Please bear with as from after the first part of this chapter until the last part at the ending; this is going to be a flashback story. Originally this was going to be in two parts but the second part turned out to be so short that I decided to stick them together.
Plus I learned that Across the Spider-Verse was a nightmare to work on apparently due to the management style and over a hundred artists quit. Love the movie but from how busy it is; i can see how it would be stressful to have to put a movie like it together and you shouldn't overwork yourself. Hope those working on Beyond will have the time they need to make it the best it can be while not overworking themselves as I did see a tweet saying as it is; its not ready to put out next year.
It was two days after the big conference of Mayor Saks and the citizens were nearly split with most being terrified of the new SS robots while others were strongly saying that clearly more needed to be done to make sure that they were all protected by all these super powered threats and monsters. Jameson decided to make his first personal video message to the Daily Bugle since the incident with John where he was clearly lambasting the whole idea:
"I want to be clear right off the bat that I am not going to be 'making excuses' for my boy John or anything else that people might claim that I will make. John has made mistakes that he needs to answer for; including purposefully hiring a criminal to steal a dangerous serum to inject himself and his actions leading to the tragic death of Captain Davis. Divorced from that; I still want to know what is going through the mind of Saks? Our fair city's police force has no place for dangerous machines to be patrolling the streets since one software glitch or misunderstand commands and we have a tragedy just like Captain Davis! I can't even trust my Alexa device to give me an accurate weather report and it takes me about half an hour to put my shopping list there so you expect me to put my faith in these machines? Trask Industries which later became part of the Brand Corporation came to me during my time as Mayor to offer these machines to help catch Spider-Man but it turned them down as I refuse to let dangerous menaces go after menaces! This is J. Jonah Jameson wishing that he had chosen his deputy Mayor better and wondering how the city is still standing with that idiot in charge!"
Right now Peter was with Liz sitting down at the Coffee Bean with Liz as they were looking at the video on Peter's phone. "What do you know... Jameson is right so cats and dogs living together; mass hysteria..." Peter muttered as Liz sighed agreeing with him feeling scared about the SS robots being part of the Enhanced Crimes Task Force. There in the accompanying article was a statement from Mayor Saks in response:
"With all due respect to Mr Jameson; I promise him and all of the good people of New York that they have nothing to fear as the SS robots shall only be deployed when necessary and we will be taking every precaution to make sure that no bystander will be harmed..."
"Like I trust him after okaying a method that Jameson wouldn't even greenlit to hunt against me when he was Mayor. I still remember when those Trask guys had me kidnapped and wanted to execute me and Wolverine with them..." Peter muttered and Liz looked down having the whole story told to her by Peter and Logan himself.
"Not only that but Brand's COO; that Landon guy... Professor McCoy said that he worked with him in college and he is concerned about what his plans are in Brand. Plus with them practically descendants of Sentinels; I am kind of scared..." Liz told him and were met with Flash and Sally arm in arm coming up to their table.
"You mean the Mayor's new spider bots? Plus what does the Sentinels have to do with being scared of them? I mean they were big I know but these are smaller and spider sized..." Flash asked as the other couple panicked wondering how to explain themselves.
"You do remember about Liz being at the Xavier school?" Sally asked instantly and gave them an eye which was returned with a grateful smile for her coming to the save.
"Oh yeah... With Liz being a... Nothing wrong with that as the X-Men are cool and wish that you could join them..." Flash apologetically said after his face lit up with realisation but they were just relieved; they weren't quite ready for Flash to know.
"So Flash, Sally... Are you here to make this a double date?" Peter asked hardly believing how well he was getting on with Flash now but they just shook their heads.
"Wish I could Parker but we came here for a quick drink to cut our date short; Mum wants us to go visit dad..." Flash sighed and they both realised what he meant and the story behind it...
A few years back and it was the first day of the first Summer Vacation since Peter became Spider-Man and after Midtown was let out; Peter ran out the door and towards the gates. "School's out and thus ends my first school year hear at Midtown!" Peter said with a big grin as he was practically jumped from behind by Liz with her arms around her shoulder.
"So tell me Peter; you think that Spider-Man and Firestar will be able to do more day activities now that the Summer is out?" Liz whispered and Peter's grin continued as he embraced her and turned her to face him.
"As long as Peter and Liz gets plenty of time to spend together." Peter replied and they looked and saw ahead of them were Flash and Sally arm in arm and went up to them. "So what are the Summer plans for Mr Football Star and Ms Cheerleader?" Peter asked as they just gave him a look.
"Well I want to see if I can catch Spider-Man out and about during the Summer; more for the Fan Club to talk about!" Flash said as Peter and Liz laughed but Sally shook her head. "But Sally and tonight have big date plans to celebrate! Be the biggest date ever and just have to make sure that we get home early enough or else..." Flash said and had gave a sigh as he said the last bit as Sally led him away.
