Excerpt from Jackson Turner's Last PT Article

Seems appropriate... the last thing I (Gilgamesh) wrote for CoH back in 2006:

"I have often marveled at the singular vision that Paragon City represents. Over 70 years ago, one man saw the incredible potential at the heart of a city awash with political and social injustice. Selflessly, this first super-powered hero vowed to set things right—no matter the hardship or sacrifice. That hero, of course, was Marcus Cole. Statesman. His arrival and the subsequent rise of the super-powered hero was a turning point not only for Paragon City, but for the entire world.

How different the world would be without Statesman and these early heroes. What of history down a hero-less path? It’s not a pleasant image. Paragon City would in all likelihood be a backwater port city, rife with corruption and oppression. The world would be that much darker. The desperate cries of the suffering, the weak, the fearful, would be that much louder.

As disturbing as this scenario is, it’s not that far-fetched. Evil is a force very much alive and striving for emergence. If the enemies of Paragon City had their way, such a world might well be the result.

In my time as a journalist covering Paragon City, I have been privileged to witness history in the making time and time again. From those dark days of the Rikti War to the present, I have reported on a multitude of events, both mundane and extraordinary—with the extraordinary far surpassing the mundane. I have met many heroes and have always been inspired and amazed by their dedication and courage. They have stood firm in the face of lawlessness and the ever-present threat of otherworldly terrors. Whether as members of a Super Group, or as solo performers, they have all exemplified the ideals and virtues of history’s greatest heroes. Recent events, however, have served as a sobering reminder: there is the tendency to forget that behind the flashy costume and amazing powers beats an all too human heart....

Paragon City is once again at a crossroads. The threats against the city have grown exponentially from within and without. That we are the rallying flag for the world’s heroes goes without question—but increasingly, we have also become the same for those bent on death and destruction. It is evident that the heroic mission has grown in complexity, as has the nature of our enemies. And yet our city’s heroic legacy remains very much alive—that of unswerving dedication to justice and an absolute belief in good over evil."

-Jackson Turner, September 24, 2005

I miss Jackson Turner.

I also apologize for thinking it was Arctic Sun that wrote those articles. For some reason, Gil, you and Arctic Sun had a way of blurring together in my memory. No excuse for that other than middle age. :-p