Current Events

A quick guide to game history, both recent past and notable events that have taken place on camera. Items should be added to the timeline if they would be newsworthy.

Recent History: 1979-present

• 1979 - Dr. Moira MacTaggert publishes research documenting the discovery of a gene that triggers superhuman powers in homo sapiens. This gene is named the X-Gene.
• 1980 - The United Kingdom becomes the first country to require mutant registration of those with superhuman powers.
• 1984 - The United States attacks the mutant separatist island nation of Utopia, killing many mutants and scattering many more.
• 1986 - The UK overturns their mutant registration laws, in a very narrow vote.
• 1992 - Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters is founded in Westchester, New York.
• 1994 - All branches of the U.S. military adopt a ban on mutants serving.
• 1999 - Fell Peak, NM becomes the first U.S. town to adopt anti-discrimination laws protecting mutants.
• 2002 - Senator Grover from Florida proposes a law barring mutants from holding federal civil service positions. It dies in the House after passing in the Senate.
• 2006 - Switzerland adopts a restrictive immigration policy banning all mutants from gaining resident status.
• 2009 - Under the new president, the Bureau of Mutant Affairs is established, a subsidiary agency of the Department of Health and Human Services.
• 2010 - Washington state becomes the first U.S. state to adopt anti-discrimination laws protecting mutants.
• 2015 - The Brotherhood of Mutants stage an attack on a gathering of diplomats in New York City. The resulting furor kicks anti-mutant sentiment to a record high, right in the middle of election season.
• 2016 - Despite losing the popular vote, Donald Trump wins the Presidency after a spectacle of a campaign that played to heavily racist and anti-immigrant sentiment. The popular backlash in the wake of the Brotherhood attack, while providing both candidates with a platform to tout their "tough on mutant terrorism" credentials, gave a significantly heavier boost among Trump's base as well.
• 2018 - The Republican administration pushes legislation to require all US residents to be added to a national registry in a move billed as an attempt to monitor and curb rising mutant terrorism. A fierce campaign by mutant activists that cites both the persecution of mutants and the sweeping governmental overreach goes largely ignored by the general public. The legislation does not initially get much traction, but the administration vows to continue its push.

2019

• 13 January 2019 - The Mutant Registration Act passes quietly, ignored in the uproar around the border wall. Even with funding the implementation is not immediate, though the administration projects the registry will go live by 2020.
• 10 February, 2019 - Rockstar Ryan Black made music history at the Grammy Awards, becoming only the second artist in history to win all four General Field categories in a single night -- and announcing himself as a mutant in his final acceptance speech.
• 20 March 2019 - An assassination attempt on Grammy Award winning musicial Ryan Black rocked New York City and the music world. Several shooters armed with semiautomatic handguns entered a coffeeshop in SoHo and declared their intention to kill Black and one of his companions; though Black and another patron were wounded in the assault, the attempt was ultimately shut down by one of Black's companions and an unidentified cafe employee armed only with a serving tray. Sources in law enforcement say that some of the shooters are affiliated with an organization calling themselves Humanity's Last Stand. Some speculate that the shooters may have been motivated by Black's genetic status.
• 23 March 2019 - The identity of the coffeeshop employee who intervened to stop the attempt on Ryan Black's life has been revealed in an exclusive Daily Bugle interview. The man who was seen taking on armed gunmen in a viral video has turned out to be a heavily decorated World War II Army commando by the name of Steve Rogers, who portrayed the popular figure of Captain America in an eponymous USO show and the film it inspired. Though Rogers' story has inspired widespread skepticism, it has been corroborated by official service documents, other surviving members of his taskforce, and DNA evidence on file since he volunteered for an Army experiment on physical enhancement.
• 6 May 2019 - One of the year's most-watched celebrity events of the year was a more explosive sensation than usual, tonight. The Met Gala's theme (Camp: Notes on Fashion) was splashy already; co-host Ryan Black eye-catching in his butterfly-themed couture by previously-unknown mutant designer Taylor Marinov. Black's performance of his single "New Skin" was interrupted by a devastating blast and ensuing blaze. There is as yet no official casualty report, but eyewitness accounts confirm multiple casualties, including Black himself and his fellow performers. The source of the explosion, which appeared to originate from underneath the stage, has been the subject of rampant speculation, but a leading theory is that Black's date, mutant activist Jackson Holland, accidentally detonated the stage in the course of supplying special effects for the show using his powers.
• 8 May 2019 - Reports coming out of Monday night's Met Gala have been painting a dire picture. The arrest of Ryan Black's friend Jackson Holland lent credence to the rumors that the explosion was caused by malfunctioning mutant powers; with at least thirteen people, including Black himself, initially reported dead and dozens more hospitalized, calls for a stringent crackdown on mutant power use have been swift. Since then, a group calling themselves Humanity's Last Stand has come forward to take credit for the incident, claiming to have targeted Black specifically for the mutant's open stance of preferentially hiring mutants for his crew. The short video they released specifies Black as the target and condemned the Gala for their decision to uphold his invitation to chair the Gala even in the wake of his coming out. In light of the video's claims, the investigation into the explosion is now being treated as a potential federal crime; the FBI has stepped in to take over the investigation from the NYPD.
• 11 May 2019 - Just as stories of the Gala had begun to die down they have once again taken over social media. A conspiracy theory that Ryan Black had not died as reported but instead been kidnapped by persons unknown was soon quashed by an official press release from Black's publicity office, confirming that the Grammy Award-winning artist is in fact alive and in critical condition at an unknown location. The release went on to explain that those close to Black had decided not to challenge initial rumors of his death out of concern that the terrorists responsible for the bombing would attempt to finish the job. It concludes with a plea to respect Black's safety and privacy as well as that of his family, giving an address to which fans may direct their well-wishes.
• 26 May 2019 - The NYPD is advising residents of Greenwich Village to stay indoors as a dangerous mutant, described as a "hulking green man," is loose on the streets. The mutant attacked Douglas Nierbocker's car before fleeing the site. Nierbocker is a New Jersey resident currently in unstable condition at the Lenox Health Medical Center. Several local residents were also injured, and the mutant remains at large.
• 30 May 2019 - Fighting broke out between pro- and anti- mutant factions during a vigil for mutant NYU student Benjamin Wells at Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Twenty-year-old Wells was found dead earlier this week in the Lower East Side park, the victim, mutant rights activists claim, of a hate crime. In addition to memorializing Wells, the vigil served as a venue for criticizing the NYPD's alleged mishandling of crimes against mutants in general. The arrival of pro-human militia group members calling themselves Purifiers sparked hostilities, which escalated to the use of firearms as well as mutant powers. At least a dozen people were injured and one killed before police were able to contain the situation. The deceased has been identified as 42-year-old human Lower East Side resident Loretta Wallace. A number of individuals were arrested on site, but the NYPD has not yet released information on charges.
• 2 June 2019 - The NYPD reports that they now suspect arson in the recent fire that destroyed Parts-2-Morrow, a small privately owned scrap business along the edge of New York City. Evidence uncovered in the wake of the fire has determined that the three corpses (all of which belonged to members of the pro-human militia group known as the Purifiers) may have been killed prior to the fire being set; furthermore, although the NYPD refuses to release details, they have indicated they have reason to suspect mutant involvement. The owner of Parts-2-Morrow (the father of one of the victims) still remains missing; authorities are asking that anyone with any information about his whereabouts come forward immediately.
• 18 June 2019 - A report of bikers being assaulted and hospitalized by an unidentified gang of mutants on the Lower East Side have put pressure on the NYPD to investigate reports of a 'hit-and-run' mutant attacker targeting human bikers throughout the city. Officers are requesting that the mutant community provide information about any mutants with fire-based powers who might be involved. Rumors that the bikers were part of the pro-human militia group known as Purifiers remain unconfirmed.
• 4 July 2019 - A Purifier rally for the 4th of July pre-emptively ended in explosions and fire when an attack carried out by mutants resulted in the destruction of several dozen motorcycles, one trailer, and over eight injuries (including one man in intensive care).
• 5 July 2019 - Given a third attack conducted by mutants in the span of a month, police are now working under the presumption that this is a coordinated terrorist assault. The chief of police has officially requested that HAMMER (Homeland Agency for Mutant-Related Military Emergency Response) provide logistical, investigative, and material support. Mutant communities are facing increased scrutiny and pressure to turn over information (particularly on mutants with flight, wings, speed, or fire-based abilities). Police are now communicating with Purifiers, and have a visible presence in areas Purifiers frequent.
• 16 October 2019 - A panel on mutant issues hosted by NYU erupted into chaos Wednesday when Captain Steve Rogers -- better known as Captain America -- struck one of the panelists, Dr. Scott Wiesman of Themis House. The event drew a large crowd from beyond the university and the immediate local community in part owing to the prominence of the panelists, including mutant singer-songwriter Ryan Black. Rogers approached the panel during the question and answer segment of the program, and took issue with the distinction Wiesman drew between what he referred to as his own powers and those of Black -- and, presumably, of other mutants. When Wiesman dismissed the comparison, Rogers -- in an unusual demonstration of his experimentally enhanced strength and speed -- jumped up onto the stage and struck him. Immediately thereafter, he arranged a meeting with Black which, in light of Rogers recent coming out as gay, has sparked widespread speculation on the singer's own sexuality. Multiple videos of the attack and subsequent proposition were posted online within minutes, and a clip of the punch connecting went viral shortly thereafter. Rogers has not been arrested for the assault, and Wiesman, who seems to have made a full recovery, has made no mention of pressing charges.
• 9 November 2019 - Tony Stark, CEO of defense technology giant Stark Industries, was abducted earlier today during an armed attack on nhis limousine during a business trip to Caracas. Stark's visit was intended to cinch a highly controversial, multi-billion dollar weapons contract with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó's administration. The attack occurred on a road leading out of the city to El Ávila National Park, where sources say Stark intended to stage a munitions demonstration for General Cesar Santamaria and his aide, Colonel Emmanuel Jiménez. Details are still sketchy, but local news reports that the limousine was found overturned beside the road, with signs of a firefight. Stark himself was missing, Santmaria and Jiménez were found dead at the scene, while the unnamed driver and Stark's personal bodyguard Harold Hogan were rushed to an area hospital and are in critical condition. President Maduro has been quick to condemn this violent act, and in his press statement implied that Guaidó may have orchestrated the attack. No ransom demand has yet been made, and the Venezuelan National Guard is investigating the incident.

