River City History: The final stand against Yankee Doodle Jones

With the insanity of Yankee Doodle Jones now an institution even as World War II neared its conclusion in the European theatre. With police thinned by the fighting overseas, they didn’t stand a chance against the massive super-powered being more powerful than any mortal. Heroes of comparable power existed—but most were also too busy aiding the war effort to lend a hand.

The Midwest city found itself alone against a power it could not hope to control. Jones declared himself emperor and set out to systematically destroy anyone that opposed him. The police and city government saw no choice but to bow to his whim when it was clear no one would aid them in their plight.

The other heroes of the city took up the call. The Dragon would gather Echo, the Enchanted Dagger and California-based hero Barry Kuda to join him in his fight against the insane created man. Kuda was a mysterious underwater hero only in the area by chance. But when The Dragon looked for heroes, the undersea adventurer answered the call.

Everything came to a head on October 14, 1944. The four heroes confronted Yankee Doodle Jones face to face…and the battle would rock the city to its core.

In his mad quest to take total control of the city, Jones now ruled from city hall, flying off to destroy anyone or anything he might see as a threat. As night fell, the combined might of the heroes made their move.

The details of the battle can only be pieced together in hindsight. The heroes succeeded in ending the life of the artificial man, but Echo and the Enchanted Dagger were both killed in the conflict. The Dragon disappeared from the city, his whereabouts to this day still unknown. Barry Kuda returned to California after the victory, but refused to speak of that night for the rest of his life.

The Dragon left Yankee Doodle Jones’s body little more than a burning corpse, his components melting away. Only dental records were capable of identifying the former hero. River City was free of his rule, but now stood with a broken government, a police force in shambles and no super powered protector to help its through the post-war transition.

River City History: The Enchanted Dagger

The Enchanted Dagger

Roger Chalmers never lived a normal life. His youngest years were spent in the lap of luxury, the son of industrious explorer and steel heir Henry Chalmers. Henry lived much of his later years deep in Africa, leaving his young son in the hands of tutors and corrupt business partners.

The business would survive the beginning of the depression but when Henry refused to return to take care of his business, his corrupt partner attempted to take over the business. Henry would finally return at the behest of sixteen year old Roger, but it would already be too late. Much of the family’s wealth was gone, never to return.

Henry would remain in the United States for the final five years of his life. He tried to rebuild his business without much of its assets, but by the time of his death the family was already in danger of complete financial collapse. Henry made his son swear a vow to return to Africa no matter what. He promised Roger that he would find a treasure far greater than the Chalmers’ former finances.

Roger would quickly reunite with the small tribe his father first met. There he was given his father’s gift, an enchanted dagger of unknown origin. But it would only take a short while before he would have to test his weapon’s power. He would have to fight off a dozen warriors of another tribe. The dagger paralyzed anyone he threw it near as well as broke down falsehoods. The warriors proved no match for him.

He would return stateside, first to Washington, D.C. and later to his home in River City. He would use his new weapon to expose his father’s former business partner before donning a costume and fighting crime as the Enchanted Dagger.

But even with his powerful weapon, he would face his greatest challenge ever in Yankee Doodle Jones.