STORMBREAKER: THE SAGA OF BETA RAY BILL

Stormbreaker #1         March 2005
"Stormbreaker, the Saga of Beta Ray Bill"

Writer:  Mike Oeming & Dan Berman
Artist:  Andrea DiVito
Colors:  Laura Villari
Letters:  Chris Eliopoulos

Appearances:  Rogotta, Beta Ray Bill, Sif, Volstagg, Ashta, Alpha Ray, Thor, Surtur, Stardust

Significant Events:  1st appearance of Rogotta, 1st appearance of Alpha Ray, 1st appearance of Stardust

Synopsis:  In the High Council Chambers on New Korbin, Rogotta is calling for the denouncement of Beta Ray Bill, and the re-activation of Alpha Ray.  He feels that Beta Ray Bill will not protect them from Ashta, but Alpha Ray can.  But before a decision can be made, the word has come, Ashta is upon them.  In Asgard, Beta Ray Bill is fighting alongside Sif and Volstagg, when he sees them both fall (see Thor #85).  Thor then transports Bill away, so that someone will remember the Asgardians that their bravery.  The Korbinites send their ships to try to stop Ashta, to no avail, so they no longer have a choice but to release Alpha Ray.  Beta Ray Bill arrives and engages Ashta, but is attacked by Alpha Ray.  Ashta then blasts them both, sending them crashing to the planets surface.  Enraged, Bill renews his attack and recognizes Ashta as being really Galactus.  Annoyed, Galactus calls forth his newest herald, Stardust, to deal with the nuisance.  While they battle, Galactus swats Bill and leaves him floating helpless and unconscious while he devours New Korbin.

Stormbreaker #2         April 2005
"The Crumbs of Galactus"

Writer:  Mike Oeming & Dan Berman
Artist:  Andrea DiVito
Colors:  Laura Villari
Letters:  Chris Eliopoulos

Appearances:  Beta Ray Bill, Galactus, Stardust, Alpha Ray, Skuttlebutt, Ven, Sala, Rogotta

Significant Events:  1st appearance of Ven, 1st appearance of Sala

Synopsis:  Bill floats among the debris, as Galactus continues to consume New Korbin.  Stardust goes off to destroy the remaining defenders, his zeal as herald is boundless.  Stardust comes across the form of Alpha Ray, and takes it back to his master.  Bill awakes to a signal and flies off in search of it and comes across Skuttlebutt.  Bill boards her and is told of the Meta-Orb, and the new flight of his people.  Stardust delivers the body of Alpha Ray to Galactus and Galactus tells him that this being fought against the one that damaged his helmet.  Stardust flies off in a rage to kill Bill.  Meanwhile, Skuttlebutt tells Bill about the development of the Meta-Orb and the tale of Sala and Ven.  After the tale, Bill is alerted to the presence of Stardust, now holding the Meta-Orb.  Bill flies out to challenge him, just as Stardust begins to pour energy into the Meta-Orb.

Stormbreaker #3         May 2005
no title given

Writer:  Mike Oeming & Dan Berman
Artist:  Andrea DiVito
Colors:  Laura Villari
Letters:  Rus Wooton

Appearances:  Beta Ray Bill, Stardust, Skuttlebutt, Ven, Asteroth

Significant Events:  1st appearance of Asteroth

Synopsis:  Beta Ray Bill attacks and gets the Meta-Orb away from Stardust.  He gives it to Skuttlebutt and tells the ship to get the Orb to safety.  Stardust then begins to hammer at Bill with tremendous force, but Bill returns it with interest.  They grapple with each other, and crash into a planetoid, shattering it.  Bill gets the better of Stardust and pounds on him mercilessly.  Several months earlier, we see Ven going through his military training, but being sent early because it is Ashta that is arriving.  After resting for a bit, Bill is surprised to see that Stardust has arisen again, this time glowing brightly with power.  Stardust tells Bill that he has forced his hand, but opens a portal in space.  A doorway into a cosmic hell, where cosmic demons are exiled.  Something comes out of the portal, and grabs onto Bill.  He severs the tendril and Stardust is forced to close the portal before anything else escapes.  The burning tendril lashes out at both Stardust and Bill, knocking them free, before changing it's form into that of Asteroth.

