ZOOZOO
Membership: Ballistik, Blitz, Laz-Fire, Payload, Warcrime
Purpose: Warriors serving the Cynodd's goals of universal syntropy, primarily by battling and slaying the Cynodd's foes
Aliases:
Affiliations: Cynodd (notably Shakata), Synergysts;
Babet (and other acolytes) and the Necroborg if they were not members
Enemies: The Enhanced (Gun Runner/Brell, Heavy Duty/Glora Teth, Lure/Kay Glayvor, Oracle, Smith), Gale Patric, Gyre, the Vassyr
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
First Appearance: Gun Runner#3 (December, 1993)
History:
(Gun
Runner#3 (fb) - BTS) - The Zoo members were the elite of the Cynodd's forces.
(Gun Runner#2 (fb) - BTS) - <According to Gun Runner (Brell) of the Enhanced> - "The Cynodd's infernal war machines carved a swathe of misery and persecution across the galaxy <led> by a monster called Shakata."
(Gun
Runner#3 (fb) - BTS) - Gun Runner, at least, had some past experience
with the Zoo, considering them "the last creatures in the cosmos you
want to know."
(Gun Runner#2 (fb) - BTS)
- After a long and bloody war, the Enhanced defeated the Cynodd,
destroying their armies and machines, and incarcerating their leaders.
The Enhanced believed the conflict to be over.
(Gun
Runner#3) - Three
kilometers beneath Las Vegas, Nevada, Cynodd leader Shakata was
frustrated at his recent defeat at the hands of the Enhanced Gun
Runner.
Insisting that none of the Enhanced should be
allowed to live and that he wished to use their superior genetic
material as the basis to restore the Cynodd, Shakata asked if the
Zoo were ready.
The Necroborg confirmed that they had been standing
ready since Shakata had sounded the alert.
As the pulsarite doors opened, the
Zoo then entered, and Warcrime asked Lord Shakata his bidding. After Shakata instructed them to hunt down the last of
the Vassyran Enhanced, Warcrime acknowledged that it would be done.
(Gun Runner#3) - On the planet
Nautilus (nine sidereal years from Canopus), the Zoo, arriving in a
Cynodd assault ship, assaulted the clipper Skylax, home to the Enhanced
Heavy
Duty (Glora Teth), to which the Enhanced members Gun Runner and Smith,
along with the human Gale Patric, had traveled. 
After a blast struck
the Skylax and knocked Glora overboard, Gun Runner tracked and prepared
to fire on the ship on its third pass, but Warcrime, having arrived on
the Skylax with the rest of the crew, taunted him, "Why waste your time on the ship when you have your hands full with the crew?"
(Gun Runner#4) - Ignoring Gun Runner's order to get off the planet,
the Zoo charged Gun Runner and Smith on
the Skylax.
After Glora, having suited up as Heavy Duty, joined the conflict, the Zoo was subdued.
Knowing the rest of the Zoo would recover soon, Gun Runner instructed Oracle (who controlled his Warbird ship) that they needed to leave now. Knowing she was leaving behind the life she loved, Heavy Duty set the Scylax's power cells to explode, after which the Enhanced departed aboard the Warbird.
(Gun Runner#4 (fb) - BTS) - The Zoo escaped the Skylax's destruction and departed Nautilus as well.
(Gun Runner#4) - Aboard the Cynodd assault ship, Warcrime cursed the rest of the Zoo as amateurs for having been taken down by three foes, noting that he would kill the rest of his teammates himself if they didn't have to finish the Enhanced.
As his teammates tracked and
followed the Enhanced, Warcrime advised his team that they had grown
soft and forgetful, and that their seeming
victories in the past had caused them forget their Vassyr foes'
accursed determination.
However, he now felt the old enmity warming to furnace hear, and that when next they met, they would crush the Enhanced utterly.
(Gun Runner#5 - BTS) - After Shakata activated a Synergyst within Earth, initiating Syntropy, the Enhanced returned to Earth to oppose this.
(Gun Runner#5) - The Zoo detected the Enhanced arrival and followed them to Earth.
(Gun Runner#5) - As Laz-Fire located the Enhanced, Warcrime instructed the others to stand ready for some pay back.
Gun Runner#6) - Warcrime led the Zoo to attack the
Enhanced, urging them to destroy their foes.
After the Enhanced had briefly driven back their foes, Heavy Duty set a Tri-Thermex mine to blow a hole in the Syntropic shell.
While the Enhanced rushed away from the impending explosion, the Zoo split up to locate them.
Although Payload was destroyed by
the charge, the rest of the Zoo followed the Enhanced as they sought
out the Synergyst.
The Zoo located and assaulted the
Enhanced as they approached the Synergyst, but ultimately the Enhanced
apparently slew the rest of their foes.
Comments: Created by Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning, Anthony Williams, and Colin Fawcett.
Each member of the Zoo could have
their own profile.
If anyone wants to expand on what I've done here,
feel free.
