Here are the remaining Borough’s of Empire City. Looking over this stuff, I can see ways I would have done this better. Still, this is a an old work, and I am a different writer now, then I was then.

I plan on making Lost Works a regularly occurring theme. I got a lot of stuff that is taking up space, and should be out there. I think what will see the light of day next is going to be a smaller piece, and then on to a larger Warhammer FRP 1E piece.

Anyway, enjoy.

Brooklyn

Having the same boarders as Kings County, Brooklyn’s population of 2,465,326 makes it the most populous borough in Empire City. As one of the twelve original counties, Kings County’s formation took place in 1683 and named in honor of Charles II. Six towns divided the county: Brooklyn, Bushwick, Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend and New Utrecht. In 1898 Brooklyn joined the counties of Queens, Manhattan, Richmond (Staten Island) and Bronx to form Empire City.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Founded in 1910 at the site of a former ash dump, the 52-acre Brooklyn Botanic Garden includes a wide range of gardens. The most famous of the gardens are the cherry tree esplanade, Japanese hill and pond garden, a fragrance garden for the blind, a water lily pond esplanade, and a bonsai tree collection.

Typically a peaceful place, the garden has seen its share of recent activity. The most famous of which was in 1990 when the Guard clashed with Iron Duke. Their battle destroyed the Rock Garden, which saw construction in 1916. Destroyed, it took two years and nearly $4-millon to refurbish it and repair. The Rock Garden was reopened in 1992, and since that time visitors continue to flock and marvel at its’ simple beauty.

Coney Island

Of all Empire City’s famous spots, none is better known than Coney Island. Located on a strip of land just two miles long, and less than 1000 feet wide, Coney Island lies on Brooklyn’s Atlantic Shore and is western peninsula, which is the home for the Seagate neighborhood. Seagate is the only Empire City neighborhood where residents own the streets and not the city.

Coney Island has three main avenues that run east to west: Neptune Ave., Mermaid Ave. and Seagate Ave. The cross streets are: Beach 1st Street, Beach 2nd Street, Beach 3rd Street and so on up until Beach 28th Street at the western end.

Coney Island began as a resort community in the 1870s when trolley cars first reached the area. This brought many visitors and from 1880 to World War II, Coney Island was the largest amusement park in the United States. Most of the amusement parks have since closed, but a few still remain open. Most who come here, come to visit the boardwalk, or to swim and sunbathe on the Coney Island beach.

Among the famous places found here is Nathan’s Famous Hotdog Stand. Nathan’s also serves as host for the annual Hotdog eating contest held every July 4. The Empire City Aquarium and Astroland are other famous destinations, and have been staples since opening.

The majority of Coney Island residents live in the thirty 18 to 24 story apartment buildings found here. Most of these are comprised of various forms of public housing. In between the buildings are many blocks comprised of burned out and vacant buildings.

Empire City Aquarium

Opening on December 10, 1896, the Empire City Aquarium (ECA) was originally located in lower Manhattan at the current site of Battery Park, and is the oldest aquarium in the United States. The Aquarium closed in 1941 due to the construction of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. The 150 animals saw temporary housing at the Bronx Zoo until the new aquarium was built. World War II delayed construction, and it would not be until June 6, 1957 that the current ECA would open its doors.

Located on 14 acres, the Aquarium is home to nearly 350 species of aquatic life. Seawolf and his followers attacked the Aquarium in the spring of 2000. The reason for the attack was Seawolf felt the species held at the Aquarium should be free. Officer Prometheus and the MTU managed to stop the attack and arrest many of Seawolf’s followers. Unfortunately Seawolf escaped into the sea.

Queens

Queens is located on Western Long Island, and shares the same boarders as Queens County. Established on November 1, 1683 it was named in honor of King Charles II wife, Catherine of Braganza. By 1870 the towns of Newton, Flushing, Jamaica, North Hempsted, Hempsted and Oyster Bay were part of the county, and were soon joined by Long Island City.

The cities of Long Island City, Newtown, Flushing, Jamaica and the Town of Hempsted became part of Queens, when Empire City’s five boroughs saw creation on January 1, 1890. Lands not annexed with Queens, merged into the newly formed Nassau County.

Currently 2,229,379 people reside within Queens. The economy is strong, and many business and corporations are found here. The borough is witnessing an increase in the entertainment industry and a number of film studios are now locating to the area. The largest of these is Kaufman Studios located in Astoria, which has a number of televisions, shows filmed at their facilities.

Fordham University

Founded in 1841 by Reverend John Hughes, Fordham was the first Catholic university in the northeastern United States. Boasting an enrollment of 8,000 undergraduate and 7,000 graduate students, the university is home to a diverse student curriculum. Not only does it have a law school, but it is quickly gaining respect for its’ advanced biology and genetics program. Recently the university turned down a grant from GenTech for the building of a new genetics research building.

JFK International Airport

Built in the neighborhoods of Jamaica, Howard Beach and Jamaica Bay, JFK International is one of the world’s busiest airports. First known as Idlewild Airport, construction began in 1942, with planners and developers thinking 1,000 acres would be more than enough land. Since then the airport has grown to encompass nearly 4,000 additional acres. The first flight departed on July 1, 1948 and was renamed Empire City International Airport on July 31 that same year. On December 24th, 1963 the airport was renamed again to the John F. Kennedy International Airport to honor the late president.

Four runways, in two parallel sets, surround the central terminal, while there is a total of nine terminals found on the complex. In 1998 an ambitious construction project linking JFK International’s passenger terminals to Empire City mass transit system began, and after a series of delays opened for business on December 17, 2003.

LaGuardia Airport

Due to its’ central location, LaGuardia Airport is Empire City’s main domestic airport. Because the runways are too small, most transcontinental and international flights leave from JFK. The brainchild of former mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, work started when the mayor demanded his TWA flight bound to Newark Airport redirected to Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field. During the flight, the mayor held an impromptu press conference urging Empire City resident to support a new airport in the city.

American Airlines and the mayor began planning the building of a new airport near the newly completed Queens-Midtown Tunnel. On October 15, 1930 the Empire City Municipal Airport was dedicated and flights began taking off on December 2nd. The airport was soon renamed LaGuardia Airport, after a plan flew overhead during the dedication ceremony trailing a banner that read: “NAME IT LA GURDIA.”

On December 29, 1975 a bomb exploded at LaGuardia killing eleven and injuring seventy-four people. Despite investigations by the CIA, FBI, and the Empire City Police Department, no perpetrators behind the attack where discovered.

Museum of Modern Art

Founded in 1929, the MoMA houses more than 100,000 paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, architectural drawings and design objects. Many within the art world consider it the premier art research centre. MoMA’s library, which houses over 19,000 films, 4 million film stills and some 140,000 books, reinforce this opinion. Many experts consider the MoMA to posses the best modern art collection in the world. Included in the collection is work by Vincent van Gogh, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol and Edward Hopper.