2020

• 23 March 2020 - Preliminary reports indicate a there was a break-in at the West Facility of the Rikers Island jail complex at around 7pm, leaving one federal contractor dead. While there are no eye witnesses and the security camera system in the building was disabled, inside sources report the incident occurred in a solitary confinement wing housing a highly dangerous mutant inmate. NYCDOC confirms that a federal contractor was found dead on the premises but has not released any information regarding the identity or whereabouts of the inmate. Given that the supposed time of the break-in coincided with reports of sudden unexplained health complaints from all across the city, speculation is running rampant on the connection between these seemingly isolated incidents and a potentially escaped and highly dangerous mutant criminal.
• 26 March 2020 - After two days of rumors, NYC DOC announced in a press conference today that the break-in at Rikers Island on Monday has indeed left one inmate at large. City and federal law enforcement have launched a massive manhunt for Leonid Valentino Concepcion, a mutant who is in the country illegally and who has the power to manipulate and inflict diseases. DOC confirms that the federal contractor found dead at the West Facility Monday night was very likely killed by Concepcion during the escape, although details on the precise cause of death and the identity of the deceased are not officially available. Concepcion is a 25 year old Asian male, standing 5'11" and weighing 140lb, with black hair and brown eyes, last seen wearing a khaki DOC uniform. Citizens are advised to be on the lookout and to contact NYC Crime Stoppers if they see someone who matches the above description, but not to approach or attempt to apprehend this man, who should be considered highly dangerous and a risk to personal as well as public health.
• 26 March 2020 - In the wake of the announcement from NYC DOC about recently escaped mutant criminal Leonid Valentino Concepcion, local and national social media has exploded with panicked speculation and conspiracy theories about Concepcion's power to control diseases. The most common rumors are that Concepcion was either the source of the novel coronavirus from the start, or at least that he is the reason New York City in particular has been hit so hard. Some say that he intentionally brought the virus here from China as a biological weapon, heedless of those who point out his name suggests he is Filipino. Many Asian men have complained of an uptick in harassment from law enforcement and the general population alike, exacerbating existing discrimination against the large Chinese American community in and around the city. The news and its aftermath has sparked a fresh wave of panic-buying and self-imposed quaratines all across the region, as well as ominous suggestions from some quarters that vigilante justice is the only protection against Concepcion's powers.
• 29 March 2020 - At a press conference in the White House Rose Garden today, President Trump unveiled a line of Stark Industry-designed drones dubbed "Sentinels" as a part of his pandemic disaster relief plan. Several hundred are being deployed to New York City today, and more will be introduced to other heavy-hit areas. Flanked by six of the tall, roughly humanoid EMS models, the president boasted that he was personally responsible for bringing about what he termed the "newest weapon" in the war on COVID-19, though records show the Sentinel Project has been in development since the Obama administration. In addition to the medical drones seen in the press conference, the Sentinel line includes law enforcement and search-and-rescue models intended to keep first responders safe.
• 9 April 2020 - In the early hours of Thursday, the NYPD raided an illegal clinic operating out of a motorcycle garage in East New York after a reliable source indicated that the mutant fugitive Leonid Valentino Concepcion was hiding out there. The NYPD strike team was accompanied by newly issued Sentinel drones as well as private military contractors sent by the Department of Homeland Security. Concepcion and two other mutants, including Manhattan-based mutant activist Jackson Holland, attacked the police officers and destroyed one Sentinel, reportedly through the use of powers. Holland was taken into custody and is expected to be charged with assaulting an officer of the law, malicious destruction of police property, assisting a fugitive from justice, reckless endangerment, unlawful assmbly, disorderly conduct, obstructing governmental administration, and public display of a mutant power. No law enforcement officials are reported to have been injured in the encounter, and as of press time Concepcion and his unidentified accomplice -- described as "a humanoid wolf" -- are still at large.
• 13 April 2020 - At her daily press conference today, Mayor Elliott Carruthers issued a startling retraction of the city-wide manhunt for fugitive Leonid Concepcion before inviting celebrated World War II veteran Steve Rogers -- better known as Captain America -- to the podium. A solemn Captain Rogers explained that Concepcion has developed a self-replicating vaccine for the novel coronavirus that could outpace the virus itself and quell the outbreak, a task to his power is uniquely suited. He further alleged that the government agencies pursuing Concepcion knew he could do this but specifically barred him from doing so, instead performing non-consensual experiments on him in a bid to develop a conventional vaccine for profit -- a much slower and more expensive process that would, even when complete, not be accessible to the poor and uninsured. After Captain Rogers's shocking statement, Mayor Elliott reiterated her support for Concepcion's efforts. She urged New Yorkers to cease committing violence against members of the Asian American community and to render Concepcion any assistance they are able.
• 18 April 2020 - In the week since Leonid Concepcion's vaccine was released into the community, it has spread like wildfire through the more populous parts of New York City. The vaccine itself is a harmless but highly contagious virus that causes mild respiratory symptoms -- predominantly sneezing -- for a brief period, and multiple independent tests have confirmed that those who contract it develop antibodies against the novel coronavirus. Area hospitals are already reports a sharp drop-off in new COVID-19 cases, although patients who were already severely ill still require medical support. Under the advisement of her pandemic response team, Mayor Elliott is encouraging city residents who do not have underlying conditions to relax social distancing practices in order to facilitate the spread of the vaccine, but stresses that the elderly and immunocompromised should continue sheltering in place until herd immunity is firmly established. However, all emergency restrictions on public gathering and places of business have been lifted. Experts are hopeful that the dramatic effect of the vaccine in the city will soon spread throughout the tri-state area and to the rest of the country.
• 20 April 2020 - Billionaire Tony Stark, CEO of Stark Industries, was found early this morning by Brazilian military personnel in the western highlands of Mato Grosso. Stark had been missing since his limousine was attacked outside of Caracas last November, and widely assumed dead. Stark Industries stock surged today as investors anticipate the return of the company's visionary leader. Stark corporate has been struggling for weeks as workers at a number of factories around the country strike, demanding that they pivot to producing medical equipment and PPE. Industry analysts speculate that Tony Stark's well-known charisma as well as the the weight of his father's legacy will help him bring these internal conflicts swiftly to heel. At press time, Stark is reported to be in good health after receiving medical attention, and is being airlifted back to New York City.
• 27 April 2020 - At his first press conference since escaping from his kidnappers last week, Tony Stark announced that Stark Industries will cease all weapons production and pivot to manufacturing medical equipment, effective immediately. He did not outline any detailed plans for how he intends to bring about this sea change in the multinational corporation, which was founded in 1940 by his father Howard Stark to produce innovative defense technology for the U.S. and allies. After Stark departed the conference without taking questions, his Chief Operations Officer and former interim CEO Obadiah Stane assured the gathered press that further details would be forthcoming, attempting to downplay the announcement as a product of Stark's famously dramatic style as well as his recent trauma. Stark Industries stock is down 50 points as of press time, and speculation is running rampant about the practical feasibility of its owner's unconventional decision.
