Origins #03
Vital Statistics
Release Date: 5th July 2007
Main Story Writer: Peter Johnson
Main Story Artist: Matthew Dow Smith
Colorist: JD Mettler
Letterer: Greg Thompson
Assistant Editor: Kristy Quinn
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Cover Artist: Ryan Sook
Mini Story
Date: 1991
Place: Unknown
Dean has had enough. He plans to leave the motel they are staying
in and run off. He believes that without him there, John will have no choice
but to pay more attention to Sam. Despite his brother's protests, he is ready
to go, but he sees John's journal and opens it to read the words his father
has written:
One day you'll see -- I had to leave you today ... but when
I'm done, I promise you: The day will come when I never have to leave you
again. Until then, I can only pray that you're strong enough to look after
Sam. One of us has to be. - Dad
For now, he turns around and heads back inside.
Story
Date: 1982 (see notes below)
Places: Harvelle's Roadhouse, Nebraska
- Elgin, Illinois
Hunter and John take the boys along when they head out to Harvelle's Roadhouse.
Hunter explains that the hellhounds were just the start of things - it's more
than likely a demon that they are looking for. For the first time, John meets
Ellen Harvelle (her husband Bill is serving behind the bar) and Ellen looks
after the boys while Hunter and John talk to another hunter, Ichi. Ichi mentions
that he is on the trail of a Heeler - a Springheeled Jack - and Hunter asks
if he and John can tag along for the practice.
When John gets attacked by the Heeler, Hunter distracts it and encourages John
to finish it off. John hesitates - he cannot kill, no matter what it is. Ichi
chases after it and kills it but is injured in the process. When Hunter notices
Ichi's injury, he confides to John that what they found in the woods was not
actually a Heeler, but a shapeshifter which had taken on the form of a Heeler.
He now believes that Ichi is dead and the person with them is actually the shapeshifter.
Hunter stresses to John that he needs to kill it now, and after some deliberation,
John manages to do it - channeling his fear into anger. He kills the monster,
just as Dean steps out of the Roadhouse and sees him.
Unsure what to do, John takes the boys to Elgin, Illinois to stay with some
friends, Bill and Pam. While he and Hunter continue their journey, he starts
a journal, talking specifically to Dean, trying to explain what is happening.
Suddenly, he makes Hunter stop the car. He cannot go on. He doesn't want to
become a killer. Hunter says that he understands the sacrifice, but he knows
what John needs in order to go on. He needs to see his wife...
Notes
- Peter Johnson, the writer, has publicly accepted that there are some errors
in this issue. The date cannot possibly be correct as Sam was only born in
1983, and there is no way that Ellen's daughter (who should be called Joanna
Beth and not Josephine) is a similar age to Dean, as we know that she is younger
than Sam.
- Ellen mentions a niece who would be willing to look after Dean and Sam.
Characters
