#topic: accords

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In this issue of The Daily Bugle …

Page 3: Our Editor-In-Chief, J. Jonah Jameson recently suffered a stress-induced cardiac event. As heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, we thought we would take this opportunity to educate our readers on how to protect their cardiac health! Lifestyle changes, including good nutrition, quitting smoking, and regular exercise are only the beginning. Read more on page 3 about how to reduce stress, limit alcohol, and manage weight in order to live a heart-healthy life! 

Page 6: June is traditionally the most popular month to marry, and that remains true even to this day! The tradition is rooted in Greek and Celtic cultures. The Gerco-Roman goddess Juno, for whom the month is named, is the patron of matrimony and childbearing. In the Celtic Calendar, the Day of Beltane (May 1st) is the day when young couples would pair off to court for three months. Their weddings would’ve been on Lammas Day, August 1st, but impatient and love-struck youths shortened the waiting time to mid-June, and the tradition has stuck! The beautiful color palettes and fantastic summer wedding are sure to make for a memorable and joyous wedding. Congratulations to all the couples who have been married so far in this beautiful month! Read more about the history of June weddings, and other matrimony traditions on page 6! 

Headline: After a short rest in which I recovered from my health issues, I have returned to speak on the recent events that have shaken our city to it’s core. But JJJ, you might be saying -- Don’t you hate the Spider-Man? Isn’t this what you’ve been asking for all this time? No, dear readers. The unwilling unmasking, the pervasive violation of privacy this young man suffered, is not what I wanted. 

I have deliberately chosen to use an artist’s rendition of Spider-Man for this Bugle’s front page. I do not condone those who have shared the photos of his face on social media, and I have ordered all my staff to dispose of any such pictures sent to our publication. I have been a staunch defender of the Accords and Registration. I believe that every citizen has a right to feel safe in their homes, and the right to know who is protecting us. But I have always hoped for the process to be voluntary. To rip someone’s mask away, particularly a young man only on the cusp of adulthood, is despicable. We as a city have failed Spider-Man in sharing those photos, and the Bugle will not be party to that. 

I have been critical of Spider-Man, and indeed, all heroes who choose to remain above accountability. I believe a real hero faces their mistakes and takes responsibility when they have harmed the citizens they claim to protect. I question those who think the rules do not apply to them, and I question them harshly in order to exact answers. I stand by what I have written in response to the Accords. I believe our heroes should not be allowed to act without impunity, but I believe this about all who serve the common good. Law enforcement, the justice system, emergency responders -- all must abide by common ethics and accountability. Enhanced individuals carry a far greater burden because their abilities can carry far greater consequences. 

But it is time to take responsibility for the mistakes I have made. My own ward, Mattie Franklin, was a vigilante. She was far too young to be involved in matters like this, but she bravely gave her life to stand for her ideals. It is Mattie’s death that has made me wary of allowing young people to idolize superheroes to the point of imitation. Unquestioned hero-worship, even of actual heroes, is a recipe for tragedy. I know this intimately.

Spider-Man too, as we know now, was also very young when he became a superhero. Perhaps he felt he had no choice. And that is a consequence of living in a world where superheroism is a secret, elite club. Until recent years, no one has questioned who should take on the mantle of heroism, powered or not. There has been no infrastructure, no training offered to young people who find themselves with intense abilities. And where there is leadership, in the case of the Avengers, the Justice League, and the mutant Institute, there is no oversight questioning the morals of those who look at gifted children and encourage them to risk their lives fighting dangerous battles. 

Do we blame young people for having stars in their eyes when they look at the likes of Iron Man, Professor X, or Batman? I do not. But do I question the ethics of grown men and women who allow young people to fight by their side when facing world-ending events? Of course I do. Anyone who has ever been a parent, who has ever loved and cared for a child and dreamed of watching them grow into their potential, would do the same. Perhaps these older superheroes care for their younger counterparts. I do not deny that. I merely question the way they have shown it. 

