Welcome to Hero!

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• Hero! 101

For all up to date information, updates and guides on how to best read Hero! for the first time, visit @heroverse on Instagram

What is 'Hero!'?Hero! is my mixed media series based on the Incredibles in a future timeline and follows the Parr siblings with Jack-Jack Parr as the current main character. It is exclusively released on my Instagram; @illustraice.The Incredibles ‘Hero!’ storyline spans over nearly five decades of events and artefacts about the lives of the Parr family. Amongst many themes, it deals with the Parr siblings' challenges from the life in the public eye.It is organised into five acts alongside a prologue and epilogue. There are two orders to read Hero!; these are called the *Act Order * and the Chronological Order.Is Hero! a comic?Hero! is a unique mixed media storyline. It is not presented traditionally as a comic or a fully written work but as a storyline that features both writing and art. This includes newspapers, magazine articles, video archives and more.What is the Act Order?The act order is simply the order in which I have released each post; so, just how I naturally post. Each post is part of their corresponding act which is shown as the post's location at the top. The Act Order can be read through the Act Guides.Is it chronological?Hero! is not a chronological work but it does have a Chronological Order that can be read in the Official Chronological guide. However, Hero! is not meant to be read chronologically for the first time. The chronological guide is strictly created to assist with navigating closer times throughout the story (e.g 11:32pm, 2 October 1987 in Act II with 12:59am, 3 October 1987 in Act III). It is NOT meant to be read in the chronological order.DISCLAIMER: Please be advised that thematically, the work is designed and intended to be read in the act order they are in and is NOT designed to be read in the chronological order.

• official chronological guide

ACT GUIDES: Where do I start?If you wish, you can start reading by viewing posts normally through my feed; the acts will be shown as the post’s location. However, you will have to read from the beginning to make your way up. So alternatively, you are free to view the work through the Act Guides starting at ‘Prologue' where each post is ready for you to read.

• Prologue
• act I
• Act II
• Act III
• Act IV (Ongoing)

What are the clues?A component of the work you are free to explore are clues, riddles and hints I post on my story. Hero! has many references to popular culture and parts of the storyline is often hinted in clues from all kinds of different media; literature, novels, paintings and music. I also occasionally post puzzles regarding an upcoming post.What are the websites?Act IV has recently revealed new parts of Hero!; websites with all new content! You're gonna have to read Act IV to find the website. The websites all have passwords ingrained for you to figure out!How do I deal with the passwords?Check out the Hero! Password 101 post pinned on @officialheroverse for more information on Hero!'s website passwords. All passwords are in all caps and a hint, they usually have something to do with Greek mythology! Passwords stay secret and solvable for a period of time for people to crack the code but are shared publicly in the guide eventually for everyone to be able to read the content!_What about the playlists? _There exists four official Spotify playlists attributed the characters and their partners. They can be found through my story highlight. The playlists feature hints into the storyline and are updated with one song each for every new post.There exists 'Hero! (Ice's Version)', my own playlist filled with song of my personal taste for Hero! and 'Hero! (Your Version)'; a collaborative playlist for any reader of Hero! to add their own songs in.

• Spotify Playlists
• Password Manager

What is the order of the acts?Prologue, Act I, Act II, Act III, Intermission, Act IV, Act V and finally, Epilogue**Which way do you recommend reading?
**
The best recommended way to start reading the work is to read up to the original act order starting from the prologue and then later navigate your way through the chronological timeline.**What do you usually call this work?
**
Sometimes, I call this Heroverse and I laugh to myself.

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Official playlists including J + H, D +A, V + E and M + E.

• Hero Official Playlists

Collaborative playlist for Hero! readers to add songs in with a chance for some songs to be chosen to be in the official playlists

• Hero (Your Version)

Songs of Ice's personal taste for Hero!

