IHA Book Review

[steriaca]

I just got the book and skimmed through it. Nice work. I love that Genocide existed, as did IMAGE. The history section tells the fall of both organizations (with Genocide mostly killed by it's own hand by revealing themselves too soon, and a very well played plot by the IHA to assassinate Murdock, the leader of IMAGE). They took advantage of The Battle of Detroit to assassinate Apostle, Flamboyant, and Mustang. 

And of course, tons more history. We got bases, tons of leaders (many of them normal, but Archer Samuels is a cyborg), agents (all named via military lnes, as opposed to Genocide's chest mosfet), Minuteman MARK 7 and Minuteman Tracker MARK 3 robots, and there own "supervillains" Hunter (well trained and equipped normal), Shi No Te (demon possessed martial artist who works for IHA only to kill challenging foes), and MTU846 (a mutant killing robot ah la Terminator from Kinematik's earth).

 

Also included are the villain groups Revenge Evolution (Vengeance [Murdock's son], Eterno, Spector, and La Bete), and Sons of the Father (a mutant and mutant liking normal biker gang lead by Jason "Father" Todd, and includes Speedy, Eric "Punch" Todd, Zapper, Tess "The Doctor" Madrikan, Melissa "[nickname withheld for reasons]" Tolgaharna, and various unnamed normal bikers).

 

And a few important individual mutants, like Cat's Eye (ex hero turned assassin by IHA actions), Popper (teleporting kid who needs your help), Shadow Fire (mutant teacher who generates black colored fire), and Death (homeless mutant man who has a powerful death touch).

 

Also included is an adventure "What A Goddess Will Do For Her Child". Elaine Debone wants her son back. And Black Rose, the escaped Stronghold resident, is willing to help. And...well...the secret between them is something. I'll just leave it at that.

 

All in all, it is well written. It doesn't ignore Genocide at all (they existed, they were destroyed, IHA picked up what was left). I recommend it.

20230106_225732.heic 20230106_225739.heic

[steriaca]

Odd..I wanted to take photos of the covers. They didn't show up.

[DShomshak]

I don't do Champions Universe. I don't like the "Mutant Hater" trope. I will never buy this book. But a good review, and it sounds like a well written book.

 

Given that bigotry is fungible, though, it would probably be easy to cross out "mutant" and write in some other group, such as "Magic" "aliens," or "mentalists," and the book would work nearly as well.

 

Dean Shomshak

[Christopher R Taylor]

I'm not super fond of the mutant hate thing because its arbitrary (I love this hero that has powers but not that hero that has power because umm... whatever).  But you can use this group as a broader scope: they just don't like ANYBODY except a certain narrow group (Latinos, Native Americans, 'Aryan' White people, whatever).  What you want to do is avoid being boring and heavy handed, like you're preaching instead of running a fun game.  If you have a crazy left wing group, have a crazy right wing group, too.

[steriaca]

3 hours ago, DShomshak said:

I don't do Champions Universe. I don't like the "Mutant Hater" trope. I will never buy this book. But a good review, and it sounds like a well written book.

 

Given that bigotry is fungible, though, it would probably be easy to cross out "mutant" and write in some other group, such as "Magic" "aliens," or "mentalists," and the book would work nearly as well.

 

Dean Shomshak

IHA is not as limited in their hate as Genocide was. They hate every superpowered person equally. Mutants are just the low hanging fruit, easy to pick on.

 

They WILL make comments on ANY superbattle which causes large damage, even if mutants are not involved. 

 

(Of course, nothing in the book forces to use the entire book as is. Need giant robots for something? Pull out the Minuteman MARK 7 and have it look different and poof..it's a giant robot. Need a fallen hero? Cat's Eye is one. Blah, blah.)

[Dr. MID-Nite]

I'd expand IHA's scope to anyone who has natural superpowers (that aren't temporarily induced by drugs or whatever) and just run with it. They want to save the world of "normal" human beings from all the "freaks" that seem to be coming out of the woodwork.

[steriaca]

3 hours ago, Dr. MID-Nite said:

I'd expand IHA's scope to anyone who has natural superpowers (that aren't temporarily induced by drugs or whatever) and just run with it. They want to save the world of "normal" human beings from all the "freaks" that seem to be coming out of the woodwork.

