Links
More superhero-related reading
Details
-
I've just found out that there's a wrestling move called 'Sliced Bread #2'. How embarrassing. Anyway, that's not where the title of this journal comes from. I thought it up when I was in high school and always wanted to use it for something.
Thanks to blogger.com for the hosting and the template. Content is copyright Dennis Relser (M. Elmslie) 2004-05.
Click here for e-mail.
Archives
- Tuesday, March 16, 2004
- Thursday, March 18, 2004
- Saturday, March 20, 2004
- Sunday, March 21, 2004
- Monday, March 22, 2004
- Wednesday, March 24, 2004
- Thursday, March 25, 2004
- Friday, March 26, 2004
- Saturday, March 27, 2004
- Tuesday, March 30, 2004
- Wednesday, March 31, 2004
- Thursday, April 01, 2004
- Saturday, April 03, 2004
- Monday, April 05, 2004
- Wednesday, April 07, 2004
- Thursday, April 08, 2004
- Friday, April 09, 2004
- Saturday, April 10, 2004
- Sunday, April 11, 2004
- Tuesday, April 13, 2004
- Wednesday, April 14, 2004
- Thursday, April 15, 2004
- Friday, April 16, 2004
- Sunday, April 18, 2004
- Monday, April 19, 2004
- Wednesday, April 21, 2004
- Thursday, April 22, 2004
- Sunday, April 25, 2004
- Tuesday, April 27, 2004
- Wednesday, April 28, 2004
- Thursday, April 29, 2004
- Monday, May 03, 2004
- Wednesday, May 05, 2004
- Thursday, May 06, 2004
- Friday, May 07, 2004
- Sunday, May 09, 2004
- Monday, May 10, 2004
- Tuesday, May 11, 2004
- Wednesday, May 12, 2004
- Saturday, May 15, 2004
- Sunday, May 16, 2004
- Tuesday, May 18, 2004
- Saturday, May 22, 2004
- Wednesday, May 26, 2004
- Friday, May 28, 2004
- Monday, May 31, 2004
- Wednesday, June 02, 2004
- Saturday, June 05, 2004
- Monday, June 07, 2004
- Tuesday, June 08, 2004
- Wednesday, June 09, 2004
- Thursday, June 10, 2004
- Saturday, June 12, 2004
- Monday, June 14, 2004
- Tuesday, June 15, 2004
- Wednesday, June 16, 2004
- Thursday, June 17, 2004
- Monday, June 21, 2004
- Tuesday, June 22, 2004
- Thursday, June 24, 2004
- Friday, June 25, 2004
- Sunday, June 27, 2004
- Wednesday, June 30, 2004
- Friday, July 02, 2004
- Saturday, July 03, 2004
- Monday, July 05, 2004
- Thursday, July 08, 2004
- Saturday, July 10, 2004
- Monday, July 12, 2004
- Tuesday, July 13, 2004
- Wednesday, July 14, 2004
- Thursday, July 15, 2004
- Saturday, July 17, 2004
- Monday, July 19, 2004
- Tuesday, July 20, 2004
- Wednesday, July 21, 2004
- Saturday, July 24, 2004
- Sunday, July 25, 2004
- Tuesday, July 27, 2004
- Wednesday, July 28, 2004
- Friday, July 30, 2004
- Monday, August 02, 2004
- Tuesday, August 03, 2004
- Wednesday, August 04, 2004
- Friday, August 06, 2004
- Monday, August 09, 2004
- Tuesday, August 10, 2004
- Wednesday, August 11, 2004
- Friday, August 13, 2004
- Saturday, August 21, 2004
- Tuesday, August 31, 2004
- Wednesday, September 01, 2004
- Thursday, September 02, 2004
- Sunday, September 05, 2004
- Wednesday, September 08, 2004
- Thursday, September 09, 2004
- Monday, September 13, 2004
- Tuesday, September 14, 2004
- Thursday, September 16, 2004
- Saturday, September 18, 2004
- Monday, September 20, 2004
- Tuesday, September 21, 2004
- Friday, September 24, 2004
- Monday, September 27, 2004
- Tuesday, September 28, 2004
- Thursday, September 30, 2004
- Sunday, October 03, 2004
- Monday, October 04, 2004
- Tuesday, October 05, 2004
- Wednesday, October 06, 2004
- Friday, October 08, 2004
