
Ed Johnson Presents: HOW THE MIGHTY... (A series of interviews with former heroes, villains & sidekicks that once ruled the skies.)
INTERVIEW SIX: ZIP
Welcome back.
First, let me apologize for how long it’s been since my last interview. It’s been a little while.
As my loyal readers know, the last interview renewed my vigor to continue writing and seeking out heroes their sidekicks and the villains they fought.
I knew that this was my purpose and all things made sense...
That is until I discovered I didn't have to look as high and as far as I had been to find them.
Recently, a friend of nearly thirty years for lack of a better term "came out" to me to being an actual superhero. One I was familiar with and had actually been saved by a couple of times.
Suffice to say - I was a blown away.
My childhood friend, Conrad Landay had admitted to being "Zip" the teen speedster that patrolled New York in the early eighties to mid nineties.
Mostly a solo hero – Zip had short stints on the Saviors and the Life-teers but by the mid-nineties Zip had become all but a old wives tale, never again appearing in costume.
Conrad and I had lost touch around then too, due to life. When he contacted me and we reconnected he soon after approached me about my interviews and told me he thought he knew someone that might “fit”…him…I was blown away.
Readers…Zip!
How The Mighty…(HTM): Hey.
Conrad (Zip): Hey.
HTM: ...
ZIP: You pissed at me man?
HTM: No...Yeah!
ZIP: Heh! Why?
HTM: I'm not sure.
I feel - betrayed.
Why'd you - how could you lie to me all this time!?!
ZIP: E, I was protecting you.
HTM: Yeah, I know. That's where confusion comes from.
Let's - let's try again.
ZIP: Ok
HTM: Readers...Zip
Hey.
ZIP: Hey.
HTM: How long did you lie to your best friend?
BOTH: Hahahahahaha!
ZIP: Look, when I was young - you remember how skinny I was?
HTM: Yeah -
ZIP: Yeah, so my mom, being MY mom agreed with a doctor to use steroids on me - to make me "normal"
HTM: What!?!
ZIP: No lie. She thought I was reading too many comics, hanging out with you too much and not trying to pick up enough girls -
HTM: So she made you a lab rat.
ZIP: So she made me a lab rat.
And remember that month I got real sick and couldn’t come out?
HTM: Yeah?
ZIP: My reaction was really bad. Really bad.
I eventually got better but never got any bigger - my appetite was huge though!
HTM: That's when you started always shaking your leg!
ZIP: Yeah!
HTM: You could never sit still!
ZIP: Yes! Soon after I started noticing I would get those shakes all over.
One night I felt like I needed to get out. I started running, the next thing I know I'm in Maryland!
HTM: You're shitting me!
ZIP: What man? - you've been interviewing people like me for months now. Why is this so crazy!?!
HTM: I don't know. Close to home.
ZIP: I know…
That weekend we all went to Fort Totten - when I hurt me foot!
HTM: Yeah, you couldn't do shit that weekend!
ZIP: Right, but I went anyway. Stayed in the dorm mostly.
The "Dragon Lady" had found out about my identity and said she was gonna kill all of you. I spent that weekend stopping assassins.
HTM: Whoa!
ZIP: That's when I knew I couldn't tell anybody man. Believe me I wanted to. We told each other everything. Sometimes I thought I would lose it and I couldn't talk to my boy...
HTM: Damn...(Then it hit me) why now?
ZIP:...Cause I - I'm going away.
The weight in his voice told me the answer to my next question - but I asked it anyway.
HTM: How long?
ZIP: Your interview with Tread (interview #3) reminded me of the portal.
I had gotten lazy. Became a family man - didn't check it in a long while.
It’s much bigger now. And something’s coming Ed. Something terrible.
A few of us that are left are gonna try and stop it before...
…I don't think I'll be coming back.
My ex wife doesn't like it but understands.
You know, what's the point of being a good dad if there's no planet to do it on?
I felt anxiety build in my chest and then imagined his.
ZIP: I wanted you to know – everything - before I left.
Never meant to keep it from you dude.
…Love you man.
HTM: …I love you too man.
It’s been six weeks since I last heard from Con – Zip (whatever).
I wondered how things were going.
I guess we’ll all know soon enough.
























