Legends of Superman #4

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Legends of Superman #4
Bloodsport
Part 1:
Supermen?

Written and Edited by Daniel Dyer

He’s been working for days, alone, in his private workshop within Lexcorp Tower. He doesn’t trust any other with this knowledge, or with this task. John Henry Irons has made a lot of bad choices in his life. He believes himself doing a work of redemption now, with his latest creation. Days ago, he was told by the alien A.I. known as Brainiac of the threat this world has dubbed “Superman.” He now believes this strange visitor from another planet was, in fact, responsible for his own planet’s destruction. Brainiac has given John the means to destroy Kal-El.

“Believe me, Daniel,” Luthor says, speaking into his cell phone as he comes down the stairs into John’s workshop. “Vertigo is very good at what he does. Yes, yes. Your shipment will be there before you know it. A pleasure doing business with you,” hanging up the phone, “you stonefaced, hood. I tell you, John, he was a low level street punk only a year ago. Now, he thinks he owns Star City.”

“Was there something you wanted, Mr. Luthor?”

“Just to check your progress with the arm cannon. Is it nearly completed?”

“It’ll be done in a few days, ready for testing.” John stops working, raising up his protective faceplate, noticing Lex still standing in his lab. “Anything else?”

“Only, I’m not sure I know what good this will do against the alien. Is there something you’re keeping from me, Irons?”

John puts his faceplate back down, and just gets back to work.

“Very well, Mr. Irons. But I would like to introduce you to the man who will operate the arm cannon. Karnowsky,” Lex calls.

In walks a strong, yet shaggy looking man, one arm missing.

“He lost his arm in a shoot out.”

John tenses when he thinks of who the shoot out was with. More recently, Irons has been having doubts with the life he has chosen. He started out wanting to give his family a better life. But would his family approve of how he gives them this “better life”? He knows the answer to that question, hence his need for redemption. He believes this weapon will indeed redeem himself. Or, he just wants to believe it.

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

"We have the place surrounded. You have no chance,” says an attractive young blonde woman through a loudspeaker. She is the lead officer on the scene, where a botched robbery at a convenience store has taken place. The man inside has two clerks held hostage at gun point.

“Forget it! Give me a way out or I shoot one of the hostages!”

As she’s about to speak again, Superman descends, almost floating to the ground right behind the Lieutenant. “Can I offer my assistance?”

“S... Superman? Under normal circumstances, this would be an honor.”

“Understood, Lieutenant...”

“Sawyer. Maggie Sawyer," the Lieutenant says as she stares up at the magnificent Metropolis Marvel. Even she seems overcome by his presence. She quickly gets herself together. ”It’s a hostage situation. Two clerks, one gunman.”

“May I?” Superman asks, gesturing to the microphone.

“If you think you can help,” giving the Man of Steel the microphone.

“Sir, this is Superman.”

“No. Get him out of here, cops. I swear, if he gets close a bullet gets lodged in this guys head.”

“Then you’ve heard of me. But I just want to talk. You’ve heard about my abilities, right?” inquires Superman.

“Y-y-y-yeah,” stutters the gunman. “You ain’t human!”

“...Correct. I’m stronger than human. But I’m also faster than humans.”

“I doubt you could outrun a bullet at point blank range, hero!”

“You might be right about that. But really, I only have to outrun your finger. Do you really think you can pull the trigger fast enough.”

Silence.

“Sir?” He looks back at Maggie, then looks to the store, scanning the building with X-ray vision. “He’s... unconscious?”

“What?”

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

"You didn’t see what happened in there?” asks Maggie as the gunman is put in the back of a police car.

“No, I wasn’t using my X-ray vision until he didn’t answer. The clerks said they didn’t see what happened?”

“Well, they said there was a blur. A blue and red blur,” Maggie tells him. “You wouldn’t happen to have a brother into borrowing your clothes, would you?”

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Alex Trent was a low income white guy. He’s also a racist. “Damn that black bastard,” Trent says as he throws down a Daily Planet. He was reading an article regarding Lexcorp’s new military contracts. “Irons. He didn’t deserve the job at Lexcorp. Damn affirmative action,” Trent rants as he leaves his house, heading towards his shed. “I was up for that job. But I was passed over for... that thing.”

Going into the shed, he turns on the lights, revealing several dozens upon dozens of armaments. It appears he has stockpiled enough weapons to supply an army. It appears that way, but no, he’s not supplying an army... or even a militia of some kind. No, he plans to use these himself. He’s making himself out to be a one man militia.

“You’re gonna loose, Irons,” picking up a jacket from the back of a chair. “This time, you’re gonna loose.”

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

"You were on scene, Kent?” Perry asks Clark as they sit in Perry’s office.

“I was there. Superman was as clueless as the rest of us,” Clark admits.

“Are you thinking a copycat, Kent? Someone trying to emulate our newest guardian?" Perry suggests as he remembers Superman not being the first hero to grace Metropolis. The golden Guardian, during World War II. But that was long ago.

“A copycat with the power to back it up, Perry. The hostages only saw a blur.”

“Interesting. Maybe Superman isn’t as alone as he or we think.”

Could he be from my home planet? Is it possible? But Clark quickly shakes those thoughts out of his head as he stands. “I’ll look into it, Chief.”

Just then, Jimmy runs in. “Mr. White! There’s an attack at Lexcorp! Some weird guy in white spandex.” And before Perry opens his mouth, Jim announces, “Lois is already on her way.”

“Good, good. Kent, get to work on this ‘Supermen’ story.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Supermen?” Jimmy says in confusion.

***

[Spider-Man Beyond]

"Where is that black son of a bitch?! Irons, I’m here for you!” announces a bulky man, wearing white spandex, with the jacket Trent had earlier, as he totes two rather large guns. “Bloodsport’s come a callin’, you--” But before Bloodsport finishes, he’s cut off.

“Right here,” says John Henry, wearing a kind of blueish body armor. I guess, this is as good a chance as any to test the armor for Karnowsky. Wish the arm cannon was ready. It may be designed for Superman, but it’d work on this pig as good as anyone. “Do I know you?”

“We met, alright.” Bloodsport then fires, hitting John square in the breastplate of the armor.

“Ugh!” screams John as he goes flying backward, hitting a wall, hard. Damn. I felt that. At least I think there’s no injuries. Shakingly, John stands to his feet.

“Back for more, scum? You boys don’t know when to quit, do you?”

“Wh... who are you?” John stutters.

“Your better,” Bloodsport says as he walks up to John, kicking him in the face, knocking him back to the ground, and aiming a gun right at John’s head.

“Excuse me. Is there a problem here?”

Bloodsport turns, looking back, seeing Superman hovering, arms crossed.

“Superman. Lucky for me, I came prepared,” flinging his empty hand out towards Big Blue, and suddenly a grenade materializes in Superman’s face. The distraction sends Supes crashing to the ground.

Getting to his feet. Just stunned me. And he looks around, not seeing Bloodsport anywhere.

In storms Lex. “Just what did you do, alien?”

“Excuse me, Mr. Luthor?” asks Superman.

John gets to his feet again. “Relax, he was doing his... civic duty.”

“And where is this hoodlum who attacked my empl...?”

“Can I offer my assistance?”

Hearing this the three all turn their heads to see a young boy, seemingly 15 years of age, holding Bloodsport by his jacket. The boy’s the spitting image of Superman, right down to his costume and his hover.

Superman, not knowing what else to say, just asks, “Who are...?”

“Superboy... naturally.”

To be continued...