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daresplaining · 5 years ago

Note

Who are your favourite DD villains? Fisk, Bullseye and Mr Fear all sound brilliant from what I know of them, but are there any others with similarly iconic influence on Matt?

There are! Daredevil comics aren’t known for their well-crafted villains to the extent that, say, Spider-Man or Batman comics are, but I really enjoy a lot of Matt’s rogues gallery. Fisk and Bullseye are probably the two biggest names, but there are many others who have had major impacts on his life, and the Marvel Universe in general, over the years. Here are some of the most notable DD villains, in my opinion:

Gladiator (Melvin Potter) is a major antagonist who, over the years has become arguably one of the most nuanced and interesting Daredevil characters. I wrote a longer post about him, way back when we thought we might actually get a Gladiator origin story in the Netflix show, but in general, a lot of his lasting appeal comes from the complexity of his character. When he was first introduced in Daredevil vol. 1 #18 he was a pretty standard Silver Age villain: a guy with semi-logical origin story, a funky costume, and a penchant for monologuing. Specifically, Melvin Potter was the owner of a costume store who was sick of being disrespected by his customers, and so decided to make a name for himself by attacking people with spinning blades.

[ID: A panel from Lee’s Daredevil run. Daredevil is battling the Gladiator. Daredevil hoists himself up on a big crate to dodge one of the Gladiator’s spinning wrist blades.]

Matt: “He’s not fooling with those wrist blades… he’s fighting for real! But, why? I’m certain I’ve never met him before!”

Melvin: “You can’t keep dodging me forever! And the moment you slip, you shall have the honor of being my first victim!”

Daredevil vol. 1 #18 by Stan Lee, John Romita, and Sam Rosen

Over the years, various writers have worked hard to add nuance to his character. Despite his fearsome appearance and goal of gaining respect, most early Gladiator stories involve Melvin being manipulated by stronger, smarter supervillains. Later, he becomes even more sympathetic: a dangerous killer who, at heart, is gentle and naive and hates when he loses control and hurts people. This creates an inherent discord in his character that adds an emotional hook to all of his stories. Matt tries to help him, and Melvin is grateful for Matt’s friendship and returns that favor when he can, but sometimes they end up having to fight each other. Essentially, Melvin’s story is the relentless tragedy of a man who wants to live a peaceful life but keeps falling victim to his own demons and the cruelty of the world around him.

[ID: A page from Miller’s Daredevil run. Matt Murdock, in civvies (a tan suit and blue tie) confronts Melvin Potter, who is in a prison uniform and holding his Gladiator helmet.]

Matt: “Melvin, we’ve come so far. I know how much you want to be well… to go straight. We can help you, Betsy and I.”

Melvin: “I been trying, Matt. I been sitting in that courtroom, listening to them say those things about me, feeling my guts churn up, wanting to rip them all to pieces… They hate me. They all hate me… so I’m gonna hate them back!”

Matt: “I’m not letting you off that easy. If you want to become the Gladiator again, you’ll have to get past me.”

Melvin: “Past you?! Look at you– you’re just a skinny little blind guy! I’d break you in half! It’d be easy…”

Matt: “Is that what you want?”

Melvin: “Why not? I’m the Gladiator! The Gladiator! When I’m wearing my armor, I’m unbeatable, I’m…”

[ID: Melvin throws the helmet and falls to his knees.]

Melvin: “I’m all alone. Help me… please…”

Daredevil vol. 1 #173 by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Glynis Wein

This complicated and heartwrenching characterization has helped Melvin to remain a fresh and popular antagonist (anti-hero, even) and a regular guest in Daredevil. He is one of several characters who complicates the hero/villain dichotomy, and thereby both emphasizes and challenges Matt’s own heroism.

Typhoid Mary/Mary Walker is another one of the more famous Daredevil villains, and someone who has had a significant impact on Matt’s story over the years. I wrote a longer post on her as well. Female antagonists in particular seem to suffer from a variety of weaknesses in their depictions, and Typhoid– as a sexual character by nature, as well as someone who plays upon “crazy” villain tropes– has had her share of not great depictions over the years. However, at her core, she is a wonderfully compelling character and a dangerous villain who is literally multifaceted by design. Even moreso than Melvin Potter, Mary plays upon the concept of a good person who is powerless to prevent themself from doing violent things– in Mary’s case, through genuinely having multiple psyches inhabiting one body. She is in constant conflict with herself, as gentle Mary and bloodthirsty Typhoid battle for dominance. As much as she is an antagonist to Matt and the other heroes whose paths she crosses, she is her own arch-enemy.

[ID: An excerpt from Nocenti’s Daredevil run. Typhoid Mary and Daredevil are both underwater, in the East River. Mary looked panicked partway through strangling Daredevil, and flees out of the water.]

Mary/Typhoid: “Don’t kill him! You! Shut up! I love him! Stop! Get out of my head! You can’t kill him! Get out of my head! Oh, god! Where am I? Why am I dressed like this? What have I done?!”

Matt: “Curious. That’s a completely different woman running away! What came over her?”

Daredevil vol. 1 #256 by Ann Nocenti, John Romita Jr., and Christie Scheele

Matt’s dealings with Mary have brought about some of the more unheroic moments in his career. In Joe Kelly’s attempt to integrate the Man Without Fear-verse origin story into the 616 universe, he proposed that Matt nearly killed Mary on his first superhero outing. When Typhoid, in her introductory arc, is hired to seduce Matt, it works– he cheats on Karen with her. Later, when attempting to bring down the Kingpin’s empire, Matt removes Mary from the equation by sleeping with her to get her guard down and then forging documents to have her locked away in a psychiatric hospital. She hits all of his weak points: as Mary, she is a victim who needs rescuing… and an attractive one at that. As Typhoid, she is a dangerous enemy who must be stopped. In addition to her skill with weapons, she has all kinds of awesome psychic powers– including, most notably, pyrokinesis– and something about her physiology messes with Matt’s senses and makes her difficult to fight. She is a challenge on every level, and in many ways, Matt serves the same purpose for her– Mary (and, arguably, Typhoid as well) accidentally falls in love with him, representing a loss of power and control that she can’t stand.

[ID: Excerpt from Nocenti’s Daredevil run. A series of panels alternating between Daredevil falling off a bridge and a tear sliding down Typhoid Mary’s cheek.]

Daredevil vol. 1 #260 by Ann Nocenti, John Romita Jr., and Christie Scheele

The Hand I love the Hand– which is to say, I love the Chaste, and part of why I love the Chaste is because I love their rivalry with the Hand. On some levels, the Hand are your standard Big Bad Secret Organization, but I also find them to be a lot of fun, and they have been a significant force in Daredevil comics since they were introduced. The Hand are key players in Miller’s updated version of Matt’s origin, which introduced Stick and gave him a purpose for training Matt. They also had a huge role in Elektra’s origin, since her attempt to singlehandedly bring them down from the inside led to her becoming an assassin. And of course, Matt’s role as leader of the Hand and temporary vessel for their patron demon, the Beast, was a defining moment in recent DD comics and a low point of Matt’s career. The Hand are dangerous because they are vast, and their high-ranking members have all kinds of cool powers, which I love. And there’s also a certain amount of weakness and dysfunction to the Hand that makes them appealing. They are a once-great organization relegated to being mercenaries-for-hire. Their low-ranking members are fairly weak– as Matt quips in Volume 1 #380, “a little harsh language and [they’re] up in smoke!” They were led by a Skrull (disguised as Elektra) for a while, and didn’t even notice. Arguably their most dangerous enemy, Master Izo, mostly just bothers them with Hand puns.

[ID: A panel from Diggle’s Daredevil run. Daredevil, seen from the back, is standing in an empty room. The light from the sunset streams in through the windows. Izo is sitting behind him on the floor, drinking tea.]

Matt: “Look, you wanted me leading the Hand, you got it… but I never agreed to be your puppet.”

Izo: “‘Hand puppet.’ Heh.”

Daredevil vol. 2 #503 by Andy Diggle, Roberto De La Torre, Marco Checchetto, and Matt Hollingsworth

I also enjoy the way the Hand and the Chaste operate and Matt’s relationship with them. Matt isn’t an official member of the Chaste (like Elektra, he was rejected for being too emotional– which, in his case at least, is a fair assessment) but he still teams up with them on occasion, and the experience almost always puts him out of his depth in really entertaining ways. Matt is one of the Hand’s biggest enemies and one of the Chaste’s most useful allies, so he gets dragged into their business even when he doesn’t want to be involved.

[ID: Excerpt from Daredevil: Ninja. A conversation between Daredevil and Stone in a series of face close-ups.]

Stone: “We need your help.”

Matt: “You should have asked me to come.”

Stone: “Would you have?”

Matt: “I hate this ninja crap. I hate it. Every single time it’s nothing but lies, half-truths, and misguided loyalties. Stay away from me and my life.”

Daredevil: Ninja #2 by Brian Michael Bendis, Rob Haynes, and David Self

There are also two excellent (and, I’d say, influential) alternate universes in which Matt joins the Hand and thrives in their presence: What If? Daredevil vs. Elektra and Earth-65 (Spider-Gwen-verse).

