Difference between revisions of "Paragon Times"

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−	[[Image:Newspaper header01.gif|center]]	+	[[File:Newspaper header01.gif|center]]
−	{{wip}}	+
	== Overview ==		== Overview ==
−	The Paragon Times is the fictional newspaper which occasionally has articles posted on the City of Heroes main website.  There are currently 42 articles on the website with the index at http://www.cityofheroes.com/paragon_times.html	+	On July 19, 2004, The Paragon Times made its debut on the official City of Heroes website.  A total of 42 articles from this fictional newspaper were posted to the website, each bringing additional depth to the game's history or informing players of new or upcoming features. The Times published its last article on September 27, 2007, and when the official website redesign was launched on October 27, 2008, all Paragon Times content was removed from the website.
−	== Articles ==	+	Since Paragon Times content no longer appears on the official website, articles from the Times have been archived here.  Efforts have been made to make the articles as complete as possible, retaining as much of the look and feel of the original articles as can be done in this format.
−	[[Image:Paragontimes2.png|right]]	+
−	Each of the 42 articles has been used to bring additional depth to new or upcoming features of the "City of..." universe.	+
−	The first article was published on July 19, 2004 and was used to announce the ability to wear [[capes]] and gave the background of why there had been no capes in [[Paragon City]] previously as well as some more of the backstory for [[Hero 1]].
−	The second article, published July 28, 2004, gave a brief background look at the [[Hollows]] storyline.	+	== Article Index ==
		+	{{columns|2|
		+	{{center|
		+	[[Paragon Times/20070927|September 27, 2007]]<br />
		+	'''President Marchand Celebrates 70th Year in Office!'''
−	The third...	+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
−	The forty-first article was the first to put multiple articles in one "issue" of the paper.  It was printed September 20, 2007 and its two articles were titled "Outbreak Plague Rampant for Four Years," "Zigursky Guards Put Down Riot and Foil Breakout," and had a sidebar of fallen heroes and villains.  This was also the first issue in the line towards the release of [[Issue 11]].  As a result the article has a different background and timeline then any previous material.	+	[[Paragon Times/20070920|September 20, 2007]]<br />
		+	'''Outbreak Plague Rampant for Four Years'''
−	* "Outbreak Plague Rampant for Four Years" was about the [[Contaminated]] and the [[Outbreak]] virus that you encounter in the Hero tutorial. In this time line Dr Miller was killed early on, soon after discovering the disease, and thus never worked on curing it. In addition, the virus was not contained as it has been in the official storyline.  It has spread so much that neighborhoods of [[Skyway City]] and [[Steel Canyon]] have been quarantined as has the whole of [[Talos Island]].	+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
−	* "Zigursky Guards Put Down Riot and Foil Breakout" basically completely canceled the villains' storyline as [[Arachnos]] fails to free anyone during the [[Breakout]] tutorial of City of Villains.  In addition, two of the instructors (Hard Time and Angel Lopez) were killed during the riots that were the result of the failed jail break.	+	[[Paragon Times/20070813|August 13, 2007]]<br />
		+	'''Vanguard Reports Success'''
−	* The sidebar listed many who had died over the previous year including [[Agent Davis]], [[Arnold Decker]], Captain Sherman (from [[The Dark Watcher]]'s missions), [[Ernesto Hess]], [[Everett Daniels]], [[Genevieve Sanders]], [[Josef Keller]], [[Katie Hannon]], [[Maxwell Christopher]], [[Merisel Valenzuela]], [[Mikey the Ear]], and [[Sara Moore]]	+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
−	The Forty-second article, released September 27, 2007, again had two articles and a sidebar, further showing the differences in the story line.  The articles were titled "[[President Marchand]] Celebrates 70th Year in Office!" and "[[Manticore]] and [[Recluse]] Continue Offensive in South America" with a sidebar titled "Behind the Mask: Manticore"	+	[[Paragon Times/20070724|July 24, 2007]]<br />
		+	'''Invasion!'''
−	* "President Marchand Celebrates 70th Year in Office!" was...	+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
−	* "Manticore and Recluse Continue Offensive in South America" ...	+	[[Paragon Times/20070705|July 5, 2007]]<br />
		+	'''Senate Questions Vanguard'''
−	* "Behind the Mask: Manticore" was about Manticore's fall from grace as well as his ascension in Arachnos. It included the following quote from the [[Statesman]]: “Manticore was one of the few men in the world I trusted with my life. Now he is one of the two men I would take it away from.”	+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
−	== [[Image:Newspaper header Lifestyles.gif]] Corespondents ==	+	[[Paragon Times/20070605|June 5, 2007]]<br />
−	*Juliana Nehring	+	'''A City Remembers'''
−	*[[Jackson Turner]]	+
−	*[[James Stark]]	+
−	==Notes==	+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
−	o.o tony will probably yell at us for this idea but.. we might be able to use the paper section images as section headers...	+
