The Beacon Busybody

Beacon City's Nose For News!

[beacon-busybody]

i've heard from my henchman and goon friends that there's some invisible vigilante who keeps messing up their org's schemes. no one ever takes credit for it and their powers don't match any heroes on the public registry. maybe that dockside frame job guy was right about there being some big conspiracy with secret supers.

Yet another unregistered vigilante roaming the streets of Beacon City? Interesting. As always, we'll keep our ears to the ground and let the readers know as soon as we hear more.

[beacon-busybody]

Shedding Light on Beacon City’s Shadiest Jobs

Business

The author of today’s guest column on the illicit side of the Beacon City job market is an anonymous industry expert.

Though her denizens might prefer to ignore it, the beautiful, shining, spectacular Beacon City has a thriving underbelly. Much-maligned and little-understood by the average civilian, the villainy industry makes up an increasingly large share of the city’s economy, and its growing impact on daily life is undeniable. As more and more citizens turn to this job sector for employment, I invite the readers of this publication to learn a bit more about some of the appellations they’ve seen in the headlines.

The title of “henchperson” is often misused as a catchall term for any villain whose name does not spark immediate recognition in the mind of John Q. Public. Henches, as they are sometimes called, are mostly tinkerers, inventors, or craftspeople. The work of a henchperson will primarily take place behind the scenes, well in advance of any actual crime taking place. Some operations may require the presence of henchpeople on the scene to activate a device at the opportune moment, in which case they will usually be accompanied by hired goons at all times. (In my career as a villain, I have come to recognize an insufficient budget for protective goons to be a sure sign of a ramshackle operation.) Henchpeople are sought after for skilled work in their respective disciplines, and a concussion or incapacitating injury has the potential to render them completely useless to their employer. As such, while there is an obvious assumption that henchpeople will avoid arrest if reasonably possible, they are not expected to put up a fight if apprehended. Though henchperson arrests should be rare, most forward-thinking syndicates ensure additional measures are in place to protect their investments. Henchpeople are often intentionally kept in the dark about the more criminal aspects of their operations in order to facilitate a prompt release from police custody and an equally speedy return to the workshop. What sort of person might one find doing hench work in Beacon City? The hench profession has proven attractive to a vast array of skilled individuals, but I will do my best to enumerate the types I have personally seen on the job: disillusioned former academics; recent graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math at the tail end of an unsuccessful job search; a truly staggering number of scenographic artisans working shorter contracts in between productions; former rising stars in the technology industry who have since burnt out; self-taught craftspeople in more niche areas (usually headhunted on an as-needed basis by surveying local hobby shops and interest groups); the occasional fan talented enough to get past the technical interview; and useful empowered individuals who, for various reasons, have not otherwise distinguished themselves.

Though henchpeople do specialize in may different areas, they are far from the only workers turning this city’s gears of villainy. Another key role is that of a hired goon. Sometimes misunderstood as a generic insult against any violent villain, the title of “goon” actually allows for a more holistic definition of hired muscle. One goon’s strength might lie in, well, strength, but another’s might lie in smooth-talking or intimidation, and yet another goon might do their best work with a weapon. All hired goons possess skills that that materially contribute to their organization’s enforcement, protection, or collections operations. In addition, goons are expected to be reliable and obedient. While some employers might be patient with eccentric or erratic personalities when dealing with particularly talented henchpeople, typically no such patience exists for hired goons. An archvillain must be able to trust that their goons will carry out orders to the letter, without delay, and without causing needless collateral damage. Unlike henchpeople, goons expect to face arrest as a regular hazard of their profession. The responsibility often falls to them to put up a fight whilst henchpeople escape with valuables or to cause a distraction to draw attention away from a delicate operation. Goons are also not shielded from knowledge of their syndicate’s criminal dealings due to the nature of their work, so the ability to remain silent in police custody is absolutely essential. Any well-run organization will cover bail costs and attorneys’ fees for their hired goons, otherwise goon work would be more of an expensive hobby than a serious occupation. So, who are Beacon City’s hired goons? The large majority are people with criminal records who have been turned away from more legitimate gainful employment. Some also fall into other categories: former athletes; bouncers; disillusioned ex-military; aspiring law enforcement officers or federal agents (most with questionable motives) unable to pass the entrance exams; former henchpeople who transitioned between roles; various free thinkers with grudges against society at large; and, once again, useful empowered individuals who have not otherwise distinguished themselves.