• Hero (Ice's Version)

1987 remembered
As we enter the year anticipating the presidential election determining another 4 years from the Parr administration, we look back at the event from the year Violet Parr cites as the one that'd conceived her first inklings of political ambition. 1987's infamous Battle of Manhattan.I was eleven years old when I’d heard about the Battle of Manhattan. At the time, it didn’t seem too grand of an event; rather just a strangely muted conversation during breakfast the next morning between my parents while I mindlessly carried on devouring a pancake. However, I did hear the word ‘battle’ so it momentarily sparked the innate childish curiosity.“Battle?” I asked my Dad, still chewing.  They looked between themselves in that way parents do when they’re not entirely sure who should speak first.“Yes, honey,” Mom says, awfully slow, “Manhattan was..attacked last night”.
As if dissatisfied, she then hastily reworked it into; “But it’s over now. Supers have taken care of it.”Ah, yes. Supers. Well, from my profound eleven years of knowledge, supers had always successfully ‘taken care of it’. Dash Parr punched aliens when I was 9 and my friend, Juan, hadn’t stopped talking about it during lunch time. Apparently, his Dad had seen the whole spectacle at his workplace and really, it was as if Juan himself had witnessed such a historical moment in time. With that in mind, I didn’t press any further and my parents seemed thankful for the opportunity not to explain in detail why we weren’t going to be able to make it for that restaurant dinner at Fifth Avenue for Mom’s birthday. America’s Blue Period for its supers had begunThe tale itself is something we’ve all heard of now. 10:42pm, on the third floor of XARA’s first US flagship store well into closing hours, several incendiary explosives detonate amongst the metal clothing racks in the new Fifth Avenue store. Racks carrying what would been Edna Mode’s first SuperWear collection, to be launched that month. Sprinklers and fire alarms above are activated, causing a widespread evacuation for remaining workers in the main and surrounding buildings.Authorities and neighbouring supers are alerted. By 11:15pm, the third floor and subsequent building collapses, to the horror of onlookers. Jack-Jack Parr arrives on scene with Estelle Best who salvages ongoing fire. Parr engages in battle with the culprit inside building ruins. Not much is known of the proceedings given the youngest Parr’s silence for years to come.Later, forensics report the bombs having been neatly stitched into the shoulder pads of more than 20 fake blazers. It’s a rather perfect crime for the odd category of what could’ve been a mild-mannered criminal. Not a single fatality came about except for minor injuries. False reports that the perpetrator had been under custody and investigation were spread within hours amongst a flurry of mystery and questions.It all comes to a head the very next day at the shock of Parr’s early announcement of a temporary break, citing injuries and distress. By the 8th of October, Violet Parr sullenly confirms that the culprit had escaped at the scene.Four days later, Dash Parr comes to stand with the release of a further statement in support of his brother’s announcement. Violet Parr handles the rest of the media outcry afterwards; throughout her press activity for all the following month, she is as graceful as she is vague. A story as steady as it is formless.
