TITLE: Ms. Tree issue #4
YEAR: October 1983
COMPANY: Eclipse Comics
By Max Collins and Terry Beatty
It took several months but the fourth issue of “Ms. Tree’s Thrilling Detective Adventures” was released in October 1983 and just when you thought Michael Tree could get some R&R, things go down really quickly!
First, there are a few changes. For one, the title of the comic is now “Ms. Tree” instead of “Ms. Tree’s Thrilling Detective Adventures”, the comic book went monthly starting this issue and two-pages more of Ms. Tree will be added but one less page for Mike Mist. And the comic would be printed on Baxter paper. Surprisingly, both Max Collins and Terry Beatty were against it and wanted the comic to be printed on pulp to keep the price at a $1.00.
First, after the deaths of three individuals, the police think she’s a vigilante who got off scott free and Captain Meyers warns her that “murder is murder” and what she is doing is wrong.
Meanwhile, a call comes in to Michael Tree and it’s her deceased husband’s, Mike, his ex-wife Anne wants to meet with her. Michael finds it odd but goes to meet with her anyway.
Apparently she wanted to meet with Michael that if anything happens to her, she wants her to take care of her son Mike Jr. (his father is Mike Tree). Michael agrees but is wondering why she wants her to be his guardian and Ann tells her that she’s a good mother trying to look out for her child’s interests.
As Michael signs the papers with the lawyer, she goes to visit Rafe, a police officer who worked with her husband. Rafe suggests that maybe she has health problems, while Michael thinks maybe she may kill herself.
We then see Anne coming out of the supermarket and then we see her lying on the pavement. Michael receives a call that Anne Tree was killed by a hit and run driver. She then tells Michael Jr. of what happened to his mother.
Michael Jr. who was waiting for his mother to pick him up from school but it didn’t happen.
As police meet with witnesses, some say someone ran into her intentionally, another said that she walked in front of the car and while the police is investigating it as a possible homicide, Michael believes it may be suicide.
Meanwhile, the grandparents of Michael Jr. come and they want custody of Michael Jr., but Michael promised Anne that she would be the guardian, not the grandparents and despite Michael Jr. wanting to live with his grandparents, he’s not allowed to and his grandfather vows to fight for custody.
Later that night, as Michael is sleeping, someone puts a gun to her head and tells her it’s a message from Dominic Muerta. Michael quickly grabs the assailant by his testicles, punches and shoots him. She tells him to give a message to Dominic and to thank him for telling her that Anne Tree didn’t kill herself.
To be continued!
Wow! Can I just say again and again of how this series gets better and better! Who would expect Anne Tree to be killed, her deceased husband’s son coming to live with her and now Dominic Muerta once again leaving a message for her, but this time Michael is prepared!
Also, another short story of Mike Mist and also the Scythe are included.