Hero City Background

Hello again, and thanks for your interest in Hero City. As you probably know by now, I'm Dr. Mike Bowman (the picture you see at the left is one of my old Doctor Tomorrow publicity shots). I promised you a little background on the heroes associated with the theme park and our company, so here goes.

In 1997, one of the world’s largest entertainment conglomerates announced plans to develop a “superhero for tomorrow” as a new corporate icon, and simultaneously announced the development of the Hero City park, to be opened in 2004.

In 1999, the wacky supervillain group Le Cirque du Macabre attempted to destroy a new superhero-themed ride called the Uber Accelerator at the company’s Anaheim theme park, claiming (correctly, I'll admit) that several of its animatronic and holographic characters were based loosely on them. I was a company imagineer and the attraction's designer. Left without many options (the Sentinels were in outer space!) I jury-rigged some of the ride controls, blinding the villains and causing them to be pummeled by animatronic heroes. They left in a rush, but swore revenge on me after learning about my role in their defeat on the nightly news.

Later that year, the company’s official superhero, Doctor Tomorrow, appeared for the first time, keeping the peace at its Orlando parks amid Y2K fears. He was unveiled publicly as... me. The press clippings (they're a little overblown and make me blush) labeled me "a brilliant scientist with doctorates in propulsion engineering and holographic technology who has worked for the corporation for most of his adult life, first as a cast member, and later as an imagineer developing new attractions."

As Doctor Tomorrow, I wore a retro costume resembling a space suit, and carried a multipurpose gun called the "Blaster of Tomorrow." I tried to be more than just a public icon, and had some successes as a superhero. Notably, in 2001, I defeated the seismological villain duo called the Quakemaster and Richter, who were attempting to use their powers to create a huge earthquake along the San Andreas Fault. The California Highway Patrol and I unmasked the Quakemaster as financier Harold Gemps, who purchased vast quantities of land just east of the fault in the hopes of turning it into "oceanfront property."

Late in 2003, I was critically wounded in a battle against the New Empire, a Japanese terrorist organization, when I tried to fend off an attack on my company’s Tokyo theme parks. I was able to hold off the terrorists until several Japanese superheroes and Hong Kong actor-turned-superhero Stuntman arrived, forcing the New Empire to retreat, but doctors on the scene reported it unlikely that I would ever walk again.

Three weeks later, the corporation announced that it would sponsor an entire superhero team and make the team’s headquarters the centerpiece of its new Hero City theme park. The team’s lineup included a new Doctor Tomorrow, Tamara Lee, who actually came to us from the future. I remain with the team in a noncombative role as mentor and coordinator.

On the opening day of the Hero City park, the company came under attack. A mercenary group of cybernetic hackers, the Comets, set off a variety of dangerous distractions in order to draw protection away from our company's patriarch, long thought dead but actually hidden away and preserved through cryonics. But the new hero team—Doctor Tomorrow II, Fantasia, Firefly, Gentleman Ghost, Hercules, Jungle Boy, and Little Dragon—was able to save the patriarch and stop the Comets with help from the new hero Mini-Doom, who was accidentally created by Daemon of the Comets. The heroes of Hero City have continued to make a positive reputation for themselves, both near their Orlando headquarters and beyond. I'm proud of them.

Areas of Operation: While based at the Hero City theme park in Orlando, Florida, the team often travels the globe, especially to places of interest to the corporation. In particular, the team will often visits the other theme parks in Anaheim, Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong.

Goals: The heroes of the Hero City campaign are representatives of one of the world's largest entertainment companies, and are expected to make public appearances and act as media celebrities in addition to acting as more traditional superheroes. They protect not just the company and its properties (including its numerous theme parks), but also the world at large as a public service.

Reputation: The city of Orlando, as in all things having to do with the company, one of its principle revenue streams, is very enthusiastic about the idea of having a superhero team so close by. The Orlando police department, as well as the sheriffs departments of Orange, Seminole, Lake, and Osceola counties, have been impressed with the team’s activities since its debut.

Worldwide, the team experiences the mixed blessing of being popular celebrities, especially among kids. Some major players do not yet take the team seriously as superheroes, but I'm betting it won't take long until they do.

– Dr. Mike Bowman, May 2006