to Rhodes that, if he still wants it, the job of director will now be more difficult because War Machine's actions in Imaya and his apparent connection to Worldwatch have jeopardized the political neutrality that will be required if the organization is to expose injustices and abuses of power. Rhodes reaffirms his decision to keep Mr. Cetewayo's dream going.
Later, after a full workday, Rhodes visits Rae LaCoste at her apartment where she reveals that she knows he is War Machine and feels that she deserves more than being kept out of the loop. Rhodes agrees and the couple reconcile. Rhodes begins being more forthcoming by telling her that he's going to be making a speech to the UN General Assembly later that day and he's not exactly sure what he's going to say.
Later, in New York City, War Machine addresses the UN General Assembly where various delegates criticize him for his actions in Imaya and threaten him with charges. War Machine points out the the Imayan delegate is absent in protest of the attempt to charge him, and mentions how they had ignored the brutalities of former president Arul. As War Machine declares that he intends to continue helping the poor and oppressed people of the world even if it means violating the rule of law, he's struck by an energy beam fired by Deathtoll as he bursts out of the translator booth. To get the assassin away from anyone who might be killed in a crossfire, War Machine grabs Deathtoll and flies him up and out of the building through the roof. As they land, Deathtoll detonates an explosive that he had secretly placed on War Machine's back during their flight, then opens fire with his machinegun, but War Machine crushes the weapon, then grabs Deathtoll and begins flying away with him, intending to take him in. However, as they fly over the East River, Deathtoll frees himself and drops into the water. War Machine follows him and Deathtoll grabs him around the neck. War Machine is confident that his air supply will keep him from drowning but that changes when the air feed, damaged by recent events, suddenly fails. With his air running out and their combined weight dragging them both down, War Machine has to snap Deathtoll's neck so that he can get back to the surface. After depositing Deatholl's corpse on the walkway beside the shoreline, War Machine flies away, intending to return after he heaves his guts out because he has just killed again, but once he's gone Deathtoll self-resurrects again.
The next morning, in Los Angeles, Jeffries and Rhodes discuss how to react to what happened with War Machine at the UN, and Rhodes reveals that he's decided that Worldwatch's first official assignment will be investigating the mass graves at Catañero that had been found last month by a Peace Corps team. Nobody knows who's buried there or why, and the local government has ignored all demands for an investigation, so Rhodes plans to lead a team to find out why.
Elsewhere in the office, Rebecca Bergier is contacted by Trace Miller, the executive producer of "Top Story." When she states that Worldwatch is too busy to supply gossip for a TV tabloid show, he subtly threatens her by implying that the show knows something about her that they'll reveal if she doesn't cooperate.
In his hotel room in the Chelsea section of NYC, Deathtoll talks to his client and reveals that his test run has prepared him to take out War Machine in their next encounter. Although unhappy that the test occurred in such a conspicuous place, the client reveals that they now also want to pay him to take care of someone who is planning to look into an old job of theirs: James R. Rhodes.
The next day, at Los Angeles International Airport, Rhodes greets the recently-hired Sheva Jospeh, one of a team of carefully-selected volunteers who are about to board a jet for the trip. None of them are aware that Deathtoll is watching them from the departure lounge, preparing to kill Rhodes.
Creative credits
Writers: Scott Benson, Len Kaminski
Interior art: Gabriel Gecko
Color: Ariane Lenshoek
Source records & attribution
Panel Profits keeps each source identity attached to its edition record.
COMICBASE: comicbase:1198743
GCD: 76510