Stormbreaker #4         June 2005
"Asteroth"

Writer:  Mike Oeming & Dan Berman
Artist:  Andrea DiVito
Colors:  Laura Villari
Letters:  Rus Wooton

Appearances:  Ven, Beta Ray Bill, Asteroth, Stardust, Galactus, Alpha Ray

Significant Events:  none

Synopsis:  Stardust and Beta Ray Bill float unconscious, while Asteroth revels in her newfound freedom.  She flies off to feed, and leave destruction in her wake.  Meanwhile, Galactus has taken Alpha Ray, and begins to imbue it with the Power Cosmic.  Stardust and Bill awaken and renew their fight, but Stardust convinces Bill that they must stop Asteroth first, and describes exactly what she is and will do.  Bill agrees, and they fly off after her.  They catch her and drive her into the core of a planet, causing it to completely explode.  Amidst the rubble, Stardust tells Bill to take cover, and he summons a black hole in an attempt to sweep Asteroth away.  Asteroth doesn't seem to be affected by it at all, instead she twists the gravity of it and it begins to draw in Bill and Stardust.

Stormbreaker #5         July 2005
"Omega: The End"

Writer:  Mike Oeming & Dan Berman
Artist:  Andrea DiVito
Colors:  Laura Villari
Letters:  Rus Wooton

Appearances:  Ven, Alpha Ray, Beta Ray Bill, Stardust, Asteroth, Skuttlebutt, Surtur, Beyonders (?), Omega Ray

Significant Events:  1st appearance of Omega Ray

Synopsis:  While Bill and Stardust struggle with Asteroth, Alpha Ray attacks, and drives Asteroth into the black hole.  Floating unconscious, Bill is transported someplace else, and entirely white place with no form, someplace beyond.  The ones that exist there tell Bill that he is being rewarded, and they reunite him with Skuttlebutt.  Bill asks to be transported to Asgard, and they are on their way.  During the trip, the Meta-Orb becomes unstable and Bill has to get it off the ship.  He crashed through the hull, and discovers that the have arrived at Asgard, or what's left of it.  Everything is destroyed and in rubble, and Bill looks up in time to see the remains of Surtur come crashing to the ground.  A short distance away, a dark form emerges from the Meta-Orb, and seems to be a demonic version of Bill.  Bill goes to greet what he believes to be a Korbonite, only to discover that it's really Asteroth, who had sent part of her essence into the Meta-Orb during their battle earlier.  She reveals that she fed on all the essences in the Meta-Orb, and enraged, Bill calls upon all the powers of Stormbreaker, and begins to pound relentlessly on Asteroth, screaming for her to die.

Stormbreaker #6         August 2005
"The Death and Life of Beta Ray Bill"

Writer:  Michael Avon Oeming & Dan Berman
Artist:  Andrea DiVito
Colors:  Laura Villari
Letters:  Rus Wooton

Appearances:  Simon Walters, Boar, Spider-Man, Eddie, Beta Ray Bill, Omega Ray, Thor

Significant Events:  1st appearance of Simon Walters, 1st appearance of Eddie, 1st appearance of Boar

Synopsis:  In an alley, Simon Walters breathes his last.  But death is not a permanent state, just an occurrence, and Simon Walters breathes again.  He stumbles out into an alley and causes a speeding car to wreck, unfortunately, the car was being driven by the Boar.  He changes forms and tosses Simon into a wall, and goes to hit someone else.  Simon slams his fist into the ground and changes into Beta Ray Bill!  Bill hits him and sends the Boar soaring through the sky and crashes into Spider-Man and into a building.  Bill follows up and he and Spider-Man decided to take out the Boar completely.  Spider-Man then buys them both a pizza, and Bill tells him how he came to be and what he remembers.  Bill had destroyed Omega Ray, and was himself dying, when he noticed that there were still souls within the Meta-Orb.  He tried to get to it to release them, but was too badly damaged, and blacked out.  When he came to, there was a ghost figure standing over him holding the Orb and telling him that there is a new beginning and a new life for his people, and for Bill himself.  And with a touch of his hand, the ghost figure sent the dying Bill into the dead form of Simon.  Spider-Man tells him that that's some story, and he'll help him find a way down.  Simon transforms back into Bill and tells Spider-Man that, with help, he'll find his way.