−	==See Also==	+	[[Paragon Times/20070430|April 30, 2007]]<br />
−	[[Category:Game Background]]	+	'''Statesman's Call to Arms'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20061018|October 18, 2006]]<br />
		+	'''A Season of Shadows'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20060203|February 3, 2006]]<br />
		+	'''Advertisement: Pocket D'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20051219|December 19, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Festival of Terror'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20051027|October 27, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Statesman's Strike'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050928|September 28, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''The Legacy of Heroes'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050914|September 14, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Siren's Call'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050824|August 24, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Chasing Sally'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050810|August 10, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''The Burning of Steel Canyon'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050713|July 13, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Against the Fall of Darkness'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050615|June 15, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Beyond Contact: Azuria and MAGI'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050601|June 1, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Beyond Contact: City Representative'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050427|April 27, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Arenas'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050420|April 20, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Dreams Before the Storm'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050413|April 13, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Rudolph Augustus Seifert and the Memory of Heroes'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050406|April 6, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Paragon Transit Authority'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050330|March 30, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''The View from Above'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050323|March 23, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Queen of the Islands'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050316|March 16, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''77 Years of Movie Magic'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050309|March 9, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Dazzling New Designs for Heroes'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050302|March 2, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''The Paragon Times Building: Rebirth of an Icon'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050209|February 9, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Winter Lord Thawed'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20050105|January 5, 2005]]<br />
		+	'''Intense Cold Approaching'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20041208|December 8, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''Clockwork Threaten Kings Row'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20041201|December 1, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''Ghost Ship Sightings Reported'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20041124|November 24, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''"Giant Monster" in Independence Port?'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20041103|November 3, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''The 5th Column in Turmoil'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20041027|October 27, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''The Hammer of the World'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20041025|October 25, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''Halloween Doom For Paragon City?'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20041021|October 21, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''A New Type of Alien Visitor'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20041013|October 13, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''Fifth Column Activity on the Rise'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20040922|September 22, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''Of Heroes and Badges'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20040917|September 17, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''Paragon City Attacked by Strange Beings from Another Dimension!'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20040915|September 15, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''Paragon City's New Dance Party Club'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20040728|July 28, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''Eastgate Under Siege'''
		+
		+	[[File:ParagonTimes_decorations_twiddle.png]]
		+
		+	[[Paragon Times/20040719|July 19, 2004]]<br />
		+	'''Capes Return to Paragon City'''
		+	}}
		+	}}
		+
		+	== Article Significance ==