The MoMA is temporally located on Queens Blvd. while a new building currently under construction. The project would have never happened if it were not for the generous donation by GenTech founder, Samuel Andrew Mathews. The new building designed by Yoshio Taniguchi will open in Midtown Manhattan during the winter of 2004/05, and marks the MoMA’s 75th Anniversary.

Recently security at the MoMA saw increasing with Red Minstrel’s attempt to the steal Van Gogh’s “A Starry Night.” Though the Minstrel managed to get away with the painting, Slipstream quickly tracked down and apprehended the thief. Returned undamaged, the painting and the rest of the museum continue to undergo a security upgraded to prevent further thefts.

Belmont Park Race Track

The brainchild of August Belmont, Jr the Belmont Race Track was opened in 1905 in the town of Elmont. The track underwent a renovation in 1956, but closed in 1963 due to structural decay. It took six years and nearly $30 million dollars to totally renovate the track, and it reopened on May 20, 1968.

The track is famous for being the largest racing facility in North American. It also is home for the Belmont Stakes, which happens every June and serves as the final leg of the Triple Crown.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park

With over 1,255 acres of land, Flushing Meadows Corana Park is one and half times larger than Manhattan’s Central Park. What was once a swamp, is now park big enough to not only be the home to the Empire City Mets, but the US Tennis Open, park lands, museums, zoos, and other attractions. The park also served as host for the 1938 and 1964-65 World’s Fair. There is a lot to see and do at the park, and the area is busy throughout the year, even more so during the summer.

A left over from the 1964-65 World’s Fair, the Unisphere is giant steel globe located at the in the Grand Central Parkway. The Unisphere is typically a spot where inline skaters, skateboarders and walkers congregate, but the area has seen its fair share of activity. In 1993 Iron Duke tried assimilating it within his body structure. Though the Guard managed to stop him, the Unisphere was damaged and needed refurbishing, all of which added more fuel to Mayor Dinkins anti-Guard campaign.

Located near the Unisphere is the Queens Museum of Art, which opened in 1972. The museum not only houses a diverse collection of art, but is the home to the Panorama, and exhibitions dedicated to the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fair. The Panorama of Empire City originally was an exhibit at the 1964 World’s Fair. Visitors ride a tracked car that simulates flying over the 9335 square foot, 895,000 building model of the 320 square miles of Empire City.

The building housing the museum is the Empire City Building, which is the only building left from the 1939 World’s Fair. After the fair, the building served as the United Nations General Assembly until 1951. During the 1964 World’s Fair, the building was remodel to house the Panorama of Empire City, and after the Fair the building was once again remodel to serve as the Queens Museum of Art.

Arthur Ashe Stadium is home for the annual US Open held in the last two weeks of August. The Stadium is part of a much larger complex known as the USTA National Tennis Center, which has not only has indoor and outdoor courts, but also the offices for the United States Tennis Association.

The home of the Empire City Mets, Shea Stadium is named after William Alfred Shea, who played a key role in getting a new team for Empire City after both the Dodgers and Giants fled for California. Shea petitioned the National League for years for a team and the city eventually was awarded a franchise on the conditions a new stadium would be built. Assuring the commissioners, it would, the Mets took the field in 1962. Construction on the new park began on October 28, 1961, and due to construction setbacks, the Mets played a season and a half at the Polo Grounds which was the former home of the Empire City Giants. Dedicated on April 17, 1964 as Flushing Meadow Park, a movement quickly began to rename the stadium in honor of Shea who was responsible for bringing baseball back to the city.

Bronx

Having the same boarders as Bronx County, the official name of the borough is The Bronx, while the country is simply Bronx. In 1997 the Bronx was declared an All American City by the National Civic Council. The only borough not located on an island is also Empire City’s most notorious. Crime has always been a problem and even today it is the centre of La Costra Nostra’s last illegal gambling stronghold in the city. Despite its’ rough reputation, The Bronx has large amounts of parkland, and the only river (the Bronx River) that runs through an entire borough.

Bronx Zoo

Opening in 1899, the Bronx Zoo was one of the first zoos to move animals out of cages and place them in natural environments. Since opening, the zoo has undergone extensive renovations, and currently house 4,000 animals in numerous exhibits. Among its many exhibits, the Bronx Zoo is known for the Congo Gorilla Forest, the snow leopards found in the Himalayan Highlands Forest, and the one-acre indoor Asian Rain Forest. The opening of the zoo’s new exhibit, Tiger Mountain, is an event many are looking forward too. Funded in large part by a generous donation from GenTech, the exhibit will have the most advanced habit for tigers any where in the world.

Empire City Botanical Gardens

Spanning 240-acres the Empire City Botanical Gardens are considered by many to be the best example of gardening found within the United States. Founded in 1891, 48 different gardens and plant collections cover the complex. Many of gardens take their name from famous figures and benefactors. At the heart of the Garden is 40-acres of virgin woodlands representing the original forest once covering the region before the arrival of settlers. The forest runs along both banks of the Bronx River and includes a ravine and rapids. In 1996 the woodland was dedicated as the Memorial to the Lady of Star in honor of the fallen hero Lady Starbright. Members of the Guard are often seen walking the trails and visiting the garden in quite contemplation.

Yankee Stadium

The home of the Empire City Yankees, Yankee Stadium first opened on April 18, 1923. The stadium also served as the home for the Empire City Football Giants from 1956 through 1973. When the Giants left Empire City for their brand new stadium in New Jersey, the stadium was closed for remodeling and refurbishing. Since reopening on April 15, 1976 it has served host to a wide range of events. Among its’ most famous events happened on October 4, 1965 Pope Paul VI held mass with over 80,000 people in attendance. The stadium was host to John Paul II in 1979.

The Hall of Fame for Great Americans

Located at Bronx Community College, The Hall of Fame for Great Americans was founded in 1900 and was designed to be part of the new undergraduate college for the university. At the centre is the 630-foot open air Colonnade built to honor those Americans who have made an impact on the nation’s history. Dotting the Colonnade are bronze busts honoring such figures as Alexander Graham Bell, George Washington, Franklin Roosevelt, and American Sentinel.

The three buildings adjoining the Colonnade (Gould Memorial Library, the Hall of Languages, and Cornelius Baker Hall of Philosophy) are the first three university buildings constructed. In 1983, the buildings were converted into the Museum to the Hero, but in 1996 was renamed the Koch Museum to the Hero. Though some thought the name change unnecessary, for most it was seen as a fitting honor since Koch was the key figure in the building of it. The museum is a celebration of all heroes throughout the history of the United States. Among the exhibits are the Heroes of Woman Suffrage, The Civil Rights Memorial, and the Heroes of Empire City. With the events of September 11, 2001 a new exhibit is in the final stages of completion that will honor the police, firemen, rescue workers, and the other nameless heroes who came to the city’s aid in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Staten Island

Staten Island is the name for both the borough and island. Though an island, it is connected to New Jersey by the Bayonne, Outerbridge Crossing and the Goethals Bridges. The Verrazano Narrows Bridge connects Staten Island to Brooklyn, while the Staten Island Ferry connects the island to lower Manhattan.