Lady Bullseye (Maki Matsumoto) And if we’re discussing the Hand and the Chaste, I have to mention Maki– undisputed head of the Bullseye Fan Club and another of my favorite Daredevil villains. She’s relatively new (she was introduced during Brubaker’s run) and so hasn’t had a particularly big long-term influence on Matt, but she is a great character with extensive connections to Daredevil history. One thing I love about her is the fact that while she modeled her look and identity on Bullseye, she isn’t treated as just female version of him, as her name might suggest. They actually have very little in common; she just chose to honor Bullseye because he played a role in her origin story by indirectly rescuing her from a human trafficking ring.

[ID: Panels from Brubaker’s Daredevil run. Bullseye is single-handedly beating up a bunch of gun-toting mobsters in a warehouse building. Maki Matsumoto watches him between the bars of a large cage.]

Caption: “She remembers that so vividly. Remembers the joy she beheld that day from her cage. She had never seen anything so beautiful, she thought. Of course, she was nearly insane already by then. But then, like a miracle… freedom.”

[ID: Maki reaches between the bars of the cage and grabs a key from a dead mobster’s pocket. As she tries to escape, another mobster runs toward her.]

Man: “You– back in your cage, girl!”

Maki: “I think not.”

[ID: Without looking at him, she slices his throat with the key.]

Daredevil vol. 2 #111 by Ed Brubaker, Clay Mann, and Matt Hollingsworth

Since then, Maki has teamed up with Bullseye– mostly notably, resurrecting and caring for him after his death in “Shadowland”– but more often, she operates on her own as an assassin. Like both Elektra and Matt, she was trained by the Hand and the Chaste without forming an official allegiance with either, and it seems her primary teacher was Master Izo– thus making her Matt and Elektra’s ninja aunt and/or sister in the Chaste Family Tree that definitely exists in my head and nowhere else.

[ID: Excerpt from Brubaker’s Daredevil run. Lady Bullseye and Izo are standing on a Manhattan rooftop as the sky brightens behind them. Pigeons are flocking around them; Izo has one perched on his hand.]

Maki: “You said I would lead the Hand.”

Izo: “I said a lot of things when I was training you, girl… Said whatever I needed to say.”

Maki: “You’re as bad as them.”

Izo: “No. I didn’t put you in a cage and sell you to the Yakuza.”

Maki: “You still used me.”

Izo: “Yes, I did… but I’m not going to apologize.”

Maki: “Someday I’ll kill you for this. You know that, right?”

[ID: Izo leaps off the roof.]

Izo: “Yeah, well… get in line.”

Daredevil vol. 2 #500 by Ed Brubaker, Michael Lark, Stefano Gaudiano, Matt Hollingsworth, et al.

Maki masterminds the destruction of Matt’s life that leads him to join the Hand. She is extremely smart (she passes herself off as a lawyer during Brubaker’s run and fools both Matt and Foggy; as far as anyone knows, she might actually have a law degree…?), an excellent fighter (arguably better than Matt, not quite as good as Elektra), an absolute badass, and an all-around great antagonist who deserves her own solo series (hint, hint, Marvel).

Death-Stalker I’m not sure Death-Stalker counts as a major Daredevil villain, but he was used about once a week in late 70s Daredevil so he’s certainly been a recurring presence. I also just find him really cool, conceptually. One of the interesting things about Death-Stalker is that he started his existence as a completely different supervillain: the Exterminator, who is best known for “killing” Mike Murdock! The Exterminator had a weapon that could shift its victims out of sync with the time-stream. When Matt blows it up to fake Mike’s death, the Exterminator is caught in the blast, with shocking consequences:

[ID: Excerpt from McKenzie’s Daredevil run. A series of flashback panels: the Exterminator (a kind of goofy-looking villain with a purple and white costume and blue antennae on the side of his mask) watching Daredevil pull a lever, then the Exterminator getting caught in an explosion and falling into a void.]

Death-Stalker: “How many long and empty years has it been, Murdock? How many… since you so callously destroyed my awesome Time-Displacement Ray… catching me fully in the time-shattering explosion?! How long has it been since I was hurled through the fabric of time? But what you believed to be my death proved instead a macabre rebirth! I found myself in a timeless limbo! Unobserved, I could go anywhere! Do anything!”

Daredevil vol. 1 #158 by Roger McKenzie, Frank Miller, and George Roussos

Thus, the Exterminator returns years later as Death-Stalker– a villain who can move freely through time and space, become intangible at will, and whose mere touch is lethal. This, combined with his new appearance (glowing eyes, bony hands, huge billowy cape…) makes for an excellent creepy character concept, and some of the Death Stalker issues feel more like horror stories than the typical Daredevil comic.

[ID: Excerpt from Gerber’s Daredevil run. A tired Daredevil is making his way through a swamp. Death-Stalker appears behind him out of the fog and puts a skeletal white hand on his shoulder. Daredevil collapses.]

Matt: “H-he’s gone! Nothing but an empty cape! It’s not possible! It– where did he go?!”

Death-Stalker: “Here, Daredevil. I am here. Death is at your back.”

Matt: “Huh? Wha– No!! My… shoulder… your fingers… like ice–!”

Death-Stalker: “Like death, Daredevil. Like the grim, glacial embrace of the North Wind. No use to flee… you can’t outrun the wind.”

Caption: “For Daredevil, for this sightless adventurer, all the world is blackness, all the time. But now, a different kind of darkness envelopes him, a sort of oblivion he has never known before. He hears his heartbeat slow… feels his mind empty of all thought… feel his every nerve tingle, then go numb… and he knows that he is… dying. And that is all he knows when the darkness claims him and the Death-Stalker relaxes his grip.”

Daredevil vol. 1 #114 by Steve Gerber, Bob Brown, and Stan G.

Sadly, though, I don’t feel he was ever used to his full skin-crawling potential, particularly considering how dangerous his power-set was. He was mostly just a nuisance who rarely got the upper hand, and he was killed in Daredevil #158 when he accidentally materialized through a tombstone during a fight with Matt. One of my favorite details about Death-Stalker isn’t Death-Stalker himself– it’s that his mother lived in a booby-trapped mansion and owned an army of exploding robotic children that she sicced on Matt to avenge her son’s death. But that’s a story for another post…

Jester (Jonathan Powers) The Jester gets no respect, and it’s a shame because he’s both genuinely a great villain when he’s used well and highly entertaining when his 1960s goofiness is played up, and he manages to embody both of those characterizations with absolute panache. He has played a role in some fairly major Daredevil stories over the years and I’d consider him a staple DD villain. His origin story is pure Silver Age silliness: he was an actor who received bad reviews for his first major starring role, found his career heading downhill, and so decided to become a supervillain instead. This is pretty typical of motivations for villains of this time period (see the Gladiator’s origin story above, and Stilt-Man below), but even this aspect of his character has been put to good use. Daredevil #218 features a surprisingly touching story of the Jester stealing the chance to reprise that first starring role– and of Matt keeping the cops distracted (by pretending to be the Jester!) so that his enemy can finally live his dream.

[ID: Excerpt from O’Neil’s Daredevil run. The Jester is dressed as Cyrano de Bergerac. He pulls off his false nose and bows dramatically to Daredevil and the cops who have come to take him in.]

Jester: “A moment ago you unmasked. Now I shall perform a similar gesture… I am your humble and obedient servant… the Jester! At your service!”

Matt: “You deserve the bow. You were magnificent.”

Jester: “Indeed! I trust the critics will change their tune.”

Daredevil vol. 1 #218 by Denny O’Neil, Sal Buscema, and Christie Scheele

Throughout the issue, Matt draws comparisons between himself and the Jester: their shared mask-wearing and the experiences of disillusionment that shaped their lives– and while it certainly doesn’t give the Jester the emotional depth of certain other Daredevil villains, it’s a memorable connection.

But where the Jester is at his most dangerous is not as an actor looking for attention– it’s as a creator of chaos. The Jester is a master of illusions and media manipulation. In his introductory arc, he frames Daredevil for his murder and turns Matt into a wanted criminal. Later, he uses a campaign of false news reports and misinformation to sabotage Foggy’s run for District Attorney, turn the superhero community into targets, and throw the whole country into an uproar. Most recently, in Waid’s run, he manipulated TV footage to cause rioting in NYC in the wake of an unpopular and highly publicized court ruling. His plans don’t always succeed, but even then, the scope and effectiveness of the damage he causes makes him a truly formidable villain.

[ID: Excerpt from Waid’s Daredevil run. The Jester is sitting in front of computer monitors in a dark room, yelling into a microphone. In the next panel, we see random civilians in a cafe, watching “Mayor Jameson” (played by the Jester) on TV.]

Jester: “Listen to him. God, he’s so smug. No matter. This is a minor setback. Daredevil’s not the ultimate target, after all. The city’s the target, and it’ll burn. Voice synthesizer on… People of New York… this is Mayor Jameson! Effective immediately, I am rescinding all handgun regulations in Manhattan! Take up arms– for your own protection– and await further instructions!”

