Chapter 72 The Bigfoot Gang Invades Hell Kitchen

Bang!

The moment Anton knocked, the door swung open immediately.

Standing in the doorway was Matt, wearing his signature sunglasses, ready to greet an old friend he hadn't seen in months.

"Batman, long time no see."

Though he couldn't see, Matt could easily identify the person at his door. His expression remained calm as he offered a casual greeting, "You wouldn't have come knocking just to say hi. What is it this time?"

"Aren't you going to invite me in first?" Anton chuckled.

"Come in."

Matt stepped aside to allow Anton entry.

In the modest living room, Anton made himself at home, pouring a glass of water for both himself and Matt before finally starting the conversation at his own leisurely pace.

"Hell Kitchen hasn't been too disappointing recently, has it, Matt?"

Anton opened with some light pleasantries before continuing, "But yes, I'm here for a reason. Don't worry; it nothing troublesome…"

Matt listened attentively.

Anton didn't beat around the bush. "I'm planning to form a superhero team. A group of us helping each other out. It called the Justice League, and I'd like you to join and be one of us."

"'Us?"

"Me, Venom, Spider-Man."

"Spider-Man?"

Matt raised an eyebrow.

Anton was a bit surprised. From Matt reaction, it seemed he was not only familiar with Spidey but knew him quite well.

As far as Anton knew, the two had only met once during the Kingpin incident.

It seemed there were interactions between them that he was unaware of.

Thinking it over, Anton recalled that while the movie versions of the two characters had no crossover, in the comics, their relationship was always solid. They knew each other true identities, trusted one another, and could be considered close friends.

"These past couple of months, Spider-Man been hanging around Hell Kitchen a lot. I've seen him several times. He left a good impression," Matt explained briefly. After a moment of contemplation, he agreed without hesitation, "Alright, I'll join your superhero team. But I need autonomy. You understand what I mean?"

"Of course."

Anton nodded. "I'm not looking to control anyone. The idea behind this alliance is to give everyone a place to relax. And if there a crisis we can't handle alone, we'll have each other backs."

"Sounds good. As it happens, there something I need your help with right now." Matt nodded, showing no hesitation.

"Uh…"

Anton was momentarily stunned. "Go ahead."

"Hell Kitchen has been relatively calm lately, just as you said. The High Table is an orderly organization, so I'm planning to take a few days off and live like an ordinary person… But there a troublesome group that reached into Hell Kitchen," Matt said casually. "The Bigfoot Gang. I need you to deal with them."

Clearly, Matt was just looking for a reason to offload his responsibilities.

With the Kingpin out of the picture, Hell Kitchen had indeed become relatively quiet. Even threats like Madame Gao, the Hand, and the Russian brothers were now being dealt with by the High Table. With the pressure eased, Matt wanted to take a break from his superhero duties and enjoy some semblance of a normal life—at least for a few days.

"A few days of an ordinary life?"

Anton expression grew complicated.

He understood that in both the movies and comics, Matt Murdock life as Daredevil was far from a feel-good story. It was a series of relentless trials and heartbreaks.

Losing his mother at a young age, his father later murdered, his wife killed as an adult, and his friends and loved ones constantly suffering—it was a life drenched in tragedy.

Anton vividly remembered Matt response when Captain America invited him to join the Avengers in the comics:

"Being a superhero is a torment for me!"

In truth, Daredevil life had been a prolonged state of tension. In some iterations of the story, he had even turned to the dark side due to the constant strain.

The guy deserved a break!

It was only natural that after the Kingpin fall and two months of relative peace, Matt would think about unwinding just as Anton approached him with an offer for mutual aid. Matt seized the opportunity to delegate his responsibilities to Anton without a second thought.

That said…

"The Bigfoot Gang?"

Anton expression turned peculiar.

He wasn't unfamiliar with the group and was surprised to hear their name associated with Hell Kitchen. "What a group like that doing here?"

The two didn't even seem to belong in the same narrative.

One was from Mirage Studios; the other was Marvel.

What kind of bizarre crossover world was this?

"They're originally a gang from Brooklyn. Not as powerful as Kingpin, but they've made a name for themselves," Matt explained. "After Kingpin arrest, the High Table takeover of Hell Kitchen sparked some conflicts. A lot of gangs are trying to exploit the situation, and they're one of them."

He paused and added with some weight, "They're also the most active one. There might be more to them than meets the eye."

"Is that so?"

Anton pondered for a moment before readily agreeing to Matt request. "Don't worry about it. Leave the Bigfoot Gang to me. I'll take care of them."

He didn't mind giving Matt a few days off.

After all, with his tasks of reaching out to Spider-Man and Matt complete, Anton had nothing pressing to do. Taking on this assignment seemed like a good way to entertain himself.

Plus, the Bigfoot Gang presence in the Marvel universe piqued his curiosity.

The most exciting part? The Bigfoot Gang inclusion implied that there might be four little turtles living in the sewers at this very moment.

If he could recruit those turtles into the Justice League as mascots, that wouldn't be a bad idea!

"The Justice League temporary base is set up at the Daily Bugle. If anything comes up, you know who to look for there," Anton said before taking his leave.

Frankly, Batman identity wasn't much of a secret to Matt.

Matt super-senses didn't rely on sight but on hearing. Anton voice, his footsteps, even subtle changes in his tone—these were all things Matt could use to identify him.

It was nearly impossible to hide Batman identity from someone with Matt heightened senses.

As for Venom true identity—Eddie Brock, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle—Anton wasn't entirely sure if Matt knew about it.

Of course, Anton had good reason to believe it wouldn't be a difficult puzzle for Matt to solve.

Why did Anton agree to Matt request?

First, he sympathized with Matt.

Second, learning about the Bigfoot Gang presence intrigued him.

The Ninja Turtles!

Recruiting those four fascinating turtles and their rat sensei into the Justice League as official members could not only boost the team combat power but also serve as excellent mascots.

Besides, Anton had always liked those turtles.

The original series and movies emphasized that the Ninja Turtles could only live in the sewers—their underground world—venturing out at most during Halloween parades.

But Anton felt that in a chaotic yet inclusive world like Marvel, the four turtles didn't need to hide themselves so diligently.

Though it was a world of chaos, it was also a world of acceptance.

The existence of the Ninja Turtles wouldn't be shocking. At most, it would be a quirky novelty.

Especially after the Battle of New York.

People could accept aliens. Earth-born turtles wouldn't be a stretch.

If Anton marketed the turtles as DC new idol boy band, they might even spark a trend for "pet turtles"!