THE AUTHORS AND THEIR STORIES

A Better Way - Kareem Miskel

“I’m standing outside Gordon-Jones Penitentiary, better known by its nickname: Power Prison. Here, dozens of superhuman inmates serve sentences great and small for crimes involving their fantastic powers. But that population decreased by one mere minutes ago as Deitrich Sanders was pronounced dead. Mr. Sanders – better known by the moniker Wrath – attained powerful electrical abilities in an experimental attempt to cure a debilitating condition known as Withering Syndrome. The experiment mutated his body and projected him into a world of crime and terror. His illegal exploits would pit him against federal authorities and such superheroes as Spirit Guardian, the Astromancer, and Brightstar. But no hero would run afoul of Wrath’s violent career more than Paragon.”

Alter Ego - Owen Townend

Joe Sixpack began his patrols on high, leaping between rooftops until he observed crime in the city’s side streets and alleyways below. While it had occurred to him that a smart enemy might work out this behaviour pattern and attack him in the heights, he had yet to come across a knife-wielding addict or gang thug who would ever act on such a hunch. It would take someone much more tactically-minded than them, not to mention ballsy.

Best Friends - Jay T. Levy

"I can’t wait to tell Mom,” Chris said, pulling into the driveway. “She’ll be so excited.” 

“Only about half as excited as you,” Lloyd, his father, patted him on the shoulder. “Congratulations again on passing. We practiced a lot, and I’m proud of you. Let’s go show off your license.”

Bitter Pill - C.N. Wheaton

I want you to understand: I never went into it planning to become a villain. 

Sometimes these things just happen.

Do you want to be a superhero? Have you always dreamed of flight or super-strength? If so, then this opportunity is for you! Wanted: participants for long-term clinical trial testing new super pills. Pay is $60 a day, plus room and board.

Captain Power - Zacheriah Tucker

Papa drove the car, while Mama did her crochet in the passenger seat, June’s brother Harry read his comic books in the back of the station wagon, and June herself played dolls with Emily. All of them were wearing their nice clothes, even though it was Saturday and church wasn’t until tomorrow.

Civil Guardian - John Haas

“What are we unloadin’ tonight, Jimmy?” the new kid asked.

Jimmy, lead hand on this late late-night unloading, gave the kid a glare that said, “you shouldn’t be asking questions if you want to do these kinds of jobs.” Then he shook himself and gave a quick laugh. What was the saying? Occupational hazard?

Clap Back - Jon Resnick

"Is there anything else you want me to get from the store today?" Theresa asked from our bed.

"Nah, I'm good," I said, slipping on my shirt. Looking myself over one last time in the mirror, I decided this was about as good as it'd get. "I'd say wait 'til the pharmacy calls and says her meds are ready. Avoid two trips, you know? If I think of anything else, I'll just text y-" I turned around and found quite the sight looking back at me. 

Darklight - Scott Kinkade

“Aroo?” The werewolves gaped at the elevator doors, their noses upturned as they tried to work out the mystery of what lay beyond. Their intelligence in this form could be charitably described as lacking; so, whatever lay behind the doors held the same air of mystery as the edge of the known universe.

Fear of Reprisal: Blood Will have Blood - Michael Joseph Tharnish Roby

Reprisal: Volume Two, Issue Fifteen

He stole from a hospital, snatched life-giving medicine away from mothers and children. That's just today, never mind what he's done before. Never mind the rest of his crimes. Never mind what he's done to you.

Five Gold Rings - Nicholas Samuel Stember

The creatures were in many shapes, some in the form of wild dogs, some as big as lions, or hippos, and there were even some which looked human…in a way…if they weren’t all made up of pure electricity. They crackled and sparked as they rampaged through the city, blowing out windows and destroying vehicles and anything else that got in their path.

Flashback - Violet E. Geary

The burn in my stomach. The sweat running down my body. The feeling of my muscles hardening every time I push myself just that little bit farther. It’s one of the only things that I’ve found that can distract me from everything else that runs through my mind. It helps me stay grounded and focused whenever I start spiraling. So much, in fact, that the gym is almost like my second home; bless Antonio for putting up with me for so long.