While the book definitely focuses on Mutant Hunting, I agree with doc. They shouldn't "wait till the mutants are no longer with us" before going after other superpowered people. Everyone with superpowers are equally dangerous to "true humans" after all.

 

Just pondering why they employ Shi No Te (Death of Hand) considering he is an possessed human with magic sword and martial arts. 

[steriaca]

Advanced Members. Original villain ideas for thoes who want to advance IHA pass just being about hating mutants.

 

Codename: Piecemeal.

Type: Scientist.

Powers: Powered Armor supplemented and augmented with biological material from mutant body parts.

 

Piecemeal is actually obsessed with admiration of mutant powers. He would want to be a mutant if he could (and hides the fact well from IHA). He is not an actual member of the group, but he does work for hire on doing various experiments on mutant subjects. 

 

Name: Spacer.

Type: Soldier. 

Powers: Training and advanced weapons. 

 

Spacer is more paranoid about aliens than mutants. Forcently for IHA, they can link mutants to aliens enough for Spacer to work against anyone IHA command points at.

 

Name: Witchfang.

Type: Hunter.

Powers: Various skills and "normal" equipment ment to combat the supernatural. 

 

Witchfang is an indiscriminate hunter of the supernatural. He is not officially a member of IHA, but is hired to kill beings of a supernatural nature. IHA rairly uses him, but when they do, it is always against the supernatural. 

[Hugh Neilson]

15 hours ago, Dr. MID-Nite said:

I'd expand IHA's scope to anyone who has natural superpowers (that aren't temporarily induced by drugs or whatever) and just run with it. They want to save the world of "normal" human beings from all the "freaks" that seem to be coming out of the woodwork.

 

But we're OK with superpowered junkies 😀 and people who OD on steroids!

 

11 hours ago, steriaca said:

While the book definitely focuses on Mutant Hunting, I agree with doc. They shouldn't "wait till the mutants are no longer with us" before going after other superpowered people. Everyone with superpowers are equally dangerous to "true humans" after all.

 

Just pondering why they employ Shi No Te (Death of Hand) considering he is an possessed human with magic sword and martial arts. 

 

To the first, because mutants are the wedge issue that seems to resonate with the public.  I suspect it would work just as well (say, CW Supergirl) to make their wedge issue aliens, or mentalists, or witches (supernatural powers).  Get that foot in the door, then gradually push it open wider.

 

To the second, because prejudice is not rational and logical. He's still human, just a very well-trained human using extra-special and rare tools and equipment.

 

Not so explicitly stated, he's also willing to do our dirty work so we can look the other way.

 

Never stated to the employee, we can always turn on those exceptionally gifted and trained humans as "quasi-mutants" later - anyone who is better than average probably got there through duplicitous means or I would be there.  Just carve off a segment of society that we can claim enjoy special advantages or are taking opportunities away from "real humans", "the 99%", "real 'murricans" or whatever other label you can easily apply to the segment you are not targeting.

 

When they came for the aliens, I said nothing, as I was a human. When they came for the mutants, I said nothing, as I was not a mutant. When they came for the super-powered, I said nothing, as I had no super powers.

[steriaca]

Another protental explanation member of IHA...

 

Huntmistress: A rather rich woman who despises mutants, when her own daughter started to appear in the mutant detector she has, she had her husband killed. Just when she was about to murder her own daughter an idea entered her head...why not use low powered mutants to hunt and kill their own kind.

 

She is equipped with various weapons designed to incapacitate mutants (and even kill if needed), her greatest weapons are her "hounds", low level mutants equipped with a combo shock collar and explosive collar. With will breaking techniques and pain, she controls up to six of them at a time.

 

Hound One: This was once the Huntmistress' own daughter. She has low level telekinetic powers, and a broken will. She preys for death each night, and is fed one meal of dog food each night. She has seen many a hound die at her mother's hands and wonders why her mother still keeps her alive.

 

I definitely don't expect someone so dark to be put into a book. Definitely someone to not mention directly. 

[Mark Rand]

53 minutes ago, steriaca said:

Another protental explanation member of IHA...

