Mighty Marvel Western #1

1868

Carter Slade arrives in Boston from a long journey on his horse Banshee. The entire town fears him and whispers about him behind his back. This is his curse. They talk about his disfigured face and his deals with the devil. He retreats into a Saloon/Inn in the middle of town. A small group of spectators watch him as he goes in. That was part of the curse too. Everyone knows him. They fear him. Especially his family. Especially his son. 

Across town, Dr. Amadeus Malus answers a summons from Detective Brooks of the Brooklyn  Police Department, to provide psychological consultation with regard to a recent string of murders. Unfortunately, Police Chief Brunder is on the scene as well, and takes less kindly to Malus's early theories on psychology than the detective.

The murder victim is a prostitute, and at each crime scene, the word "fear" is scrawled on the wall in another language with the victim's blood. In this case, the word is the latin "metus." Malus suggests that it is in the killer's nature to facilitate fear - and as yet, he has been quite successful. From the doorway, a voice suggests that perhaps the killer is afraid that he won't be caught. It is the voice of the Phantom Rider, who has been hired by the detective as a bounty hunter, to help catch the Boston Butcher. The Phantom’s demeanor and attire frighten the Chief and he attempts to throw the Phantom and Dr. Malus out of the room. However, Malus proposes that he and the Phantom conduct a separate investigation together, and present their findings to the police. The Chief begrudgingly agrees.

While the Dr. Malus and the Phantom Rider investigate the scene. Rider makes the remark that whoever had done this must have been really smart. A learned person. Malus agrees. He would have to be to write fear in all of these languages.

Later, Malus and Phantom head to a bar in one of the seedier parts of the city. After some coaxing Phantom Rider phases into the building and uses his invisibility until he spies Belle, a prostitute that he knows. He phases into the room and attempts to question her, but the man she's already with doesn't take kindly to his presence, and the resulting brawl is violent. From afar, Malus makes speculation as to what kind of history could lead the bounty hunter to such lifestyle. The Phantom Rider comes out relatively unscathed, ripping a gash across the chest of the man, who submits.  He then returns to his line of questioning.

Belle reveals that the killer is not known by name or face, but all the prostitutes know that he exists. The killer was seen taking his last victim on a carriage. He was a slender man. Malus takes the information and retires. The Phantom Rider gets back to his room and collapses he is confronted by Mephisto. Mephisto warns the Phantom personally to stay away from this case. The Phantom Rider scoffs and turns his back on Mephisto. Who then reminds him of his promise. The Rider nods. 

He is given a rude awakening when Detective Brooks and Dr. Malus arrive at his door with news of another murder. This time, the victim is Belle. At the crime scene, they arrive to find the girl strung up from a girder with her face disfigured. On the wall behind her is written "Phantom Rider Leave Boston." The bounty hunter takes it personally.

Two days later, Malus muses further on The Rider’s psychological profile, having witnessed the man carve a trail of blood through Boston, following clues to the killer's identity. Their mutual conclusion is that there are at least two men involved in the killings, one a man of wealth and intelligence, and the other being his helper, a strong man of limited intelligence.

That night, the pair of them attend a charity event being held by Mayor Dolan, hoping that they will encounter the killer there. Upon their arrival, Chief Brunder sees them and embarrassed, he tries to shoo them away. Brunder is interrupted by the mayor, who invited Dr. Malus in the first place, and is intrigued to meet The Rider.

Abruptly, The Rider decides it's time to leave, and drags Malus behind him. The psychologist protests, pointing out that they had likely found the killers. Warily, The Rider points out that nearly all of the attendees at the party are wearing the rings. He explains that it means that things are about to get a lot more dangerous for them. 

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Spider-Man #1

To say Peter Parker has gone through a lot is an understatement. His parents were murdered in front of him when he was six. This motivated him through life. His training in Japan and his vow to stop crime. When he returns home he inherits his fathers company from his Aunt and Uncle. Instantly he is the most recognizable billionaire bachelor. 

After he is unable to save his uncle from being murdered he forms the Spider-Clan a group dedicated to training young vigilantes like himself. The Spider-Clan hosts a variety of heroes including Scarlet Spider, Daredevil, Moon Knight, and Darkhawk. 

Spider-Man finds himself surrounded in Malus Asylum by a number of the villains he has since put away there. With superior fighting skills, he manages to hold his own until he winds up launched through an upper window. In the alley below, he prepares to go back inside, but Cletus Kasady sneaks up on him. They appear to have made some kind of alliance, and when they get back into the fray, they fight as a team in perfect conjunction to take down all of the escaped inmates.

