George Bulman and Christopher Truelove

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Background

George Bulman

Christopher Truelove

Powers and Abilities

Bulman and Truelove can communicate with each other even when Truelove is in the Dead Space dimension.

Bulman has no other powers. But he is a good detective, and is competent with guns.

Truelove is a disembodied spirit who can travel between the world and Dead Space. This dimension actually is the corpse of an extinct god, which serves as a path for souls when they leave the material world. To do so he uses George as a conduit.

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History

Bulman and Truelove were police detectives working together on an investigation involving pygmies in the underground. However, Truelove was killed because of Bulman. The pygmies cursed them so that Truelove’s spirit was tied to Bulman, unable to go to its final rest, and able to return to the material world through him.

They were eventually recruited to the Establishment. This was a secret British government-sponsored super-group, which had been protecting Britain since the 16^th Century.

They took part in the operation against the Daemonite invasion at Hobb’s Bay. They also fought in the subsequent battle over London, which resulted in the Establishment’s existence becoming known to the public, against its better judgement.

During the operation Truelove helped Mister Pharmacist revive Charlie Arrows, by intercepting Arrows’ soul on its way through Dead Space, and returning it to its body.

The further adventures

When the Establishment went after the Daemonites, they left Arrows in Bulman’s care. Arrows decided he wanted revenge on the Daemonites’ ally. Therefore he knocked Bulman out, intending to leave.

Before he could get far Truelove appeared, trying to stop him. Arrows, using his newly expanded powers, recreated Truelove’s body and forced his soul into it, then knocked him out as well, and left.

The group soon met the astronauts returning from a mission to Venus in the 1950s. But these turned out to be artificial recreations of the astronauts, created by the organic nanite Venusians. These then burst open into a constantly growing swarm, adapting all matter they came across.

Mister Pharmacist managed to destroy the Venusians. The Establishment then used their technology to saturation bomb Venus with a biological agent designed to eradicate the Venusians, wiping out all Venusians. Or so they believed – a few of those on Earth had been acquired by Dr. Orwell.

Threats and menaces

The Establishment were asked by the Russian government for help battling an outbreak of zombies. They discovered that Russian scientists had travelled to Dead Space, and creatures from there had begun travelling to Earth.

Realising that they had no chance of stopping an invasion from just the Earth side, and trusting that the pygmy curse still worked, Truelove killed himself, and helped close the portal from the Dead Space side.

When they returned to Nowhere, they were met by Mother, the creator of Nowhere. He was standing over Bulman, who had suffered a heart attack and died. He warned them that his brother, Dr. Orwell, was travelling to the end of the universe, intending to replace Metavac.

The Establishment accompanied him. However, they then realised that his intended solution would cause as much harm. They turned against him, only to be easily subdued.

When Bulman died, his soul met Truelove’s in the Dead Space. Bulman forced Truelove to take residence in his body, allowing his own soul to move on.

So many transmigrations

Truelove, now in Bulman’s body, overcame Mother and freed his teammates. They used the time machine to travel to the end of the universe. But when they reached it they discovered that Dr. Orwell had been replaced in his own scheme by the Venusians, who proceeded to try and destroy Metavac.

While unable to defeat them alone, the Establishment bought time for Charlie Arrows to contact Metavac, and protect it from the Venusians.

Truelove presumably died at the end of the universe.

Personality

George Bulman is usually dour and glum. He remains overwhelmed by guilt over Truelove’s death, and feels out of his depth in the Establishment. He usually resorts to getting drunk a lot.

If given the chance to prove himself, Bulman will throw himself into it. But he won’t charge into situations where he knows he’ll just be in his team mates’ way.

Christopher Truelove is outgoing and flamboyant, his enthusiasm being hard to suppress. He’s eager to do his duty, regardless of his condition.

Quotes

George Bulman

“My lot only needed me cuz‘ I could get ’em Truelove from the afterlife. They look at me like I was a skid mark in their drawers. Alright, so I accidentally got ’im killed and was cursed by a pygmy shaman to channel his soul… but it could’ve ’appened to anybody !”

Christopher Truelove

“You want to know pain ? You should hear my Judy Garland collection. Talk about your tortured soul !”

“He may be a boozed-up wreck, god love him. But he’s the only home I’ve got.”

Chris: “How’re you doing, love ?”
Charlie: “Are you… an angel ?”
Chris: “Bless you, but no. I’m just a big peroxide queen, but thanks for asking.”

DC Universe History

Since the Establishment has operated as a secret organisation for the first 400 years of their existence, they could be inserted fairly easily. If also integrating other histories, the Establishment could have been called the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen earlier in its existence.

Christopher would probably be friendly with Deadman.

By Gareth Lewis.

Source of Character: The Establishment, Wildstorm Comics.

Helper(s): Sébastien Andrivet.