		+	[[File:Paragontimes2.png|right]]
		+	Each of the 42 articles brought additional depth to new or upcoming features of the "City of..." universe.
		+
		+	* ''Capes Return to Paragon City'' was used to announce the addition of the ability to wear [[Costumes#Capes_and_Auras|capes]] and gave background information explaining why there had previously been no capes in [[Paragon City]].  The article also provided more backstory for [[Hero 1]].
		+
		+	* ''Eastgate Under Siege'' provided a brief glimpse into the background behind the [[Hollows]] storyline.
		+
		+	* ''Paragon City's New Dance Party Club'' first introduced [[Pocket D]] (then simply an abandoned warehouse with thumping music and lighting effects more commonly referred to as [[Paragon Dance Party]]) and [[DJ Zero]].
		+
		+	* ''Paragon City Attacked by Strange Beings from Another Dimension!'' announced the [[Rularuu Invasion Event 2004]] that preceded the launch of [[Issue 2]].
		+
		+	* ''Of Heroes and Badges'' discussed the recently introduced [[Badges|badge]] system, explaining what each type of badge represented.
		+
		+	* ''Fifth Column Activity on the Rise'' warned that the [[5th Column]] was becoming increasingly active.  There were hints in the article toward the 5th Column's overthrow by the [[Council]] that took place not long after.
		+
		+	* ''A New Type of Alien Visitor'' introduced [[Moonfire]] and announced the arrival of the [[Peacebringer]] and [[Warshade]] epic archetypes.
		+
		+	* ''Halloween Doom For Paragon City?'' informed citizens to prepare for a "massive thaumaturgical event" striking Paragon City, hinting at the coming of [[Halloween Event 2004]].
		+
		+	* ''The Hammer of the World'' speculated on the possible presence of the ''[[Malleus Mundi]]'' in Paragon City and offered some background information regarding the [[Circle of Thorns]] and 5th Column.  This article also marked the first time that [[Mayor Morales]] was directly quoted in the Paragon Times.
		+
		+	* ''The 5th Column in Turmoil'' provided more information concerning the Council overthrow of the 5th Column.
		+
		+	* ''"Giant Monster" in Independence Port?'' introduced [[Independence Port]]'s new giant octopus, [[Lusca]].
		+
		+	* ''Ghost Ship Sightings Reported'' provided the history of the cargo ship ''Moraine'', introducing us to the new [[Ghost Ship]] zone event.  This article also first introduced [[Skipper LeGrange]] who would later be added to the game as a contact in [[Croatoa]].
		+
		+	* ''Clockwork Threaten Kings Row'' discussed unusual behavior of the [[Clockwork]] in [[Kings Row]], introducing the new [[Paladin Construction]] zone event.
		+
		+	* ''Intense Cold Approaching'' hinted at the coming of the [[Winter Horde]] and the [[Winter Event 2004]] while ''Winter Lord Thawed'' described the heroic efforts to turn back the Winter Horde at the end of the event.
		+
		+	* ''The Paragon Times Building: Rebirth of an Icon'' added to the historic background of the Paragon Times.  The article also discussed the [[Committee for the Restoration of Paragon City|CRPC]] efforts to reverse the devastation left by the Rikti War and first introduced us to the name of [[Rudolph Augustus Seifert]].
		+
		+	* ''Dazzling New Designs for Heroes'' announced additions being made to the costume creator that were launched with [[Issue 4]].
		+
		+	* ''77 Years of Movie Magic'' added more backstory to Paragon City by detailing the history of the Orion-Majestic Theatre in [[Galaxy City]] and the CRPC effort to restore the building to its former glory.
		+
		+	* In ''Queen of the Islands'' Erika Janssen told us about the history of ''[[Ferry|Melody]]'', the ferry that runs between [[Talos Island|Talos]] and [[Peregrine Island]]s.
		+
		+	* ''The View from Above'' introduced us to Captain James Finney and the airship ''[[Spirit of Freedom]]'' that glides gracefully through the skies of [[Atlas Park]].
		+
		+	* ''Paragon Transit Authority'' gave us a view into the rich history of the three [[Paragon Transit Authority|rail lines]] around Paragon City.
		+
		+	* ''Rudolph Augustus Seifert and the Memory of Heroes'' is a historic recounting of the career of Paragon City's most successful and famous [[Rudolph Augustus Seifert|architect]].
		+
		+	* ''Dreams Before the Storm'' reported on the status of [[Sister Psyche]] as she lay in a coma in [[Independence Port|Bell Medical Center]].  This article also informed players that the [[Calvin Scott Task Force]] would be removed from the game with the introduction of [[Issue 4]].
		+
		+	* ''Arenas'' gave players a preview of the [[arena]] combat system that would soon be introduced in [[Issue 4]].
		+
		+	* ''Beyond Contact: City Representative'' introduced us to [[City Representative|Brighid Moreira]] and gave us the history behind Paragon City's City Representative.
		+
		+	* ''Beyond Contact: Azuria and MAGI'' gave us a view of [[Azuria]]'s life and responsibilities as well as the role [[MAGI]] plays in defending Paragon City from magical threats.
		+
		+	* ''Against the Fall of Darkness'' provided the Times' readers with a look into the strange activity around [[Croatoa|Salamanca]], giving us an idea of what we should expect to find in [[Issue 5]].  The article brought us viewpoints from [[Gordon Bower]], [[Skipper LeGrange]], and [[Dr. Nathaniel Bierce]], and introduced us to the [[Red Caps]], [[Tuatha de Dannan]], [[Fir Bolg]], and [[Cabal]].  The article also tied the unusual activity in the region to the [[Banished Pantheon]], the [[Malleus Mundi]], and the [[Halloween Event 2004]].