• 21 May 2020 - A charity gala for COVID-19 disaster relief at the exclusive Hellfire Club turned violent with what initial reports are calling an assassination attempt on Tony Stark. The Stark Industries CEO, recently returned from a several month-long kidnapping, was preparing to give a speech tonight when he was assailed by two armed men. Multiple shots were fired, but the attack was disrupted by Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, and members of the Club security staff. Captain Rogers was wounded shielding Mister Stark, but not before injuring one of the shooters with an improvised projectile. He has been rushed to an area hospital and is serious condition. Mister Stark is reportedly unharmed, but could not be reached for comments. Both shooters have been apprehended, but he NYPD has released no information about their identities or motives.
• 2 August 2020 - An alleged bombing attempt was foiled by Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, in front of the Village Lofts apartment building in the East Village. Initial reports are conflicted, but eyewitnesses confirm a pipe-shaped incendiary device was detonated and a skirmish ensued between Rogers, a number of mutants, and at least five armed men. Two were killed during the incident, but have not yet been identified. Two arrests were made, but the NYPD has not yet released the names of the suspects or the charges they intend to press. Rumors on social media suggest the incident was fallout over Roger's recent highly publicized breakup with Emmy Award-winning musician Ryan Black, who previously resided at Village Lofts.
• 24 August 2020 - The Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina was rocked with tragedy tonight as an apparent Sentinel malfunction led to multiple attacks at the beginning of the program this evening. Official reports confirm the dead include House Representative Steve Scalise (R-La.), Representative Jim Jordon (R-Oh.), Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, and Mark and Patricia McCloskey of St. Louis. The terrorist organization known as the Brotherhood of Mutants, despite the imprisonment of their leader Erik Lensherr in 2015, has claimed credit for the attacks, citing Scalise's sponsorship of the Mutant Registration Act and the RNC's endorsement of the Trump Administration's anti-mutant platform. In the wake of the bombing, many police departments around the country have temporarily suspended Sentinel operations pending an investigation of how the robots were compromised.
• 20 September 2020 - As the nationwide recall of Stark Industries' Sentinel robots continues, Oscorp has unveiled their own line of emergency services robots, called Guardians. With their fleet of Sentinels benched, the NYPD is one of the first departments in the country to test out the Guardians on the street.
• 1 October 2020 - Less than two weeks after they hit the streets the internet is flooded with videos of the Oscorp Guardians malfunctioning oddly -- while most of these videos are largely harmless (in one video a Guardian attempts to apprehend a park bench for loitering, in another two Guardians stand evidently paralyzed by delivering identical warnings back and forth to each other) there are others that, despite the rapidity with which they have lent themselves to silly memes, point to serious underlying safety issues with the robots. In one, a Guardian confiscates a distressed woman's infant from a stroller, refusing to return the baby to her mother until a nearby officer overrides the machine; in another, a guardian picks up a man's wheelchair and tosses it off an overhang, the man only saved a catastrophic fall by an unidentified flying armored figure catching him and returning him to the ground.
• 13 October 2020 - An incident in the Lower East Side, initially reported as a success story for the complaint-riddled Oscorp Guardian line, has turned into further controversy for the embattled defense corporation. Oscorp and the NYPD's initial press releases claimed a mutant attack was stopped by the drones; the assailant, one Dawson Joel Allred, a doctor at Mount Sinai Hospital with rapid teleportation powers, was claimed to have attacked and killed a teenager before the robots prevented further casualties. As more video hits the internet, the narrative has shifted drastically, with footage of the malfunctioning Guardians opening fire on a small restaurant as Allred and an unidentified individual in a red armored suit worked to get bystanders to safety. Though wanted mutant terrorist Leonid Concepcion was present with Allred at the time of the attack, the NYPD insists that the incident had nothing to do with him and that there is no threat of disease outbreak to the city.
• 13 October 2020 - Mid-afternoon, people across all New York City and parts of the surrounding counties experienced a brief, simultaneous moment of what has been widely reported as overwhelming grief. The paroxysm was strong enough to disrupt traffic and cause accidents -- dozens of injuries and several fatalities recorded. Social media is rife with conspiracy theories around the occurrence, with some claiming the psionic attack is a prelude to some act of Brotherhood terrorism, but as yet there are no suspects.
• 16 October 2020 - Anti-police-brutality and pro-mutant rights protests have swept the city in the days following the Guardian-involved shootings. In addition to more peaceful rallies spearheaded by mutant activist Jackson Holland and openly mutant rockstar Ryan Black, numerous late-night marches have included escalating clashes between protesters, counter-protestors and police. The NYPD's 7th precinct office was firebombed early the morning of the 16th, with seven officers dying as a result of the fire.
• 23 October 2020 - Mutant rights activist Jackson Holland, a core organizing figure in the continuing protests surrounding the shooting deaths of two at the hands of Guardians earlier this month, was hospitalized Friday afternoon following what witnesses say was a targeted assassination attempt. The attack drew further attention after two successive hospitals turned Holland away, citing the unconscious mutant as a potential danger to their staff.
• 28 October 2020 - The Daily Bugle today carries a controversial exclusive with wanted terrorist Leonid Concepcion. In it, Concepcion alleges that pharmaceutical industry interests rather than national security are at the root of the ongoing federal manhunt for him, with drug manufacturers desperate to prevent the emergency inoculations that he creates and distributes for free.
• Fall 2020 - The upscale neighborhood of Riverdale has been experiencing what residents call an invasion -- mutant sqautters taking over empty homes that were temporarily abandoned by wealthy New Yorkers fleeing the pandemic. The residents are clamoring for police action against the squatters, but as yet the police are encouraging residents to seek action through the court system.
• 27 November 2020 - An article today in Vice mentions a recent discovery being investigated by Tony Stark and a team of Stark Industries researchers. The latest in many theoretical physicists claiming to have proven the existence of parallel dimensions, this one says that such a dimension has actually been detected and it greatly resembles ours, albeit less habitable. Reactions to the article are mixed, with memes from people wanting to flee the planet/ship Trump to an alternate dimension/beg alternate-reality-overlords to come save them, swiftly eclipsed the popularity of the original article; the highly technical and nigh-indecipherable data on the findings itself now considerably harder to find than the humourous replies.
• Early to Mid-December 2020 - A series of earthquakes, starting small but growing in intensity, have been sending low-level tremors through the mid-Atlantic. With an epicenter in Staten Island where the worst actual damage has occurred, speculation was rampant about whether the supposed interdimensional rift Stark Industries claimed to discover there is the cause. The NYC Department of Public Works ultimately released a statement confirming that the disturbance was related to the interspacial anomaly but that a team led by Steve Rogers and Tony Stark had successfully resolved the crisis with the help of one Dawson Joel Allred -- the proximate counterpart to the recently deceased man of that same name, Allred remained in this New York after the anomaly was shut down.