Nina King says just as much. A former journalist from 1977 to 1992 for The Daily News, she huffs as I recall the year during our meeting.“It was absolutely hysterical,” she sighs, almost slamming her cup of coffee down, “The media could barely formulate anything with how little we had. Of course, in some way, the Parrs had always been the ‘tough story’ even before the Blue Period. But the aftermath of the Battle of Manhattan had sent the media into a frenzy.”Video archives of the eldest Parr’s press conferences are littered with evidence of a steel grip on the family’s privacy. It seemed to follow the general script of what had already been said from previous statements paired wisely with her relentlessly neutral demeanour.“My brother is human as he is a super.” Parr replies defiantly to a reporter, “Just as you are entitled to a formal break from reporting about us, he is entitled to a break from his missions.”As the sole sibling carrying the conferences, Parr weaponized her absence from the whole spectacle. She’d been away from the states at an international conference in Austria for charity. Questions regarding the battle’s proceedings were met with the same testimony.“I was not present at the time,” she parrots during a late October conference, “The reconstruction of the building is currently under talks from the city council and XARA’s parent organisation, Indirex. It is not in our hands presently unless we are asked.”“She really never said anything new, even during tough questions,” Nina recalls, then laughs, “You know, I was mad as hell back then, but I still thought it was impressive.”But eventually, a month of restless ambiguity had suddenly met some newfound clarity. It’s a live press conference worth waiting for. Infamous for the image of the three Parr siblings standing together for the first time in a month, the video archive of the November 11th New York conference is a puzzle of comprehensible secrecy.“It was smart” Nina affirms, “It was smart having Dash have the final say. For all of Violet’s directness and Jack- Jack’s privacy even years before the battle, the media had always established Dash as the easy-going middle child. It was an awakening to the public to see him so serious.”More or less, Dash Parr echoes his elder sister’s words in conferences. He, like Violet, does not say anything new. In fact, a rewind into his speech will confirm that he essentially repeats what he’d already said in his first statement a month before. But the conference rings a different tune. His stance is frigid unlike any other image the media had conjured of Parr’s usually happy demeanour.“Back off” it seemed to say. With so much finality that the media had no choice but to oblige. Of course, it was old news by then to leave Jack-Jack Parr alone for his break.However, the new news finally came towards the end, at a huge shock.“Finally, I would like to announce one more thing before we finish.” he says, slowly. As I watch the archive, I can’t help but compare his tone to my mother’s.“My sibling and I have discussed this thoroughly. We appreciate much of the public’s concern into our lives and into our work and we understand the confusion from our absence.”
The room—or perhaps the whole of America—holds its breath.“However, we decided that it is best for all three of us to take a temporary break. We have not decided how long but we also understand where many would be distressed at this announcement, for which we would like to address to a new age of supers beyond us who we know are ready to protect the American public.”The room runs wild before he can elaborate any further. The hour struck a record with a huge spike and influx of telephone calls during the conference.“Dash’s speech was a rude awakening for America.” Nina continues, “A lot of the public still believed that it was only a matter of time that they’d be seen jumping back into the street fighting again.”The November 11th conference, to my memory, was a point when my parents had suddenly decided to purchase security cameras for our household. Public safety polls dropped to an all-time low. Politically speaking, alongside the Parr family’s vehement opposition of the Keagan administration, the siblings’ departure from the public had majorly influenced polls for 1988’s election. The landscape of supers had shifted into an unknown.