The borough is similar to the other four by having no county government and encompasses not only Staten Island but the islands of: The Isle of Meadow, Pralls Island, Shooters Island, Swinburne Island and Hoffman Island. These islands are unpopulated, and serve as sanctuaries for indigenous native wildlife. Staten Island is also the least populated borough in Empire City with a total population of only 443,728 people.

Up until the 1960’s, the island was extremely rural, but Verrazano Narrows Bridge completion set off a building boom many area residents were angry over. With easy access to the main land, and to Manhattan the borough saw a huge amount of construction. Residents and protesters fearing the island would become nothing but buildings, fought the city to control the rate of expansions. These battles led to the creation of the Greenbelt, which is the largest area of parkland in the city. Criss-crossing the island with numerous woodland trails, and the Greenbelt takes over a large portion of the coastline.

The Fresh Kills Landfill is a famous Staten Island location, and once served as the final destination for all of Empire City’s boroughs garbage. Besides holding the distinction for being the largest single source of methane in the world, the landfill also served as the final resting place for numerous mobsters. In 1954 a large fire engulfed the landfill when Elektro battled mobsters in a gun battle. A stray shot from a gun ruptured a gas tank that ignited the fire. In 2001, the land filled closed, but reopened later that same year to serve as a storing place for the ruins of the World Trade Center disaster.

Though mostly suburban, there are a few famous places of interests found here. One of them is the Staten Island Institute of Arts & Sciences, which is located near the Staten Island Ferry. Dealing with the history, art and science of Staten Island, it has a wonderful collection of Staten Island Ferry artifacts.

The Staten Island Zoo, though much smaller than the rest of Empire City’s zoos, is famous for its reptile collection. Located nearby are the 50-acres and 22 gardens that make up the Staten Island Botanical Garden.

I finished the history portion of Empire City and now the last remaining parts dealing with the Guide to the Five Boroughs. I do not know if this was going to be a separate chapter, or if it was going to be part of the history chapter. I am going to treat this as being part of the history chapter.

Guide to the Five Boroughs

With a population of more than eight million, Empire City is the most densely populated city in the United States. Covering an area of 320 square miles, nearly 10,000 people per sq. mile cram the five boroughs. With such a small place, some would think Empire City is nothing but buildings. This is not true, and nearly 53,000 acres of parkland lie within the city.

Empire City began from humble beginnings. Originally occupying just the southern tip of Manhattan the Dutch settlement known as New Amsterdam was captured by the English in 1664. By the time of the American Revolution, the city would find itself at the center of the struggle, and would fall under British control until 1783.

It was during the 19th century that the city’s population swelled with increased immigration. The city grew so much that in 1811 the city street grid saw expansion to encompass the entire island of Manhattan. By 1835, Empire City passed Philadelphia in becoming the largest city in the Unite States.

The Empire City of today traces her beginning to 1898 with the inclusion of the City of Brooklyn. Before 1898, Empire City only consisted of Manhattan and The Bronx, while Brooklyn included Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. With the creation of the city charter in 1898, the five boroughs were set up and the city government became interlinked within herself.

Empire City’s five boroughs are also separate counties of Empire State. Though legally considered counties, none have their own country governments. Each borough elects a Borough President, but under the current city charter, their powers are limited. Each borough does have their own county courts, and some state offices like the district attorney are found there as well.

Manhattan

Manhattan is synonymous with Empire City, and the two are interchangeable. The borough is part of Empire City County, which boarders are the same of the borough, includes not only all of Manhattan Island, Roosevelt Island, a few smaller islands, and Marble Hill. 1,537,195 people live within the borough, and it is home to numerous museums, restaurants, theaters, and people.

Battery Park City

Battery Park City is a 90-acre planned community located on Manhattan’s southwestern tip. Named for adjacent Battery Park, the community is home to the World Financial Center, but numerous housing, commercial and retail buildings. Owned and managed by the Battery Park City Authority, the city does not fall under the control of Empire City, but is a in fact a public corporation.

The origins of the area lie in the 1950s when the once busy Manhattan Port stood nearly vacant. Architect Wallace K. Harrison envisioned a comprehensive community, including not only housing but industry and businesses. The Empire State Legislature voted in 1968 to create the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA) that would oversee the project’s development.

1976 saw the port’s exposed piers buried and the massive landfill project finished. Construction started in 1977, but stopped due to the city’s financial crisis. The land’s title was transferred to the BPCA in 1979, which then took charge of the entire project and eventually would oversee daily operations of the community once occupied.

Residential building began in 1980; quickly following this was the construction of the World Financial Center in 1981. By 1985 people began moving into newly built apartments and business began renting office spaces available in the World Financial Center. The 1990s saw a ramping up of building, and saw increased demand for many of the newly build places. By y the start of 2000 the entire are was finished off.

The tragedy of September 11, 20001, had a huge impact on the area. Gateway Plaza, which is located near World Financial Center, was struck by airplane debris, and the Winter Garden saw sever damage as well. Since the attacks, most of the damage is repaired, but many residents have not returned.

West Street cuts off Battery Park City from downtown Manhattan. The Hudson River cuts it off from the rest of the borough to the east, north and south. Battery Park City consists of five major sections: North Residential Neighborhood, World Financial Center Area, Gateway Plaza, Rector Place Residential Neighborhood, and the Battery Place Residential Neighborhood.

Carnegie Hall

West 57th and 7th Avenue

Since 1891, Carnegie Hall has been the pre-eminent spot musician and entertainers perform their very best work. Designed by William Barnet Tuthill, Andrew Carnegie financed the construction as a gift to the city he loved. On the hall’s opening night composer Tchaikovsky conducted the orchestra, and since then the world’s most famous orchestras and performers have appeared on the stage. The hall underwent extensive restoration in the 1980’s, but the stage and lobby underwent major renovations in 1997 after Officer Prometheus clashed with the villain Torque.

American Museum of Natural History

Central Park West at 79th Street

A staple of Empire City, the hallmark of the museum is the fourth floor housing three halls dealing with dinosaurs (Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs, Hall of Ornithischan Dinosaurs, and Hall of Vertebrate Origins). Another popular attraction is the extensive Rose Center for Earth and Space. This exhibit has various meteorites and moon rocks on display, but objects from the Dark Empire. The most recent exhibit, the Hall of the Hero, traces the history of the metahumans from the Frisco Flyer to the Guard. The centerpiece of the exhibit is the Elektro display, which consists of the mechanical man’s outer shell. Unlike the Koch Museum to the Hero, the Hall of the Hero has an international scope to their coverage and displays.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

5th Avenue and 82nd Street

The crown jewel of Empire City’s cultural institutions the Met houses over 3 million works of art from around the world. Founded in 1870, the original redbrick Victorian gothic building designed by Calvert Vaux, lies within complex the entire.

