Power Pack #30

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The issue opens with Alex and Johnny heading back towards Johnny’s neighborhood when they see several cop cars arresting “Fat Freddy” – but then, Raphael – Johnny’s brother is also arrested. Johnny tries to stop the cop car before Alex stops him; and Johnny says that he should have stayed so he could have kept an eye out for his brother.

Alex covers for Johnny when Johnny’s friends show up; and talk about how they helped Spider-Man fight the Hobgoblin. Johnny manages to wipe away the tears before he comes around and says that it’s true; that they helped Spider-Man and that Alex is pretty good in a fight.

Alex walks home with one of Johnny’s friends named Duane, and together they find a bag of Crack that had been ditched during the raid. Duane calls Alex a chicken for not taking a bag; and Alex caves in (but uses his power to disintegrate it instead, when Duane isn’t looking). At school, Duane shows up high on Crack and one of Johnny’s friends jokingly pushes him, but Duane falls over and stops breathing; and passes away shortly after.

After school, Johnny’s brother Raphael is there to greet him and explain that jail is the worse place he’s ever been and he can’t even go into the things he saw and endured. He explains that Aunt Rosie paid for his bail. But right after that, he produces two vials of crack and Alex yells at him about still selling Crack. Raphael offers the first vial for free to Alex. At that moment Allison comes out and asks if Alex is still going to help her with her homework. Embarrassed, Alex says that he has stuff to do “with the boys” and leaves with Johnny, his friends, and Raphael.

At the Power house, Allison calls and tells Julie that Alex is hanging out with Raphael’s gang. Julie, Jack and Katie don their costumes and go out to find Alex. They find Alex with Raphael – and change to civilian clothes and try to talk to Alex who is more concerned with hanging out with people his age – no matter what the crowd is like. Aunt Rosie shows up and begins smacking Raphael across the face and tells everyone to go home. Johnny asks if Alex is coming along, and Alex turns on his siblings and yells at them; saying that he has to teach them some manners. He leaves with them and tells them to stay out of his life.

After school, Alex is leaving with Johnny when they see Johnny’s brother, Raphael selling Crack – giving out the first hits for free (to get the kids hooked). Alex approaches Raphael and asks how business is doing since Duane, from school, just died over a Crack overdose. Johnny pleads for his brother to stop selling; because it could kill more kids like Duane, but more importantly, selling could get Raphael killed too. Raphael knocks Johnny in the face and tells him he will get “sick” if he doesn’t get money soon; and that if he doesn’t want him to sell, then help him rob a store so he can get fast money. Johnny says that only his father could knock sense into Raphael’s head; but their father is dead and Aunt Rosie tries, but she can only do so much. Johnny chases after Raphael to see if he can help his brother get the money he needs.

Alex walks his sibling home; but tries to defend Johnny, saying that his siblings don’t know how tough Johnny has it. This leads to them fighting, and the siblings take off and leave Alex alone. Johnny’s friends show up and tell them how cool it is that Johnny has a gig helping his brother rob Old Man Hector’s Bodega. Alex runs to go stop Johnny; but gets there just as cops are arriving. Alex tackles Johnny and tells him to stop; but Johnny fights against him, saying he promised he’d watch for his brother; but the cops have the store surrounded just as Raphael exits the store. Raphael refusing to go back to jail, draws his gun and the officers unload on him, killing him where he is standing. Johnny is beyond furious and now has an undying hatred for Alex stopping him from warning his brother. Johnny’s friends tell Alex that Alex is no longer a part of the gang. Alex’s other siblings arrive and Jack asks if the cops killed Raphael; and Alex says, “No, Crack killed him.”