		+
		+	* ''The Burning of Steel Canyon'' warned heroes that arson was on the rise in [[Steel Canyon]] and called for help in fighting the [[Hellion Arson|fires]].  [[Fire Chief Hopkins]] was introduced to tell us that the cause of the fires was under investigation.
		+
		+	* ''Chasing Sally'' recounted a trip by Times reporter Jackson Turner to [[Croatoa]] where he accompanied [[Skipper LeGrange]] on a search for the Salamanca Lake Monster, [[Sally]].  (It is worth noting that there was a closely related City of Heroes forum thread in which players protested awarding a badge for defeating a creature that actually does no harm to anyone in the game.)
		+
		+	* ''Siren's Call'' informed players that lower radiation levels now meant it was safe to enter Siren's Call and a partial lift of the quarantine would be implemented.  The news stirred up speculation about what had caused the original accident in the area ten months prior and led to an investigation of details behind [[Sunburst]]'s alleged loss of control over his powers.
		+
		+	* ''The Legacy of Heroes'' continues the investigation begun in the ''Siren's Call'' article, implying that someone in the Rogue Isles was responsible for the accident and calling for the FBSA to re-examine its policies on hero training and management.  This was the last article submitted to the Times by Senior Correspondent Jackson Turner who disappeared after going to meet with a confidential informant at the docks in Siren's Call.
		+
		+	* ''Statesman's Strike'' briefly recounted the events of [[Statesman's Strike 2005|Statesman's Strike]] on the Rogue Isles and called for heroes to band together to face the new threat posed by [[Arachnos]].
		+
		+	* ''Festival of Terror'' called attention to warnings of mysterious presents being dropped at random through the city.  In this article we were introduced to the [[Gamester]], announcing the start of [[Winter Event 2005]].
		+
		+	* ''Advertisement: Pocket D'' announced the grand re-opening of Pocket D and called for heroes and villains to meet in the neutral area in peace.  The article appeared just prior to [[Valentine's Day Event 2006]].
		+
		+	* ''A Season of Shadows'' introduced readers to the return of Halloween with [[Halloween Event 2006]].  In the article, [[Azuria]] and [[Annah]] both warned of a threat that would surround All Hallows' Eve and more information was relayed about the [[Malleus Mundi]] - including [[Scirocco]]'s interest in the book.
		+
		+	* ''Statesman's Call to Arms'' gave us insight into the newly accessible [[Grandville]] zone and [[Statesman's Task Force]], hinting that Grandville served a far more sinister purpose in [[Lord Recluse]]'s schemes than was immediately apparent on the surface.
		+
		+	* ''A City Remembers'' commemorated the third anniversary of the end of the [[Rikti War]].  The article also looked ahead to the threats posed by [[Arachnos]] and hinted at recently detected activity of some form on the moon.
		+
		+	* ''Senate Questions Vanguard'' reported on an ongoing investigation into the present-day relevance of [[Vanguard]], introducing players to the new group that would appear in [[Issue 10]].
		+
		+	* ''Invasion!'' made a call to both heroes and villains to push back a new set of full-scale invasions by the [[Rikti]] all across the world.  This article announced the addition of the new [[Rikti World Invasion]] event that arrived with [[Issue 10]].
		+
		+	* ''Vanguard Reports Success'' was a series of articles recounting recent success in [[Vanguard]]'s efforts to repel the renewed efforts by invading [[Rikti]] in the [[Rikti World Invasion]] events.
		+
		+	* "Outbreak Plague Rampant for Four Years" was a set of two articles from an alternate timeline.  (The alternate timeline content was a hint at the coming addition of [[Ouroboros]] and the [[Flashback]] system in [[Issue 11]].)
		+	** The first of these articles was about the [[Contaminated]] and the [[Outbreak]] virus encountered in the hero tutorial.  In this time line [[Doctor Miller]] had been killed soon after discovering the disease and had been unable to find a cure. In addition, the virus had not been contained as it had been in our timeline.  In this alternate timeline, the virus had spread so much that neighborhoods of [[Skyway City]] and [[Steel Canyon]] had been quarantined as had the whole of [[Talos Island]].
		+	** In the second of these articles - "Zigursky Guards Put Down Riot and Foil Breakout" - [[Arachnos]] completely failed to free anyone during the [[Breakout]] tutorial of City of Villains.  Two prisoners - [[Hard Time]] and [[Angel Lopez]] - were  killed during the riots of the failed jail break.
		+	** In additon, a sidebar listed many who had died over from the Outbreak plague in the previous year.  Victims included [[Agent Davis]], [[Arnold Decker]], Captain Sherman (from [[The Dark Watcher (Primal Earth)|The Dark Watcher]]'s missions), [[Ernesto Hess]], [[Everett Daniels]], [[Genevieve Sanders]], [[Josef Keller]], [[Katie Hannon]], [[Maxwell Christopher]], [[Merisel Valenzuela]], [[Mikey the Ear]], and [[Sara Moore]].  (This sidebar is now included at the end of the first article.)
		+
