In 1939, the world beheld the appearance of the first Unique. Newspapers named him Virtue, and he was here to help us. To a world on the brink of another great war, he was both a savior and a new hope. But he was not alone - within a few short years of his first appearance, others followed his example and used their powers for the benefit of mankind. It was the beginning of a golden age of heroism.

As America entered World War II, it brought with it a team of unique heroes, led by Virtue and the Countryman, to oppose the Axis powers and their own supermen. The American heroes became symbols the world over for freedom, righteousness, and decency.

As the war drew to close, the American leadership sought a swift end to the war in the Pacific theater-- one which would not only subdue the Japanese, but also place the United States at the top of the list of global superpowers. It was Virtue who would deliver the payloads to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, though he had no idea the destructive force he was about to unleash.

World War II was over, but Virtue had been lied to. The bitter truth of toll that the human bombs had taken on the people of those cities, along with the knowledge that neither twin had survived, was unbearable. With the weight of so many souls on his conscience, he split from the US Government, vowing never again to yoke himself to any governmental or military agency.

He would not stop his work, but he operated mostly in secret. It was the love of a woman, his childhood crush Kathy Siegel, that brought him out of exile. The world had changed in the years since the war, and a new menace - McCarthyism and the war on civil liberties - loomed like a shadow over the country. A symbol of true freedom was needed again. Uniques were becoming a feared and hated minority, and so-called ‘supervillains’ were only making matters worse. The people were crying out for him, he had only to answer the call.

As an independent voice for truth and liberty, Virtue worked to cultivate hope and courage in the people around him. In the early 60’s, he and six of the most powerful and respected super heroes came together to form the first super-team since WWII, known as The League of Seven. In his private life as Jim McClane, he married Kathy and they had a son, Daniel. They settled in the couple’s hometown of Detroit, and as the boy grew he displayed minor powers that grew slowly but steadily stronger over the years. It became apparent that he had inherited his father’s abilities. In time, he would potentially be even stronger than Virtue himself.

His happiness would not last, however. In the late 60’s, Virtue’s nemesis - The Modern Man - claimed ultimate victory over the hero when he captured and murdered his wife and 14-year-old son. Devastated by grief and anger, Virtue was unable or, perhaps, unwilling to stop his longtime friend The Ghost from taking The Modern Man’s life in the ensuing battle.

Virtue again retreated into seclusion, but this time his exile was complete. Taking refuge in solitude in his secret dwelling in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, he hid from the world.

The second time he was brought out of exile was when the young hero couple, Kinetic and Mentor, found and recruited him into a new League of Seven. Though reluctant to return, this new League became more like a family to him, and slowly his happiness and hope returned.

On April 18th 1994, that hope was assailed once more. Virtue was at ground zero of the horrific explosion that killed thousands and left New York City an irradiated wasteland. Alone once more, with so many of his closest and oldest friends gone forever, Virtue this time refused to yield to grief. He would not leave again, and would not abandon the world after this. Though struck by a killing blow, his hope would not die, nor would his resolve waver. The people needed him, and he would never leave them again.

Today Virtue acts as a hero around the world, while still making it a priority to watch out for the orphaned daughters of Kinetic and Mentor - Hope and Conscience Sage. 77 years old, he has lived a long and hard life of responsibility and loss, but also of joy and success. He mourns his family every day, but their memory drives him on to even greater acts of heroism. He continues on not only for himself or the people he can protect, but also to be the beacon that lights the way for the next generation of uniques, picking up the pieces after the New York Disaster.

"The Uniques" and all related images, text and characters Copyright 2008 Comfort Love and Adam Withers. All Rights Reserved.