It has been over a year since Paragon City re-opened its gates. Over a year since the Rikti were fought off and humanity's unquestiontioned rule was restored. A year in which thousands upon thousands of heroes have entered the Birthplace of Tomorrow.

And after a year, things are worse than ever.

Crime is up by over 30%, as new villain group after new villain group appear in Paragon City and start causing problems for ordinary, hard-working citizens. Despite their best attempts to curb the problem, the underpaid, under-equipped police are forced to run swifly away from any crime they see, being unable to do anything about it. This is because of the City's over-reliance on heroes has seen the resources allocated to police dwindle. And it isn't like heroes have been successful in their crime-fighting pursuits.

Despite the efforts of all heroes, only one villain group is no longer causing problems in Paragon City, and that is because they - the Fifth Column - took themselves out of the game, changed their outfits and came back as the even-more-dangerous Council. Eastgate is now a smoking hole in the ground, with heroes having not even known about the Troll's activities until after the fact. Despite the arrest of what is likely millions of bad guys, the streets are still choked with more villains in their respective gang colours. It is obvious that the current system of hero licensing isn't working.

The blame for this lies with the epitome of the modern hero - Statesman. Despite his immense alleged power, he has not been available to actually stop crime, preferring to lead by example. This type of empty leadership sees Brickstown's Ziggarut still basically a bed'n'breakfast for criminals, who come and go as they please. Reconstruction hasn't started on Overbrook or Baumtown. It has been a year and little has changed under the current management of this fair city. Statesman and his ilk have got to get with the program or get out of Paragon City.

And let's not even get started on the Portal Corporation re-opening. Already facing several lawsuits for its part in letting the Rikti invade Earth and attempt to erase all of humanity, the Portal Corp opens its doors and immediately adds several dangerous villain groups to Paragon City through those who want to steal from it (the Malta Group) and those who want to invade Earth (the Praetorians). Why doesn't the Portal Corp just set off a nuclear bomb in the middle of Freedom Plaza? It'd be safer than what they are currently doing!

Unless things change, unless a new team of real leaders and movers is allowed to begin their development plans, citizens of Paragon City will face yet more disasters, as the uncoordinated heroes do little to stem the tide of disorder than the different villain groups are champions of. Organisations such as the Crey Corporation have tried their to do their part, but are continually harrassed by both the City Council and assorted heroes who mistake them for common thugs. It is no wonder that such problems exist when the good guys are mistaken for the bad guys.

The citizens of Paragon City need to wake up and smell the coffee. Relying on heroes - being distracted by their bright powers and shiny costumes - isn't going to make things better for our beloved City. Things need to change and new people brought in to run the show. For if things don't change, all Paragon City have to look forward to is another year of heroic failure.

The Portal Corporation, through its advanced dimension crossing technology, has allowed us to gain glimpses of other worlds - worlds where things have worked out very differently than in our own. From one such world is David Nurenberg, a refugee fleeing a dimension that has inflicted harsh and draconian rules on its superpowered citizens.

Mr Nurenberg has written a book about his experiences, both as a form of therapy and as a warning of what the future may hold for Paragon City if the worst was ever to occur.

Beholder: Can you briefly explain what happened to the superheroes in your dimension?

David Nurenberg: I don't know where to begin. When I was younger, life wasn't too different than what I find here in Paragon City. Sure, there were super-villains, but heroes always arose to defeat them, and the world cheered us on. I guess we were all so thrilled with the adulation that we never suspected how much the Normals feared us.

When a superhuman terrorist blew up the Trinity Nuclear plant 15 years ago, though, the Normals went berserk...they passed the Lee Act, forcing all Supers to relocate to Herotowns. Now we live in radioactive ghettos, stuck with crumbling housing and inedible food. We have no rights, can be searched or arrested any time without charges, and the only way we can make a living is to get permits to do missions in the city proper. It doesn't matter how many lives we save on those missions, either; in the eyes of the police, we're still a threat to be controlled tightly.

It wouldn't be so bad, maybe, if so many ordinary people didn't seem to support the system, too.

Beholder: What was the purpose of writing this book?

DN: Everyone likes to think "it can't happen here", but it could. Paragon City's not immune to the tides of fear and prejudice. These changes always happen slowly, like heating a saucepan gradually until you cook a frog in it without his even realizing it.

Watch for newspaper editorials, laws that just push the edge...sooner or later, the military will come in the night to usher away your heroes. Call me paranoid, will you? I've seen it. I've lived it. Maybe by publishing this book here in Paragon, I can give people a warning. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance!

Beholder: Having been here for a while, how do you think Paragon City compares to your dimension?

DN: Right now, it's a paradise. You can use your powers openly, travel where you want, fly over people's heads and not have to worry about antiaircraft fire. People here seem to respect heroes. Just be careful...awe can turn to fear, and fear to rage, quicker than you suspect.

The people of Paragon, like the people of Mesopolopolis where I come from, are essentially good people, but even good people, when frightened, can do horrible things in the name of protecting themselves.

For more information, please see Mr Nurenberg's website regarding the book he has written. The Beholder wishes to thank Mr Nurenberg for his time.

Several heroes have been questioned about their lack of action following the near-abduction of the entire Swimsuits Illustrated model team in Talos Island yesterday. According to witness accounts, it was only the swift action of a supergroup arriving on the scene that saved the models from a grisly fate at the hands of the Banished Pantheon.

Swimsuits Illustrated was in the middle of a large photo shoot at the time of the attack. It appears that several Banished Pantheon cult members ambushed the photographer and knocked him unconscious before grabbing several of the swimsuit models. Although there were several heroes who witnessed the attack, none of them did anything to stop it at that point.

Ironclad, who was one of the heroes who stood by while the attack occurred, said that he didn't realise that the women were in trouble. "Look, I arrived to see a bunch of beautiful ladies in tight, revealing costumes standing around and posing. This isn't uncommon in Paragon City - I thought they were heroes! Then, the Banished Pantheon attacked, and I see some of them get caught, but I'm thinking 'They're heroes, they can look after themselves'. Besides, it's just rude to step into a fight that you aren't invited to when there are other heroes there first. It took us guys a couple of minutes to realise that the girls were in real trouble. We acted as soon as we realised what was going on."

Fortunately for the models, supergroup Security Action arrived on the scene and was instrumental in preventing the Banished Pantheon from returning to Dark Astoria with hostages in tow.

Ironclad also indicated that he and all the heroes who watched on were "ashamed and embarrassed" by what happened.

A Banished Pantheon shaman who was arrested at the scene said the attempted abduction was motivated by "us not having anyone to talk to. There are no women in our group. I mean, we've got zombies and floating heads but still... oh please, I'm just so lonely!".

Swimsuit Illustrated has indefinitely postponed its shoot due to concerns about the further safety of its staff in Paragon City.

'Kil Skuls' Joke Officially Dead

by Tyffany Summers