- Letters
- Ed Dukeshire (credited) (design); ? (logo); typeset
The inside front cover has logo, credits, and indicia set against negative red-&-black detail of John Cassaday's art to Cover A.
- Script
- Mark Waid (credited)
- Pencils
- Peter Krause (credited)
- Inks
- Peter Krause (credited)
- Colors
- Andrew Dalhouse (credited)
- Letters
- Ed Dukeshire (credited)
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Sarah!
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- Paradigm: Bette Noir (introduction); Charybdis (introduction); Gilgamos (introduction); Hornet (introduction, death, see Notes); Kaidan (introduction); Qubit (introduction); Scylla (introduction); Volt (introduction)
The Plutonian [Dan Hartigan] (introduction); Samsara (introduction, apparent death); Donna (Hornet's wife, full name unknown, introduction, death); Hornet's infant son [name unknown] (introduction; death); Sarah (Hornet's daughter, full name unknown, introduction; death, see Notes); unidentified superheroes and supervillains (introduction of all; cameos; flashback)
- Synopsis
- A masked man called The Hornet is vaporized along with his wife and children by The Plutonian. One week later the happy meeting of "Tony" and Samsara, who would become crimefighting partners, is recalled when the members of The Paradigm desperately try to glean information that would let them stop their former teammate's rampage. As the heroes resolve to split up and track down leads on Plutonian's private life, he arrives, strangely satisfied when they escape.
- Reprints
Story is untitled beyond series title. First page has close-ups of Plutonian's glowing yellow eyes.
The Paradigm is named in #2. Sarah's death is confirmed in #3. The Hornet's first name is given in Irredeemable Special #1.
First trade-paperback collection credits Paul Azaceta with character design of The Plutonian.
- Script
- Grant Morrison (credited)
- Letters
- Ed Dukeshire (credited) (design); typeset
- Reprints
Text is set against negative red-&-black detail of Barry Kitson's art to Cover B.