2021

• Early-mid 2021 - Tensions escalate between humans and new mutant residents as police reports flood in of 'illegal displays of mutant abilities' within the neighborhood. Community leaders continue to speak out against the rising numbers of mutant tenants. Mr. Reinhardt (a landlord operating within the area) is quoted as saying: "We don't oppose mutants in our neighborhoods -- of course not. But when they [...] refuse to respect the laws of our communities, they put us all in danger. We're forced to fight back. What else are we supposed to do? We're protecting our homes, our lives, our families."
• June 2021 - Latvos -- an annual conference held in Doomstadt between hundreds of leaders in business, politics, and industry -- was violently interrupted by its 'eccentric' host, Victor Von Doom. Multiple heads of oil, tech, and weapon companies (including Hammer Industry's CEO, Justin Hammer) were seized and arrested for 'high crimes against the Latverian people'. Victor von Doom (colloquially known in the media as 'Doctor Doom') has provided each respective company with demands for the release of their executive officers, which includes adopting comprehensive regulations in each of their respective industries (in particular, dismantling all large-scale petroleum-based infrastructures and replacing them with green alternatives within 10 years). The UN has unanimously denounced Latveria for this action; multiple countries (including the US) have made it clear that this is to be considered an act of war.
• 4 July 2021 - Tensions escalate between the Latverian government and the UN as negotiations over the Latvos hostage continue to flounder. Latveria's 'eccentric' ruler (Professor Victor von Doom) has rebuffed all concessions outside of meeting his demands. Meanwhile, when pressed for comment on the US's position, Press Secretary Psaki stated that 'the United States does not negotiate with terrorists'. An anonymous source in the White House has revealed that military options are on the table.
• 10 July 2021 - The stand-off between the UN, US, and Latveria during the Latvos hostage crisis intensifies after satellite footage of Castle Doom confirms multiple explosions along the facility's perimeter. An anonymous source has confirmed the involvement of a secret UN task-force. Although details remain murky, many prominent members of the international community have demanded an immediate explanation from the UN Security Council. Meanwhile, the Latverian government has remained silent.
• 14 July 2021 - The Latvos hostage crisis ended yesterday after a successful intervention carried out by billionaire Tony Stark. Although details remain murky, first-hand testimonies from several returning hostages describe Stark operating an armored suit capable of flight (sightings of which have been previously reported throughout NYC, but until now, have not been connected to Mr. Stark) while receiving additional air-support from a man later identified as Sam Wilson (a retired member of the Air Force). Additional accounts describe Wilson relying on a 'personal winged flying device'. These accounts also mention the presence of Steve Rogers and Dawson Allred; the full scope of their involvement remains unknown. All hostages have been returned without incident -- no casualties have been reported, but witnesses described 'extensive damage' inflicted on the historical site of Castle Doom. The Pentagon has denied all involvement. Investigations regarding the UN's private task-force (as well as Mr. Stark and Mr. Wilson's intervention) are ongoing.
• July, 2021 - The UN has confirmed the involvement in the Latveria hostage crisis of a taskforce -- assembled to respond to global threats and helmed by Captain America; mutant DJ Allred as well as air force veteran Sam Wilson and billionaire Tony Stark (operating in his power-suit Iron Man persona) are also involved. While public reaction to what has swiftly become known as the Avengers, Captain America's Team, ranges from confused to enthusiastic, public response seems fairly united in condemning the inclusion of a mutant on the team -- much vitriol is being directed at DJ Allred, now the face of the initial failure in Latveria.
• 7 October 2021 - The scientific community has had a minor uproar with the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Medicing jointly to a pair of scientists being credited with the discovery & isolation of the HRV-A108 rhinovirus strain, currently being used to produce highly effective vaccines against COVID-19. While it is nominally true that these scientists first isolated this strain in a laboratory setting, the strain itself is well-known to be the result of a focused effort by mutant fugitive Leonid Concepcion to create a COVID vaccine using his mutation. There has been an immense amount of conversation in the research world about who should properly get the credit for the lifesaving virus.
• 17 November 2021 - In Massuchussets, Robert Gaines -- loving father, US Marine veteran, and a private contractor for Triple Canopy -- was found brutally murdered in his home by an unidentified assailant. Although the investigation is ongoing, initial reports described the body as "ex-sanguinated", leading police to suspect mutant involvement. His two children (present at the time) have been reported to be unharmed, and are currently in the custody of his estranged wife.
• 10 December 2021 - Albany, NY - A Guardian-involved shooting occurred in downtown Albany this afternoon. Guardian units attached to the New York National Guard 42nd Infantry Division deployed to assist COVID-19 relief efforts approached Leonid Concepcion, a mutant wanted by federal authorities in connection with terrorist activities, and Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, in front of Mya's Soul Food restaurant on Madison Avenue. Amateur footage of the incident shows both men with their hands raised when the Guardians began the physical altercation. After Rogers retaliated in self-defense, the entire squadron responded with deadly force, raising questions about appropriate use of force by semi-autonomus robotic units like Stark Industry's Sentinels, Oscorp's Guardians, and Boston Dynamics' Spot series. Footage shows Rogers destroying several units, while others appeared to shut down on their own and their human operator fled the scene. The New York Army National Guard has issued an apology to Captain Rogers and promised a thorough investigation of the involved units as well as the technician in charge, Corporal Brian Langdon. This incident has raised a storm of criticism towards Oscorp, citing incidents of dangerous malfunction by Guardians across dozens of law enforcement agencies, as well as Leonid Concepcion for his alleged unregulated manipulation of the COVID-19 virus.

