ZIPPER UNRIPPERZIPPER UNRIPPER
Classification: Extradimensional / Alternate Reality cosmic power item
Creator: Unrevealed beings/events in an unspecified parallel world (perhaps the Liverer's Reality-12115)
First Appearance: S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10 (November, 2015)
Powers/Abilities/Functions:
The Zipper Unripper primarily functioned to mend/reseal/zip the
Omniversal Zipper -- sealing a reality warp that threatened the
Multiverse when it became undone.
As the Omniversal Zipper was on the front of the powerful Liverer, getting to it could be challenging, but once it was in place, the Liverer was powerless to resist the Zipper's closure.
The Zipper Unripper had what
appeared to be a plastic (or possibly wooden) handle, perhaps 3-4"
long, with a metallic (unrevealed composition) shaft that flared in
width toward the end before tapering again into a blunt hook.
History:
(S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10 (fb) - BTS)
- The Multiversal "Spider-Verse" conflict involving numerous alternate
reality Spider-beings fighting the spider-totem-eating Inheritors led
to progressive spatial anomalies -- an epidemic of strange
coincidences, probability distortions, shifting spatial anomalies, etc.
-- that apparently threatened the entire
Multiverse.
After the "Zipper Unripper" (a
talisman from a parallel Earth that could be used to mend the
"Omniversal zipper") was spat out by the chaos, Earth-616's S.H.I.E.L.D.
mystic agent Jeremiah Warrick determined that it could only be utilized
to mend the damage by a being from an alternate reality.
It was
determined that Howard the Duck could be that being.
Playing into Howard's quirk of
being better able to deal with big emergencies if they were "seasoned
with a dash of the comically mundane," S.H.I.E.L.D.'s
Leo Fitz arranged to have Warrick package the Unripper as if it were a
commercial item sold conventionally (as seen on TV). S.H.I.E.L.D.'s
agent Phil Coulson further advised them to draft Howard as -- while he
had a noble heart -- he was always at his most effective when he felt
hard done by: "The fuel that revs his motor is resentment."
Warrick calibrated the Zipper Unripper and considered it ready for use.
(S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10) - While fleeing from armored/costumed attackers (presumably spawned by the reality distortions), Warrick showed Fitz the packaged Unripper, noting that the packaging seemed to undersell it. Fitz explained to him how it and their methods were suited to Howard.
(S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10 (fb) - BTS) - Fitz and Warrick then traveled to their planned meeting place.
(S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10 (fb) - BTS) - The Legion of Howards (the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Howard the Duck of Earth-88011, Howard the
Roboduck of
Earth-19171, the Mjolnir-wielding Howard the Duck of Earth-20160,
Sister Howard the Duck of Earth-32951, Strangeduck of Earth-80118, and duck bill costume-wearing redheaded human woman Howard the Duck of Earth85917) gathered to "save all of <the> universes" and to oppose the threat of Ducanard
of Earth-15110, who felt he was born to
create a perfect pate from the blended livers of one single duck who
existed in many forms across diverse realities (and who had been
slaying Howard the Ducks across the Multiverse in the process of
harvesting).
(S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10) - On Earth-616, Warrick and fellow agent Leo Fitz met with (616-dwelling) Howard the Duck, gave him the packaged Unripper, and informed him of his role.
As Fitz asked Howard to at least consider the mission, Warrick magically transported Howard via a magic wand (without waiting for his acceptance) to an alternate Earth (or perhaps a location where realities were crossing-over) to utilize the Zipper Unripper.
Warrick then accidentally touched Fitz with the wand, transported Fitz there as well.
(S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10 (fb) - BTS) - Strangeduck informed the rest of the Legion that the 616-dwelling Howard had the device needed to save their universes.
(S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10) - Carrying the Unripper, Howard, alongside Fitz, arrived in a park to find another Howard who soon perished, presumably from having Ducanard-15510 harvest a piece of his liver.
With (616-dwelling) Howard
still carrying the Unripper, he and Fitz then vanished and reappeared
in an alley where they found another semi-humanoid duck, who similarly perished.
(S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10 - BTS) - The Legion of Howards then confronted the 616-dwelling Howard and Fitz, introduced themselves, and began to discuss their mission.
Ducanard then attacked, apparently
slaying the Mjolnir-wielding Howard-20160 and destroying Howard the
Roboduck-19171.Fitz apparently modified pieces of
Roboduck into a weapon he used to blast and incapacitate Ducanard, after which a blast from the giant Liverer
them apparently incinerated Ducanard.
(S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10) - Seeing the giant, partially open
zipper/warp on the Liverer, the 616-dwelling Howard recognized this as the Omniversal Zipper and pulled the Zipper Unripper out of its box, but the Liverer then grabbed the 616-dwelling Howard,
causing him to drop the Unripper.
However, Sister Howard picked up
the Unripper, and Fitz apparently picked her up and rushed up the fire
escapes to gain some height.
With Fitz on her back (as a Howard was apparently needed to work the Zipper Unripper)+, Sister Howard dove at the Liverer, telling him the kitchen was closed and to tip his waitress, and used the Unripper to grab the zipper and pull it down to reclose it.
Howard-89517 (Bev-ish) noted that it was working and the zipper was closing, and she grabbed Fitz's foot and helped pull.
Strangeduck then grabbed Bev's foot, and the Ever-Lovin' Blue-Eyed Howard/Thing/Duck-88011 grabbed Strangeduck's foot and held Howard.
As the zipper approached closure, Fitz noted that
everyone was headed back to their proper realities and they had to stay
together if they wanted to end up back home.
(S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10) - Glimpsing and considering multiple other realities, the 616-dwelling Howard nonetheless completed the zipper's closure and returned to Earth-616 with Fitz.
(S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10 - BTS) - Warrick noted that the Multiversal anomaly had vanished a second before Howard and Fitz had reappeared.
Howard did not appear to possess the Zipper Unripper upon returning to Earth.
Comments: Created by Mark Waid and Evan "Doc" Shaner.
It is not clear if the world on
which the Legion of Howards gathered to oppose Ducanard was Ducanard's
world (15110), the Liverer's (12115), one of their own, or a completely
different world.
Without much more than
circumstantial evidence to support my suspicion, the fact that they
were gathered to oppose Ducanard might make it his world...or perhaps
it was the Liverer's because he was the true Multiversal threat the
Legion had been gathered to oppose.
Or something else. Dorcas Farkas.
I doubt that the reality warp could threaten the real world existing outside of comics, such Multiversal Zipper is probably a more appropriate name, but it was called Omniversal Zipper in-story.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Zipper Unripper should be distinguished from:
images: (without ads):
S.H.I.E.L.D.III#10, story pg. 1, panel 1-2 (packaging);
pg. 15, panel 3 (unpackaged, held by 616-dwelling Howard);
pg. 17, panel 2 (with Unripper);
pg. 19, panel 3 (zipping)
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
First posted: 10/11/2020
Last updated: 10/11/2020
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