I hope you all had a good day whether or not you celebrate Christmas as I am posting this on Christmas Night here in Scotland. For a little Christmas recommendation as an extra present; may I suggest one of the episodes of the new season of What If which is What If Happy saved Christmas which is basically a self aware homage to Die Hard starring Happy with references to A Christmas Story and Jingle All the Way.
I have done many attempts at a story with the Squadron Supreme; especially the Heroes Reborn version and this time I am reworking an old idea I had from Spiders and Charlatans to mix Marvel with the Boys. This time there will be something similar to a story by HandAssassinSpider-Man with Spidey joining the main team in this universe but like my earlier Charlatans story. Here Spidey will be taking a similar combined role to both Hughie and Starlight.
Time, Space, Reality... These are among the building blocks that make up the universes of Multiverse; a realm of alternate universes with infinite possibilities and differences. I am Uatu the Watcher; it is my eternal duty to watch over these disparate universes never to intervene...
Submitted for your approval; a world similar to what you may know but very different in a lot of ways where the group that takes the moniker of the Earth's mightiest heroes features a different team of heroes than what you maybe familiar. Where individuals you may find familiar are different. Instead of the Avengers; there are the Squadron Supreme who are not as squeaky clean you would expect behind their public image.
We shall look through the eyes of more familiar to you...
"The world has a lot of superheroes... Had a for a long while... My Uncle Ben for my birthday one year got me a hardcover collection of old wartime Captain America comics... Made to make a representation of the real life Star Spangled Man with the Plan who was fighting the Axis powers in the 2nd World War as the first true superheroes... Nowadays there are Earth's mightiest heroes the Squadron Supreme who showed up as the resurgence of the superheroes... There is Zarda or Power Princess; she was there since World War II and hadn't aged and had been fighting crime and saving people since then... Descended from a race of people who went to this 'Utopia Isle' after being experimented on by aliens during the early days of Earth... She is the Princess and ambassador after they left and they were long lived and even studied magic and trained as Vikings So compassionate and brave and has looked amazing since then since she ages at a much slower rate... Then there is the Blur; the world's fastest man who most normal criminals don't even see before they are beaten... Doctor Spectrum who has this alien power source that makes these colorful constructs and he isn't even a doctor so I'm lost there... Nighthawk; this dark brooding vigilante of the trained to be the best mentally and physically... Finally there is Hyperion; the main man who was sent here as a baby from a race of powerful aliens and is like the world's greatest and most powerful hero in the world... Man; if I was his sidekick... But I'm Spider-Man one of those more street level and while they are fighting alien invasions and monsters; I will be looking out for the little guy a I have been for the last year; not saying that it's bad or anything but..." spoke a 16 year old figure in a a red full face mask, goggles, a blue top, red sleeveless hooded jumper with a spider logo on it, web shooter devices around his wrists, red fingerless gloves, blue sweat pants and red boots as he was perched on top of a building leaning against a statue of a gargoyle.
He then sat himself up and asked the statue "You know something Bruce... I am sorry for all the times that I came here to talk about my problems or my life story and I have never had the manners of asking about you or your life... Do you know Greg Weisman?" He then heard of people screaming and there was the ground shaking. He saw people running away and then used his web shooter devices to put out webs to swing from building to building. He found buildings cracking and people falling and so he went to work catching them and putting them on the ground.
Flying cars were coming his way and so he had to react quickly to catch them and put them down while opening up the car doors that were stuck so the passengers inside could escape. However he had to dodge out of the way thanks to his extra sense known as 'the Spider Sense' as a figure was thrown roughly towards him and landed on the ground.
He looked and was shocked to discover that it was a large muscular orange haired figure in a red suit with a yellow atom symbol on it, yellow cape was draped over a single shoulders, yellow underwear like garment that looked like it was stretched to his waist and yellow boots. None other than Hyperion himself...
"Hi Mr Hyperion sir... Big fan..." Peter whispered out as Hyperion got up and met with the figure opposing him; "Oh... bigger priority..." Peter muttered as he saw a large bulky muscular brute of a figure that was dark green skinned and with purple pants. None other than the infamous Hulk.
"Just why Hulk... Why can't you ever just cooperate?" Hyperion screamed as he lunged himself right at Hulk to be met with Hulk shielding himself with his fists causing the strikes to create a big shockwave. Peter then got people out of the way as Hyperion picked up Hulk bu the neck and then threw him right at an apartment complex with Peter then quickly web slinging through the hole to get people out of the way as he web slinging after the flying Hyperion.
"Mr Hyperion sir... There could be people here..." Peter muttered trying to get close and had to dodge as Hulk had caught Hyperion but the neck and threw him back. Peter then looked at the people screaming in terror and saw the Hulk took a step back and then started running and leaping.