2022

• 11 January, 2022 - It began with a story on Vice alleging that the Pentagon has been conducting secret medical research on non-consenting mutant subjects for the past decade, illegally imprisoning, torturing, and murdering thousands of US citizens. The exposé is tightly written and impeccably cited, capitalizing on the shocking nature of its subject matter without descending into sensationalism. A few hours later, "Prometheus" was trending on every major social media network. By afternoon, Daiki Komatsu had gone from a promising but obscure freelancer to the talk of newsrooms across the country. The piece took the evening news by storm, mainstream media reporting largely divided between grave if skeptical concern and loudly outraged denial. The White House declined to comment at press time, but promised a press conference and full investigation to come.
• 14 January 2022 - Controversy still rages after allegations earlier this week on Vice news that the US government has been conducting nonconsensual medical research on mutant subjects. A much-anticipated Frontline exclusive aired on PBS today offers an in-depth look at the shadowy research program through first-hand accounts from survivors and harrowing footage from inside a Prometheus facility. Throughout the hour-long program, Daiki Komatsu tells a riveting saga of escaped subjects led by Jackson Holland to form a rag-tag team that has, at grave risk to themselves, freed thousands of others over the years. Holland, a long-time mutant rights activist and prominent member of the mutant community in New York City, has fast become the talk of the nation. Despite his humble comportment, other interviewees painted him as a hero not just for his daring rescues, but his steadfast care afterwards, to the point of fostering and eventually adopting three orphans he had saved, along with too many other children, from the labs. Several others interviewed for the segment are also doing numbers on social media, including Holland's youngest son Spencer, whose moving tale has drawn widespread sympathy and outage.
• 28 January 2022 - During a White House press conference, officials confirmed that the recently leaked details of a mandatory mutant and human registration were, in fact, true. The ambitious plan has received heavy criticism alongside praise; details include multiple designations for mutants based on physiology and ability. A government website that provides a method for voluntary registration has been brought online, but has already encountered numerous problems with traffic, identity fraud, and counter-intuitive site design.
• 12 February 2022 - Mutant activist Jackson Holland was apprehended by federal authorities today in an unnounced raid on Xavier's School for Gifted Youngers in Salem Center. The entire incident was captured on video by a number of Xavier's School students, and segments edited to protect the identity of minors have been released online along with Komatsu's story. Captain Malthus Rogers of HAMMER spearheaded the arrest, assisted by his own agents along with officers of the NYPD. A still image recorded by one of the students of Rogers angrily staring down a calm and cooperative Holland has been making the rounds on social media, while portions of footage show the officers and agents only reluctantly presenting the warrant and their identification, wary of the cameras. Speculations abound that the timing of the arrest was delayed until outcry over reports on Prometheus had largely died down in hopes of placing Holland in secret detention. Holland's lawyer indicated this evening she is still in communication with federal authorities to ensure they permit him to exercise his constitutional rights. The White House has not released any statement regarding the incident, and officials at HAMMER have not responded to requests for comment.
• 14 February 2022 - The hard launch of mandatory Registration got off to an extremely inauspicious start this week with a series of terrorist attacks on the Registry offices and personnel. In the early morning hours on Monday, in cities all across the country Oscorp Guardian robots experienced catastrophic malfunctions, detonating and destroying dozens of MAD satellite offices they were stationed to protect during the registration rollout. The early hour meant that many offices were unstaffed, and while there were no casualties a number of staff have been hospitalized in the wake of the explosions. MAD's ability to receive new registration signups has been severely hampered, with Registration rollout now a chaotic affair with excessively long wait times and confusion about where people can safely go to sign up. Further compounding the agencies difficulties, Lance Fagan, the director of the relatively new Mutant Affairs Division, was found dead in his home Monday afternoon, shot alongside his security detail. The Brotherhood of Mutants has claimed credit for his murder as well as for hacking the robots to disrupt the ability to register, additionally leaving Oscorp plagued with calls to pull the Guardians off the streets in this latest exposure of their many security vulnerabilities.
• 23 February 2022 - Around the country a growing protest movement has been agitating for the release of Jackson Holland, who they are calling a political prisoner unjustly persecuted by the government for his work to save countless lives. "Holland Was Right" shirts have joined the everpresent "Magneto Was Right" slogan as a popular choice of attire, particularly among those who have been camped out since Holland's arrest at the New York and DC offices of HAMMER, a previously little-known agency tasked to deal with mutant terrorism.
• 2 March 2022 - The Registry's woes continue, with wait times to register stretching long and many encountering difficulties with their attempts. In addition, those attempting to search the Registry are finding it less than useful for their purposes; law enforcement who makes searches find that every result returns an answer of 12 with the stated power "handling pigs" while background checks return universal designations of simply an X. A statement from MAD says only that those designations do not appear in their database and they are looking into the errors.
• 2 March 2022 - Protests over the detainment of mutant rights activist Jackson Holland have continued through the week. In New York on Tuesday, NYPD shot one of the youth protesting outside HAMMER's offices, claiming the teenager was threatening bystanders with a knife. Activists at the protest say the boy was peaceful and unarmed and both these police and the passersby making complaints were fueled by anti-mutant bigotry at the boy's visibly mutated appearance. The teenager remains hospitalized in critical condition. The incident has brought renewed supporters out to the protest site.
• 8 March 2022 - The continued protests for Jackson Holland's freedom outside HAMMER's Midtown offices turned bloody once again on Tuesday. News outlets widely reported an altercation between musician and mutant activist Ryan Black and a group of human rights activists, noting that Ryan was shot and one other mutant stabbed after they used their powers to attack several human counterprotesters. Video footage from several bystanders at the event show a number of members of the human supremacist gang the Purifiers assaulting Ryan, as well as an unidentified mutant volunteering at the protest when she attempted to stop the initial attack. Ryan's publicist did not respond to requests for an update on the musician's status.
• 9 March 2022 - Some members of New York's Orthodox Jewish community are calling for a crackdown on "Freaktown", the mutant enclave that has grown over several blocks of the affluent and heavily Jewish neighborhood of Riverdale. The residents claim that Riverdale was targeted for this mutant takeover because the mutants responsible knew the NYPD would not bother to protect a Jewish community, and are calling on the police to prove otherwise and drive the mutants out of the part of the neighborhood they have commandeered.
• 13 March 2022 - Actor Emma Watson made a splash at the BAFTA awards this year. In one of her rare red carpet appearances she posed for the cameras in a dress by nonbinary mutant designer Taylor Marinov. Social media saw an ensuing outpouring of both outrage -- from many who viewed her choice of designer as a deliberate insult to author JK Rowling -- and delight from both the transgender and mutant communities.
• 27 March 2022 - Sunday night at the Oscars was mired in controversy and instigated a flurry of opinions and thinkpieces about Violence In The Entertainment world. First, when Best Actor winner Will Smith came onstage to slap Chris Rock over an insult to his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, and later in the evening when Ryan Black (who had earlier won the award for Best Original Song for his contribution "Stop for Death" from the new James Bond soundtrack) was arrested for assaulting West Side Story actor Ansel Elgort at an afterparty.
• 30 March 2022 - Despite the rocky rollout of mutant registration -- the Registry still turning up nonexistent designations when searched -- MAD has launched an intensive campaign pressuring people to register and reminding them of the penalties if they do not.
• 9 April 2022 - The mutant anti-terrorism department HAMMER has come under scrutiny after a jailbreak at a maximum security mutant prison. At least twenty prisoners, including the infamous leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants, Erik Lensherr, were broken out of the prison by unknown assailants. An anonymous whistleblower from inside HAMMER told the Daily Bugle that in after the jailbreak, mutant activist Jackson Holland was subjected to waterboarding during an interrogation. Federal law enforcement says that Holland is not currently a suspect in the prison attack; some within the government are calling into question the methods employed by HAMMER's director Captain Malthus Rogers, as well as his competence.
• 10 April 2022 - Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, an elite boarding school in Westchester, New York, has since mid-April been the subject of a federal investigation in the wake of the HAMMER jailbreak. The school's headmaster, billionaire philanthropist Charles Xavier, is a person of interest in the events surrounding the jailbreak, though federal authorities have not divulged any further information.
• 6 May 2022 - Anonymous sources revealed earlier this week that a number of mutant terror suspects detained by the US government will be transferred to UN custody. HAMMER, the DHS agency responsible for the capture and detention of mutant terrorists, has come under heavy criticism in past weeks after the high-profile escape of Erik Lensherr, infamous leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants, along with other several other detainees. Further allegations have emerged that HAMMER employed illegal interrogation techniques, including the heavily publicized waterboarding of prominent mutant activist Jackson Holland. Inspector General Joseph Cuffari has promised a thorough investigation into potential negligence and human rights violations by HAMMER. Under pressure from the UN Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International, and a coalition of mutant rights advocacy groups, DHS formally announced today that the remaining suspects in HAMMER custody will be transferred to the UN agency known as SHIELD. Established in 2015 in direct response to the Liberty Island Incident, SHIELD is tasked with investigating and responding to threats to planetary security that fall beyond the purview of traditional research, intelligence, and enforcement, as well as coordinating international efforts to address such emergencies. Neither HAMMER nor SHIELD has publicized any details on the transfer of custody at press time.

