Hero Kid Part 1: Re-release

This is the Re-release of Captain Hero Pt. 1. in this edition, I added a few ideas that I considered but ultimately cut out of the original post. This is one of the items I will be submitting to D.C. comics as part of a writing sample. Enjoy the extentions and may the odds ever be in your favor.

Part 3 will be coming soon. I am just about finished with the new addition and I will upload it soon.

                Captain Hero. The greatest superhero that the world has known. Ever. Period. The guy was idolized by everyone. Parents liked him because he was a “good and clean role model” for the growing generation, boys liked him because he made stuff blow up, and girls liked him for his looks. Of course captain hero was a pretty good PR guy as well. He liked to make appearances at comic cons, lead parades, and even tried running for governor once. He won the popular vote but because “Captain Hero” wasn’t a registered citizen the government decided that he wasn’t allowed to win, but that didn’t stop his opposing candidate from putting Captain Hero on his staff. Everybody loved Captain Hero. But somehow all of them seemed to have forgotten me.

                My name is Hero kid- or Jim Tanner as my friends know me. I’m Captain Hero’s side kick. Now you would think that being side kick to the greatest superhero ever would have some pretty great perks. Not so. For instance: there was the time Dr. Evilguy created the anti-death ray that created a whole bunch of zombies. The zombies ran amok in the city, causing terror among the citizens. What stopped them? The freeze sword that I created. Who got the credit for the save? Captain Hero. Now I used to not care so much about whether or not I got some of the fame and glory, but here’s the problem: I love the superhero business and I would love to continue on, but I can’t be hero kid forever. No one can. But hey, I’m 17 and my birthday is coming up soon. Once 18 happens, I’m gonna move and fight crime myself. This upcoming year is going to be great.

                December 13th

                Hero Hall is where Captain Hero and I hang our capes (so to speak). Captain says that one of the most important things about superhero-ing is that the people have to trust you, so our hide out is in the middle of the city, but the biggest part of it is about 4 stories down under the sewer. This is where all the interesting stuff is. The Presidor’s rocket gun, Underwelmer’s depression ray, Discoman’s sound altering robot suit, all of it. Everything any enthusiast and fan would want to see in their life time. Then there is the darker corner. Captain won’t let me into this place. He says it’s the hot water heater and maintenance stuff, but I don’t know if I believe him. I watched him go into the back room and that’s when the alarm went off. Captain ran back from the back room.

                “what is it kid?”

                “I don’t know! The alarm just started! I haven’t had time to look at the computer yet! It’s on the other side of the base!”

                “Kid, if you’re ever going to get on your own you need to learn to keep on top of the small things!” he yells at me like that a lot when he’s stressed. But I think I can understand that. He works hard.

                We turn on the screen and we see a flying saucer above the city. Beams of light are being shot down to the ground. Immediately Captain Hero and I hop into the flying hero car and fly to the rescue.

                Captain makes me read a lot of science books for research. Have you read War of the Worlds? In the book it describes alien ships as saucers with 3 long tentacles to move them around. That’s what this thing was, except the tentacles were made of a strange, twisting light. The weird thing was that the light beams danced across the rooftops and the street below like they were the arms of an octopus. Light isn’t supposed to work like that. Then again, I am working with a super hero. What part of my life really is believable?

                “Alright kid, get as close to the under belly of the saucer as you can. I’m going to try and get inside it.”

                “Roger that captain!”

                I moved the car towards the under carriage of the saucer. My plan was to take it directly through the light beam but as I took the car under it the light pushed down on the hood of the car sending us in a forward flip down towards the city below.

                “WHAT ARE YOU DOING KID?” screamed captain as he grabbed the controls from me. Captain pulled up on the wheel in vain hope that the car would correct itself. I looked around to see what I could do. I went to the back of the car, hammer hit the trunk with my fists and that controlled the car just enough for Captain to stabilize her.

                “Ok, I’ll drive us up there and break into the ship. You just keep her level while I hop in and take out the criminals.”

                “Fine”. Captain rolled his eyes at me. I hate when he does that. I would think after this many years of working together I would earn a little trust and leeway from the guy.

                I sat in the car and waited for the captain when I heard lots of punching sounds and then the ship goes careening down into the street. Three aliens pop out of the ship and the captain attacks. That’s when things got interesting. The three aliens then morphed shape! Giant hammers of alien flesh smashed towards Captain Hero but the Captain was too fast for them! He dodge, he jumped, and he kept on hitting! The problem was so were the aliens, and there were three of them.

                I knew I was forbidden to do this, but I opened up the weapons dashboard and controls on the car. Found the freeze pellets and shot a streamline into the ground, separating Captain Hero from the aliens. I then hit the aliens and froze them in their tracks.

                “Looks like this case has just turned cold!” I’ve been working on my superhero puns.

                Captain Hero looked sternly at me. I was SO going to get it when he got back to base, but first he had to talk to the adoring public. I picked up the aliens in the tractor beam in the car and flew but as I did, I hear a reporter ask The Captain a question.

“Captain Hero! You were able to take down the aliens with record time…

                “Oh, all in a day’s work I suppose” said the Captain. Pridefully I might add.

                “I was going to say, it seemed like your side kick Hero Kid did most of the work there. How do you feel about that?”

                I just had to smile when she said that….

                Back at the base, I was waiting for Captain Hero to get back from the press.

                “Well I hope your proud of yourself kid” grumbled Captain. I was in for it I could tell.

                “Hey, we got rid of the bad guys. Right?” I asked. Hoping to point out the positive.

                “Your careless driving and un-orthodox solutions to problems risked DOZENS OF LIVES!” Said Captain, his voice growing louder and meaner with every word.

                “But it didn’t. Everyone lived. We are OK.”

                “And your meaningless efforts to hit them down with the car’s weapons put us back hundreds in ammunition costs”

                “Meaningless? THAT’S WHAT STOPPED THE BAD GUYS! NO THANKS TO YOUR WRECKLESS AND IMPULSIVE ACTION!”

                Captain Hero’s brow furrowed even further.

                “You don’t get to say things like that”. Quietly growled the captain. “You are in this house, you will abide by my rules. You were wreckless”. The captains shaking fist lashed out and smashed into the keyboard on the computer module. A small moment of silence ensued.

                “leave.” Was the only thing Captain could say?

                “Fine. I don’t wanna be here anyway”. I picked up my stuff and walked out.