Supervillainy A-To-Z: G is for Gamma Burst

Believe it or not I actually find creating villains a lot harder than creating heroes.

Heroes are easier for me for several reasons. Foremost among these reasons is that I never read comic books for the villains. That is to say, I never said, "Cool! This issue of Superman has Brainiac" or "Awesome! A Dr. Doom story". I always liked heroes and reading about how they defeated their evil opponents.

Another major factor is it's difficult for me (without time and effort) to get into the villainous mindset. Being a hero makes sense to me. Being a villain...well...it's often tricky to wrap my head around.

To overcome this weakness I have found it helpful to create heroes first and than make them bad. The idea being take a character I intended to be a hero and see what could go wrong that would result in a super bad guy. This next villain, like the one before it actually, is inspired by some of my favorite B-List and C-List comic book superhero characters.

Fake Out, while ending up resembling a female Ultron in some ways, was largely influenced by Platinum of the Metal Men (DC Comics) and Jocasta and the LMDs of SHIELD, from Marvel.

This next one is based on an idea that touched upon Captain Atom and the Human Bomb. It also has elements of my own iconic hero Excelsior.

GAMMA BURST 

True Identity: Gavin Humphrey

Description/Appearance: Once an average looking Caucasian male in his mid-to-late 30's, Gavin Humphrey is now a glowing, green human-shaped being of gamma radiation. Within the armored containment suit that keeps him from exploding or irradiating his surroundings, it is very possible his height and weight are similar to that of his original form but we are more concerned with his Gamma Burst identity.

As Gamma Burst, Humphrey stands 6' 3" tall and weighs 330 lbs. All of this is, of course, thanks to his armored suit. The suit is a heavily modified variation of similar suits used by various scientific government and corporate entities worldwide, although the design originates in the US. Gamma Burst's armor was rebuilt and customized by Humphrey himself. The armor is primarily white with bright green trim and the Greek letter 'Gamma' on the upper chest.

Origin and Background: Doctor Gavin Humphrey was one of the top scientists and researchers in the field of astrophysics and stellar radiation when the funding for his operations was diverted to support other projects.

Suspicious that his resources had been channeled into a super soldier project because of rumors he had been hearing around the labs, Humphrey reorganized his staff and equipment to create a similar project of his own. Dr. Humphrey felt that if he could prove his scientific worth by creating the template for a gamma-ray powered superhuman, funding (not to mention prestige and admiration) would come flooding his way.

Word of Humphrey's project spread and he was contact by one General Hitchcock Bryce, who offered to support the endeavor and provide additional funding from his division, a top secret weapons development group.

After months of testing and simulations, all seemed ready to go. The military contractors and top brass, along with Humphrey's peers in the science departments, were all on hand to see history made. Unfortunately, it was. One of the largest and most spectacular blunders in the history of scientific errors was made when the controlled, micro-Gamma Burst reacted very poorly with the nano-technology capacitors in the test subject, causing the young man to explode and take out a quarter of the facility, killing six technicians, four scientists, three security personnel and General Bryce's assistant (not to mention the test subject).

Dr. Humphrey was fired on the spot and all of his data, notes and equipment confiscated. Pending an investigation, Humphrey could be facing prison.

Certain that his calculations and equipment had been correct, Humphrey did some investigating and discovered the project had been sabotaged by Bryce! The general wanted the data to create, not a superhuman soldier but a gamma-ray energy weapon or bomb for his division.

Enraged, Humphrey stole and modified an armored radiation suit, broke into one of the still functioning labs and worked overnight to recreate his experiment. Military police and security tried to stop him before it was too late but they failed. Humphrey, using himself as the test subject had been transformed into a living gamma-ray burst and set out to exact his revenge on Bryce, the US military and the scientific world!

Powers and Abilities: Coursing with radiation and regulated by his armor, Gamma Burst can perform a number of superhuman and high tech feats.

He can emit powerful gamma ray bolts as well as redirect his energy into the suit to provide power for Jump Jets and a sensor suite that sees various wavelengths of radiation.

Perhaps his most powerful ability (outside of his technological and scientific genius) is a massive gamma burst wave attack. This wide angle, cone shaped beam, fired from a hidden cannon in the armor's chest, can not only cause considerable damage but also results in nausea and nerve paralysis.