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DASH PARR RELEASES OFFICIAL STATEMENT WRITES ON "BEHALF' OF JACK-JACK PARR ON RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR TEMPORARY BREAK AFTER BATTLE OF MANHATTAN, ENEMY IDENTITY UNKNOWN"SEVERE MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL
DISTRESS" STATEMENT REPORTS.New York, Oct 12—Dash Parr has released a statement at 9am this morning in regards to both the recent Battle of Manhattan and Jack-Jack Parr’s indefinite pause in super missions and activities. Authorities have reported that the enemy is in custody and in the process of being interrogated.Parr, in his single page statement, reports a ‘severe mental and emotional distress’ that will require some time to recover. He has requested the compliance of the public and media to refrain from the family home and members at this current time. The return time is declared unspecified.Violet Parr has been reported to have landed in Washington after having been away at the Austrian...

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DASH THROUGH THE DECADE
BY ILLUSTRAICE     PHOTOGRAPHY BY EIENNo super transcends decade after decade more than Dash Parr. It’s just a universal truth. You hear about him defeating a giant mechanical robot in ’71. Okay. You hear he (potentially) kissed Prince at the back of a hypothetical black van in ’82. Alright. You know he punched aliens in ’85 because everyone will not shut up about it. That was the enigma of Dash Parr. Whether he was smooching someone at the theoretical parking lot or, alternatively, saving the Earth, word goes around, and he is the talk of the town. But the air has been thick with silence at the town these last three years since 1987’s Battle of Manhattan. Three long years in an eerie silence from the iconic super Parr family to have finally simmered down with new ease as we enter the new decade at last with the three definitively out in public. And Dash, ever honouring his reputation for the spotlight, is back in popular demand.Hello Dash! It’s good to see you back. We haven’t had an interview with you in nearly 5 years! Hello! Hi! Wow, that’s a lot. Time has flown by quick. I really miss doing interviews with you guys. Hero! has the best office cookies out of all the magazines.Dash, you’ve managed to capture the spotlight all the way from the 70’s to the last decade, the 80’s. You’ve even had some spotlight when you were younger in the 60’s. Have you ever had anything you wanted in reservation? Well, honestly...[laughs] I tend to just get myself in all kinds of that trouble without having meant much of it at all. Violet kept a count of how much I ended up on the gossip section of the newspapers in the 70’s. I think I deal with it better now but when I was younger, I think I wanted to work through high school without having to worry if people will judge me about not being good at school subjects. Honestly, I once wondered if someday I’ll wake up to a breaking headline like ‘DASH PARR: BAD AT CALCULUS’ [laughs].These last three years since 1987 have been quiet for you. How has that been?
It’s been new. Different. I’ve taken time to really figure things out and meet people. Meet someone. And also, really talk to my family about what we want for the future.Do you plan to make any new changes to your powers or your role as a super icon?
I’m happy to just evolve naturally as I go. Obviously when I was younger, I used to be so damn eager to grow my powers and prove myself. But now I think it’s even more important to help shift the new era of supers and prepare them too. Violet and I agree we’re startin’ to get old which is our way of saying we won’t be standing a chance to the newer kids on the block soon enough.Are we allowed to talk about the Battle of Manhattan?
It’s alright, I think. Three years is a long time.The Battle of Manhattan’s aftermath in 1987 shocked the nation when your younger brother, Jack-Jack Parr, announced a sudden break that lasted one and a half years. Something that you yourself gave an official statement about explaining he needed time to process the proceedings. Later, you and Violet also announced a short break from the public ‘in honour’ of him. How have you felt about you and your family new emergence in public?
1987 was a challenging year for us. And by the end, we ended up wanting to lay low to just settle down for some time. I trust my brother about his decisions and more importantly, his judgement on himself and others. I think…it’s okay to let yourself confront things whether they are battles or arguments or just, people. And it’s okay to confront them on your own terms without outside judgement. My brother and the rest of our family needed time to get to do that and for all its worth, I don’t regret that decision to step away. Coming back to the public has been interesting. We face this new decade with new people and looking into it with fresh eyes. For me, I’m looking forward to all of that.Were the years in-between also as challenging for you?
Not necessarily for me but other members of my family. It takes a lot of time to rebuild things, you know. 1988 was just as turbulent of a year; there was a period in time where we, uh, had to fly to a certain country repeatedly to sort stuff out. But hey, [laughs] it’s always weird when the family has to fly in.**Is there anything you’re specifically looking forward to this decade? **
Walking down aisles. Maybe. If I remember to know how to keep a good thing when I have it.