		+	* ''President Marchand Celebrates 70th Year in Office!'' was another set of three articles from an alternate timeline.  (The alternate timeline content was a hint at the coming addition of [[Ouroboros]] and the [[Flashback]] system in [[Issue 11]].)
		+	** The first article reported on the celebration of the anniversary of [[President Marchand|Gerald T. Marchand]]'s election to the office of President of the Rogue Isles in 1937.
		+	** The seond article - "Manticore and Recluse Continue Offensive in South America" - described an attack by [[Manticore]] and [[Lord Recluse]] on a camp full of Colombian rebels hidden high in the Andes Mountains.
		+	** The third article - "Behind the Mask: Manticore" - recounted Manticore's fall from grace and ascension within Arachnos.  It included the following quote from the [[Statesman]]: “Manticore was one of the few men in the world I trusted with my life. Now he is one of the two men I would take it away from.”
		+
		+	== Paragon Times Journalists ==
		+
		+	<div style="float: right">[[File:Contact Small Juliana Nehring.jpg|100 px|thumb|Juliana Nehring]]</div>
		+	;[[Juliana Nehring]]
		+	:In addition to running her independent internet news site, Juliana Nehring occasionally found time to contribute material to The Paragon Times as a Staff reporter.  Both of the first two Times articles to appear on the internet are credited to her and she contributed in two later articles.  It was to Nehring that [[Moonfire]] first revealed herself, seeking to warn of the coming [[Nictus]] threat.
		+	{{clr}}
		+
		+	<div style="float: right">[[File:COH_Times8-24pg1_12.jpg|100 px|thumb|Jackson Turner]]</div>
		+	;Jackson Turner
		+	:Jackson Turner made his debut contribution to the Times with ''Paragon City's New Dance Party Club'' in September 2004.  Turner would go on to write twenty-four of the Times' published articles.  He began his writing career with the Times as a Staff reporter, was promoted to Senior Staff in March 2005, and was promoted again to Senior Editor in April 2005.  In June 2005, Turner took a Senior Correspondent position - his last position with the Times.  On September 21, 2005, Jackson Turner was reported missing while investigating the death of the superhero known as [[Sunburst]] and the disaster in Siren's Call.
		+	{{clr}}
		+
		+	<div style="float: right">[[File:Contact Small Juan Jimenez.jpg|100 px|thumb|Juan Jimenez]]</div>
		+	;[[Juan Jimenez]]
		+	:Juan Jimenez is a freelance photographer who has collaborated with Times reporters on several articles. He began taking photos in high school, and became known for memorable photos of the Rikti War. Jimenez was on special assignment with Jackson Turner taking photographs of Siren's Call, and was the one who reported Turner missing. He was last known to be working on an expose of the [[Skulls]] with [[Maggie Greene]].
		+	{{clr}}
		+
		+	<div style="float: right">[[File:Contact Small Jim Bell.jpg|100 px|thumb|Jim Bell]]</div>
		+	;[[Jim Bell]]
		+	:After coming out of retirement, veteran journalist Jim Bell contributed one Paragon Times article that was published online.  In his October 2004 article he reported on recent increases in 5th Column activity, interviewing several heroes about their recent encounters with the super powered fascists.
		+	{{clr}}
		+
		+	;Andrea Hall
		+	:Andrea Hall teamed with Jackson Turner to report on sightings of an alleged "ghost ship" in Independence Port in December 2004.
		+
		+	;Jennifer Baker
		+	:Jennifer Baker teamed with Jackson Turner to write an article about new fashions coming to [[Icon]] shops throughout Paragon City in the spring of 2005.
		+
		+	;Ernie Lardner
		+	:Ernie "Doc" Lardner was a Sports Columnist for The Paragon Times.  Lardner's article covering the newly constructed Arenas was published in April 2005.
		+
		+	<div style="float: right">[[File:Contact Small Skipper LeGrange.jpg|100 px|thumb|Skipper LeGrange]]</div>
		+	;[[Skipper LeGrange]]
		+	:No stranger to the paranormal, Skipper LeGrange was interviewed concerning the "ghost ship" sightings in Independence Port in December 2004.  In July and August of 2005 he helped Jackson Turner investigate and report on strange occurrences in Lake Salamanca and the wooded areas near Salamanca.
		+	{{clr}}
		+
		+	;James Stark
		+	:James Stark stepped in to fill the vacancy left by the mysterious disappearance of Jackson Turner. In his first article with the Times, Stark covered the October 2005 Longbow operation to bring order to the Rogue Isles. Stark would go on to write a total of eight articles published in the Times. It was never made clear whether Stark was actually a full-time reporter for the Times or a freelancer who made frequent contributions. Stark continued to write articles for the Times until the paper stopped publishing articles online.
		+
		+	;UnSub
		+	:In two later Times Articles, writing credit was given to "UnSub". It was uncertain whether UnSub was actually the name of the writer or if the Times was simply using a common law enforcement [[wikipedia:unsub|abbreviation]].
		+
		+	;Matt Miller
		+	:Matt Miller contributed to reports on success in Vanguard's efforts to push back the Rikti in the Rikti War Zone in August 2007.
		+
		+	;Jessica Derling
		+	:Jessica Derling contributed to reports on success in Vanguard's efforts to push back the Rikti in the Rikti War Zone in August 2007.
		+
		+	== See Also ==
		+
		+	[[Category:Paragon Times]]