- Monday, October 11, 2004
- Wednesday, October 13, 2004
- Saturday, October 16, 2004
- Monday, October 18, 2004
- Wednesday, October 20, 2004
- Thursday, October 21, 2004
- Saturday, October 23, 2004
- Monday, October 25, 2004
- Tuesday, October 26, 2004
- Friday, October 29, 2004
- Sunday, October 31, 2004
- Monday, November 01, 2004
- Tuesday, November 02, 2004
- Thursday, November 04, 2004
- Friday, November 05, 2004
- Sunday, November 07, 2004
- Monday, November 08, 2004
- Tuesday, November 09, 2004
- Thursday, November 11, 2004
- Friday, November 12, 2004
- Monday, November 15, 2004
- Wednesday, November 17, 2004
- Thursday, November 18, 2004
- Friday, November 19, 2004
- Monday, November 22, 2004
- Tuesday, November 23, 2004
- Saturday, November 27, 2004
- Monday, November 29, 2004
- Tuesday, November 30, 2004
- Monday, December 06, 2004
- Wednesday, December 08, 2004
- Friday, December 10, 2004
- Monday, December 13, 2004
- Friday, December 17, 2004
- Sunday, December 19, 2004
- Monday, December 20, 2004
- Thursday, December 23, 2004
- Friday, December 24, 2004
- Tuesday, December 28, 2004
- Friday, December 31, 2004
- Tuesday, January 04, 2005
- Wednesday, January 05, 2005
- Saturday, January 08, 2005
- Sunday, January 09, 2005
- Monday, January 10, 2005
- Tuesday, January 11, 2005
- Thursday, January 13, 2005
- Friday, January 14, 2005
- Sunday, January 16, 2005
- Monday, January 17, 2005
- Tuesday, January 18, 2005
- Friday, January 21, 2005
- Sunday, January 23, 2005
- Wednesday, January 26, 2005
- Saturday, January 29, 2005
- Monday, January 31, 2005
- Tuesday, February 01, 2005
- Wednesday, February 02, 2005
- Sunday, February 06, 2005
- Monday, February 07, 2005
- Tuesday, February 08, 2005
- Wednesday, February 09, 2005
- Thursday, February 10, 2005
- Friday, February 11, 2005
- Sunday, February 13, 2005
- Monday, February 14, 2005
- Tuesday, February 15, 2005
- Thursday, February 17, 2005
- Friday, February 18, 2005
- Saturday, February 19, 2005
- Sunday, February 20, 2005
- Monday, February 21, 2005
- Tuesday, February 22, 2005
- Wednesday, February 23, 2005
- Thursday, February 24, 2005
- Sunday, February 27, 2005
- Monday, February 28, 2005
- Tuesday, March 01, 2005
- Friday, March 04, 2005
- Saturday, March 05, 2005
- Sunday, March 06, 2005
- Monday, March 07, 2005
- Thursday, March 10, 2005
- Sunday, March 13, 2005
- Wednesday, March 16, 2005
- Friday, March 18, 2005
- Sunday, March 20, 2005
- Tuesday, March 22, 2005
- Wednesday, March 23, 2005
- Sunday, March 27, 2005
- Tuesday, March 29, 2005
- Friday, April 01, 2005
- Sunday, April 03, 2005
- Tuesday, April 05, 2005
- Wednesday, April 06, 2005
- Thursday, April 07, 2005
- Monday, April 18, 2005
- Tuesday, April 19, 2005
- Wednesday, April 20, 2005
- Thursday, April 21, 2005
- Sunday, April 24, 2005
- Monday, April 25, 2005
- Tuesday, April 26, 2005
- Thursday, April 28, 2005
- Sunday, May 01, 2005
- Monday, May 02, 2005
- Wednesday, May 04, 2005
- Thursday, May 05, 2005
- Sunday, May 08, 2005
- Monday, May 09, 2005
- Tuesday, May 10, 2005
- Thursday, May 12, 2005
- Sunday, May 15, 2005
- Monday, May 16, 2005
- Tuesday, May 17, 2005
- Thursday, May 19, 2005
- Sunday, May 22, 2005
- Monday, May 23, 2005
- Tuesday, May 24, 2005
- Thursday, May 26, 2005
- Sunday, May 29, 2005
- Monday, May 30, 2005
- Tuesday, May 31, 2005
- Thursday, June 02, 2005