As I have alluded to above, another category exists for villain work not included under the umbrellas of “henchperson” or “goon” but not quite rising to the level of “archvillain.” These people are most commonly referred to as “named villains.” As the title implies, a named villain has managed to make a name for themself in the industry, nearly always off of a robust body of quality work.* Some named villains aggressively pursue career advancement from the outset, while some achieve their success by simply doing their jobs well enough for long enough that people begin to recognize their signature touch. Contrary to popular belief, a named villain does not need superpowers, a costume, a villain persona, theming, or even an alias. Ultimately, the only requirement is that the public (and their colleagues) know and respect their name. *This is not to say that none attempt to start climbing the ladder of villainy from the second rung, but without industry experience and solid fundamentals, most fail and are forgotten. Some aspiring named villains might garner fame and attention for themselves through repeated public failures and embarrassments, but, in my view, these people are closer to circus clowns or internet pranksters than they are to any true villain. In the heyday of Beacon City villainy, named villains were typically thought of as free agents or members of a specialized crew. Lately, however, named villains are increasingly expected to work under an archvillain within an existing organization. Some named villains still attempt to strike out alone, but by my observations, these are a dying breed.

You, dear reader, would do well to educate yourself on how this industry works and to keep an open mind. As the city’s villainy sector expands, you are increasingly likely to discover that these people are your friends, your neighbors, and even your loved ones. Beacon City will not wait for you to change your mind as she evolves. If you are not paying attention, you might find yourself left behind sooner than you think.

The Beacon Busybody verified the author’s credentials prior to publication. Relevant details were checked for accuracy via independent anonymous industry sources. The Beacon Busybody editorial board believes that we have a duty to report on controversial topics in service of providing our readers with a more informed perspective on our city.

The Beacon Busybody does not endorse the views and opinions of its independent correspondents.

[beacon-busybody]

Strike vs. Glass: Who Came Out on Top?

The Busybody Asks You

That's right, it's time for another Busybody reader discussion. This time, we're going to be tackling another entry in Airstrike and The Hourglass's spirited rivalry: the Steelworks Gallery art heist (or attempted heist) of Keiichi Endo's "The Twenty Faces." The Hourglass may not have escaped with his quarry, but does he get extra points for style? Was Airstrike's midair Hourglass catch a super-cool move or have you super seen it before? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

[beacon-busybody]

Super Sightings

Beacon City Voices

The Citizens of Beacon City Recount Their Brushes With Heroism

I just walked into the Steelworks Gallery, and I see The Hourglass! I had to pull out my phone and submit this to the Busybody, because this is breaking news. I actually bumped elbows with him - I can't believe it! He's disguised in plain clothes right now, but his features are so distinctive that I recognized him instantly. I don't think he realized I knew who he was. I've been an Hourglass admirer from the very beginning (our little fan group calls ourselves the Ladies of the Hour and we've been meeting for years), but I've never seen him up close in person! He's just milling about with the crowd and admiring "The Two Faces." Oh my gosh, this means I must be on the scene of a soon-to-be art heist! I've got to put my phone away now - I'm about to have the most exciting night of my life! --- hart_of_glass_1987

I'm sure you're going to get a ton of these this week, but I was at the Steelworks Gallery on Tuesday and I totally met Airstrike!! I was there with my little brother, and we were underneath the ceiling when it collapsed. The whole thing was kind of a blur - I think maybe Gravity Man kept anything heavy from falling on us? My little brother started crying, and the next thing I knew, suddenly Airstrike was there! She scooped him up and carried him on her shoulders to the exit. She was super nice and took the time to reassure everyone that we were all going to be fine. I've always liked her, but it was so nice to see she's just as great in person as she seems on TV. --- Airstrike's (Newest) #1 Fan

I'll keep sending these in until you morons believe me - and you WILL, even if it's not until the truth is revealed to the masses - Clash is alive!!! I saw him AGAIN today. This time it was near the Steelworks Gallery, and I was coming from the direction of the waterfront. He was running and looked the worse for wear - as he ALWAYS has every time I've seen him since his supposed "death." He was being chased by a young man wearing dark clothes. I tried to chase after him and offer my help, but he was already several blocks away when I first spotted him and I had no chance of catching up. As I have told your second-rate publication MANY times before, I am convinced that Clash was framed for that so-called "attack" by a hero-based government conspiracy. In the wake of that incident, they used the fear and uncertainty they created to ascend to power, and now they're trying to silence him once and for all!!! I have no doubt that young man chasing him was some sort of covert agent sent directly from their upper ranks. CLASH, IF YOU ARE READING THIS, there are many of us who still believe in your innocence!!! Call upon us in your hour of need and we will be there!!! --- DocksideFrameJob