Contrary to what some might believe, I do not want an end to superheroes. That is a genie that cannot be put back into the bottle. But after decades of ruined cities, civilian casualties, loss of business, property, and children’s lives -- losses after which superheroes returned home without accountability -- it is not unfair to ask for change. 

This, however, was not the change I wanted. Nor the change I would expect from any reasonable person. Would I have acted differently, if I had known Spider-Man was just a teenager when he began his career? No. I have long suspected that he was young and impressionable. Why then, were my headlines so harsh? It was an attempt, perhaps misguided, to reach this young man. To impress on upon the consequences of playing with fire. To make him realize that there are lives at stake, including his own. Spider-Man has a family who cares for him. That he signed the Accords and chose to remain anonymous is proof of that. 

He may call us sensational, and he is welcome to take issue with how we have reported about the Accords and superheroes. None of us is infallible, nor should we expect anyone to be. But he cannot claim we, or at least I, have never considered who may be under that mask. It is a question that has haunted me for years, and not because I wanted to ‘get’ Spider-Man. I wanted to save him, before he caused tragedy or became a tragedy himself. 

Nevertheless, his words are powerful, and we will be sharing them with you now. We ask all of you to read them carefully, and to remember who this young man is, and all he has done for us. We encourage anyone who has shared his revealing photos to take them down and dispose of them. This young man has protected our city. He has protected us and our loved ones. Now we will protect him and his loved ones. Good luck, Spider-Man.

                                -- J Jonah Jameson, Editor-in-Chief. 

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Can we fire JJJ??

We would like to refer you to our last post. 

We at the Daily Bugle understand that not everyone will agree with every article we write. That is why we encourage feedback from all our readers, and why we have often posted and replied to Letters To Our Editor. We encourage everyone to speak their mind and exercise their First Amendment Rights to the fullest. 

That being said, there is a difference between constructive criticism, civil disagreement, and harassment. Notes such as this one fall distinctly into the latter category. Rather than wax poetic on the dangers of jeopardizing a man’s career and livelihood, we at the Daily Bugle would like to take this moment to speak a little bit about our Editor-In-Chief. 

John Jonah Jameson II was raised by his mother Betty Jameson and his stepfather/uncle David Jameson. David was an officer of the United States Army and a decorated war hero, however at home his temper was volatile. He regularly abused his wife and step-son, and it was these actions that first opened JJJ’s eyes to the fact that “No one’s a hero every day of the week,” and “Even the real heroes can’t keep it up all the time.” Nevertheless, JJJ pursued noble interests and persevered, becoming a Boy Scout and joining the boxing and photography clubs in his local high school. He fought back against bullies, and one altercation involved three other men ganging up on him. JJJ managed to fight them back, and impressed the future Mrs. Joan Jameson. The two were wed shortly finishing school. 

While still in high school, he began his journalistic career as a part-time reporter for the Daily Bugle. He attempted to continue his pursuits in college, but was unjustly rejected from his college newspaper because of a rivalry with the editor. However, with money obtained from personal assets and large inheritance, he was able to purchase the Daily Bugle many years later, rescuing this publication from a financial fallout. He revitalized the Bugle with his sense of direction and strong leadership, and despite what detractors may say, his top priority has always been an relentless, fearless pursuit of truth. 

J. Jonah Jameson is outspoken. He is unafraid to speak his mind, as we all should be. For decades, Jameson has used his newspaper to crusade in support of civil rights for minority groups and against organized crime. His latter efforts have led to several attacks, including once nearly being killed on the orders of the infamous Kingpin of Crime. His brush with death, however, did not deter him from continuing to publish attacks and exposes of organized crime.

He was a devoted husband to Joan, and the two of them welcomed a son into the world, John Jonah Jameson III. John was one of the youngest applicants ever to be accepted into NASA’s astronaut program and he is a distinguished member to this day. 

