Anubis' "How would you do it?" Thread.

[Zoken]

ohh... Derivative?

 

[The Question]

Well, maybe derivative isn't the right word. I guess it's kind of generic. You know. Not that different from alot of super hero comics from the 80s and onward. Similar stuff has been done in The New Universe, Milestone Comics, and so on.

 

[Zoken]

huh... is there any thing that might strike you as... original?

 

[The Question]

Well, way I see it, if you ever actually made this, the best thing you'd have going for you would be character developement and character interaction. Like I said, the plot is a little old hat. But from my experience, if the characters are great, the plot can have only tangential importance.

 

[Zoken]

Trust me the characters are what it's all about.

 

[The Question]

Well, all I can say is that it would probably rely very heavily on the exicution. The premise may seem a little old hat, but if it's exicuted propery it could still be the best damn thing anyone's ever read.

 

[Zoken]

well there won't be any of the mystery of the white event, because it won't be as visible. it's going to be labled as an Astral phenomenon. the first generation does take the vigilante route, but by the time they are adults the world has had to pretty much accept that almost a quarter of that generation has super-powers.

 

[The Question]

Cool. Sounds like it could be pretty cool.

 

[The Question]

After reading this thread, I had a great idea for an Inspector Gadget comic. It would be an all ages comic aimed at the same basic target audience of the DCAU shows. It would take alot of inspiration from Get Smart and Joe Kelly's Deadpool in terms of it's style of humor. Many plot points would be parodies of DC's Vertigo imprint and Marvel's MAX and Icon imprints. The basic idea if this:


Inspector Gadget is the hero and mascot of the Metro City police department. While quite clumbsy and often rather clueless, his sheer dumb luck, many gadgets, and assistance from his slightly more adept allies usually results in his cases ending succesfully, and his "never say die" aditude has made him a hero in the eyes of the public. He was origionally John Brown, a security officer who worked at a scientific reaserch facility. When the facility was robbed and set ablaze by members of the international crime syndicate known as MAD, John risked his life to save that of Doctor Slickstein. Injured in the fire, John is "rebuilt" by Slickstein, who then goes into hiding shortly afterwards. John becomes a member of the MCPD, and is soon known as Inspector Gadget. Gadget quickly gets caught up with the FBI's atempts to bring down MAD, which is based in Metro City and has ties to criminal activity all over the world. The feds have been trying to take down Mad for over a decade, and have a casefile on them as thick as an encyclopedia set. Still, they don't know what MAD stands for. Through all of this, he is aided by his super genius neice Penny and their freakishly human like dog Brain. He also has an uneasy relationship with Snake, a vaguley psychotic reporter for the Metro City Daily Press who is regularly trying to "take on the system" and dig up some dirt on Gadget (Transmetropolitan reference).

Soon, Gadget is drafted by the military into there "Posthuman Project," a government sponsired special ops. team of superhumans (reference to both The Ultimates and Supreme Power). Some members featured are Commander Apollo, a jingoistic patriot with anger issues and a severe lack of faith in humanity who was given super powers by being fused with alien DNA, and Nightblade, a nigh indestructible, somewhat racist special ops agent who often contemplates murdering his teammates so he can make a move on their girlfriends. All of the characters on the team are "Ultimate" parodies of the various Amalgam Comics characters, often being amalagamations of Ultimate and Supreme Power characters.

Sufice to say, Gadget's tenure on the team is a short one, and he soon goes back to fighting crime and trying to bring down MAD in Metro City. However, everything changed when Gadget is captured by MAD. There, he is cut open and thoroughly inspected by none other than Doctor Slickstein. Slickstein is in fact a member of MAD who faked the robbery of his lab and atempt on his life to create an excuse for dissapeating from the public eye. He not only informs Gadget that he's never seen him before, but that his body has no organics in it. He's made up entirely of random electronic parts that seems to be manipulated by some kind of strange elctromagnetic feild into serving whatever Gadget's needs are (thus explaining his seemingly limitless supply of gadgets). Gadget escapes, but is deeply troubled by the news. What makes matters worse is that, when he gets home, Brain starts talking.

Brain reveals to Gadget that he used to be Brian Callahan, a pessemistic and sardonic mystic, private detective, paranormal investigator, and con man (a parody of John Constantine, to be percise) who was cursed into becoming a dog by a god he angered. However, after some mystical workings of hos own, he was able to regain some humanoid characteristics, such as the ability to speak and walk upright. Still, he usually pretends to be an ordinary dog, stating that "If you're just a really smart dog, you can still get things to go your way with a litte work. If you're a talking dog, people tend to want to cut you open to see what makes you tick." With Brain's help, Gadget finds out that he is in fact biologically dead, and upon death possessed the various electronic devices in Slickstein's lab and became a technology elemental (Swamp Thing Reference). All of his gadgets, including the Gadgetmobile (which is in actuality a normal car) are a result of his ability to manipulate an possess electronic devices. He subconsciously fabricated the memories of Slickstein creating his gadgets to cope with the whole ordeal. After learning all of this, Gadget simply says "...cool" and asks penny if she wants to order out for Chinese food for dinner.

Shortly thereafter, Gadget gets a partner in Adam DaFoe, a detective with severe memory problems an an expertese in unusual/suprnatural crimes. It is soon revealed that Adam is one of the oldest humans on Earth and just has a really really ****ty memory, so he keeps forgeting who he is every few decades (Powers reference).

Meanwhile, within MAD, Claw is challenged as leader by Phinease McGuffin, the smooth talking, manipulative head of one of MAD's corperate fronts who thinks he can run the show better. He ends up usurping Claw and leaving him for dead in the middle of a dessert.

Gadget has several cases with Adam, Penny, and Brain, dealing with all manner of unusual crime. One notable one is when they take on The Big G, a completely insane and nigh omnipotent entity who wishes to rewrite reality in a bizar, surrealistic fashion (reference to both Red Jack from Grant Morrison's Doom patrol and, more importantly, Grant Morrison himself).

Eventually, Claw is revealed to be (barely) surviving in the dessert, living as a hermit. All of this changes when Claw runs across the Nex, a child of two gods from rival pantheons with seemingly limtless power. Claw fuses with Nex and gains control of all of it's power (reference to Jesse Custer and Genesis). With his newfound power, Claw deems MAD to be beneath him, effortlessly destroys the entire organization within a matter of minutes, and moves on to bigger and better oportunities. He finds them in "The Big Guys," a group of super-gods, each one a direct personification of aspects of life and the human condition (reference to The Endless). Claw does battle with them, atempting to gain control of their dominions and remake the universe in his image. The only wrench in the system is Gadget. Big showdown between the two arch rivals to cap everything off. Fun stuff.



Of course, this is just a rough outline. There would be filler stuff and storylines that aren't parodies, but I haven't thought of them yet.



Also, one note: While Gadget and most of the stories would be played for comedy, Claw would, at least as a character, be played completely straight. He'd be a ruthless criminal mastermind and a truely badass villain. There'd still be comedic bits with him in them, but he'd be the straight man.

To add to this, my idea for Claw's backstory:


(Note: Since this is intentended to be an all ages book, much of Claw's story would come from subtle hints and implications on Claw's part.)


