Response to #1: Willard!!!

grip tightly
Slash down
quickly:
slice up

steady -
stab and pull at a 45 & down

finish strong...
Slash up

And voilà !

Willard!!!

"W", for "Willard", a masterpiece -- and under 45 seconds. A new personal best.

Fitted gloves, check!
Pleated pants, check!
Ironed cape, check!
Boots tied-tight, check!
Starched-crisp fashionable button-up collared long-sleeve shirt, check!
Mask firmly in place, check!
Sword, check!

The costume, the mask, the name and a calling card -- a true crime fighter. While known for good deeds I will be remembered by the carved "W" left behind. Look out world, here comes Willard the Wonderful, hater of crime, lover of justice!

"Hey Will! Will! Hey, Willll!" comes a bellow from the south. Jiggling at full speed up the lane comes Tuck, faithful, loyal, and... "Hey Wiiiillll!!!" ... and annoying friend and my first candidate for a crime fighter sidekick.

Expending all of his energy in transportation, Tuck has little left for speaking.

"Did...",

gasping,
"you... ",
wheezing,
"hear...",
hacking...

"What? what? What!? On with it Tuck."

"There was a bank... bank... bank robbery..."

"A bank robbery?! This sounds like a case for..."

"...almost."

"... the newest crime fighter in... Wait? 'Almost'?"

"Bandits came, three of them, and they was robbing the bank, and they almost made off with all the money and ..."

"Almost?!"

"Yeah, that's almost what happens. And there's more."

"Yes, clearly Tuck. Now get on with the 'Almost' part already."

"Well, as they was leaving out the door, a fellow in a black cape dropped on them and beat em up good..."

Another crime fighter? Wearing a cape -- just like me?! Who is this... this 'crime fighter', stealing my idea?

"... and he was wearing a mask..."

I wear a mask. Who does this fellow think he is?!

"... and he has a sword..."

Clearly a pistol is more practical than the gentleman's sword. Who does this masked man think he is, copying Willard the Wonderful?!

"... and he has this one-of-a-kind calling card that he left behind. It's really neat, he..."

Well, it's can't be a "W". Carving ones initial is my calling card. Please don't be a...

"... he carves a 'Z' into everything!"

gasp.

"... into the door. Even carved a 'Z' into one of the bandits shirts. It stands for 'Zoro', the guy's name or something, they says."

Noooooooo!!!