The Silver Beetle Issues 1-5: The Crimson Killer pt 1 now up!

The Silver Beetle Issue One: Origin pt 1 and 2

1

Robert Slayver lay in his bed looking up at the Spiderman poster on his ceiling thinking about the steps he had gone through to reach the decision he had formed today. One: cut a hole in the box. NO no no, this is no time for jokes. Okay. One: I’ve had enough. Yeah okay that makes sense. Two: I could really help people. Okay yeah that’s another valid reason. Three- Crap crap crap! Am I crazy!? This will never work. Robert got up out of his bed, in his Mickey Mouse tee-shirt and boxers there was a distinct chill from the open window and it had spread to his special place.

Robert walked around his room with his hands behind his back. His heart was thumping heavily in his chest. This could be big. Real big. Eleven o’clock news big. He kept walking back and forth, his bare feet rubbing the soft shag carpet. Okay okay now let’s think seriously for a minute. Could it be possible? In theory yes I mean KickAss did it… but he did have a little girl with bad ass weapons to help him. I mean seriously she was awesome! And I’ve never even had a day (let alone an hour) of some kind of fighting training. No! Wait! That’s right I did take those fencing classes a while back. Okay well I have that.

Robert was getting excited. This could happen. This could actually happen. He looked at his bed thinking about sleep then looked away again. Robert thought about his time in the hospital. The kids he met in there, the looks in their eyes. His fists clenched. He was going to do this. He had to. He looked into his open closet at the box on the top shelf and walked up to take it down. Yep there it is. The box was full of old things from his childhood. And after a little digging he found what he was looking for: his old Spiderman costume.

He took it out and looked it up and down and spread it out on his bed. Maybe it’s how tired I am but… I’ve got an idea. Robert then put the costume back in the box and put it back into the closet and with a smile went back to bed and for the first time in weeks didn’t have any nightmares about the hospital.

2

School sucked. Simply put: school sucked. Mr. Shulster had given Robert a D on his geometry quiz and Martha was ignoring him. Still. He didn’t even know what the hell he had done but yet she was still acting like he didn’t exist. He was crazy about her. But she seemed to be a lost cause. Robert closed his locker and walked down the stairs and out of the high school with his twin brother Paul and they started heading toward home.

But they didn’t get very far until Robert spotted trouble. “Uh hey Paul I’ll meet you at home. I-I- I forgot a book in my locker. I gotta go back.” Paul nodded and kept walking. Robert then dived into a nearby bush and started unbuttoning his shirt revealing the red and blue Spiderman costume underneath. Robert looked ahead at the tall football player picking on a small freshman. A little cliché… but I’ll take it. Robert removed the rest of his clothes and pulled and put the mask on from out of his backpack.

Robert took a deep breath and ran sprinting from his lone bush into the middle of the bustling school stairway. At first it was quiet then, once his appearance sunk in, the stairwell echoed with laughter. “Stop messing with that kid!” Robert’s voice came out soft and raspy. The tall football player threw the poor kid against the wall. “What did you say?” Robert swallowed hard and shouted. “Back off bozo.” The big guy stood up tall with his chest out using the oldest big bad jock card at his disposal. Robert was so sick of it, he knew this to well. His fist clenched and his courage was mounting by the second.

“And what the hell is a Halloween costume wearing faggot like you going to do about it?” Ohmygod this has to be a joke. Robert didn’t know whether to laugh out loud or just shout. So he did both. He reached out behind him, grabbing a kid’s backpack from behind him. “Why don’t you ask your neurosurgeon!?” And with a quick swing arranged a little blind date between the backpack and the jock’s temple. The tall, tough football player went down like a boxer in a fashion that made Robert want to yell “Timber!”

Robert turned around and gave the kid back his backpack. “What the hell was in that bag? Rocks? Make sure this kid gets to the nurse.” He says pointing at the bully who seemed to be unconscious. Robert then looked up into the camera of the cellphone of the kid he had just saved. He stood there for a moment then, in the shock and silence, ran from the school to find refuge in the bush where he had hidden his clothes.

In a quick change he got back into his street clothes and got up from the bush hoping no one had seen him. With a quick look around until he was sure he was safe he turned around and hightailed it home before he had gotten a chance to let what had happened to soak in.

Idk if this belongs here but it kinda just posted it here anyway. I could use support. Please critique and follow me!