Good Intentions - Nicholas Leamy

Standing in front of the building, Chris looked it over with trepidation. It could have been any nondescript government building with its concrete walls and bland rectangular windows. The one thing that set it apart were the statues decorating the roof. Each one depicted a superhero in action. One was of a woman wearing a bow and quiver catching a child from what was implied to have been a large height. Another was an overly large and beefy man in position to suggest they were pushing back a rampaging train or some other powerful calamity. The one closest to the entrance was leaping into the air, their cape billowing out behind them.

Heart of the Storm - J. Patrick Conlon

"Where exactly do you think you're going?"

I turned back, hand resting on the handle of the screen door. "I'm heading into town with Keith."

"Dressed like that?" my mother, Margaret, raised an eyebrow.

"Mom, I'm 19, and this," I gestured to my oversized jeans and crop top. "Covers everything but my belly. I would think you would be happy that I'm wearing a tent instead of those booty shorts everyone else is wearing right now."

Illegals - Jon Negroni

It had been sixteen years since Ignacio Garvey stopped using his real name, and seven since he last set foot on the skybridge between the El Puente district and the Beacon Core. Such a short distance, really, between utter squalor and extravagant power, the beating authorial heart of the entire city. He’d walked the bridge once as a child — hand in hand with his mother — before the Sanctum classified their family as a “high-visibility risk.” That was the phrase stamped across the redacted custody record, alongside “Subject unrecovered.”

INMATE 382A4L - Andrew Leslie

"&%*! off, brat! Your face is making me sick," I shouted at a nearby child while avoiding the clubbing blows of a robotic prison guard.

As she ran off, she spat in my direction and called me a monster.

People in the city of Westwood have bestowed upon me various names throughout the generations, but the only one that's stuck is the one I'm best known for: Lowlife.

Memories of A Demon - Daniel Medrano

The smell of dust and old sweat hit my nose hard as I entered the old building. The years hadn’t been kind, but I do whatever I can to keep it from crumbling over my head; too much history to allow that to happen.

I hit the lights, and that old familiar hum followed. People complain a bit, but I can’t get rid of it. I don’t think I even want to, really. It’s one of those constants I would miss if it were actually gone… Feh. I turn my gaze to the ring in the center of the gym, remembering the old times, and what they led to.

Nobody - Kay Hanifen

To many, I’m the villain of this story. Not because I kill people or create world destroying weapons or extort the city for millions. No, it’s because I have the balls to stand up to the real bad guys. Don’t get me wrong. I have the utmost respect for my colleagues in the Tower of Justice. I’m a card-carrying member and use their facilities at almost every opportunity. They do good work protecting the world from danger. But I live in the homeless encampment off 29th street and I have been there for the past three years. In that time, the encampment had been raided by police at least twice a month, maybe more. At least, it was until I got my powers last year. Then, the people just trying to survive had a chance of fighting back. It’s a lot harder for cops to bully a community when its protector is bulletproof and sets things on fire with her mind.

One Time, One Night - Jacob Jones-Goldstein

The motorcycle roared as Jack tore down the highway at a speed Evel Knieval himself would describe as reckless. The full throated growl of the engine sounded like a rolling wave of thunder to prairie dogs that dotted the desolate Eastern Colorado prairie. 

Pirate Queen of the Bayou - Liam Espinoza-Zemlicka

The only difference between a row of flashbulbs and a firing squad is that when the firing squad is done, they don’t reload for another go at you. Lydia’s father had told her that when he accompanied her to her first red carpet premier, speaking in his capacity as a former actor and a veteran of the Great War. Up until six months ago, Lydia had taken it as gospel, and laughed to herself every time she walked down a red carpet half blind and spent the first reel blinking stars out of her eyes. Now, after six months of putting away hoods and dodging bullets in back alleys, Lydia had come to a startling and irrefutable conclusion.

