Changes

Dr. Baum's new drug was delivered to Ryan by Stormfront a few days later.

The new version of Compound V had the same familiar color, its deep blue liquid sloshing in the test tube. It looked like the old formula.

Ryan opened the cap and poured it into his mouth. It didn't taste nearly as good as orange soda. Then he checked his status panel.

Nothing had changed.

This new Compound V was no different from the old version. Ryan told Stormfront what he thought of it.

Stormfront didn't blame Dr. Baum. She said Ryan was already strong enough, and expecting a drug to make him stronger still wasn't very realistic.

Her own powers, she said, had been honed little by little over the years.

Nothing in this world came easy.

With a company as powerful as Vought International behind him, Ryan had nothing to worry about.

Stormfront spent her days on the streets persuading people to become Supes, while Homelander often dropped by Madelyn's old house.

The days repeated themselves, and life grew steadily duller.

Ryan found something to do, too. He studied in Dr. Baum's laboratory, trying to understand what Compound V actually was.

Time passed.

Then, one day, a spaceship arrived from beyond Earth.

No one knew whether the ship came in peace or meant harm. The Space Agency had simply detected it.

It hovered silently in outer space.

The black, triangular Spaceship proved that Earth was not alone in the universe.

The authorities were wary enough to ask Vought International for help—and to call on the Supes.

As the strongest Supe on record, Homelander naturally received a request to assist.

Ordinarily, his schedule was filled with scripted arrests and staged victories over evil. That was his job.

Now he had another task: watch the sky.