Dr. Claw was born a little over 40 years ago as Sanford Scolex, of the Scolex organized crime family. While most of his siblings were in the "family buisness," Sanford was considered the runt of the litter. Physically frail and highly inteligent, he was incouraged by his parents to persue a legitimate career, his father feeling that the life he led was not a life Sanford could lead. However, Sanford insisted on helping the family, and ended up becoming the book keeper for both sides of his father's empire. However, Sanford was eventually kidnapped by a rival gang who proceeded to torture him for information. Cracking under the pressure, Sanford revealed information that led to the death of his older brother at the hands of the rival gang. While his father refused to kill his own son, he still punished Sanford by cutting off his right hand. His father told him that he was too weak for the buisness, and that the stub that used to be his hand would serve as a constant reminder. Moving away from home, Sanford completed college and gained a doctorate in engineering, aswell as degrees in economics and law. A few years later, his father got into a car accident, and died o complications in surgury shortly afterwards. Sanford became the inheritor of both family buisnesses. The legitimate one he built up into Scolex Industires, a massive electronics and munitions empire. The other eventually became M.A.D., an international crime syndicate based in Metro City. While M.A.D. deals in the usual criminal affairs, extortion, illegal arms deals, etc., Scolex has also set up what he refers to as "The Black Market Ebay." Valuable or illegal items stolen or bought by M.A.D. are sold through a series of private websites to the highest bidder (explaining why a massive criminal organization was so interested in stealing jewels and gold in the cartoon). Solex heads the organization as the enigmatic Dr. Claw. While most authorities have found some connection between M.A.D. and the Scolex crime family, Sanford is at the bottom of the list of suspects due to his seemingly non existent activities with the family. Most believe Claw to be a former enforcer who stepped in after the elder Scolex died.

Claw has a very buisness like aproach to organized crime, using money and the possibility of rising in rank as oppossed to family and loyalty to keep everyone in line. He also relies more on those who he feels are compitant than those who he has close personal bonds to, making him a much colder criminal mastermind. M.A.D. itself is run very much like a buisness, with a board of directors and himself serving as president of the board. He is, however, smart enough not to mix organized crime and corperate America completely, as almost none of his employes in his legitimate buisness have any knowledge of his criminal empire, and only work for it in the most tangential ways. Having created M.A.D. simply to prove that he couls outdo the Scolex crime family, he has little interest in the money itself, though he does like it. He is more interested in the persuit of knowledge and has a great deal of respect for the arts, and as such has amassed a rather large personal collection of antiques and old academic texts. One of his biggest internal conflicts is the fact that, somewhat dissatisfied with the life he leads, he often questions not only his role in the world but also hus very identity. The life he has led has hardened him quite a bit, somewhat desensitizing him towards violence, and as such he is quite ruthless towards those who stand in his way. His relationship with Inspector Gadget is an odd one. While he is frustraited by Gadget's naivety and rather large ego, and is more than willing to destroy him on every conceivable level if he gets hin is way, he none the less respects Gadget's "never say die aditude." However, he is still prone to angry and even violent outbursts when Gadget and his allies somehow hurt his organization.

Unlike in the cartoon, Claw will eventually notice just how much Penny aids her uncle during their little adventures, and begin to plan accordingly.

 

[deemar325]

Had this idea ever since the 50 State Initiative thing was mentioned. I didn't post it in that topic because rather than a team for a specific state, this is an idea for a new team of SHIELD "Super Agents"; they've had two teams with that name already, and both folded. SHIELD will inevitably either have to stop using muderous criminals as shocktroopers, or that tactic will backfire (if someone can override Norman Osborn's nanobot controllers, why not anyone else), and so SHIELD will have to rely on other metahumans, especially some they've been preening for some time. Especially since Daisy Johnson is more loyal to the now-fugitive Nick Fury than to SHIELD, so they can't rely on her all the time. Besides, other nations have their own metahumans and there'll need to be some crack team to act as super-agents on their behalf, or to back up one of the 50 state teams that gets overwhelmed by mega-threats (Alpha Flight isn't the only team that could be wiped out by one mega-attack; Hulk-level baddies can tear apart entire squads). These are all recent or obscure characters plucked from the Handbook bins and smushed together. Along with some reason why, 'course.

SHIELD'S SUPER-AGENTS, TAKE III:

ASHCAN: In two comics from 1986-1989 (ASM and HULK), Alex Woolcot gained the ability to disintegrate matter with energy from his hands, either at a touch or with forceblasts. He got his powers from a machine his father was working on, and, much like Justice, accidently lashed out and killed his abusive father, reducing him to ash. Spider-Man tried to defend him from Mandriods, but the boy's death was faked by SHIELD so Fury could keep an eye on him and make him into a super-agent. The boy's mind as altered to relieve stress and he was living with a foster father/SHIELD agent (Dylan Pattinson) out in obsurity until Hulk & Clay Quartermain showed up. The boy & Hulk became fast friends due to their shared abusive history, and Alex regained his memories, asking his new dad for an upped allowance. Fast forward about 4-5 years (Marvel time, natch). Now Alex is 17 and a "freelance" SHIELD agent much like the new Scorpion is; regulations say that one can't be hired as a full agent until age 18, but SHIELD gets around it by giving them agent "handlers" and hiring them as "freelancers". He got SHIELD training in self defense, tactics, and naturally using his power offensively. He can control it to the point where he doesn't instantly reduce someone to ash with it, but it is a very deadly power. He's also learned how to use it for both blasts and disabling punches. While he remembers his full history, he's still eager to be a SHIELD agent, as his life with Dylan was far better than with his real parents (he hasn't seen his birthmother in years, either, avoiding that responsibility). He's aggressive, confident, and very much like an agent in training, wanting to get the big battles and prove himself. He's not used to a team setting, though, which is part of the training of being a Super Agent. While he has total control of his power, he is a dangerous combatant; his blasts can easily reduce a human to ash and even burnt the skin off the Gray Hulk's face, making even HIM scream.
SHIELD weakness: Aside for his brash nature, his core weakness is his friendship with The Hulk, although that could be an advantage if SHIELD ever wanted to try reason to stop a rampage.

BATWING: 9-10 years ago, Jimmy Santini was mutated by drinking water tainted by toxic waste after polluters shot his father. It caused him to mutate into a bat-like creature, who was shunned by his mother and hunted by a NYC councilman. Spider-Man befriended him and Dr. Conners gave him a serum as a cure, but he couldn't revert to normal until his mother finally was able to accept him as her son. This all happened in UNTOLD TALES OF SPIDER-MAN, circa 1995. As Jimmy grew up, however, he discovered to his chagrin that he could still become Batwing again under circumstances of stress, although his mother continued to support him, plus with Conners' serum, he could revert back to normal at will and even suppress it to maintain a normal life. He did, however, enjoy midnight flys over the city and whatnot, getting views that no one else could, and using some of those angles to major in photography in high school and college. He occasionally would stop any muggers he happened to see along his flights but was hesitant to do so as he was freakish in his Batwing form and could only speak in broken English while in it, and while agile and fast, along with feral claws and so on, wasn't a major fighter. By the time Jimmy graduates college at age 21, however, the SHRA is passed and he decides to register. His mother is concerned at this prospect but relents after a recruiter insists that he'll probably earn more as a federal super-agent than as a freelance photographer, and earn a better rep to boot. When his blood is tested, however, that is when SHIELD decides to take him. It appears a by-product of his toxic bat-blood is that he is immune to a bite from a vampire, and also is immune to their hyponism (much like Blade). Considering the Nazi vampires about and their own HOWLING COMMANDOES unit, SHIELD adds him to the ranks of their team and is in a way their novice. Contrary to stereotype, despite his power to turn into a flying bat-creature, Jimmy is not a goth, but enjoys country music, wears colors, and is keen to pop culture. He's even piercing free, and with his mother's acceptance was able to recover from his father's death to become more jovial. He is in some ways the opposite of the aggressive Ashcan, but the pair soon have to face the possibility of becoming step-brothers when Dylan and Mrs. Santini start to become "friendly" as they see each other a lot, being on SHIELD bases a lot. Awkward!
SHIELD weakness: Aside for his large and probably light-sensitive eyes as Batwing, it would be his friendship and unwillingness to hurt Spider-Man, who usually is considered some sort of fugitive at one time or another, or Dr. Conners, who frequently rampages as The Lizard. However, some enzymes from his blood could probably be analyzed to make ad-hoc cures for Lizzy. He also travels via echolocation/radar like Daredevil as Batwing, which has it's own strengths and weaknesses.


