Kokopelli

John Longbear, a native of Arizona, but a student at Knight City University, had aspirations of playing football, but his grades were never good enough to keep him on the team and he always found himself distracted by his first love: music. So, instead, he joined the university Glee Club (The City Slickers).

John Longbear

Easily led astray, he was one day partying in the forests outside Knight City with a group of fellow Glee Clubbers, when he wandered off - drunk - from the camp, got lost and found himself stumbling into a ditch which led to a concealed cave. He crawled into the cave for shelter from the sudden onset of rain, and realising he had no idea how to get back to the party.

As he slept, he dreamed of his home and was visited - through his dreams - by a number of spirits who spoke words of wisdom and comfort to him. He awoke with a start and promptly forgot everything the spirits had said, but saw in front of him a glowing, finely carved wooden flute. He picked it up, brushed it off and blew a tune on it.

In a flash of light, he found himself surrounded by a glowing aura that appeared to form wings behind him. Startled he threw up one hand, and a burst shot out from the aura and disintegrated part of the cave roof. A rumbling began, and stones started to fall down around John. Even he could figure out what was happening!

He turned to flee the cave and found himself flying at incredible speeds as the magical wings propelled him out of the cave and up into the air. From a great height he could see the site where the other students had pitched their tents. He flew towards it, then suddenly realised what he looked like at that moment and wished he looked his old self again... and so it was! Unfortunately, he was still about ten feet above the ground and came crashing down in a heap just outside of the camp.

Several of his Glee Club friends heard the noise and rushed over to help him. He explained that he'd gone off wandering, got lost and then eventually found his way back - but made no mention of the flute, which he promptly hid in his pack.

John Longbear

Back at university, he hit the books, trying to find any clues as to what had happened to him and eventually found himself drawn to myths of the Hopi fertility god, Kokopelli, and began to believe that was who he became when he summoned the magic of the flute.

Seeing news coverage of The Agents Of C.O.M.PA.S.S., he got a sympathetic professor to arrange an internship for him at Law Enterprises and then one day managed to approach CEO Nick Law and discretely reveal his powers to him.

The businessman was impressed and suggested that John 'hang out' with The Agents Of C.O.M.P.A.S.S. for a while to see if "superheroing" was really his thing. Nick's not entirely sure that John's heart is in it. He is also wary of anyone who thinks himself the human embodiment of a "mythological deity"!

art by Rebecca Whitaker

art by Rebecca Whitaker