- Sunday, June 05, 2005
- Monday, June 06, 2005
- Wednesday, June 08, 2005
- Friday, June 10, 2005
- Sunday, June 12, 2005
- Monday, June 13, 2005
- Tuesday, June 14, 2005
- Thursday, June 16, 2005
- Monday, June 20, 2005
- Wednesday, June 22, 2005
- Thursday, June 23, 2005
- Saturday, June 25, 2005
- Monday, June 27, 2005
- Wednesday, June 29, 2005
- Thursday, June 30, 2005
- Sunday, July 03, 2005
- Monday, July 04, 2005
- Tuesday, July 05, 2005
- Friday, July 08, 2005
- Monday, July 11, 2005
- Tuesday, July 12, 2005
- Friday, July 15, 2005
- Sunday, July 17, 2005
- Monday, July 18, 2005
- Wednesday, July 20, 2005
- Thursday, July 21, 2005
- Sunday, July 24, 2005
- Monday, July 25, 2005
- Wednesday, July 27, 2005
- Monday, August 15, 2005
- Wednesday, August 17, 2005
- Thursday, August 18, 2005
- Sunday, August 21, 2005
- Monday, August 22, 2005
- Tuesday, August 23, 2005
- Friday, August 26, 2005
- Monday, August 29, 2005
- Tuesday, August 30, 2005
- Monday, February 21, 2011
- Saturday, April 08, 2023
Truth. Justice. Minesweeper.
Sunday, May 16, 2004
The important parts of my momentous conversation with Greyghost:
"First thing. Who's this trying to kill me?"
"The short answer to your question is Underhand."
"What?"
"The long answer. Empire City has always had an extensive criminal underworld. Many competing organizations lived in shifting equilibrium with each other. Then, in the late 1980s, the appearance of super-powered criminals destroyed that balance. One man was able to take control of the situation. He assembled his own roster of super-powered criminals and methodically drove out all others who had power.
"First he assassinated Tobias Whale and Billy Ring. Then he settled down for a long war against the others. He had Luther Mahoney jailed. Joe Broz and Chairface Chippendale left town. He forced Arnold Zeck to surrender and bought off Chodo Contague. Finally, five years ago, he ran Kien Phuc to the ground and killed him. Now he is the only authority over crime in Empire City, and his influence extends elsewhere on the East Coast as well.
"I am trying to catch him at it."
"Who is he?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know? You just gave me his life story. Who is he?"
"Nobody knows who he is. His lieutenants refer to him as Underhand."
"'Underhand', for God's sake. What is with you guys? Why can't he call himself 'George'?"
"As I say, I've been trying to find out who he is. It has proven to be both difficult and dangerous. So Cruickshank and I have developed a plan to draw him out. We've invented a man, Dieter Solarin, a Bardician weapons dealer, and we're going to use this identity to threaten Underhand's financial interests. Your trip to the bank was preliminary to this process."
"And this guy's guys" [I refused to call him 'Underhand'] "are already checking out Solarin, and found out about John Caruthers from somewhere, and are trying to track him down."
"Yes."
"And?"
"If they look long enough, eventually they'll find you. It's more likely that they'll lose interest. I plan to give them more urgent things to worry about."
"I don't just want to rely on that. I'd rather, you know, do something."
"Yes. Unfortunately I have no advice for you. Short of living in this office around the clock, there isn't anything that will keep you safe. Your best defense is anonymity, and that's beyond our control."