2023

• 28 January 2023 - The Lower East Side this weekend was the scene of a large disturbance Saturday. In what is being widely reported as a psionic attack, thousands of people reported experiencing an intense shock of pain that brought two blocks of the neighborhood to a calamatous halt. Several car crashes were reported, with nearly two dozen people requiring medical treatment and several hospitalized in the ensuing chaos. There are no suspects in the attack, though the NYPD is requesting anyone with information to report tips to their Mutant Incident Division.
• 31 January 2023 - After nearly half a year of agitating and negotiations that spread across Equity actors and theatre crews alike, there has been an end to the Broadway theatre strike. The ongoing strike has decimated the bottom line of the 41 Broadway theatres in the city as well as many of the off- and off-off Broadway venues. Initially instigated by the crew of Captain America: The Musical following a series of tweets from their star Lucien Tessier the night following their impressive Tonys showing, the strike began as a protest against the relaxing of COVID-19 precautions but expanded to include a number of demands for safeguarding the health and safety of cast and crew alike. Per their bargaining agreement, a slew of changes are being made in the working hours and safety regulations for crews; as well, theatres putting on Equity productions will be required to adhere to strict vaccination and masking protocols for guests.
• 31 January 2023 - ICE raids have been increasing throughout the city, many targeting Asian enclaves in Manhattan and Queens. Though ICE has released no statement about the ramp-up in enforcement, a source within city law enforcement has said that the targeted raids are an effort to drive wanted terrorist Leonid Concepcion out of hiding. Under the previous mayor Elliott Carruthers, city law enforcement was under orders not to cooperate with federal law enforcement in their hunt for the mutant, who is known to fabricate diseases and is wanted in connection with his brutal murder of a prison guard during his escape from custody. Mayor Adams since taking office has been vocal in his support of stricter policing, and the renewed hunt for Concepcion is just one of many law enforcement crackdowns -- some say particularly against minorities -- throughout the city.
• 5 February 2023 - Pop singer Kim Petras stunned twice over at the Grammys -- making history as the first transgender woman to win in the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and setting the fashion world abuzz by appearing on the red carpet in a bold puffy sleeved knee-lengthed satin dress by controversial mutant designer Taylor Marinov. Many have asked if Petras's choice of designer signals some support for mutant rights, which Petras has rebuffed, stating that she chose the designer based on their daring work and not their genetic makeup.
• 7 February 2023 - The flurry of news today about Jackson Holland is, for once, not centering around his terrorism charges or the growing movement to have them dropped. Instead, dominating some of the seamier celebrity gossip pages is endless discussion of the leaked photographs that emerged this morning from his SHIELD prison -- some source clearly in their security department selling several security-camera shots of Holland, nude and clearly dressing after a shower, together with two stills of the controversial figure in his cell at SHIELD headquarters, passionately kissing Captain America. While many have paid lip service to condemning the leak, searches for "jackson holland nudes" and "jackson holland captain america kiss" have skyrocketed -- as have angry and occasionally violent social media posts from Ryan Black's fanbase, who accuse Holland -- a known close friend of Black -- of stealing the rock star's boyfriend.
• 13 February 2023 - After nearly a week of media firestorm, former SHIELD Agent Grant Ward has been remanded to federal authorties. On Friday, several days after images of detained mutant activist Jackson Holland and Captain Steve Rogers was surfaced on the Internet, SHIELD Director Col. Nicholas Fury announced that his agency had found the source of the leak, implicating Ward in violating UN regulations as well as DHS-mandated security procedures for SHIELD's mutant detainment center. In a joint press conference with US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Col. Fury roundly condemned Ward for not only his violation of regulations, but his flagrant disregard for the fundamental human rights of detainees under his authority. UN agencies are not permitted under these circumstances to try or sentence their own personnel, but Secretary Mayorkas has promised Ward will be prosecuted to the full extent of US law.
• 18 February 2023 - Chaos was narrowly averted in Times Square tonight when an armed mutant militia attacked the SHIELD headquarters. ...the assault on the UN agency is believed to have been an attempted rescue of Remy Heidlage, leader of the Evolved White Nation, a right-wing group most famous for their conflict with law enforcement in Montana some years ago. While right-leaning advocacy groups have been fighting for Heidlage’s, the most recent refusal of a circuit court to hear his appeal is rumored to have changed the priorities of his followers. Col. Nicholas Fury, the embattled director of SHIELD, held a press conference in the immediate aftermath, during which all 27 of Heidlage’s followers were handed over to US law enforcement. The hand-off was supervised by SHIELD agents as well as Captain Steven Rogers, incongruously present in casual albeit bloodied attire. “We are grateful we were equipped to address this threat,” Col. Fury said to the assembled press, “given the apparent struggles other agencies have had bringing in fugitives of this caliber.” HAMMER, the DHS organization formerly holding Heidlage alongside other mutant criminals, including the still-at large Erik Lensherr, could not be reached for comment at press time.
• 10 April 2023 - Starting just before midnight on Easter Sunday, a series of simultaneous explosions at the private residences of HAMMER officials killed multiple high-ranking officers of the DHS organization. Among the dead is Captain Jack Bennett, head of HAMMER's policing liaison program. Captain Malthus Rogers is in stable condition at this time. The Brotherhood of Mutants has claimed credit for this attack. In a pre-recorded statement sent to law enforcement, Erik Lensherr, who escaped from HAMMER custody last year, advised HAMMER to give up the search for him: "If you want to be free of Magneto, you have the tools to do so -- when mutants everywhere are free, the Brotherhood will no longer be necessary." Law enforcement traced the origin of the video to an deserted military compound in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, that locals maintain has been abandoned since the last 70s.
• 4 July 2023 - The ongoing "Free Jackson Holland" protests outside the SHIELD Headquarters in Times Square had an Independence Day shakeup when musician Ryan Black arrived to play an impromptu -- floating -- concert for his captive friend. Midway through the show Black also announced the creation of a foundation to help find missing children -- prompted by the disappearance of Jackson Holland's son Spencer together with over a dozen of his friends. The announcement of the missing children -- and, more notably, the staggering $250k apiece reward for information leading to their return -- has set off a nationwide manhunt for the teenagers (as well as a wiiiide rash of phony tips.)
• 14 July 2023 - Interest in Prometheus has skyrocketed following the release of 'Prometheus: Playing with Fire' yesterday. Prometheus is the DoD contractor and medical researcher that was under scrutiny following a VICE article on human rights abuses in their facilities. The documentary exposé by rising filmmaker Winona White expands on last year's Frontline special. With extensive interviews of experts and survivors, uncovered documents and communications, and new footage from inside a large Prometheus facility, it presents a damning look at this previously obscure research organization. The brutality of the Company X security guards, horrific medical experimentation on young children and conversations between Prometheus employed scientists shows a culture of willing participation in human rights violations. White (a survivor herself) and Dr. Lily Allred (who provided much of the in-facility footage) have begun appearing on the press circuit, including news interviews and talkshows, to promote the new film. 'Prometheus: Playing with Fire' invites us to open our eyes to a grim reality that our government has done little to prevent, and much to add fuel to the flame.
