Veidt's Island is an unnamed private island facility located in the Pacific Ocean secretly owned by former costumed adventurer Adrian Veidt. The island was used for the creation of his "alien" squid monster using Robert Deschaines' brain as part of his conspiracy to prevent World War 3. In order to maintain its secrecy, Veidt hired various artists, writers, and scientists to the island by lying to them that they working on a production for a science fiction film.
History[]
In 1983, Adrian Veidt began recruiting creative individuals to help him design a massive, squid-like creature so he can fake an extra-dimensional alien invasion and trick mankind into uniting against it. Each person hired remained unaware of Veidt's true intentions, and is secretly transported to his isolated island facility for the duration of the project, with no contact with the outside world. The team was misled into thinking they were creating a monster movie, and their disappearances sparked a mystery in the press.
During a two-month span, four prominent creative minds vanished without a trace: radical architect Norman Leith, Indian surrealist painter Hira Manish, respected science fiction writer James Trafford March, and avant-garde composer Linette Paley.
In addition, Whittaker Furnesse, a brilliant geneticist, disappeared while walking his dog one evening.
Max Shea, author of Fogdancing and former comic writer for Tales of the Black Freighter, became the fifth creative person to go missing after he mysteriously vanished from his Boston home. Veidt brought him to his Pacific island where he met Manish, who had illustrated several of the author's past stories.
Also on the team was Professor Wickstein, who expressed concern over using Robert Deschaines' brain to make the movie until Veidt assured the academic by lying that the brain came from a cadaver.
Despite the circumstances for each missing person, the New Frontiersman's editor, Hector Godfrey, suspected a conspiracy, given the simultaneous disappearances of noted persons in multiple fields.
In July 16th, 1985, Eddie Blake was returning to the United States following a mission in Nicaragua via airship. He spotted a freighter docked at an uncharted island. Suspecting Sandinista bases, he vowed to investigate. Days later, Blake headed to the island undetected. During his investigation, he discovered a series a files, and is shocked and appalled of Veidt's plans of creating a fake alien invasion and planned slaughter of millions to save humanity. He also discovered a list of people whom Veidt has used as pawns, including Janey Slater and Edgar Jacobi, and also found the "alien" creature in the island's main warehouse
On November 1st, 1985, following two years of seclusion, the artists and scientists finished their work and boarded a ship intended to return them to their respective homes. The ship, however, exploded, killing everyone aboard. Veidt intended for this to happen, desiring to retain the secrecy of his master plan.
Members[]
- Max Shea
- Hira Manish
- Norman Leith
- James Trafford March
- Linette Paley
- Whittaker Furnesse
- Professor Wickstein