No it is not too long and I like it! It sounds like Peter Parker, which I mean as a compliment.

@OracleX:

Haha thank you!

I really liked this! :]

@xxCellPhoneGirlxx:

Thank you! I'm gonna try to write more tonight.

This was really great. I'm glad you plan on writing more. ^.^

The Silver Beetle Issue 2

3

Robert ran home in an excited sprint, his heart pumping with adrenaline. As he entered into the house he almost tripped walking through the door and accidently slammed the door as he closed it. His teeth were chattering and his fingers felt numb. He’d done it. First day and he had already helped someone. Robert smiled and made quickly to the stairs to go to his room but was stopped by his mom going up the stairs. His mom, Janice, was laced with medical problems including a fake hip and knee and was walking down the stairs slowly to meet him.

“Well hello!” Robert’s mom looks him right in the eyes. “What are you so happy about?” “Um yeah I got a… a B on my geometry quiz.” Robert could feel a drop of perspiration sliding down his side from his underarm and didn’t know if it was the situation, what he had just done, or just his depression medication causing it so he just assumed it was a mix of all of the reasons. Robert’s mother smiled. “I guess that geometry tutor is really paying off huh?” “Yeah sure mom.” God she is so oblivious.

Once Robert got to his room he closed the door (careful not to slam it this time) and collapsed onto his bed looking eye to eye with Spidey sitting slinging his webs in his little poster. I can’t believe I did that. I’m a hero. I’m a freaking hero. That was amazing. I have to do that again. Robert took his shirt and jeans off and looked at himself in the Spiderman outfit in his mirror. Yikes this is a little small on me. And he was right, the sleeves stopped short before his wrists and the legs barely made it past his shins.

I am definitely going to need my own costume. He then shed his Spidey costume and put his normal clothes back on smiling as he did so all thoughts of homework or Martha for that matter completely driven from his mind. Well if I’m going to make a costume I need some kind of theme or something. He looked up at his Spiderman poster above his bed. Okay bug theme… that always seems to work. Robert then looked at his desk at the library book lying on a stack of old papers. Shout: The Beatles in Their Generation.

The Beetle! No wait that’s already a villain isn’t it? Robert racked his brain, thinking hard. Of course! The Sliver Beetle! The idea came from both the original name of the Beatles but also from the silver age of comics. Perfect. I like the sound of it. Okay now I just have to think of a costume design. Well it’s okay no need for a montage of drawing, sketching, and throwing away papers angrily… I already have the perfect idea for a costume.

Later that week-

“So what the hell are we doing here exactly?” Robert’s best friend Rodney looked at Robert with a weird look on his face. Robert looked up from the rack of clothes he was searching through at Rodney. “I just uh… need a costume for a… costume party.” Robert then started walking down the aisle continuing his search. “Yeah that would explain why we’re in a costume shop but who the hell throws a costume party in May?” Robert keeps looking through the costumes, finding something that might work, pulling it out, looking it up and down, and then putting it back.

“Listen it’s er… through my dad’s work. Families invited.” Robert keeps walking until Rodney reaches through Robert’s arms to get to the rack and pulls out a costume. “Is this the kind of thing you’re looking for?” Robert looks at what his friend is holding up. It’s a medium sized silver spandex suit shining in the yellowish glow of the light bulb hanging over their heads. Robert looks at in in concentration then after a moment, with a slight smile, says, “Perfect.” And takes the suit from his friend’s outstretched hands.

He then walks up to the cashier who is sitting behind the counter reading an Entertainment Weekly. “Hey you wouldn’t happen to have a mask that goes with this would you?” The big woman looks up from her magazine clearly thrilled to be working in a lifeless costume store and looks at the silver costume the skinny (if not slightly geeky) boy is holding in front of her. “Did you check the box in the back?” Robert turns around and spots the cardboard box in the back labeled “Misc. masks” in sloppy black sharpie writing.

Robert smiles stupidly and walks over to the box and starts digging through it. Rodney pretends to look at an invisible watch and starts to tap his foot lightly on the ground. Robert is about to turn around and tell him to shove it when his hand slides over a silver spandex mask perfectly fitting the costume he had picked out. This must be my lucky day. Robert couldn’t believe his luck. This was really happening.

He walked back up to the counter and paid for his mask and costume with the last of his birthday and Christmas money and walked out with a relieved Rodney back to his friend’s car holding his purchase close to him in the front seat knowing that this was the first step to the rest of his life.

