The Second Stage Turbine Blade (comics) - Overview

Overview

Released in the summer of 2004, the comic books narrate the events of approximately the first third of Coheed and Cambria's concept album The Second Stage Turbine Blade. The story takes place in the distant past of the Milky Way. Heaven's Fence (or the Fence) is a group of 78 planetary systems connected by a visible energy beam known as the Keywork. Seven star transformers keep the Keywork operational. Three races, the Prise, humanity, and the Mages, occupy the Fence. The Mages rule over humankind, the Prise protect the Keywork, and the humans make up the general population of the Fence. Tri-Mage Wilhelm Ryan's rule has lasted for dozens of years and has descended into tyranny. A young female mage, named Mariah, has risen to power on Paris: Earth (commonly believed to be our Earth) and represents a major threat to Ryan- she is gaining followers because she opposes Ryan's rule and demands justice.

One of Ryan's generals, Mayo Deftinwolf, creates a plan to rid the Fence of Mariah: Coheed Kilgannon is the unknowing and unwitting carrier of a dormant virus known as the Monstar. When activated, the Monstar endows its host with the ability to destroy star transformers and separate planets from the Keywork's unifying energy beam, resulting in an apocalypse for the inhabitants of the separated planets as they smash into other astronomical bodies. Mayo plans to activate the Monstar and send Coheed and his wife, Cambria, to Paris: Earth, in hopes that the Monstar will only destroy the star transformer at Paris: Earth, thus causing Paris: Earth to break free of the Fence, ridding Wilhem of Mariah.

Coheed and Cambria Kilgannon are a married couple living in Sector 11: Valley Hills, Hetricus. They have four children: Matthew, Maria (not to be confused with Mariah), Josephine, and Claudio. Matthew and Maria are twins, appearing to be seven years old or younger. Josephine is almost 23 and Claudio is a junior in high school, so he should be around 17.