Created by Jeff Messina

Watchstar Annual #9: "Hollywood Ghost Story"

At the request of Tyler van Warren, the former Captain Fortune, Cobra, Jade and Kodiak travel to California to investigate mysterious events at the old Stellar Studios back lot, which he owns and is looking to sell. There, the heroes fight The Phantom, the ghost of an old 1940s movie star. First appearance of Gizmo, who appoints himself Cobra's sidekick.

1. "California Dreamin'"

Cobra, Jade, Silver Spectre, Gizmo, and a sulking, dejected Kodiak accompany Booster to her boyfriend Nick Collier's house on the beach. The team plays volleyball on the beach, but is interrupted when Kodiak is accused of numerous bloody murders. His own teammates aren't even sure. The bounty hunter Quarry also enters the US, hot on someone's trail.

2. "Mistaken Identity"

The killer turns out to be Blood, Kodiak's clone-brother. The Corsairs show up to take Kodiak into federal custody. Watchstar, with Quarry, teams up to stop Blood. After a titanic battle resulting in the destruction of Nick's beach house and an injury to Kodiak, they capture Blood.

3. "From Bad to Worse"

Tyler van Warren offers the empty Stellar Studios, which includes the original Partridge Family bus, as a team headquarters. The team goes shopping for a whole new look. Kodiak, in the care of Dr Patrick Black, is visited by Brimstone, who makes Kodiak his "champion."

4. "Hex...No, Just Hex"

LA's magic man teams with Watchstar to help out Kodiak...for a fee. They are summoned to a meeting of The Council, an informal gathering of magical beings. Cobra downloads the MAGUS AI from the Watchstar East mainframe.

5. "The Council"

At the Council meeting, they meet Dorian Wheeler (Bane). Jade is attracted to him. Brimstone demands he be made the leader of the Council by right of challenge, using Kodiak as his champion. Bound by magic, Kodiak fights several challengers, all to the death. Hex devises a plan to save Kodiak.

6. "The Ultimate Solution"

Hex kills Kodiak using a death spell. Kodiak appears to die in battle for Brimstone. This ends Brimstone's plan for domination. Hex then banishes Brimstone for 99 years and Madame Winter is appointed the head of the Council. Bane comforts Jade upon Kodiak's demise.

7. "We'll Miss Ya, Ya Big Lug"

A best of Kodiak issue. Rebel and Overcoat appear as the team gets drunk and talks fondly of Kodiak at his funeral. At the end, Hex bursts in and explains his "death" was all a sham, that Kodiak can be resurrected. They make preparations to do this. Bane apparently knew this as well. but didn't tell Jade, who is now furious with Bane.

8. "Hi Ho Silver"

The Silver Spectre tracks down some high-tech thieves with Jade. Jade, being somewhat emotionally unstable, is drawn to the Silver Spectre.

9. "The Monster Master"

The team encounters a second-rate mad scientist named the Monster Master, who creates giant city-stomping monsters from two-dimensional images. However, the Monster Master's device reverts the Silver Spectre back to his normal form, and he says goodbye to the the superhero world...or does he?

10. "And Some Call Him---Wes!"

Ace reporter (and big putz) Wes Miles investigates Watchstar West. He and Jade grow very close. Golden Tiger makes a guest appearance when the team battles Deadly Force.

11-12. "To Hell and Back"

Hex discovers that Kodiak's soul was stolen by the demon Deathwing. In exchange for a future favor, Bane agrees to help them, and opens a portal to the demon's dimension. Jade stays behind to hold the portal open, and Cobra, Hex, Quarry, Golden Tiger and Gizmo go in after Kodiak's soul. They battle Deathwing to retrieve it, and Kodiak is successfully resurrected.

Annual #1: "Garden Party"

The team throws a big shindig to celebrate their existence. Lots of guest stars, California-style parties, not much else.

13. "Professor Publicity"

Solo story of Wes Miles as he reviews his own magnificent career, out loud, on the phone with Jade.

14-15. "Death Valley Days"

Watchstar West is recruited by Valkyrie of the Guardians to investigate her team's disappearance at a Knight Industries research facility in Death Valley. In reality, Valkyrie is actually Mirage, of Hardware Unlimited, in disguise. The heros are sent there to battle the Hellrazers, Dr. Omega's goons-du-jour. With the Hellrazers out of the way, Hardware Unlimited would have exclusive contracts with Transasia. In Death Valley, the Watchstar security codes are leeched from Cobra's memory banks. In a big fight with the Hellrazers, the villains are captured, but Loco destroys the Watchstar jet trying to leave. The superhero Avatar teams with the group, briefly, but departs when the battle is over.