Trying to see if he could at least slow him down; he then got on Hulk's back and yelled as they were up in the air. They landed on the ground outside of New York; beyond the water. Peter got off the Hulk's neck and Peter looked afraid as the Hulk glared at him. "Don't hurt me please... Are you?" Peter asked but then noticed as the Hulk just stared at him.
"Depends; will Bug-Man hurt Hulk... Like cape man always does... Like everyone does..." Hulk asked as Peter just stared at his face that looked sick of it and the tone of his voice...
"Well... Sorry Hulk but when you endanger people and cause destruction in your wake..." Peter said as Hulk's face hardened.
"You think Hulk wants to? Hulk is strongest there is and the world... Made of cardboard... Cape Man says that he wants to help me but always brings armies... People with weapons... Bring me to laughs with moustached Stark... They all scared of me and wants to lock me up or dissect me... All Hulk wants is to be left alone... They never want Hulk alone... Ever since Hulk was born; first memory was them firing at Hulk..." Hulk snapped at Peter as began thinking of all the stories, comics and videos he had seen of the Hulk being a mindless monster but this sounded like a scared animal or child.
"That's rough... I know what it's like to be bullied..." Peter muttered and Hulk stood there silently and sighed.
"Banner... Always running and hiding, so is Hulk... Banner was only here to find stuff Stark has... To finally get rid off me... Got caught..." Hulk snapped shaking his head and Peter was thinking of Tony Stark the genius inventor and head of Stark Industries the weapons and energy company that also financed the Squadron Supreme and many other heroes.
"Tony Stark... Why would he have to do with..." Peter asked Hulk as Hulk was got in a multi coloured bubble and lifted up in the air with him growling.
"Glad that the Spiderling was here to keep the beast distracted... We have a nice portal to the other side of the universe all set for you..." said a gloating voice and there was floating in the air a man in a blue, yellow, red and green bodysuit and a red full face mask along with the glowing Power Prism on the back off his hand. None other than US Colonel Joe Ledger better known as Doctor Spectrum himself. Right next to Ledger was a portal that was being conjured by a strange blue coloured glowing stone that he was holding that didn't seem to be like his Power Prism.
"Sorry it had to come to this Hulk but you always knew that you were too dangerous to be left alone to your own devices and at least this way; you can be safely off Earth. Perhaps you will get the peace that you always wanted." Hyperion told the Hulk sternly as he flew up and Ledger then had the Hulk dropped into it with the portal closed.
"Whatever the Hulk told you Spider-Man... I have tried to help him countless times throughout the years but you have seen the first hand what he is capable of. It wasn't an option to leave him to his own devices. This is giving him what he wants on a solitary planet." Hyperion told Peter turning to him and Peter thought about how he couldn't exactly refute the logic behind that.
"Oh okay... You want me to help you all clean up after we get back to New York..." Peter asked and Ledger gave him a look as Hyperion was listening to something in his ear.
"That's the little people job and we need to focus on the bigger picture." Ledger told Peter rather flatly taking Peter off guard as Hyperion went up to Peter.
"I can give you a lift back Spider-Man for the Squadron is being assembled; something else that needs our attention." Hyperion told Peter and he braced himself while thinking that he should probably be more excited for this than he actually am.
Peter Parker's admiration for Earth's mightiest heroes especially his childhood hero took a dent that day but more and more dents would come within a few short years...
5 years later; Peter now 21 years old was out after a hard night's work of being Spider-Man (having updated his suit to be a red and blue suit with a webbing pattern and a mask that had white lenses in them), having taken down the Shocker and foiled 2 heists. He went to a certain apartment building and waited by the window after knocking. It was answered by a smiling blonde haired young woman his age called Gwen Stacy.
He then took her out and she screamed in excitement as she held onto his neck and took them to the top of a building; "Plans now that we are out of college... You have your big brain and ready to work at any lab that will take you?" Gwen asked Peter who then scoffed.
"With the abscence and grades on my record thanks to having to prioritise being Spider-Man... Hardly any scientific place will take me... I am better off continuing to just sell my amateur photos and working at Mason's Repairs... You are set to graduate from intern to full on psychiatrist at Ravencroft." Peter retorted as Gwen took his face and pulled up his mask to kiss him.
"You're amazing and spectacular Peter; the best thing that happened to me since my dad died... Listen; I have something to tell you..." Gwen said as before Peter could properly respond he felt his Spider-Sense go off hard.
Then they were both hit by knockout gas...
Peter awoke and found himself on Brooklyn Bridge much to his confusion; "The Spider-Man awakens from his nap..." taunted a voice and Peter was wide eyed to see a green skinned figure in goggles with golden lenses, a purple hood, dark green body armour and a dark purple hooded cloak over him that was damaged. He knew who it was; none other than the Green Goblin the arch nemesis of Nighthawk who was New York's premiere vigilante protector but had focused on big time superhero stuff ever since he helped form the Squadron Supreme. The gadgets and enhanced strength he had was used to form a criminal operation in the city that rivalled the one that was held by the Kingpin.
