Paradise City

**Paradise City** is a large city in the state of California that serves as the setting for the Hypermen series.

Founded in 1850, it's home to many heroes such as Paladin, as well as the main base for the Hypermen.

## History

### The Gold Rush and American Civil War

Paradise City started as a small mining settlement called El Paradiso in 1850 after a group of prospectors led by Juán Alberto Querubín found gold on the Owen River. They built El Paradiso around a small church in the region that would one day be the Elderville district. It quickly grew beyond the small village it once was after Hector Wertham III built a railroad in 1858.

This railroad, however, brought a problem when it expanded into Indian territory, triggering a conflict between the white settlers and the Costanoan natives. The war between the two factions shed innocent blood for three years, becoming one of Paradise's darkest periods. Although the settlers and mercenaries hired by Wertham had superior numbers and advanced weapons, it was the natives that ended up as victors and convinced the white population to leave the Costanoan territory alone. Reports that they had the help of mystical forces, including a certain plantlike nature spirit, were dismissed as mere rumors and urban legends.

When the Civil War started, in 1861, El Paradiso (now known as Paradise City) became an ally of the Union, sending gold and soldiers to aid the war effort and building a military base, Fort Wolffe, to serve as a local headquarters. Many Paradiseans fought against the Confederates, including Colonel Phillip Washington, who gave his life to protect his men from Confederate forces; but Southern sympathizers also existed in the city, silently helping the secessionists by counterfeiting supplies.

Although proper superheroes would only appear in the early 20th century, it was only fifteen years after its foundation, in 1865, that Paradise City would meet its first masked crimefighter: Irish immigrant and Civil War veteran Jebediah McConnors became the lone gunslinger known as Blackwatch, fighting outlaws while wearing a domino mask and a black hat. The hero faced his demise in 1868, when an explosion in an abandoned mine killed him and outlaw leader Jonathan "Diamond Joe" Wyatt.

## Places of Interest

No matter if you're a tourist or a local, Paradise City has many places worth a visit. From its cultural attractions to its landscapes, here's a list of places everyone in the City of Heavens should see.

### Tourism

#### Washington Bridge

Built in the turn of the 19th century in honor of Civil War hero Phillip Washington, this bridge across the Owen River receives lots of traffic daily.

#### The Archangel Statue

Designed by French sculptor Pierre D'Angél in 1901, this gigantic statue of an archangel right in front of the City Hall is the city's most famous landmark. Just like the biblical Michael guards the gates of paradise, Paradise City has the majestic sculpture watching over its citizens.

#### Pandora Park

A great place to visit with your family, make a picnic among the trees, practice sports, fish on the Pandora Lake or just relax and enjoy nature.

#### Silver Shore

With silvery sand and a refreshing ocean, the most beautiful beach in the Paradise City shoreline is a hot spot for anyone looking to have fun during Summer. Don't miss the Great Paradise City Surf-Off every July!

#### San Morales Pier

This pier located in Weisinger Bay is perfect for all of those who want to have some fun with the family. There are stores, events and a huge ferris wheel right near the sea.

### Shopping

#### Paradise Mall

With 150 stores, 20 restaurants, and 2 movie theatres, Paradise Mall is the jewel of the City Center. Lots of teenagers hang out there to chat, shop, eat or simply go window shopping.

#### Jordan & Scott

More than a jewel shop, Jordan & Scott is a place of luxury and taste. The wealthy ladies of Paradise City love to showcase the beautiful products only J&S can produce, including a worldwide renowned set of diamond jewelry.

### Business

#### Eisner Tower

The highest building in Paradise City, this elegant art deco skyscraper is home to many offices and stores.

#### Grandioso Corporation and Grandioso Industries

With its office located in Euterpe Street 53, City Center, the Grandioso Corporation is specialized in technology. Founded by Roger Grandioso in 1923 as a small radio factory, it has since evolved into a major technological empire that rivals giants like Microsoft and Apple. It's history, however, has a not so stellar side: Roger's son, Apollo, is also the supervillain known as Minstrel.

#### Wertham Conglomerates

This upercorporation deals with anything from h tock market to biotechnology. Its owners, the Wertham family, are extremely influential in Paradise's social and political life and are famous for both their wealth and being vocally against superheroism.

#### The Paradise Post

This newspaper has been published since the 18th century. Now it continues to offer quality, fair and unbiased news of the city and the world.

### Food, Entertainment and Culture

#### The Cheshire Cat Club

This club has been the hottest point of Paradise City's night scene for almost a century. Originally one of Lucifer Vincenzo's speakeasies during Prohibition days, it has cleaned up in the 40's and became a club for the Paradisean high class. Now modified to attend the general public, it's a hot spot for young people of all social groups who wanna drink cocktails and dance to the latest rock n' roll hits.

#### The Jameson Museum of Natural History

With ehxibits from all over the world, this museum, founded in the 40's by historian and adventurer Alan "Alabama James" Jameson, includes a replica of the Archangel Statue and an original Tyranosaurus Rex fossil.

#### Cine Havilland

A beautiful movie palace built in the 40's and named after actress Olivia DeHavilland. Extravagantly decorated, it's a hot spot for Hollywood productions and Broadway plays. It also holds the annual Paradise Film Festival.

#### Chunky's

This burger joint is popular with teens and young adults since its foundation in 1952. No visit to Chunky's is complete without tasting the Super Chunky Burger, a massive sandwich that includes five patties, egg, bacon, salad, ham, onions, grated cheese, hot peppers, pickles and the exclusive, mysterious Chunky Sauce.

### Super Community Locations

#### The Hyperdome

The official base of the Hypermen. It has a modern lab, cozy quarters, a prison with a superpower suppressing system, a holographic training room and the most advanced computer on Earth.

### The Lighthouse

A former base of the Hypermen in the 1940's, built under an old lighthouse in Silver Beach. It has been modified into a shrine to the fallen heroes of the team's first generation.

#### The Secret Base Club

A place where benevolent superbeings of all kinds can hang out and socialize between one bank robbery stopping and the other. The club has a bar, dance floor, pools and tracking fields for aquatic heroes and speedsters, a simple library and much more. It's located in a pocket dimension and accessible through a small door in Paradise City only superheroes know the location of.

#### The One Species Foundation

A non-governmental organization that seeks to bring equality between humans and other sentient species, including mutants, metahumans, androids, constructs, and aliens. The organization offers multiple services to the supernatural community, including integration programs for extraterrestrials, superpower training courses, and anti-speciesm activism.

#### Fort Wolffe

In the outskirts of the city, the former military base is now a prison designed by A.L.I.A.S. to contain criminal aliens and metahumans.