I like this, nice touch on him not being a goth emo ******, just cause your a half bat guy doesn't mean you gotta be the 'Crow'.


AXUM: Plucked from the short lived "Thunderbolts-ripping-off-FIGHT CLUB" issues from a few years back, Axum is an ex-con turned underground pro fighter in the shady Ultimate Brawling League, which draws many supervillians as well as international metahumans for large cash prizes. He's basically a large tanker, almost like a clone of Luke Cage, only probably not as durabile as Spider-Man was able to badly scar his eye defeating him under his short lived villian career as "The Battler", for which he spent 3 years in prison. Also like Cage, he has a girlfriend and a young son to support, but without the UBL, never made enough money and had an overzealous probation officer. While he won the UBL championship title (even beating Armadillo in the ring), he had a falling out with the owner and quit, and refused to help a bunch of baddies try to get revenge on Spider-Man because he felt that grudges didn't help his situation (although he was tempted). Without the UBL, Axum was back to struggling to earn a living doing construction work to pay for his "baby momma" and son when the SHRA hits, and Axum jumps at the chance for "federal pay". While Gina is excited for that oppurtunity, she's hesitant of police and the witness protection sort of life she and Benny will have to have; she doesn't trust cops. He winds up on the SHIELD squad because they figure he may be useful against the anti-SHRA Luke Cage, as well as to keep an eye on his son, as metahumans usually can breed mutants. He's definately the most "street" on the squad and clashes with Ashcan and others because he still sort of distrusts "pigz", even though he now will be working for them. He does, however, have a knack for teaching easy-to-learn and effective brawling techniques from his time on the streets and the ring. His "street" experience and charisma amungst shady characters comes in handy with some of the missions they may have, as well as understanding the minds of rogues by relating...sometimes too closely.
SHIELD weaknesses: A potential P.R. nightmare due to his arrest record (although compared to Bullseye he's a flipping saint), his biggest weakness might be his temper and his grudge against Spider-Man; while he won't allow it to wreck his life, it is still there and he'd be aching for a rematch with the web-slinger, a match that he would probably lose.

Really a good take on Axum and your reason for SHIELD wanting him around and the added touch of his teaching fighting techniques to others.

SCORPION: Naturally, Carmilla Black's shown up in AMAZING FANTASY and X-23's Capt. Universe one-shot. She's the daughter of an AIM scientist genetically altered to be immune to all gases, poisons, and toxins, but also developped the ability to poison anyone with her "Stinger", or her left arm. SHIELD gave her a gauntlet to control her "sting" and she works freelance for them with an agent handler (Derek Khanta). In the age of the SHRA, SHIELD has to utilize any agents with powers they have, and they feel it's time for Scorpion to join a super-team and learn field combat. Naturally, she's a formidable compatent, savvy with living on the streets, has a hi-tech tracking gauntlet and is hesitant to start major relationships. Batwing starts attempting to get through to her shell, sensing something in common.
SHIELD weakness: She is willing to disobey orders when she feels it's within her moral interest to do so; X-23 convinced her to release the Uni-Power against SHIELD's wishes. She naturally has a connection to AIM, and they likely may be rewilling to capture her.

STARBIRD: Holly-Ann Ember was an 8 year old girl in a mid 80's MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL I believe. Living in a town that was secretly an AIM base caused her to develop superpowers from an old reactor, that allowed the small girl to control reality at will, as if her "wishes" are coming true. A fan of superheroines, she imagined herself as a superheroine, "Starbird" and "willed" the appearence of She-Hulk, Wasp, Tigra, and Storm to help free her parents & the town from AIM. Storm gave her a card to the Xavier school should her parents ever need her to seek training with her powers. However, what we didn't know (what I am adding) is that shortly thereafter, much as AIM noticed a spike in power levels from her, so did SHIELD, and naturally as the "good guys" groomed her and offered her and her family safety and financial help, even in relocation. Now 12 (about as old as Molly Hayes), Holly was trained to learn how to consciously control her incredible power by meditating on an avatar, and she chose her own idealized heroine self, Starbird (tall, beautiful, with her blonde hair and blue eyes, with the American colors of red, white, and blue on her costume). Doing this allowed Holly to "train" her powers to only be activated when she "wished" to transform into this heroine, essentially becoming something like DC's CAPT. MARVEL; a child who transforms into an adult hero. In her Starbird form she has access to her reality warping power, but to spare losing control or causing "reality tears", she has learned, much like Freedom Ring, that focusing on increasing one's physique is less taxing. As such, Starbird is strong, nigh invulnerabile, psychically resistant, can fly, and can pretty much gain any power that she wishes for in the middle of combat so long as she is specific about what she is wishing for. For example, if a fire-controller was torching a building and she concentrated on, "I wish I could absorb those flames", she'd be able to. As such, while she can't wish "to be unbeatable", should Starbird engage in enough battles, she very may well could be. As Starbird she also has more mature intelligence and memory, as well as training, but maintains her childlike innocence and energy. Thus, Starbird is confused and amused by the looks "adults" give her form sometimes. It also makes it awkward for other teammates. Holly operates under a loophole legally that in her Starbird form, all tests say she is over 21, so that is that. As Starbird she is argueably as powerful as Sentry if not moreso, however, she is a child and after HOM, there always is that lingering fear that if one day, she realized she could use her powers as Holly, or snapped...
As Holly, she often plays with Axum's son Benny and enjoys the option of one day being an agent. As Starbird, she has a crush on Ashcan and Batwing. Very awkward.
SHIELD weaknesses: Definately her worship of superheroines, considering some of them may not always agree with SHIELD (like Storm or She-Hulk), and could lead her astray. While she is physically capable of her powers as 12 year old Holly, she has only trained as Starbird and this believes herself helpless in that form. If an attack is powerful enough to TKO her before she can "wish" for defense against it (if she already isn't immune via a past wish-made-permanent-by-concentration), she can be defeated. Starbird still retains some of the naivety of a 12 year old girl and thus can be thrown by some things, although is probably more blunt as well.

DREAMER: Jamie Flores was the 12 year old daughter of Alex Flores, struggling screenwriter and friend of Wonder Man during his 90's solo book. Both got ionic powers from him and joined the lame super team Crazy 8. Simon eventually drained his ionic energy out of them and thus they lost their powers, although some of them hinted at still having some power left; Jamie was one of them. As "Dreamer", she could project an "astral self" not unlike Dr. Strange, but only when she was asleep. Like Sleepwalker's host, she could doze off whenever a siren was heard practically. Following in Wonder Man's example, a now older-teenage Jamie (she'd be about 17-19) registers and her astral power immediately gets the attention of SHIELD as an espionage asset. Her mother Alex is still overprotective of her, but Jamie's gov't influence manages to get work for the screenwriter mom, which is appreciated (she writes some of Wonder Man's TV commercials, for instance, then moving on with that experience). Learning to harness her astral form via meditation at SHIELD, she is the team's key recon expert. Plus, having Wonder Man as an adopted "uncle" never hurts for rep. She manages to befriend Scorpion and along with Batwing try to get her to admit feelings for Ashcan, who also has a "deadly touch". Closer in age to the college grad Batwing, she also has a crush on him, especially as they both can "fly" together.
SHIELD weaknesses: Potential target by Count Nefaria, an ionic vampire. The armored assassin Splice had it out for her and her mother. Her sleeping/meditating body is defenseless when her astral form is about. Her astral form can get past technological and even some mystical barriers and is virtually immune to most forms of harm, it is vulnerable to some mystical or psychic attacks, and also cannot physically attack someone else. She could, however, act as a distraction or give "warnings" in battle of unseen attackers.

