Fanzing 2 - January 1998

NO CLUES IN "NEW J.L.E." DEATHS

PARIS - A month has passed since the tragedy which robbed France of its greatest hero. A museum explosion revealed the deaths of Le Renard Rousse, known in the USA as Crimson Fox, as well as several security guards and two other ex-Justice League members, Blue Devil and Amazing Man. The fire and debris have made analysis of the scene difficult, but it is now widely believed that most of the museum occupants had been murdered before the explosion. Authorities are still trying to piece together the series of events leading to their murders and the destruction of the Paris landmark.

Interpol officials, operating within strict guidelines for the retrieval of superhero corpses, have made several determinations in the investigation. Lead investigator Camus has issued a statement that Crimson Fox died from a slit throat, although this has been met with skepticism from several channels. It is not believed possible that a superhero known most for her reflexes could be killed in such a mundane manner.

Blue Devil's corpse was almost skeletal. Fire officials at first stated that this was due to the heavy fires in that section of the museum. However, the American hero Firestorm was at the scene and claims that Blue Devil was already in this state seconds before the explosion.

Amazing Man's body was the hardest to retrieve; coroners spent several days assembling the pieces of the corpse. His torso was found in hundreds of tiny pieces, although his upper and lower body was relatively intact. It is not known how a human body could be killed in such manner.

Oddly, no supervillain has come forward to lay claim to the crime…at least, none who can be believed. Several inhabitants at Gotham City's Arkham Asylum have claimed responsibility, including Harvey "Two-Face" Dent, but all have witnesses who say that they were in their cells on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean at the time. Nevertheless, some Interpol officials are beginning to wonder if some mastermind currently

incarcerated might not have engineered the scheme. Several incidents involving Hector Hammond lay credence to this theory.

Interpol came under fire early in the investigation when the Scandinavian superhero Ice Maiden, a former member of the Global Guardians and Justice League America, was sought for questioning. The American press had a field day, as Ice Maiden had gained notoriety for a recent guest appearance on ABC's Ellen. Ice Maiden was able to find many witnesses who claimed that she was with them, despite Firestorm's public insistence that she was indeed a member of the "new Justice League Europe" guarding the Comtelle diamonds at the museum the day of the murders.

Two weeks ago, the Justice League of America (representing surviving relatives) filed legal claims to the remains of Crimson Fox, Blue Devil and Amazing Man. J'onn J'onzz, known as the Martian Manhunter, insisted that the identities of the fallen heroes remain secret unless revealed by any next of kin.

Shortly after its founding, the JLA organization petitioned the United States Congress (and later, the United Nations) to enact bills protecting the privacy rights of any hospitalized or deceased superheroes. Those laws have been invoked many times, including during the Alliance Invasion when the world's metahumans fell ill and more recently following the retrieval of the Shadow Fighters' corpses from a deadly confrontation with Eclipso in Parador.

The French populace have been respectful of Crimson Fox's privacy; even the notorious European paparazzi have made only a few dozen attempts to photograph her mutilated corpse. French President Jacques Chirac has personally asked Superman for permission to build a public tomb for her if no family members lay claim to the body. The French government has made plans for a memorial service.

Crimson Fox had been called "the European Batman", both for her battle ferocity and her gymnastic ability. Shortly after her first appearance over three years ago, the French press made her a national celebrity and she quickly rivaled Elongated Man as the French people's favorite superhero. Crimson Fox joined the European branch of Justice League International and stayed with that team until its dissolution. According to Firestorm, it was Crimson Fox who led the drive to create a new "Justice League Europe" and she was unanimously chosen as team leader.

Blue Devil, whose identity as stuntman Dan Patrick Cassidy has always been public, rose to fame five years ago when a magical spell welded him into a movie-monster exoskeleton. Since then he'd approached numerous scientists, magicians and superhumans in an effort to remove the costume. Cassidy had been described by friends as a "weirdness magnet" for his consistent ability to attract supervillains, monsters and aliens. He'd since joined the JLA and somehow gained a new costume. Friends say that Dan, although well-known for his sense of humor, had grown increasingly depressed following the death of his close friend, noted Verner Brothers movie producer Marla Bloom.

Not much is known of Amazing Man, although he is thought to be a descendent of the Amazing Man of the 1940s who gained much acclaim as the first African-American "mystery man." Although the current Amazing Man had not garnered national attention, many superheroes have credited him with saving the entire planet from the Overmaster. He joined a splinter group of the Justice League lead by Captain Atom, but almost nothing is known of their activities.

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Mr. Mxyzptlk seen getting pancaked by Doomsday.

Mr. MXYZPTLK
BELIEVED DEAD,
FEARED NOT!
IMP SHRIMP WIMP LIMPS!
by Clark Kent

METROPOLIS --Mr. Myxzptlk, the fifth-dimensional menace who has turned Metropolis topsy-turvy with his antics over the last several years, was believed to have been fatally wounded while recreating Superman's fight to the death with Doomsday. However, it turned out that the imp had only been suffering from a large buildup of intestinal gas. Sources close to Mr. Mxyzptlk wish that they hadn't been quite so close.

GIFFEN TRIBUTE
AT WARRIORS
MINOR DISRUPTION BY LOBO & FATE

NEW YORK - A gala gathering at Warriors was marred by a drunken intrusion, but it couldn't ruin the Giffen Tribute that attracted dozens of unappreciated superheroes. The center of the party was a man known only as "Giffen"; metahumans on the scene were tight-lipped as to his identity; however, heroes present such as Blue Beetle, Heckler, Stealth and Strata credited Giffen with shaping them into who they are today. It's suspected that Giffen is either a martial arts instructor or a sitcom writer.

Metamenaces Lobo and Fate crashed the party. Fate was quickly bounced, although the unconscious Lobo was left sleeping in a booth. Producer David Geffen was also thrown out, having misunderstood the nature of the night's celebrations.

Aztek tends bar at Warrior's