Ratcatcher versus the Spring Heeled Fiend - David Turnbull

Take a walk across the bridge to the Surrey side of the Thames. This is the north end of Lambeth. The severed stump of London's amputated foot. Hobbled by its abject poverty. This is my world. By day I’m known as Charlie Figgins. I work as a porter on the Necropolis Railway, helping load coffins onto carriages bound for Brookwood Cemetery. By night I have fashioned myself a vigilante. My people have given me the name, Ratcatcher.

Rooftop Interviews with the Man of Might - Steve Gillies

I wasn’t trying to kill myself that night, but I understand how he made that mistake. It was the top of a fifteen-story building, there was no guard rail, and I stood a little too close to the edge. It couldn’t have looked great to a person who could see me up there, alone in the dark. And not that even he would know, but there was a family history (my mother, found in the garage with the car engine running).

Saving the World - Katie Kent

“You’re a weak, pathetic ****.” The girls circle me as my heart races. “It’s no wonder your mom left you."

Despite hearing words like this many times before, it still feels like someone has punched me in my gut. “L.. leave me alone.” My voice is barely a whisper, but it shakes anyway. 

Standing Wave - Kelli Fitzpatrick

I feel the pulse of the star even stronger than the funeral drum that rings over the plain. The surface of Kraylik is so close to its sun, a tiny desolate world raked by radiation. Only the recycling monks and the dead venture here. 

And me.

The priestess, Ganalsa, raises her hand to the sky, dominated by the blue glow
of the white dwarf sun. “We return the bodies of our kind to their source,” she calls. A dozen monks murmur agreement behind her, long silver robes covering black climo-suits. “To become stardust once more.”

The dead lay in a stacked pyramid of ice prisms nearby, thirty-some clear crystal cocoons holding humans who chose as their last act to recycle their flesh as fuel for a slowly dying sun.

The Ballad of Cornman - Colin Anderson

They were disgusting, yes, but the locusts were not dangerous. At least, not to people. Crops? That’s a different story. Having arrived nearly three weeks ago, the locusts consumed nearly all the vegetation in a hundred mile radius of town. While chaotic and concerning, the invasion hasn’t caused significant panic yet. A rationing decree was enforced two weeks ago as a precautionary measure. Folks were hungry, but they were still eating. Trade has slowed down, largely due to merchants not wanting to brave the swarms. In the worst case scenario, food reserves would still last at least six or seven months.

The Cult of the Black Hole - David Boyce

The cosmos stretched infinite—nebulae swirled in hues of violet and gold, and stars shimmered like ancient sentinels. Yet, in the void between these celestial wonders, a fierce war raged.

A fleet of sleek, silver-hulled vessels—the warships of the Zulliens—formed a defensive perimeter around their homeworld, Zullia Prime. Their engines burned bright against the darkness, and their shields flickered beneath a relentless assault.

The Fading Storm - Fred Phillips

“They based a comic book on me,” the old man said wearily as the pool of water from his overturned cup spread across the bedside table. “Only I didn’t need that silly amulet they gave him. Now, I’m reduced to this.”

“It’s OK, Papa.” His teenage granddaughter grabbed the nearby towel to mop up the spill.

The Knight of Endless Augusts - Eric Dellinger 

The onslaught of punches from dozens of duplicated hands would have been easier for Knuckle-Down to ignore were it not for the sweltering summer heat. Ceremonies honoring the members of the Quintet Triumphant for their latest heroic deeds were a frequent enough occurrence that she wasn’t particularly enthused about today’s celebration to begin with. Compounded by the mayor of Cobalt Cove, who Knuckle-Down considered a bit of an abrasive nincompoop on the best of days, choosing to hold the event outdoors at the height of an August heatwave. Further compounded by her teammate Silver Sprint, increasingly indulging in abrasive nincompoopery following his recent election to team leader, insisting on all five team members being present for the event, regardless of their physical condition. Despite her healing abilities being almost as heightened as her physical strength, Knuckle-Down was still reeling from a clash with the Cataclysm Legion a mere two days prior. Historically, averting universe-ending crises warranted a bonus day or two of paid time off. It seemed this was no longer a given under Silver Sprint’s stewardship.