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**THE NEW KID **
BY ILLUSTRAICE  PHOTOGRAPHY BY EIENWhen you first see Jack-Jack Parr, the first thing you see won’t be Jack-Jack Parr. It’ll likely be long tufts of faux fur. Jack-Jack, after all, is not wholly, humanly complete without his signature coat. Which, appropriately, was gifted to him by long-time mentor, Edna Mode. Four years after his parents’ retirement, Jack- Jack is the new kid on the block; if the new kid had older siblings who were also previously the new kid(s) on the block and now the block is really, very curious indeed.Violet Parr, ever the polished elder sister, only continues to win the heart (and possibly every other human vessel) of the American public; something that begs the question of whether she will ever occupy White House walls. A survey last summer eagerly revealed that at least 82% of American citizens would vote for her mythological presidential ambitions if they ever arise.Big brother Dash Parr charms his way through anything; pass the hijinks and paparazzi escapades, Dash’s face has been plastered on more than enough newspaper headlines of whatever world- ending threat he’s managed to defeat. Last Sunday, I heard there were aliens and sources say he punched one. It only makes sense the same survey revealed that a good 74% would vote for him too.It’s a tough act to follow. The American Icon and the Anti-American-But-Also-American Icon. It’s certainly something to know your older siblings could play President if they just so much as dip their pinkies into the pond.I don’t sit down with Jack-Jack as much as I crouch next to him, both of us orbiting around a single omnipotent bowl of marshmallows, graham crackers and Hersheys. We are situated in the geometric habitat that is Edna Mode’s home; Jack-Jack’s second childhood home where he has amassed enough visiting hours to have created his own ‘corner’.He laughs heartily to my statistical report of the survey before pointing at a framed photo of his older brother nearby. A young, fresh-faced Dash Parr stares mournfully at a visibly burnt pancake in a pan—it’s important to note that the pancake in question was not ‘endearingly’ burnt and instead looked really rather inedible.“You think he’s going to be President?” Jack- Jack asks, eyebrows raised.Point taken, Jack-Jack. So, I ask about Violet. “Well, that’s a very different situation” he muses, though he leaves it at that. By this point, I begin to wonder if those ambitions really are mythological.Jack-Jack smiles. It’s very toothpaste commercial like.“You know, I know who my siblings are. I know what it means to be standing by their side. I get people wanting to know what exactly I’ve got to offer when Violet is Violet and Dash is Dash.”He pauses to chew on a marshmallow, as if ruminating on its flavour. He picks up another, arranges it between two graham crackers and a Hershey, before finally saying; “And I’m me.”As if to bind his statement to the proverbial soul, a short but vehement blaze of flame alights grace- fully from his fingertips, toasting the marshmallow. In seconds, Jack-Jack hands me a s’more.In between bites of the graham cracker concoction, I ask about what he envisions in the years to come now that he is ‘officially’ public. Officiality is quite distinctive in Jack-Jack’s case. Rumours of his private involvement in super missions with his siblings have been around for years since the 70’s.“I’m not planning anything crazy, really,” he answers between his own mouthful of a s’more, “I plan to continue studying my double degree in fashion and engineering. It’s a privilege that ever since the 60’s re-emergence, we are able to really balance out being a super with a normal lifestyle.”And what does a normal lifestyle entail for one Jack-Jack Parr?
“Just having fun while I can,” he grins, “Auntie Edna has started to really challenge the way I ap- proach design with the functions of my own pow- ers. Her assignments are only going to get harder and harder, but I love it.”Having a semi-normal college life is evidently important to Jack-Jack, who says he doesn’t mind bumping into all the cliches.“What’s to say I don’t fall in love with some random person on the street after lectures or something?” he laughs, “I really don’t want to miss out on the experience of finding someone, but I think it’s obviously hard to maintain that with being a super.”Though I initially believed I already knew the answer, I asked why.“My siblings think I’m a big romantic,” he confesses, chuckling “God, they’re right. I would stupidly want to marry the very first person I fall in love with in my 20’s.”