Daredevil vol. 3 #32 by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee, and Javier Rodriguez

The Owl (Leland Owlsley) The Owl has, unfortunately, been overshadowed by the Kingpin for most of his existence, and as such, hasn’t been given anywhere near the same amount of character development or nuance. They were created based on the same character concept: a high-powered mobster with a shadowy network of pawns who controls the city’s criminal underworld.

[ID: A series of panels from Lee’s Daredevil run, showing a man in a long green coat and brimmed hat walking into an office building. His face is not shown; the people he passes looked at him with fear.]

Caption: “This is Wall Street, heart of New York’s Financial District, where fortunes are made and lost by the world’s greatest financial wizards! And, within the canyons of this street, we are about to find one certain man… a merciless man… a man with no friends… no loved ones… nothing to connect him with the human race, save the fact of his birth! Let us follow this man… let us study him as he walks into a towering office building, his heavy footsteps reverberating through the huge marble lobby! For we shall see much of this man on the pages that follow… He walks slowly, but with a sure, steady tread… looking neither to the right nor the left… ignoring those he passes and those who pass him! But he himself cannot readily be ignored by others! His very presence seems so fraught with evil, with menace, that his fellow humans shrink back from the mere sight of him! There are some who recognize him… who speak his name in whispers… for his wealth is said to be legendary, and his power almost beyond measure!”

Daredevil vol. 1 #3 by Stan Lee, Joe Orlando, and Sam Rosen

Unfortunately, the Kingpin just ended up doing it better, and while there are a few Owl story arcs that I really like, I’ve never found him that interesting. However, he is hugely significant because he was the very first Daredevil supervillain, introduced all the way back in Daredevil #3! (In #1 Matt fights the mobsters who killed his father, and in #2 he fights Electro, who is a Spider-Man rogue.) Thus, he has had an impact on Matt’s life simply from having been around for so long. This also means there’s a huge range in his stories, verging from extremely ridiculous (he sometimes eats rats, and used to own an owl-shaped airplane. How cool is that?) to slightly more grounded. There is a great Owl story arc in which his bird-like body modifications start killing him, which gives his law-breaking more nuance, because he is doing it to look for a cure. Matt, upon discovering this, tries to help him.

[ID: Excerpt from Chichester’s Daredevil run. Daredevil and the Owl are on a fire escape together. The Owl has metal cybernetic legs and has collapsed. Daredevil is comforting him.]

Matt: “You’re going to make it, hear me? You’re gonna–”

Owlsley: “You should’ve let me…”

Matt: “Unh-uh. You take my hand– you’re willing to take my hand– I don’t let go. You’ve got some long ways to go, mister… but you can count on me…”

Daredevil vol. 1 #303 by D.G. Chichester, M.C. Wyman, and Christie Scheele

There’s also great point in Bendis’s run when the Owl, in a surprising demonstration of cleverness, hires a lawyer to sue Daredevil for breaking and entering. It doesn’t work, but it throws Matt off and is absolutely priceless.

The Owl has also had several children– two unnamed young kids who were introduced in Alias, and Jubula Pride, who was introduced in Daredevil Volume 4 and worked alongside Matt to rescue her father. Jubula’s brief-but-memorable appearance added a bit more depth to the Owl– allowing us to see him in the role of a parent as well as a villain. But mostly, over the years the Owl has remained one of the more insidious of New York’s mob bosses, always scheming to stay in power and fight his way out of the Kingpin’s shadow. And he’s been doing it for so long that he feels like an integral part of Daredevil comics.

Turk Barrett He’s not a costumed supervillain or even much of a threat, but Turk has become an iconic Daredevil antagonist for both his sheer ineptitude and his plucky ability to stay alive. Of all of the recurring low-level mobster characters, he has the most engaging personality, and his dynamic with Matt is one of long-held friendly animosity. Daredevil isn’t the most dangerous person in Turk’s life, Turk isn’t the most dangerous person in Matt’s life, so they mostly just annoy each other. They’ve even been known to team up, when Turk thinks the odds of survival are in his favor.

[ID: Excerpt from Daredevil: Love and War. Turk Barrett (dressed in a white shirt and blue pants) is mopping the inside of an elevator. The doors open, and Daredevil walks in. They ride the elevator together.]

Matt: “Turk! You got the job!”

Turk: “No, man… this… I mean, I’m working undercover, man… I’m your backup!”

Matt: “I believe you, Turk.”

Turk: “Even know what level the doc’s on, man… So how’d you get in, Devil?”

Matt: “I flew in, Turk.”

Turk: “…Course. I knew that. ‘Spose the window locks weren’t much trouble…”

Matt: “Melted them with my heat vision.”

Daredevil: Love and War by Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz

Turk is an underdog. He’s kind of a goof and he’s certainly a criminal, but he’s also a small fish in a big and dangerous pond, working in a career where most people eventually end up at the bottom of the East River in concrete shoes (or a taxi, as the case may be). He’s slippery and resourceful, he stays just harmless enough to keep himself out of danger, and you can’t help but root for him, even when he does dumb things like stealing Stilt-Man’s stilts or trying to kill Daredevil for the hundredth unsuccessful time.

Stilt-Man (Wilbur Day), of course, requires no introduction. He is another personal favorite of mine, and a rare case of a goofy Silver Age villain surviving into the modern era while remaining exactly as goofy as he was when first introduced. The great appeal of Stilt-Man is, in fact, that he’s a bit of a joke, while at the same time being quite dangerous, in a comic book physics-kind of way.

[ID: Excerpt from Lee’s run. Daredevil is battling Stilt-Man on a daytime city street.]

Wilbur: “Hah! You missed!! Have you forgotten so soon how easily I can change my height, thanks to my magnificent hydraulically-operated stilts?!!”

Matt: “Mebbe so! But I haven’t forgotten that I’m the gent who whumped you good last time fought! (Man! It sure is lucky I was here! If Stilt-Man ever managed to get the Leap-Frog safely away, what a team those two would make! But, I hear the boys in blue hauling that human jumping jack right now! Which means Stilty and I can go it alone!) Heads up, dad! It’s time for fun ‘n games again!”

Wilbur: “Hah! Didn’t expect me to seize your cable, did you? I should have warned you, little man– I’ve modified my protective armor in such a way as to double my strength! Which means I’m more than a match for your limited talents!!”

Daredevil vol. 1 #26 by Stan Lee, Gene Colan, and Artie Simek

Part of the charm of this characterization is the fact that he’s a joke in-universe as well; most of his appearances in modern comics consist of Stilt-Man being made fun of and/or of the audience being reminded that he’s actually a threat. This creates a great balance in his depictions; the jokes are fun, the sight of various superheroes being beaten up (at least a little) by Stilt-Man is fun, and he remains an enjoyable, mostly lighthearted presence in a landscape that has become dominated by Dark, Serious, and Disturbing villains.

[ID: Excerpt from Bendis’s Daredevil run. Matt is sitting at his desk in his darkened office, talking to Wilbur Day– a short, bald guy in a black jacket, with his arm in a sling.]

Wilbur: “Wilbur Day– I’m Stilt-Man. We’ve met four hundred times.”

Matt: “Stilt-Man– Huh. Oh, you mean that burglar guy Stilt-Man? Who wears the stilts and robs things?”

Wilbur: “Can we please just–”

Matt: “We’ve met when?”

Wilbur: “I–”

Matt: “Are you in some kind of legal trouble? Is that why you’re here?”

Wilbur: “Okay, fine.”

Daredevil vol. 2 #41 by Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev, and Matt Hollingsworth

Stilt-Man is just a short guy in a ridiculous outfit who wants to commit some crimes and get a little respect– and really, who can’t relate to that?

Ikari (???) I’m mentioning Ikari not because he’s a long-established Daredevil villain– he’s not– but because I am fascinated by his potential. He’s a favorite of mine as much for what we don’t know as for what we do. In his introductory arc, we learn this: He was engineered/commissioned by Bullseye to kill Matt, his fighting abilities equal Matt’s, he has hypersenses, and (as a horrified Matt discovers later) he can also see.

Ikari: “Someone has, in fact, managed to re-create the toxic chemicals that blinded you, gave you enhanced senses. Someone whose hate for you keeps him alive. But he didn’t waste the process on weak, malnourished vagrants. He used it to baptize a warrior. A fighter trained to be every bit your equal in skill– and now, in power.”

Daredevil vol. 3 #25 by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee, and Javier Rodriguez

And that’s it. We don’t know who he is or where he came from, or what the consequences are of having that degree of sensory perception (presumably his vision is heightened too?). We don’t know what his personal goals or motivations are, since we’ve only ever seen him as a pawn– first of Bullseye and then, later, of the Kingpin. But the concept of his character as someone who shares Matt’s powers plus some– who is essentially, skills-wise, a criminal version of Matt– and all the mystery that surrounds him, is hugely compelling to me.

[ID: Excerpt from Waid’s Daredevil run. Both Ikari and Daredevil are out on the street, being shot at by cops. As Daredevil hides behind a parked car, Ikari attacks the cops and cuts their guns in half with his blades.]

Matt: “The cops are hunting me under an open-fire command. Presuming they’ve been advised of Ikari’s prison break, I’m sure the same order applies to him. I wish it scared him. I wish anything did.”

