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To understand the Virtex story – you must be introduced to the three main pieces of the story: THE MADLANDS – The setting for the Virtex story is a place called the Madlands: a unique geography that melds history into a single present, creating an amalgam of times, places, and people. In the Madlands, cowboys rustle dinosaurs and World War II fighter planes are fitted with satellite-guided smart bombs. It is a conundrum of time and space where anything can happen and nothing is out of the ordinary – not even cyber-Nazi concentration camps filled with mutants. JUSTICE CYCLE BUREAU – The JCB is a top-level enforcement agency – the CIA/FBI for the Madlands – which handles cases across the Madlands, leaving regional criminal activity to localized MadMarshall enforcement bureaus. Led by the enigmatic director ARKIMET – the JCB funded a compartmentalized research program, dubbed the Virtex Project, and used an almost dead MadMarshall named Jayce O’Halla as the first test subject in the development of their next generation law enforcement platform. VIRTEX – Virtex was Jayce O’Halla – a young MadMarshall that patrolled his sector with his older brother Matthew. The O’Halla brothers had found fame and recognition for their efforts in capturing 10 of the most vicious outlaws in the Madlands. During a routine transfer to a new holding facility, however, somthing went horribly wrong and the Outlaws escaped – killing Matthew and brutally maiming Jayce in the process. Jayce wakes up as Virtex: a cybernetically enhanced super-agent outfitted with the latest offensive and defensive weapons and equipment, like retractable blades, neuro-whips, chameleon software, “targethunter” guns, and a special eye – complete with infrared, data scanning, and super targeting settings . Add in the cool jetcylce and Virtex is more than ready for action. Reborn as Virtex, the Justice Cycle Bureau has given Jayce the means to exact revenge by bringing in his brother's killers and the chance to become a new form of justice across the Madlands – provided he brings them in alive and reports to JCB director Arkimet at every turn. Virtex accepts the terms and the story begins with the hunt for the Ripnun in the 3-part “Divine Intervention,” which continued in the animated “Queen of the Dead.” The story, had it had the opportunity to unfold, would have shown Virtex’s merciless hunt for his brother’s killers and how, ultimately, everything was the design of JCB director Arkimet. Little side stories would have colored the world of the Madlands, but action would be high on the list with the gradual unraveling of the mystery of the Madlands at every twist in the tale of Virtex. Lau and Kwan developed the Virtex series – like every other megalomaniac creator – as a trilogy. If Part One was to be labeled the “Revenge” storyline, then Part Two would be considered the “Justification” storyline, while Part Three would conclude the story with: “Redemption.” Here is a look at some of the characters that have appeared and that were to be recurring characters. If you are interested in seeing the various outlaws that were to have gone up against Virtex please visit the JCB-LINK database.
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