New York City

New York City is the largest city by population, in the United States. Located at the southern tip of the State of New York, the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban area. It is an international center for politics, finance, theater, music, fashion, and culture. New York City is a global city that houses the United Nations. The city is home to many landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Flatiron Building, Chrysler Building, and Saint Patrick's Cathedral. Another world famous landmark, the World Trade Center, also known as the Twin Towers, adorned the skyline until the September 11th terrorist attacks.

History
In the 1600s, what later became called New York was originally settled by Dutch immigrants. These immigrants were greeted by time traveler Wolf Turber a robot from the future of who sought to conquer the Earth. He attempted to subvert the Dutch immigrants in 1649 to his cause, but they saw through his duplicity and chased him away. Wolf then traveled forward to the distant future. Turber, however had previously attempted to conquer the Earth in the year 1780. There he tried to betray the American army to the British during the final years of the Revolutionary War. Here too Turber's duplicity was exposed forcing him to travel back to the year 1600.

The years leading up to the outbreak of World War II saw the dawn of the first "Age of Heroes" that lasted throughout the course of the War. At the time, Frontier gunslinger and time traveller Matthew Liebowicz, formally known as the Two-Gun Kid was placed in this era by the heroes of the Modern Age when Liebowicz grew too old for costumed adventuring. By 1938 he was placed in a hospice under the care of renown doctor Thomas Halloway. Prior to his death, Liebowicz foretold the coming of the Age of Heroes to Halloway who dismissed it to the delusions of a sick old man. Following Liebowicz's death, his pistols and mask were given to Halloway with a note advising Thomas that he would play a role in things to come.

By late 1939, New York City was the birthplace of the age of heroes when Professor Phineas Horton unveiled his newest invention, the android dubbed the Human Torch. When the Torch accidentally escaped his confinement and unintentionally rampaged through the city causing fire and destruction, the city was in a state of panic. The Torch was later manipulated by a criminal named Anthony Sardo for his arson schemes, but the Torch eventually gained control of his powers and slew Sardo and eventually became a hero. During the Torch's initial "rampage" through the city, Thomas Halloway came to the aid of citizens fleeing the fires and this inspired him to become a costumed hero himself, dubbing himself the Angel.

Threats to the city were of the typical criminal element, the most notorious being the Six Big Men, a crime cartel that was wiped out by the Angel.

The biggest threat to New York City at the time came from the Atlantean prince the Sub-Mariner who chose New York City for the staging ground for his lone invasion of the surface world for its transgressions against his people in Atlantis, leading to a clash with the NYPD. Namor's first attack caused chaos across the city, notably through Central Park, Fifth Avenue, East River and Dell View Hospital.

By 1940 a number of costumed heroes appeared on the scene in New York, notably Fiery Mask, Monako the Magician, Phantom Bullet, Mr. E, Laughing Mask (who later briefly operated as Purple Mask), private detective the Ferret, Professor Philo Zog and his robot Electro, the detectives known as the Three Xs, the intelligent Mastermind Excello, Phantom Reporter, and the Black Widow. Costumed and super-powered criminals active during this period included the so-called Zombie Master (stopped by Fiery Mask, although this story may have been entirely fictitious), black arts practitioner Mr. Muro (Stopped by Monako), a cult led by the sadistic Sacred One (stopped by the Angel), the Vampire (stopped by Mr. E), the Green Terror (stopped by the 3Xs), among others.

The city also became a target for Nazi spies, many of whom were active throughout the city. The Sub-Mariner returned briefly to wreak havoc as well, but was convinced by police woman Betty Dean to focus his aggression on the Nazis instead. Mastermind Excello also stopped a Nazi attempt to sabotage a number of US "super-power plants", one of which was located just outside the city.