JOHN GARRET: A cyborg SHIELD agent in an 80's ELEKTRA mini, 80% of Garret's body is composed of cybernetic parts, increasing his strength, durability, aim, and other abilities; only his head and some organs remain (and even his head has cyber-parts, like laser sighting). His mind was left a mess by Elektra, and he was a slovenly, abrasive agent few liked, and was always a loose canon finally punted from SHIELD...for a time. Stablized by SHIELD (to a point), Garret trimmed his hair and lost the mustache, becoming a Jack Baur-esque agent, using his expert aim with handguns and nearly indestructable body to be an aggressive enemy to terrorists and other targets. While he only uses handguns, he has a variety of different types of rounds; normal, exploding, corrosive, even adamantium & Vibranium tipped for extra potent foes. Professional and trained, he sometimes assumes tactical command, much to everyone's chagrin. "YOU WILL FACE JUSTICE!" is his battle cry now. And Dreamer hates how he hits on her mom. Starbird is also appalled by him. Axum likes him, though. They often watch sports games together during downtimes. Garret's not beneathe trying to woo Gina from him secretly, though.
SHIELD weaknesses: Garret is a ruthless combatant, even killing some targets that SHIELD wants alive and almost always going for a kill if the battle takes too long. No type of violence offends him. His cyborg form is vulnerable to magnetism, electricity, computer viruses, whatever effects a cyborg. He also has issues with Elektra, and is very offputting. If anyone is the first to blow cover, it's probably him. However, his cyborg form is immune to toxins, poisons, fatique, and so on, as well as giving him super-strength.

Done for now. I had 2 more "agent" ideas but they seemed repetitive and this roster has 7, which is good enough. 9 is usually pushing it for a team and people lose focus.

Not bad it's a good use for a bunch of Z-listers for sure.

 

[deemar325]

I'm getting through it all guys.


Z not to worry I'm gonna get to ya.

 

[Zoken]

*The attention ****e is placated*

 

[deemar325]

I've been kinda busy and will check everyones stuff out in time.


For now I'm gonna crash.

 

[deemar325]

After reading this thread, I had a great idea for an Inspector Gadget comic. It would be an all ages comic aimed at the same basic target audience of the DCAU shows. It would take alot of inspiration from Get Smart and Joe Kelly's Deadpool in terms of it's style of humor. Many plot points would be parodies of DC's Vertigo imprint and Marvel's MAX and Icon imprints. The basic idea if this:


Inspector Gadget is the hero and mascot of the Metro City police department. While quite clumbsy and often rather clueless, his sheer dumb luck, many gadgets, and assistance from his slightly more adept allies usually results in his cases ending succesfully, and his "never say die" aditude has made him a hero in the eyes of the public. He was origionally John Brown, a security officer who worked at a scientific reaserch facility. When the facility was robbed and set ablaze by members of the international crime syndicate known as MAD, John risked his life to save that of Doctor Slickstein. Injured in the fire, John is "rebuilt" by Slickstein, who then goes into hiding shortly afterwards. John becomes a member of the MCPD, and is soon known as Inspector Gadget. Gadget quickly gets caught up with the FBI's atempts to bring down MAD, which is based in Metro City and has ties to criminal activity all over the world. The feds have been trying to take down Mad for over a decade, and have a casefile on them as thick as an encyclopedia set. Still, they don't know what MAD stands for. Through all of this, he is aided by his super genius neice Penny and their freakishly human like dog Brain. He also has an uneasy relationship with Snake, a vaguley psychotic reporter for the Metro City Daily Press who is regularly trying to "take on the system" and dig up some dirt on Gadget (Transmetropolitan reference).

Soon, Gadget is drafted by the military into there "Posthuman Project," a government sponsired special ops. team of superhumans (reference to both The Ultimates and Supreme Power). Some members featured are Commander Apollo, a jingoistic patriot with anger issues and a severe lack of faith in humanity who was given super powers by being fused with alien DNA, and Nightblade, a nigh indestructible, somewhat racist special ops agent who often contemplates murdering his teammates so he can make a move on their girlfriends. All of the characters on the team are "Ultimate" parodies of the various Amalgam Comics characters, often being amalagamations of Ultimate and Supreme Power characters.

Sufice to say, Gadget's tenure on the team is a short one, and he soon goes back to fighting crime and trying to bring down MAD in Metro City. However, everything changed when Gadget is captured by MAD. There, he is cut open and thoroughly inspected by none other than Doctor Slickstein. Slickstein is in fact a member of MAD who faked the robbery of his lab and atempt on his life to create an excuse for dissapeating from the public eye. He not only informs Gadget that he's never seen him before, but that his body has no organics in it. He's made up entirely of random electronic parts that seems to be manipulated by some kind of strange elctromagnetic feild into serving whatever Gadget's needs are (thus explaining his seemingly limitless supply of gadgets). Gadget escapes, but is deeply troubled by the news. What makes matters worse is that, when he gets home, Brain starts talking.

Brain reveals to Gadget that he used to be Brian Callahan, a pessemistic and sardonic mystic, private detective, paranormal investigator, and con man (a parody of John Constantine, to be percise) who was cursed into becoming a dog by a god he angered. However, after some mystical workings of hos own, he was able to regain some humanoid characteristics, such as the ability to speak and walk upright. Still, he usually pretends to be an ordinary dog, stating that "If you're just a really smart dog, you can still get things to go your way with a litte work. If you're a talking dog, people tend to want to cut you open to see what makes you tick." With Brain's help, Gadget finds out that he is in fact biologically dead, and upon death possessed the various electronic devices in Slickstein's lab and became a technology elemental (Swamp Thing Reference). All of his gadgets, including the Gadgetmobile (which is in actuality a normal car) are a result of his ability to manipulate an possess electronic devices. He subconsciously fabricated the memories of Slickstein creating his gadgets to cope with the whole ordeal. After learning all of this, Gadget simply says "...cool" and asks penny if she wants to order out for Chinese food for dinner.

Shortly thereafter, Gadget gets a partner in Adam DaFoe, a detective with severe memory problems an an expertese in unusual/suprnatural crimes. It is soon revealed that Adam is one of the oldest humans on Earth and just has a really really ****ty memory, so he keeps forgeting who he is every few decades (Powers reference).

Meanwhile, within MAD, Claw is challenged as leader by Phinease McGuffin, the smooth talking, manipulative head of one of MAD's corperate fronts who thinks he can run the show better. He ends up usurping Claw and leaving him for dead in the middle of a dessert.

Gadget has several cases with Adam, Penny, and Brain, dealing with all manner of unusual crime. One notable one is when they take on The Big G, a completely insane and nigh omnipotent entity who wishes to rewrite reality in a bizar, surrealistic fashion (reference to both Red Jack from Grant Morrison's Doom patrol and, more importantly, Grant Morrison himself).

Eventually, Claw is revealed to be (barely) surviving in the dessert, living as a hermit. All of this changes when Claw runs across the Nex, a child of two gods from rival pantheons with seemingly limtless power. Claw fuses with Nex and gains control of all of it's power (reference to Jesse Custer and Genesis). With his newfound power, Claw deems MAD to be beneath him, effortlessly destroys the entire organization within a matter of minutes, and moves on to bigger and better oportunities. He finds them in "The Big Guys," a group of super-gods, each one a direct personification of aspects of life and the human condition (reference to The Endless). Claw does battle with them, atempting to gain control of their dominions and remake the universe in his image. The only wrench in the system is Gadget. Big showdown between the two arch rivals to cap everything off. Fun stuff.



Of course, this is just a rough outline. There would be filler stuff and storylines that aren't parodies, but I haven't thought of them yet.



Also, one note: While Gadget and most of the stories would be played for comedy, Claw would, at least as a character, be played completely straight. He'd be a ruthless criminal mastermind and a truely badass villain. There'd still be comedic bits with him in them, but he'd be the straight man.

I think I'm totally into this. It's a mish mash of all kinds of looney sh-t, but I like it!

Your explaination of how Gadget became who he is..freakin awesome!!