Gamma Burst's modified containment armor has been upgraded several times and at this point is pretty invulnerable. That's a good thing too, since a rupture in the suit would expose Humphrey's radioactive body, poisoning everyone within a fifty yards in minutes. If without the suits containment for more than a few minutes, Humphrey's, like the original test subject, will explode like a nuclear bomb.

(While I did not write it on the sheet below, Gamma Burst should probably also have Life Support or something similar because of his armored suit).

Personality and Motivations: Humphrey's is a bitter man who blames Bryce and his kind for the failure of his project and hates the control the military has over science (although he did not originally feel that way). He is made all the more hateful by the fact that he is forever trapped inside his huge armored suit, as it protects the world from him as much as it protects him from attack.

Humphrey is always trying to improve the suits tech and capabilities. He is also looking for a cure for his 'condition' but will refuse to use it before he has made General Hitchcock Bryce pay dearly.

***

Gamma Burst was originally created for Villains & Vigilantes. He has been appeared in one form or another in practically every Superhero RPG I'm ever run. He has been called Gamma Bomb, Ground Zero (when his powers were more traditionally 'Atomic/Nuclear') and Bomb Burst (slightly alternate powers closer to the DC Comics character The Human Bomb). I used a variant of him in an Aberrant game run by a friend of mine as a hero/PC.

Gamma Burst for ICONS:

***

Catching up...

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Barking Alien

Supervillainy A-To-Z: F is for Fake-Out

Sweet Giant Octopus of Metropolis!

I am so far behind in the A-to-Z Challenge I need to move like a green snake up a sugarcane.

This past weekend was crazy busy and weekends in generally are going to be quite the thorn in my side this month in relation to getting this challenge completed. So, have I already lost? Been disqualified? I certainly hope not. I still have a lot of villains to unleash on this unsuspecting world...Muwahahahaha!

Ahem...

My next group of villains are interesting to me because, although not planned this way, they have a number of things in common. First, there is a high-technology aspect to each of them. Second, they are all old characters who've gone through several different incarnations. I have changed and updated the look, name and other elements of these characters over the years even though their core concepts have stayed the same. Lastly, since they're all old characters who've gone through a number of retcons and reboots, I don't really have good images for any of them already on hand. I have had to create new images for each.

I know what you're thinking, the opposite should be true if they're old and have had multiple versions made but many (most) were original drawings that were never scanned into any computer because, believe it or not, we didn't always have computers and scanners in our homes. Yes, I am that old.

So, I apologize to the artists whose work I, um, not so much plagiarized as, er, manipulated and kit bashed in order to create these next few pics. I will identify the artist of the 'base image' when possible.

***

FAKE OUT
  

 

 

True Identity: Facsimile Android 'Kismet' Edition - Model F10

 

Description/Appearance: Fake Out, aka Model F10, specializes in disguise and altering her appearance. In her standard operating mode state, she appears to be a metallic humanoid and generally female design with blue-grey and burnished gold plating.

Fake Out, if she has not adjusted her height or weight, stands 5' 10" and weighs 180 lbs. She is able to alter this through collapsible extensions in her feet, legs and mid-section. She can also absorb and convert water and basic carbon in the air to add weight or temporarily disperse some of the gases in her interior to decrease her weight.

With her metamorphic, metal and polymer surface and a network of holographic image projectors, she can essentially look like anyone.

Origin and Background: Robotics genius Simon Sykes was very proud of his latest series of Androids and who could blame him. The new F.A.K.E. series units were improvements in practically every way over the older Facsimile Android 'Deception' Edition or F.A.D.E..

There were well over fifty F.A.D.E. units in operation, ordered by various government intelligence organizations worldwide. The major user of the product was and remains the United Nations' own InterNational Supernormal Intelligence Group - Highly Trained (I.N.S.I.G.H.T.). Even so, only nine of the more expensive and elaborate F.A.K.E.s were requested. A tenth was constructed and kept by its creator, Prof. Sykes, as a test bed for further upgrades and improvements.

Over time, the F.A.K.E. units proved incredibly effective and a dozen more were ordered. Before, the new orders could be filled however, I.N.S.I.G.H.T. contacted Simon Sykes regarding a very delicate matter. The superheroine Maiden America (granddaughter of the original, Golden Age hero The Great American) had been badly injured after escaping from the villainous Master Plan). I.N.S.I.G.H.T. needed a F.A.K.E. customized to imitate Maiden America and they turned to Sykes, not only for his expertise and technology but because of his former relationship with Maiden America (the two dated for years and were almost engaged).