It is his love of family that led to Jameson’s outspoken criticism of superpowered individuals. His wife was killed in an altercation with a masked vigilante, the case remaining open and unsolved to this day. As for his son, John’s first mission into space was nearly derailed by a mechanical malfunction. A masked hero managed to reattach the Forward Guidance Package back to the craft, and John was miraculously able to regain control of the vessel. However, John’s accomplishment was all but forgotten in the face of the shiny new ‘superhero.’ This event led to Jameon’s first editorial denouncement of superheros. He was grateful that his son’s life had been saved, but appalled that the general public so easily forgets the real heroes in these stories. People like John, who do not wear masks and do not have superhuman abilities, but still risk their lives for the betterment of all mankind. 

Since then, Jameson has increasingly spoken out against the glorification of superheroes. He tries to call attention back to our first responders, our police force, our EMTs and doctors, our astronauts and military service-members. The ones so easily forgotten because they cannot shoot lasers or fly into the sun. Glorifying the superhumans of the world leaves us susceptible to overlooking their flaws and mistakes, and Jameson is more than aware of the dangers of such literal hero-worship. He has pointed out time and time again that attacks on this city and around the world happen because of the presence of these superheroes. Would Loki have targeted our city, if not for the Avengers? Would Sokovia have fallen, if not for the hubris of Stark and Banner creating Ultron in the first place? Would Gotham be in the state is in now, if not for the multitude of villains with a personal vendetta against one masked man?

Jameson has never said that these questions would be easy, but they are of the utmost importance to ask and answer. He has published editorials calling into question the moral and ethical concerns of involving children in these superhuman fights. Yes, many of these young people have powers, but is it fair to ask them to take the entire world upon their shoulders? And is it fair, for the rest of us in this city, to constantly be caught in the battles between those who have powers that can devastate entire city blocks? 

To be clear, Jameson has never once called for the extermination of superhuman people. He has even championed Mutant-rights, in accordance with his principles of civil rights. However, he has always maintained that practical measures must be taken. Should Charles Xavier be allowed to carte blanche to create his own superpowered army, in the guise of a school for runaway youngsters? Should the Avengers and the Justice League be allowed to proceed with zero oversight from the people they claim they’re sworn to protect? Jameson says no -- and so should you. 

Regulation and oversight are not unreasonable measures to take. If superhumans are held to a higher standard of behavior, it is because the consequences of not doing so have proven to be disastrous. Jameson has experienced this personally, beginning with his stepfather, a man who should have upheld the highest of standards and instead sunk to the lowest of lows. The superheroes we have come to know today are a blessing and a curse, and while they do a great deal of good for our city and the world, they also cause an immense amount of property damage and personal heartbreak. While other publications are too fearful to speak out, and instead want to explain away every devastating mistake these heroes have ever made, Jameson and the Daily Bugle have made it a mission to hold these people accountable. Accountable for the lives lost, the businesses ruined, and the cities terrified of the next ‘Incident’ that could happen at any second.

If the superhumans of the world do not like to be held responsible for their deadly mistakes, then perhaps they should be the ones fired. 

-- Written by an Intern who would like to remain anonymous at this time

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L-Corp Patents DNA Decryption Device by Kara Danvers

Three years ago, The Daily Planet wrote an article outlining Lena Luthor’s newest tech advancement: an alien detection device. Amidst shifting political turmoil and pressure for Alien Amnesty, Ms. Luthor unveiled the prototype with some excitement for its practical uses.

For the past three years, the device had fallen into further developmental stages. The buzz it initially created within alien circles had died down, and some tech companies theorized it would never see mass production; however, Ms. Luthor stepped forward today to announce the device has been patented in its final stages.

“It’s undergone a few changes,” she said of the device’s three-year absence. When prompted to outline those changes, she declined further comment, only stating “It’s an incredible design, really. We’re mapping a genome in moments.”

