Monsoon is fairly low-key, generic Latino character. He usually remains at the 10th Precinct station, apparently as a desk sergeant.
Monsoon was one of the supporting characters among the ensemble cast of Neopolis police officers whose stories were chronicled in the colorful and critically-acclaimed Top 10 comics written by Alan Moore and published by America's Best Comics. The original stories were illustrated by Gene Ha and Zander Cannon. The original Top 10 series ran for 12 issues, and has since been followed up by two additional 5-issue limited series, a graphic novel and a few other stories set in the same universe.
Monsoon is fairly low-key, generic Latino character. He usually remains at the 10th Precinct station, apparently as a desk sergeant.
Unlike fellow Top 10 police officers Peregrine and King Peacock, who were portrayed as more openly and devoutly religious, Monsoon's religious beliefs were a less important aspect of his character. As is common with Latino comic book characters in English-language comics, Monsoon is a Catholic. He does not appear to be uncommonly or overtly religious, but he does invoke Mary, the Mother of God when startled.
Above: Officer Hector Lopez, a.k.a. "Monsoon" is a Catholic superhero who here invokes the "Holy Mother," i.e., Mary the Mother of God. [Source: Top 10 #7; written by Alan Moore, pencilled and inked by Gene Ha, layouts by Zander Cannon; published by America's Best Comics: La Jolla, California (2000); page 2.] |
TEXT ON TV-LIKE SCREEN: Sgt. Hector "Monsoon" Lopez in "Cop-You-Later!"
DREAM/ILLUSION WOMAN: Ooh! Being accidentally locked into my own glass solarium is making me so hot! There goes the doorbell! I hope it's that big, tought cop I phoned for! Come in! It's wide open!
MONSOON (Sgt. Hector Lopez): Good afternoon, ma'am. I'm Sergeant Lopez, and I'm here to help you out of distress.
DREAM/ILLUSION WOMAN: Oh good. Please hurry . . . and then maybe you can help me out of dis dress, too!
MONSOON: Relax, ma'am. I'm sure I'll be able to fill your needs. What's the problem?
DREAM/ILLUSION WOMAN: Oh, it's so silly! I sealed myself in this solarium. Now I'm all wet and steamy. The "open" button's right there . . .
MONSOON: Don't worry, lady. I can find your button without any help.
DREAM/ILLUSION WOMAN: Oooh! Oh, yes! Just press it for me! I'd be so grateful to you! Let me show you just how grateful I'd be . . .
[The scene was an idyllic setting of a solarium and beautiful home nestled within a beautiful outdoor. This switches out of Monsoon's dream to reality: the inside of Precinct 10, in the section with jail cells. Monsoon's button was about to push a button that would release the monstrous-appearing alien M'rrgla Qualtz from her confinement cell. Synaesthesia's hand restrains Monsoon's hand from pushing the button.]
SYNAESTHESIA: Sergeant Lopez? Hey! Sergeant! Snap out of it! I mean, Hector, come on, even on police pay . . . nobody's that hard-up
[The view pans out so we can see the large holding cell behind Sgt. Lopez/Monsoon, and we can see M'rrgla Qualtz's monstrous body within the cell.]
MONSOON: H-Holy Mother . . .
[Monsoon here was invoking the "Holy Mother," i.e., Mary, the Holy Mother of God, which is how Hispanic Catholics refer to Mary (or "Maria"), the mother of Jesus.]
MONSOON: Syn? [i.e., fellow police officer Synaesthesia] God . . . This is embarrassing. I-I was in this really bad seventies movie with this awful dialogue and this . . . this elevator music!
SYNAESTHESIA: Yeah, well. You have to remember that this thing [M'rrgla Qualtz] used to be [an "adult" film] starlet. Plus, it's telepathic. Hector, maybe you ought to suggest to the Captain that guys stay clear of the holding cells while Qualtz is here, huh?
MONSOON: Yeah, Jeez. Yeah, I'll do that right away. Um, how's it going with that stuff you found at the museum? We're still investigating. I only stepped out for coffee. Listen, Hector, I have to go. Think pure thoughts, okay?