Deadline (Marvel Comics)

A reporter at the Bugle named Katherine Farrell covering "Capes"as she comes to call all superpowers individuals hates interviewing super-heroes and wants to move to covering the crime dept. Betty Brant, another worker at the daily bugle, tips her off about a position opening up. She has one week to show them she can land a big story. She investigates a man referred to as Judge "No Hart", a suspect in the murdering of several costumed criminals and his own wife. Her investigation shows that Michael Hart was a former defense attorney specializing in capes and was good in acquitting capes. Later, he was appointed judge and during his tenure, he became known for convicting capes. Later, in his home, his wife was found dead and Michael Hart cannot be found. During the investigation Farrell follows a villain trying to get some type of lead for her case. Unfortunately, in an alley, the villain had noticed her and was waiting for her, before any serious harm was done, the Judge appeared and sucked the life out of the assailant, saving Farrell.

While still attempting to crack the story of who killed judge Michael Hart's wife and turned him into a super-villain serial killer, Kat Farrell travels to Doctor Pow's "Hospital" in Chinatown. Doctor Pow treats super-criminals. After all her other leads give out, Farrell goes to the Bar with No Name, a bar for super-villains trying to get any resemblance to a lead she can muster up. Farrell is later approached by Hart and tells her what he remembers of the night of his wife's murder and directs her to the Tinkerer for the rest of the answers. The Tinkerer claims that he found a nearly lifeless Hart about three months previously and took him back to his lab to try and save his life. He was successful, but claims that he is not responsible for what can back with the judge. He claims that he wants Farrell to tell the world Michael Hart's story and to tell everyone that he is still seeking justice. Farrell later recounts the entire conversation to her friend and mentor Betty Brant, believing that the Tinkerer is using Hart to find and kill the super-criminal murderer of his son, Rick Mason. While walking home, Farrell realizes that she is being followed by Tombstone and runs into St. Xavier's Church to avoid him. He finds her, however, and relays a message from his employer, the Kingpin, to leave Hart's case alone before something unfortunate happens to her. After Tombstone leaves, Hart again appears before Farrell and asks her to go with him.