The device will not be seen on convenience store shelves, or available for online order. In its current design, Ms. Luthor boasted of its usefulness in the healthcare and corrections systems. With a growing number of mutant, alien, and meta-human Americans, a detection device could be used to quickly categorize individuals to better suit their needs. The Daily Planet followed up with Mr. Thiago Costa of Metro General:

“We have an increasingly diverse society, yes.” He stated, “Metro General does everything it can to meet the needs of every patient who walks through our doors. Having a head start on what those needs might actually be could be useful.”

In its early stages, the DNA Decryption Device was on the cusp of political controversy. The reaction to The Daily Planet’s initial article was mixed, with some readers writing in with concerns of forced exposure, and what the device could be used for if placed into general production. Ms. Luthor assured “We here at L-Corp believe everything we do should be for the betterment of society. We strive to do good. Our inventions are always produced with that belief in mind.”

The DNA Decryption Device will be rolled out soon in the healthcare and corrections systems. The Daily Planet will provide continuing coverage.

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An Essay in Response to "On Diplomacy: A Manifesto by Magneto" & the newly Ratified Accords

The Daily Bugle received this letter only a day after Secretary Ross and Agent Ross announced the new amendments to the Accords. It seems not everyone appreciates the olive branch – and money – thrown their way. But we’re an honest source of news here at the Bugle! We’d be remiss if we didn’t show you this shocking story just as we received it! – J. Jonah Jameson

First and foremost, I feel the need to start off by quoting an old friend of mine. Several weeks ago, an anonymous source delivered quite the message from him and his words were as follows:

There are those amongst us who believe that diplomacy is the answer to the conflict between mutants and humans. I regret to say that there can be no diplomacy.  Diplomacy and negotiation are predicated on the very simple idea that two opposing parties have some measure of equality; that one can offer something to the other and gain something in turn.  Further, both parties must have a degree of respect for the other party, something that will hold them to account for any agreement reached.

There is no equality, and there is no respect…

I ignored his speech because I know him. We never agree on anything these days and even if I hope to reason with him, nothing I say will ever change how he feels about you people. The two of us — and I mean not to sound boastful — but we have been tasked with leading a sizable amount of mutants with each group strongly believing in one idea or the other. In Magneto’s case, I refer back to the quotes above and in my case, I have always given you a lot more credit than you probably deserve. My ideals and the ideals of many who look to me as their leader, all revolve around finding a peaceful means to end the conflict that you started between those with ‘gifts’ and those without. I am the person he refers to in his point about diplomacy.

However Mr. Secretary, if I am to be completely honest, my old friend has a point. It almost pains me to agree with him on anything these days because in order to see his side of the coin, that means I must face the reality that my ideals fall on deaf ears sometimes. I had hoped it would not come to this; that I wouldn’t have to leave the shadows and safety of the school I protect in order to speak on the hypocrisy within the propaganda you keep shoving down the American people’s throats, but it would seem you have left me no choice in the matter. Let us begin…

Agent Ross starts his foray into this shameless propaganda that means to justify discrimination of mutants and those like us by offering a rather smooth, backhanded compliment ——as if he has ever been in the presence of a mutant as opposed to the heroes he/they once hailed that are the primary reason for these Accords in the first place.

“There are those among us who have incredible gifts. Dangerous gifts. A brave new world.”

Dangerous, Agent Ross? Our ‘gifts’ are incredible, but dangerous? We do not need your backhanded compliments. Call it what it is. You all think that we are something to be feared and leading your speech with such nonsense is an insult to our intelligence. Your words are but a subtle jab; a way to incite fear into average person, but I digress. There’s more, my fellow mutants.

“The secretary says that I’m ‘uniquely qualified,’ because I’ve seen it. Not because of my training or my expertise. Not because of the missions I’ve flown or the lives I’ve saved. But because I was there, when Superheroes fought. And I gotta tell you –” He laughed again. “It’s amazing.”