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Violet & Estelle: RETIREMENT RULES
By illustraice     Photography by Adam Banks    Styling by Jo NguyenOn the 11th of December last year, American super icon, Violet Parr, sent shockwaves globally by announcing her retirement through a TIME statement, simultaneously criticising the Klinton administraton and revealing her marriage to Estelle Best. Protecting the public since the 1960’s, she’s been the face of the Parrs since her parents’ own retirement. Violet and Estelle’s legacy is longstanding; a testimony to education, bravery, free love and upholding courage when you feel invisible.Violet, you just recently announced your retirement a month ago, much to the shock of the American public. How are you feeling?Oh, I feel just fine [laughs]. I was a little apprehensive about the announcement at first, but my wife and I are finally at ease. My brothers are positively preening with the idea that I don’t worry the hell out of them anymore. I have some time to really inspect the flowers in my garden now. I think it’ll be some time before I fight anything of relative the- world-is-ending danger.Speaking of your wife, hello Estelle! How are you?
I’m very good, thank you! Yes, it feels good to take some time for ourselves. Supers of this decade are beyond amazing. A lot of them have been actually arguing with Violet about this retirement now [laughs].This decade has been very definitive for what is called ‘The New Age’ for supers, a term that your father, Frozone, coined back in the ’78, when he retired. How do you feel about the new development in communication technology that your father created in conjunction for supers of this age?Estelle: My dad always encouraged supers to continue to evolve ever since the re- emergence in the 60’s. When he started Apricot to advance modern technology to combat online networks that existed within criminal circles, I knew he was just getting started. It’s amazing what Apricot has grown into. But if I’m going to be honest…[laughs] I’m a little sad he didn’t take up my suggestion for the company name.Which was?
Apple.You two have kept your marriage under wraps since 1989 as well as the rest of the Parr family. How does it feel to finally tell the public?Violet: It’s always been like this with us. The public, I mean. Like I mentioned, my family and I have been adamant about keeping official relationships to protect each other’s privacy. As expected, we were nervous. God, we were..
Estelle: So damn nervous. Violet: But we’re happy. Really.This decade has been certainly eventful for you. Any highlights?
Estelle: Oh my gosh. What do we choose…
Violet: What about Jack Jack’s-
Estelle: Oh yes. Yes.
Violet: My brother’s wedding last year. It was beyond hysterical. We all cried. Dash cried for 2 hours straight. The priest couldn’t go on without pausing every two minutes because we were bawling our eyes out. Just…knowing the journey those two had together was probably what set us all off. It was probably the best wedding. Even better than mine and Estelle’s. Dash would say the same about his wedding. Very extravagant too…I mean, of course, it’s those two so I didn’t expect anything less. But seriously, it’s a little surreal to see your baby brother finally walk down the aisle.That sounds amazing. How about your favourite items from this decade?
Estelle: This is cheating since it’s not exactly from this decade but since we can finally tell you about it in this decade, I’ll answer my wedding ring. Violet: Yes, my wedding ring too. I think my runner-up would be my invite to Jack’s Jack’s wedding. I cried so much opening it. I hear you always cry when you’re old though [laughs].How do you two feel about the young supers of this age and what would your advice to them be?
Violet: I’m going to sound even older than ever, but I remember so much when I was young and finally going public. So much of my teen years as both a young girl and a super were defined by a lot of insecurity and struggle with confidence. Young supers may see us today and believe we never felt the way they do now but God, did we feel all of it. Being young and being a super is a tall order but I think you should always accept who you are. There’s always— always—going to be someone out there ready to criticize you but in the end, you’re just a kid. It’s okay to still just be a kid. And trust me, kid, you don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders protecting America. Trust me, Dash still always around for that. I don’t think I wanna know when he retires [laughs].Estelle: I second all of that. Yeah. Dash…cannot physically retire even if he wanted to. He’s still always down to save the Earth. Poor Adam. [laughs].You’ve also seen the progression of new trends over the years. Anything that catches your eye or ears lately?Violet: Oh my god. Dash will not stop playing The Spice Girls and I do not blame him. Ever since ‘Wannabe’ came out, we have been obsessed. Also. Whitney. But that’s been an obsession for ages for all of us.

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LAST PIECE
by Violet ParrFirst, don't fret. As the years go by, each new generation of supers will surpass me. It is only best to accept this with as much grace as possible.Secondly, I have been thinking of retiring for far too long of a time. America, I am honoured you have once picked me as your icon. Soon, you will find another. They rise in time.As you may have heard, on the 7th of December, congressional members of this country's presidential administration were identified in an audio leak involving their derogatory language towards a female African-American staff member and an Asian man.Supers of this age, within my own family and our friends, will not forgive this. I have served this country to protect it for more than thirty years since the ripe age of fourteen. In these years, I have found that justice won't be just found in the thunderous moments of battle but in the deathly silence of courts and convictions.
Heavy is my heart to serve a country whose White House does not serve my loved ones. I will see to it that there will be justice.I understand my family have not been very open to the public for many years about our official relations with our loved ones. In the wake of my retirement, we want to change that. Along the last page of this issue is a family tree my brother has masterfully illustrated; we hope this is enough and that you continue to respect our privacy.Perhaps afterwards, I shall find a book to read amongst the many I tuck away for a rainy day and enjoy some time in peace with my wife. Then will I know what to do next.My brothers are adamant I go on with this plan. And though they are usually wrong, in rare cases like this, they must be right.Onwards you go,
V.

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