Fantomah Calling: Day 2

2.

In a dingy apartment in Drama Bay, California, a man named Mike Boxx,
removes his hockey gear and uniform. Mike has not played the game in five
years.

Not since an injury ended his hockey career before it started. He was at an open
tryout for the Drama Bay Dramatics, when his left skate broke and every ligament in
his left knee was torn.

He rehabbed the knee for months and when he was fully recovered, he realized
he was not nearly fast enough to play professional hockey.

He tried out for local semi pro teams and it was the same story. Nobody could hit
a puck harder, but his speed held him back.

He kept thinking about the broken skate. He saw it was made by Hunt Sporting
Goods. It was after he lost his job at the Gas Station that he snapped.

He lost every thing he cared about. His job, his dream and he kept thinking about
Hunt Sporting Goods. One day he read a story in the paper about Rob Hunt . Jr inheriting his family business.

Boxx boiled with rage at the idea this punk would be handed his dream, while he
starves.

One night he took his hockey stick to the Hunt Sporting Goods in Drama Bay.

He hit rocks into the windows, until security got there.

He bashed their heads in with his stick and even took a few cops down. Then
some guy dressed like the Arrow turned up. He knocked him silly with a boxing
glove arrow and he was arrested.

Boxx sat in jail until he was bailed out by a guy who looked like a old time
football coach.

Boxx shook the old guys hand and noticed he had an unusually strong grip. He
explained, that he was a talent scout.

Boxx assumed he meant hockey, but when they arrived at the old warehouse, he realized he was a different type of scout.

He went inside and saw men in yellow/red gym uniforms training. Training in hand to hand
combat, in marksman ship, even in car repair.

Finally the old man introduced himself as "The Trainer". Said he was an old
super hero known as "Varsity Valiant". He refused to explain where he got his
powers, but said he saw potential in Boxx.

He was trainingBoxx to be one of those faceless goons who work for nuts like
Dr.Mindfunk and fight The Liberty Corps.

But a funny thing happened when Mike was training. He proved to be too good to
simply be a thug. Soon Trainer sent him to his Academy of Assassination Arts.

He was in training to be a super villain. He shared a room with the Brawler
Brothers, Billiard and Base.

Near the end of his training, he was sent to meet the Gimmick Guru. Guru
provides costumes and weapons to recent graduates. Boxx decided he wanted to
be "High Stick" and use his skills to destroy Rob Hunt.

But that was a long time ago. Tonight he was suppose to finish off Arrowmatic.

That did not happen, the skull lady cleaned his clock. High Stick did manage to
escape, but he needs a way to even the odds.

Just as he thinks that, he is teleported from his bedroom to something that looks
like the Enterprise on Star Trek. He sees tall aliens with yellow skin and five red
eyes.

His first instinct is to fight, he tries to tackle one of the aliens and is slammed to
the ground.

Out of the shadows comes a familiar face. It's Crime King, one of the top super
villains in the world. He is wearing some type of armor, he recognizes his face
thru the visor.

"Calm down Mr.Boxx, we are about to make you a powerful man.


****

The Blue Recluse has been having nightmares for weeks now. He goes back to
the football field at Middle Deal High School. Seeing the strange device that
crashed into the visitors end zone.

He was only Rick Patrick then. A thirty two year old janitor. At the
time he thought he would never amount to anything, that life had passed him by.

He runs over to inspect whatever had crashed in the field. What he saw
resembled an advanced computer. He wrapped his hand in a rag to touch it. His
touch activated it and soon wires grabbed his arm and dug in.

He felt like he was being burned alive and then the scene changes. He is in his
Blue Recluse costume on the roof of the Bulletin building. His old enemy Crime
King is in a suit of armor. King grabs one of his spider legs and rips it off.

The pain was unbearable and his arm grows back. Crime King is smiling and he
tears it off again. His teammates Gold Sama, Micro and Old Blur are standing
around having idle conversation, as he is tortured by Crime King.

Just as Crime King is about to rip his arm off once again, he is saved. A ball of
energy takes the form of a woman, or is it a man. It is so difficult to tell.

She walks over and plunges her fist into Crime King's chest and offers it to the
Blue Recluse for nourishment.

She mouths a single word.

"Fantomah...."

The Recluse wakes up and leaps out the window. It is time to hunt.