♥ Never Ending Story 1993 ♥ Note on soap magazine publication dates and content of articles/interviews regarding multiple soap stars: Many of the monthly or every other month (and sometimes quarterly) magazines back in the 1980's would be on the newsstands a long time before the date on the actual magazine. We've noticed, for instance, that DAYTIME TV magazine did an interview with Drake in late 1986 about his upcoming wedding, which was scheduled for December 1986, yet the interview didn't appear until the July 1987 issue several months later. Therefore, it might be a bit confusing to read about his "upcoming" wedding in an interview dated July 1987 when you happen to know he was married in December 1986. We've tried to date the articles to match the date on the magazine, regardless of when the events talked about took place. Hopefully it will make sense as you go along! We've also edited some of the articles/interviews to just include John's storyline, since this is a Drake/John website. We've left out comments and sections about other actors or storylines unless they're involved with John's storyline. This too should be very apparent and clear when we've done that so it makes sense and you don't have to skim through a long article to find the "John parts." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ A Grieving John Turns To Marlena... And Gets More Than Just Comfort... DAYS OF OUR LIVES John And Marlena - Prelude To Love: When John Turns To Marlena, Will He Get More Than Comfort? At press time, storylines at DAYS OF OUR LIVES are still very much up in the air, but we've got several behind-the-scenes sources who tell us that there are big surprises on the way for John and Marlena. After everything they've been through, it only seems fitting that John and Marlena are given a chance to explore their feelings for one another. Now no one is saying romance is on the immediate horizon, but it's definitely part of the picture. After the unspeakably painful months preceding Isabella's death, fans were gripped by John's terror at the thought of being left alone again. Although he had once been married to Marlena, when he was believed to be Roman Brady, Isabella was the first woman to really know him. Now, John finds himself drawn to Marlena for comfort and help in dealing with his enormous loss. Out of all the people in Salem, these two need each other more than anybody may have ever guessed. Marlena understands what it means to lose the person you love, and she's willing to do whatever it takes to help John get through this. John, for his part, has never forgotten how kind Marlena is. He sees in her a tiny part of Isabella, and that warms his heart. But that isn't all he sees. John knows that Marlena is also in pain, and he's determined to find out what's causing it. He's hopeful that he can repay her compassion with some of his own. And that's where the excitement lies. As John and Marlena grow closer through sharing their innermost feelings, their relationship will be put to the test. An adventure awaits them, and the outcome will reveal what's to come for not only John and Marlena, but also for Roman. THE BEST OF DAYS OF OUR LIVES, 1/93 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Plus...The Poignant Love Story Of John And IzzyB From First Kiss To Tearful Farewell... John And Isabella - A Love For Always: Love has never been easy in Salem, and that's been poignantly true for John and Isabella. During the first part of their romance, Isabella, and the rest of Salem, knew her man as Roman Brady, but that was only part of the story. It didn't look like a future of love and happiness was in store for these two when they first met. In fact, Roman wasn't sure that he'd trust Isabella with anything at all. There was something not quite right about her past, and he was determined to find out what it was. As Roman grew closer to solving the mystery of Marina's death, Isabella realized that she herself was responsible for her sister's death. (OOPS! This is wrong. Isabella did kill her sister, but it was strictly accidental. Prior to that Isabella had been locked up in a mental institution by Marina because she didn't want Isabella to tell their father that Marina was looking for the Toscano family's treasure. Isabella escaped from the mental institution and confronted her sister in a hotel room that Marina was staying in. Marina pulled a gun on Isabella, and in an effort to prevent herself from being shot, Isabella fought her sister to get control of the gun. In doing so, she accidentally pushed Marina into a night table where she hit her noggin and was killed instantly.) After weeks of despair, Isabella recovered from her shock, only to find her thoughts continually returning to Roman. Affection and concern also brought the haunting Isabella to Roman's mind. There was something about her, despite her obvious strength, that made him want to protect her at all costs. As they grew closer, each of them discovered that maybe this love was here to stay. For Isabella, it was like coming alive for the very first time. Never before had she felt so safe and sheltered. For his part, Roman couldn't believe that he'd found a woman as honest and good as his first true love, Marlena. It looked like tragedy was about to