As I suggested in the author's notes of my Great Power story; this is a spin off story where each chapter is a prequel one shot which takes the form of a classic comic story. We explore the universe of my twisted Boys inspired version of the Marvel Universe that uses elements from Squadron Supreme and the Heroes Reborn comic event. Planning to do chapters for all 5 of the main Squadron Supreme stories for a hint of the adventures that they had got up to and each chapter can take place at a different point in the timeline. Giving Blur the first chapter since he has been utilised the least in my official story.
These won't be frequent and they will be when I have enough ideas and inspiration for them.
Night time on the streets of New York City; rich billionaire Kyle Richmond was out at night as Nighthawk his vigilante nocturnal alter ego and founding member of the Squadron Supreme. He was at a building set ablaze and helping the firefighters with getting the people trapped inside and then joined in his sidekick and partner Gwen Stacy as Nightbird (who was in her late teens) as she was fighting the group of arsonists.
they were back to back as they punched and kicked at the arsonists to knock them out. They got the top floor and with a detonator next to some explosive devices was a casual black clothes wearing thin man with awide grin and orange hair.
"Nighthawk and Nightbird... Do you know what I love the most about flames? They are so indiscriminate... Burning whatever comes in their way as they spread in all directions that they can... No one is safe if they are close enough and aren't properly prepared for the fames..." the man mocked with a laughing giggle.
Cletus 'Carnage' Kasady a serial killer, arsonist and anarchist who was dedicated to whatever random acts of destruction or killing that he desires at the moment. Was convicted and sent to the Ravencroft Institute for 11 confirmed murders (everyone was sure that there were plenty more but only those 11 could conclusively be pinned on him) after being taken down by Nighthawk but recently escaped.
"You are ill Mr Kasady and in need of help; surrender yourself and go back to Ravencroft." Gwen pleaded with him softly; the daughter of Dr Helen Stacy at Ravencroft with her being inspired to study to work as a doctor at Ravencroft herself to help the mentally ill patients there with understanding and kindness.
"Hated that place; they wanted to help me but the truth is that I am free... Free from the concepts of law and order; free to do whatever I want..." Kasady retorted as he showed his detonator as he grinned. "Plenty of explosives to bring the rest of the buidling down and we placed some in the buildings nearby as well... Dying in a fiery blaze sounds fine by me..." Kasady warned them forcing them to stand still.
However the lights gone out and a figure went down from the ceiling to tackle Kasady. They activated the night visions in their masks to spot a figure with what looked to be like horn stubs on the head looking like he was snapping Kasady's neck. The figure then jumped out of the window before they could do anything.
The PDNY were called and were arresting the arsonists and collecting the body of Kasady. The tall and muscular PDNY Commissioner Luke Cage with his goattee and bald head walked to the nearby alleyway and turned his back. He turned around again to see Richmond and Gwen there.
"Kasady is dead... The Devil was there again..." Richmond said and Kasady was only the latest victim of a mysterious costumed vigilante that was dubbed 'the Devil' by the press.
"Another masked menace for Jameson to complain about but I can imagine that the family members of Kasady's victims will sleep soundly when they hear the news. You know that the Devil will only get more popular now with each victim." Luke sighed telling him.
"We will find him and bring him to justice." Richmond told Luke with Gwen nodding as Luke sighed some more.
"To some people; what he is doing is justice... You know people are saying that you should have been doing what he has been doing all along and spend more time protecting the city and less time fighting monsters with the Squadron. You know that Spider guy has been gaining traction as a man for the neighbourhood ever since he first apepared years ago and now we have a Devil taking down dangerous people." Luke told Richmond who put his head down.
"So the answer is someone taking the law into their own hands and becoming a self proclaimed judge, jury and executioner?" Gwen asked as Luke looked at her.
"If it was up to the people in my department then you both would be taken in and arrested; you know that officially I can't support you masked types." Luke told them as he then left them.
The next morning in the Nightcave and Richmond was hard at work investigating the Devil and had files on all of his victims: Ox a hired muscle for organised crime groups, Nick Lewis Sr the first person to don the masked crime boss persona of the Crime Master, a hired thug known only as the Russian and now Kasady.
He had the TV monitors on showing the news; "Kyle Richmond is prepared to make the most fascinating speech in front of Congress today..." Richmond's butler Edwin Jarvis told him as he was coming up to him.
"The LMD has that covered..." Richmond responded as one of his Life Model Decoys was in Washington serving as his position as Washington's representative in the House of Representatives. A cover story was that he officially lived there but regualrly came back to New York to check on his family company.
The Daily Bugle Communication TV news report about the latest killing by the Devil had a statement from J. Jonah Jameson blasting all masked menaces but was followed up by statements of support from civilians including members of the families of Kasady's victims. Then up for a statement was the fake smile of the smartly dressed Harrison Thompson; a rich businessman who used his wealth to buy the election for New York's representative in the House of Representatives.
"If we really must put our faith in dealing out justice in the hands of masked vigilantes; then they can at least do the job correctly! Execute the lot of those up at Ravencroft; I say!" Harrison said as Richmond glared at Harrison's ableist comment but knew that people wouldn't disagree with them.
Then the next report was the early controversial release for good behaviour from Ryker's Island; Wilson Fisk the Kingpin of Crime. Richmond glared at the monitor; when he started out as Nighthawk, Fisk was in his early days as a crime boss rivalling the long standing Maggia. While the Maggia died out in influence and power; Fisk's power base only got stronger and he rivalled the Green Goblin himself as Nighthawk's greatest enemy.