The majestic 5th Avenue entrance leads visitors into the building’s landmark—the Great Hall. From here visitors have access to the European painting galleries housing works by Botticelli, Rembrandt and Rodin. The American Wing houses an extensive collection of American Art by American masters. Also found are galleries dedicated to art from Greek, Roman, Asian artists.

The American Wing, which is located on the northwest side of the complex, houses not only the marble façade of the Wall Street branch of the US Bank, but Tiffany stained glass windows, rooms decorated with period furniture, and galleries devoted to American paintings.

Museum of Empire City

1220 5th Avenue and 103rd Street

Originally located in Gracie Mansion, the current home is in a building designed and built in 1932. Dedicated to preserving and maintaining the history of Empire City, the museums exhibits cover many aspects of city history. The Museum of Empire City’s real claim to fame is the its Broadway Exhibit and its’ display of one of the original study models of the Statue of Library.

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

107 5th Avenue

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the Guggenheim opened in 1954. Since then the Guggenheim has been a leader in collecting and displaying modern art. Among its holdings are works by Vasily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Picasso and Robert Mapplethorpe. Recently the villain Bloody Mary used the circular layout of the Museum to open a gate to Hell. It took the timely intervention Caliburn, along with the Baron’s surprising appearance to put an end to her plans. Though none of the art saw any damage, the museum had to shut down for two weeks for cleaning.

The Whitney Museum of American Art

945 Madison Ave

After having her donation to the Met turned down, sculptor Gertrude Vanderbuilt Whitney opened her own museum in her studio galley in 1929. The current grey vault like structure standing off Madison Avenue opened in 1966. The eight galleries located on the five-floors houses a great survey of 20th century American art. The museum is more famous for sponsoring the Whitney Biennial.

Highlighting the important advancements in American art, the even is known to make many artists famous.

The last Biennial held in 2002 is famous for Green Ronin’s attempt to steal the holographic art Rose in the Screen, by renowned artist Ariana Fisch. Slipstream, who was attending the event, managed to stop Green Ronin in the act. Planning is already underway to ensure the 2004 Biennial is more secure.

This is the last section dealing with the history of Empire City. Of all the history sections, this, I think, was the weakest. The reason, is that I did not have the words I needed to flesh it out. Also, I really was not confident enough in myself to tackle the then still raw emotions from 9/11. Plus I had the limits of what was already in the SAS rulebook. There was some background in there, but not enough to fully ground the pseudo city in reality.

After this section, we then move into the description of each of the five boroughs.

Present Day – 2000s

No matter what troubles Empire City faced, she survived them all. By the late 1990’s, the city seemed ready once again to turn a corner. The economy was flourishing, tourism was up, and crime was down. Hordes of young dot-comers and venture capitalists flocked to Silicon Alley seeking to create a technology boom rivaling all others. It was a time of mega mergers where New Economy companies bought Old Economy corporations with nothing more than stock notices. Empire City was booming, but just when everything was going well things changed.

First, the economy began slowing, and companies worth millions on paper found they had no money to stay in business. Fueling this was daily news reports of large corporations rigging accounts so board members could make larger profits off the backs of their investors. Companies who found soaring profits in the 90s found profits and demand for their products falling. This led to massive job cuts, and a growing unemployment rate. Already bruised, Empire City suffered what many thought was the fatal blow.

September 11, 2001 the sun was shining in a clear blue sky. It was a typical Tuesday morning and people were making their way to work. This changed at 8:45 AM when a plane crashed into Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. While witnesses were still trying to comprehend what happened, a second plane crashed into Tower 2 at 9:03 AM. For the next hour, Empire City tried to come to terms with the event, while the cities real heroes (Firemen, Police, and Paramedics) came to the rescue. With both towers burning they entered with the only thought of rescuing as many as they could.

At 10:05 AM the next shock hit not only the city, but a watching world, as Tower 2 collapsed under the stress of the plane’s wreckage and the heat from the jet fuel fire. At 10:28 AM Tower 1 collapsed, and Empire City’s skyline was forever changed. Later that day at 5:20 PM 7 World Trade Center collapsed as a city tried to process what had happened. In the end the damage was staggering.

1 World Trade Center, 2 World Trade Center, 7 World Trade Center, 5 World Trade Center, and the North Bridge had collapsed. Partially collapsed were 6 World Trade Center, the Marriott Hotel, 4 World Trade Center, and One Liberty Plaza. Structures suffering major damage included East River Savings Bank, Federal Building, 3 World Trade Center, St. Nicholas Church, 90 West Street, and Bankers Trust. While the Millennium Hilton, 2 World Financial Center, 1 World Financial Center, 30 West Broadway, Winter Garden, and the N.Y. Telephone Building suffered structural damage. In total the attack caused $34 billion in property damage, and the loss of 13 million square feet of office space.

A year later, the site cleared of rubble it stands as a reminder of the attack. Though plans are under way to rebuild, the city is on edge. Terrorism is now part of her fabric, and not a day goes by that many wonder when it will happen again. From an anthrax scare that rocked not only Empire City, but also Washington, DC in October 2001, to the increased amount of security on bridges, in tunnels and in the transit system, the city has changed. Even with all the tragedy the city saw, Empire City pushes forward.

Since the attack the city once again faces budget problems. The federal government has helped fund the clean up and rebuilding, but costs are high and the city is finding it hard to pay for it all. Added to this is many companies forced to implement deep job cuts, making an already big unemployment problem, bigger. Faced with all this the current mayor, Michael Bloomberg, has had to deal with the fallout. Though the city survived, and is slowly recovering, the wounds have healed and the city has grown stronger.

This section, I really wanted to go into more detail, but the word count limit I was facing forced me to scale back. Still, there is a lot of good stuff here. I do wish I could have done more with the heroes and villains. I think GoO missed the mark on their “iconic” heroes and villains with SAS.

New Heroes – 1980’s – 1990’s

At the start of the 1980s Empire City seemed to be on the road to recovery. Tourism was up, employment was rising, and many flocked to see her remarkable revival. Besides upswings in business, the city enjoyed a cultural renaissance; the demand for Broadway and Off Broadway shows increased. This also marked the beginning of a new period in Broadway’s success when musicals such as Chorus Line, and Cats] began runs lasting long into the 1990s.

Empire City became both a tourist and business destination, and to meet the increased demand placed on rooms, six major hotels opened. Koch, who did all he could in his first term to rebuild the city, spent billions of dollars to rehabilitate roads, bridges, and sewers ignored during the financial crisis of the 70s. Besides seeing to the rehabilitation to Empire City’s infrastructure, Koch worked hard to rehabilitate the city’s relationship with the hero community.

