Gathering Storm

Writer: James Bonny
Pencils: Eric Basaldua
Inks: Jay Leisten
Colours: Tyson Wengler
Lettering: Robin Spehar and Dreamer Design’s Dennis Heisler
Cover Art: Eric Basaldua, Jay Leisten, Tyson Wengler (Issue 46, 47) Adam Hughes (Issue 48)
Release: November, December 2004, January 2005
Original Price: US $2.99 | CAN $4.60
Issue # in Set: 46, 47, 48

Lara is called by Sara Pezzini about the death of an ex-priest who was in possession of an ancient artefact known as the Rapture. Lara heads to Rome, Italy to search for answers in one of the oldest libraries in the world, the Sanctum Archives. The librarian gets enraged when she shows him the symbol so she leaves, but he is murdered. This gets the attention of the Magdalena, a cult who protects both the church and its artefacts.

Allies:

Sara Pezzini
Sara is a New York City police detective and the wielder of the ancient, mystical weapon known as the Witchblade. She called Lara to ask for her help on researching the symbol of the Rapture. It is unknown if Lara lets her know of her findings. 

Patience
Patience is the current Magdalena, a holy group of sisters who acts as a warrior in the defence of the Roman Catholic Church. She is a descendant to Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ, and she uses the Spear of Destiny. She met Lara Croft when the Inquisition sent her to kill her, however Patience soon realised that Lara was a pure heart and that she did not kill the men at the Sanctum Archives in Rome. She turned rogue after stopping Kristof from killing Lara. Patience and Lara then teamed up to stop Delarch from using the Rapture, a dangerous artefact used to open the doorway to hell. 

Artefacts:

Rapture
The Rapture is one of The Thirteen Artefacts, although this artefact is the only one covered in these comics. It allows the bearer to travel into other dimensions, even into hell. Lara Croft received a phone call from Sara Pezzini, telling her that Tom Judge, the priest who discovered the Rapture was murdered and Sara asked Lara to find all that she could on the symbol. She added that the shape of the artefact seems to hold a key to its power. Its' known history began in New York City, around 1900. A mathematician named Horace Grimes was determined to discover a theoretical formula which would allow him access to the fifth dimension. It is unknown whether he accomplished it but it was said that it was around this time that he discovered the Rapture. The next person who was believed to be in possession of the artefact was Tom Judge, who had recently been murdered. Tom had found the amulet hidden in an old notebook in his apartment, which was once occupied by Horace Grimes. The book that Carlos stole from the Sanctum Archives informed the bearer of the artefact that they needed to chant an incantation in order to open up the doorway to the vortex to other worlds. Delarch was partway through the chant when Lara and Patience destroyed the book for good by using the Spear of Destiny, also killing Delarch.

Baddies:

Miss Fawn
(? - 2005)
She is one of two bodyguards for Carlos Delarch. She looks identical to Miss Lacey. Lara fights them twice, once when Delarch arrives at Professor Robert Drew's house to kidnap him and again when Lara and Patience (the Magdalena) team up to save the professor and destroy the Rapture. She is killed by a grenade thrown by Lara.

Miss Lacey
(? - 2005)
​She is one of two bodyguards for Carlos Delarch and looks identical to Miss Fawn. Lara Croft fights them twice, once when Delarch arrives at Professor Robert Drew's house to kidnap him and again when Lara and Patience (the Magdalena) team up to save the professor and destroy the Rapture. ​She is killed by a grenade thrown by Lara.

Carlos Delarch
(1947 - 2005)
Carlos was born in Madrid in 1947 and became a major player in the European underworld in the late sixties and early seventies. Among other killings, he was behind the 1981 assassination of the Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. Since then he had become an international arms dealer, and was on Interpol's most wanted list for over twenty years. Carlos was searching for the artefact known as the 'Rapture'. He and his mercenaries, Miss Fawn and Miss Lacey were first seen at the Sanctum Archives in Rome just after Lara had paid a visit to learn more about the same artefact. He murdered two men at the Archives and Lara received the blame. He then followed her as she visited an old professor, Robert Drew. He asked him at first to come with him but when Lara stepped in; he kidnapped him and took him to an abandoned factory in Naples, Italy. He forced Robert Drew to read the book that he had stolen from the Archives and Robert discovered that the bearer of the book would need to chant an incantation. With this information, Delarch discarded Robert. He was defeated when Lara and Patience, the Magdalena, arrived and Patience threw the Spear of Destiny at the book to destroy it, also killing him. 

Enemies:

Elite Squad of the Swiss Guard
The elite squad work for the Inquisition, and will go out and kill those who are deemed evil.

Location:

Italy - Rome - Sanctum Archives
Italy - Vatican City
Italy - Naples

Malta

Other Characters:

Robert Drew
Professor Robert Drew was Lara's Ancient Cultures teacher at Gordonstoun, and was now retired in the Italian countryside. Lara paid him a visit to ask about an artefact called 'The Rapture'. As they talked, a black car arrived and a man called Carlos Delarch climbed out. After a fight, Delarch kidnapped Robert. He was being held prisoner until he read a mystical book and told Delarch what he needed in order to open a door to other dimensions. When he did, Delarch used his powers on him but luckily, he survived and Lara and Patience arrived, killing Delarch.

Inspector Castleberry
​Lara called the inspector for information on Carlos Delarch.

Sexton
Sexton was a member of the group 'Inquisition' a secretive and powerful council of cardinals who oversaw the Magdalena's activities and decided her missions. After Kristof informed him that Patience had gone rogue, Sexton sent the Elite Squad of the Swiss Guard to kill both Lara Croft and Patience.

Kristof
Kristof was a member of the group 'Inquisition', a secretive and powerful council of cardinals who oversaw the Magdalena's activities and decided her missions. He became Patience's mentor until she turned rogue after stopping him from killing Lara Croft. He called Sexton, a Cardinal at their HQ, to send the Elite Squad of the Swiss Guard to kill both Lara and Patience. According to Top Cow's official Magdalena comics, Kristof was a Captain of the Guard of the Knights of Malta. 

Inquisition
The Inquisition was a group of institutions within the judicial system of the Roman Catholic Church whose aim was to combat heresy. They are a real life group but within the comics, they were a secretive and powerful council of cardinals who oversaw the Magdalena's activities and decided her missions. The current leader of the Inquisition was Sexton, who sent the Elite Squad of the Swiss Guard to kill both Lara Croft and Patience after Patience turned rogue.

Vehicles:

Lara's Motorbike

Weapons:

Lara's Pistols

Variants:

Issue 46 Adam Hughes Cover

Issue 46 Wizard World Texas 2004 Cover

Issue 47 Eric Basaldua Cover

Issue 48 Eric Basaldua Cover