---

Latest revision as of 00:49, 18 April 2014

Overview

On July 19, 2004, The Paragon Times made its debut on the official City of Heroes website. A total of 42 articles from this fictional newspaper were posted to the website, each bringing additional depth to the game's history or informing players of new or upcoming features. The Times published its last article on September 27, 2007, and when the official website redesign was launched on October 27, 2008, all Paragon Times content was removed from the website.

Since Paragon Times content no longer appears on the official website, articles from the Times have been archived here. Efforts have been made to make the articles as complete as possible, retaining as much of the look and feel of the original articles as can be done in this format.

Article Index

Article Significance

Each of the 42 articles brought additional depth to new or upcoming features of the "City of..." universe.

• Capes Return to Paragon City was used to announce the addition of the ability to wear capes and gave background information explaining why there had previously been no capes in Paragon City. The article also provided more backstory for Hero 1.

• Eastgate Under Siege provided a brief glimpse into the background behind the Hollows storyline.

• Paragon City's New Dance Party Club first introduced Pocket D (then simply an abandoned warehouse with thumping music and lighting effects more commonly referred to as Paragon Dance Party) and DJ Zero.

• Paragon City Attacked by Strange Beings from Another Dimension! announced the Rularuu Invasion Event 2004 that preceded the launch of Issue 2.

• Of Heroes and Badges discussed the recently introduced badge system, explaining what each type of badge represented.

• Fifth Column Activity on the Rise warned that the 5th Column was becoming increasingly active. There were hints in the article toward the 5th Column's overthrow by the Council that took place not long after.

• A New Type of Alien Visitor introduced Moonfire and announced the arrival of the Peacebringer and Warshade epic archetypes.

• Halloween Doom For Paragon City? informed citizens to prepare for a "massive thaumaturgical event" striking Paragon City, hinting at the coming of Halloween Event 2004.

• The Hammer of the World speculated on the possible presence of the Malleus Mundi in Paragon City and offered some background information regarding the Circle of Thorns and 5th Column. This article also marked the first time that Mayor Morales was directly quoted in the Paragon Times.

• The 5th Column in Turmoil provided more information concerning the Council overthrow of the 5th Column.

• "Giant Monster" in Independence Port? introduced Independence Port's new giant octopus, Lusca.

• Ghost Ship Sightings Reported provided the history of the cargo ship Moraine, introducing us to the new Ghost Ship zone event. This article also first introduced Skipper LeGrange who would later be added to the game as a contact in Croatoa.

• Clockwork Threaten Kings Row discussed unusual behavior of the Clockwork in Kings Row, introducing the new Paladin Construction zone event.

• Intense Cold Approaching hinted at the coming of the Winter Horde and the Winter Event 2004 while Winter Lord Thawed described the heroic efforts to turn back the Winter Horde at the end of the event.

• The Paragon Times Building: Rebirth of an Icon added to the historic background of the Paragon Times. The article also discussed the CRPC efforts to reverse the devastation left by the Rikti War and first introduced us to the name of Rudolph Augustus Seifert.

• Dazzling New Designs for Heroes announced additions being made to the costume creator that were launched with Issue 4.

• 77 Years of Movie Magic added more backstory to Paragon City by detailing the history of the Orion-Majestic Theatre in Galaxy City and the CRPC effort to restore the building to its former glory.

• In Queen of the Islands Erika Janssen told us about the history of Melody, the ferry that runs between Talos and Peregrine Islands.

• The View from Above introduced us to Captain James Finney and the airship Spirit of Freedom that glides gracefully through the skies of Atlas Park.

• Paragon Transit Authority gave us a view into the rich history of the three rail lines around Paragon City.