16. "Hardware: Encountered!"

Watchstar West has its first major encounter with this epic villain team as Channel, Mirage, and Traxx attack the Stellar Studios base. The villains manage to all escape.

17. "Crossroads"

Cobra leaves with Viper when Cobra's mentor is kidnapped. (The story is continued in the graphic novel COBRA: A GOOD DAY TO DIE.) Kodiak is made team leader, and Manna and Changeling join the group.

18. "Hardware: Pursued!"

The team tracks the techno-villains to Dyna-tech Industries, where there is a major fight. The villains use this encounter as a diversion. Using the stolen security codes, they sneak into Stellar Studios and steal MAGUS from the computer.

19. "Welcome to Fantasy Island"

The heroes track Hardware to the island of Haven, a supers resort near Tahiti. They have no jurisdiction there. Hardware trades MAGUS to the Lawgivers of Transasia. Guest appearances by many supers, most scantily clad, including Crossbow and Dagger (who now run the place) and numerous others.

20. "Hot Pursuit"

While going after the Lawgivers, Watchstar's jet is damaged over the Pacific. Gizmo is lost at sea, and the jet crashes into the primitive valley of Draka'a, the domain of Tyger, deep within Transasian borders. Jade's powers are deactivated by the supervillain Switch.

21-23. "Welcome to the Jungle"

The heroes meet Tyger in the savage land of Draka'a. Jade dons scanty jungle gear for her trek through the trees and falls for Tyger. There are dinosaur encounters, plus many scantily clad nubile savages. They track the Lawgivers, who also crashed here, to the city of Draka'a, a high-tech metropolis in the middle of the jungle. The city is run by the Provider, an alien super computer who maintains the jungle environment of this Siberian valley, but the Lawgivers have taken over. The heroes assault the city, defeat the Lawgivers and reclaim MAGUS. But MAGUS must be used to restore the Provider to working order. The team says goodbye to Tyger and MAGUS and returns to the outside world.

24. "Meet Dr. Data"

The team travels to San Francisco on news from a local superhero, Dr Data, that Hardware Unlimited has been active there. A major fight ensues with Dreadnought on the hills of the city. Watchstar West loses a third jet, but Dr Data joins the team.

25. "Hardware: Destroyed!"

Cobra returns just in time for the team has an epic battle in LA with Hardware Unlimited. All members except Mirage are captured. The villain Brimstone is seen escaping from banishment.

Annual #2: "Jurisdiction"

The team has a disagreement with hometown rivals, the Guardians, over jurisdiction dealing with villains. Words come to blows, a small battle, and then a beach party with the corporate heroes.

26. "A Hero Falls"

Jade finds she is pregnant, but is not sure of the father. (Kodiak? Bane? Silver Spectre? Wes? Tyger? The pool boy?). CounterForce guest stars. While holding the villain Motivator in protective custody, the hero Stingray 1 is killed by Azrael of the new villain team Apocalypse. Wes Miles does tribute to Stingray, his old college friend.

27. "Trick or Treat"

Kodiak and Cobra are asked by Rebel to help out on a case involving the villain called Halloween. They find an old diary of the Silver Age hero Skywarp, but Halloween escapes. Jade is kidnapped from Kodiak's ranch while the other heroes are away; Kodiak's wolf Bear dies trying to defend her.

28. "Glory Days"

Flashback to Silver Age with the Crusaders and their battle at Lucifer's mountain base. They stopped him from using a stolen government doomsday weapon called Operation Primus.

29-31. "Apocalypse Right Now"

Brimstone is revealed as the leader of the new Apocalypse. His dream is of a magical utopia. Jade and her sacrificed child are to be the catalyst for achieving this dream, and to get his revenge on Kodiak. The team tracks Jade to Bane's house, and assume he is responsible. Before they can assault the house, however, Brimstone transports the house and its inhabitants to Lucifer's old Primus base. Wes Miles dons the Stingray armor. The heroes, aided by Bane, pursue Brimstone, and an epic battle ensues. Armageddon breaks Kodiak's arm, Manna is killed by Azrael, and Bane and Brimstone go down fighting as the place is consumed by a magical vortex opened by Brimstone. The team escapes, barely victorious.

30. "Funeral for a Friend"

Stingray joins the team as they mourn the loss of Manna. Mirage shows up to say goodbye to Manna (they shared a hot tub in Haven). Jade leaves the team. The Watchstar organization cuts off funding for Watchstar West...forcing them to go independent, as Sierra Force, where their adventures continued.