Just what exactly have you seen Agent Ross that uniquely qualifies you to speak on behalf of mutants? Aside from Dr. Banner ( a special case I will not dive into today ), how many mutants have you seen up close? How many have you actually met in person and conversed with in some lengthy form? How many have you seen in combat against ‘your kind’? One experience with a bunch of heroes that — at one time — could freely walk the streets without being persecuted does not make you uniquely qualified to do anything on our behalf. All the people have is your word on your experience, but who’s to say your word wasn’t fabricated for a moment such as this?

You go on to describe what you saw in Wakanda as a beautiful dance that left normal people in awe of what you were witnessing. You practically ooze saccharine as it pertains to our unique abilities but then you swing the hammer in such a way backwards that I have to wonder if my hope is wasted on the likes of you homo sapiens.

“…the dance has to end… the dancers have to come offstage, and into the audience…. We have to learn how to share that world. It needs to be safe for everyone who lives here.”

Agent Ross… Mr. Secretary, it is rare that I read something that isn’t written by Magneto and feel the need to react harshly, but this is one of those times I cannot let your unfairness go unaddressed. I will not reduce myself to inciting a war you all cannot win, but I will say this:

You claim that the ultimate goal of these Accords is so that we can all share the world and feel safe while doing it, but what you fail to understand is that we mutants have wanted this all along. Not the Accords, but the permission to live among you as regular people. We all bleed the same thing Mr. Secretary, but I cannot help but point out the hypocrisy of your words. Furthermore, who are you to tell those with gifts they were born with to ‘get off the stage’, as if this stage was one many mutants asked for. Even IF we register; take off the masks and reveal our locations to you day and night, what are we truly accomplishing here? Registering our names won’t make anyone feel any safer. All this does is allow you easy access to us. Should you decide in your next speech that the best thing for the entire world is to eliminate those pesky dancers then we are but sitting ducks — something I hope has never even crossed your mind.

Persecuting people… telling the public that we’re all dangerous mutants that need to be put in check is not how you make the world a better place. You hardly know us, Mr. Secretary. You’ve never once sat down with us nor taken the time to reach out and actually educate yourself about what you are truly dealing with.You are operating on assumptions; using your irritation at the Avengers for costing you billions of dollars by assuming all of us are exactly the same. 

Not all of us are like my old friend. A vast majority of us are living every single moment alone and in fear; fear of you and the world that continues finding ways to paint us out as horrible people. Instead of trying to find common ground that does not include throwing us in holding cells for not bending to your will, you and Mr. Stark — who likely hasn’t met many mutants either — decided that we needed to be checked; never mind the fact that most of us haven’t done a single thing to deserve this treatment except exist in a world that has never taken kindly to anything different. My mutants are not suiting up everyday fighting aliens on your behalf. We’re not costing you billions or embarrassing you on national televisions with our heroics. The true embarrassment is you, Mr. Secretary.

“We made these rules for one reason, and one reason only. To prevent terrible intentions from becoming unbearable realities.”

What intentions do you speak of? Even though I do not know the Avengers well enough to speak on their behalf, I think it’s safe to assume that all they’ve ever done is use their abilities on behalf of humanity. I’ve never met Captain America but of all the Avengers, I admire him the most. Not only did he help save your sorry hides from an alien invasion, but he walked away with no bloodshed after the very people who made him turned their backs on him. If that is how you treat one of your own, I shudder to think how you would treat people like us. Speaking of us and your so-called rules…

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. —Article 14; the US Constitution

The rules of governing citizens as stated in the Constitution apply to all and we mutants have never questioned it. Many of us walk the straight and narrow; we obey the laws despite being forced to remain in the shadows due to the prejudices you keep pumping into the media. A majority of us have never broken any of the laws and on the off-chance you happen to catch an occasional rule breaker, it’s often because of something your people have done first. Left unprovoked, we go about our business. When provoked, well… 

My point is that despite the clear violation of the Constitution that these Accords are in direct opposition of, we mutants carry on anyway with the hope that things will change for the better. Your latest stunt does nothing but further HIS argument — that you not only see us as monsters, but as something other than rightful citizens who are awarded the same protections by the Constitution as everyone else. Yet you extend a hand to us as if things are going to magically change with the signing of our names yet in the same breath, we are to be taken by deadly force if necessary; killed, chained or even locked away without any kind of trial if we oppose you.