Daredevil vol. 4 #17 by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee, and Matt Wilson

In his last appearance he was killed by the Shroud, but his body was stolen, leaving the door open for him to maybe return sometime in the future and receive more development. I hope he does.

#soulfireinc #Gladiator #Typhoid Mary #The Hand #Lady Bullseye #Death Stalker #Jester #Owl #Turk Barrett #Stilt Man #Ikari #Asks #Adventures in Continuity

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maealbert · 6 years ago

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The Liaison // Killer Shot/Crossover

AU Characters: Team x OC (Lucy De Luca) A/N: So after watching the Crossfire episode of FBI, I decided to write a crossover between the two shows! Enjoy! :) Master List The Liaison

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New York, New York

________________

Cars zipped by, horns honked loudly in all different directions. Sidewalks were crowded and busy during everyone’s lunch break. It’s funny how so many people take a lunch break at the same time and not realizing it. People passed each other outside of the Hartford Law offices. People carried coffee, their bags slung over their shoulders, eyes glued to their phone. A few people conversed with each other discussing the boring day of paperwork and angry phone calls from clients. “Honey, we discussed this… Okay well then stop bringing it up.. Look I’m on my way to my car and when I get home, we’ll discuss it more, alright?” Just as he was about to step off the sidewalk to join the crowd of people crossing the street, something whizzes through the air striking the man straight through his forehead. His body falls to the ground sending people surrounding his now dead body scattering into different directions. Screams followed as people tried to hide. The woman closest to the dead man tried to go help when she to received a bullet to the head causing more panic to the people.

“Shot fired! Shots fired!” A security guard shouts as he pushes through the doors of the law office building. “Oh god, there’s so much--” But he too was stunned with a bullet straight to the forehead just like two prior victims just minutes before him.

__________________

“I don’t know how comfortable I am leaving the girls back home.” Lucy says as pulls out her phone. That was the tenth time in an hour that she had checked her phone.

“They will be fine. Anderson is very good with kids and he knows to call us if there’s any emergency.”

Soon they see a black SUV pulled over to the side of the highway, the hazard lights blinking. Spencer sees the government plates on the vehicle and pulls Lucy’s SUV over to the shoulder in front of the car. The doors of the SUV open up behind him and the other team members climb out and walk up to Lucy’s car. Lucy rolls down her window just as Emily walks up. “Everything okay?” Lucy asks.

“Car broke down.” Emily responds. “Do you have room for us.”

“Yeah, hop in.” Lucy says unlocking the doors. “Did you call a tow service?” She asks once everyone was in the car.

“Yeah,” Emily says as she buckles herself in. “I made sure to take everything out of the car so no one gets ahold of any files or anything.”

“Oh! I grab the lights and siren.” Matt says as he passes the electronics up to Lucy. Spencer made sure everyone was buckled in before drove off.

______________

Arriving at the Hartford Law Office building’s plaza, they came to see a crowd of people outside of the police tape. The New York field office’s agents already examining the three bodies. Emily flashed her badges at the officers to let the team through. Or at least the ones that weren’t dropped off at the field office. Omar stood up from his kneeling position to greet the agents, Maggie following behind him. “You must be the BAU.” He says shaking the three agents hands. “I’m Agent Omar Adom and this is my partner, Agent Maggie Bell.”

“Nice to meet you both.” Emily says shaking his hand. “I’m Agent Emily Prentiss and this is a couple of my agents, Agent De Luca and Agent Alvez.”

Both agents give the New Yorkers a kind smile. “Has anyone spoke to the media yet about the shootings?” Lucy asks Omar.

“Not yet. We just got here ourselves right after the ME’s examined the bodies.”

“Mind if I go speak with the media?” She asks again.

“Have fun with it.” Omar says. “Be careful though. New York reporters can be rude.”

Lucy smiles as she nods her head. “I’ve had my fair share of these reporters.” Lucy says making Omar smile. She heads off to the media as Omar shows Emily and Luke over to the bodies.

As Emily and Maggie examine the bodies, Luke follows Omar to the sing of the law office. “See this?” Omar says as he points to the bullet hole. “This comes straight from our first victim.”

“Have the victims been identified yet?”

“ME’s found IDs on all three victims,” Omar says as he moves around to the back of the sign. “Assistant General Attorney, Michael Bradley. A secretary from downtown, Maddie Fields. And the third is the security guard, Chris Hanks, who tried to come out and help Maddie and Michael.”

Luke nods his head as he examines the bullet hole in the sign. Omar follows the trajectory of the bullet strike until he came face to face with concrete plant holder. “The bullet grazed here after hitting the AG Attorney and going through the sign.”

“So let’s see where this hole points to.” Luke says. Omar bends down a little below the hole and peers through with one eye. “I see a balcony.” He says standing up. He points across the street intersection to an apartment building rooftop. “He had to be shooting from up there.” Both men head back over to the two women. “He shot our victims from that rooftop over there.” Omar said pointing back at the apartment building. “I want take Maggie up there with me and see if there’s anything we can find.”

“We’ll stay down here. Maybe we can find any connections.” Emily says.

________________

“Agents, you made it!” Mosier says as she enters the conference. “I’m relieved we get to join forces on this case.”

JJ extends her hand out to Mosier giving her a warm smile. “I’m Agent Jareau and these are Agents Reid, Simmons, Rossi, and Lewis. Garcia just left to join your analyst.”

“With their brain put together, I’m sure we’ll get somewhere.” Mosier says. “I’m surprised you aren’t set up in the bullpen with the rest of the agents.”

“We tend to work in a confined space where we can brainstorm without a lot going on.” Spencer says.

“Well feel free to ask me any questions if need be. Our office is a little different than you last remember it.” Mosier says before leaves the room.

_________________

Joining Emily and Luke back by the victims, Lucy puts her phone away. Noticing they were looking off into the distance, she follows their gaze to find two people standing on the rooftop balcony of an apartment complex. “OA and Bell?” She questions.

Emily nods her head. “Looks like our sniper fired from the top of that building.”

“No one saw him?” Lucy says.

“He wasn’t seen by anybody because he most likely hid inside the room that leads out to the balcony. He has privacy and no eye sight on him. Plus it has a direct line to the plaza.” Maggie explains as she and OA meet up with the three agents back on the ground.

“So why was he targeting these victims?” Emily says as she looks around the plaza.

“AGA is still a high profile target.” Lucy says. “But the two victims weren’t. One was a secretary and one is security guard. What purpose do they serve?”

“Or what purpose do any of them serve to him?” Luke says.

______________

As the five agents were heading back to the field office, Maggie received a phone call. “This is Agent Bell…. Yeah… Alright we can find it.” She says before hanging.

“What was it?” OA asks.

“There’s been another shooting.” She says as she opens her phone to send a message to the other agents.

The SUVs come to a stop outside of an apartment complex. “Deja vu.” Emily says as she shuts her car door.

“How so?” Luke asks.

“Garcia lived an apartment complex similar to this one. Except this one doesn’t have a fountain in the middle of the walkway.” Emily explains as she and the other two walk up to Bell and OA. “How many this time?” She asks.

“Six.” OA responds as he lifts up the white sheets from one of the victims.

“High profile?” Luke asks.

Bell shakes her head. “No.. Just normal civilians.”

“We do have one survivor.” Bell says. “Police informed us that a security guard was on his way back to his apartment when he was clipped by a bullet. He had his gun on him already and shot up to that window,” She says pointing across the street to another building. “Says he shot twice but isn’t sure he hit our suspect.”

“Bell, go talk to him again. See if there’s anything else he might remember.” OA says standing up.

“I’ll go with you.” Luke says as he follows after Bell.

“Lucy..” Emily says turning to Lucy.

“I’m on it.” Lucy says as she walks away and towards the few news reporters across the street.

“Agents.” A tech agent calls from the police tent. Emily and OA head over to the agent. “So I put in a trajectory test on where the bullets are said to come from. Our survivor was right. Shots came from that building.”

“Hey, OA,” Bell says as she and Luke come over to the tent. “Our survivor said he saw a black SUV peel out of here after the shots were fired.”

“Could he see a driver?” Emily asks.

“No,” Luke responded shaking his head. “He said it was too fast for him to get a good look.”

Lucy rushes over to the others as she put her phone away. “JJ just called. Mosier wants us back.”

“Let’s go.” Emily says.

___________________

“So we have two different places that were targeted,” Mosier says as she sits down at her desk. “Why?”

“We thought it was the people at first.” Maggie says.

“Well it can’t be.” Mosier says. “Nobody at the apartment is high profile. Garcia did backgrounds on the tenants and everyone has a normal job, nothing suspicious.”

“So it’s not the people..” Emily says standing up from the couch.

“What if the buildings are connected?” Maggie says.

“As if our unsub had something happen here.” Emily adds.

“Exactly.” Maggie says looking at her. “What if he has ties to each of these?”

“We did speculate that he could be ex-military based on how long he would have had to stay there across from the plaza waiting for his exact targets.” OA says.

“And our survivor. He saw the black SUV.” Mosier says. All three agents nodded their heads. “Let NYPD know to keep an eye out for SUVs matching the very limited description. If it leaks, deny it. Until then, let’s find our sniper.”