• Rudolph Augustus Seifert and the Memory of Heroes is a historic recounting of the career of Paragon City's most successful and famous architect.

• Dreams Before the Storm reported on the status of Sister Psyche as she lay in a coma in Bell Medical Center. This article also informed players that the Calvin Scott Task Force would be removed from the game with the introduction of Issue 4.

• Arenas gave players a preview of the arena combat system that would soon be introduced in Issue 4.

• Beyond Contact: City Representative introduced us to Brighid Moreira and gave us the history behind Paragon City's City Representative.

• Beyond Contact: Azuria and MAGI gave us a view of Azuria's life and responsibilities as well as the role MAGI plays in defending Paragon City from magical threats.

• Against the Fall of Darkness provided the Times' readers with a look into the strange activity around Salamanca, giving us an idea of what we should expect to find in Issue 5. The article brought us viewpoints from Gordon Bower, Skipper LeGrange, and Dr. Nathaniel Bierce, and introduced us to the Red Caps, Tuatha de Dannan, Fir Bolg, and Cabal. The article also tied the unusual activity in the region to the Banished Pantheon, the Malleus Mundi, and the Halloween Event 2004.

• The Burning of Steel Canyon warned heroes that arson was on the rise in Steel Canyon and called for help in fighting the fires. Fire Chief Hopkins was introduced to tell us that the cause of the fires was under investigation.

• Chasing Sally recounted a trip by Times reporter Jackson Turner to Croatoa where he accompanied Skipper LeGrange on a search for the Salamanca Lake Monster, Sally. (It is worth noting that there was a closely related City of Heroes forum thread in which players protested awarding a badge for defeating a creature that actually does no harm to anyone in the game.)

• Siren's Call informed players that lower radiation levels now meant it was safe to enter Siren's Call and a partial lift of the quarantine would be implemented. The news stirred up speculation about what had caused the original accident in the area ten months prior and led to an investigation of details behind Sunburst's alleged loss of control over his powers.

• The Legacy of Heroes continues the investigation begun in the Siren's Call article, implying that someone in the Rogue Isles was responsible for the accident and calling for the FBSA to re-examine its policies on hero training and management. This was the last article submitted to the Times by Senior Correspondent Jackson Turner who disappeared after going to meet with a confidential informant at the docks in Siren's Call.

• Statesman's Strike briefly recounted the events of Statesman's Strike on the Rogue Isles and called for heroes to band together to face the new threat posed by Arachnos.

• Festival of Terror called attention to warnings of mysterious presents being dropped at random through the city. In this article we were introduced to the Gamester, announcing the start of Winter Event 2005.

• Advertisement: Pocket D announced the grand re-opening of Pocket D and called for heroes and villains to meet in the neutral area in peace. The article appeared just prior to Valentine's Day Event 2006.

• A Season of Shadows introduced readers to the return of Halloween with Halloween Event 2006. In the article, Azuria and Annah both warned of a threat that would surround All Hallows' Eve and more information was relayed about the Malleus Mundi - including Scirocco's interest in the book.

• Statesman's Call to Arms gave us insight into the newly accessible Grandville zone and Statesman's Task Force, hinting that Grandville served a far more sinister purpose in Lord Recluse's schemes than was immediately apparent on the surface.

• A City Remembers commemorated the third anniversary of the end of the Rikti War. The article also looked ahead to the threats posed by Arachnos and hinted at recently detected activity of some form on the moon.

• Senate Questions Vanguard reported on an ongoing investigation into the present-day relevance of Vanguard, introducing players to the new group that would appear in Issue 10.

• Invasion! made a call to both heroes and villains to push back a new set of full-scale invasions by the Rikti all across the world. This article announced the addition of the new Rikti World Invasion event that arrived with Issue 10.

• Vanguard Reports Success was a series of articles recounting recent success in Vanguard's efforts to repel the renewed efforts by invading Rikti in the Rikti World Invasion events.