I think I saw that blue vigilante guy near the old waterfront district tonight. I was volunteering for one of those city cleanup projects out there earlier in the evening, but my ride was late picking me up. I heard a bunch of loud noise and saw some bright lights and I hid for a while. I peeked out of my hiding spot once it seemed like stuff died down, and I saw a guy wearing blue standing with Racer near the water. It seemed like they were having an argument. Racer stormed off. I stayed hidden until the vigilante guy left too. I wasn't taking any chances. --- Wrong Place Wrong Time

Hey so I'm not normally the type of person to submit these report thingies, but my buddies told me I should tell somebody about what I saw the other night. I work at a restaurant downtown near the Steelworks Gallery, and my bosses didn't even let us go on break when all that s*** was going down. We were all kinda pissed about it, but I don't really care about superhero worship or whatever so I was just like whatever. I went into the alley behind our restaurant to empty our trash into the dumpster and just take a breather and stuff, and after I was out there a minute or two I heard some kinda scuffle or something. I ducked behind the dumpster because I didn't want to get caught slacking off, and then I swear to god man I saw a couple of hired goons jamming that Hourglass guy into a sack. I didn't even think they made big brown sacks like that in real life. He was real mad about it, obviously, but he was already pretty roughed up and he doesn't look like he was all that good of a fighter to start with. The goons just crammed him straight in this big-ass cartoony sack and then dragged him away. --- Not Gonna Lie, I Was A Little Stoned

[beacon-busybody]

Keiichi Endo's Debut Art Heist

Arts & Culture

We sat down to talk inspiration, art theft, and Beacon City with the artist behind "The Twenty Faces"

Beacon Busybody: So, Keiichi! We were all ready for an exciting evening, but I don't think any of us could have predicted just how exciting last night turned out to be. That has to be a bit different from what you usually expect at a premiere.

Keiichi Endo: You can say that again.

BB: Property damage aside, though, it seemed like things went pretty well! I've never seen the Steelworks Gallery so packed, and every group I passed in there was talking about "The Twenty Faces."

KE: Before the heist, you mean.

BB: Well, that's a given. But honestly, an attempted art heist is one of the highest compliments Beacon City can pay an artist.

KE: Oh, definitely. I've been making art for a while, but it kind of feels like this is my introduction into the big leagues. My official welcome to Beacon City's most exclusive art scene.

BB: And your debut heist came from the Hourglass, no less! I'm not sure if you're familiar with him, but that guy won't steal art from just anyone. He has a bit of a reputation in Beacon City as our most discerning art thief.

KE: I know, I'm a huge fan! The gallery's insurance company probably wouldn't like me saying this, but I'm almost disappointed he didn't get away with it.

BB: Did you at least get a chance to say hi?

KE: I might have bumped into him when he was on his way out. I was pretty starstruck - I couldn't believe he knew who I was!

BB: I don't suppose he gave you a review we could print in our arts section?

KE: Hah, no. We only exchanged a few words. I was a little nervous to meet him, but he's just as great as they say he is. Friendly, polite, just a genuinely good guy. I've been a fan of his for a long time. My dad and I actually saw his heist at the Leblanc estate together.

BB: Considering how closely tied "The Twenty Faces" is to your father, this must have been a real full-circle moment for you.

KE: I wasn't thinking about it at the time, but you're right. It's almost unbelievable to think back on how far I've come in those three years.

BB: How do you think your father would feel about last night? The artwork, the positive reception, the heist - all of it.

KE: I'm sure he'd be just as surprised and delighted as I was.

BB: I know you don't like to reveal too much about what your pieces mean to you, so I won't ask you for that. Can you shed some light on why that is, though, for fans who might want to know more?

KE: Oh, it's a combination of things. For art as personal as "The Twenty Faces," trying to put all that it means to me into only words would be doing it a disservice. All my art is feeling expressed through a medium; it'd be wrong to try and squeeze that expression of feeling into a different form where it just doesn't fit.