 

[Zoken]

This is a continuation of something I started in "The Dead and Civil War" where I theorize that the Captain Marvel we met in "the Return" is a clone, and that they will clone other heroes including but not limited to: The Original Hawkeye, Mockingbird, Ben Reilly, Dr. Donald Blake, Jean Grey, and Scott Lang. this is set after the have realized what they are, and after the Civil War and Annihilation.
~*~

"Thank you all for coming today," Mar-Vell said to those gathered in front of him.

Teddy Altman looked at Billy Kaplan. Teddy was shaking in fear and nervousness. "Relax," Billy whispered. "Or I'll make you." it was a playful threat that made Teddy smile. Teddy let go of Billy's hand and stepped forward.

"Are you sure you are ready for this?" Heather Douglas asked Phyla-Vell telepathically.

"I must face my past," responded Phyla. "But it feels good to know my future is at myside." they shared a smile. no one had heard a word exchanged. Phyla stood and walked toward the man in red and blue. "Mar-Vell?" she asked.

"Y-yes," he responded. "You are Phyla?" she nodded. he turned to the blonde boy across from him. "And you are Dorrek?" he asked.

"I-I prefer Teddy," He responded.

Mar-Vell smiled. "Teddy," he granted. "My-my children."

"This isn't awkward at all," Billy thought, standing in the back of the room.

"You should try listening in on Mar-Vell's thoughts on the situation," Heather Douglas sent to the young man.

Billy startled, but didn't draw attention to himself. "I'm a telepath," Heather informed him. "Hope I didn't intrude."

"No... not at all," Billy thought, assuming Heather heard. "What's so awkward about Mr. Vell's thoughts?"

"He hasn't quite gotten why we stood so close to his children. He assumes we are sibling figures." Phyla had a ghost of a grin on her face.

"Um... do you know if he'll mind?" Billy wondered to her.

"It's more entertaining to find those such things out in due course."

~*~

"Aunt May," Peter said with a bright smile at his aged matriarch. "There's someone I want you to meet." Peter ran to the door and pushed it open.

a man that looked exactly like Peter except with blond hair walked in. he paused, his own eyes welling up with tears.

"Wh-" began May, but couldn't find words after that.

"This is Ben Reilley..." Peter said. "... My clone... brother."

"Sort of," Ben amended.

"You were a clone then, you're a clone now," Peter dismissed. "What's changed?"

"Hate to say it Benny, but Tiger's got a point," MJ said from the doorway.

"MJ!" Ben called. "So you guys have really made it."

"Not without our ups and downs," MJ replied, taking Peter's hand. "But they've been worth it to be here."

"You two look so different... and yet the same," Ben mused, giving MJ a warm hug. "How's my neice?"

that brought a ringing silence to the room.

"I-" MJ finally broke the silence. "I-I miscarried." she spoke distantly, as if trying not to associate it with herself. "We haven't gotten pregnant or really tried to since."

"God..." Ben said sadly. "I'm so sorry." He gave MJ another hug, then Peter.

"Ben Rieilly," Aunt May said. she stated his name, not calling him.

"It was an alias I'd use from time to time," Peter explained. "You're maiden name, and..."

"I like it," May finally said. "Ben would have been annoyed though. He was so traditional."

"I know," Ben and Peter said in unison.

May looked at the blond. "You have my Peter's memories?" she asked.

Ben nodded quietly.

May said not a word more as she took Ben into a motherly hug, and the clone returned, hugging what he'd always wanted; his mother, Peter's mother, Aunt May.

~*~

"What do you mean SOLE CUSTODY?!" Scott yelled at his wife across the table.

"Watch your tone," growled Blake Burdick, "You may be in with Stark, but you don't have the right to menace my wife."

"But she has the right to hold my daughter hostage?!" Scott snapped.

"Cassie is safer with us than with you!" Peggy replied.

"Perhaps I can help?" called a voice from the door. Cassie was leaning against the door frame as Jennifer "She-Hulk" Walters walked in.

"Jen!" Scott called with a bright smile.

He got up to give her a hug but she waved him off with a warm smile. "Hug me later, love me now," she said. she stood in front of Blake and Peggy Burdick. "You have no grounds to petition for Sole custody. Mr. Lang is gainfully employed, has a stable home, and above all, actually gets along with the child which, from the stories I've heard, is more than I can say for either of you."

"I won't have some... Green-skinned..." Blake growled. "Hulk come into my home and insult me like this. We've been wonderful parents, are you saying we're bad ones because we don't allow her into dangerous situations with people of questionable character?" as he said questionable, Blake looked directly at Scott.

"Mr. Burdick, first of all it is never a good idea to insult opposing council to their face. Secondly, if you continue this I will bury you under paperwork and evidence to the point where if Mr. Lang will recieve custody, and YOU will be the ones begging for visitation rights." she glared at him. she liked Cassie, and understood where the girl was coming from. "Do I make myself abundantly clear?"

"Clear as glass," Peggy said waspishly, as she put a restraining hand on Blake. "We maintain custody and Scott has unlimited visitation rights so long as he informs us ahead of time... not asks permission, informs us."

"Thank you Peggy," Scott said with a sigh of relief.

~*~

Jean approached the wreckage that was the gates of the Xavier Mansion with a great deal of hesitance. she used the phoenix force to reach out and sense what had happened here.

"Jeanie?" asked Ben. "You alright?"

She smiled at the clone who had quickly become a close friend. "Thank you for coming with me today Ben," she said. "I really appreciate it."

"Anything for you Jeanie," he smiled. "How could I say no to the girl who cleared my head?"

"J-Jean?!" Scott called as he walked from the front door.

"Not a-bloody-gain!" Emma growled as she walked out behind Scott. other X-men quickly followed, each embracing Jean as the lost friend she was.

As Cyclops leaned in to kiss her, Jean did one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do... she pushed him a way. "I think," she said gently, "There's someone else who those lips belong to now."

Scott stood, looked back at Emma, then at Jean. Scott looked down at the ground. Emma quirked an eye-brow.

"I'm not upset Scott," Jean said gently. "We said "'till death do us part'... that's come and gone dear."

"Well," Emma commented as Scott was jostled back towards her. "I must say Jeanie, you actually managed to surprise me."

"I still don't like you Emma darling," Jean said with just a hint of venom in her voice.

"Good," Emma said. "Hopefully you won't stick around too long."

"I won't," replied Jean. "I have an apartment in the city. I'm going to be using my time to campaign against O.N.E. and other blatantly anti-mutant programs... you know... the programs you supported." Every mutant around them lowered there heads. "I don't know what Wanda put you all through, but I am disgusted with what you allowed to happen. Sending off mutants just because they no longer have their powers? Did you believe the world had forgotten they were once mutants? that they were safe now?" Jean shook her head. "I won't be staying in this place any longer... not now that it is an insult to what it once stood for. I just came home to see old friends and burn a few final bridges." on the word "Burn" she allowed a bit of her phoenix aura to show, causing everyone but Ben to take more than a step back. Ben smiled lop-sidedly. For some reason, he wasn't intimidated by the Phoenix side of Jean. for some reason... it intruiged him more than anything else.

~*~

"You're doing just fine," Dr. Blake said as he hobbled over to his desk to sit down.

"Thank you," Mar-Vell said as he redressed himself. He'd just completed his latest post-mission check up. He didn't trust S.H.I.E.L.D.'s doctors anymore. He only trusted Dr. Blake, but even Blake couldn't do everything on his own.

"Ah! Scott, please come in," Donald said to Scott lang who had just arrived with another batch of equipment. "Are those the improved vital sign monitors I requested?"

"You know it," Scott said brightly. "You just put it here," he said, demonstarting on himself. he placed it on his left breast, and a holographic display popped up showing his vital signs including temperature, resperations, blood pressure, pulse, and even weight.

"Brilliant, I can't wait to show it to... Ah, here they are," Donald gestured to the door.

There stood Stephen Strange and a woman in a Nurse's uniform.