The Koch era

Before Koch, most mayors had little respect for the city’s heroes. The main reason for this was heroes’ tendency of destroying property in their fight against crime. A city always teetering on the brink of financial ruin found itself left with the tab to repair the damage. Beside the property damage, heroes had a tendency of poking their noses into things. A mayor only had to look into recent history to see how many former mayors brought down because nosey heroes uncovered their corruption. Heroes also had their good point—they fought crime.

Never one to miss a photo opportunity, Koch recognized that by linking himself with the hero community, he could use their successes to increase his. From his first term, to his last days in office, Koch wined and dined the heroes, as well as going out of his way to make their lives easier. From offering the Guard the former Empire State Building, to securing funding for the creation of a museum to honor the heroes, Koch linked himself with them tightly.

By the end of his first term, Koch sought and easily won re-election on November 3, 1981. As the 1980’s, advanced Empire City became increasingly linked to American wealth and capitalism. With 200 commercial banks, 90 savings institutions, and hundreds of brokerage house, the city slowly moved from servicing strictly national investors to servicing international ones as well. Empire City was riding a finical wave, but there were some left behind in the wake.

The gap between those with money and those without continued to grow. Coupled with this were a growing number of social problems impervious to fixing. Homelessness, drugs, poverty, and the beginning of the AIDS crisis, were problems not easily fixed with a new building. Though Koch made numerous proclamations he would deal with these problems, the mayor seemed more intent on concentrating on problems easily fixed with city improvement dollars.

Koch easily won his re-election for his third term in 1985. With this victory, Koch wasted no time in planning to achieve something no other Empire City mayor had ever done—being re-elected to a fourth term. Sadly, Koch should have thought more about the present then the future, because his political fortunes were about to change. Empire City is cruel to her leaders, and refuses to let them grow complacent.

A mayor embarrassed

On January 9, 1986, Queens Borough President Donald Manes was found bleeding in his car on the Grand Central Parkway. As the investigation unfolded, it was discovered that he stabbed himself in a botch suicide attempt. During his recovery, a series of news stories written by Robert Hightower ran in the Empire Times.

The reporter had received evidence from Caliburn shedding light on a network of bribery and influence peddling. Even more shocking, political friends and allies of Koch had used their relationship with him to make millions at the city’s expense. Rather then facing arrest and enduring the embarrassment of a corruption trial, Manes successfully took his life on a second try. Investigators found they were only at the tip of the iceberg.

Corruption is as much a part of Empire City politics as budget crisis, and no mayor is immune to it. Koch, who until this point had seen no scandals during his eight years in office, loved to brag that he had ushered in a new era into city government.

Between 1986 and 1987, numerous municipal officials and mayoral friends were indicted on corruption charges. Payoff rings existed in numerous city offices, which brought millions to the people running them. Though one implicated Koch directly, the scandal tainted him as a lax administrator more concerned with his own popularity than his city. Koch, meanwhile, learning Caliburn provided the evidence to the press, blamed the hero community for betraying him.

Along with this scandal, social problems continued plaguing the city, immune from any mayoral attempts to fix them. One of these problems was the growth of crack cocaine, which became a commodity rival dealers and gangs fought over. This fighting led to rising crime rates and the transformation of some streets into battle zones. Despite the resident hero population, everyone seemed hard pressed to make any headway in dealing with the problem.

Besides rising crime, the city faced a falling economy. Throughout the 1980’s, the economic boom helped Empire City grow rich. The boom turned to bust on “Black Monday.”

October 19, 1987 the Empire City Stock Exchange fell from 2246 to 1738, losing 22.6% of its total value. From the start of the fall on Tuesday, October 13, to the close of trading on October 19, the Exchange fell by almost one third. This loss was significant in that all outstanding United States stocks lost of approximately one trillion dollars. This crash marked the end of a five-year period seeing the Exchange average rise from 776.92 points in August 1982 to a high of 2,722.42 points in August 1987. In the aftermath of this crash, the city lost nearly 9000 jobs, which lead to a slowing of economic growth, and a drop in city revenues. With falling revenues, Empire City’s budget quickly entered into crisis.

Historic firsts

Despite the economic downturn, the corruption scandals, and growing social problems, Koch was determined to have a fourth consecutive term. Koch, whom the public had tired of, lost in his primary race against David Dinkins who would go on to become Empire City’s first African American mayor in 1989.

As the 1980’s ended, and the 1990’s began, Empire City entered the new decade with promise. You can attribute this to a new mayor, who promised to fix all the problems his predecessor ignored. Dinkins faced many challenges in his first year; much was due to the influx of new residents. Drug arrests rose and millions of dollars were spent in the hopes of finding a way to deal with a growing homeless population and deterring crime.

Upon taking office, Dinkins also learned there was a large budget deficit. Tough choices were made, and it was decided the best way to deal with a deficit was not hire more police. The nation was still in recession, and Empire City was not immune to it. The recession hit the retail community hard leading to the closing of long-time Empire City retail presences of Altman’s Department Store, Gimbel’s, Korvette’s and Alexanders. The closing of these family run, and historic business, was seen by many to be the end of an era.

For many of the mayor’s critics, Dinkins four years as mayor is a failure. To some, it appeared as if the mayor was not in control. No matter what the problem was, no solution was offered, and people lost faith. Even though Dinkins helped guide the city through its economic crisis, many ignored these gains and concentrated on his lack of stemming crime. The one area where the mayor’s failure stood out the most was his handling of the attempted World Trade Center bombing.

On February 26, 1993, terrorists attempted to blow up the World Trade Center by driving a car bomb into the underground parking structure. Though the attempt failed, there were casualties, and the building suffered structural damage. Dinkins, who was seeking re-election, blamed the hero community for the attack.

Lashing out in a press conference, Dinkins blamed the hero community for everything that was wrong with the city. From the lack of a balanced budget, to the growth of crack, Dinkins said that if the heroes would get out of their ivory towers they would see the effect they were having on people. When a reporter blamed the mayor’s lack of hiring more police as the cause of the growing crime rate, the mayor snapped. For close to five minutes the mayor ranted stating the city had no money due to constant damage the Guard caused every time they choose to use the city as their personal playground.

This was too much for a crime weary public that was tense from the attack. In response, they turned on the mayor. The hero community, who had picked up the slack after the mayor choose to not hire needed police to address a budget crisis, did not take the comments well. Sentinel put it best when he told reporters: “Where was the mayor when the Guard was helping save people from the World Trade Center? Where is the mayor when Iron Duke threatens the city? When the mayor takes to the streets to fight the problem he creates, he can criticize me. Until then maybe he should try doing his job.”

A new mayor brings law and order

In 1993, Dinkins lost to his challenger Rudolph W. Giuliani who became the city’s 107th mayor. Pledging to fight crime, and to make the city safe once again, Giuliani backed the Empire City Police Department. Together they aggressively went after crime of all types. From cracking down on panhandlers to arresting drug dealers, law and order slowly returned to the city.