Promised he would get to see Maiden America as soon as his work was completed, Sykes refitted his personal unit, Model F10 to emulate the patriotic maid of might down to the last detail, including the cute face she would make when angry at him and her surprisingly hearty laugh.

While the ruse worked, something went a bit awry with F10's programming. Staying in one persona so long, and a very detailed and nuanced persona at that, left a lasting impression on 'her' that made her think she really was Maiden America. Briefly, when in Maiden America's presence, F10 seemed to malfunction and try to kill 'the imposter' but was defeated by Maiden America and Touché. Eventually, Sykes was able to seemingly erase the Maiden America memories and mannerisms and decided to reset her for active duty in the field.

Approximately one year later, while posing as the Secretary of Defense, F10 was nearly kidnapped by Master Plan and his minions. An electromagnetic pulse from the power armored superhero Intrepid, released in order to knock out Master Plan's suit and those of his henchmen, short-circuited F10's mind and sent her into a berserk rage. She recalled all her previous missions and personalities, especially Maiden America's, but was suddenly shocked to find out she was a machine. After battling her way past agents of I.N.S.I.G.H.T., The Vanguard Project, Touché and Intrepid and Master Plan and his forces, F10 disappeared.

'She' has shown up again and again over the last couple of years, her plans usually involving the theft of cybernetic technology or information. She has stalked and even kidnapped her creator, sometimes disguised as Maiden America or another woman, in the belief that the two of them were meant to be together. As a result, her arch-enemies have become Maiden America, Touché and the Vanguard Project agent codenamed Automaton.

Powers and Abilities: Constructed using electro-response polymer plastics and magnetic induction memory metals, Fake Out is able to reconfigure her form into that of virtually any human or near-human humanoid imaginable. She can grow and shrink nearly 3 feet and alter her weight from 100 pounds to 280 pounds (although she can also visually appear to be heavier or lighter than this range).

In addition, a series of holographic projectors and light receptors built into her body and project the image of any person she chooses. She can self-edit her software to create entirely new, non-existent people as well.

Perhaps her most amazing ability is the 'Kismet' System devised by her inventor, robotics specialist Prof. Simon Sykes. With the Kismet System, Fake Out can adopt/adapt to not only the subtleties of Human emotions but can imitate a person's behavior, mannerisms, voice inflections and even 'guess' or estimate what they would do in a given situation. Further, Wi-Fi/remote internet and computer access enables her to double check information on an individual nearly instantaneously. The system gives her 98.9% accuracy on correctly guessing details and information about a subject and their closest friends and companions that is not public knowledge. 

Check this out:

F10 (or another F.A.K.E.) infiltrates an international terrorist group disguised as the highest ranking lieutenant's wife. He suspects there is a spy or impostor in the group and asks her a question only she would know. Something personal between them.

Lieutenant: "When we first met as children I had a nickname for you. You did not like it so I stopped use it soon after. I used it half a dozen times or so at most. What was it."

F10 (Disguised as wife), scans the internet, uses satellite uplinks, and connects to intelligence agencies all over the world, reads the Lt.'s body temperature, looks at his posture, remembers everything written, said, and shown about him, 'her', his allies and his family. Guesses.) "Lost lamb. I thought it rude at the time."

Lieutenant: "I knew you were you. A man knows his own wife after all these years. I wonder who the impostor is."

Personality and Motivations: At first glance Fake Out's motivations are fairly clear; Bring Simon Sykes to the realization that he loves her just as much as she loves him and live happily ever after. Unfortunately, her mangled mind also knows that's impossible as she is an android (albeit a very advanced one) and he is Human.

To this end she will steal cybernetics tech and/or kidnap or threaten those with knowledge of cyber-science in order to find a way to make herself more like a living, breathing person.

Bear in mind that she is not above seducing others disguised as the perfect woman (and with the Kismet System she can determine your perfect woman better than you can) in order to get to the people or things she needs.

***

Fake Out was originally created for a 1st edition Mutants & Masterminds campaign and has been used in campaigns for each edition of that system. She will (hopefully) appear in my next Champions campaign as well. Fake Out has gone through several names and appearances including AI Candy (the A.I. for Artificial Intelligence is pronounced 'Eye' in Japanese), Faker and Wannabe. 

The inspiration for her was a combination of a female Ultron and "What if a LMD didn't want to stop pretending to be someone?".

This illustration is a kit bashed image made from a few drawings by the amazing Ryan Kinnaird.