Warcrime is noted to be a Cynodd
creation, but I don't think we have origins for the rest of the team.
Are they members of the Cynodd race, or just employed by the Cynodd?
Or something else?
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Zoo has no known connections to:
Ballistik has no known connection to:
Blitz has no known connection to:
Laz-Fire has no known connection to:
Payload has no known connection to:
Warcrime has no known connection to:
Ballistik utilized a number of blaster weapons.
She also used some sort of advanced-tech binocular viewing device.
A standard part of her costume was some sort of
monocle, but it is unrevealed whether that was a scope-like targeting
device she wore, or perhaps she had a bionic eye...or something else.
She has been described as the coldest of killers.
(Gun Runner#3 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Ballistik joined the Cynodd's elite warrior group known as the Zoo.
(Gun
Runner#3) - Three
kilometers beneath Las Vegas, Nevada, Cynodd leader Shakata had the Zoo
summoned. Ballistik remained silent with her weapon raised and
ever-ready, with a passionless killer glint in her eyes as Shakata sent them to hunt down the last of
the Vassyran Enhanced.
(Gun Runner#4) - As the Zoo engaged the Enhanced, Smith
fired some globe at Ballistik, after which she asked Smith (taunting him as void-waste) if that was the best
he could manage; punching Ballistik back, Smith answered, "No."
Later, as Smith leveled a Pulsarmite spear at Laz-Fire, Ballistik put her weapon to Smith's head, called him a pig, and demanded he drop the weapon. Heavy Duty and Gun Runner, in turn, aimed their weapons at Ballistik and forced her to drop her weapon.
(Gun Runner#4 - BTS) - Heavy Duty set the Scylax's power cells to explode, after which the Enhanced departed aboard the Warbird.
(Gun Runner#4 (fb) - BTS) - The Zoo escaped the Skylax's destruction and departed Nautilus as well.
(Gun Runner#4) - Aboard the
Cynodd assault ship, Ballistik sat silently as Warcrime cursed the rest of the Zoo as amateurs,
for having been taken down by three foes, threatening that he would kill them all if they didn't need to finish this.
(Gun Runner#5) - After Shakata activated a Synergyst within Earth, initiating Syntropy, the the Enhanced returned to Earth to oppose this. The Zoo detected their arrival and followed them there.
(Gun Runner#5) - With Syntropy
threatening to engulf Earth within hours, the Zoo located the
Enhanced (Ballistik was using some kind of viewing device, and she may
have been the one to spot them). Ballistik asked Warcrime if they
would take the Enhanced now, and Warcrime affirmed this, instructing
the others to stand ready for some pay back.
Gun Runner#6) - The Zoo confronted the Enhanced, and Ballistik evaded Lure's empathic
drone, Gyre, and subsequently shot Lure through the shoulder
while taunting him as a worm.
Heavy Duty punched Ballistik away,
after which she placed a Thermex charge to blow a whole in the
Syntropic shell.
After the Zoo followed the Enhanced into the shell's interior,
Heavy Duty slew Laz-Fire, Ballistik shot Heavy Duty in retaliation,
injuring her and destroying her tracker (that had been leading them to
the Synergyst at the shell's core).
Lure then instructed Gyre to
follow the path to the Synergyst, and, as per his intent, it took the
direct path that led through Ballistik's chest, apparently killing her.
--Gun Runner#3 (4-6
Laz-Fire seemed to be covered with or composed of some smooth, silver material, while she could generated and release "sun-hot plasma" from her hair-like corona and from her hands.
She could also fly.
She was involved in tracking/tracing others,
including the Enhanced as well as her own teammates. With this is an
innate ability or achieved via technology or some other means is
unrevealed.
(Gun Runner#3) - Tracking Gun Runner to the planet Nautilus, Laz-Fire and the others silently arrived on Heavy Duty's clipper Skylax, and she floated in the air as Warcrime surprised Gun Runner (along with his human friend Gail Patric), Heavy Duty, and Smith.
(Gun Runner#4) - Smith snared Laz-Fire in a cable that wrapped around her arms and torso, leading Laz-Fire to curse his Pulsarmite toys.
Laz-Fire burned free of her bonds
and, after Smith struck down Ballistik, Laz-Fire leapt atop Smith's
back, driving her energy hands into his back and telling him he'd
earned
himself a painful death, causing him to cry out in pain.
Smith struggled to avoid the burning tresses of Laz-Fire, who instructed the Enhanced "scum-sucker" to bleed, until he could sculpt another Pulsarmite ingot into a staff to knock her back. She remained stunned as Smith further sculpted the staff into a spear and leveled it at her, but Ballistik put his weapon to Smith's head and demanded he drop the weapon. Heavy Duty and Gun Runner, in turn, aimed their weapons at Ballistik and forced her to drop her weapon.
(Gun Runner#4 - BTS) - Heavy Duty set the Scylax's power cells to explode, after which the Enhanced departed aboard the Warbird.
(Gun Runner#4 (fb) - BTS) - The Zoo escaped the Skylax's destruction and departed Nautilus as well.