 

Huntmistress: A rather rich woman who despises mutants, when her own daughter started to appear in the mutant detector she has, she had her husband killed. Just when she was about to murder her own daughter an idea entered her head...why not use low powered mutants to hunt and kill their own kind.

 

She is equipped with various weapons designed to incapacitate mutants (and even kill if needed), her greatest weapons are her "hounds", low level mutants equipped with a combo shock collar and explosive collar. With will breaking techniques and pain, she controls up to six of them at a time.

 

Hound One: This was once the Huntmistress' own daughter. She has low level telekinetic powers, and a broken will. She preys for death each night, and is fed one meal of dog food each night. She has seen many a hound die at her mother's hands and wonders why her mother still keeps her alive.

 

I definitely don't expect someone so dark to be put into a book. Definitely someone to not mention directly. 

My guess is that Hound One is still alive because, despite of her being a mutant, her mother still loves her.

[Hugh Neilson]

1 hour ago, steriaca said:

Another protental explanation member of IHA...

 

Huntmistress: A rather rich woman who despises mutants, when her own daughter started to appear in the mutant detector she has, she had her husband killed. Just when she was about to murder her own daughter an idea entered her head...why not use low powered mutants to hunt and kill their own kind.

 

She is equipped with various weapons designed to incapacitate mutants (and even kill if needed), her greatest weapons are her "hounds", low level mutants equipped with a combo shock collar and explosive collar. With will breaking techniques and pain, she controls up to six of them at a time.

 

Hound One: This was once the Huntmistress' own daughter. She has low level telekinetic powers, and a broken will. She preys for death each night, and is fed one meal of dog food each night. She has seen many a hound die at her mother's hands and wonders why her mother still keeps her alive.

 

I definitely don't expect someone so dark to be put into a book. Definitely someone to not mention directly. 

 

If we remove "and is fed one meal of dog food each night", I'd say the concept works.  Ahab is directly part of Rachel Summers (a former Hound's) background, although that was a dystopian future rather than a present-day character.

[steriaca]

1 hour ago, Mark Rand said:

My guess is that Hound One is still alive because, despite of her being a mutant, her mother still loves her.

Depends on how you define "love"...

[steriaca]

1 hour ago, Hugh Neilson said:

 

If we remove "and is fed one meal of dog food each night", I'd say the concept works.  Ahab is directly part of Rachel Summers (a former Hound's) background, although that was a dystopian future rather than a present-day character.

The idea is that Huntmistress is an abusive parent, using the fact that her daughter is a mutant as an "excuse" for her abhorrence treatment twords Hound One. Yes, I was kinda thinking Ahab/Rachel Summers (and her codename of the month). But of course Rachel overcame her abuse to become a hero. Can Hound One do that?

 

That, of course, is where the players come in. Idealiticly she can, with great encouragement, become a great hero. Even if they do kill Huntmistress for her abusive treatment of young mutants (I'm sure there are cages full of those who died in captivity).

[steriaca]

 

Tiger Paw Press Villain Compendium 1 and IHA

 

I have decided to think of how the villains of @tiger's great Villain Compendium series and the IHA (considering that there is a great list for villains the IHA works with and against in the IHA book). Remember, this is MY interpretation. Tiger has, of course, the final say being that most of these villains are his work or his interpretation of others work (depending on the character).

 

The Nefarious Dr. Lirby Koo

 

Dr. Koo, of course, knows about the true nature of the IHA. He actually doesn't really care until it will affect him either directly or indirectly (considering the fact that Dart and Ultraviolet's twins are mutants).

 

The IHA doesn't know that Koo is still alive, nor that Koo is actually quite ancient in nature.

 

Terror Incorporated 

 

Muerte knows the true nature of IHA. His hated mentor Doctor Destroyer provides financial support after all. And Muerte doesn't want IHA inside San Muerte.

 

Depending on the stages of his plans, IHA still believes Muerte dead, or knows and will not risk Muerte's wrath.

 

Oeramm the Undead Tyrant

 

Oeramm only knows of the IHA by passing, as he "unlives" in a fantasy based Earth and only has agents the Red Death work on Champions Earth. He doesn't know the truth, nor actually cares. As for the Red Death? While there is a team writeup, there is also a writeup in book 3.