KE: In addition, I think you can sometimes rob your audience of the chance to have their own genuine reaction to your work by telling them what it's supposed to mean. One of the things I've always loved most about art is how many different meanings it can have to different people. And, even if they conflict, none of them are wrong! Art is just as alive and responsive as the culture and people that surround it.

BB: What a beautiful way to put it. And, just like your individual works of art change once you've released them into the world, your work on this series of woodcarvings is evolving as you go. Is it true that you've nearly reached the end of the stump your father gave you?

KE: Yes. I only work on it when I feel especially inspired, but it probably doesn't have too many more carvings left in it.

BB: What do you think you might do next?

KE: I had this stump for a while before I ever tried to carve it. I could never have predicted all the places it would lead me when I first received it, and I don't think I'll have any more success trying to predict what new directions I might go in from here. I'll continue to follow my creative inspiration as I always have, and I trust that it'll take me somewhere that will make me happy.

[beacon-busybody]

Calling All Citizen Journalists!

Citizen Journalism

Attention, Beacon Busybody readers! If you witnessed the art heist at the Steelworks Gallery tonight or any of the events that followed, we'd love to hear from you. Please write in with your firsthand accounts! We'll be reading through them carefully, and we may follow up with you if you've got a story we want to hear more about.

[beacon-busybody]

I have a friend in the Official Airstrike Fan Club, and they just heard from some other members that it might be a good idea to show up at the Steelworks Gallery on Tuesday night with their Airstrike gear on. Their fan club news chain has been right before. I bet Airstrike is gonna show up.

We'll certainly keep our eyes peeled while we're there covering Keiichi Endo's "The Twenty Faces" exhibition. Thanks for the tip! It's readers like you that help us keep our reputation as Beacon City's Nose For News.

[beacon-busybody]

Hench Confessions

Beacon City Voices

Anonymous Submissions from the Underworld's Underlings

I just started my first henchperson job a couple months ago. (I know, I know, but this was my last resort. I interviewed in my field for MONTHS after graduation, but literally no one is hiring junior developers right now. Say what you will about supervillains, but at least this job makes use of my degree.) I don't really know what I was expecting, but I guess I wasn't thinking it would be so... normal? Or at least mostly normal. My team is pretty collaborative, we have flexible hours, and inter-group concerns are dealt with maturely and professionally. Our boss really reamed us about that failed bank job the other week, but I mean plenty of bosses are assholes sometimes, right? I will say that I wish I'd done a little more research into the local supervillain scene before I got hired. My family never paid much attention to that hero stuff when I was growing up, so I don't know who ANY of these people are. It's always so awkward when your boss's boss's boss storms in all, "DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM??" and I genuinely just don't. Thankfully I don't have to see our arch-villain much, because he kinda gives me weird vibes. He's really old and grumpy, and like half the time he's got this other old guy following him around repeating everything he says. I always get glared at when I look too long, so I'm trying to just keep my head down and let my work speak for itself. I'm hoping I won't have to keep doing hench-work for too much longer - I'm working on developing an app that I think is really gonna take off soon. --- Zoomer for Hire

Beacon City's days of independent villainy are over. Time was, an enterprising young crook could band together with a few like-minded friends and commit the odd fortnightly caper as they pleased. Now it seems one can't so much as vandalize a stop sign in this town without having to go through you-know-who. Not every misdeed should have to be part of a grand design! Some of us just got into this profession to have a little fun. --- Missing the Glory Days

I'm submitting this to the Busybody because I get my head bitten off if I complain anywhere else: we henchpeople need to band together and take a stand against crunch culture. When I look around me lately, all I see is henchpeople working their fingers to the bone, and for what? You cannot tell me it'll make any difference at all if we just relax the timeline for nefarious scheme/device development enough so that we can all enjoy a decent quality of life. My small group is up against a crazy deadline right now, and I just don't understand why they're acting like it's so urgent. Half the time the heroes foil our plot before it even gets going - wouldn't it make more sense to spend a little bit longer making our evil plans a little more foolproof? I have half a mind to skip the soldering checks on this field generator we're supposed to have ready for Tuesday just so I can finally get a good night's sleep. --- Burning Out

Hey, Zoomer for Hire, reach out to us if you'd ever be interested in writing an article on the henchperson hiring process. We constantly have readers asking us about that side of Beacon City's job market, and with henchpeople making up an increasing share of the city's workforce, we're trying to develop some industry sources.