One of his first actions was the formation of the Marvels Tactical Unit. The brainchild of Police Commissioner William Bratton, it was Giuliani who saw its creation as a way for the city to handle powerful threats. Giving Bratton full control, the MTU sole purpose is to handle the growing problems associated with supervillains and metahumans. To strengthen the police department, Giuliani and Bratton used the reports of police corruption as the means to reorganize the entire force. To have better control the Regular, Transit and Housing forces merged into one unit. Bratton, who reported directly to the mayor, controlled the entire force.

Together with this tough on crime stance and the pro business tax breaks, Empire City rebounded from her problems. Tourism flourished, and more people moved to the city to live. The financial markets on Wall Street also saw a boom. All of this success led to Giuliani easily winning re-election in 1997.

Many felt that during his second term Giuliani lost interest in the city because he developed loftier goals: becoming senator. Entering the 2000 Senatorial Race, he was soon forced to quit after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Out of the race, Giuliani focused his efforts on recovering, and healing his public image.

Empire City Population

1920 — 5,621,000
1930 — 6,930,000
1940 — 7,455,000
1950 — 7,892,000
1960 — 7,782,000
1970 — 7,896,000
1980 — 7,000,000
1990 — 7,589,000
2000 — 8,080,798

Data from the US Census

Another installment on Lost Works: History of Empire City. This one covers World War 2 to the end of the 1950s. When I wrote this, I had a nice section dealing with the Communist threat, but that was cut due to word count. I do not know what happened to that portion.

World at War — 1940s-50s

The 1940’s saw changes in Empire City. With growing tensions in Europe, immigrants flocked to Empire City seeking refuge. This influx saw an already tight job market became tighter. Mayor La Guardia worked hard to stem the growing tensions among his citizens.

Though the depression still gripped much of the nation, Empire City was not as affected. One reason for this was due to La Guardia’s fiscal policies. The other was due to his seeking numerous New Deal grants and projects. These help fuel construction, and numerous public work projects putting many back to work.

War effect on the city

Seeking and winning re-election in 1941, La Guardia became the second person in city history to serve a 12-year consecutive term. Many wondered what the next four years would hold for Empire City, but a month later on December 7, 1941, the unthinkable happened, the United States was attacked when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. With the bombing of Pearl Harbor the U.S. increased production to supply the needed goods necessary for war. Increased production created numerous jobs needing filling. This helped put many Empire City residents to work as the city began supplying the war effort.

As the months passed, naval and supply ships clogged Empire City’s port. The streets teamed with soldiers and sailors enjoying everything the city had to offer. Even though the city did not slow down, Broadway’s lights dimmed at night during the war. To ensure Empire City remained safe La Guardia also placed security guards on all her bridges, tunnels and numerous factories.

The war attracted unwanted attention to Empire City. Numerous foreign spies and saboteurs seeking to harm US war efforts snuck into the city. Responding to this, a few cloaked and costumed crime fighters’ stalked shadowed streets ensuring no harm befell anyone. Crimson Fist still haunted the nights, but was soon joined by the mechanical man Elektro and the dashing Lady Justice. La Guardia never publicly said anything, but he aided the city’s heroes as best as he could. In this way, the mayor ensured that the city remained safe from both crime and foreign sabotage.

Empire Times
May 3, 1943
Crime Fighting Trio Stops Saboteurs at Brooklyn Bridge
Once again, Empire City’s citizens must thank their trio of protectors for keeping her safe. Last night Crimson Fist, along with Lady Justice and Elektro, prevented a group of Nazi saboteurs attempting to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge.

Though events are still sketchy, what is known is that at 12:33 PM last night Empire City Police and FBI Agents rushed to the Brooklyn Bridge. They were apparently tipped off that saboteurs had been captured and where waiting to be picked up. When authorities arrived, twelve Nazi agents were found tied, and dangling from the bridge.

Though Crimson Fist has been a staple in the city for years, recently two new figures have made their presence known. The two have made an impression on the city’s criminal element. They also apparently work in conjunction with Crimson Fist.

Making his first appearance at the 1939/40’s World’s Fair, Elektro the Mechanical Man was designed and developed by Westinghouse and was a fixture at the Westinghouse Pavilion. When the fair ended Elektro, was a distant memory until four months ago reappearing and stopping an armed robbery at Tiffany’s. Though Westinghouse designed and created the mechanical man, they continue to disavow all responsibility for his actions.

More is known of the beautiful crime fighter Lady Justice. This ravishing fighter of crime continues to make headlines as she fights against organized crime in the city. Making her début two months ago she prevented robbers from stealing mutinous from a harbor warehouse. Though beautiful, Lady Justice continues to show great skill and courage in her fight against crime, and no where is this more true with her shutting down a white slavery link originating out of The Bronx.

Though typically a loner, Crimson Fist has been seen in the company of these new crime fighters, and the three seem to be working together. With their vigilance, Empire City can rest a little easier at night knowing their protectors watch over them.

After serving his city for twelve years, La Guardia announced his retirement in 1945. During that same year, the newly formed United Nations met in their temporary headquarters at the Empire City Building in Queens. La Guardia, who actively campaigned to have the UN headquartered in the city, considered this a hallmark of his mayoral career. By the end of 1947, construction began on a more permanent facility. Sadly, La Guardia would not see the completion of the UN Building, because on September 29, 1947 he died of pancreatic cancer.

The growth of offices

As the decade came to a close corruption once again rocked Empire City. In a series of newspaper articles written by Aaron Goldberg appearing in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle] alleging an alliance of police and judges actively protecting close to 4000 Empire City bookies.

At the same time a new masked vigilante known as Enigma, began looking into the corruption and found evidence showing the current mayor, Bill O’Dwyer, was on the take. A Goldberg front-page story on December 15, 1950, revealed that known bookmaker Harry Gross contributed to O’Dwyer’s re-election. The revelation of Gross’ $30,000 campaign donation lead to the mayor’s investigation.

Empire Times
September 13, 1950
Questions over Enigma
For the past few weeks’ criminals have been wondering who, or what, the purple clad Enigma is. Though police have no answers, the purple fighter of crime has made a name for himself since taking to the streets.

The first reports of Enigma are linked to a gambling ring reportedly broken up by him. Responding to an anonymous tip on August 3, police arrived at Bronx warehouse only to find twenty known bookies and number runners hogtied, with a purple question mark painted on their faces.

Since then reports of a purple clad figure breaking up known criminal hangouts continue to surface. It was only last week that a name was associated with the lone crime fighter.

On a balmy September 6 night, police responded to a hostage situation only to arrive to the see the hostages freed, and their captures knocked unconscious. When questioned, the freed hostages said that the room filled with purple smoke. Though they could see nothing, they did hear sounds of a struggle. When the smoked cleared, the criminals were badly beaten, and male figure dressed in a purple body suit, was fleeing out the window. Before leaving, the figure turned and reportedly told the free captives that Enigma was here.