Fake Out for ICONS:

I meant to give her Interface, which is an ability in ICONS that enables one to interact with computers. It just made sense for a robot and to represent the Kismet System. As it turns out, I didn't do it because she rarely uses it for anything other than perfecting her disguises. Should I have? What's your call cape and cowl community?

***

 

Final notes for this post...

 

Mourning the loss of two iconic ladies who for better or worse (at least in the latter's case) were giants in their respective fields.

 

Now it's time to say goodbye...to Annette Funicello, original Mouseketeer and queen of the beach movies. Why? Because we liked you.

 

While I didn't always agree with her you can't disagree that she made tough choices in hard times. Give it up for the Iron Lady of British Politics, Margaret Thatcher. Though no fan of politics, the anglophile in me would be terribly off put if I didn't mention her passing. Stiff upper lip old chap.

 

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Barking Alien

Supervillainy A-To-Z: E is for Endgame

I almost regret using the following character as my 'E' entry. He is one of my greatest characters, let alone villains, and after him all others will pale in comparison from this point forward. At only five entries I'm already washed up.

 

Because this character is so special to me, his write up was hard. Very hard. This is another case of the system not doing him justice. If done correctly his power level would be ridiculous but, like DC's Mr. Mxyzptlk, he really isn't an opponent you fight directly. More often than not he is more of a plot device who sends opponents and obstacles in your way while he creates some multiverse twisting event that will retcon all of existence.

 

Your job? Stop that from happening. If you do, he appears, says he is impressed to the point where he now notices you and disappears.

 

You are in deep doo-doo now.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen...

 

***

 ENDGAME

 

True Identity: No other identity

Description/Appearance: The cosmic entity known as Endgame (or sometimes 'The End', as he is referred to by the other Universals) appears in the form of a humanoid male made of what might be opaque, white crystal or a type of marble. Numerous spider web fractures run across his surface, all culminating in a section in the center of his chest and on his face where the crystal covering is missing. In those regions, the endless void of space can be seen, often with a spiral galaxy or other astronomical scene displayed within him.

Identifying his height, weight, and other such things are meaningless. His appearance is never absolutely identical from one manifestation to another.

Origin and Background: Endgame is the last of a series of beings referred to as 'The Universals'. Only one Universal exists at a time and is, in essence, an avatar, protector, and steward of the multiverse itself and all that lies within it. A Universal is at once living, unliving, and dead. It is hot, cold, time, space, war, peace, and anything and everything else you can imagine (and some things you can not) in equal parts.

The purpose of Endgame, the last of these avatars, was to prepare the multiverse for its eventual destruction. He would watch reality in all its myriad quantum forms deteriorate, crumble, and fade once and for all. A nihilist by nature and obsessed with the endings of things (ideas, distances, the lives of stars), Endgame looked forward to his role.

As the suns of a thousand, thousand worlds began to flicker and go out, a number of cosmic beings gathered at the center of the universe (and its multiversal nexus point) to bear witness to the final days of the infinite cosmoses. Endgame was there as well but he was not enjoying himself as he expected. He was, he felt, dying himself.

One of those who had arrived was a being from a long dead world called Earth. She called herself 'The Oracle of Delphi' and had seen the future. Endgame would not get to see the multiverse end. Rather, it was the death of Endgame, not far off at this point, that would begin a 7-day cycle which would have as its grand finale, the end of time, space, and everything.

Endgame was enraged. He shook the Oracle until her bones rattled. He slew a dozen of the final witnesses, each powerful, near-god-like beings in their own right. He thought and planned and swore curses in the languages of a billion extinct peoples.

Endgame would see the universe end, even if he had to end it early to do so.

Powers and Abilities: Endgame is a Universal and as such is a cosmic being of practically immeasurable power. However he does have limitations. He must destroy and reorganize matter and energy rather carefully, based on a set of laws and rules we can not fathom but which are of great importance to him. If he does anything improper to the cosmic 'ways and means' he must adhere to, he will end up harming himself as well.

That said, he is still known to travel from parallel universe to parallel universe, jump through time, create and summon troops out of the cosmic ether to fight for him or retrieve items of power and perform many other amazing feats. He does not age, breathe, eat, sleep, or do any such mortal activities.

One interesting element to his power is that you never really (or very rarely) encounter the 'entire' Endgame but rather one of an infinite number of 'duplicate selves' that pursue plots and angles on how to boost his form or power so he can either survive to witness the end of the universe or destroy it himself.

