I've never thought being human was anything to brag about. 
- — Crassus
American Freak #3 is an issue of the series American Freak (Volume 1) with a cover date of April, 1994.
Synopsis for "Blue Skies of Purgatory"
Damien Kane stows away on a freighter with Crassus bound for Romania. He doesn't trust Crassus' true motivations, and his position becomes even more difficult as his body continues to regress in form.
In Romania, Alexiev Gogol's Un-Men live in a camp on the outskirts of the castle. His henchman Lupo makes sure that they continue to do their master's work and takes great pleasure in tormenting the "freaks". Even amongst themselves, the Un-Men find ways of antagonizing each other. Daedalus enjoys taunting Brontes, and the telepathic woman Scylla usually has to mediate their disputes. As they return to the castle, Scylla receives psychic impressions from Crassus. She knows that he has returned, but not with Arcane (as he had set out to do), but rather with another Un-Man.
On the other side of the country, Damien and Crassus arrive in Romania. They hop off a boxcar and find shelter in a nearby cave. Damien falls asleep and dreams of a normal life. When he awakens, he finds that Crassus has brought him to Scylla's camp in the middle of the night. Lupo comes into the tent and finds Damien. Observing the mutations on Damien's feet and hands, he knows that his master will be only too happy to add him to his menagerie. He brings Damien to the castle.
Scylla meanwhile, meets back up with Crassus in the bowels of the castle. She tells him that Gogol now has Damien. They both reflect upon a prophecy circulated amongst the Un-Men that a deliverer shall come to them, not from the world of the Un-Men themselves, but from the world of man. They both agree that Damien is the deliverer.
Gogol personally inspects Damien and announces that he will be a hit at his next big party. He has Lupo bring him to a dungeon chamber where he is secured to a wall. That evening, Crassus sneaks into the cell to speak with Damien. Damien is angry and believes that Crassus has betrayed him. Crassus tells him that Damien's destiny is to "deliver us from this nightmare".
Appearing in "Blue Skies of Purgatory"
Featured Characters:
- Damien Kane (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Alexiev Gogol (Single appearance)
- Colonel Gray (Single appearance)
- Lupo (Single appearance) (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Doctor Hutcheson
- First Generation Un-Men (Cameo)
- Unnamed female socialite (Single appearance)
- Unnamed male socialite (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- The cover model for this issue is Kevin Landwaehr.
- Lassies is a two-headed Collie named after the dog featured in the eponymous Lassie television, movie and radio projects.
Trivia
- The tagline for this issue is "Prisoner of DNA".
- This issue includes a quote by Flannery O'Connor from "Good Country People".