He sighed as he remembered a close ally of his who was bravely going against the odds of taking on the Kingpin's operations; an idealistic young lawyer by the name of Matt Murdock. He would take on people being targetted by Fisk's businesses as well as being scapegoats but Fisk arranged for rumors on him being on payroll of the organisations. Plus with his best outcome was advising targets to accept settlement deals: he got an insulting nickname from disgruntled clients as 'Two Faced Murdock'.
However as Nighthawk he helped find the evidence to take on the Kingpin's operations and implicate him while as Kyle Richmond brokered a friendship with him as well as funding his small law firm.
He remembered what happened the afternoon after Fisk was finally convicted...
"I guess this is the end of being called 'Two Faced Murdock'..." laughed Murdock to Richmond as they were at a restaurant toasting their drinks.
"You are sure to become popular as the man who helped take down the Kingpin. You should try politics and run for district attorney." Richmond offered but Matt shook his head.
"I think you would be better at being a politican than I would Kyle. Besides what would my campaign slogan even be?" Matt asked as Richmond thought it over.
"How about... 'I believe in Matt Murdock'! Believe in the guy that helped stop the Kingpin!" Richmond suggested as Matt thought it over.
"Taking the credit for what Nighthawk did?" Matt asked as Richmond shook his head.
"Maybe this city doesn't need a masked crusader; it needs a white knight... You can be that white knight..." Richmond told them as they finished their dinner. They went outside and went their separate ways.
Richmond went to his limo while Matt went to cross the street. However Richmond noticed a man in a long coat and hat intentionally push Matt into the traffic as a Roxxon truck was about to pass. The truck then quickly steered away and ended up crashing into a car as chemical barrels got out of the back and struck Matt as he was getting up.
"Matt disappeared from the hospital after that... Probably as part of Kingpin's revenge plan. I know he set that up and whether I like it or not... I have to accept that he has legally served his time but I will have to keep an eye on him..." Richmond then said angrily to himself but thought of something. "Good can come out of this... Bait..." Richmond muttered realising who the Devin's next victim will be.
That night at Fisk's penthouse home Richmond was hiding on the rooftop looking down as the mob of angry civilians and reporters circled the property as Fisk's limo turned up. Fisk got out followed by his security detail and lawyer as he said "I understand your feelings but I have paid my debt to society and I hope to restart my life as a normal average citizen..." Fisk's acting in front of the public hadn't dulled in prison.
Richmond then found the Devil sneaking in through an entrance. He himself got through the windows and then ended up finding the Devil a person an dark red body armored suit and dark red full face armored mask and devil horn stubs. With twin billy clubs he assaulted the guards and took them down and then attacked Fisk with him fighting back with his own size and strength.
"You ruined my life... Do you know who I am?" demanded the Devil as he hit Fisk in the eye with his billy clubs and kicked him down.
"My enemies list is more extensive than my friend's list..." Fisk replied as the Devil then brutally attacked him.
Richmond got out his yellow Hawkarangs (boomerang like gadgets made in a hawk shake) and threw them to disarm the Devil of his billy clubs. "Who do you think you are?" Richmond asked as he then tackled the Devil and they traded punches and the Devil was quite fast and agile with his punches hitting hard.
"I am you if you could actually finish the job and if you weren't a coward. You hit people and they get back up while I hit them and they stay down!" retorted the Devil as Richmond saw the moonlight outside and used his magical strength to let him cut loose more with how hard he was punching overwhelming the Devil. "You know... I used to think that you were what New York needed... It's guardian angel... But they don't need a guardian angel watching over them... They need the Devil to dish out punishment..." the Devil snapped as Richmond brought him down.
He then got off the mask and saw it was a man with a purple burn mark on the right side of his face which was also scarred; but he recognised the face and the red hair. "Can't be... Matt Murdock?" Richmond muttered in absolute shock as Murdock glared at him. "I thought you died?" Richmond asked as Matt glared at him.
"I was born again... I was blinded by those chemicals and forever scarred... I was truly 'Two Faced Murdock'... A blind martial arts master found me and snuck me out of the hospital. Trained me to hone my new senses whcih were overwhleming and how to fight. My martial arts sensei and through the years I became his best student... My idealism died in that attack as I remember the agonising pain of my burn as my eyesight left me... Someone told me that I could be the city's white knight but they don't need that..." Matt said as Richmond got up shocked. "I can hear your heartbeat... Your guilt and how this is striking a nerve... Seeing who I am..." Matt snapped at Richmond who got up and got ready to leave.
"Isn't this a fun turn of events?" Fisk asked clapping with a grin as he got up. "You helping me against my assailant. I give you my thanks; I am sure that my alarms have been tripped and the police will come to collect this murderous vigilante. You know you could become him one day. Don't stand there and tell me that it would never happen... What would you do say if the Goblin took your Nightbird away from you?" Fisk asked Richmond mockingly as Richmond glared at him.
"I don't ever want to catch you up to anything ever again. You say that you want to be an average citizen then do just that; the slightest clue that you have started up again and then there will be no mercy from me..." Richmond warned Fisk as Fisk shook his head.
"The Kingpin of Crime will be put behind me. I am looking for a different line of work. Goodbye Nighthawk." Fisk told him putting his back away from him. He turned around and Richmond was gone.
So while in this verse the Green Goblin was Nighthawk's primary arch enemy and represented the Joker when he is being a cartoonish villain; Cletus Kasady represented the Joker when he is acting as the terrorist without a cause like in the Dark Knight. Plus Two-Face as a vigilante is a take I would like to see more of as he developed the Judge persona late in Batman the Animated Series, there was the Black Label series Harleen and in the Dark Knight he was going after those that had wronged him.