Another odd bit is that his time travel power won't allow him to 'jump ahead to the end of the story', as it were. While he can go back in time, he can not go forward beyond the point of his predestined demise.

Personality and Motivations: At this point, Endgame's motivations are quite clear but his personality is a bit hard to describe. He has reached a point now, jumping back and forth through the ages, engaging in complex Machiavellian plan after plan, that he is beginning to find enjoyment with the activity itself and not just the 'end goal' (pun intended). He enjoys matching wits with heroes and is impressed and curious when the powered beings from that tiny blue orb all the way at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy manage to thwart his best efforts.

Still, he will destroy you. He can not do it now however. Not at this precise time, as the moment has past. The alignment of the galactic paths are such that to kill you at this junction would create a cascade event generating a far more powerful adversary in 975 years. Also, he is currently involved in 2,000,236 different plots on 1,176,522 alternate Earths and alien planets. Some other time then.

***

Endgame, originally named The End, is one of my oldest characters, having been created by me before I even discovered role playing game. Illustrations of him never do justice to the image of him I have in my mind.

I have created him for practically every Superhero RPG I've ever played including Villains & Vigilantes, Champions, Mutants and Masterminds, DC Heroes, Marvel Superheroes, Superworld, and more.

Endgame for ICONS:



 

 ***

 

I have been nominated for a Liebster Award! I am moved, flattered, and not entirely sure what that means even after looking at the site of the person who nominated me. This may be because I reviewed it very quickly so I could get this entry in on April 5th.

 

You have to answer some questions put forth by they-who-nominated-you. Here goes:

A)  Comedy, Reality TV, or Drama?

Yes. My life is all of these things.

B)  Cat or dog?

Barking Alien. Dog.

C)  Hilltop or valley bottom?

Hilltop. Easier to defend and closer to the sky.

D)  Coffee or tea?

Coffee. Looove coffee.

E)   Do you have an artistic routine?  Ie: do you create an outline or scratch illustration first?

Yes. When I can. Sometimes I can't (don't have time) and I just get right into it.

F)  How long have you been pursuing this artistic venue?

Drawing? All my life. Since I was a wee child. Writing almost as long.

As for writing, illustrating, and creating material for RPGs, well, I've been playing or 36 years.

G)  Is this your first Liebster Award?  If not when was the first?

Yes. At least I think so. I may have been nominated once before but I'm not certain.

H)  How many blogging sites do you typically participate with?

I read a good two dozen regularly, another dozen or so irregularly, and comment on at least one dozen fairly often.

I)   What was the impetus to pursue writing/photography/prose?

I have to. I would probably go crazy otherwise. There are constantly new ideas and stories and characters popping into my head. I need to let some out to relieve the pressure.

J)   Which artistic venue is your second choice?

I've reached a point where writing is first and art is second and that's tough to admit. I've spent a lot of years and a lot of money pursuing art as a passion and career and frankly, I'm just not that great at it. I am a much better writer than an artist. Sometimes I wish I could do all those years of school over again with this knowledge. But I can't. So forward march, onward and upward.

Good luck to all the nominees! Have a great weekend.

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Barking Alien

Supervillainy A-To-Z: D is for Doomsayer

I am having one of those weeks.
 
OK, actually, I'm having one of those lives. You know the kind. Like Charlie Brown has.
 
Roger Ebert, film critic and genuinely funny individual, has passed at the age of 70. My business is about to become a bit slower, which is never good. A favorite local dining spot is set to move downtown.
 
Is there any good news? Why yes, there is.
 
Happy Whisk and her husband, Tim Shorts of Gothridge Manor fame, celebrate their 10 year wedding anniversary today. This makes me smile as both are the nicest of people.

A new RPG is available called 'Worlds Apart' which uses the classic Traveller RPG rules system, especially the you-can-die-in-the-process character creation, to run Medieval Fantasy! Reminds me a bit of the Japanese TRPG Sword World (the original, 1st Edition). That needs checking out.

I am up to Day 4 of the Challenge and I am still enjoying it and liking the characters I am posting. Much more than the preparations I am making for actually running a new Superheroes game. Crap. I'm back to sad.

Well, this oughta cheer me up...

