The Oregonian
March 28, 2014
Oregonian Hires New “Supers” Editor
The Oregonian newspaper has just hired experienced journalist Billy Dugan as our newest editor, reporting on all things metahuman in Portland and the Pacific Northwest. As super-powered beings become more commonplace in our day-to-day lives, and especially after the formation of a Portland-based superhero group sponsored by the Dunlap Foundation, our newspaper will be reporting on these activities, and their effects on the citizens of this state and the surrounding areas. In addition to the normal reporting of metahuman events, Mr. Dugan will also be writing a weekly column on metahuman activity, “Power Files”.
Mr. Dugan comes to us from Philadelphia, where he worked as a crime and justice reporter for the Philadelphia Daily News for the last five years. He was hired there after receiving a Masters in Journalism at the City University of New York. Coming from a long line of journalists, Billy is always striving to continue in his family's history of fair and even reporting of the news.
The Oregonian
March 29, 2014
New Super Team Establishes Base in Portland
Billy Dugan, Supers editor for the Oregonian
On Friday a new 20,000 square foot facility was unveiled in northwest Portland, near the southern end of the Fremont Bridge at 12th and Quimby avenues. The land and the building was purchased by the Five Foundation, the super powered technology/charity organization created and funded by Internet billionaire Daniel Dunlap. The dedication ceremony was hosted by Mr. Dunlap and the first superhero team that he sponsored through his foundation, the San Francisco-based group “The Five”. All of the members of that group were in attendance: Janet Collins, aka Commander; the imposing Turkish fighter Janissary; the mysterious floating person known as Sackcloth; Conrad Phelps, who transforms into the rock-like creature Golem, and the humorous, light-hearted Foolish Tom.
In his presentation, Dunlap introduced the new team of metahumans that was selected by his foundation to be the officially sponsored group in Portland: the well-known veteran hero Lady Paladin; Hex, demonstrating a powered suit provided by the high-tech firm Adaptec Corporation; and three other members, Ninety-Nine, Quantum, and Shimmer, of whom little is known. These five team members were selected after a series of west-coast tryouts, in a process that more often resembled the audition process for American Idol than a job interview. The ample press coverage of the auditions appeared to create a positive public opinion of the newly-formed group.
After the presentation Mr. Dunlap immediately left in a helicopter, and shortly thereafter took off from Portland International Airport in his private Boeing Business Jet. The members of the new Portland group and The Five were quickly ushered into the new building, and the only person involved with the groups that was available for questions was Miss Margaret Schwartzman, a spokesperson for the Five Foundation.
Miss Schwartzman reiterated Mr. Dunlap's assertions that the new Portland group was wholly independent of his commercial business dealings and the San Francisco based group, and the non-profit Five Foundation only provided the building, stipends for the group, and a small number of local staff. When asked what the Portland group would be required to do by the foundation, Miss Schwartzman stated that there were no requirements placed on them by the foundation or Mr. Dunlap, and that they would be trusted to do “what was right”. She also stated that other information on the group and their mission would come directly from them, if they chose to give it.
The Oregonian
March 29, 2014
Super-powered fight ties up Burnside Bridge Traffic
Billy Dugan, Supers editor for the Oregonian
Coincidentally on the same day that a new official superhero team was unveiled in Portland, there was a major super powered attack on the downtown area, tying up traffic on the east side of the Willamette River and causing damage to the Burnside Bridge. The incident occurred around 3:30 on the east end of the Burnside Bridge, after the bridge had been closed off to most traffic due to a group of demonstrators marching across the bridge and unfurling a large banner where I-5 goes underneath east Burnside.
The protesters claim to be from a group called Free Heroes, and a representative of the group, Gerald Thompson, said that their purpose was to protest the nonprofit organization the Five Foundation, and their sponsorship of the newly created Portland superhero group. Mr. Thompson stated, “We feel that being a hero should have nothing to do with any organized corporation, or get paid for doing good. Heroes should be helping the public with no thought of being paid for their job.”
The protesters' large banner caused traffic to back up on the south-bound lanes of I-5, and after a short time a large, rock-like humanoid creature that appeared to be forty feet tall. emerged from under a tarp on the back of a large flat-bed truck. This creature immediately climbed up to the deck of the Burnside Bridge, accompanied by four flying creatures that looked to be human-sized versions of bizarre insects. These creatures started moving west on the bridge, towards downtown Portland.
At the same time as the monstrous creature climbed onto the bridge, the newly formed group The Rose City Five arrived on the scene, and quickly engaged the creatures in a fight. After a short time, during which the attacks from the heroes appeared to have little effect on the large monster, the Rose City Five created a loud, piercing sound using a truck abandoned on the bridge. That sound was heard as far as Oregon City to the south. At this point, the monster appeared to be weakened by the noise, and it and the flying creatures were quickly subdued.
Damage to the bridge was estimated at approximately $10,000, and a city spokesperson stated that it was lucky that there wasn't more damage, but he expected the bridge to be repaired within the next few days. The creatures were taken away by the Portland City police, and a police representative said that they were now incapacitated and totally harmless.
There was ample media coverage of the event stemming from the coverage of the initial protest march, and there was video of a person exiting the cab of the flatbed truck. Portland Police have not released any additional information on the person's identity, stating that they are actively investigating the incident.
The Oregonian
March 29, 2014
“Power Files”
Billy Dugan, Supers editor for the Oregonian
Come to Portland, they said. Daniel Dunlap's nonprofit foundation is sponsoring new superhero groups, and their first one will be in Portland. So I said, “Sure.” How was I to know that on my first day reporting as the Oregonian's new Supers editor would be the unveiling of the new Portland superhero group, a visit from the legendary San Francisco superhero group The Five, AND a major attack on downtown Portland by a gigantic rock monster?
I haven't been around that long, but things like this don't happen in Portland. Sure, there have been other heroes in the Portland metropolitan area, and the occasional villain. Everyone remembers Portman from the eighties, Lumberjack Lou, the superhero group the Pioneers, and the other heroes that called the Pacific Northwest home. We even had our share of super powered criminals, some just breaking the law, or some acting crazy like a cartoon supervillain. Who can forget the time the Wrestlemaniacs took everyone in the Memorial Coliseum hostage during a Billy Joel concert.
But after that epic fight on the Fremont Bridge in 1980, and the destruction of the Pioneers, Portland had a lull in metahuman activities. There were still heroes and villains, but it was as if nobody had the heart for it. Other larger cities still had their epic battles, but Oregon had been passed by.
Things are changing, however. The number of supervillain attacks across the United States has been slowly increasing over the last few years. Perhaps that is the reason that Mr. Dunlap chose to sponsor new superhero groups, starting in Portland. Could it be that he saw the writing on the wall?
As I get more comfortable with my new role for the newspaper, and with Portland in general, I hope to bring to the readers a better understanding of super powered beings, and their role in our lives.