 

The IHA doesn't know Oeramm exists at all.

 

PsiKing

 

PsiKing is capable of knowing the true nature of the IHA, but hasn't yet. It may only be time.

 

The IHA fears PsiKing as much as they do PSI and Menton, if they actually know of the PsiKing. 

 

White Queen 

 

Considering White Queen and her altar ego of Mr. Black are capable of using her crime contacts to know the truth, she doesn't know yet. The IHA doesn't care directly about her. Her mutant agent White Shade thoe, they could use him as an assassin, but he would only work for them under her direction. 

 

Black Spyder

 

Black Spyder cares not for the IHA, nor does the IHA know about Black Spyder. 

 

Flying Tiger 

 

Flying Tiger doesn't know about the IHA, but he would be willing to work for them (especially against VIPER, or what he believes is VIPER). The IHA knows of him and could make use of him if they want to. 

 

Gravion

 

Another villain who doesn't know the truth about the IHA, and could be of use to the IHA.

 

Killer Bee

 

Say it with me, doesn't know the truth about the IHA, can be of use to them.

 

Literon

 

Another like Killer Bee, etc.

 

Mutant Stalker 

 

Mutant Stalker hates mutants and doesn't know she is one. Stalker doesn't know the truth of the IHA, BUT the IHA can use her to murder other mutants.

 

Napalm 

 

This guy can be used as another arsonist when Blowtorch isn't available. He doesn't know the truth about the IHA and probably doesn't care.

 

Night Shadow 

 

Night Shadow doesn't know the truth about the IHA. The IHA can easily use his hatred of heroes to manipulate him.

 

Warbird (2)

 

A powered armor user, he doesn't know the truth about the IHA, but can be of use to them.

 

White Dragon 

 

She doesn't know or care about the IHA. The IHA doesn't truly know about her right now. When they do, they can easily frame her for being a mutant.  (Not that it matters...they hate mystics who can turn into dragons also.)

 

 

 

[Pariah]

On 1/7/2023 at 10:38 AM, DShomshak said:

I don't like the "Mutant Hater" trope.

 

Given that bigotry is fungible, though, it would probably be easy to cross out "mutant" and write in some other group, such as "Magic" "aliens," or "mentalists," and the book would work nearly as well.

 

On 1/7/2023 at 11:02 AM, Christopher R Taylor said:

I'm not super fond of the mutant hate thing because its arbitrary (I love this hero that has powers but not that hero that has power because umm... whatever).  But you can use this group as a broader scope: they just don't like ANYBODY except a certain narrow group (Latinos, Native Americans, 'Aryan' White people, whatever).  What you want to do is avoid being boring and heavy handed, like you're preaching instead of running a fun game.  If you have a crazy left wing group, have a crazy right wing group, too.

 

In fairness, we're not supposed to like these tropes because they're stand-ins for racism (starting in the 60s) and/or anti-LGBYQ+ bigotry (starting ca. 1990). 

[Christopher R Taylor]

Yeah but I don't dislike the mutant hater trope because it makes me sad or uncomfortable.  I dislike it because it doesn't make sense, is often used so ham handedly (X-Men 2 for example), and is incredibly inconsistent.  Its just not very well done and overused to the point of not liking it.

[DShomshak]

3 hours ago, Pariah said:

 

In fairness, we're not supposed to like these tropes because they're stand-ins for racism (starting in the 60s) and/or anti-LGBYQ+ bigotry (starting ca. 1990). 

I am well aware of it. And my critical judgment is that they are not very good at it. That's why I don't like them. I have made this argument before, at considerable length, and do not care to go through it again.

 

Dean Shomshak

[Armitage]

On 1/8/2023 at 5:44 PM, steriaca said:

The idea is that Huntmistress is an abusive parent, using the fact that her daughter is a mutant as an "excuse" for her abhorrence treatment twords Hound One. Yes, I was kinda thinking Ahab/Rachel Summers (and her codename of the month). But of course Rachel overcame her abuse to become a hero. Can Hound One do that?

 

 

It also reminds me a little of Harness and Piecemeal from the various X-Book annuals back in 1991.  A mysterious figure in powered armor was dragging an abused mutant child around the world, using his powers to absorb the remnants of Proteus' energy while verbally and physically abusing the child.  Harness was eventually revealed to be Piecemeal's mother.