"Goblin... What happened? If you were wanting skin tips then you could have called my agent first before kidnapping me..." Peter snarked as the Goblin shook his head grinning.
"Way of words Spider-Man; going to be much more fun than Nighthawk. You know people always thought that I had a special relationship with him; yin and yang and two sides of the same coin... In truth; I quickly grew bored of him and only focused on him due to him being the best choice. The guy just didn't have a sense of humor and though he now sits atop of Mount Olympus along with the rest of the Squadron; he is still but a mortal who acts like a god. But you; a god who acts like a mortal. Your strength and power; protecting the feeble mortals of this city when you could be so much more. The millions of people in this city look to these gods with them caring very little about those that worship them and depend on them for protection. Imagine what we could create together..." The Goblin told Peter and he shook his head as he got up and lunged at Goblin only for him to be sidestepped by him and then practically power bombed by the Goblin in a wrestling move.
Peter forced himself to get up grunting; "I will never join you Goblin; you're a maniac..." Peter told him as the Goblin just shrugged.
"To each their own but I know what it is that would take to turn someone like you into someone like me... One bad day..." Gobin remarked summoning his Goblin Glider device that had Gwen tied up and tape gaged much to Peter's shock. Goblin then quickly threw Gwen off the bridge and Peter then quickly shot out a web at her midriff to catch her and used his strength to pull her in.
"Gwen... I got you... You're okay... Gwen... Are you awake..." Peter quickly told Gwen as her eyes were closed and he couldn't feel a pulse. "No Gwen... Please wake up..." Peter pleaded with years in his eyes as on the platform the Goblin landed and then got off.
"Please wake up... Do you know how whiny you sound right now? I bet she meant something to you but that's goes to show you that only fools are 'heroes'... You give, give, give and what do you get back? Nothing. Gods don't give; we take!" the Goblin mocked and something snapped within Peter as he lunged at the Goblin with them trading punches and Peter began puling his punches less and less and got Goblin grunting as he was on his knees.
"You know Spider-Man... I was expecting the fall to do her in but from the looks of things... It looked like it was your web that done her in... That was much better than I expected!" Goblin mocked and Peter grabbed the Glider and was holding it up high with fury behind his lenses. "I see it now... The killer instinct... What I always wanted to see in a son if I had one... The instinct to just take what you want..." Goblin muttered.
"What I want is you dead..." Peter snapped as he was ready to pierce it through the Goblin with his grinning at that. Peter was getting it closer and closer and then his eyes turned to Gwen's body. Staring at it longer and longer; he just put it down. "No... She wouldn't want me to... I know her too much to know that she wouldn't want you to win... To change who I am..." Peter muttered as the Goblin shook his head disappointed.
"How well did you know her; did she tell her of her true self?" Goblin asked as Peter was confused while the Glider was turned on behind him. Before Peter could reply he reacted to his Spider Sense to jump up as the Glider went past him and ended up piercing Goblin through the body. The blades at the front killing him with whatever healing factor that the Goblin had unable to react quickly enough to save him.
A sad chapter in the lives of many Spider-Men to lose who they loved and their nemesis in one day. Gwen Stacy was mourned by it was overshadowed by the story of the death of the Green Goblin; identity confirmed as the owner and founder of Oscorp: Norman Osborn! Osborn who had the performance enhancing drug within him mutate more and more over time to the point where it turned out that he had criminal mercenary the Chameleon impersonate him in public appearances. No one knows how it happened but people were celebrating that Spider-Man got the Green Goblin killed.
It was the night at the cemetery after Gwen Stacy's funeral; a solemn silent depressing affair as Peter and his Aunt May attended and saw the grief stricken faces of Gwen's mother and brothers. Surprising enough; Kyle Richmond the owner of Richmond Industries and Washington's delegate in the US Congress had made an appearance. Peter as Spider-Man then went to the grave and kneeled down letting out more tears.
"Gwen... I am sorry that I wasn't good enough..." Peter muttered as he then noticed a shadow overlooking him in a tree. Jumping down was a muscular black man in a dark blue bodysuit with a black symbol on it, dark blue cape with shoulder decorations that resembled hawk's claws and a dark blue cowl that was shaped like a hawk's head. Peter recognised him as Nighthawk and he didn't look happy in the slightest.
"Not sorry enough; the nerve of you coming here after what you did... You got her and the Goblin killed with your recklessness and you were there when she was taken..." Nighthawk ranted at Peter as he was taken aback by the venom he was spewing. "I don't ever want to see you out and about in your suit ever again... You and your powers acting recklessly..." Nighthawk warned him as he then made his leave leaving Peter with his confused and scared thoughts.
Next is where our story truly begins...