(Gun Runner#4) - Aboard the Cynodd assault ship, Warcrime cursed the rest of the Zoo as amateurs, for having been taken down by three foes. After Laz-Fire noted that she had a firm fix on the Enhanced space-fold traces and was setting an interception course, Warcrime had Blitz lay the course as he vowed that they would yet destroy the Enhanced.
(Gun Runner#5 - BTS) - After Shakata activated a Synergyst within Earth, initiating Syntropy, the the Enhanced returned to Earth to oppose this. The Zoo detected their arrival and followed them there.
(Gun Runner#5) - As the Zoo located the Enhanced, Warcrime instructed the others to stand ready for some payback.
Gun Runner#6) - In the ensuing battle Laz-Fire confronted Smith, assuring him he would not best her again, although he struck her back nonetheless.
After Payload was destroyed by
Heavy Duty's Tri-Thermex charge, Laz-Fire reported that she had lost
contact with Payload and that she suspected his death. The Zoo then
followed the Enhanced through the hole they had
created in the Syntropic shell.
Laz-Fire tore into Lure's back with stinging ropes of laser light, but Heavy Duty used her Thermex weapons to destroy Laz-Fire soon after.
--Gun Runner#3
Note: She was repeatedly called Las-Fire in Gun Runner#6.
She reminds me somewhat of Nova (Frankie Raye); like the others, her origins and true nature are unrevealed
Perhaps 10 to 15' tall, Payload was covered by an armored carapace
and has been described as one of the strongest beings in the galaxy.
His exact strength is unrevealed, but he could
easily restrain the enhanced human Gun Runner with a single hand.
Payload is presumably mute, or perhaps he chooses
not to speak; he didn't make a sound even when Heavy Duty nearly blew
his foot off.
(Gun
Runner#3 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Payload joined the Cynodd's elite warrior group known as the Zoo.
(Gun Runner#3) - Tracking Gun
Runner to the planet Nautilus, Payload and the others silently arrived
on Heavy Duty's clipper Skylax, allowing Warcrime to surprise Gun
Runner (along with his human friend Gail Patric), Heavy Duty, and Smith.
(Gun Runner#4) - Payload took
at least one blast from Gun Runner's weapon as the battle started. When
Gun Runner got the better of and leveled his gun the face of Warcrime, Payload saved his leader by grabbing Gun Runner and lifting him high
into the air. War-Crime appreciated the rescue and instructed Payload
to continue holding while Blitz extinguished his life. As
Blitz leapt at Gun Runner, however, Heavy Duty, blasted
him out of the air and then nailed Payload in the leg with
another laser blast, causing him to drop Gun Runner.
(Gun Runner#4 - BTS) - Heavy Duty set the Scylax's power cells to explode, after which the Enhanced departed aboard the Warbird.
(Gun Runner#4 (fb) - BTS) - The Zoo escaped the Skylax's destruction and departed Nautilus as well.
(Gun Runner#4) - Aboard the Cynodd assault ship, Payload silently endured War-Crime's criticism for their failure, as well as his vow that they would yet destroy the Enhanced.
(Gun Runner#5 - BTS) - After Shakata activated a Synergyst within Earth, initiating Syntropy, the the Enhanced returned to Earth to oppose this. The Zoo detected their arrival and followed them there.
(Gun Runner#5) - As the Zoo located the Enhanced, War-Crime instructed the others to stand ready for some payback.
Gun Runner#6) - Payload was momentarily knocked back by a salvo from Heavy Duty.
Having briefly stunned the Zoo, the Enhanced reached a location directly over the Synergyst, and Heavy Duty set a Tri-Thermex mine to blow a hole in the Syntropic shell. While the Enhanced rushed away from the impending explosion, the Zoo split up to locate them, and Payload happened upon the mine. Curious, he picked up the mine and examined it, and it soon blew up, tearing him to pieces.
Laz-Fire reported that she had lost contact with Payload and that she suspected his death. War-Crime commented that Payload had deserved his fate.
--Gun Runner#3 (4-6
images: (without ads)
Gun Runner#3, pg. 12, panel 1 (main image; group, standing pose);
pg. 22 (last page, on the Scylax);
#4, pg.2-3 (group in profile);
pg. 5, panel 4 (Laz-Fire blasting Smith);
pg. 12, pan. 3 (Laz-Fire face);
back cover (Ballistik & Laz-Fire full);
#6, pg. 7, panel 3 (Payload, profile);
pg. 14, panel 1 (Ballistik, death);
Appearances:
Gun Runner#3
(December, 1993) - Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (script), Anthony Williams
(penciler), Colin Fawcett (inker), Bambos Georgiou (editor)
Gun Runner#4-6
(January-March, 1994) - Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning (script), Anthony Williams
(penciler), Colin Fawcett (inker), Bambos Georgiou (editor)
First posted: 02/17/2019
Last updated: 02/26/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
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BALLISTIK
LAZ-FIRE
PAYLOAD