"Linda Carter," she introduced herself to Donald Blake. "M.D. with a specialty in meta-physiology."

"Honor to finally meet the legendary, 'Night Nurse' I heard took such good care of Spider-man," Dr. Blake said.

"Honor to meet the legendar Doctor who turns into a God," Dr. Carter returned.

"Ah, I no longer possess the ability to become Thor," he clarified. "I am a clone of only Dr. Blake... they though I would be able to become Thor as well."

Both Dr. Blake and Dr. Carter turned on Stephen. "Are you sure we can't persuade you to join us Stephen?" asked Dr. Blake. "Imagine it, the greatest Meta-physicians in the country."

"It would be interesting... Holmes," Dr. Carter teased.

"Alas," Strange said with a distant smile. "I have far too many responsiblities as it is. Besides, I remember what it was like having to deal with insurance companies. That was truly frightening... and that is coming from a man who's actually been to hell."

They shared a warm chuckle.

 

[Dread]

Not bad it's a good use for a bunch of Z-listers for sure.

Thanks for commenting, and glad you liked my takes on some of the characters, especially Axum and Batwing.

I came up with another idea today, loosely based on some past ideas I came up with that may be found in the back posts of this topic like Guy Named Joe or even the ghastly Superpro into a comic series that in little way, shape, or form would be successful without an A-list writer, artist, or both. But it could be an interesting little comic sort of like a Marvel version of 100 BULLETS.

Your Z-Listers comment is actually the working title.

The idea is called "Z-LISTERS". The concept is much like a fanboy planning session come to life; each issue, at least for a short time, focuses on one forgotten F-Z list character, either a tainted trainwreck like Superpro or El Aguila to a goober like Joe Smith or some interesting "one and done" sorts of characters, or old laughings stocks, and takes a serious look at them as current down-and-out pugs in one way or another. The "hook" is that a mysterious manipulator, a person with enough resources and knowledge to trigger minor events via phone calls, bribes, etc., intoduces an element into said Z-Lister's life that prompts to rock their doldrums and perhaps ease them back into action better than they were before...or destroy them...or elicit an opposite reaction. Much like 100 BULLETS, while the "intervention" isn't always the same, it is performed by the same person and his/her intentions aren't made clear for a while. This person clearly has almost inhuman knowledge of the lowest tiers of the superhuman community and is purposefully manipulating those on the botttom-most rungs. But why? To assemble a loyal force for some great task? Pure experimentation into the psyche? Or perhaps a former Z-Lister him/herself wanting to spread some equal oppurtunity around.

Basically, it's a hook for "how many Z-Listers can we dig up and make cool" and then eventually of course the "manipulator" has to be revealed and their purpose known, meaning the title would inevitably have an ending.

 

[Zoken]

Illuminati Vs. The Hoodie

in a battle against the same monster Silver Surfer confronted in the Captain Universe Mini-series the Illuminati find a horrifying realization: He has absorbed the power of a new cosmic cube. he tracked the Surfer's energy signature to earth to destroy him and is confronted by the Illuminati. With combined effort they are able to syphon away the power of the cosmic cube and after that Namor was capable of beating him into submission.

The problem was in finding where the energy was siphoned to. They weren't able to find a vessel for it before performing the ritual. It was placed into a hooded-sweatshirt in a nearby store. The sweatshirt, which was physically unchanged, was purchased by a good natured young man and his twin sister. when he placed the hoodie on he found he had remarkable powers.

while wearing the hoodie he can alter reality in any way his wishes, though luckily it has to be a concious focused willed thought.

at the same time that the Illuminati discovers a way to track the power of the cosmic cube, the Hoodie is attacked by a fleet of Doombots on orders from Dr. Doom to retrieve the powerful object he bears, the hoodie.

 

[Zoken]

Penultimate Marvel

Captain America: Steve Rodgers is a young recruit who volunteers for a medical experiment rather than go to Iraq, only to be shocked when it changes his normally meek and weak body into that of a Olympic Athlete

Sub-Mariner: Namor is raised by his grandfather, and lead to believe that he and his younger sister, Namura, were the products of rape on the part of his human father. Namor grows up harboring hatred for surface-dwellers and growing a strong and rigid sense of justice. his skin, always different from other Atlanteans brings him shame, however it isn't the strangest thing about him. when he entered puberty strange apendeges grew on his ankles that somehow caused him to able to swim without moving his legs or arms. he was propelled through the water effortlessly. then, when attacked by a shark, the shark shattered it's teeth on the Atlantean prince's skin. after discussing this with his father, Namor wants to find out if he has any other gifts from his father... particularly the ability to breath air. against the pleadings of his Grandfather and sister he shoots toward the surface with them in hot pursuit. he breaks out of the water to hover several feet above it. he takes a deep breath.. and another. he looks down through the barrier that divides him from his grandfather and sister. Namor pledges that from that moment on he shall live up to his name. he Shall be an Avenging Son.

The Angel: Thomas Hallaway was an expert surgeon, untill one day he was sued. while he was not at fault, and he lost no money, the court revoked his ability to perform medicine. Hallaway, not believing it possible that this could happen, desired the ability to investigate it. He had invested his money wisely over the years and was independantly wealthy. Through his investigation he came across a sheet of paper saying that he was being bumped to make way for a new kid by the name of Strange. The paper trail Hallaway followed lead him deeper and deeper into the occult. along the way he made aquisitions such as the Cape of Mercury, which granted him flight, the Goggles of DaVinci, which allowed him enhanced vision and the abilty to see the presence of the Super-natural. He found himself Learning more and more, and when asked who he was by a bystander he saved he replied only, "Just an angel ma'am."

The Human Torch: An android created to be the worlds first "Artificial Organism" there was, of course, a flaw in his design: the solar cells that powered him caused him to burst in to flames in an oxygnenated environment... such as the atmosphere. With free will that was unexpected by his creators he flew away to be unheard from for a year. then Jim Hammond surfaced. A firefighter in New York city his hand was forced when he had to save his company mates from a collapsing building. he burned away the debris and saved their lives, but revealed himself. rescue workers stand beside the artificial human known as "the Torch", but the Governement wants to question him.

Venus: the Goddess Venus has chosen now to visit the world of man. she makes her "Descent" in Paris, France where she gains followers who willingly worship her (mostly the lonely who wish to curry the favor of a love goddess). However she finds conflict from churches and the life of a living Goddess on earth.

The Vision: a scientist accidently links his experimental teleporter to another universe, accidently pulling through a being known as Aarkus, which in our language means "The Vision". unable to send the visitor back to his world of origin, Aarkus makes a life for himself here on earth. He was the equivilant of a police officer in his homeworld, so he sets forth to keep law here on Earth.

 

[Anubis]

Not bad Zoke. So Vision is basically the Martian Manhunter. I'll need a little more on that Angel guy before I can form a proper opinion.

 

[Zoken]

Well these are all re-imaginings of ACTUAL golden age heroes. every last one of them.

Angel, in my opinion, could have been the Sorcerer supreme. originally he was just a detective with a cape who flew. (and use to be a doctor) I decided, he's still a detective, but he deals more the the super natural and he has a few more trinkets than his golden age counter part. he doesn't know the flashy spells that Strange does, but he can seal and/or excorsise demons as well as weild magical weapons. for him its more about using magical items than weilding the magic himself.

The Vision was supposed to be able to traverse back to Smoke-World (his homeworld) at any time he wished. He can fly, become smoke, and teleport through smoke or steam or fog, and has telepathy.

 

[deemar325]

Alright I'm back. Z I know..I know.


Give me time bubba.

 

[Anubis]

Well these are all re-imaginings of ACTUAL golden age heroes. every last one of them.

