Hello, everyone ! I wish you a good day (or wish you had one depending on your time zone). I'm sitting at my desk at work as I write this… Still, the work hours haven't begun so, I'm not being a bad boy !
For the point culture of today… Do you know why DC comics have more parodies and satyre made about it that it seems Marvel does ? The Invincible comics with the Guardians of the Globe, The Boys with the Seven, Iredeemable with the Plutonian, even the series on Netflix that released a couple of years ago (though I haven't watched that one and it seems to parody marvel just as much). I'm probably not mentioning a bunch of it so feel free to add them in comment along with your conjectures !
Now, as always, let's shamelessly promote ourselves ! We are awesome ! We are handsome ! We are… Wait, that's not what I wanted to promote ! Forget that and check out my Patréon (and gaze upon my awesomeness)! Shut it, Narcissistic me ! Search for Cathbel on their website. Also, you know you can leave comments, stones and reviews here, right ? I don't mention them anymore, but you can !
Anyways, enjoy !
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« Come on, N—… Squid Boy ! There's nothing to fear. He's just a regular human! » I mark several pauses as intrusive thoughts emerged in the middle of my self-encouragement : « With absurd amounts of money… Possibly advanced and lethal security systems. With enough strength to crush a man's skull with his bare hands without breaking a sweat. He's a criminal with an absent moral compass. Ruthless enough as to enslave women, men and children, kill them should they prove too bothersome… »
I'm currently rooted in front of the massive office door, unable to move to open it, much less cross its threshold. I don't know why I'm so terrified of the man… Like I said, he's just human ! And if he is indeed too dangerous, then I should just kill him. Actually making an enemy out of him is too dangerous. I really should just kill him.
Then, Peter's face flashes in my mind's eye, followed closely by the sad look of Cory and Doreen's disapproving frown. I don't believe they'd understand my choice; they're kids ! With an impossible idea of what it means to be a super-hero. Heroes don't kill. They save people. They defeat and lock up villains. But the truth is, that before people suddenly started developing superpowers, before government propaganda became a popular media for the masses, a hero was a soldier. A killer. Someone willing to sacrifice himself for the mission, whatever the 'mission' was.
I shake my head : I already had those thoughts. I've even shared my views with my friends. Their reaction ?
Doreen had simply said that this was why they were super-heroes. Peter had nodded and explained that the 'super' prefix highlighted the fact that they should behave in a more noble way, like incorruptible symbols of justice. Coming from the mouth of a character which almost always put others before himself, sacrificing his success, happiness and everything else in the the process, I have to say that the explanation… Doesn't make me want to become one ! Granted this Peter Parker might turn out differently since his Uncle Ben is still alive…
Doreen, unlike Peter who's an idealist, is simply naive. I don't mean it in a derogatory way since I feel it's one of the best things about her. I think that's what drew me to her originally, and the reason why I immediately shared my secret with her : I just felt like I could trust her… But, yeah, she's unaware or uncaring of the realities of crime-fighting. Sometimes, I wonder how she sees criminals. Are they like children making mistakes and getting remonstrated by their parents ? Or unfortunate people who deserve a second chance ? Or some other cliché ?
She can afford to think like this since her physique makes her almost impossible to kill with normal means : she's crazy strong, pretty fast… Not to mention her durability or her regenerative powers. Don't get me wrong, she's no Wolverine or Deadpool, but aside from a rocket to the face or several magazines of automatic weapons unloaded into her, she'll recover from almost anything, given time. The same is true about Peter.
Cory on the other hand, was still just a human not so long ago. So she understands my point of view, though she fails to understand why I'm the one to have it since, according to her, my own power is God-like. She's not exactly wrong, of course. About my power, I mean. However, she also doesn't have the full picture. In fact, she only has a tiny corner of a picture covering an entire city… The criminals are just one small threat of this world. What I fear is them associating with the truly evil forces of the universe : Mephisto, or some other demon, Galactus, Dormammu, Chthon and so on and so forth…
Much like heroes team-up all the time, so do the villains. It causes quite a few apocalyptic events… Though to be fair, just as many are caused by the 'good guys'. Yes, I'm looking at you, Reed Richards. You too, Charles Xavier. And let's not forget you, Nicholas Fury… I'm probably forgetting some others.
In any case, I feel that in order to live a long and happy life, and to die old and gray, I should lower the number of lowlives, douchebags, and megalomaniac villains. Why not start with Wilson Fisk ? I know that I've compared him to a white whale, but since he's almost always wearing white, and the guy is massive, I feel it's appropriate. I also wonder if it wasn't deliberate on the authors' part, the similarities we can make with another white whale of literature : the elusive and seemingly invincible 'monster' of the novel Moby Dick.
Suddenly, it dawns on me that… I still haven't moved. My mind's been wandering all over the place, I'm guessing in an attempt not to open this door. Unfortunately, the heavy footsteps sounding from just beyond it, the same ones that brought me out of my head, are closing in on the door. The double doors are wrenched open… and I feel very small almost instantly.
Then again, I am small, compared to peers my age. The dude in front of me on the other hand ? I joked and made fun of the man's weight but at the moment… I don't pay attention to his fat. In fact, I can't seem to find any. The man's built like a fridge rather than a Marshmallow Man and his cold expression's got me frozen in place, muted.
Thankfully, the oppressive silence is broken an unknown amount of time later.
Considering the sleeping forms of his security team, Wilson Fisk speaks in a suave, well-spoken manner :
« I have to say that, for a vigilante of your ilk, your manners and the way you treat your enemies are… remarkable. I find it particularly agreeable that you caused neither death or injuries among my staff. I have to ask however… What prompted such an unlawful assault on my person and properties ? »
I can't help but look at him blankly, my mouth halfway open.