Jazz John

Jazz John, the unknown legend who shaped the century. But why has this superhero not been known before now? Well, I suppose the answer lies in a story filled with treachery.

John was born at the turn of the century (the 20th Century, to be precise) when the genre of music known as jazz was being developed. Born to a poor African-American family in Colorado, he spent his childhood witnessing terrible tragedies of people around him. His mother had died in an unfortunate factory accident, causing him, his father, and his two twin sisters to flee to Los Angeles in search of more ready and better paying work. John was just 9 when he entered into the city of New Orleans, and heard the music known as ragtime - the introduction to jazz. Awestruck with the majesty of it, he decided to learn to play the trumpet and the saxophone and - well, every instrument he could get his hands on! He was pretty good when his family was killed by a murderer and he was left tied to train tracks to die. But when the train came round in stopped just before hitting him, and a man stepped out. He wore a multi-colored suit which glimmered in the fading light.

"John," he said, "you are dead and have entered into dreams. This may seem real but it is not. But, I am going to offer you something." John nodded, only 13 at that time, eager to hear what the man had in mind. "Johnny," he said, leaning down, as he stood a few feet taller than John, "I will give you the chance to go back to Earth - to live the life you've dreamed of, if you will make one promise to me."

John nodded. "Yes sir, what is that?"

The man chuckled. "That's the spirit of a true jazz artist." John was confused. "Oh, sorry, you don't know. Jazz is the music of the future! it will inspire people, and move people to tears, and create a shocking wave in the country of America. And you, son, will be part of it. If I let you back, you must promise that you will go back and, at the age of 18, you will go through a metamorphosis You will don this suit and you will wear these glasses and these ear devices, and you will inspire men to play and sing jazz. You will push forward the world in ways unimaginable. And in return, you will be given incomparable talent - not that you don't already have marvelous talent. John - you will become the greatest man in the history of mankind."

John furrowed his eyebrows. "That's all well and good, but how, sir, will I inspire people to play music?"

"You will go on the streets of New Orleans, and people will listen to you and become infected with music, and will worship jazz music for centuries to come you will be called Jazz John. Now son... are you in?"

John sighed, then smiled, and, finally, nodded. Suddenly he was back on the train tracks. The train had passed by, and he was alone in the pitch black night. He knew what he had to do next. He practiced and played and lived his life for five years and then - when he was 18 - he donned the suit and the glasses and the ear pieces and lived on the streets of New Orleans. His trumpet music flowed through the ears of citizens, and his saxophone music excited the people of the United States. His music touched Louis Armstrong and the great jazz musicians of history. His superpowers didn't fight criminals or deal deathly blows to the so-called bad guys; his super powers were used to advance history and to create a new future for the world. And Jazz John lives in the heart of every great jazz musician.

I hope you like the skin and the backstory, pleeeease comment, diamond and favorite, this is my first competition and I worked a long time on this!!!!