Angel, in my opinion, could have been the Sorcerer supreme. originally he was just a detective with a cape who flew. (and use to be a doctor) I decided, he's still a detective, but he deals more the the super natural and he has a few more trinkets than his golden age counter part. he doesn't know the flashy spells that Strange does, but he can seal and/or excorsise demons as well as weild magical weapons. for him its more about using magical items than weilding the magic himself.

The Vision was supposed to be able to traverse back to Smoke-World (his homeworld) at any time he wished. He can fly, become smoke, and teleport through smoke or steam or fog, and has telepathy.

Nice, Marvel could use more low level mystics taking care of the stuff the good doctor lets slip through.

 

[deemar325]

Okay... a long time ago this story started, and now... I want to get a bit of it out.

In this world an event much like the "white Event" occured. the earth was bathed in an energy wave that cause alterations in immature DNA. basically any and all organisms still in their gestation period were mutated. This was of course noticed in animal births first, but while a record number of mutated children were born 5-8 months later, there were not as many as were predicted. It turned out that only during purberty would the greatest of these mutations be revealed. Those who did recieve these gifts were called "Derivitave Human Species" or "D-Humans" for short. those with out are known as "Origin Human Species" or "O-Humans"

Mutation: Genisis
The most powerful word in the english language is "No." As congress discusses the "D-Human Registration, Relocation, and Re-Education Bill" a group of teens from Georgia manage to get their hands on a copy. The bill would require all D-Humans to be detained, documented, shipped to a "Re-Education Center" and "Educated in appropriate use of power". in short the bill ordered D-humans hunted down, locked up, and brain washed to believe they were disgusting abominations. This group of teens, outcasts from their families, now makes their way to utter this most powerful word.

Locomotive: has a letter in speech and debate, his power is that he does not tire. he can never be exhausted. He rarely even sleeps.

Interesting ability.

Bubbles: the only one of the group that has no training in public speaking, she is meek, and unused to using her mind to acheive her goals. she produces pink colored bubbles that have the kinetic impact of rubber balls.

T-Zap: low-level electrokinetic. speaks two langauges and is twin sister to Z-Zap. has feelings for Locomotive

Z-Zap, low-level electrokinetic. speaks two languages and is twin brother to T-Zap (speaks english and farsi like his sister). protective of his sister.

Wolf: was once a loser who's only release was public speaking, his powers included an enhanced metabolism that gave him slightly enhanced strength and endurace as well as enhanced senses.

Name is kinda generic Z.

southern GA to Washington DC never seemed so far for these teenagers.

Mutation: PDX

five teenagers were once great friends, but four years ago something drove a wedge in them, splintering them. now, on a dark anniversary, celebrating a secret they don't dare mention, they are approached by a young man who claims to be from the future, telling them about their powers, telling them that they are supposed to be heroes. Can they be friends again? Can they confront the horrible secret they buried four years ago?

Gravitation: controls gravity. he is a high school golden boy, and sports star. he recently quit the football team, as well as announcing his intentions not to join any other teams, supposedly to work on his grades. he is a natural leader, but he doubts himself.

Lady Sky: flight, strength. She is a highly intelligent ice-queen. she projects the image that all she cares about is her studies and she like not having anything else in her life. She is, however, athletic. She has studied martial arts for many years and even creates a style that takes advantage of her power to fly. often carries a chinese long sword.

Hottie: pyro-kinetic. she is a loner doning spikes, blunt messages to avoid her, and colors that obviously clash to keep people away from her. The only person in her life she respects, though she doesn't let them know, is her stepfather, a welder.

Gigabyte: hyper-prodigy. he is very much the nerd his powers force him to be, though this year he has let his grades slack much to his teacher's consternation. he, truthfully, is bored. nothing is an intellectual challenge to him anymore, at least not at school.

Diva: able to produce concussive blasts from her mouth when she sings. She has always been fairly selfabsorbed, but only because that's what she thinks she's supposed to be like. her parents do a fairly good job of ignoring her and placating her with expensive thigns (as they are fairly rich). her family's servant is a major father figure to her teaching her some martial arts and listening to her problems.

Gyro: produces spinning rings of light that can teleport, deliver a concussive blast, or act as a forcefield. he is the one who traveled backwards from the future. he speeks of a bleak world where they didn't stay together, where they shattered. he doesn't know why things changed, but he knows they must be set right. He traveled with three compainions who were lost in the time stream as they traveled, he was the only one to arrive at the correct time-space location.

Mutation: Red

This is a more spider-man type story being set in chicago. a young man with incredible power and the right motivation in his past to use it correctly. he has friends who know and help despite their own lack of power, and one friend who fights agaisnt thim due to her 'philosphy'.

Johnny "Crimson" Myers: produces a red energy from with in his body that he can expel from any point, usually his hands or eyes, or feet if he wishes to fly. The energy feeds his body as well as acts as a defensive mechanism. when adrenalized his body produces even more excess amounts. if he uses too much he goes into a comatose state while his stores replenish. He has a great moral compas and a strong sense of right and wrong. his father is a firefighter who taught him that courage isn't what sends him in, it's duty, honor, and strength. his father taught him to box.

Tabby Wesely: no powers, but a computer genius. she watches out for Johnny on line by linking into security cameras wherever she can. she and her twin brother Tommy have been friends with Johnny and their friend Susie for as long as any of them can remember.

Tommy: pretty much the same as Tabby, but he also has a horn dog streak. he's playful and witty.

Susie "Shadow" Holmes: able to dissolve her body into a shadow like state and use shadows to teleport. Her father was a firefighter too, only he died. she believes that he died for nothing and has a harsher more Darwinian look on life. She becomes a D-supremecist.

Atif "Iron Sides" Mohammad: able to convert his body to living metal and even convert other matter he touches into metal, Atif is young but desires to become a hero. he seeks the tutalage of Crimson.

Mutation: Monster

where heroes and champions rise, there also rises evil. in this case a great evil intent on the world bowing to him and worshiping him. He has the ability to manipulate matter on the subatomic level, bending and warping the world to his will. he believes himself to be more than human, more that super-human, he believes himself to be that which he calls himself: Diety

Mutation: The Gathering

Genisis has made it to DC, the PDX have come to terms with their dark secret and each other, Crimson is unmasked, and Diety is unleashed upon the world. Now, given their chance to speak, Genisis puts out the word; D-Humans are together in DC to speak to Congress, both the House and the Senate, about the Bill. The time has come, the players are set, will they win?
Mutation: University

set roughtly twenty years after all that has gone before, there opens for the first time a school. The Thomas Wesely Academy for D-Human Education. The headmaster is non other than Johnathan "Crimson" Meyers and his wife Tabitha Meyers. the school is named for their late brother. he was a organic chemistry genius. he created a substance that has become as standard in law enforcement as handcuffs: Suppressant. a liquid that, when administered to a D-human, nullifies powers. he made a fortune, but never stopped being a staunch advocate of D-human rights (despite being O-Human). he and his fiance were murdered two years ago by O-Human supremecists. He stipulated in his will that he wanted his money to create a place where these children could go and learn about themselves, the world, and not be percecuted. A school. this would not be a base of operations for a team of any sort, as vigilante activity was now on the fall after D-Humans became standard parts of many police units.

while of course there are large numbers of students, we focuse on small microcosms, friends who band together due to fate.

Carmenita "Elek-Trick" Martorell: a powerful electro-kinetic. She is a natural leader, and not a bashful or shy person. very outgoing and friendly. devout catholic.

Mycroft "Random" Holmes: the bastard son of Susan "Shadow" Holmes he is named for the Arthur Conan Doyle character. his power is unstable and actually shifts roughly every twenty-four hours. Mycroft was raised by his mother without a stable home, moving from place to place. his mother ran because of who his father was: Diety. Mycroft is quiet, respectful and fairly feminine. many accuse him of being gay, when he is infact straight. He closest two friends are Carmen and Danny.