strike when the residents of Salem, including Roman and Isabella, were invited on a cruise by a mysterious benefactor. Christened the Cruise of Deception, it turned out to be a desperate period in Isabella's life. Just as the ship was destroyed, we watched as Isabella was "rescued" by Ernesto. Although we believed he was her father, it turned out that she was none other than Victor's daughter - and Ernesto was determined to poison her to death! Luckily, Roman arrived in time to save his ladylove. Once back in Salem, the two began again. Roman struggled with the knowledge that Isabella's father was his archenemy, while Isabella herself tried to come to grips with her changed life. Roman found that he couldn't deal with the turmoil of loving Isabella, and tried to find romance with other women. Nothing worked and they returned to one another's arms. Finally, on one quiet evening, Roman asked Isabella to marry him, and she accepted his proposal with joy. Tragically, standing outside their window was Marlena, the wife Roman was certain had died years earlier. She had been held captive ever since the last time he saw her, and had at last escaped. Witnessing Roman's engagement confused Marlena, and drove her away, but during the engagement party, she managed to meet with her one-time husband. Roman was shocked to find "Doc" standing outside; he grabbed her in his arms, wondering immediately, "What about Isabella?" Roman tried to deal with his feelings for both women, but things got more complicated as the threesome dug deeper into the past. Marlena was convinced that Roman had been held captive with her. Roman and Marlena traveled to the island where she had been held hostage, only to discover that there were two Roman Bradys! They struggled against each other, the real Roman insisting that the imposter had been hired to kill Marlena. While that was the truth, John, as he was now known, had broken out of his past and had become a caring man. It was proven that John really was John Black, but the gaps in his past made him want to learn more. (OOPS! This is wrong. It was never proven that John was really John Black. In reality, the moniker of John Black couldn't be John's real name since he stole it from a deceased soldier. When Marlena met "John Black," he had no idea what his name was and he had no recollection of his past. Prior to that, he had wandered into a soup kitchen and met a man named Brother Francis and asked him about a job. Brother Francis asked him what his name was but John couldn't remember. Lucky for him, Brother Francis was called away and John took this opportunity to find a Vietnam War memorial plaque on the wall and decided that he'd claim the first name on the plaque as his own - this name was John Black.) For that reason, among others, John traveled to Mexico to find out the truth. Isabella followed him and confessed that she was pregnant with his child. The two reunited and decided to make their relationship work. While Isabella dealt with John's quest for truth, she wasn't prepared for the appearance of Danielle who claimed to be John's wife. When she gave him a locket, and was proven not to be his wife, John's curiosity was piqued again. Little did he know that Lawrence and Vivian Alamain's curiosity had also been raised - could John be Lawrence's dead brother, Forrest? After going to great lengths, including a DNA test, Lawrence and John discovered that they really were brothers! John decided to work within the Alamain company and try to help Salem's citizens. (Please Note: Due to the fact that John decided to go after the inheritance that John's father, Leopold, left to Forrest, John was the Chief Executive Officer of Alamain Industries as well as several other Alamain corporations like EcoSystems.) Meanwhile, Lawrence and Vivian were determined not to let John get his share of the family fortune. In the midst of all the trauma, John and Isabella found just enough time to marry…and also enough time to welcome their baby, Brady, into the world! Despite their new parenthood, John was able to whisk Isabella away for the honeymoon she never had. The two spent a glorious time in Italy, before returning to even more heartache in Salem. As John devoted more and more time to Alamain Enterprises, Isabella found herself aching every day. When she checked in with Dr. Carly Manning, she discovered the awful truth - she had incurable pancreatic cancer. As the truth slowly dawned on these newlyweds, John and Isabella prepared to lose each other…but not before Isabella made certain John understood how much she loved him. Now, while John mourns the loss of Isabella, the face of little Brady keeps her memory alive in his heart and soul every day. THE BEST OF DAYS OF OUR LIVES, 1/93 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tempted... DAYS' Marlena: Is Her Life Still The Pits? Now that DAYS' Marlena has escaped the dreaded pit, her life seems more complex than ever. And according to DAYS Headwriter James Reilly, there's no relief in sight. Her attraction for John, Reilly says, will continue until it reaches a conclusion. "Being in the pit was an emotional milestone for Marlena, and John was with her," he explains. "Neither of them can put to rest the fact that there has been something intense between