Places: The BPD Travel Guide Pt 1

Visit Beautiful Tranquility!

TRANQUILITY, CA - It may look like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting, but Tranquility has the distinction of being the place where superfolk go to retire. The streets are bustling and local businesses do well, including the Chick'N Go eatery run by Suzy Fury (aka Pink Bunny).

Sheriff Thomasina Lindo says, "We have a nice little town here and are real welcoming to tourists. We don't want gawkers or lookee-loos or paparazzi, mind, but anyone who'd like a bit of history amid the small-town good cheer... well, you can't do better than Tranquility!"

Despite a sharp spike in index crimes (with the murder of crimefighter Mr. Articulate), there is not much local evildoing. A local Goth band known as the, ahem, Liberty Snots may seem intimidating but Sheriff Lindo assures this travel writer that they are hardly ever real trouble... mostly.

"They're just kids being kids," she says. "Superpowered kids being kids. You know, doody happens." (Her upbeat tone may have been a trifle forced.) "Of course, we did have a little dust-up or two... or three... when five new kids came to town. And we had folks from StormWatch pay a visit recently, following up on a murder... but stuff like that almost never happens here, honest!"

Tranquility is now home to the world-famous Liberty Squad, the superpowered team of "maxis" who struggled against fascist aggression in World War II. Surviving members include Judge Fury (now Mayor of Tranquility), Col. Cragg and his sidekick Bad Dog, Maximum Man, and Pink Bunny. These veteran heroes are in surprising vigor and good health, despite their average age now trending upwards of 80. "I guess we're just living right," Suzy Fury said with a saucy wink.

Where else can one find former child aviatrix Minxy Minerva crashing solid gold planes on Main Street, or undead undertaker Zombie Zeke screeching bad poetry at all who pass his Gate to the Underworld cemetery? Where else can you witness a chess match between Maximum Man and Henry Hate? Nowhere else, that's where.

And if you happen to be in town at the right time, you can even see a three-way slugfest between a pack of runaway Gen-Actives, the Liberty Snots and the Authoriteens--teenaged counterparts of the infamous Authority.

The WildStorm Travel Agency's Gail Simone gives Tranquility a four-star rating. "I've been in the tourism business for awhile now," Ms. Simone says, "and I can say Tranquility is one of the most interesting places I've ever been. Not that I don't love the excitement of a place like Gotham City but this small town has an awful lot going on."

BPD is proud to endorse Tranquility as our DESTINATION OF THE WEEK! Visit soon-- and send us comments about your trip! We'd love to hear what you have to say!

Coming up in PLACES-- beautiful Zenn-La! You will love it there... or else!