The city watch were bewildered.

Despite his rounded frame and lopsided wobbling gait, notorious mad scientist and serial loiterer Doctor Delriri had been reported by eyewitnesses fleeing from his recent run in with the law through the medium of flight. Soaring through the air on trails of flame, his aerial maneuvers every bit as erratic and confusing as his lolloping strides when terrestrial. Explosive bolts from a wrist-mounted crossbow served as a deterrent to his pursuers, and onlookers were further shocked when out of his backpack emerged two flexible armlike attachments, which moved to shield the doctor from returning fire.

He left behind utter chaos in his wake; as had become expected whenever the octopus emerged from his secret lair to test out his newest invention or acquire more test subjects for his serums. The cephalopoid menace waiting until the cover of nightfall to go out and steal specimens, instant noodle packets, expensive pharmecuticals- or whatever else his insane research demanded.

The city council had tried everything they knew how to do. They"d tried doing nothing about the problem, and it hadn"t worked. So several strongly worded letters had been written to the Doctor in an attempt to resolve the recurring issue of his rambunctious raids. But alas, because the address of his hidden lab was not public knowledge, they could not easily be delivered. This stumped the elected officials. Until one of them, demonstrating exceptional critical thinking skills, proposed sending deliverymen out to intercept the Doctor the next time he showed his betentacled face in town.

Regrettably, Doctor Delriri abducted the deliverymen and unleashed them back upon the city council as mutated mind-controlled dinosaur minions. In hindsight, he"d done the same thing with every private investigator, court official and insurance salesman who ever crossed his path. So it should have come as no surprise.

Growing desperate, and with police appearing utterly helpless to stop the deranged mutant menace, the city reached out in search of a hero. A superhuman (or superanimal) supreme force of good that might be able to come to their city and rid them of the dastardly Doctor once and for all. Their desperate plea appeared as a "HELP WANTED!" ad in the local newspaper the next day. A final hope for salvation... would their prayers indeed be answered and their beautiful city be restored to its state pre-calamari cataclysm? Could a new hero rise and become champion of the people?

*****

Is it a balloon? Perhaps a helicopter? Nay, it is hostile calamari!

More wonderful art courtesy of the amazing cbh