them in the past." Since John is still getting over Isabella's death, he's as vulnerable as Marlena, Reilly says. Of course, Roman is still in the picture. Reilly, who believes Marlena's dumping faux-RoJohn for the real thing "was handled far too politely," says this triangle will be played out. "It's a very rich area of the relationship." What's more, there's a new woman on the horizon for John. Will he ditch Marlena for Rebecca? Stay tuned. SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 2/2/93 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A New DAYS Why The Show Had To Change... Dawn Of A New DAYS: It's been a rough year for DAYS fans: Bo and Carly's wedding was put on ice, the show switched Kimberlys in midstream, ditched one Carrie Brady for another, and couldn't decide whether job-hopping hunk Austin Reed should be the new Rocky or the next Geraldo. Backstage, turmoil abounded. Ten stars, including Staci Greason (Isabella), Charles Shaughnessy (Shane) and Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie) left. Headwriter James Reilly, who was brought on board last fall to shake things up, admits his first impression was "that the show had been decimated by so many cast changes." Co-Executive Producer Tom Langan views the last year as a time of monumental transition and rebuilding. "We got hit badly by losing so many major players," he says. "We lost Patsy Pease (Ex-Kimberly), Mary Beth Evans (Ex-Kayla), and the list goes on." At times, he notes, fans must have wondered: "Are we ever going to have DAYS again?" The answer is yes and no. With so much upheaval, the show had to change or risk turning into a daytime dinosaur. The Langan/Reilly survival plan called for the addition of several new characters to restock the depleted cast list. Mystery woman Kate Roberts (Deborah Adair) arrived with prep-school son, Lucas (Bryan Dattilo); Kristen Blake, a bleeding heart social worker (Eileen Davidson), was invented as a long-term love interest for John Black (Drake Hogestyn); and Roman and Marlena's little girl, Sami, went to Colorado and came home a teen. There's nothing funny, of course, about Marlena's current predicament. She's pregnant and not sure if the father-to-be is her husband Roman or her occasional lover John Black. (Even when a medical answer comes later this month, twists and surprises may blur the truth.) This "Scarlet A" storyline represents a shocking departure for Salem's much respected shrink, but it's far more reality-based than some of her previous hi-jinks. (Remember Marlena's five year coma in the Caribbean, or the time her psycho sister Samantha locked her in a loony bin just to steal her boyfriend?) While infidelity has never been the good Doc's style, in this case it makes sense. Why shouldn't she have sexual feelings for John? They were happily married once (back in his faux Roman era). Reilly says he's slightly mystified that DAYS never tried to pursue this natural triangle before. It's really the perfect DAYS story - the ultimate super couple clash. From 1981-84, Deidre Hall (Marlena) and Wayne Northrop (Roman I) were a hot love team. From 1986-87, Hall and Drake Hogestyn (Roman II) inherited that mantle. Whichever relationship triumphs in the end, Reilly feels there's a built-in payoff for the audience. "Marlena's opened a Pandora's box," he gleefully explains. "It all goes back to the mid-'80s when Marlena first 'slept' with Roman II instead of Roman I. She gave part of herself to John, thinking he was Roman." Now she's suffering the consequences. "For these characters, it's almost like walking through a shed of dynamite with a lit match," says Reilly, who intends to keep the three-way fireworks going as long as possible. Suddenly, viewers are seeing Marlena and Roman as less-than-perfect, and that may be the most welcome change of all. The cop and the Doc aren't comic book characters anymore. She's trapped by lies and infidelity. He's often angry and insensitive to his family's needs (especially daughter Carrie's). Some readers were outraged by Marlena's recent behavior; others think John and Marlena really belong together. "She's broken practically every commandment and the Hippocratic oath," one viewer raged. A fan in Toronto wrote: "John and Marlena have made love on everything possible: a plane, a desk; what's next, THE JENNIFER DEVERAUX SHOW?" Tom Langan responds: "Now that Marlena is pregnant (and yes, she will have the baby), I don't think she'll be sleeping with John. She's sort of been distracted from the romantic aspect of this whole scenario by the practicalities of bringing a life into the world and not knowing for sure who the father is. (This) is a serious twist and must be handled very delicately." As for viewers who feel that role-model Marlena has betrayed family values, Langan says, "The reality is that (infidelity) happens every day of the week. We want to play up the aftermath, the idea that, sure, it's fun to have fantasy, but if you act on it, you'd better be prepared to pay the price." It sounds like the new DAYS is growing up fast. Jason Bonderoff, SOAP OPERA DIGEST, 6/22/93 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First The Secrets Then The Sizzle The DAYS Love Story That Will Shock You The summer sun is heating things up on