And if I am mistaken and by rules you meant the Accords, then I must sincerely apologize. The rules placed in society are meant to be followed if the government and the people governed are meant to coexist peacefully. However, when the rules are unfair and unabashedly biased, the people… the citizens of that society, have a right to push back. I’ll not deny my mutants that right.

Mr. Secretary, up until now, all I’ve ever done is try from behind the scenes to see both sides of the coin. I have done nothing but train my students in the art of peaceful coexistence. Nothing good can come from fighting our own people. In the same breath, it would seem that the world I’ve been fighting for all my life seems ever more out of reach with each law you pass. It’s a shame we are all being forced to suffer on behalf of your ire with others, but shame on me for expecting more from a government who — historically — has a nasty habit of destroying the things that make them uncomfortable or feel inferior.

This new law you have passed will only incite the rage of the one who continues to be a thorn in your side. This is my final plea to see reason. At the end of the day, when you finally grow tired of ratifying papers and decide you wish to solve the issue in the same manner you have solved all of this country’s issues in the past, I will go silent. I will stand aside and let things unfold, no matter how much it may pain my heart. 

TO MY FELLOW MUTANTS,  my final message to you all is to survive; to use your common sense when presented with scathing propaganda like this and proceed in a manner that allows you to live with no regrets down the road. I will never fully relinquish my faith because it is my hope that someday the people in power will realize their mistakes. It’s never too late you see. However, my loyalties have always been first and foremost, to my fellow X-Men; my mutants and my family. I will NEVER encourage you to retaliate with violence, but I will understand if you see things HIS way as opposed to my own, especially now.

In closing, Mr. Secretary, I will NOT be registering under your Accords and neither will the children left under my legal guardianship. Do what you must, but heed my warnings: even the most docile of creatures will fight back when backed into a corner. I pity anyone who comes at me or my students looking to collect when we’ve done nothing wrong. When you are finally ready to accept just how wrong you are and agree to work with me on an answer that doesn’t just benefit your side, give me a call. You won’t find me or my school, but finding you — wherever you are in the world — will never be a problem for someone like me. My powers are something that should keep you and your entire staff awake every night, but is it not fortuitous that I have always been on your side?

Sincerely,

          Professor X & Leader of the X-Men

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In this issue of The Daily Bugle …

Headline: The Daily Bugle provides the exclusive insight into events in Central Park on January 26th. Mutants, the grand majority associated with the ‘X-Men,’ engaged in a bitter battle against Enforcement agents. Dozens of our esteemed agents were murdered in cold blood, and a mere week after this gruesome event, severe damage was caused to the Raft prison. While CCTV and other security details are still being processed, it seems safe to assume mutants yet again target law enforcement, taking innocent lives as they go! More details to be found inside our special edition issue – ‘Are We Safe?’ We discuss mutant gene testing, Xavier’s Institute for Higher Learning, major mutant organizations’ views on registration, and theories surrounding damage to the Raft! (Story under read more!)

Page 3: Tony Stark, widely known by alias Iron Man, was interviewed by Christine Everhart on WHiH World News. Stark has long since acted as the face of pro-Accords sentiment in New York and was one of the first individuals with enhanced capabilities to sign on the dotted line, encouraging his now fractured team to do the same. In this interview, however, he doesn’t follow the standard party line. We’re sure you’ll all agree that what he does say is very interesting indeed! Read the full interview transcript on page 3, and decide for yourselves whether Stark has finally gone off the deep end!