____________

“So Garcia and I managed to pull together a list of eighty-eight,” Kristen says as she hands the sheet of paper to Maggie. “Have fun.” A different agent came in with a file. “Looks like your analyst might have found the golden ticket.” She scans through the file. “Cole Cooper. Ex-military and looks like he has ties to each place that was targeted. He was also caught on security feed not too long ago purchasing the gun that was used to kill our nine victims.”

“I’ll gather my team in the bullpen.” Emily says as she leaves the room and goes to meet up with the team.

___________

“I managed to find Cole’s social media pages about a few years back.” Kristen says as she pulls up a video. “He was very active but then it just goes dark. Same with his girlfriend’s.” She starts to play the video.

Cole walks through the park area towards picnic benches. He was dressed in his military uniform and carrying a bouquet of flowers. Lucy could feel herself getting choked up. It only reminded her of her father when he showed up to her birthday dinner on her sixteenth birthday.

“Cole lived his then-girlfriend, Emily in the apartments where he struck second.”

“JJ, I want you to go with Bell and OA and talk to the apartment manager and try to find out what happened between Cole and Emily and see if that ties in with why Cole might have targeted these two places.” Emily says. She notices Lucy’s demeanor and heads over to her. “Are you okay?”

Lucy looks up at her. “Yeah, I’m good.” She says. “Just uh.. Got flashbacks when the video was playing..”

“Your dad..”

Lucy nods her head again. “But I’ll be fine. I’m normally not like this, but being pregnant my hormones are really heightened right now.”

“I get it, I get it.” Emily says. “If you need to take a break, you can.”

“No,” Lucy says shaking her head. “I’ll be fine.”

“Alright, well let’s get back into it.” Emily says as she walks out of the bullpen with Lucy.

__________________

JJ comes back into the conference room. “Bell and OA just got a call to a gas station. An officer saw a black SUV and called it in. He was shot when approaching the vehicle. Garcia’s sending the video over. Bell and OA are watching it there.”

Rossi pulls over the laptop and opens it just as video file pops. As he begins to the play it, they see someone jumping out of the passenger side and going inside the gas station. They hear the officer calling in the SUV before climbing out of the cruiser. As he approached the vehicle, an arm reaches out and a clear shot could be heard as the officer falls to the ground the SUV speeds off. Seconds later the passenger emerges, pausing in their steps to look around for the SUV before taking off in the other direction.

“He has a partner?” Emily says.

“That changes this whole investigation.” Matt says.

“Looks like we have a new unsub to find.” Tara says as she stands up from the table. “I’m gonna call Garcia and see if she can figure out who we’re looking for.”

______________

Sitting in the military truck, Lucy kept her eyes locked on the video feed from the drone flying above the bell tower of the church. A negotiator kept talking to Cole but receiving no answer from him. “I have an idea.” Maggie says.

Reaching the rooftop of the building next to the church, Maggie and Lucy crouched down below the concrete wall. “I’m going to talk to him.” Maggie says as she stands up. “Cole! Cole, can we talk?”

“You can’t stop me!” Cole yells back.

“Cole, you don’t have to do this. I know what you’re going through! I know the pain you’re experiencing. Just put the gun down and we can help you!”

“You can’t help me! No one can help! That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing!”

“We have Kofi is custody!” Maggie says. Lucy looks up at her in surprise that she would bring him up. “We know you took care of him and helped him when he needed it. He looks up to you, Cole!”

“I shouldn’t have brought him into this.” Cole responds.

“With your testimony, you can exonerate him, Cole, he isn’t a legal adult. He won’t go to jail, you can still help him.”

“Just leave me alone!”

Lucy stood up. “Let me talk to him.” She says. Maggie nods her head and goes over to OA to watch him through the drone camera.

“Cole, I’m Agent Lucy De Luca from the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Do you know where we were from?”

“Quantico, by the Marine base.” Cole responds, his eyes still focused on the telescope attached to the top of his gun.

“Exactly. And I know you’re a Marine. I know how tough it can be being in the Military, even living in a Military family. You move a lot, you worry about your family, you gain friends and lose them.”

“How could you possibly know what it’s like?” Cole questions.

“My father used to be a Marine. I moved around a lot when I was younger. It was always just my two older brothers and myself when our father was deployed. He was just like you, Cole. He felt betrayed by his leaders and by his peers. He felt no one could help what he was going through--”

“Did he experience the loss of a loved one?”

“My mother. She didn’t die but she has alzheimer's, so in a way he felt he did. I didn’t grow up with her so I can’t tell you what it felt like to lose someone you were passionate about… But I know what it’s like to lose a loved one. I’ve lost two people, Cole. I know the depression and hurt you feel from losing Emily.”

“Don’t talk about her!”

“Cole, it’s okay to talk about her. Just like it’s okay to talk about the death of my father and my baby.”

It went silent for a few seconds before Cole spoke up again. “You lost a baby?”

“Yes, Cole.” Lucy took in a deep breath before speaking again. “I had a miscarriage and it was really hard. My father was killed while he was deployed overseas. So I can relate to the pain you feel after losing Emily. What do you think Emily would you want to do?” It was silent again. “Cole, she’d want you to be happy and to put the gun down.”

“I can’t.. I have to do this.”

“Why do you have to do this, Cole? Does it make you feel better to know that you inflicting pain on the families of the people you’ve killed? Because they’re feeling exactly what you’re feeling right now? Pain, anger. You took away a loved one just like Emily was taken away from you. Please, Cole. Put the gun down and we can help you.”

“We’ve got a civilian on the street.” The SWAT leader calls from truck down below.

“I thought we cleared the street?” OA says. Maggie peers through the hole in the concrete wall to see the person running between the buildings across the street and crouching below the brush.

Lucy sees Cole adjusting his gun and looking his scope. “Cole, don’t do it.” She says. “Put the gun away.”

“I have to..”

“No you don’t.”

“Mosier, what do we do?” Maggie speaks through her walkie talkie.

“Cole!” Lucy shouts. “We can help you!”

“His finger’s on the trigger, Agent De Luca.” Mosier says. “Maggie, it’s your call.”

“Cole! Put the gun down!” Lucy shouts. “Maggie, don’t call it. Not yet.”

“Lucy, there’s only one way we get him down.”

“Maggie, I’m almost there. Give me more time.”

“We don’t have more time,” Maggie says. “We have a civilian life at stake.”

Lucy turns back to the Cole. As she goes to open her mouth again, she hears a click on one of the guns from the sniper and Cole disappeared from her view. “Suspect is down.” He speaks through his walkie talkie. OA walks over to Lucy, placing his hand on her shoulder. She still looked over at the bell tower hoping to see him stand back up. “He’s gone, Lucy.” He speaks. “You tried.”

Taking in a deep breath, Lucy walks away not uttering a word to either OA or Maggie.

______________

“Everything okay?” JJ asks as she catches up with Lucy outside of the field office. Lucy lifts her head. “You look a little shaken up.”

“Uh yeah, just worried about the girls is all.” Lucy says. “I haven’t heard from Anderson or Julianne.”

“It’s normal to feel worried.” JJ says.

“No, but I texted Julianne two hours ago and I still haven’t heard anything back from her.” Lucy sits down on one of the benches outside of the field office. “I guess when we started this case and the victims started out as high profile jobs, I became a lot more paranoid with leaving them in DC.”

“Anderson wouldn’t let anything bad happen to them.” JJ says. “Maybe she’s just doing homework or watching Vivien. Look we’ll home in a few hours.”

Suddenly Lucy’s phone began to ring. Turning it over she sees Julianne’s naming flashing on the screen. “Jules, hey. How was school?”

“Where are you?”

“I’m still in New York, we’re waiting on the others and then we’ll be on our way. Why? What’s wrong?”

“Some guy is here asking for you. Says he used to go to school with you?”

“What does he look like?”

“Black hair, brown eyes. About Spencer’s height.”

“Did you get a name?” Lucy asks.

“Aaron Williams.”

Lucy’s heart dropped to her stomach. “Did you let him in?”

“No, I kept him in the hallway.”

“Lock the door and keep Vivien in her room.”

“What I do after that?”

“Stall him. Tell him you’re trying to get ahold of me but you’re having some trouble. I’m gonna get the quickest flight out there.” Hanging up she grabs her bags and runs to the street to hail down a taxi.

“Luce, what’s going on?” JJ says as she goes after Lucy.

“I have to get home.”

“Are the girls alright?”

“Tell Spencer to come to the apartment as soon as they get back. I have to go!”

____________

Dropping her bags on the sidewalk, she pulls out her gun and slowly approaches the front porch of her apartment. Seeing no sign of Aaron anywhere, she pulls out her key and unlocks the door. “Jules? I’m home!” Clearing the kitchen she goes into the living room to find Julianne’s school bag on the floor, her textbooks on the coffee table. “Spencer will be home shortly. He had to finish some things up at work so he’ll be late for dinner. How was school?” Once she cleared the living room, she started making her way to the hall. “I was thinking maybe we could have chinese tonight down at Wu’s and then afterwards we can come here and watch some movies before bed. That is if you have all of your homework finished.” She stepped into her and Spencer’s room and cleared the closet, under the bed, and her bathroom. “Also have you seen a purple button up shirt in the laundry by any chance? Spencer wants me to wash so he has it for work tomorrow.” Leaving her room she goes across the hall to the guest room where the girls were sharing it. Opening the door she peers inside to find the girls laying on their beds. Julianne was on her laptop and Vivien was playing with her dolls. “Oh thank gosh..” She sighs lowering her gun. “Are you two alright?”