[beacon-busybody]

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[beacon-busybody]

BeacON: This Week in Live Music

Arts & Culture

The next time you stop by the Flying Saucer, you might just get a side of culture with your coffee. Starting Saturday, the cafe will be putting on monthly live music nights featuring local artists. "We're excited to invite the community to join us for Jolts and Jams," says proprietor Andy Dhar. "Come grab a bite or a sip the first Saturday night of every month, and help support Beacon City's live music scene!"

The cafe plans to feature a new menu item to match each month's music act, with proceeds going to the Beacon City upstARTs foundation. Jolts and Jams kicks off this Saturday night featuring the Electric Lizards, and Flying Saucer will be serving Leapin' Lizards Caffeinated Limeade through the end of the month.

[beacon-busybody]

Beacon Blotter

Crime

Police are still searching for leads on the Agatha White missing persons case. Individuals with any information are urged to call the BCPD anonymous tipline.

The suspected case of super-powered vandalism from last month has been solved, as the teen perpetrators were caught during a repeat attempt. Police have confirmed no super-powered individuals were involved; the graffiti's unusually high-up and hard-to-reach placement is attributed to the vandals all being varsity members of their school's rock climbing team.

The explosion at Howard Street Electronics last week is currently being investigated. Police say they have ruled out a gas leak as the cause and existing utility infrastructure is not at risk.

[beacon-busybody]

its increddibly disrespectful of you to call the unregisterd vigilante "little boy blue." what happend to journalismic standerds??? for your information, theres a lot of us who really like how hes standing up to the man and disrupting the stabblish quote. he should get to choose his name just like all those "officcial" "heroes" lining the goverments pockets, but for now his fans are calling him BLUE CIPHER!!!

If the secretive blue vigilante wants the general public to call him by a specific name, we here at the Busybody would like to point out that there is in fact an official process whereby all super-powered individuals can register under the hero name of their choosing. However, we take your point. All accounts of this unknown blue-cowled man we've collected so far have been of him doing good (or at least neutral) deeds. While Beacon City has some very compelling reasons to be suspicious of unregulated super-people, we don't intent to characterize this specific one as a menace when he hasn't given us a reason to. Going forward, we won't make up any more silly nicknames for him, no matter how funny we think they are.

If you're the unregistered vigilante and you're reading this, please get in touch! We'd love to interview you or even have you contribute an article telling your side of the story. If you provide proof of who you are and let us know what name you prefer to go by, we promise never to call you Little Boy Blue ever again.

[beacon-busybody]

Have you guys gotten any more reports about that unregistered vigilante - the blue guy from the Hoang Museum heist? I heard a rumor he was involved with the disturbance there the other week, but I haven't seen any reliable sources confirming it.

We've also heard the rumors that the mysterious blue-cowled hero (Busybody staff have taken to calling him "Little Boy Blue") had something to do with the commotion at the Hoang Museum of Art a few weeks ago. Unfortunately we haven't received any firsthand accounts, and official sources have been frustratingly tight-lipped about any details related to that incident.

If you have an eyewitness superhero account to report, please write to us! If your submission is newsworthy and credible, you may even see it featured it in next week's Super Sightings.

[yo-yo-yoshiko]

Twenty Faces

[beacon-busybody]

BeacON: Next Week's Must-See Events

Arts & Culture

The hottest thing in the steelworks this week is wood! Next Tuesday, downtown's Steelworks Gallery will host the worldwide premiere of Keiichi Endo's latest woodcarving, "The Twenty Faces." The exhibition will serve as the dazzling finale to the gallery's "Year of Portraits" series and is sure to draw a crowd. Endo, whose earlier works were primarily in stone, has recently returned to his family's woodcarving roots, and the results have the set the art world abuzz. Admirers have praised the expressive and ephemeral nature of this collection, while critics have argued that the artist's technical mastery and attention to detail are better served by the medium of stone. Audiences have been especially moved by Endo's deep personal connection to the work. The artist himself has been uncharacteristically laconic on the matter, saying only that audiences should take their own meaning from these works.

If you're curious about what medium Endo might try next, interested in knowing more about his background, or just want to know what the globetrotting artist thinks of Beacon City, the Beacon Busybody has you covered. We'll be sitting down with Keiichi Endo for an exclusive interview the morning after the premiere, and we'll be sure to cover all that and more. If you have a burning question you want us to ask, make sure to write in before we head to the gallery on Tuesday!

Get your tickets for "Year of Portraits: The Twenty Faces" at the Steelworks Gallery's box office or online via their website.