Though no one knows who he is, or what his motives are, it is clear that he is fighting a war on crime.

The Kefauver committee, which was already investigating organized crime, turned their attention to O’Dwyer and subpoenaed him to testify. Grilling O’Dwyer between March 19 and 20, 1951, in public hearings, the mayor admitted he knew of the police corruption and did nothing to stop it. In addition, O’Dwyer admitted he was friendly with members of the Five Families. Even more damning was his admittance of accepting a campaign contribution from not only Gross, but also their leader Frank Costello. Though the evidence was damming, and O’Dwyer was politically ruined, he was never convicted of any crime. Leaving the city for Mexico City, the former mayor began stetting up his own private law practice. Before taking his first client, O’Dwyer was found shot in his Mexico City bed.

As the 1950s progressed, new buildings began springing up and numerous high-rises were added to the skyline. Architects copied the style of the UN Building with staggering results. New structures made from glass and steel began reaching toward the sky looking delicate in comparison to their older brick and stone counterparts. This new style of architecture created airy plazas that opened up the city, giving the city a face-lift. They showed that the old girl was still very much alive and thriving. The first, and maybe the best example of this, was the Lever House, and the 38-floor Seagram Building built in 1958. Other key additions to Empire City’s skyline were the Chase Manhattan, Equitable and Time-Life buildings.

Besides the building boom, the Lincoln Tunnel project saw completion in 1957. Plans for the tunnel were first drawn up in 1930 when the Port Authority proposed a twin-tunnel underneath the Hudson River, linking Manhattan’s West 38th Street, and Weehawken, New Jersey. The first tube (today’s centre one) opened on December 22, 1937, and allowed only one lane of traffic in either direction. The tunnel passed expectations, and the heavy traffic forced construction of a second tunnel.

Due to the World War II, the project experienced setbacks, but eventually the second tunnel opened north of the original tube in 1945. With the second tube, two lanes of east and westbound traffic were allowed, but quickly, with the growth of not only Empire City, but also New Jersey, the two tubes could not handle the increased traffic. Though plans for new tunnel were considered linking Manhattan’s 14th Street to Hoboken New Jersey, the Port Authority decided to construct a third tube of the Lincoln Tunnel. Construction began in 1951, and finally saw completion in 1957.

The 1950’s saw the start of an economic shift that would affect Empire City for decades. Before this time, and especially during the war years, the city was the nation’s manufacturing hub. As the city grew prosperous, and budget problems forced increased taxes, many factories could not afford to do business in the city. Hitting especially hard was a recession between 1953 and 1961 forcing many factories to either move or close completely.

Various corporate headquarters moved into Empire City, filling the gap left by the factories. One reason for the moves was the growing amount of office space available in the city due to numerous newly built buildings. Though no one knew it, this shift in the economic base of the city would affect the city in other ways.

Note, this chapter is now four years old. To save my time, I am posting this as is. I have done some spot editing, but I do not have time to give this the full tweaking. Consider this series of posts to be a glimpse into the archive. I will be posting the chapter every few days.

The Jazz Age 1920-30

The end of World War I ushered a new era to Empire City. A nation weary of war attempted to forget that time, and lose themselves in the endless party known as the Jazz Age. The Jazz Age ushered in a time of gin, music, money and crime. At the centre of this party was the lady, Empire City.

The Party and the Crash

When famed French architect Le Corbusier visited the city in 1920, he was asked for his impressions. In response, he stated: “A catastrophe, but it is a beautiful catastrophe.” Nowhere was this more evident than in Manhattan. With its mix of neighborhoods, the newly built Equitable and Strauss Building, the Paramount Theatre, Gimbel’s Department Store, McAlpin, Ambassador Hotel, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, and Madison Square Garden spoke to this beauty.

The city enjoyed herself, but the good times ended on October 24, 1929, with the stock market crashed. The aftermath took a heavy toll on Empire City, evidenced by Mayor Jimmy Walker firing 1,100 teachers in 1931 in order for the city budget to meet expenses. Residents responded to this in outrage, but the ever smooth talking Mayor Walker, assured the public Empire City would suffer from no more cutbacks. By 1932, one-third of all Empire City factories closed and nearly one-fourth of the population was out of work.

Completion of the Chrysler building in April 1930, showed that though many were hurting, the city did not stop growing. Enjoying a one-year reign as the world’s tallest building, the Empire State Building eclipsed it on May 1, 1931. That same year also saw the completion of the Holland Tunnel and the George Washington Bridge.

Completion of these two roadways made traveling between New Jersey and Empire City easier. Besides growing buildings and bread lines, there was another growth hidden from view—corruption.

Corruption runs deep

The discovery of Empire City’s corruption court system by US Attorney Charles Tuttle in 1930 led Judge Samuel Seabury’s investigation into the city’s government. Seabury’s probe had the assistance of the shadowy figure the press dubbed: Crimson Fist.

Empire Times
August 30, 1930
WHO IS CRIMSON FIST?
Rocked by her share of gang problems, Empire City has a new protector in the battle against crime. This figure, known by some as Crimson Fist, has been waging a one-man war against city crime.

Though police officials have publicly stated little, eyewitness’s accounts paint the same vivid picture of the city’s protector. For the past three months a man wearing a black trench coat, black brimmed hat, and a black scarf that covers all but his eyes, has taken down nearly fourteen criminals connected to cities gangs.

With increased bloodshed connected to Empire City gang fighting, criminals are finding themselves not only dodging rival’s bullets, but also the shadowy vigilante’s fists. Many feel he is nothing more than a legend, but last night’s events at The Stork Club (East 53rd Street) have changed many opinions.

“He’s ten-feet tall, and his hands are blood red,” claims Anthony Rosewood The Stork Club’s maître d’.

Though events are still sketchy, police sources confirm that at 11:15 PM five gunmen stormed into the club attempting to assassinate Alfred “Pretty Boy” Nunzio, who was busy entertaining friends in the exclusive Cub Room. As they stormed into the room, many fled fearing for their life. Those staying behind, state that the room suddenly went black and filled with silence. Once the lights went back on, not only were the five gunmen unconscious and tied up, but Pretty Boy Nunzio and three companions were tied up as well. Pinned to the men was a flyer printed with a red fist.

Police are reluctant to answer any questions, but this reporter has learned that at least two witnesses heard a man’s voice during the altercation. This voice is said to have been powerful and filled with hatred toward the gunmen.

So, who is Crimson Fist? Is he a hero or menace? Only time will tell.

Together they not only discovered corruption among numerous judges, but also within the women’s court. Governor Franklin Roosevelt expanded the investigation after a key district attorney witness was found murdered, and by April 8 the entire city government came under scrutiny.