Page 6: With agents facing heavy criticism following the crisis in Central Park, Captain Carol Danvers casts her own hat into the ring in an attempt to amend the Accords and their implementation. The Second Chance Initiative brings those who would otherwise find themselves behind bars instead are recruited to the cause. Amber Grant discusses on page 6, and make sure to send thoughts to the editor!

WHAT WE KNEW WOULD HAPPEN by J. Jonah Jameson (Editor in Chief)

Some believe that the press should be impartial. Some believe that we should report the facts of the matter as blandly as we are capable, that we should swallow down our own thoughts and feelings on events and push forward no agenda but the truth. My dear readers, that is not journalism as we promote at this paper. We have a responsibility - no, a duty - to bring the good people of New York not only the details, the minutia, of such events, but also the perception that my reporters have always boasted of so readily.

It is the age of media, and by the time this paper goes to print I have no doubt that the city at large will have already heard of the events that transpired at Central Park. Mutants coming into contact with Enforcers, causing mass collateral damage of our esteemed public space (and lawns paid to maintain with taxpayers’ money, may I add!) and injuries to both innocent civilians and the men and women who signed on only to cease the actions of these reckless few.

Am I to stay quiet on matters of such grave importance? Am I to tell you that over two dozen Enforcers lost their lives that day, some of them reduced to mere dust, leaving nothing for their families to bury? Am I to mourn the loss of a man who calls himself Cyclops, who leads enhanced individuals into battles with no foresight into the consequences sure to follow? Am I to sympathise with these people who brought fire and ice onto our streets, to the kind of people who destroy a site intended to house the most dangerous in our society so that we may all sleep peacefully in our beds at night?

My ex-wife would say yes. That is why I am now married to my one true love - journalistic integrity. Mr. Stark (noticeably absent from the scene, I must say. Did anyone check the local bar?) speaks of responsibility, yet the second someone asks him to further his opinions on these unregistered individuals, he steps back, afraid to offend.

What happened to the man on television, Mr. Stark? You once had so much to say against Senator Stern and their assertions that such individualistic attempts at justice and heroism needed to be quelled. You would think, with him standing on such a high pedestal, he would quite enjoy the feeling of preaching en masse. Please, sir. On the other side they have such outspoken rebels, including your good friend Oliver Queen. If you can not do it, I will have to. I owe it to the people of this city to tell them what everyone is too afraid to say.

Mutants are dangerous. The X-gene is a nuclear bomb waiting to go off, and no one has proven that more than Magneto and his accomplices. Every day, we live under the constant shadow of fear and doubt, not from the alien armies that have trampled our cities in the past, but from the weapons of mass destruction that live in the apartment across the hall from ours. They battle in public. They resist arrest. They hide their Institute far from the public eye - why?

Because they are preparing for a war. Yes, a war. I have said it here and now, and I must say that the day I am proven right will be a dark one indeed. I will take no pleasure in it, readers, for it is sure to be an event of mass calamity.

The Panel, Stark, Danvers, the Enforcers and United Nations behind them say that we should be quelling fear. We should be reassuring the public, comforting them. They try so hard to remain diplomatic that they miss the necessity of their measures. The Accords were voted on by over one hundred countries. One hundred, readers. We couldn’t get a hundred countries to agree on their favorite ice cream if we attempted to. Do you realise the enormity of the document we all have such ready access to?

This is the age of accountability. This is also the age when we, as upstanding citizens of New York, this fair country and indeed the world as we now know it, stand up and say enough is enough.

Children are terrified. Their parents cannot comfort them, for who is to say that tomorrow when they go to work, Supergirl will not fly through the office causing the building to collapse behind her? Who is to say that the day after that, Spider-Man, as I have yet again predicted, realises what he is truly capable of and sets out on a rampage across the city? Could we stop these people in time? Would we have a hope to mobilise so readily?

No. No we would not.

Mutants destroyed our park. They threatened our children. They killed our brothers, our wives, our valiant soldiers. When foreign enemies invaded our country and threatened our way of life, we did not stand idly by. We picked up our weapons and we went to fight for what was rightfully ours.