"So I should just trust you."
"You mean, as I'm trusting you? Yes, but more than that: you should help me."
That was a nasty thing to say. Not only did it imply that these guys, whoever they were, might want to try torturing Greyghost's secret identity out of me, and that it was up to me to resist it, but also that I had signed up for a war against all the crooks in Empire City without noticing it. For months I had felt like the guy who just feeds the fish and drives the car, while my boss was out doing something that didn't affect me. I liked it better that way.
"Where's Bardicia?"
"Mm? Oh. It's in the Balkans, between Anatruria and Tsergovia. They've been fighting for their independence for centuries now but they'll never get it."
"And this Dieter Solarin stuff fits into your plan how exactly?"
"You'd do better to ask Cruickshank. He's much more conversant with the finer details than I am. Essentially, I'm trying to do two things: cripple Underhand's organization financially, and provoke him into some kind of action that will expose him. You should read the Underhand file; it's in the cabinets under 'Building Insurance--Grant Street'."
Sneaky. "All right, I will. Now, the next thing. Vacation time..."
"First thing. Who's this trying to kill me?"
"The short answer to your question is Underhand."
"What?"
"The long answer. Empire City has always had an extensive criminal underworld. Many competing organizations lived in shifting equilibrium with each other. Then, in the late 1980s, the appearance of super-powered criminals destroyed that balance. One man was able to take control of the situation. He assembled his own roster of super-powered criminals and methodically drove out all others who had power.
"First he assassinated Tobias Whale and Billy Ring. Then he settled down for a long war against the others. He had Luther Mahoney jailed. Joe Broz and Chairface Chippendale left town. He forced Arnold Zeck to surrender and bought off Chodo Contague. Finally, five years ago, he ran Kien Phuc to the ground and killed him. Now he is the only authority over crime in Empire City, and his influence extends elsewhere on the East Coast as well.
"I am trying to catch him at it."
"Who is he?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know? You just gave me his life story. Who is he?"
"Nobody knows who he is. His lieutenants refer to him as Underhand."
"'Underhand', for God's sake. What is with you guys? Why can't he call himself 'George'?"
"As I say, I've been trying to find out who he is. It has proven to be both difficult and dangerous. So Cruickshank and I have developed a plan to draw him out. We've invented a man, Dieter Solarin, a Bardician weapons dealer, and we're going to use this identity to threaten Underhand's financial interests. Your trip to the bank was preliminary to this process."
"And this guy's guys" [I refused to call him 'Underhand'] "are already checking out Solarin, and found out about John Caruthers from somewhere, and are trying to track him down."
"Yes."
"And?"
"If they look long enough, eventually they'll find you. It's more likely that they'll lose interest. I plan to give them more urgent things to worry about."
"I don't just want to rely on that. I'd rather, you know, do something."
"Yes. Unfortunately I have no advice for you. Short of living in this office around the clock, there isn't anything that will keep you safe. Your best defense is anonymity, and that's beyond our control."
"So I should just trust you."
"You mean, as I'm trusting you? Yes, but more than that: you should help me."
That was a nasty thing to say. Not only did it imply that these guys, whoever they were, might want to try torturing Greyghost's secret identity out of me, and that it was up to me to resist it, but also that I had signed up for a war against all the crooks in Empire City without noticing it. For months I had felt like the guy who just feeds the fish and drives the car, while my boss was out doing something that didn't affect me. I liked it better that way.
"Where's Bardicia?"
"Mm? Oh. It's in the Balkans, between Anatruria and Tsergovia. They've been fighting for their independence for centuries now but they'll never get it."
"And this Dieter Solarin stuff fits into your plan how exactly?"
"You'd do better to ask Cruickshank. He's much more conversant with the finer details than I am. Essentially, I'm trying to do two things: cripple Underhand's organization financially, and provoke him into some kind of action that will expose him. You should read the Underhand file; it's in the cabinets under 'Building Insurance--Grant Street'."
Sneaky. "All right, I will. Now, the next thing. Vacation time..."