Danny "Migraine" Fangor Jr: high level telekinetic. Danny has sever emotional and psychological problems stemming not only from the fact that his mother dissappeared when he was three and his father beat him like a rented mule, but also the fact that when his powers emerged he accidently KILLED his father. Danny has issues with the fact that he was glad his father was dead and the fact that he feels ill over the fact that he did it. he has the beginings of Dissassociative Identity Dissorder. his alternate personality, the "Dark Prince" has greater control of his telekinesis. the Dark Prince doesn't even have to come out completely to ruin Danny's life. whenever Danny experiences wonderfully happy moments he begins to experience horrible migrains that are accompanied by his telekinesis lashing out without control. converts to catholicism after attending church with his girlfriend, Carmenita.

Guillermo "Elastic" Martorell: Carmenita's younger brother, Elastic is like everyone's younger brother. he is sarcastic and witty and always playfull. he is intelligent and out spoken and on the speech and debate team. He is stretchy. devout catholic

Abigail "Power-Up" Parker: a pigment transformation signals the activation of her powers. her brown hair turns golden blond and her brown eyes turn blue her caucasian skin turns paper white. in this form she can fly and possesses super strength. she is a tomboy and very rambunctious. she is very much an anime-geek. shortly after arriving at the school along with her best friend she realized that not only was she bi-sexual, she was also in love with that same friend, May.

May "Fantasy" Watson: creates force fields that have a rainbow tint to them, like soap bubbles. She was a very popular girl in her old school and is still very girly. her popularity took a nose dive shortly after she arrived when she finally admited to herself that she was a lesbian and in love with her best friend, Abigail. May has been sexually abused by her father, not that anyone but her family knows this, and so she has some intimacy issues.

John "Cutter" Smythe: computer geek, but keeps in shape with martial arts. very intelligent, on the "Quiz-bowl" team. generates magnetic fields. uses them to manipulate metal blades.

James "Tank" Smythe: Identical twin of Cutter. James is a more physical being. weight training, football team, soccor. he uses his magnetic powers to make heavy metal armor and projectiles.

both of the above are twin brothers from London, England. they are often refered to as the "Magno Twins"

expansion, in the middle of all of this I decided to expand with a second group.

Austin "Pick" Robertson: A young black boy who grew up in Austin, Texas. he secretes a ceramic like substance from his pores that he can use to make spikes ore edged weapons. he can fire them, but that is very tiring. he is skilled at knife fighting from times spent in a gangin in Austin. he has an older brother who is a criminal that he hasn't heard from in a long time. His single mother moved them out of the city and into a little town. His is best friends with "Twister"

Katrina "Twister" Dressler: controls wind. she is very much the wild child with an eclectic personality. she has a great deal of of skill in a number of areas but far from expertise. she can sword fight, dance, act, sing, gynastics, and many other things due to step-fathers. you see her father died when she was eight and her mother proceeded to rapidly marry and divorce several men. none of these men were ever cruel to Katrina, in fact most of them tried to have a good relationship with her. Katrina resents her mother. she is a devout jew, as her mother was born jewish and her father was devout.

Marianne "Giggles" Nyguen: she flied, line of sight teleports, and has superspeed. She first visited believing she was an O-Human dating elastic. she later discovered her powers when she was moved in after she ran away from home (her parents dissapproved of her dating a D-Human). she is smart, but not wise. she has an incessant giggle that earned her her nickname. she and elastic have an on-again-off-again relationship.

Damian "Cyber-Saint" Hall: damian was born with dusty brown wings and has had them all his life. when he was eleven he was in a car wreck that almost killed him. his uncle was quite wealthy and an inventor so he was able to recieve cybernetic prosthetics for all the limbs on his right side including his wing, as well as his right eye and right kidney. Damian is extremely self consious and self-loathing. he has attempted suicide twice, and is in two therapy groups and sees a therapist regularly by himself. he is also dealing with the fact that he is a closeted gay. he has a crush on Mycroft.

Katie "The Reaper" Enfield: able to possess uncionsious bodies. she is a very dark and cold girl. she usually wears a heavy black hood and cloak that makes her look like the grim reaper. at the Academy she even owns a collapsable sythe. She is an excellent melee fighter. she is cold and cruel to almost everyone, the only exception is Damien, who reminds her of her own little brother. Katie was abandoned on the streets by her parents. she is wiccan.

Phineas (Fin)"Gore" Rhiechart: able to not only regenerate to heal, but also generate extra mass, enhancing his strength, and thickening his skeleton. doing these things gives him a frightening almost zombie like appearances as his skin stretches taught over his deformed skeleton. he has to eat to keep up his stores. he also has a high pain threshold as he will often rip out his own bones if he is in need of weaponry.

This one is pretty good. It reminds me of StrongGuy a little bit, but it's a cool idea all the same.

Buddy your kinda running on empty with this one.

 

[Zoken]

Well this would be an alternate universe, much like the Ultimate (Which is why I jokingly named it "Penultimate"

 

[deemar325]

Penultimate Marvel

Captain America: Steve Rodgers is a young recruit who volunteers for a medical experiment rather than go to Iraq, only to be shocked when it changes his normally meek and weak body into that of a Olympic Athlete

Sub-Mariner: Namor is raised by his grandfather, and lead to believe that he and his younger sister, Namura, were the products of rape on the part of his human father. Namor grows up harboring hatred for surface-dwellers and growing a strong and rigid sense of justice. his skin, always different from other Atlanteans brings him shame, however it isn't the strangest thing about him. when he entered puberty strange apendeges grew on his ankles that somehow caused him to able to swim without moving his legs or arms. he was propelled through the water effortlessly. then, when attacked by a shark, the shark shattered it's teeth on the Atlantean prince's skin. after discussing this with his father, Namor wants to find out if he has any other gifts from his father... particularly the ability to breath air. against the pleadings of his Grandfather and sister he shoots toward the surface with them in hot pursuit. he breaks out of the water to hover several feet above it. he takes a deep breath.. and another. he looks down through the barrier that divides him from his grandfather and sister. Namor pledges that from that moment on he shall live up to his name. he Shall be an Avenging Son.

This pretty good, a decent motive for Namor to hate surface dwellers.

The Angel: Thomas Hallaway was an expert surgeon, untill one day he was sued. while he was not at fault, and he lost no money, the court revoked his ability to perform medicine. Hallaway, not believing it possible that this could happen, desired the ability to investigate it. He had invested his money wisely over the years and was independantly wealthy. Through his investigation he came across a sheet of paper saying that he was being bumped to make way for a new kid by the name of Strange. The paper trail Hallaway followed lead him deeper and deeper into the occult. along the way he made aquisitions such as the Cape of Mercury, which granted him flight, the Goggles of DaVinci, which allowed him enhanced vision and the abilty to see the presence of the Super-natural. He found himself Learning more and more, and when asked who he was by a bystander he saved he replied only, "Just an angel ma'am."

The Human Torch: An android created to be the worlds first "Artificial Organism" there was, of course, a flaw in his design: the solar cells that powered him caused him to burst in to flames in an oxygnenated environment... such as the atmosphere. With free will that was unexpected by his creators he flew away to be unheard from for a year. then Jim Hammond surfaced. A firefighter in New York city his hand was forced when he had to save his company mates from a collapsing building. he burned away the debris and saved their lives, but revealed himself. rescue workers stand beside the artificial human known as "the Torch", but the Governement wants to question him.

Venus: the Goddess Venus has chosen now to visit the world of man. she makes her "Descent" in Paris, France where she gains followers who willingly worship her (mostly the lonely who wish to curry the favor of a love goddess). However she finds conflict from churches and the life of a living Goddess on earth.

The Vision: a scientist accidently links his experimental teleporter to another universe, accidently pulling through a being known as Aarkus, which in our language means "The Vision". unable to send the visitor back to his world of origin, Aarkus makes a life for himself here on earth. He was the equivilant of a police officer in his homeworld, so he sets forth to keep law here on Earth.

Is this like your version of how the Ultimate Avengers should be?