Later, Spider-Man reconnects with Commissioner Drew on the roof of the New York City Police Headquarters. Spider-Man explains that this wasn't a breakout. He had been investigating a weak link at Malus - a guard named David Gallaher - who opened the cell doors on Spider-Man when he was coming for him. Drew deduces that Spider-Man had a man on the inside, and seems suspicious of security video showing Spider-Man and Cletus Kasady fighting together, but his friend reassures him briefly, before disappearing into the night.

In Peter Parker’s mansion, Cletus Kasady appears behind Peter. However, this doesn’t affect Peter at all. Kasady asks what he is doing and Peter responds that he is actually testing a new computerized contact lens, which can provide him with remote access to his supercomputers. Cletus Kasady reveals himself to be Ben Reilly in disguise. Ben had been the inside informant at Malus, disguised as Cletus Kasady.

They walk the mansion grounds where they encounter Peter's other pupils sparring at the dojo - Marc Spector and Chris Powell. Peter is hosting a gala, where he plans to reveal some big ideas for New York City's future. At the gala, Peter announces plans to invest in New York's infrastructure, including an improved public transit system and restoring some of the city's derelict architecture. After his well-received speech, Peter encounters Betty Brant of the Daily Bugle, who introduces him to mayoral candidate Lincoln Waters. 

Peter tries to convince Waters to invest in - or at least support - his plans for the future of New York, and Waters seems genuinely interested. They attempt to set up a date to further discuss their agreements, but Peter happens to notice that Commissioner Drew has received a work call. He uses his new contact lenses to lip-read Drew's side of the conversation, and overhears information about a fatal stabbing downtown. Casually, Peter makes his excuses, and heads out as Spider-Man.

He comes upon a crime scene being overseen by Detective Stacy. Inside the rundown apartment, they find the body of a middle-aged John Doe pinned to the wall in his underwear amid a number of paintings and a mess of painting supplies. The body has been fixed to the wall by several antique throwing knives of professional grade. Each knife has the symbol of an C emblazoned on the handle. Additionally, they discover some tissue under the victim's fingernails. Peter takes a sample to examine on his own. 

Spider-Man happens to catch a whiff of Linseed Oil - a common paint thinner. The smell is stronger than it would be through normal use in an artist's studio, though. Taking Stacy's lit cigar, Spider-Man ignites the oil on the wall, revealing a hidden message in the flames. The message reads: "Peter Parker will DIE tomorrow."

Together, Spider-Man and Stacy come to the conclusion that the victim anticipated his own murder, and further that whoever would find him would find him on this particular day, along with the message. Stacy predicts that whoever is targeting Parker must be close to him in order to bypass his high level of security.

Later, Spider-Man checks the DNA on the sample he collected. He finds that the DNA matches his own!

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Young Avengers #1

In Los Angeles, a quick moving superhero, Speed, interrupts news coverage of a fire in an abandoned mansion. The fire department has the blaze under control, but Speed is adamant that he needs to help. The reporter on scene introduces the 'hero' as Speed a notorious and flamboyant member of many small super-powered vigilante groups.

When he overhears that one of the fire marshals is trapped on a balcony, Speed rushes into the flames to save him. Unfortunately, in his haste, he forgets about back draft, and opening the door to the balcony causes a massive explosion of fire that brings the whole blaze to an uncontrollable peak. The back draft causes an explosion that sends Speed flying back onto the pavement, and a fireball up into the air. Most of the crowd starts yelling at Speed. Fire crew members yell at him to leave.

The newscast continues, and discussion ensues regarding the recent up-cropping of super-powered teens. From his hideout in a Fisk Towers penthouse, former Spider-Clan member Matt Murdock watches the news coverage and worries about the apparent pattern in the disappearances of several of these teen heroes. Thinking back on his own tenure as Daredevil, he wonders what his mentor Spider-Man was thinking when he brought a teen into crime fighting.

Suddenly, Matt senses someone behind him, and turns to find a man in dark glasses and a team of gunmen waiting. Matt, as Daredevil, has been expecting them to come for him. The man suggests that he has been authorized to give Matt clemency if he agrees to use his talents for his employers. In response, Matt warns that he has rigged the building to explode, and when they realize he's not bluffing, everyone struggles to escape. Leaping off his balcony, Daredevil grapples onto the building across from his and swings to safety.