Peter was taken aback and Liz sighed; "Don't mind Flash... He has business back home but not my place to say..." Liz whispered to him and Peter understood. When he first came to Midtown and got his impression of Flash; he figured that he led a perfect life. Doesn't look to be the case now...
That night Peter was out as Spider-Man web- slinging but it looked like it would be a slow night; "Come on... At least give me something to show that this won't be a boring Summer..." Peter groaned but then there was a fiery figure flying up to him.
"Can't be complaining; it means that the City is safe..." Liz told him as Firestar with a smile and Peter smiled underneath his mask meaning that she was right.
Peter got an alert on the police scanner in his mask; "I am hearing something... Wait someone reported hanged... Please don't ask how I am hearing that as it's not exactly legal..." Peter muttered as Liz was stunned but they figured that they should check it out.
They got to the address and found police cars outside the apartment; "Don't want to be in there; trust me as the sight is gruesome..." said a voice as Jefferson was down there motioning them down as Liz hovered down and Peter web slinged down to try and get a closer look.
"Hi Jeff... I don't think that you and my lovely girlfriend Firestar have had a chance to formally meet... This is my buddy Jeff on the force." Peter introduced them as Jefferson sighed as he got into his police car to take out stuff.
"We are not buddies and nice to meet you. Figured that you can at least hear our the details just n case you happen to find the perp before we do. The department wants this on the down low and to handle it ourselves since there doesn't seem to be powers involved." Jefferson told them and handled out photos and were aghast to find them each with a person hanged and next to them was a man in a purple hood along with a purple outfit. On the walls painted were 'JUSTICE HAS FOUND YOU AT LAST - SO SAYS THE HANGMAN'.
"So... A serial killer hanging someone..." Peter muttered as he never dealt with anything related to this like a real life more down to earth killer; if you excuse the costume.
"The victim here has been identified as Charles Matthews; was declared not guilty for murdering roommate under self defence when he came home drunk and turned violent. The other victims: Susan York; found not guilty of killing her boss when the evidence were declared indecisive and circumstantial. Eric Sanders; found not guilty of killing a guy after the eye witness ended up perjuring himself in court and due to unreliable evidence." Jefferson explained and they took this in.
"So this guy decided to be a costumed vigilante to target people found not guilty of murder?" Liz asked as Jefferson nodded.
"We think that we found the guy's inspiration. Harlan Krueger; the original Hangman." Jefferson said showing them an old photo of a man in a black executioner's mask and similar get up along with holding up a scythe.
"This guy wanted to be taken seriously dressed like that?" Peter laughed as Jefferson looked like he was agreeing with him.
"A different time as he was active in the 70s and could be considered the earlier Punisher only not as dangerous or well known along with a silly suit. The guy Harlan Krueger was a soldier who was dishonourably discharged for his actions on the field. Rejected from every police agency he tried to apply to afterwards; donned a suit to hang criminals and kill them with his scythe. Not only that but he kidnapped women criminals to 'protect' them from the outside world as he thought that they were led astray." Jefferson continued to explain.
"Sounds like was a piece of work..." Liz muttered shaking his head after she and Peter were taken aback by the story.
"Gets even better; when they were interrogating them... He told of how he grew up idolising old action film stars and it all led to him adopting a black and white worldview where the heroes were good and incorruptible who won no matter what and the villains were cruel and irredeemable. He believed himself to be just and carrying out justice like this fanboy must think." Jefferson said as they took all this in.
"Thanks Jeff... We will keep this in mind and keep an eye out to see if we can spot this joker..." Peter muttered as he web slinged away with Liz flying away along with him.
"Shouldn't be too hard to take him down if we find him if he is just a guy in a suit; the problem will be actually finding him before he claims another victim..." Liz told Peter and they knew that this was a good point.
The Thompson house and Flash had gotten home with Sally; they were chatting when parked outside was a police car with Flash's father Harrison walking out and sternly looking their way.
"So you got home at a reasonable time; I understand that you actually managed to graduate your year." Harrison told them simply taking a sack out of his police car and Flash nodded with a grin.
"Yep! Few weeks and your boy is going to be a Junior!" Flash bragged as Harrison looked at him with a look on his face that silently asked if he was supposed to be impressed.
"Took you long enough; you would have been one already if you didn't flunk your last year at high school and had to repeat." Harrison snarked back and Flash and Sally frowned together.
"I will just go Flash..." Sally whispered to Flash as he went up to his father.
"Come on dad; please cut me some slack..." Flash asked but Harrison grabbed his arm and glared at him.
"I am supposed to cut you some slack? Life doesn't cut me slack as I have to dealt with costumed freaks like Spider-Man out and being called heroes when they are just lousy vigilantes! True hardworking officers like me hardly get the credit that we deserve and I come home to a brick headed son who keeps bringing home terrible grades and only has football going for him!" Harrison snapped and there were people passing by and scared off by the look that Harrison was giving him.