4

When Robert got he went straight to his room holding the bag with his costume in it close to his chest feeling that if he didn’t it would disappear. As he got into his room he slammed his door (earning him some grief from his brother), locked it, and immediately started to undress throwing his clothes on the bed. When he finally got his costume on he was ecstatic. It fit perfectly and to him it looked amazing and he also thought he looked unbelievably sexy.

He spun around a few time then reached into the bag and put on his mask. After twenty minutes of staring at himself in the mirror he and the thrill wore of a bit he realized that the costume was missing something. He looked up at the Spiderman poster above his bed and his hand reached up to his chest. A little black beetle in the chest would be nice. But it still seemed a little plain. Okay I just have to make the certain parts black… like Spiderman’s outfit except silver and black instead of red and blue.

The next few days were spent in a hurry trying to find a tailor that could adjust his costume. He finally found one in the next city over (so hopefully it nothing could be traced back to him) and telling his mom he was going to the library, spent an afternoon getting there by bus. When he finally got the store he walked in wearing a plain white t-shirt, jeans, and big sunglasses.

The man behind the counter looked up from his work as the bell above the door jingled as Robert walked in. “Hello what can I do ya for?” Robert pulled his costume out of the bag and put it on the counter then reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of lined paper with a sketch on it. “I want this.” Robert points at the silver costume. “To look something like this.” Robert then points to the sketch on the piece of paper.

“Hmmmm…” the man takes a closer look at the sketch. “I’ll see what I can do. What is this for… if I may ask?” “It’s for a costume party.” The man nods and takes the costume and paper. “How long do you think this will take?” The man shrugs “Three days tops.” Robert sighs. “Hey I’m a busy man.” Robert walks back outside and waits for the bus.

After many bus rides and lies to his mother later Robert finally has his costume back and man did it look sexy! Of course the first thing Robert did when he got it back is run up to his room to put it on. It looked amazing. Perfect. Now all I need is a beetle signal and a catchphrase. This was happening and he was ready. Bring it.

I want to see him in the costume. x] Awesome attention to detail in second issue. Cool character interaction too.

@Icon:

I wish I had the drawing skills to draw him... or had someone else to draw it *hint hint*

Loved it!

Another great part my man.. Ah man it would be so cool to draw the Silver Beetle *hint hint*

@Project_Worm:

*no hint* Do it!

I want to see the "sexy" costume x]

@Icon:

Who doesn't?

@I_Am_Dark:

If you do it'll be a pleasure to read it and well if i could i'd try marvel first.

I want to see the "sexy" costume x]

@xxCellPhoneGirlxx:

I agree with the RPG and yeah ik what you mean. I was kinda going for something though.

@xxCellPhoneGirlxx:

whoops i just realized what it looked like in the post. okay nvm i'll change it.

@xxCellPhoneGirlxx:

I didn't want a cliche "Later that day..." kinda thing but whatever.

@xxCellPhoneGirlxx:

And how did they do it?

@xxCellPhoneGirlxx:

hahaha yeah okay

The Silver Beetle Issue 3:Origin pt. 5

5

Robert hadn’t been this excited since the night he had first come up with the idea to become a superhero. His heart was beating quickly in his chest and his hands were sweating. He had taken a bus to the city and was looking around for trouble. He felt his adrenaline pumping as he felt the spandex costume underneath his clothes.

He got off of the bus and in his excitement literally jumped into a dark alley way and took off his clothes as epically as possible without humming the superman theme song as he did it. Once all dressed out he stepped from the dirty alley way to start his crusade against evil… as soon as he could find it. But this actually didn’t take too long.

As he started patrolling the streets he soon found the trouble his adrenaline yearned for. Up a couple buildings from where he was a skinny shaved headed man was giving a young lady trouble.

“Hey just let it happen quietly and it’ll be over soon.” The woman screamed and kicked lashing out her arms as she did so. The man slapped her hard across the face. “Do you want to die, lady?” The man then held up her arms and started unbuttoning her shirt. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Robert slid down a pipe he had climbed earlier to make a more dramatic entrance. Realizing he was trying to sound like Batman he made his voice a little higher.

“I assume you’re trying to steal more than just money from this poor innocent young girl?” The man stopped unbuttoning but kept his hold on the woman’s arms. “What the !@#$ are you supposed to be?” Robert stood up taller. “Well I’m the uh…” His voice got a little quieter. “The Silver Beetle.” The thug looked Robert up and down and said, “The Silver Sh!t more like it. How old are you, like twelve?” Robert took a step forward. “Move away from that woman.”