“Yeah.. Uh.. I told him I was having trouble getting ahold of you so he said he’d come back some other time when you were home.”

“Luce?” She hears Spencer call. “Why were you bags on the sidewalk?”

Putting her gun away she heads back out to the living room to find Spencer setting their bags down behind the couch. “Sorry..”

“Are you okay?” He asks walking over to her. “JJ said you took off after Julianne called you.”

“Did I ever tell you about Aaron Williams?”

“No..” Spencer says shaking his head. “Who is he?”

Lucy took in a deep breath before opening her mouth.

If you liked this part, then please be sure to leave it some love and some feedback!

Thank you! :)

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creditzenga · 5 years ago

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How to Reduce Credit Score Damage if You’re a Victim of Identity Theft

Identity theft victims often feel violated. After all, someone impersonated them in an attempt to drain their bank accounts, use their credit cards or open fraudulent new credit accounts. Victims are left to face the challenge of how to recover from identity theft, often without help. It’s crucial to resolve fraudulent accounts and charges promptly. Just for a start, you need to change all your passwords and inform your creditors that you were the victim of identity theft. On top of that, you might have to address some damage to your credit score from identity theft. The question is – how do you bounce back from identity theft, minimize the damage to your credit score and build good credit again? Whether you have experienced identity theft first-hand or are concerned that it might happen to you, this guide will help you win back your identity – and your good credit.

Types of Identity Theft

According to the U.S. government, there are many types of identity fraud. These include: Tax identification theft, where someone uses your Social Security number to file false tax returns. Medical identification theft, in which criminals steal your Medicare or health insurance identity to obtain medical services. Military identity theftSocial media identity theftCredit card and bank account fraud Of these, credit card and bank account fraud are the most well-known types of identity fraud and can involve both new and existing accounts. Criminals are always working to get the greatest financial gain possible from these types of fraud.

Victims and perpetrators

While there are some situations when immediate suspicious activity makes it clear you’re a victim of identity theft, in other situations it may take longer to realize what happened. For example, if you get a notice that you’ve been denied a loan application or credit card application, a bill for items you didn’t purchase, or calls from debt collection companies for debts you don’t recognize, then you may possibly be a victim of identity theft. The most vulnerable targets of this type of theft include children, college students and senior citizens. Though, truth be told, anyone can become the target of an identity thief. Unfortunately, perpetrators may be people in your family and social circles. Cases of parents stealing the identity of their children for financial gain are not uncommon. Most perpetrators, however, are criminals looking for an opportunity.

Consequences of Identity Theft

Many victims can tell a nightmarish tale of what happens when someone steals your identity by taking your Social Security number or other personal details. Those who have fallen victim report spending endless hours trying to unravel the theft with financial institutions credit card companies and the IRS. In many cases, identity theft victims are required to prove that they are the real people associated with the accounts in question and that they didn’t actually open those new accounts. The process of identity restoration and repairing the damage may take months or even years. Even when you think the matter has finally resolved, the IRS can audit you due to the prior compromise of your Social Security number. In the meantime, your credit score suffers. The significantly lower rating may mean you can’t qualify for loans, a line of credit, or a low interest rate. It may even mean missing out on a new job or housing.

How to report Identity Theft

Identity theft serves up a harsh reality. But if you know the process for reporting the crime, then you may be able to prevent some of the losses and stress associated with the financial damage. One way to begin the process if you suspect you are a victim of identity theft is to file a formal report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can go online to IdentityTheft.gov or call the agency at 1-877-438-4338. The FTC online reporting tool also gives you direct access to a report and identity recovery plan. That's where you can track your progress in managing and recovering from the event. They also provide form letters that you can print and send to your creditors. Create an account to get access to these valuable recovery services. You may need to report identity theft to your local police, especially if you know the identity thief or when one or more of your creditors asks you to provide a police report as proof. With other types of identity theft, you may also have to report to other agencies. For example, you’ll need to contact Medicare (if you have it) and there is proof of medical identity theft. The IRS will need to know if someone has filed a false tax return using your Social Security number and name. Report identity theft to every financial institution and credit card company with which you do business, and place a credit freeze on your accounts at all three major credit bureaus – Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. To learn more about credit freezes, read the blog “Freezing Your Credit: The Ultimate Guide.”

Other steps to take

When you alert the major credit bureaus about identity theft, they can place a fraud alert or security freeze on your account. You may even request that they add an extended fraud alert. As of September 21, 2018, you can now freeze and unfreeze your credit file for free with all credit reporting agencies. You also can get a free freeze for your children under the age of 16. Consider taking a proactive approach to monitoring your credit for identity theft as well. Get copies of your credit report from Equifax, TransUnion or Experian to assess the damage. Look for breached accounts, unfamiliar accounts or unauthorized credit accounts opened with your information.

Strategies to fix your credit after Identity Theft

After you’ve filed the necessary reports, it's time to start repairing the damage and your credit. Be prepared, because it can take years to bring your credit score back to where it was before the identity theft. Here are some ways to start working towards recovery: Make a list of false accounts. When you get copies of your credit reports, the first step is to make a list of all the false accounts and fraudulent activity listed there. Write a dispute letter. For each of the false or fraudulent items, write a dispute letter to get them removed. You can find templates for these letters online through the Federal Trade Commission. Be sure to keep copies of each letter you send.Keep a log. Take notes and keep records (copies, written communications from the lender in question, etc.) of all actions you are taking to clear up the identity theft. Keep monitoring your credit report after. Continue monitoring your credit reports for many months after the event. Some fraudulent accounts may not show up on your credit reports for some time. This can continue to mar your credit, despite your efforts to repair it. Be ready to rebuild if necessary Remember that creditors may not always help identity theft victims, even those who didn’t open the accounts in question. Lenders are running a business and this situation may cost you money, but it also costs them money. As such, they may not be willing to give you credit again. Instead, you may have to rebuild your credit from the ground up. Part of this process may involve pursuing other lines of credit, including a secured credit card with a limited credit line and deposit. Depending on the extent of the identity theft, you may not be able to fix your credit entirely on your own. If the theft or the losses it causes are especially complex, you may want to hire a law firm that specializes in credit and can represent you in clearing up these fraudulent charges and cleaning up your credit report.

Proactive approaches to reduce Identity Theft risk

Whether you have been a victim of identity theft or you want to minimize the risk, consider implementing these strategies to help protect your credit in future: Don't carry your Social Security card with you. Keep it secure in a safe or lockbox. Don't share personal information just because someone asks for it.Don’t leave your mail in your box longer than a day, especially if it doesn’t have a lock. Have the post office hold your mail when traveling.Check your accounts online or through an app on a frequent basis. Consider using credit monitoring services or identity-protection services.Use as many security features on your computer and mobile device as possible.Avoid sharing information and doing financial transactions on a public WiFi network.Shred paperwork such as receipts, statements, expired credit and bank cards, and anything with your personal information on it.Use complex passwords and change them often.Get a free credit report and review it regularly. Know your credit history.Sign up for fraud alerts for all your credit cards and bank accounts to stop any suspicious activity before it impacts you.

Business Identity Theft

While this guide on identity theft protection focuses on consumers, business owners should also be concerned about protecting company financial information and credit scores. Business identity theft has in fact become so prevalent that the IRS has created an online guide to assist business owners in ID theft protection. Typically, these cases involve trying to obtain fraudulent tax benefits, but some criminals do go after business bank accounts, business credit cards and databases full of customer personal data. If data breaches include client info, you may face liability for any resulting losses including penalties, fees and lawsuits. Businesses can use proactive measures to protect their information and that of their customers. Follow the same reporting protocol, including the police, FTC, financial institutions, credit card companies and credit bureaus that you would use to report personal identity theft. Read the full article

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perezalmighty · 5 years ago

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The Hotel

It seemed like a mixture between Oceans 11 and mission impossible movie with an atmosphere of a quintin terentino directive with a hint of a 007 protagonist turned antagonist.

