Tag: Lightning Bug

By Chase Chapley

After two weeks of arguments, the jury in the trial of the Lightning Bug, a.k.a. Horace Wagner, convicted him on nearly every charge against him.  The judge sentenced him to 35 years in prison with possibility for parole after 10 years.

Wagner’s attorney tried to argue that his client exploded the Verzatt Estates in self-defense due to Speedster’s pursuit of him.  They even brought one of Wagner’s mutated bugs up to testify, but that didn’t help their case as the bug, named “Carlos Danger” by the defense, couldn’t actually speak a human language.  Wagner’s attorney seemed to be convinced that it could speak, as he was seen coaching the witness before today’s proceedings.  Whatever testimony the bug was going to provide never came, and the brief testimony from Speedster last week didn’t help either.  She disputed their claim that she was in the apartment at any point prior to the explosion.  She also provided evidence of her whereabouts via the Peace Force GPS signal that emanates from her membership card and helmet.

The jury deliberated for only twenty minutes before dealing a guilty verdict.  Three counts of property damage and the one count of battery were not included in the verdict, but that still left Wagner with a hefty jail sentence.

Wagner was escorted off to Granite Prison while “Carlos Danger” was sent away to Super Animal Prison in upstate New York.

By Chase Chapley

Confounding many legal experts, the Lightning Bug, a.k.a. Horace Wagner, and his attorney argued in court today that his actions at the Verzatt Estates were in self-defense.  The prosecution had presented evidence that Wagner had been setting himself up as a hired gun in the New Romford underworld, and in testing out his new equipment, he accidentally caused the explosion.  Wagner and his attorney argued that he had to wear the armor to defend himself from Speedster, who they say has been tracking him for several weeks, and that he was in New Romford to find help for his mutated bugs, which he claims were mistreated by an associate of his.

It’s an unusual defense made by a known supervillain.  Peace Force-sanctioned superheroes have the authority to pursue known criminals if they have probable cause the criminal committed a crime or if they have escaped prison.  Wagner has been wanted by the FBI for several months prior to his arrest on suspicion of robbery charges in New York and Philadelphia.

“It seems like they’re grasping at straws,” said legal expert, Burt Montana.  “Speedster was nowhere near the Verzatt Estates at the time of the explosion, and they didn’t establish any other threat besides her.  If another supervillain were threatening him in that apartment, then he has a compelling case, but he hasn’t put forth any evidence for that.”

The prosecution didn’t seem fazed by the argument, pointing out many of the same flaws that Montana did.  The defense argued that since Speedster is so fast that it would be likely that she could enter the apartment mostly undetected.  They also asked for Speedster to be testify in court, but as she was in India fighting a giant elephant monster with a pair of Indian superheroes, she wasn’t available.

By Chase Chapley

On her way out of New Romford this morning, Speedster left her usual wave of destruction down 21^st Street as cars slammed into each other trying to avoid her quick movements.

On First Avenue, Jonathan Hu veered off the side of the road into a light post.  “She just came out of nowhere,” he said.  “She was running so fast that all I could do was swerve, but I hit the damn post because of her.”  Hu was at least thankful he didn’t hurt anyone.

On Second Avenue, Michael Watt hit the rear bumper of the truck in front of him as Speedster zipped right past him.  “I was drinking my coffee,” he said, “when she just flew by.  Must’ve been going 200 miles an hour.  I spilled my coffee in my lap when she flew by, and I got distracted and just hit the truck in front of me.”

On Third Avenue, Ida Noh had a similar story.  She was riding her bicycle when Speedster ran by.  “She was just so fast,” she said.  “I was crossing the street, and there was a car starting to turn, waiting for me, and then there she was.  She ran by and one car rear-ended another and bumped the car into me.  Then, I look down the street and everyone’s getting into accidents.”  Noh says she only experienced minor scraps, but she just can’t understand why Speedster won’t slow down.  “I mean, we got speed limits on the roads for a reason.  Why can’t she follow them?

“I thought she was a hero.”

Speedster turned onto Seventh Avenue at the YMCA, causing several more minor car accidents, before merging onto Eighth Avenue, causing Bea Caws to slam into a fire hydrant.  “I hate superheroes!” she said.  “Just get out of the damn city already and leave us alone.  This is the fifth accident I’ve had this month all thanks to so-called superheroes!”

Tom Morrow and Todd Hay were sitting at the Shortstop Café to get a front row seat at the spectacle.  “We came down here for a light lunch like we always do,” Morrow said, “because there’s usually something exciting happening downtown.  And Speedster is just so much fun to watch, too!  I know people get into accidents, and that’s not fun for them, but as a spectator, we just love it!”

Their waiter, who didn’t provide his name, was asked about the accidents and said, “I don’t care.”