TITLE: More Pain Comics, Part Eight: Small Magic
WRITER(s): Adam Beechen
PENCILER(s): Stephen Segovia
INKER(s): Stephen Segovia
COLORS: Chris Chuckry
LETTERS: Steve Wands
SPECIAL THANKS: Steve Gerber

CHARACTERS: Doctor Fate (Kent V. Nelson); Maddy; Negal; Elf with a Gun

PLOT:
Using the energies of both Kent and a blob like mass identified as the remains of Inza, Maddy "completes the circuit" and harnesses enough energy to frighten even Negal. Although causing him no pain, the frightening display of power is enough to distract Negal so that he doesn't notice Elf With a Gun who shoots him and Ymp in the chest. The Elf radios in his successful hit to Howard the Duck and teleports away to have some beers with "the big guy." Kent, Maddy and (the now alive) Inza go back to Vegas.

TITLE: No More Pain Comics, Final Chapter: Penultimate Breath
WRITER(s): Mark Evanier
PENCILER(s): Joe Bennett
INKER(s): Belardino Brabo

CHARACTERS: Doctor Fate (Kent V. Nelson); Maddy; Negal

PLOT:
After Maddy explodes with light, releasing a current of positive memories, Kent reminds Negal that you can never defeat true heroes. True heroes, in one form or another, will always return and never die. Upon hearing this Negal retreats, vowing to return sometime, leaving Kent in darkness. But as he harnesses the power of the helmet he finds that it isn't dark everywhere. There is most certainly light surrounding those that he cares for.

TITLE: More Pain Comics: The Fifty-Minute Hour
WRITER(s): Mark Waid
PENCILER(s): Michael O'Hare
INKER(s): John Floyd

CHARACTERS: Doctor Fate (Kent V. Nelson); Maddy; Negal; Ymp; Mr. Mardillo

PLOT:
While Maddy begs and pleads for Nelson to wake, he finds himself deep in a trance like state meeting with one of his former patients, Mr. Mardillo. Through his conversation, Kent begins to realize that Fate is merely a crutch used by those not willing to better their own situations. Before leaving, Mr. Mardillo hands Kent a prescription for making his life better.

Kent awakens and challenges Negal. He faces the demon head-on and merely walks out of the hell dimension, denying the monster his diet of torment he had been getting from Nelson. Maddy, Inza and Kent arrive back on the streets of Vegas and decide to get Inza cleaned up. Kent realizes that he still has the prescription from Mr. Mardillo - unfortunately for him he cannot read the handwriting. Deciding to go with the flow, he simply tosses the paper aside and begins the process of forging his own destiny himself.

TITLE: More Pain Comics, Chapter Zed: This Diminished Life
WRITER(s): Gail Simone
PENCILER(s): Chad Hardin
INKER(s): Walden Wong

CHARACTERS: Doctor Fate (Kent V. Nelson); Maddy; Negal

PLOT:
Kent Nelson recovers from the inner-bindings that had as of late, literally kept him wrapped up in himself. He steps up and accepts the Helmet of Fate and whatever pain may come his way. In challenging Negal, Nelson finds himself diagnosing the Demon Lord like any other patient. Negal becomes a regular patient of Nelson and everyone involved seeks out that happy ending for themselves that they deserve.. no matter who they are.