Bits that I remember are being in a hotel vacating a supreme room; whilst I was in said room I was committing a murder and with a skill level that only a trained assassin or veteran serial killer would have. This building [the hotel] was itself a skyscraper- Such so that out through my window one could see that they were above some low clouds and nothing of the ground floor where hundreds of people would walk the streets. My room had a California king size bed, a giant flat screen tv mounted to the wall, crystal glass everywhere including the table, a large L-shaped memory foam-backed grey cushion couch with a red brown rug. The rug had some sort of creature sewn into it. A bear? A wolf maybe? The luxurious room also had controllable lighting- from changing the actual color of the light to anything on the spectrum to any level of brightness desired. There was a fully operational kitchen with a bar, a full size bathroom with a tub as well as a stand alone shower. I did not have much on my person nor really cared for much of the luxuries In the room only that I was amazed at the craftsmanship. I had friends, accomplices one might say, down in the lower floors where there were dining rooms, bars, slot machines, all the commodities that a place somewhere in the high ends of Vegas would have. But, this was not Vegas. This setting was too far out for something so local. There were several other buildings just as tall and luxurious with technology only the future of man would have. My friends wore tuxedos, had shades on, fine hair slicked back or combed-over, and one (whom I would meet with later) was smoking a Cuban cigar while having whiskey on the rocks at one of the tables near the Slots. The murder in which I took charge of seemed to have gone in auto-pilot, Like it was not premeditated yet performed with precision. I cannot recall whether the victim was male or female. Afterwards I had to clean up the mess and I did so with even greater of detail, polishing with bleach and ammonia leaving no trace of blood while also just tidying up the place for my checkout. To avoid the place wreaking of chemicals I had one the windows open. The same window I would use to escape. I added some scent of lemon and lavender to the room, gathered my little amount of belongings and paced towards chilling abyss that was outside. My goal was to reach the perpendicular skyscraper was across from me but diagonal towards this high-story outside patio. Yeah, that’s how fancy this setting was. How I’d reach that X was the question. Luckily for me I was in control so I took out a giant grappling hook cannon from which I was able to create several lines all directed somewhere different. The purpose of that was Incase I needed a contingency plan, which little did I know at the time that Id truly need it, would certainly need it. As soon as I zoomed across from one building to the other fearlessly gliding through the bone chilling air 1,300ft up Above ground the hotel was notified of my check-out and the next vacancy would take place. Upon reaching the outer patio I made my way quickly back to the original hotel meeting my friends at their table. I joined in the smoking and had a glass of whiskey to drink. As this was happening My thoughts and imagination seemed to take a spectator view and leave my body and surveyed the rest of the hotel. The elevators in this building were built so complex-like, so sophisticated, so meticulously advanced that there weren’t many to begin with. But instead each guest had a special key with its own unique code that would would be inputed into the elevators control panel and the damn thing would not only go up or down but also left or right and in any combination of those to reach your destination. My out-of-body spectator soon saw that I had forgotten an item in my just recently vacated room to which could be traced back to me! I let my friends know the situation and made haste towards the elevator. It would be a miracle if my key still worked to get up via the elevator and into my room.

The hallways were barely used here may I add. Each elevator could deliver you directly into your room thus leading to less potential victims of sexual assault, battery, or worse, murder. Each room did have another door leading to the hallways in which had another elevator and staircase mainly used by the staff in delivering goods or performing house-keeping. My key worked! I made it into my room! But somehow my cleaning from earlier was merely an illusion and the entirety of this once-luxurious room was now covered in blood and was practically destroyed in what looked like a rage. The item I originally went up for was on the bar top but that wasn’t my only issue now. Do I stay to clean and risk getting caught or do I take what I need and leave the horrific scene for an innocent poor bystander to come across? Fuck it. Fuck it. Fuck it. I’m just gonna take my shit and bounce I said. Now there were 3 options, 3 possible escape routes I could take: the hallway and pretend I have business through there, the elevator from which I came which would lead me directly back to my group of comrades, or the window once again zip-lining through the air. I decided to take the elevator. But, unfortunately as my luck would have it, the new guest for this room had reached the floor and was coming out as I was going to barge in and escape. It’s a tall woman dressed in sexy black attire with hidden lace straps on her thighs which could be used to conceal knives or a gun. We’re both frozen for a split second not having even thought of the possibility of running Into one another. That split second felt like minutes. Time was slowed. My mind racing to come out with a divisive plan. Her eyes stared deeply into mine with a façade so stern, scared yet intimidating, the hair was black and the front of her hair firmly placed down in corn rows while the rest of it was loose yet still slicked back. She had a tan complexion. I would have never imagined what was about to happen to take place so quickly. The woman sees the horrendous bloody scene and winches in disgust from the smell. She attacks me and we fight. Her fighting techniques impress me but I overpower her and kick her back into the elevator and make a run for the hallway. Surprise. Queue the 6’2 260lbs muscular man, wearing black reflective shades. He had 2 guns and wore black heavy duty boots. These two strangers were also assassins. Now my only escape is the window. The man charges at me and we end up in a struggle of a fight. I daze him with a precise right blow to his temple. Taking advantage of the precious seconds I now have before the two assassins charge me again I run towards the window activating my contingency plans. Without hesitation I cut my original line and jump for the next. In the middle of the lines was an advanced magnetic device that could disengage and engage. I use that to my advantage. I am creative master. As I begin to zoom through the line I bring out my advanced grappling gun and aim towards the third line, shoot towards its center magnetic and now create an H formation. I disengage the line I’m on and activate the new line I just shot. It now looks like a sideways letter T and I as I reach the final line I disengage all connections to but one single side of a line. Imagine now that this is a free fall line and I must use my current momentum and inertia to use the half line I’m on to swing back into safety. I grip the line with all my might and lean in with my feet. My spontaneous plan is now to bust into a different room through its window without killing myself. The two assassins are dumbfounded that this escape was available and try to shoot their guns at me. BAM! I make it into a room and a loud screams breaks the air. The window shattering with me coming at such high velocity created a zap of a vacuum in the room as it would for a commercial plane flying 30,000ft in the sky. The atmosphere inside quickly adjusted and I was now safe. Unknown to me I had to figure out my location. There were cuts and abrasions all over me and of course I was sore!

I had just smashed through a window! After sprinting through the hotel and performing parkour on the stairwell I finally managed to make it back to my friends. I meet them and we all know this assassination was now complete but compromised. I fix my hair adjusting it real suave, adjust my suit and place my shades on. I have a drink of my whiskey on the rocks, smoke my cigar and plan amongst ourselves the next mission.

The heist of the Grandioso Hotel.

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creditmonkey · 5 years ago

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How to Reduce Credit Score Damage if You’re a Victim of Identity Theft

Types of Identity Theft

Victims and perpetrators

Consequences of Identity Theft

How to report Identity Theft

Other steps to take

Strategies to fix your credit after Identity Theft

Proactive approaches to reduce Identity Theft risk

Business Identity Theft

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travelonlinetips-blog · 6 years ago

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New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/10-of-the-best-horror-events-you-need-to-attend-in-2018-2/

10 of the best horror events you need to attend in 2018

‘Tis the season when caring is scaring, and attractions around the nation are up to the task. From extreme single-guest experiences that will test your psychological mettle to old-fashioned mazes with more traditional elements of spook. Even film festivals will find you on the edge of your seat.

This list of 10 must-visit horror attractions runs the gamut, but can you run the gauntlet of fear traps that each of them set? Read on and decide for yourself.

Gates of Hell | Las Vegas

Abandon all hope, ye who enter the Gates of Hell — Photo courtesy of Freakling Bros.Horror Shows

It was the first R-rated attraction in Nevada, an “experiment in serious, uncompromising interactive horror.” Gates of Hell is part of the Freakling Bros. Trilogy of Terror in Las Vegas, an experience of the highest horror order.

It’s a Halloween life event perhaps surpassed only by the operation’s 2013 ante-upper: the 18+ Victim Experience, a solo-participant, after-hours offering so intense that only a portion of those who volunteer for the challenge “survive” without saying the safe word.

Scream Hollow | Smithville, Texas

Scream Hollow is nothing less than a horror complex set on 20 acres in Smithville, Texas — Photo courtesy of Karen & Steve Jackson

Located on 20 spooky acres roughly 50 miles outside Austin, Scream Hollow’s four large attractions take between 25 and 45 minutes to go through. That’s a lot of Halloween bang for your buck, and it’s spread over a complex of buildings in rural Texas (a bona fide proven location for classic and truly terrifying horror cinema).

One of its offerings, Virgil’s Last Laff, not only features evil clowns, but something in this maze is scaring them! We don’t even want to know…

Horrorworld | Rowland Heights, Calif.

Guests walk alone through Horrorworld’s Into The Dark experience — Photo courtesy of Horrorworld

Fans of the 1978 George Romero classic, Dawn of the Dead (or perhaps the 2004 remake) – where horror met social commentary amid the confines of a shopping mall – will delight in this Southern California horror attraction that largely does the same.

Taking over a portion of the Puente Hills Mall in Rowland Heights, this year’s Horrorworld mazes include the gore-spattered Flesh Yard, the mistreated miscreants of the Psycho Sanitarium, and the demonic possession-inspired Into the Black, a single-person, walk-it-alone experience. Think you’re brave enough?

ScareHouse: The Basement | Etna, Pa.

The Basement is ScareHouse’s 18+ haunt. Think you’ll survive? — Photo courtesy of The ScareHouse

ScareHouse features some pretty high-adrenaline haunts, but fear junkies looking for more extreme experiences will want to opt for a ticket into the 18+ Basement. The horrors are foisted upon guests who go in groups no larger than two (if you’ve got something to prove, you can go it alone).

It’s an atmospheric, immersive experience that includes profanity, water, tight and dark spaces and violent scenarios, among other things. It requires the signing of a waiver.