Harrison went inside and something had dropped from his bag and Flash picked it up; he was about to call for his dad but he and Sally looked and saw that it was a noose to their confusion. Flash went inside with Sally following him and saw that Harrison went down to his basement that he had put offs limit to everyone but him.
Flash was hesitant about disobeying his dad's biggest rule but decided to go down because the curiosity was killing him.
He went down and was faced with to his shock a rack of purple hooded costumes; scythes and axes and nooses up on racks. "You should know better than to come here Eugene..." Harrison sternly told his son.
"Dad... What is this junk..." Flash asked as he was followed by Sally who both were taken aback by all this. "Is this some sort of costume party thing..." Flash asked as Harrison looked terrifying as he looked at them.
"Seems that today you need a mask to be considered a hero; dealing with everything that happened ever since Spider-Man first showed his face but it got me thinking... Working under the constraints of the law while the criminal scum can get themselves free due to factors and if they have an expensive enough lawyer... If I donned a suit like the ilk then I would be free to ensure true justice to those that escaped it. I would be able to use my resources to sneak into their homes and silently take care of them. I can't do it as Castle did as the artelity would bring too much attention and he never had to worry about people knowing who he was. However my research came forward the man who called himself the Hangman. Taking his mantle; I have hanged evil by the noose and soon people will know about my other self..." Harrison explained to them as Flash was freaking out and Sally ran up the stairs.
"I better get going Flash; nice story Mr Thompson..." Sally said but a gunshot came to the wall next to the door as Harrison had drawn his gun pointing to them.
"No word of this will ever leave the headquarters and you both can only leave if you come to understand that..." Harrison warned as Sally got out her phone and Harrison aimed his gun and Flash thinking fast went and tackled his dad.
Sally then texted Liz to get over to Flash's house with Peter in their suits; then she went to phone the police to explain that she was being threatened by her boyfriend's father. Flash's mother came down hearing the noise and freaked out by the basement and seeing her husband and son fighting and tried to yell for them to keep apart.
"You think that you can take me boy... I have served in the force longer than you were conceived... You are just a mindless brute who has done nothing but disappoint me..." Harrison yelled at Flash and he decided to use his muscles to fight back more and got a lucky shot at his father's eye making him yell.
Flash got up and was being tackled back down by his father but Flash managed to get a hold of a noose and got it around Harrison's neck choking him and undid it when he was satisfied that he was taken care of for now. "Eugene Thompson; what were you thinking..." Flash's mother snapped but Flash not feeling safe and in the mood for her to take Harrison's side as usual; pushed past her and ran outside with Sally fearing for their lives.
They got out and soon police cars came up as Harrison got up and charged like a wild animal and was yelling as he went to charge at Flash and Sally with them in fright. However Harrison was caught in a web as there was Peter in suit on top of a lamppost with Liz hovering bye.
"Wait until your friends on the force finds what you have stashed in the basement pops..." Flash grinned at Harrison who was furious at this all while panicking about them going down.
We are back in the present and after the end of his date with Sally; Flash was dragged by his mother to come with her and his younger sister Jessica to the visiting centre for Ryker's Island and they were on the other end glass was Harrison in his prisoner's uniform serving a life's sentence. "... So still the same; stuck here to rot and be ridiculed by scum including crooks I put in here..." Harrison muttered managing to look more bitter and angry than ever and the time in prison wasn't good for him. "What about you Eugene; actually making something for yourself as you actually got into college?" Harrison asked as Flash had been silent with his mother and sister looking at him. "Have you been hit in the head during football so much that you are now unable to speak? Is there any hope for you?" Harrison taunted and Flash glared at him.
"Big talk for the wannabe supervillain rotting in prison while I have big time offers to make me set for my professional career." Flash retorted making his mother and sister gasp. He got up and said "I am done; I am cutting you out of my life. I am never coming here again Mum and nothing you can do can make otherwise. Don't expect me to come to his funeral; not even going to do a number 2 on his grave." Flash said as he began leaving with his mother calling for him to come back.
The Hangman was a minor villain who had faced both Werewolf By Night and Spider-Woman and I decided to make him a legacy character with the modern one in this story's verse modelled after the minor Spider-Man villain the Headsman in his suit. Here his going after criminals found not guilty is inspired by Edgar Bowman the title antagonist from the old EC Comics Crypt of Terror comic story The Man Who Was Death which was adapted into the first episode of the Tales From the Crypt TV show but made more sympathetic there than the original comic since his counterpart Niles Talbot there went after clearly guilty criminals who were let off on technicalities while it was strongly implied that Bowman's victims were innocent of their crimes. One more thing: made up names for the victims said in the chapter.
Okay my original idea when I came up with this scenario was that Peter would be fighting the Headsman but later it would turn out that Harrison was the Headsman and was starting to forcibly train Flash to be his successor.