If the mutants wish to avoid law enforcement, if they wish to resist arrest and risk the destabilisation of a facility intended to house the most horrific of villains, then they may do so. They may do that with the right any man and woman has to act of their own free will, even if that is to terrorise the nation they claim to want to be a part of.

But we also have a right. Pick up your phones, your pens, your swords. Get what you must. Prepare yourself for an incoming battle, readers, because our way of life as we know it has changed.

One dead mutant in a park. Dozens of dead humans. The numbers are not kind to us, and they never will be.

It is time to remind them that we have power too.

We have always had the power.

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In this issue of The Daily Bugle…

Headline: The chilling terrorist Erik Lehnsherr, otherwise known as ‘Magneto’ has been spotted in the subways of our city! No citizen is safe, not even on their evening commute! What are the heroes going to do about this latest threat? Read more of this editorial, written by J. Jonah Jameson, Editor in Chief, inside this issue! Also featuring a MANIFESTO written by Magneto himself! The Daily Bugle always gets the inside scoop. 

Page 3: For years, we’ve heard stories about the famous ‘Batfam’ of Gotham. Batman, Robin, Batwoman, and Oracle, to name just a few. Rumor has it there’s been recent sightings of these (unregistered) heroes in the Big Apple! Why are they here? And will their villains come with them? Read all there is to know about the ‘Batfam’ on page 3!

Page 6: A year ago, the Accords were ratified and a special group of Registered heroes were designated Enforcers. It’s the job of Enforcers to track down dangerous, Unregistered vigilantes and enhanced individuals -- but in recent months, the numbers have dropped precipitously, while the sightings of Unregistereds and collateral damage from Unregistered activity continues to skyrocket. What’s our next step? Read about the history (and future!) of the Enforcers on page 6!

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In this issue of The Daily Bugle...

Headline: The Accords one year later. Do they stand up? We still have masked vigilantes (like Spiderman) running around the city with seemingly no consequences! S.H.I.E.L.D., desperate to prove themselves after that little fiasco in D.C., has promised to crack down on the unregistereds with their little ‘index,’ but this city doesn’t need more promises. It needs results! Read more of this editorial, written by J. Jonah Jameson, Editor in Chief, inside this issue!

Page 3: It seems S.H.I.E.L.D. is ready to return to the big apple. They’ve built their own island in the upper Hudson Bay and constructed a base of operations. If you take the ferry to Ellis Island, you might just see some agents hard at work. Read more on page 3!

Page 6: Midland Circle was once the site of the next great skyscraper -- until it imploded. Literally. Three years later, and there are still no answers about what happens. Some say it was a construction mishap, an accident. Some say it was an act of terrorism. Some even claim ninjas are to blame! Read an in-depth discussion of the most popular theories on page 6! 

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In this issue of The Daily Bugle…

Headline: The Raft was designed to hold the worst of the worst. The criminals that could not be contained in any other way. With the latest and greatest in technological security and a zero tolerance policy for visitors or outside contact, it was meant to be foolproof. But is it? Despite a lack of comment from official sources, rumors are floating that not only have prisoners died while inside, there have even been escapes. Shouldn’t the public be warned if dangerous criminals are walking the streets again? Are there flaws in the system that need to be corrected? Read more inside this issue! 

Page 3: For years, Bludhaven, much like its sister city Gotham, has been plagued by organized crime. One of the most sordid offenders (allegedly) is the Gataki family. Led by patriarch Andre Gataki, who according to rumors, is not in good health. And now the rumors are saying that the Gataki’s have come to NYC. Read more about this shocking story on page 3!

Page 6: The subject of supers is, as ever, one of hot debate. But recently, the public has begun to notice just how young the enhanced are. Entire teams of children and teenagers are cropping up all over the city. Have the Accords brought out the teenage rebellion? Read our polls and analysis on page 6!