Manhunter Vol 3 1

"Shedding Skin" is the title to the first issue of volume three of the Manhunter ongoing comic book series published by DC Comics. It is the first chapter in the "Street Justice" storyline. The story was written by Marc Andreyko with artwork by Jesus Saiz. It was inked by Jimmy Palmiotti and colored by Steve Buccellato. Lettering was provided by Jared K. Fletcher. The story was edited by Joan Hilty with Rachel Gluckstern as assistant editor. This issue shipped with an August, 2004 cover date and carries a cover price of $2.50 per copy (US).

Synopsis
At the Los Angeles Federal Courthouse, ADA Kate Spencer prosecutes the metahuman convict Copperhead for his violent acts against humanity. Copperhead's latest act of depravity cost the lives of 12 people at a bank. The only survivors are either in a vegetative state or dealing with severe post-traumatic stress disorder due to severed limbs. Kate pushes for the death penalty since Copperhead is responsible for 48 lost lives. Copperhead's defense lawyer Carter uses an insanity plea based on Copperhead's genetic disposition. Carter argues how someone like Copperhead can't be held accountable on the standards of human behavior. Carter stresses upon the jury that Copperhead should be confined and allow the best geneticists to examine Copperhead's condition in order to prevent future incidents with individuals who have become genetic anomalies of evolution. The jury is excused in order to deliberate but it doesn't take long before they come back with a vote of "Not Guilty by reason of mental disease and genetic disposition". The judge orders that Copperhead be remanded to the Death Valley Metahuman Research Facility. Kate then gets a call from her ex-husband Peter and starts to argue.

Copperhead frees himself from his restraints and kills the transit officers while on route to the facility. Copperhead's failure to plan out his escape causes the driver of the transit to crash into another car. Kate ends her call with her ex-husband when she hears on a transit frequency that the Copperhead transport is late to the facility. Kate dons her Manhunter suit and tracks down the transit. She eventually finds Copperhead who is licking his wounds after the crash. Kate attacks Copperhead and Copperhead responds by throwing a manhole cover at her. Copperhead heads down into the sewers and Kate follows. Copperhead surprises Kate from behind and wraps his tail around her body. Copperhead attempts to drown Kate in the sewer water. Kate frees herself by jamming her super charged bo staff into Copperhead's mouth and sends enough voltage into his skull that the back of his head explodes. By 3 am, homicide Detectives Wayne and Davis arrive at the crime scene. They find the remains of the two transit cops that Copperhead killed and partially devoured. The detectives follow a trail of blood down to the sewers where they find Copperhead's corpse and the name Manhunter scratched into the sewer wall right above Copperhead's lifeless body.

Appearances