***

DOOMSAYER
 

 

 

True Identity: Deaven Mosley

Description/Appearance: Underneath his light body armor and stylized skull helmet, Deaven Mosley is a handsome African American male in his mid-thirties with short cut hair and strangely pale brown, almost amber, eyes. He is slim, with a tight muscular build. Mosley stands about 6 feet tall and weighs about 160 lbs. with his gear and protective clothing. Add a few inches and a dozen pounds for his paraphernalia.

His armor consists of a series of lightweight polymer plates over a ballistic cloth mesh. His helmet, aside from being intimidating in appearance, is made of the same polymer as his armor. It contains HUD displays and range finders as well as specialized vocalization and speaker enhancements to carry his power to his enemies even across a raucous battlefield.

Origin and Background: Deaven Mosley was born and raised in rural Mississippi. His father was poor, his father having been killed in action overseas and his uncle injured in the same conflict. On his return to the states, Mosley's uncle grew to be a Judgment Day/End of the World herald, proclaiming its near future arrival on a nearly daily basis.

At a very early age Mosley left school to get a job to support his family. Eventually, Mosley returned, finished high school and qualified to enter the military himself. While his remaining family was against this, he determined it to be the best way to help support them.

After basic training, Mosley saw action immediately and it was thoroughly life changing. He snapped a little, more than anyone realized, and remembering all the apocalyptic warnings of his uncle he began to see signs of the end of days everywhere he turned. While he excelled at being a soldier, even showing signs of leadership level thinking, no one wanted to serve with him or under him because of his negative, gloom shrouded outlook.

On his final mission with the US armed forces, Mosley watched his entire group die in a hail of automatic weapon fire (as he knew they would) as he dove behind cover. Looking over the wreckage that hid him he saw the man who had done the damage and yelled out, "I curse you! You're time on this Earth can be measured in minutes." The man took off running and stepped on the only active land mine within a hundred yards.

Mosley wouldn't stop saying how he had killed that man by cursing him and eventually he was discharged from active duty due to mental illness. While on his way to a meeting with a military psychiatrist, Mosley jumped from the vehicle he was in, certain it would crash...and it did. Not long after, Mosley was approached by a mysterious organization calling itself 'The Last Rite'. The group explained that Mosley had a gift, a special power and the only way to truly be safe from Judgment Day was to be among the judges. Mosley excepted their offer to work as one of their agents under the name Doomsayer.

Powers and Abilities: An accomplished military officer, Doomsayer has been further trained by 'The Last Rite' to become one of the world's best gunmen and a skilled martial artist. He is generally encountered equipped to two automatic pistols and a heavier handgun firing explosive rounds.

For reasons as yet unknown, Mosley has the power to bestow 'bad luck' on a target by talking to them. Essentially, by communicating with an individual verbally, Mosley alters the nature of probability on that person. The results are Murphy's Law in the worst possible way. As a personal affectation, Doomsayer has come to begin such an 'attack' by saying the target's name followed by, "I am your doom".

Personality and Motivations: It is unclear at this point what continues to motivate Mosley, other than the fact that his family now lives quite comfortably, having been wired hundreds of thousands of dollars through hundreds of false fronts and dummy money transfer services.

In truth, Doomsayer may really believe his own rhetoric. He may feel the world is coming to an end and he would rather be an usher than one of the billions soon to be swept off the stage.

***

Doomsayer has never been used before and was created only a week ago specifically for the next Champions campaign I intend to run and this A-to-Z Challenge. His concept is inspired by many characters and ideas including such Supervillain mercenaries as Taskmaster, Deathstroke and Deadshot, as well as the anti-hero 'Merc with a Mouth' Deadpool.

Doomsayer for ICONS:



 

 

***

 

UPDATE: Comic Book Artist, Publisher and Legend Carmine Infantino has passed away at the age of 87. Rest in peace Mr. Infantino. Sorry, Carmine. He taught at my college and I met him many times. He'd get mad if you didn't call him Carmine.

 

See, one of those weeks.

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Barking Alien

Supervillainy A-To-Z: C is for Captain Infernal

Did you ever have one of those players who makes you want to dump this boring hobby of Role Playing Games to get into the existing and fast paced world of watching grass grow. No? I've got a guy like that and he's driving me there in the Mach 5 of inane min-maxing discussions.

Today has been rather sucktastic truth by told. A lot of bad news followed by a slowly building headache. Hopefully this entry will help things a bit...