• "Outbreak Plague Rampant for Four Years" was a set of two articles from an alternate timeline. (The alternate timeline content was a hint at the coming addition of Ouroboros and the Flashback system in Issue 11.)
  • The first of these articles was about the Contaminated and the Outbreak virus encountered in the hero tutorial. In this time line Doctor Miller had been killed soon after discovering the disease and had been unable to find a cure. In addition, the virus had not been contained as it had been in our timeline. In this alternate timeline, the virus had spread so much that neighborhoods of Skyway City and Steel Canyon had been quarantined as had the whole of Talos Island.
  • In the second of these articles - "Zigursky Guards Put Down Riot and Foil Breakout" - Arachnos completely failed to free anyone during the Breakout tutorial of City of Villains. Two prisoners - Hard Time and Angel Lopez - were killed during the riots of the failed jail break.
  • In additon, a sidebar listed many who had died over from the Outbreak plague in the previous year. Victims included Agent Davis, Arnold Decker, Captain Sherman (from The Dark Watcher's missions), Ernesto Hess, Everett Daniels, Genevieve Sanders, Josef Keller, Katie Hannon, Maxwell Christopher, Merisel Valenzuela, Mikey the Ear, and Sara Moore. (This sidebar is now included at the end of the first article.)

• President Marchand Celebrates 70th Year in Office! was another set of three articles from an alternate timeline. (The alternate timeline content was a hint at the coming addition of Ouroboros and the Flashback system in Issue 11.)
  • The first article reported on the celebration of the anniversary of Gerald T. Marchand's election to the office of President of the Rogue Isles in 1937.
  • The seond article - "Manticore and Recluse Continue Offensive in South America" - described an attack by Manticore and Lord Recluse on a camp full of Colombian rebels hidden high in the Andes Mountains.
  • The third article - "Behind the Mask: Manticore" - recounted Manticore's fall from grace and ascension within Arachnos. It included the following quote from the Statesman: “Manticore was one of the few men in the world I trusted with my life. Now he is one of the two men I would take it away from.”

Paragon Times Journalists

Juliana Nehring

In addition to running her independent internet news site, Juliana Nehring occasionally found time to contribute material to The Paragon Times as a Staff reporter. Both of the first two Times articles to appear on the internet are credited to her and she contributed in two later articles. It was to Nehring that Moonfire first revealed herself, seeking to warn of the coming Nictus threat.

Jackson Turner

Jackson Turner made his debut contribution to the Times with Paragon City's New Dance Party Club in September 2004. Turner would go on to write twenty-four of the Times' published articles. He began his writing career with the Times as a Staff reporter, was promoted to Senior Staff in March 2005, and was promoted again to Senior Editor in April 2005. In June 2005, Turner took a Senior Correspondent position - his last position with the Times. On September 21, 2005, Jackson Turner was reported missing while investigating the death of the superhero known as Sunburst and the disaster in Siren's Call.

Juan Jimenez

Juan Jimenez is a freelance photographer who has collaborated with Times reporters on several articles. He began taking photos in high school, and became known for memorable photos of the Rikti War. Jimenez was on special assignment with Jackson Turner taking photographs of Siren's Call, and was the one who reported Turner missing. He was last known to be working on an expose of the Skulls with Maggie Greene.

Jim Bell

After coming out of retirement, veteran journalist Jim Bell contributed one Paragon Times article that was published online. In his October 2004 article he reported on recent increases in 5th Column activity, interviewing several heroes about their recent encounters with the super powered fascists.

Andrea Hall

Andrea Hall teamed with Jackson Turner to report on sightings of an alleged "ghost ship" in Independence Port in December 2004.

Jennifer Baker

Jennifer Baker teamed with Jackson Turner to write an article about new fashions coming to Icon shops throughout Paragon City in the spring of 2005.

Ernie Lardner

Ernie "Doc" Lardner was a Sports Columnist for The Paragon Times. Lardner's article covering the newly constructed Arenas was published in April 2005.

Skipper LeGrange

No stranger to the paranormal, Skipper LeGrange was interviewed concerning the "ghost ship" sightings in Independence Port in December 2004. In July and August of 2005 he helped Jackson Turner investigate and report on strange occurrences in Lake Salamanca and the wooded areas near Salamanca.

James Stark

James Stark stepped in to fill the vacancy left by the mysterious disappearance of Jackson Turner. In his first article with the Times, Stark covered the October 2005 Longbow operation to bring order to the Rogue Isles. Stark would go on to write a total of eight articles published in the Times. It was never made clear whether Stark was actually a full-time reporter for the Times or a freelancer who made frequent contributions. Stark continued to write articles for the Times until the paper stopped publishing articles online.

UnSub

In two later Times Articles, writing credit was given to "UnSub". It was uncertain whether UnSub was actually the name of the writer or if the Times was simply using a common law enforcement abbreviation.

Matt Miller

Matt Miller contributed to reports on success in Vanguard's efforts to push back the Rikti in the Rikti War Zone in August 2007.

Jessica Derling

Jessica Derling contributed to reports on success in Vanguard's efforts to push back the Rikti in the Rikti War Zone in August 2007.

See Also