In the six decades since the alien plague known as the "Wild Card virus" spread a wave of mutations across the globe, humanity has begun to come to terms with its consequences. Grotesque half-human creatures known as "jokers" inhabit an underworld of their own, while the legendary prodigies known as "aces" have become real-world superheroes, complete with colorful names and costumes.Now a new generation of aces has taken its place on the world stage, becoming crucial players in international events. At the United Nations, veteran ace John Fortune has assembled a team of young aces, known as the Committee, to assist at trouble spots around the world - including an invasion of zombies in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans, a freak nuclear explosion in a small Texas town, and a fateful showdown with the forces of the oil-rich Islamic caliphate in the Middle East.But their opponents have their own aces and jokers ready, including a Marxist revolutionary, a brutal mercenary, a young boy with apocalyptic powers, and a sinister arm of the FBI known as SCARE. Read Less