The man also took a step forward. “Make me, you little punk.” Keeping his hold on the woman, he reached into his pocket with his other hand and pulled out a small switchblade. The woman let out a short scream. He pointed the knife at Robert then slowly brought the blade to the young woman’s neck. “So you’re a superhero huh?” The man laughed, his eyes never leaving Robert. “Ever seen someone die in front of you?” He then brought the knife closer so it pushed against the woman’s skin causing a think line of blood to fall from her neck.

Robert reached behind his back and with a quick movement drew his fencing sabre that had been held there with a strip of cloth working as a kind of sheath. He held it out, pointing it at the thug. “Don’t… please.” The man laughed again. “You’ll learn a lot of things in this world kid. One of them being some people just ain’t got nothing to lose.” Robert took a step forward. “That’s a double negative idiot.” And with that he swung his blade so that it whipped the man in the chest.

The man fell to the ground dropping his knife as he screamed in pain. Robert yelled to the woman, “Run and get help, and tell the police that The Silver Beetle saved you.” But the woman didn’t hear him. She had curled up into a ball and was sobbing into her chest. Robert walked by the man’s head. “Give up yet?” The man looked up at him and smiled. “Don’t be a cocky little sh!t.” The thug then slid forward and grabbed his knife, then swung it at Robert. Robert jumped back and slipped and fell onto his ass. The man then stood up and grabbed the woman pulling her to her feet by her hair, said, “Consider this your first insight into the real life kid.” And slit the woman’s throat.

The girl’s body hung there by her hair for a brief moment then fell as the man dropped her. The man smiled, nodded, turned around, and ran out of sight. Robert looked at the girl’s body and then down the street at where the man ran and then the panic set it.

Wow. I so did not expect that dark ending. Very well done :]

@xxCellPhoneGirlxx: Merci mon ami.

@xxCellPhoneGirlxx: Haha its right.

The Silver Beetle Issue 4:Origin pt. 6 (of 6)

6

Robert was officially freaking out. “Help! Somebody please help!” Robert didn’t know what to do. Should he stay with the dead woman or go after the man that had just killed her. God damn it! Why did I have to get so cocky? I could have saved her. First day as a superhero and I’ve already gotten someone killed. Then Robert remembered that he had left his cell phone in his pants pocket. He jumped up and ran to where he had hidden his clothes. He put them on quickly and then reached into his pocket to get his phone. Oh thank god it’s still here.

Robert quickly dialed 911 and waited impatiently as the phone rang. A nasal female voice answered. “Hello what’s your emergency?” Robert realized he had no idea what he was going to say. “There is a dead woman in the middle of the street. It looks like she’s had her throat cut.” Robert realized he was crying. “Okay sir, please try to calm down. Where are you located?” Robert gave the street and address of nearby buildings. “Okay thank you sir, we will send someone to pick the woman up immediately. Goodbye.”