Fear Factory | Salt Lake City

Guests are spaced out at Fear Factory, which makes each walk-through a singular and scary experience — Photo courtesy of Fear Factory

Located in an industrial section of SLC, the former Portland Cement Works was a working operation, and a high-risk career choice. Several employees of the company suffered gruesome accidents over the years, so much so that it seemed the very edifice was thirsting for blood. And souls.

These days, folks line up at Fear Factory to experience close encounters firsthand, wending their way along the rickety metal walkways, never knowing what might lurk around the corners. Oh, and there’s a pitch-black slide you’ll ride to make your escape. Staffers break up the groups, allowing actors to delight in scream after fresh, crisp scream.

Scream-A-Geddon | Dade City, Fla.

If the mazes don’t get you, the inhabitants of Scream-A-Geddon’s Monster Midway might — Photo courtesy of A.D. Thompson

In Dade City, no one can hear you scream. That’s because Dade City (just outside Tampa) is pretty much in the middle of nowhere – and just where you want your hellish homespun horror carnival set.

Indeed, with mazes including the fluorescent firestorm of Rage 3D (because clowns are enduringly terrifying) and Dead Woods – a dark as pitch walk-through fraught with murderous hillbillies that seem just right for the locale. (The glow stick you’re equipped with isn’t as much to help you walk as it is to allow the Tate family to descend upon you from the darkness.)

Scream-A-Geddon has got old-school carny appeal with games, food and, of course, freaks walking around to add some unexpected spice to your selfies.

This is Real | Cold Spring, N.Y.

In previous years, This is Real’s “stars” were homicidal and horrific. This year, they’re cooking up something new — Photo courtesy of This is Real

Here’s where everything you learned watching horror movies might pay off. For the past two years, This is Real was logging all kinds of buzz – in a Brooklyn location – for being an altogether different attraction. One where guests signed up to be willing victims, kidnapped and stashed in a warehouse where they’d watch the torture-killings of other victims, then have the chance to escape from their cages, find their friends and hopefully make it out before becoming the next in line.

For 2018, they’ve moved their operation to Cold Spring for a test-run on something new they hope to bring to Brooklyn next year. Become a blindfolded guinea pig for these dark-attraction masterminds.

Spooky Empire | Orlando

It may be a horror con, but that doesn’t mean there’s any less cosplay — Photo courtesy of Spooky Empire/Paul Schuh

Spooky Empire is not a haunted attraction, but as the largest horror (Halloween, rock and roll and tattoo) convention in the nation, it certainly has all the elements to help you get into the spirit of the season.

This includes huge celebrities from the horror realm (this year’s biggies include Mistress of the Dark Elvira and both David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson from The X-Files), exhibitors selling all kinds of horror goodies and even a film festival. As with most cons, you can expect parties, panels and lots of cosplay, too.

Held October 26-28 in Orlando.

Brooklyn Horror Film Festival

All-new features, classic films and more make up the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival schedule — Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Horror Film Festival

Exploring the genre (while simultaneously embodying the essence of this legendary NYC borough), the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival features a wealth of new-era horror goodies.

This year’s installment features a first date gone wrong, a stylish, 70’s era slasher tribute set in the world of gay porn, a documentary about the beloved 80’s flick, The Monster Squad and a screening of the 1981 classic, My Bloody Valentine.

Theaters around Brooklyn will host the films and events, October 11-18.

Dungeon of Doom | Zion, Ill.

An hour-long romp through terror awaits at the Dungeon of Doom — Photo courtesy of Dungeon of Doom

How long do most haunted house walk-throughs take? Ten minutes? 15? At Dungeon of Doom, you’re looking at an hour’s worth of jump scares, chainsaws and even (if you’re game) being buried alive in this Chicago-area attraction.

Waits can get long as you get deep into October, but scare actors are plentiful and keep you entertained – even in line. How brave are you? Sign on for November’s blackout event and see the dungeon in a whole new way. Hint: you won’t see it at all!

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viralhottopics · 8 years ago

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20 Things I Learned During My Weight Loss Journey Of Losing 96 Pounds

Did you ever see one of those before and after weight loss transformation pictures and think, That doesnt even look like the same person! or They purposely picked an unflattering before photo?

I have lost almost 100 pounds, and have kept it off for so long that there are people I know now who never knew me during the time in my life when I was heavy. One such friend saw an old picture up while visiting and said, I still cant believe it, you look so different, Id almost think you had cosmetic surgery. If she had a true understanding of my intense fear of needles (I passed out getting my ears pierced!) shed know that absolutely wasn’t the case.

Another time, a house cleaner didnt recognize me in my own wedding photo and, when I confirmed it was me she looked at her friend and said something in Portuguese that included the word gorda. After three years of high school Spanish, I know the word fat in Spanish when I hear it!

Which brings me to this point: You’ll be surprised how weight loss affects you. I mean, sure you think youll look better, and you will, but the way you feel, the manner in which you hold yourself and the amount of times youll flash a smile, all change too.

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Because of the dramatic changes my body has undergone since I lost weight, I get asked quite a lot how I did it, so here is my own condensed guide to getting into great shape. Let’s call it the Cliff Notes version of everything I’ve learned along my weight loss journey.

1. As a general rule, unless its cauliflower or a White Chocolate Luna bar, if its white, dont eat it.

2. Think of food as a choice, and not as a reward or a punishment. You dont deserve a decadent dessert, nor are you depriving yourself if you dont have it.

3. Dont get comfortable with some success. Theres no finish line or touchdown dance. As I was losing weight, and every time I went down a size, I would only buy one pair of jeans, one pair of tan pants, and one pair of black pants. I wouldnt spend a lot, and I would tell myself, Dont invest in this size, as youre not going to be staying here for long.

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4. BLTs count: Bites, Licks and Tastes add up and Sips too (so try your best not to drink your calories!)

5. Eat foods in their lowest common denominator: Think orange, not orange juice, and shop the outside aisles of the supermarket. Its where the least processed foods are.

6. Avoid any food that has a television commercial.

7. Do, dont watch.

8. Make rules for yourself. I have a rule that, unless its a family movie or sporting event that we are watching as a group, I DVR my favorite programs and hop on my exercise bike when I want to watch. Do you have a pedometer? Make a minimum step commitment for each day. I also have a rule of not taking the elevator unless its going up or down more than 20 flights.

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9. Never walk by a source of clean water. Drink up!

10. Make your workouts like brushing your teeth, just something you do without question.

11. You getto workout, you dont haveto workout. (This one is a biggie!)

12. Meals should be a balance of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.

13. A stumble doesnt have to be a free fall. Having a row of Oreos doesnt have to be a full out surrender.

14. Nix the excuses. Youre no busier than a fit person. Theyre all busy too.

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15. And now, to quote Vezzini from my favorite film, The Princess Bride: You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The first is, never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well known is this

16. Never order a grilled chicken Caesar salad and think you ordered a fit and clean meal. Theres as much fat and calories in this standard restaurant salad staple as a cheeseburger and French fries. Still want the salad? Get it without the cheese and croutons, and skip the Caesar dressing for a lighter dressing on the side and drizzle, not drown, your greens. Plenty of times people go off track as they ate something they thought was a good choice.

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17. Never avoid lifting weights thinking that they will make you bulky. If it was that easy to bulk up, there would be a lot more men walking around looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his heyday. Speaking of lifting weights, nix the weenie weights too, unless thats really your starting point. If you can breeze through twelve repetitions of a move, its time to increase that weight! Heavy weights do great things for your body. Resistance training boosts your metabolism, burns more calories, even after youve stopped working out, and builds muscle, which burns even more calories at rest.

18. Its very tempting to let food be a stress reliever. Theres a reason why theres the term comfort food. My suggestion is just to try to be accountable for what you decide to do or not do. Ultimately, youre captain of your own ship, and you shouldnt put the wheel in other peoples hands. Caught up in some drama? Figure out if its really your problem. I find myself breaking out the Not my circus, not my monkeys, idiom a lot. Even when it is my circus and my monkeys, I tell myself that working out will give me the strength to handle it. If I decide Id rather trade my dinner for martinis and tortilla chips, I do my best to take responsibility for my choice.

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19. Never solely rely on your workout buddy or diet challenge friends when weight loss is on the line. While it can be fun to workout with a friend, or as part of a group, ultimately your weight loss and fitness goals are an individual achievement. If your friend needs to skip the gym one day, thats not a license for you to do the same.

20. Likewise, if youre out on the town and a challenge mate suggests splitting the fried Blooming Onion, youll need to be the one throwing a fork at them, I mean, politely declining. Did you ever hear that expression, Show me your friends and Ill show you your future? If youre trying to develop healthier eating habits and a solid fitness routine, you may be surprised by how those people closest to you respond. Ive said it a hundred times, saboteurs are everywhere with their very tempting catchphrases: Well start tomorrow. Just this once. Youre no fun anymore. Dont deprive yourself. Youre going to need to be the captain of your own fitness ship. As captain, you should also be aware that your crew is not always going to be supportive or encouraging. There may be for a million reasons why, and youll drive yourself crazy trying to figure it out.

Charlene Bazarian is a fitness and weight loss success story after losing 96 pounds. She mixes her no-nonsense style of fitness advice with humor on her blog atFbjfit.comand on Facebook atFBJ Fit.