Once a captain of industry, an icon to comic book fans, and a pioneer of storytelling and wonder, Hanley Leeroy was now a frail old man - at the mercy of those who exploited his age and legacy. Once, he was a young dreamer in the Bronx, struggling to feed his family by writing risqu� Tijuana bibles. But his big break came during World War II, when he created Admiral American - whose debut issue showed him punching Hitler square in the jaw. It was an instant hit.

From there, Hanley soared. The growing world of comic books welcomed his ideas with open arms, and Admirable Comics, the company he helped build, became a billion-dollar empire. When his characters leapt from page to screen, Hanley became a billionaire many times over.

But with fortune came vultures.

For years, he and his beloved wife Edith fended off lawsuits, scammers, and opportunists. But after her death, the walls began to crumble. His greedy niece, Kaya Leeroy, manipulated her way into power of attorney and began bleeding him dry. She replaced his longtime bodyguard with an ex-con who did her bidding, kept Hanley confined to his lavish prison of a mansion, and made sure he signed away whatever wealth he had left.

Kaya even hired a seductive nurse to coax Hanley's signature onto checks and contracts. Dragged from one convention to another like a performing monkey, Hanley was forced to sign autographs until his fingers ached - while fans cheered, unaware of the cruelty behind the scenes. Any protest earned him a slap from his "bodyguard" or a venomous guilt trip from Kaya.

His son, Hanley Jr., tried to help, but with limited resources and little legal power, he could do little but watch his father suffer.

Eventually, the inevitable came. Hanley Leeroy died - not just from old age, but from the sheer stress of his abuse.

After his passing, Kaya and her cronies gathered in the mansion to claim the fortune she believed was hers. Champagne in hand, she sneered through the reading of the will - until the lawyer made an announcement.

"I will now play the last will and testament of Hanley Leeroy, left in video form," the lawyer said, revealing an audio-visual file that stunned the room. Kaya hadn't known this existed. She bristled with confusion.

Hanley's voice echoed from the speakers:

"If you're seeing this, it means I'm gone. My estate will be dispersed to those who truly cared for me."

Kaya leaned forward eagerly - greed dancing in her eyes.

"To my niece Kaya?" Hanley said, pausing with a wry smile, "I leave nothing. Everything goes to my son and partner in crime, Hanley Jr."

Kaya gasped and hurled her champagne bottle against the wall. The guests froze as Hanley's voice continued:

"You're probably wondering why you're getting nothing. The truth is obvious: you're a backstabbing bitch from hell who tried to rob me of everything I built. You abused me, manipulated me, and turned my final years into hell. So you'll get what you deserve."

Kaya screamed, veins bulging in her neck. "You senile old bastard! I'll sue your son into the grave!"

Hanley's voice calmly went on:

"And Kaya, if you think I left you nothing, check the box the lawyer brought. It's just for you and your little goons."

Eyes wild with curiosity, Kaya tore the lid off the mysterious box.

Inside: C4.

The explosion rocked the mansion - vaporizing Kaya and her cronies in a blaze of poetic justice.

Miles away, from a quiet hilltop, Hanley Jr. stood beside none other than Hanley Leeroy himself, alive and well. The world had believed he'd died - but this was his final issue, his magnum opus.

As the fireball lit the sky, Hanley grinned and said:

"Excelsior."