Robert hung up in shock. How could that woman on the phone have been so calm? Somebody just died. Oh my god oh my god, someone just died in front of me. I have to get the hell out of here. Robert made sure he had all his clothes and then sprinted to the bus stop.

~~~~~~

Robert got home at about three A.M. according to the digital clock over the T.V. he thought he had gotten in safely when – “Robert Richard Slayver what have I told you about leaving in the middle of the night?” Robert looked down and then back up at his mother. He had an alibi. “I’m sorry; I couldn’t sleep so I went down to the school to…” Robert mother got up from the chair she was sitting in and hugged Robert. “I know things are hard for you right now but you can’t just get up and leave in the middle of the night. It’s not safe.”

Robert nodded and said, “Can I go to my room. I’m very tired.” His mother agreed then said, “I hope you know you will be punished.” Robert shrugged. “Whatever.” And then he walked up to his room.

Once he got to his room he slowly and quietly closed the door and then jumped on his bed, burying his head into his pillow. Oh my god. The back of Robert’s throat started to tense up and his eyes burnt with tears. Somebody died tonight because of me. Robert got undressed and hid his costume inside his closet. He then got back in bed and his tears became sobs. This was a bad idea. I should never have tried to become a superhero. It’s… it’s… suicidal. It’s too much responsibility for me… I could never…”

Robert looked up from his pillow and looked at his closet where he had hidden his costume. What the hell am I going to do with my life anyway? I might as well use what’s left of it to try to help anyone I can. Robert stopped crying, his confidence starting to build, his heart thumping faster. I did well out there. I didn’t show fear and something bad happened. I handled it and now I’m going to make sure nothing like that ever happens again. Robert looked away from the closet and got under the covers of his bed.

Things went bad today. Real bad. But the sun will still rise, the moon will still set and tomorrow will be a new day.

The Silver Beetle Issue 5

The Crimson Killer pt. 1

When Robert woke up the next morning he was right about the sun rising again but what he didn’t for see was how his body would feel right now. His body and mind ached from last night. I am so out of shape, mentally and physically. I have to start working out more… Robert got out of bed and walked over to the mirror. No bruises or scars, I should be okay. But just in case he put on the big t-shirt and jeans to hide any injuries that may be showing. Before he even left his room to get his breakfast he had decided that he was going back out tonight.

-------------------

So that night, after he was sure his family was asleep, he repeated what he had done the night before. He took the bus into the city, wearing his costume under his street clothes and hiding his fencing sabre under a jacket.

When he got off at the first stop and then jumped into a nearby alley to strip his clothes. Once his mask was on he walked out of the alley and put his sabre in the makeshift sheath on his back.

The world seemed so much clearer now than before. Robert’s eyes seemed to have widened since the night before. He already felt like he had experience now; even though he had to witness someone die to get it. As he walked, the streetlights gleamed down on him, the yellow light giving an eerie glow to his silver costume. Having the will to help made him notice so much more than before. All around him he noticed the homeless people sleeping on benches or in tents in the park. Robert had helped the homeless for a church retreat once. These were good people who were just down on their luck, they didn’t deserve this. They were good people.

Robert looked on and kept walking. The air was cold but his adrenaline kept him warm. After a while though it started to wear off until- WEEE OOOO WEEE OOOO! Robert was pushed aside as a man shoves him out of his way, knocking him over into a close by trashcan. The man is then followed by police car tearing down the street. Robert got up and started sprinting towards the commotion without taking the time to brush himself off.

After a few blocks he realized he would never catch him like this. I gotta take the alleyways. Robert turned into an alley and ran until he hit a dead end. In the distance he could hear the sirens and soft footsteps. He jumped up and climbed the wall using only his sheer will until he was able to get up and jump to the other side. He started running again as soon as his feet hit the ground, running in and out of alleys and over walls and gates until he was on a dark street. The street lamp above him was broken.

He heard the sirens coming towards him and then saw the figure of the man running. Out of straight reflex Robert reached behind him grabbing a trash can and hurtled it in front of the man. The man did not have time to react because he couldn’t see what was just tossed in front of him and tripped over the can, throwing his body over and sliding across the asphalt street. Robert ran over to the man and turned him over so his face was facing him. Robert mouth dropped. The man was wearing a mask and under the man’s leather jacket Robert could see a tight red costume poking out.

The man was breathing, he was okay, but he was pretty banged up from the fall. Robert put his hand on the man’s mask and pulled it off. The man under the mask smiled at him, his smile missing a tooth or two, blood streaming from his mouth and nose. It was the man from last night, the murderer.

Robert’s anger exploded. He started punching the man across his face, blood spraying in every direction. The man just laughed. “You and I aren’t so different ya know. We just fight for different causes.” Robert continued to beat him, the man not even trying to fight back. The man just looked at him and smiled through the beating. “That’s what I like to see. Maybe you aren’t so weak after all. We’ll be fighting soon, for real this time yes? The Silver Beetle versus the Crimson Killer…” The man then closed his eyes and fell limp as he lost consciousness.

WEEEE OOOO WEEEE OOOO. The squad car raced down the street towards the man in the middle of the street. Robert pushed the man into the light so the cop could see him and then ran away into the shadows and into a darker alley. He watched as the police car almost runs over the man but stops just in time, get out of his car, and cuffs the man. Robert can see the cops surprise and he notices the mask and costume.

Robert stays until he sees the police car drive away and then runs away attempting to find his way back to the alley way were he had left his clothes.

Great chapter!

@primepower53: Thanks for the support! I wish I could be in the Marvel Genesis but I just cant seem to find the time.

It's fine. (Though I barely have time myself. I post chapters on weekends. XD)