DAYS between John Black and Kristen Blake. Their last names are coincidentally similar, but they actually have something more in common, which will shock viewers in the coming weeks and change the lives of everyone in Salem. Ever since Kristen arrived on the scene as a volunteer at the community center, she's taken an adversarial stance with John - fighting him at every turn. She's been fed information about John's past and despite what she witnesses in person, she refuses to warm up to him. "What she sees in the man in the present sort of confuses her," says DAYS Headwriter Jim Reilly. "She's been told one thing by the people she loves, but when she's faced with the actual facts, she can't jive the man that's been presented for her." After the community center burned down, John and Kristen worked together to transform Alice and Tom Horton's home into a shelter. But his interest in her is more than just business. "He finds her very interesting and very mysterious," says Drake Hogestyn (John). "She has said enough to him in conversations that leads him to believe that maybe she knew him during the one piece of his past that he doesn't remember. She won't open up to him, though." John has struggled with his past since finding out that he wasn't really Roman Brady. It turns out that he was born Forrest Alamain (Lawrence's brother), but he was believed to have drowned. He turned up years later as John Stevens before having reconstructive surgery and becoming Roman. It may sound confusing - well, it is - but the audience has faithfully followed Hogestyn through all his incarnations. And now we're preparing to learn about another piece of his past. "This is extremely interesting to me. I want to complete the last piece of the puzzle," the actor says, hopefully. "I need to know where the name John Stevens came from. I need to know what Forrest Alamain did after he left boarding school. There's a big block of time in there." Hogestyn says that ever since John has lived in Salem he's been a "good guy" and that's all the character remembers about his past. But Kristen has alluded to the fact that he's done something bad and he's hoping she'll let down her guard enough to clue him in. "But so far she's not tipping her hand," he sighs. "John has probed her enough to find out she speaks three different languages, and she has lived in Vienna, Moscow and Paris. John can't remember if he's been in Moscow or Vienna, but knows for a fact that he's been in Paris. And after he pursues that avenue, we found out there were a couple of different places they frequented together, which leads me to believe" Hogestyn's voice trails off as he raises one eyebrow. The key to unlocking the secret to John's past will come after we discover who Kristen has been commiserating with on the telephone, and the identity of the mystery man in her flashbacks. But Headwriter Reilly promises a long wait ahead for these answers. "The person we have seen her talking to works for someone else connected to their past," he hints. "We'll reveal that more at the end of the summer, early fall." For Reilly, maintaining the history of the show is very important, and he's hoping fans will go along for the ride. Although certain hints have been dropped about the return of John and Roman's nemesis, Reilly cautions to expect the unexpected. As John works closer with Kristen, you can't help but notice the sparks between them. There was their run-in in the community center shower and their unplanned rendezvous on the island. "There was some very sexy stuff on the island, but they didn't do anything," reports Eileen Davidson (Kristen). "But sometimes, that's the sexiest stuff you do. It was very humid on the island, so they were both sweating a lot. It was very Tennessee Williams-esque. It was very hot and sultry with lightning and thunder." Both characters are fighting an attraction to each other, but it all adds up to sexual t-e-n-s-i-o-n. "Kristen is realizing she's attracted to John, but she doesn't want to have anything to do with him because he goes against everything she was raised to believe," says Davidson. "She has a deep-seated distrust of him, and to get over that, I think she'd have to learn the truth from the person who's been telling her all this." While Kristen may seem difficult to John, she may be just what the doctor ordered to mask his true emotions for Marlena. The DNA test supposedly proved that Roman is the father of her unborn child, and John is making a conscious effort not to interfere in their lives. "Marlena is so happy that the baby she is carrying is Roman's. She's thrilled because she didn't want to hurt Roman or destroy the family," Reilly reports. "It was really troubling to her that this baby could have been John's. But now she can get back to being the Marlena she always was: loving, dutiful, super-mom, super-wife. It might have been different if the baby had been John's, but they never had to answer that question. John is doing the honorable thing by staying away from this woman." What the audience knows, of course, is that Marlena's daughter Sami was in the hospital lab and was the first to see the paternity test. Might there have been some hanky panky with the results? No one's saying, but you can bet this story is far from over. In an