And as the end approached, there came an image of a wedding...and peroxide in one's hair. Maybe not, but it was a nice day to start again.

As we all know (if one were paying attention to the epic saga that has unfolded recently, that is), Slate had disappeared from the current continuity where G Mod was threatening Tigerman, and Brick was facing certain doom at the hands of an unwieldy group of Occupy protesters. He had instead appeared in NYC during the peak of the punk rock. "Why?" you might ask. Very simple.

It was at the infamous CBGB's club that Slate would make an interesting discovery. Beneath the velvety haze of cigarette smoke and spilled whiskey, there was a young group about to take the stage that would prove a momentous discovery. After a lukewarm introduction from the owner, a balding fifty year old with no business liking this kind of music (we only assume this, don't get on our backs about historical inaccuracies; if that kind of bull matters to you, you're in the wrong place), the young musicians took the stage. Among them were a lead footed drummer with fists of steel and a barrel gut, a slinky bass player whose body was 80% flowing hair and of course the lead guitarist and lead singer, a brash brunette with sunglasses on and a score to settle with the music industry.

"We are Super Mario and the Koopa-troopas!" declared the singer before the drummer began counting them in.

Slate watched in utter amazement, completely ignoring the totally cute Sheena standing next to him (she's a punk rocker, don't you know?)

As the crowd was confused by the band's name (the reference wouldn't make sense until a few years later when Shigeru Miyamoto ripped off the band in order to start a video game empire (Don't quote us on this. Seriously, don't), the band began their set by playing a mellow love song that would later be popularized by a British peroxide aficionado. Here is an idea of what that must have sounded like.

Slate was dumbstruck. He recognized the vocals as those of G Mod, though obviously a much younger version. 'How could this be?' he thought as the band was greeted by mild applause tainted by drunken booing. The band proceeded to switch musical directions as both the bassist and drummer succumbed to musical exhaustion (after just one song) leading to G Mod having to perform a solo guitar performance that would shake the club to its roots. Here's an approximation of what that would sound like.

Needless to say, Slate had a lot to figure out and not a lot of time as his tattoos began fading, Marty McFly style. He brushed Sheena aside, who merely mumbled "Call me, psycho killer..." (could we be more obvious with the band references? Perhaps)

And then....you'll just have to stay tuned for the next ish. (Ish? What's an ish? Issue. Issue? I thought we were describing these as episodes. Who do you think you are, 1960's Stan Lee?)

 Now enjoy a cover version of Super Mario and the Koopa-troopa's song White Wedding as performed by some bloke named Billy Idol.