[steriaca]

1 hour ago, Armitage said:

 

It also reminds me a little of Harness and Piecemeal from the various X-Book annuals back in 1991.  A mysterious figure in powered armor was dragging an abused mutant child around the world, using his powers to absorb the remnants of Proteus' energy while verbally and physically abusing the child.  Harness was eventually revealed to be Piecemeal's mother.

Yep. Othoe I didn't remember them.

 

Also who I do vaguely remember, Orphanmaker and whatever his "mother" was called.

 

Marvel's Piecemeal didn't inspire mine. Just found a mutant body part collector scary and gross.

[Sketchpad]

55 minutes ago, steriaca said:

Also who I do vaguely remember, Orphanmaker and whatever his "mother" was called.

 

Nanny. They've been in some of the recent X-Comics lately. 

[steriaca]

2 hours ago, Sketchpad said:

 

Nanny. They've been in some of the recent X-Comics lately. 

Thank you. The only real thing I remember about Nanny is that her armor is a shape of an egg. And I might be misremembering it.

 

Yep. Just seen her Marvel Wiki entry.  Her armor definitely is egg shaped. 

[steriaca]

1 hour ago, Sketchpad said:

 

Gard-dang my phone.  Can't get the quote box to go away.

 

Anyways, what other Hounds would you like to see? Remember that they are all teenagers, and IHA would not allow any mutant with strong defense or regeneration or healing powers to live (they can't kill them with an Exploding Collar if they can't hurt them with an Exploding Collar after all).

 

They are also psychologically broken by torture, so those with strong will are probably going to get murdered also, but this is easier to hide then regeneration or hard skin.

[Lawnmower Boy]

14 hours ago, DShomshak said:

I am well aware of it. And my critical judgment is that they are not very good at it. That's why I don't like them. I have made this argument before, at considerable length, and do not care to go through it again.

 

Dean Shomshak

 

Whereas I am deeply attached to the analogy and burn to explain it again and again until everyone who disagrees with me surrenders and . . What's that, little inside voice? That's not how the Internet works? Or how people work? Dang. 

 

So here's a question: Can we salvage the trope so that everyone can enjoy it and buy multiple copies of the IHA sourcebook and get it on the Amazon bestseller lists? I think we can! Okay, maybe not the bestseller lists. 

 

Here's a "realistic" take on mutants that we can fit into the Champions Universe (with some difficulty) and use to smooth off the rough edges.

 

i) What are mutants? How Did They Come to Be?

 

"Mutant" is a label for one of a number of groups of individuals born with gene complexes giving them superpowers. Beginning with Nazi mad scientists in the death camps, "mutants" have been identified with a particular such gene complex. "Mutants" are in some cases descendants of persons who manifest the complex by spontaneous genetic mutation; and in other cases acquire the complex by spontaneous genetic mutation. The inheritability of this particular complex is much more marked than that of other persons born superhuman due to possessing other gene complexes. Some Nazi mad scientists labelled this group "Homo superior." Other Nazi mad scientists developed an (unreliable) way of cloning these individuals such that the clones would possess these superpowers. The spontaneous mutation that brings about "mutants" is extremely rare. The Gestapo developed a protocol for arresting (Aryan) "mutants," involving their proactive suppression, neutralisation, extraction from home environment, and retraining in responsible use of their powers. Some cynics point out that most of the "mutants" the Gestapo arrested, ended up dead and genetically sampled, and not "arrested" at all. It has been suggested by those cynics that the "Homo superior" guy was just fine with that. 

 

ii) What are mutants today? 

 

Allied scientists recovered much, but not all, of the Nazi work. Some Nazi mad scientists, including the "Homo superior" guy, went to work for the Americans postwar, ending up as Chief Scientific Advisor for Human Projects at DARPA. Some, although not all, people at DARPA have bought into this mindset, and believe that the small number of "mutants" in the world today are the vanguard of a coming wave of "Homo superior," etc, etc. However, they know better than to articulate this Nazi tommyrot in public. However, DARPA field agents continue to use the Gestapo-derived arrest protocol for dealing with mutants in the wild, as it were. It's not that it's a good protocol, they admit. It's just that it's the best one available. 

