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As the S.S. Scroggy carried its shipment across the open sea, sixty miles from the city of San Diego, California, its sonar began detecting a massive form approaching from underwater, moving at incredible speed directly towards them. What emerged from the depths shocked the ship's captain and crew: It was the size changing protector Hero Zero, whose teenage identity, David McRae, was enjoying seeing the ocean for the first time. His immature behavior was much to his alien mentor Zero's chagrin, and he chastised David for it, particularly when he emulated sticking his tongue out at the ship's crew. Realizing how late in the morning it was getting and that he needed to get back to the hotel he was staying at before his absence was noticed, he zoomed back towards San Diego at full speed, disturbing what appeared to be a coral reef. Unfortunately, the reef's true identity was far more than anything David ever suspected.
Later that day, David made his way to the San Diego Comic Con, along with his father and his best friend Billy. David was overtaken with the size of the convention before hearing an announcement concerning artist Arthur Adams, who he greatly wanted to get the autograph of. After making his way through the long line of convention goers, David was contacted by Zero, who said that he was needed urgently. Just as David began to bemoan this sudden call to action just as he was about to reach Adams' table, the convention announced that the city was under attack by Godzilla. Though at first people seemed to think it was a joke, the convention center began to shake as the monster made his presence known. Realizing the threat was serious, David immediately transformed into Hero Zero and zeroed in on Godzilla's location.
 At Zero's behest, David grew to his maximum potential height, 300 feet tall, which excited the teen. This was the first time David had assumed such size, though he wasn't accustomed to it, and nearly kicked a tour bus in the process. Immediately, David challenged Godzilla, a challenge that the King of the Monsters readily accepted, approaching the giant hero and forcing his way between two towering hotels. Realizing the untold deaths that would result if the structures fell, David rushed forward to save them, only for Godzilla to release a point blank blast of his atomic breath. The attack sent Hero Zero careening backwards, crashing into another building. As David realized the damage he was inadvertently causing with his immense size, Zero instructed him to shrink down to fifty feet in order to use his smaller size and speed against the lumbering reptile. Flying up and punching Godzilla in the eye, David watched as the monster's tail demolished a building, sending a chunk of concrete into a nearby bus full of citizens attempting to escape the battle zone. Ripping the top of the bus off in order to check on the people inside, David was shocked to discover his father among them. But while Mr. MacRae was only marginally injured, David's friend Billy was not so lucky, crushed to death by fallen debris.
In a rage, David resumed his full height and viciously attacked Godzilla. As he shrunk down and sped around Godzilla in an attempt to disorient him, David spotted something - The monster's dorsal fins. They were the "coral reef" that Hero Zero had blasted past earlier that morning. Realizing that Godzilla was only attacking San Diego because he was after him, David was stunned, allowing the King of the Monsters to bat him out of the sky, then crush him underfoot. But David wasn't finished yet, growing in size and sending Godzilla flipping through the air. It was then that Zero suggested a way to get rid of Godzilla; He would give David a power boost, allowing him to fly the amphibious reptile back out to sea. This would come at a cost, though: It would completely deplete Hero Zero's energy, meaning that David might not make it back. But the boy understood the risk and knew it was his fault all this was happening anyway, and so he told Zero to boost his power.
Now supercharged, Hero Zero flew down at Godzilla and grabbed him by the arms, carrying the beast out to sea. Once they were far enough, David released the monster and let Godzilla fall, disappearing into the ocean's depths. As quick as he could, David turned around and tried to make it back to San Diego before his power ran out, but it was too late, and he was too far. As he lost contact with Zero, Hero Zero began to falter, shrinking, losing power, until David was left falling through the air and into the sea.
Much later, David regained consciousness in a naval hospital, having been rescued in the harbor by a navy boat. His father, while proud of his son's actions, was adamant that he didn't want David to risk his life as a superhero. Solemnly, David told his father he had nothing to worry about - After causing the death of Billy and the destruction of San Diego, he didn't want to be Hero Zero ever again. |
