Rune #7

This issue's colouring team are:- Andrew Covalt & Mike Tuccinard design. Malibu colour.
The cover is by Arnold & Jacob Pander.

The 3 Rune series have been as much about Gemini as they have about Rune himself. Erik Johnson and Noel Robinson were identical twins brought up apart. They were genetically created by the shadowy government agency Aladdin, and designed to harness an ancient alien power called Shu-Ji. But in the 1st Rune series they met before Aladdin was ready and merged into Gemini. In #5 Rune tried to steal the Shu-Ji power from them but wound up giving them some of his own power instead. Then the twins alternated in controlling their shared body. Noel was the good side but Erik was feral and Rune-like.
In the Rune/Silver Surfer 1-shot Rune visited Marvel Earth and got the Soul Gem of the Infinity Gems. In the Curse Of Rune mini-series he returned to Ultra-Earth where he and the Gem battled for control. Rune was losing so he was glad when Gemini took the Gem from him in #2. In #3 Rune tried to make Gemini+Gem his pawn but Noel sent him to another dimension, and then threw the Soul Gem away. (And Loki found it to add to his Infinity Gem collection.) In #4 Rune wound up in the Negative Zone fighting Annihilus. And Aladdin found Adam Warlock's cocoon floating in space with his corpse inside.
The Rune infinity 1-shot continued with Rune fighting Annihilus and the twins fighting for control of the Gemini body. But then Black September hit. The twins made a pact, Noel would have the day and Erik would have the night. But Erik was even more like Rune. And at Aladdin Warlock emerged from his cocoon looking different - different outfit and his hair in 2 long braids.
The current series has had very little Rune apart from #4-5 which were all Rune recalling an episode from his long past. In #1 Annihilus defeated Rune and learned about the Ultraverse (but we've never seen him go there). He imprisoned him in what might be a black hole. At the end of #5 he found a way out his prison which led to Earth-616 again and the Rune Vs Venom 1-shot. He won't be seen back in the Ultraverse until his Hearts Of Darkness mini-series. Meanwhile in this series Noel fully-accessed the Shu-Ji power and became a golden superhero, but without his conscience which Erik inherited. And Warlock wandered the world and met a previously unknown Ultra Angelique Zane.

This is the end of this Rune series. Gemini and Warlock's conflict will continue in Ultraverse Unlimited #1. Aladdin and GENII will be involved but we won't see Angelique Zane again. That issue *will* include Rune, but only in another large episode from his past which also involves Warlock.