• 15 July 2023 - As outrage roils across the country in the wake of filmmaker Winona White's documentary exposé of Prometheus, additional news is fanning the flames -- Spencer Holland and his missing friends, the subject of a nationwide manhunt, have been reported to be alive and illegally in Promethean custody. Prometheus has yet released no statement confirming or denying this news, but several whistleblowers from inside the same Ohio facility featured in Dr. Lily Allred's insider footage have anonymously confirmed the information. Several of the parents, siblings, or other family of the missing children have been seen on interviews as well, calling for justice for the children -- none of which have been formally arrested or charged, but are, they say, being held in the research jail for their acquaintance with Jackson Holland's son. Calls for freeing the children, caught in the crossfire of the government's persecution of a mutant political prisoner, have joined the general outrage over the documentary.
• 23 July 2023 - Beginning Sunday night the media was dominated by news of an attack on the now-infamous Lassiter Research Facility. The attack -- evidently spearheaded by the joint efforts of Captain America and Ryan Black -- was an attempt to rescue over a dozen missing children, including Spencer Holland, the son of imprisoned mutant Jackson Holland who has controversially been held for over a year on charges of liberating mutants from Prometheus facilities around the country. New footage from White -- herself injured during the attempt -- shows harrowing snips of the brutalization endured by the rescuers. Currently, Captain America and Black, together with a yet-undisclosed number of the attackers, are also being held in the Prometheus facility -- according to a Prometheus spokesperson, not in custody but receiving medical care and unable to currently be transferred.
• 23-28 July 2023 - With several of the missing children still in custody, Jackson Holland himself has put out a call -- to the mutant community and to all its allies -- to join him at Lassiter and demand the freedom of the inmates within. Sources have confirmed that Jackson Holland has left the SHIELD detainment facility where he was being held. Over the course of the next several days, a large encampment has sprouted up on the grounds of Lassiter Research Facility, grinding regular operations to a halt and attracting nationwide support. Many former Prometheus captives -- including several of the children only just rescued during this attack -- have come forward to plead for the safety and freedom of their missing friends and fellow inmates; other Prometheans have given testimonials as to rock star Ryan Black's long-time efforts on the raids as well.
• 24 July 2023 - A spokesperson for SHIELD confirmed Monday morning that Jackson Holland has left their custody without violence, and that the organization has no intention of re-apprehending him. "Even though the United States have steadfastly denied Mister Holland trial, the egregious human rights violations recently brought to light at Lassiter exonerate his actions with such force that we can no longer be party to his detention. Complicity with atrocities is fundamentally antithetical to the United Nations, as it should be to all." The spokesperson urged leniency on the part of the US and stressed that federal law enforcement currently has no authority over Holland, who remains under UN jurisdiction. Experts say there is no precedent for this legal gray area and that SHIELD is walking a dangerous line on interfering with member state sovereignty, though the embattled US Department of Homeland Security is not likely to pursue an inquiry against SHIELD currently. At press time, rumors that the UN Security Council is discussing sanctions against the US in closed session have no been substantiated.
• 28 July 2023 - The standoff at the grounds of the Lassiter Prometheus Research Facility in Ohio came to an end today. With all eyes on Lassiter, activist Jackson Holland made a widely publicized plea to free the remaining mutants, following which Lassiter security stood down and allowed the prisoners to go free. By midday, a DoD spokesperson had released a terse statement that effective immediately, all Prometheus experiments would be halted and an investigation conducted into the alleged abuses going on in the facilities. A source from inside the White House suggests that the President is, additionally, likely to issue pardons for many of the soon-to-be-freed inmates at Prometheus facilities throughout the country.
• 31 July 2023 - Controversy is still raging nationwide in the wake of the standoff at Lassiter Prometheus Facility, which led to the immediate release of nearly 800 inmates. With all charges dismissed with prejudice for Jackson Holland's team (accused of over a decade of attacks on these government facilities) and the DoD promising the swift release of most Prometheus captives around the country, it seems Just About Nobody is happy with events. Around the country, mutant rights activists and critics of Prometheus's inhumane methods are demanding to know why all captives are not being released with transparency; on the other side, there's been an uproar from those concerned about the safety of their communities and the nation if thousands of superpowered prisoners -- many of them serving long sentences for violent crimes -- are released without oversight. The news has been flooded with reports of newly-homeless mutants turned out from Lassiter with nothing but the scrubs on their back as well as a spike in the surrounding Ohio counties of mutant-related crime. While many still laud Holland as a hero for his part in freeing abused prisoners over the years, many more are clamoring for his re-arrest -- or worse, as a slew of Gab and Telegram messages have surfaced calling for Holland's assassination. Neither Holland nor his co-leader of the raid teams, rock icon Ryan Black, have been available for comment since Saturday, although a spokesperson for Black stated that the musician was recovering from injuries acquired during the rescue of the children.
• 25 September 2023 - An outbreak of violence in the mutant autonomous zone in Riverdale (commonly referred to by residents as "Freaktown") has led to renewed calls by local residents for authorities to shut down the mutant occupation. After an attack that the press has been characterizing as "mutant on mutant violence", local Riverdale residents say the tumultuous residents of the mutant zone have left them in daily fear for their lives and safety. Meanwhile, mutant New Yorkers are critical of what they say is failure by the authorities to stop a growing white supremacist presence in the city, pointing to the fact that the attack was perpetrated by a Neonazi gang against a Jewish gathering for evening Yom Kippur prayers. There is no solid record of how many were injured during the incident, though one Freaktown resident has been reported dead. Witnesses claim that the heroic intervention of Jackson Holland prevented a staggeringly higher casualty rate.
• 29 October 2023 - One of this year's stand-out Halloween trends -- particularly among young and online mutants, though plenty of others have jumped on the bandwagon -- is recreations of Jackson Holland's armor-and-sword combo at the gates of Lassiter. Social media has been flooded with the country's take on the look from the iconic photograph. As Halloween draws near this has also spurred a renewed surge of interest in the work of Taylor Marinov, lead designer on the now-iconic armor, as well as traffic directed to B-Spoke, a shopping platform started by Marinov with fellow designer Lyric Dirie and friend Desi Tessier. B-Spoke connects clients with particular needs not often covered in the mainstream (ranging from sensory needs to differences in body configurations and more) with custom fashion designers who can meet those needs. The interest in B-Spoke has been heavily driven by renewed interest in Holland's original armor, whose unique design is not just eye-catching but specially crafted to withstand uses of his highly volatile mutation.
• 24 November 2023 - The newly formed House Select Committee on Mutant Research Ethics has announced their first public hearing for early 2024 to begin the investigation into the Prometheus project. There are plans to hear testimony from numerous former subjects and employees of the research facilities. Rumoured plans hear testimony from Jackson Holland and Ryan Black as well as other members of their mutant militia have met with fierce opposition from Senate Republicans; Trump has additionally vowed to end the investigation and prosecute Holland's terrorist group as a first priority if elected to a second term.