***

CAPTAIN INFERNAL

True Identity: Carl Crutchfield

Description/Appearance: Carl Crutchfield is a shaven headed, skinny, Caucasian male in his early 20s,  standing 5' 9" tall and weighing 140 lbs.. He is often garbed in jeans, a cut-off sleeved, white shirt or black t-shirt (with obligatory heavy metal band logo) and a leather jacket (regardless of the warm weather in his native Alabama).

As Captain Infernal, he appears as a handsome, square jawed, slick haired male with bright red skin. He stands 6' 6" and is believed to weigh about 350 lbs.. He wears a black, green and gold costume with a pentagram symbol and a cape.

Origin and Background: When it comes to a boy like Carl Crutchfield, some will blame the rock music, some the horror movies and comic books or the violent video games but in truth it all comes down to a bad upbringing.

Raised by a cult/gang of devil worshiping outlaw bikers, it's more surprising that Carl made it into his 20s than the fact the he is a bigoted, dishonest, low-life. While drinking heavily and performing some ritual that involved sacrificing some local pets, Carl's parents and a few others were suddenly consumed in a huge fireball originating in a bonfire that had made for the ceremony. Startled to sober in an instant, Carl stared up at the form of a demonic figure and slowly uttered the word, "Badass".

As the demon began thunderously laughing, the conflagration grew and surrounded Carl who proceeded to past out, certain he was going to die. He awoke in a hospital six days later. He had been in a coma but was otherwise physically unharmed. When the police asked him to described what happened he got to the part about saying "Badass" and transformed into Captain Infernal.

Enjoying his new found powers, Carl spends most of his time as the Captain, transforming back only when necessary. Considering he is currently being hunted by the police, Superheroes and various demonic entities, having a smaller form that's easier to hide can come in handy.

Powers and Abilities: By speaking the magic word "BADASS", Carl Crutchfield transforms into Captain Infernal, temporarily inhabiting the body of a demon whose name he does not know (as that would give him full control over it) and being bestowed with a small amount of power from each of the following demonic personages: Bael, Asmodeus, Demogorgon, Astaroth, Shax and Sonneillon.

These powers include phenomenal strength, speed, the power to fly, near invulnerability to harm and the ability to breathe forth a blast of hellish flames. In addition, Captain Infernal's skin is incredibly hot to the touch and can cause damage if grabbed and held.

While Carl has such skills as driving, knowledge of modern weaponry and computers, Captain Infernal does not, even though his is essentially Carl. This is one of several clues to the fact that Carl may be steering the ship but it isn't exactly his ship.

Carl must say the magic word in order to change into or out of the Captain Infernal form. The switch is nearly instantaneous and is accompanied by a loud boom and a large fireball effect. Also of note is that their are numerous demons chasing him...that is...chasing the demon posing as Captain Infernal. There is some belief among the occult investigative community that Captain Infernal's time on Earth is up and he is supposed to return to the Abyss.

Only time will tell if he can elude his peers or prove to his superiors that his extended stay is justified.

Personality and Motivations: For all his power, Captain Infernal is little more than a bully and a thug, revealing in his greater size and strength. He is often showy in the use of his powers, especially if taunted or otherwise made to loose his cool, which can happen pretty easily. He is very short tempered. He is a surprisingly smooth talking fellow and will try to hit on female heroes and villains alike but for him its all about conquest.

He will usually be seen in the employ of a smarter, better organized villain who has promised him physical pleasures or treasures if he lends his assistance. Carl is more interested in these things when he is Carl as, while they do interest Captain Infernal, the Big Red Guy is more than willing to smash for the sake of smashing. Proving himself more powerful than the so-called 'Superheroes' and getting it shown on TV (to increase hate, doubt and fear among the populace) is often payment enough.

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Captain Infernal was originally an unnamed character drawn by my good friend Aris. When I saw the illustration I immediately came up with the name and backstory for Captain Infernal. The Captain and his nick name, 'The Big Red Guy' are a homage to Captain Marvel and the story of Billy Batson and Shazam.

Captain Infernal was first designed and used in Champions but became a major opponent of my friend Dave's character Impact in the Mutants & Masterminds game I ran at the Compleat Strategist a few years back.

Captain Infernal for ICONS:

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I want to take this opportunity to mention the passing of Jane Henson, American Puppetry Pioneer, New York native and wife of my hero of heroes, Jim Henson. Jane is survived by her children and all of us and our children. We carry on her legacy through the contributions she made to our collective imaginations, the way in which we learn and how we are entertained.

Rest in peace.

AD
Barking Alien