effort to put Marlena behind him and recover from his loss of Isabella, John jumped into a fling with Rebecca. "Knowing that it's a hopeless situation with Marlena, he's immersed himself into a relationship with a very '90s woman," says Hogestyn. "It's fine for her if she sees him on a Tuesday afternoon and a Thursday night. Twice a week is all she wants out of the relationship, no strings, come and go as you will, and that's what he needs right now. Rebecca's a ladder-climber and has her sights set on Congress. She's focused and this is good for John Black because it's a departure from someone who is desperately in need of love." "Rebecca's a woman who has been patient with John and letting their relationship grow slowly," says Reilly, "but now she's watching him become interested in another woman, namely Kristen, and she feels threatened. Rebecca has even gone so far as to go to Kristen and subtly warn her off." But in the coming days, the dynamics of these characters' relationships with each other will shift dramatically. Three main stories on the show are co-mingling and crossing over. Around July 21, almost everyone in Salem will gather for the funeral of a major character on the show, which Reilly promises will include a "very strange and gothic twist." We've seen someone stalking Kristen, but at the funeral we'll realize his target is really someone else. "Someone is targeted for death, a shot will ring out, someone will go down," he says in cryptic terms. "The people in the line of fire will include John and Kristen." Although not everyone will survive the sniper's attack, it's a sure bet that John and Kristen will make it through, and will bond because of the tragedy. "They will grow closer together," Reilly promises, "but when major reveals happen in both their lives, we're going to wonder what is going to happen to the two of them. Things will be revealed about each of them that will affect their relationship with each other and other people." Damon Romine, SOAP OPERA UPDATE, 7/27/93 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ Danger! Stefano's Secret Plot To Break Up John And Kristen... Stefano's Return Threatens John And Kristen's Future On DAYS! John's nightmares that Stefano will take Kristen away from him will seem very much a reality in the coming months. The rift between John and Kristen grows when John tells Kristen that he doesn't care if Stefano dies. Kristen starts getting suspicious when everyone in Salem fears Stefano, so she does some investigating of her own. Stefano tracks down Peter, who promises to bring a surprise to Salem. When John follows Kristen to the island where Marlena is staying, a major event takes place. Drake Hogestyn Portrays John: SOAP OPERA UPDATE: Is it true that Stefano will be a little bit nicer than he has been in the past? Drake Hogestyn: Not where John is concerned. This is a man who has caused so much trouble for John. I personally believe that a villain can't be too compromising. SOAP OPERA UPDATE: What's going through John's mind as far as the women in his life are concerned? Although he's involved with Kristen, has he totally forgotten about Marlena? Drake Hogestyn: I think the story between Marlena and John is always going to be there. I know that Deidre (Hall) and I have tried to play the sexual tension and feelings that exist in whatever scenes that we have together. I'm curious about what John's feelings are for her. SOAP OPERA UPDATE: In the meantime, the one-year anniversary of Isabella's death is here. Doesn't John's romance with her seem like so long ago? Drake Hogestyn: It does, and I think that is because, right after her death, John had to deal with his attraction to Marlena, then Rebecca entered the picture, and now he's in a relationship with Kristen. John being involved with three women since Isabella's death is what makes it seem like such a long time since he had a relationship with her. SOAP OPERA UPDATE: What are your fans writing about? Drake Hogestyn: The interesting thing is that some viewers are commenting that I'm starting to develop a character in John Black. I never really noticed it as an actor, but they are picking up on some things. The only time that I got that before was when I was doing that short storyline with Danielle. The viewers feel that, for the first time, they are really finding out who John Black is. I hope so. Stefano has forced John to think about his past - where he came from and what was done to him. People write in and tell me that they are seeing different mannerisms - that John is reacting in different ways. Some viewers have been writing in and saying that there have been times recently when John acts more angry than he usually would, and so on. SOAP OPERA UPDATE: How well do you work with Eileen Davidson (Kristen)? Drake Hogestyn: Very well. We each get our scripts and when it comes time to rehearse, we get to a certain page and both say, 'What do you think if...' and we have the exact same idea. It makes us laugh. She is very easy to work with. SOAP OPERA UPDATE: Can you still feel like John's best days are ahead of him? Drake Hogestyn: You know, I could get a pink slip tomorrow and it wouldn't surprise me. My wife and I have been talking about doing more remodeling on our home, and I would be lying if I said that how safe I am at my job hasn't crossed my mind. My experience from my days playing baseball tells me that I know you can't hit a home run every time that you're up to bat. But when you really like your job like I do, you can't help but to think about your future. SOAP OPERA UPDATE: What do you think the future holds? Drake Hogestyn: I can only see good things happening with the storyline here. Once the third person enters the picture (ED: Tony [Thaao Penghlis] returns to Salem, and it is rumored that he will change the John and Kristen romance into a bonafide triangle) things are going to get very interesting. Even for me, it's fun to see what happens. SOAP OPERA UPDATE, 10/19/93 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