2024

• 9 February 2024 - A joint operation launched by HAMMER and several other government organizations reported massive success executing a raid on a terrorist compound located on an abandoned island in the Lower New York Bay area. The compound was reportedly a stronghold for the Brotherhood of Mutants (infamous for the 2015 Liberty Island incident, and -- more recently -- the assassination of several high-ranking government agents). A HAMMER spokesman reported that the raid was carried out via newly-upgraded Sentinel drones developed specifically for this task, and involved no American casualties. No word on the whereabouts of Erik Lensherr (aka Magneto -- the elusive leader of the Brotherhood), but numerous military authorities are describing this as a 'decisive' and 'potentially fatal' blow to the Brotherhood's operating capabilities.
• 16 March 2024 - The opioid epidemic claimed yet another victim Saturday night when 32-year old Tony Award-winning actor, publicist, and hotelier Lucien Tessier was found dead by members of his family in his Greenwich Village home. Mr. Tessier's meteoric rise on Broadway began with starring in the Pippin revival and culminated when he originated the role of Steve Rogers in Captain America: The Musical. Even as he accumulated accolades on stage and ventured into voice acting, he was making waves as publicist to controversial mutant rock star Ryan Black and Steve Rogers, the real-life Captain America. More recently, he undertook a multi-million dollar renovation of a decaying cathedral on the Astoria waterfront into critically acclaimed luxury boutique hotel Le Bonne Entente. He was also involved in a variety of charities benefiting homeless youth and substance abuse rehabilitation. He is survived by his four siblings and their mother Elie Tessier, who announced in this morning's press statement on her son's death that she is establishing a nonprofit in his memory called Lost & Found, dedicated to research and advocacy on behalf of people with Autism Spectrum Disorders who struggle with addiction.
• 23 April 2024 - Late in the night on Monday the 22nd, significant law enforcement activity was reported in the upscale Bronx neighborhood of Riverdale. A joint action between the NYPD and several federal agencies, the police have moved to surround the section of the neighborhood that has come to be known among locals as "Freaktown" -- an illegal occupation spanning several blocks that has been taken over by a criminal mutant gang known as the "Mutant Mongrels" and held as a mutant autonomous zone since the early days of the pandemic. Local Riverdale residents have expressed gratitude to the police and hope that they will finally be taking action against the theft of land by mutant squatters. Riverdale is home to many synagogues and the largest Jewish population in the Bronx, and some Jewish homeowners whose homes have been taken over by the mutant gang have long suspected that the city would have taken action more swiftly, if the neighborhood had a different demographic. "Stealing our homes, flaunting their crimes with parties at all hours -- you think that Law & Order would be glorifying these thugs if they were doing this in SoHo?" one resident said under condition of anonymity, going on to express thanks that action was being taken, even if late. The large and growing crowd of police have not issued any formal statement as to their plan of action, saying only that they hope to find a peaceful resolution to this ongoing trouble. As of Tuesday morning, the illegal encampment has been heavily surrounded by a crowd comprised of several different police agencies together with a growing group of protesters both for- and against- the encampment.
• 27 April 2024 - The police standoff at the illegal mutant encampment popularly known as "Freaktown" came to an end in the early hours of Saturday morning. The NYPD reports that amidst growing daily protests, the number of mutants within the encampment has dwindled over the past several days, with only a core of militant mutants refusing to leave the grounds. Shortly after 3 in the morning, there was reported gunfire after a group of mutants were seen to be threatening the police. In the ensuing hours the police encountered hostilities from numerous dangerous mutants and several weapons were discharged. Ultimately the police succeeded in clearing all the illegal squatters from the Riverdale neighborhood. During the hostilities three mutants have been identified deceased -- Lower East Side resident Rachel Nievas, 42, a convicted felon and current employee of the Mendel Clinic mutant health center; JyMeen Parker, 19, of no fixed address; Taylor Allen, 26, of no fixed address, known member of the violent criminal gang Mutant Mongrels who police say instigated the theft of property that formed the initial Riverdale encampment. Local Riverdale residents have expressed support and gratitude for the police efforts in restoring order to their homes. The NYPD arrested 27 people during the eruption of violence, including well known mutant activist Jackson Holland, only recently released from jail after his extensive terrorism charges were dropped.
• 27 April 2024 - Throughout the daytime on Saturday, social media has been erupting with footage and stories from Freaktown's bloody end. While the police spokespeople have continued to insist that the police fire was provoked, an anonymous leak of Sentinel footage from the early-morning firefight shows police opening fire on unarmed mutants peacefully evacuating, including one medic -- Rachel Nievas, a registered nurse who was escorting a pair of sick mutants to a shelter for the night. Nievas and JyMeen Parker, one of the youths heading to shelter, can both be seen clearly unarmed and passive during the first gunshots; a third mutant with them, unidentified because of age but reported to be in the ICU and expected to survive their injuries, was similarly unarmed and noncombatant when they were short. The third mutant killed that night, Taylor Allen, a long-time barista at the mutant owned- and operated- Evolve Cafe, has been met with countless online tributes from grieving community members who report the young man to be a compassionate mainstay of mutant community who kept diligent lists of mutant-friendly resources behind his counter at work helped countless homeless mutants get back on their feet. Allen, a young man with significant anatomical mutation, can be seen on video with his many arms raised, pleading with police not to open fire on a group of young physical mutants attempting to peacefully evacuate moments before he was shot protecting the others. Many members within the New York community have been swift to condemn the killings, as well as the circumstances that led to Freaktown's existence in the first place.
• 28 April 2024 - In the wake of the police-involved shootings of multiple community members, including long-term nurse Rachel Nievas of the Mendel Clinic and Taylor Allen, a popular barista at the mutant cafe Evolve in the Lower East Side, the city has seen an enormous swell of protests. Spontaneous marches and demonstrations erupted throughout New York on Saturday night, with the heaviest concentrated in the mutant-heavy Lower East Side and the Bronx neighborhood of Riverdale where the shootings occurred. The NYPD has been on heightened alert for violence during the protests, citing the 2020 protests surrounding another high profile police shooting during which the 7th District Police station was burned down, claiming the lives of seven officers. The police reported 17 arrests during Saturday night's protests. A spokesperson for the National Lawyers' Guild reported numerous unprovoked attacks on protesters and heavy deployment of chemical weapons. Sunday night saw even more protesters in the streets -- both in New York, and in many other cities across the country where solidarity protests have been organized, many drawn out in outrage after hearing of the police excesses of Saturday. Sunday night's protests saw an increase in violence -- both police and protester-side, this time. More than a dozen police stations around the city were vandalized, with protesters hurling numerous cans of coffee through the windows. In Riverdale's 50th District station as well as the rebuilt 7th precinct in the Lower East Side, the protesters also deployed improvised explosive devices; though no police fatalities were reported, both stations have closed for significant repairs after the fires. Arrest numbers have not yet been reported; though several locations saw mass arrests, the police vans were stopped by gangs of motorcyclists and many prisoners forcibly released prior to booking.
• 1 May 2024 - Protests around the country have spread, in the wake of several high-profile police shootings at the New York mutant enclave known as Freaktown. Cities around the nation saw a proliferation of marches and protests on May Day, most peaceful though several reported high rates of arrest and property destruction. Numerous social justice organizations around the country including the Black Lives Matter network and BYP100 signed on to a statement recognizing the scale of police violence directed at mutants and calling for an end to anti-mutant discrimination -- a show of support somewhat unprededented for mutant-specific causes. In New York City, organizers are reporting nearly half a million attendees at the May Day protests -- attendance likely boosted by the first public appearance of celebrity Ryan Black since his injury during the freeing of prisoners at the Lassiter Prometheus Facility last August. New York City's mayor, Eric Adams, has condemned the nightly unrest in New York City as an affront to the hard work of the NYPD and the violent work of outside agitators and has called for National Guard reinforcements to help restore order in the city.
• 15 May 2024 - Ongoing nationwide protests are continuing in the wake of the police killings and shutdown of the New York City mutant autonomous zone known as Freaktown. With hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. taking to the streets over the past weeks, the protests have become the biggest demonstrations in specific support of mutant causes to date in the world. Together with a coalition of mutant liberation and police abolitionist groups, Delores Allen and Kevonte Allen, mother and elder brother to one of the mutants shot in the Freaktown raid, have been calling for and organizing a one-day general strike on June 7.
• 15 May 2024 - Reports of strange and dangerous anomalous activity have been on the uptick in places as scattered as San Francisco to Iceland to Madripoor. Also on the uptick have been reports of interventions from several well-known metahumans -- iconic U.S. national hero Captain America and sidekick Falcon, billionaire Tony Stark's Iron Man man prominent among them. As reports spread of the crises they have averted, many are starting to call these people modern-day superheroes while others wonder what separates them from criminal vigilantes.
• 15 May 2024 - While most of the world looks the other way, reports from the island nation of Genosha have been landing more heavily among mutant community -- several mutant refugees escaping from the country have been telling of slavery-like conditions and severe persecution. Despite calls from mutant groups for intervention, there has been no official word from the White House about assistance while some advocacy organizations such as Human Rights Watch claim the situation in Genosha is a question of domestic policy that does not rise to the level of concern they need to take action.