In Malibu, Pre-law student Jennifer Walters drives a stolen car down the Pacific Coast highway. A police officer pulls her over, and she turns on the waterworks, pretending that she's just joyriding in her mother's car. Suddenly, the policeman grips her by the throat and lifts her to her feet. Fortunately, Daredevil appears, knocking the cop unconscious. 

Daredevil says he knows that she is the person the media are calling She-Hulk, and informs her that an organization is after superhuman teens like her. Jennifer denies having any powers, but when a chopper shows up and begins opening fire with machine guns, she turns green and shows her hulk side. 

Angrily, Jennifer transforms into She-Hulk, leaping onto the chopper, and smashing it to pieces until it crashes into the ocean. As she crawls back up, she reminds Daredevil that she doesn't want to be called She-Hulk, and he renews his efforts to get her to join him. 

Elsewhere, the man in glasses demands that Doctor Childs release their experiment: Sentry. 

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Marvel Comics #1

Having newly arrived in New York, this mystery hero had been stopping criminals for the past seventy-two hours straight. The police are puzzled to his existence and how he has solved a years long investigation in the matter of a few days.

Currently, Hyperion gives chase to a gangster in a car across New York City. The gangster, Hammerhead, shoots at Hyperion while swerving around other cars and pedestrians. The bullets bounce off Hyperion as he nears the car’s bumper. Just when Hyperion is about to grab the bumper he is shot at from behind by NYPD. He turns his attention to the police and is met with a large spotlight in the face. The gangster turns the car into the parking lot of an abandoned high rise and runs inside. Hyperion gives chase and flies inside the building. 

 

The two emerge on a balcony and Hyperion threatens to throw him down from the tall building unless he confesses to his crimes. Apparently someone has been caught paying off police officers and moving heroin. Hammerhead scoffs and says that he can’t make him talk. The police surround the building and threaten to shoot Hyperion, in response, he simply dives off of the balcony with Hammerhead in his arms.

Hyperion doesn't hit with Hammerhead. Instead he uses his power of flight to land safely. Hammerhead in his arms, finally confesses his crimes and the police take him into custody. Hyperion turns Hammerhead over to the police.  Despite this, a policeman shoots at Hyperion but he dodges the bullet quickly, then makes his into the air. 

Elsewhere, Senator Kelly worries that this Hyperion who showed up six months ago in New York seems to be getting stronger. He wonders how long it will be before it cannot be stopped. He is accompanied by Wilson Fisk, who he has hired for an an exorbitant consultancy fee in order to capture the hero by 8p.m.

While running across the city Hyperion notices a building full of people in trouble. The building is about to be demolished. Apparently the construction crew doesn't realize. Hyperion flies into the building and helps get as many out as he can. Suddenly, several military tanks appear in the square and trap Hyperion with an electrical net. But he breaks free and uses a wrecking ball to smash into the tank's metal exterior.

Another tank appears and fires on Hyperion, but before the tank can fire again, the people he had rescued help him get back to his feet. Then, in protest, they stand in the way of the tank. The police send remote-controlled helicopters to attack Hyperion, but he flies off faster than the helicopters can follow.

Hyperion arrives at the rooftop of his apartment building and changes into civilian clothes. He ponders for a moment and watches the stars before heading inside. He receives a visit from Mrs. Baxter, his landlady, who asks about his injuries. Mark Milton tells her that he was injured by some drunk dock workers, and they didn't take kindly to him being better looking then they were. Mrs. Baxter demands the rent, and Mark complies, unexpectedly, given that she usually has to deal with the "professionally unemployed." After Mrs. Baxter leaves, Mark calls his friend Ben Urich on his cellphone.

Ben is with Norah Winters, following a lead on the subway. Mark tells him not to get on any train, as they were all sabotaged by Hammerhead and his crew. Norah ignores Mark's warning, knowing that he works for a rival newspaper. Norah and Ben get on the train, trailing a criminal called Maxwell Dillon. Suddenly, the train increases its speed, just as Dillon turns and pulls his guns on the young reporters. Fortunately, Mark receives a message that Norah and Ben ignored his warning, and as Hyperion, he stops the train with his bare hands. The sudden stop allows the passengers to take Dillon down.

With two minutes left until 8PM, Senator Kelly  and Wilson Fisk watch as Hyperion is pinned against a wall by the crashed train. Although Norah is upset that Fisk put his daughter's life at stake, Fisk justifies this by saying that he did manage to deliver Hyperion.

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