♥ DAYS: Showdown For Tony And John... Over Kristen Kristen's Torn Between John And Tony: DAYS sets the stage this week for a fierce no-holds-barred battle between Tony and John over Kristen as the smoldering romantic triangle threatens to flare into an emotional conflagration. Last week, Stefano faked a heart attack, hoping to pressure Kristen into marrying his son Tony as soon as possible. Overcome with guilt, Kristen promised Stefano she would. "Now Kristen is determined to go ahead with her wedding to Tony," Eileen Davidson (Kristen) tells SOAP OPERA MAGAZINE. "Stefano saved her and her brother from a life of total abject poverty. In her eyes, she owes him her whole life. And she does have strong feelings for Tony." However, upon seeing Tony for the first time in many months after his return from abroad, Kristen is far from overjoyed, Eileen says, explaining: "She immediately realizes she's going to have to confront one or both of her lovers." John saw Tony slip a ring on Kristen's finger, and wants to know what's going on between them. Kristen tries to evade his pointed questions as he follows her to the carnival. But when they get stuck at the top of a malfunctioning Ferris wheel together, Kristen can no longer duck his angry demands to explain why she's planning to marry another man. John can't face the fact that the woman he loves is engaged to the son of Stefano DiMera, the man he hates most in all the world. Suddenly, Tony shows up at the carnival and he and John face each other for the first time. Thaao Penghlis, who plays Tony, describes their meeting. "John is very serious, very hurt. But I've just come to Salem. I don't know all that's been going on. So I react less intensely than he does. I look at him with mild amusement." Drake Hogestyn (John) adds: "Right now, John knows of Tony only through files, not personal knowledge. John doesn't know how deeply Tony is involved in Stefano's business. Nor does he know exactly what Stefano did to him. But in the near future, it will become apparent. It will give John back a piece of his past." Later, Kristen and Tony are back at his hotel room, and Tony excitedly tells Kristen about his plans for a church wedding around Thanksgiving. But Kristen's mind wanders to John. Eileen explains: "John and Kristen have spent the last six months having a great time, really loving each other. Kristen's love for Tony is colored by a lot of family loyalty issues." "Kristen does love Tony dearly," the actress points out. "She's known him since she was a child. She's always admired him, and wanted to be with him…until she met John, and that changed everything." "Tony is sweet and generous. He's suave and debonair; the antithesis of John, who has more of an animal appeal. Tony represents security. John represents adventure, and has unleashed a part of Kristen she had not been in touch with before they met." "But after Stefano has the heart attack, Kristen just decides there is no hope that she can be with John," says Eileen. "She has to be selfless and devote herself to Tony to make her adoptive father happy." Later in the week, Tony and Kristen visit Stefano in the hospital and talk about the wedding. Tony is acutely aware of a strained atmosphere, because of Kristen's lack of real enthusiasm. In the past, he would have demanded immediate answers. But, having just returned from a globe-spanning spiritual quest, Tony is patient. "Things are going on around him which the old Tony would have certainly questioned," Thaao says. "I'm taking in the whole picture." "Even though Stefano is my father and I embrace him, do I trust him?" Thaao questions. "And Kristen, the woman I love and am about to marry, is not looking at me as she used to. I can't get through to her. Soon I'll have scenes that ask the important questions," Thaao says, hinting of events to come. Says Drake: "John's bent out of shape because Kristen chose another man over him. But what's most important to John is that Kristen learns the truth, no matter who she chooses. He wants to make her understand what she's getting into and what she will be living for the rest of her life if she marries Tony. John hopes that the truth will allow them to come back together." Both Tony and John are as strong and confident as gladiators. Antony DiMera is no less a worthy adversary than his father Stefano, who once destroyed John Black's mind. Younger and stronger, Tony has the potential to rip out John's heart and soul. Let the combat begin! Lorraine Zenka, SOAP OPERA MAGAZINE, 11/9/93