The Real Life Adventures of Awesome Girl - Gregg Chamberlain

“You’re gonna hurt. You’re gonna hurt so bad.”

Darryl Slaney smiled an ugly smile. Known as “Big D” to his friends—who were few—and “Darryl the Bully” to those who feared him—who were many—big Darryl Slaney grinned like a gleeful ghoul at the cringing little boy in front of him.

To Fly or Not to Fly? - Grigory Lukin

Lady Luck did a barrel roll right over our heads as we soaked up the warm September sun on the school's front steps.

"She. Is. So. Cool," Mike said as he stared in the direction she flew off.

"Yeah, well, anyone would be cool if they could fly," Sarah said, rolling her eyes.

"Not anyone," I cut in. "Do you remember Pterodactyl Pete?"

Too Invincible - Michael Penncavage

He looked up at the x-ray. “Are you certain?”

The doctor took her pencil and pointed to the dark spot between the two ribs. Placing two additional x-rays onto the overhead light, she pointed to similar areas. “We took three just in case there was a mistake.”

Uncle Sam’s Angels - Eric Remington 

Captain Justice spun in the air and dove out of the way of yet another plasma bolt. This one came close enough to singe the cloth of his sleeve. He added an extra spin into his turn and reversed direction hard as his red-white-and-blue cape fluttered behind him. The trooper pursuing flew past, unable to match Captain Justice’s maneuverability. A flare of energy surrounded Captain Justice’s hand as it tore through the trooper’s jetpack. The trooper frantically tried to correct the incipient spin before dropping his pack and activating his parachute.

Villain Emeritus - Ross Tuohy 

The warm lilting notes of Bach’s Cello suite no.1 in G Major drifted through the palatial dining room. Doctor Stephen Werner pulled a chair from beneath the huge black oak table and eased his wife down into the seat. She wore an emerald green dress that flowed over her pale shoulders and down to the floor; the material bunched around her pronounced baby bump. An intricate plate of her long black hair hung down the centre of her back with a huge crystal hair clip in the shape of a butterfly at the bottom.

Villainy is for Losers - Paul Popiel

Erich and Ferez were jogging when The Nice Guy landed gracefully in front of them. He looked smaller than when Erich had seen him as a kid, but bigger than he looked on TV. Whether he’d changed or not, his uniform design was the same, though the colors varied. This time his muscle-shirt was gold, emblazoned with the Stellar Humanoids United logo. Today his tights were neon green.

Walk Through Fire - Marlaina Cockcroft

Fireflower had nearly burned her way through the vault’s wall to rescue the hostages when her phone buzzed. She mouthed curses and kept her hands steady, directing the flame. The school always called while she was at work. 

And this was the volunteer job. The school called her at the marketing firm all the time, too. 

What The Gargoyle Knew - Brian Gibson

Michael Travers, aka “The Apparition,” crouched atop the county courthouse, his gaze fixed on the bell tower of the Saint James Episcopal Church across the street. This late at night, the pairs of empty arches that pierced each face of the square-sided structure, just below the peaked roof, were shrouded in nearly impenetrable darkness. Nonetheless, he could sense, with crystal clarity, that nothing moved within the bell chamber the shadows concealed.

When We Could Still Fly - Paulie Wenger 

George Reeves's suit fit just fine. Sure, it itched and smelled faintly of mothballs on a hot summer day, but that didn’t matter much to Clyde Mercer as he slipped it on. He liked to tell himself he wasn’t sentimental. Hell, you couldn’t afford to be when your life revolved around buying and selling other people’s treasures. But the suit…the suit was different.



X-TREME GENES NEPTUNALIA SPECIAL #1: “WATERED DOWN” (JULY 1997) - Jude Deluca

BREAKDOWN: In 1993, a group of five college students accompanied their history professor on an archaeological dig within the ancient Egyptian pyramids and discovered a nest of hyper-intelligent aliens. The aliens unlocked hidden abilities within the five students’ DNA, granting them powers beyond mortal man. VANITY, UMBRIEL, CHINDI, HOURGLASS, and WIPEOUT have XTREME GENES, and they’re gonna use them to kick some XTREME BUTT!