Seabury, with help from Crimson Fist, discovered numerous city official taking bribes; money missing from budgets; the Vice Squad controlling a prostitution ring; corrupt judges; and more importantly ties to Charles “Lucky” Luciano’s gang. Even more disturbing were Mayor Walker’s ties to Luciano, and despite the allegations, Walker carried on as if nothing was wrong. It was after a public hearing that saw Seabury grilling Walker, the mayor resigned in disgrace on September 1, 1932.

Even after Walker was out of office, the corruption continued, and Empire City slowly sunk deeper into debt. It would not be until January 1, 1934, when Fiorello H. La Guardia became the city’s 99th mayor, that the city would begin the long road to recovery.

Lucky Luciano and Empire City Crime

Born in 1897 in Lercardia Friddi, Sicily, Charles “Lucky” Luciano and his family arrived in Empire City in November 1906. From an early age, Luciano engaged in mischief and crime. It would be his lifelong friendship with Meyer Lansky that led to the creation America’s most powerful mob families.

Luciano’s criminal career began as a child when he started a protection racket; by his teens, he was selling narcotics. This led to his becoming the leader of the notorious Five Points Gang in 1916. This propelled him into the profitable bootlegging business. By the Prohibition Era, Luciano (along with Lanksy, and partner Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel) was extremely wealthy from this business. It was bootlegging that brought him into contact with other Empire City crime bosses. One boss in particular took an interest in Luciano, and that was Joe Masseria.

Masseria was the main figure in Empire City crime. Seeing a chance to monitor a rising star, Masseria brought Luciano in, and they formed a partnership. Though powerful, Masseria was reluctant to move into new businesses and diversifying his empire. More importantly, Masseria, like the rest of the older gangsters, did not want to do business with non-Italians. Masseria’s old-time beliefs were the cause of the two continued arguments of the running of the business.

Suspecting Luciano was going to muscle him out, Masseria had him handled. While standing on Sixth Avenue, Luciano was forced into a limo and abducted. While the limo was driving, Luciano was repeatedly beaten and stabbed. Thinking he was dead, Luciano’s abductors left him on a beach. Amazingly, Luciano limped to a nearby hospital where he recovered. Police tried to get him to testify as too who had beaten him. Luciano refused to answer any questions telling police: “Don’t you cops lose any sleep, I’ll handle things myself.”

Surviving his brush with death, Luciano dubbed himself Lucky. He knew someone wanted him dead. Lansky’s discovery of Masseria’s double cross would have the biggest impact on Empire City crime. Convincing him it was time to act, Lansky advised Lucky to join forces with Masseria’s enemy Salvatore Maranzano. Though reluctant at first, Lansky’s arguments were persuasive. Meeting Maranzano in secret, Lucky switched sides, and doing so set off the largest gang war in Empire City history: Castellammarese War.

Starting in 1928, the Castellammarese War was a bloody battle of control between the older and younger Mafiosi. Gone were old alliances and rivalries, instead forces loyal to the younger Maranzano fought old timers associated with Masseria. With both sides busy killing each other; Lucky was busy cementing relationships with the younger leadership of both bosses’ gangs. The reason for this was due to Lucky realizing that the only outcome to the war was the death of both bosses. With both gone, and much of the older leadership gone with them, the younger members would take control, leaving Lucky as the boss of all.

With the fighting still going on in 1931, Lucky began seeing a shift in the battle. Up until this point, police ignored the killing. As long as innocent people were not caught in the crossfire, the police easily looked the other way. Crimson Fist’s appearance inspired a silent public to voice their outrage over the police’s lack of effort in stopping the killing.

With Crimson Fist taking down criminals on both sides of the battle, Lucky realized that if the killing did not stop, a bigger attempt to deal with the problem would materialize. With Lansky’s and Siegel’s help, Lucky had Masseria assassinated in a Coney Island restaurant. With his enemy dead, Muranzo proclaimed himself the “Boss of Bosses” and created five crime families under him. The Five Families, as they are commonly known, were given areas of Empire City to control, with Muranzo in charge of it all.

Though in charge, Muranzo was not content with being Empire City’s boss. He wanted to be the boss of all organized crime in the United States. For this to happen Muranzo saw two obstacles standing in his way. The first was the head of the Chicago mob, Al Capone. The second was Lucky.

Lansky tipped his friend off to Muranzo’s plan, and in response Lucky sent four gunners to his office to kill him. With Muranzo dead, Lucky was now in charge. Not only was he head of the Five Families, but also he was the undisputed crime boss in Empire City. To this day, the Five Families that Lucky headed and strengthened still exist in Empire City.

Now known as La Costra Norsta, they stand as a testament to Lucky’s criminal empire. Unlike the modern era, the crime threatening the city was not the metahuman. Much of the bloodshed stemmed from the Prohibition Era which brought a new wave of crime, and in its’ wake came corruption. Because the threat was more mundane, then Jade Naga, there was not the number of superheroes present to stem the tide. Those more likely fighting this growing crime were government agents, police and the few citizens who took matters in their own hand as costumed vigilantes.

Though many felt all police and city officials were on the take, this was not entirely true. Those not corrupt tried fighting back and they had some assistance from the small hero community of the time. Crimson Fist was one such hero. After all, his work brought down a mayor and helped keep the Five Families in check. Also making appearances in Empire City was Reverend Temperance, who earned the ire of Lucky Luciano over the targeting of his bootlegging operation.

With Lucky’s control of Empire City bootlegging, the Reverend caused Lucky a large share troubles. Throughout the era, Reverend Temperance shut down numerous speakeasies, distillation plants and distribution centers. All of Reverend’s work cost Lucky not only in profits but also in embarrassment. At one point, Lucky placed a $150,000 bounty on the Reverend’s head, and though many attempted to collect it, no one was successful. With the end of Prohibition, the Reverend’s threat ended, but Lucky’s problems were still not over.

Crimson Fist caused Lucky the most problems. When he was not busy fighting crime in Empire City, he was busy uncovering the vast corruption links back to the Five Families. Also aggravating was the fact that it seemed Crimson Fist knew of Lucky’s plans before his own people did. Though he always felt someone within his inner circle was a traitor, Lucky was never able to find any solid proof or evidence of one.

Order Restore

La Guardia came into office with the city facing a $30 million budget deficit, 142,000 families on relief, and only $29 million left out of a $70 million federal government relief loan. To fix the budget he raised taxes, reduced civil service salaries, and fired city workers. Though harsh, his actions led the city back to financial stability.

La Guardia acted quickly to fight crime and started by ordering the arrest of Lucky Luciano; he purged city departments of corrupt workers, and tackled corruption in the police department. Appointing Louis Valentine as Police Commissioner, he eventually removed 244 bad cops from the police force during his tenure. His actions made it very difficult for the numerous gangs and the Five Families to do business in Empire City.

The purges had a fringe benefit as well; they helped fight crime.

Despite her troubles, Empire City grew and became synonymous with wealth and culture during the 1930s. With the closing of the decade, the city played hostess to the World’s Fair and many looked toward what the future held. Little did they know that the future was about to grow darker.