The Robbery

Background

The Robbery was the first piece of Empire media to be created and canonized. The author, Josiah Haller, began writing the story on July 20, 2015, though it was not admitted to canon until May 30, 2021.

Synopsis

The story opens on pajama salesman Marco PJ at work in his shop, Marco’s PJs. It is a slow day, so Marco tidies up the shop, but is interrupted when a silhouetted, cigarette-smoking figure enters. The figure asks if Marco allows robberies, and when his request is denied, knocks Marco unconscious. When Marco awakes, he notices that his shop has been ransacked, though only a mannequin has been stolen. He calls the police, who are unable to help.

The next day, Marco’s friends come to comfort him and his shop gets a lot of business. While talking to his customers, Marco is approached by Super Poopy and Super Joopy, who offer to take on the case. The heroes follow a scanty trail of cigarettes down an alley, where Super Joopy finds a mannequin arm. Using their gadgets, the duo break into an apartment where they find the perpetrator, Mobby Flobby Bobby French Fry. At first Mobby is alarmed, but the promise of French fries in jail convinces him to go willingly.

The story ends with Marco’s mannequin returned and Mobby taken away by Super Poopy and Super Joopy. All is restored, though the reader is left questioning Mobby’s motives and surprising submission.

Characters

• Marco PJ
• Super Poopy
• Super Joopy
• Mobby Flobby Bobby French Fry
• Iron Jim
• Frederick
• Jennifer

Context

As the first Empire story ever written, The Robbery lay groundwork and set the tone for future stories. Its opening lines give the reader a visual idea of what kind of city Ducktown is:

“A lonely shop sat on Fourth Street. There were no buildings within a hundred feet of it, so it had an isolated, desolate appearance. The only remotely welcoming aspect of this antiquated brick shop was an old, yellow sign in front that read ‘Marco’s PJs’ in cracked red paint.”

-excerpt, The Robbery

This description implies that parts of Ducktown are starting to devolve, creating an environment conducive to crime. In contrast, the story’s description of the townspeople coming to comfort Marco after the robbery suggest that this sort of decay is not reflective of the city as a whole nor endorsed by its government.

Ducktown’s police force is depicted as unhelpful, though it seems as though this could be attributed to a general lack of experience rather than purposeful ignorance. It also demonstrates the city’s need for their local superheroes, who make their premier in the story. Though the reader is given only a brief examination of their crime-fighting tactics, aspects of their characters begin to emerge. Super Poopy is shown to be energetic and impulsive, relying on his energy and determination to achieve justice. Super Joopy tends to be more slow to action, scoping out a situation before taking action and relying on his array of gadgets.

The plot of The Robbery sets the stage for the debut of child supervillain Firecracker in For the Sake of Food and his plan to break into Ducktown Jail in Compromised. Mobby Flobby Bobby French Fry’s actions are implied to be a result of his consultation with Firecracker, who makes an offer similar to that which he makes with Eat ‘Em Up Joe in For the Sake of Food. This explains Mobby’s apparent lack of motive and willingness to be arrested.

Reception

With no expectations to be met, The Robbery was immediately accepted as the beginning of Empire by The Empire Team. Its mix of humor and suspense opened the minds of other authors to interpretations of the Empire Universe and directions in which to take it.

Trivia

• Some of Marco’s pajamas feature Ronny the Dinosaur, a popular cartoon character in Ducktown.
• The story introduces Frederick, a security guard who offers to watch Marco’s shop. Frederick later plays a role in Compromised.

Author: Josiah Haller

Illustrator: N/A

Genre: Short story

Completion date: May 30, 2021

Characters: Marco PJ, Super Poopy, Super Joopy, Mobby Flobby Bobby French Fry