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    The Books of Magic #42

    The Books of Magic » The Books of Magic #42 - The Bridge released by DC Comics on November 1997.

    Short summary describing this issue.

    The Bridge last edited by gravenraven on 05/27/23 10:40PM View full history

    Now that Molly has left, Tim sits despondently--and angrily--on top of a large bridge. He considers all those who have left his life.

    A woman inexplicably climbs up the bridge. She is worried about him. Tim, however, is not in the mood to talk. When she mentions she has a girlfriend, Tim makes their relationship disappear, out of spite.

    Araquel sits in a park, relaxing. However, an angel and a demon show up, and try to recruit him to their side in an upcoming war. He tangles them up and breaks their weapons, then walks away, as his daughter Nikki runs up to him.

    Tim decides to give the woman her girlfriend back, then dumps her off the edge of the bridge, although she is apparently magically saved from injury.

    Tim brings up magic scrying portals to see his house, which his father has apparently abandoned; he sees him having a good time with his new girlfriend and Cyril, forgetting all about Tim. Tim's fury grows--just as the gargoyles in the last issue feared it would.

    The angel and demon try to coax Nikki to tell them where she lives, in the hopes of using her against Araquel. They mention that Khara was once a Chaldean dancer. Araquel has had enough, and asks Nikki to close her eyes. Then he decapitates the angel and the demon, and causes it to rain, washing the blood off Nikki.

    Tim watches the people below, and sees Molly's face on many of the girls. His anger reaches a bursting point, and he destroys the carnival below him, as well as the bridge. He walks among the wreckage and the dead and wounded. He feels good. Khara shows up and can't believe what she heard. He explains that none of this is real, he just created the place and people to let off some steam. However she points out that if he can ignore the humanity of these creations, it makes it all the easier to ignore the humanity of real people next time.

    She says that Molly was right--he is completely self-absorbed, and had lost touch with reality.

    We zoom back out to reality, and see that they are really on a beach, where Tim built some sand castles that functioned as the dreamscape he was in a moment ago.

    Araquel goes home and writes a note to Khara. He leaves it with Nikki, and tells her not to let anyone in, then flies off.

    Khara notices Tim's remaining tattoo, the moth. She is angry that he got it without realizing what it does--it keeps him alone and unconnected, like a fluttering moth that never lights anywhere. This is what led to his estrangement with Molly--it was intended to protect her from him, and it did so by taking her out of his life.

    Khara pulls out the Stone of Opening and gives it back to Tim, saying it could help remove the tattoo. As he holds it, it gives him true visions of his home, where his dad is fixing it up in hope he comes back. He sees Molly, who is happy, even if she also misses him. Tim's awakening to the truth of his relationships sets him free, and the tattoo leaves.

    Khara comes him, and reads Araquel's note. He has left, presumably because he didn't want Khara and Nikki to have to deal with the pressures of these angels and demons. But, Khara is worried, what will he do now that his only link to humanity is gone?

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