These are tough times for Super Heroes. Uberman, America’s noblest hero is dead – killed by a petty villain named Misanthrope. With his death, H.E.R.O., Uberman’s organization of Super Heroes, will have to find a new path and direction for itself, and begin to decide its future…

The depredations of reporter Irwin “Digger” Upton have taken their toll. Using his position as Super Hero correspondent for Person Magazine, Upton attempts to either make heroes laughing stocks, or worse, reveal their secret identities to the world. No one has been harder hit than Zip+4, who’s children were brutally slaughtered by the Minions of Doom after her identity was revealed by Upton.

Megatherion, angered by the fact that Uberman left a destitute wife and a great many debts, has introduced a proposal that Super Heroes demand money from the cities they protect. Angered by this, S-Man (Chairmen Pro-Tem and considered by many to be Uberman’s successor), has introduced a proposal forbidding Super Heroes from collecting money for their heroic activities.

The image of Super Heroes is at an all time low, and some of the new applicants to H.E.R.O. aren’t helping things – The Boston Mangler is wanted on charges of several million dollars of property damage; Fruit Bat is wanted not only by the law, but by the insane asylum he escaped from; and the Jokester, allegedly a reformed Super Villain, has said he wants to be a Super Hero and has been arresting criminals.

With all of the forces of good in one location, will criminals everywhere breathe a sigh of relief? Is this a time where evil can flourish? What of the three recent Super Hero deaths, without any apparent cause? And what of Rumours of Super Heroes losing their powers…