Just a quick one.
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Cockroach is a petty and spiteful man filled with hatred. But the sad truth is, he wasn’t always like this.
Years of cruelty and mockery have sent the formerly quiet Bernard Wilson over the edge.The laughter and insults of his peers, who made fun of his short stature and “ugly” appearance made the hatred fester in his heart but he remained resolute that one day things would get better for him. That day never came. Instead, things got far worse.
Like many others across the world, Bernard began developing insect like abilities. But unlike those who gained elegant gossamer wings and incredible strength, Bernard grew ragged and torn wings and his features seemed to deform even more. He became a monster. Some people screamed and ran from him. But still some simply laughed…Bernard wasn’t sure which hurt more.
It hurt Bernard to see the “beautiful bugs” like Vespa and Dragonfly parading around in public as beloved heroes while he remained little more than comedy material for others. His hatred for his insect brethren grew but it was a single mocking comment from a complete stranger that he looked like a Cockroach that finally pushed Bernard over the edge and gave him the motivation to finally try and change his life. He took the name Cockroach and ran with it. He fashioned himself a crude costume and declared himself “Cockroach, the Vermin King”. He wouldn’t take the mockery anymore. He would use his powers to hurt those who hurt him. And he had been hurt a lot.
The ever increasing population of insectoid humans, led by the Ant Queen, tried to welcome Cockroach into their ranks (in the hopes of preventing from him from becoming something terrible) but even the seemingly accepting ones still looked at him with little more than pity in their eyes. This only enraged Cockroach even more and he declared them all his enemies.
So far Cockroach has utterly failed to live up to his self appointed title of “Vermin King” and even the groups of vagrants and dull witted street thugs he has managed to bring into his employ eventually grow to hate the paranoid little roach. He has become so completely embittered and beaten down by society that he seems almost incapable of any emotion other than hatred and self-pity.
Cockroach continues to play at being a super villain but few people actually take him seriously and his plans are usually quickly foiled. But recently some people have begun to take the little king somewhat more seriously. Mostly because the true extent of his powers have come to light.
It would seem the name Cockroach was even more appropriate than even Bernard realized. In the past, Cockroach has been shot, stabbed and even caught in an explosion. He has survived through all of it. It was after surviving said explosion that Cockroach declared rather menacingly;
“Through all the hardship and misery, all the blood and tears, Cockroach will survive….And I will outlive you all….I guarantee it…”