 

Numerically, the population of mutants is, again, very small. There are between 2 and 4 spontaneous mutations in the United States each year, and about twenty times that in the world as a whole. Without troubling the reader with my back-of-envelope calculations, there are 250 active, living mutants in the United States in 2023, and about 5000 in the world as a whole. Fifty American mutants are "superheroes," another hundred are supervillains. It is not clear what the remainder are doing, and some at DARPA are afraid that they're hiding in a commune somewhere and breeding like rabbits. However, combing police records it does not appear reasonable that there are more than 2-3 mutants being born to "mutant families" in the United States each year. 

 

iii) How do Mutants Interact with the Authorities and also Shadowy International Agencies?

 

Mutants aren't really a jurisdiction for anyone, because most people don't believe that they exist as a discrete group, any more than they believe that people who can roll their tongues are members of a secret race of Homo tongue-rollers who are going to take over the world some day. "Mutants" aren't even the only people born with superpowers! For example, superheroes created by mad science (mad magic?) frequently have super-powered children, for perfectly good (insert mad science exposition here) reasons. DARPA, as a minor aspect of its larger job within government, takes charge in the rare case of an emergent mutant causing public disorder. There are cynics who suggest that the frequent fatal outcome of these interventions is more deliberate than is let on, as I've already suggested; but apprehensions do occur, and the detained mutants are successfully retrained and work as government agents if they have the appropriate power sets. Some people within DARPA privately agree with the cynics, and not in a good way, because they have bought into the whole "Homo superior" thing. That is, maybe the deaths-in-apprehension are more common than they could be.

 

iv) Anti-Mutant Hysteria

 

Predictably, all it takes is one government-employed mutant superhero to send the usual group of borderline paranoid schizophrenics off their rocker. There's a good chance that if you seriously believe the Earth is flat, you believe that the government has been taken over by a shadowy Homo superior agenda, and that secret mutant breeding camps are preparing a generation of super soldiers to etc, etc. I heard it on the Alex Jones show! Though even Alex found it to be a bit much and shut the guy down. Again, most people think that this is all made-up crazy stuff.

 

v) Behind the Anti-Mutant Hysteria

 

It's a secret government conspiracy to take over the world. The crazies and the DARPA goons are being manipulated. Duh. I mean, this is a comic-book universe. Or, if you prefer, the government is being manipulated by that Nazi "Homo superior" guy, who faked his death as part of his mad science agenda to take over the world with an army of mutant "hounds." The giant death robots and the IHA are him, but that's a secret. 

[steriaca]

I'm going to continue adapting @tiger's Tiger Paw Press Villain Compendium series with the IHA agenda and blah, blag, talkity, talkity. As always, Tiger is the true Word of God on this, since he created most of the villains here and adapted others.

 

Aces of Death

 

They might know of the true agenda of the IHA, and considering that Death Ace is a mutant, might not accept any jobs posted by them. Then again, the Aces of Death are professional assassins. As long as the IHA doesn't offer a job which breaks their rules, they'll accept. 

 

The IHA doesn't know that Death Ace is a mutant. They rairly can afford the services of the Aces of Death, and IMP is so much cheaper, but if you actually do want the target dead, you use the very best.

 

The Arrangers 

 

The Arrangers, through their contacts with Terror Incorporated, know the truth about the IHA. They won't work directly with them. For the most part, The Arrangers can't provide any service they themselves can't do for themselves. The IHA doesn't yet know there leader is a mutant. 

 

The Conquistadors 

 

Othoe a hidden "arm" of Terror Incorporated, they don't know the truth about the IHA. Murte doesn't give everyone who works with him all of his knowledge after all. As for the IHA, they rairly have contact in South America, and if they did, there are other local villain groups to use. 

 

CLOWN

 

Merry Andrews and company don't know the truth about the IHA yet. Merry only sees them as a bunch of government stuffed shirts who need a prank or two to loosen up.

 

The IHA hates CLOWN, obviously. They make everyone look like fools, and a few members are actually mutants (The Fox and Bloon-a-tic for sure). And CLOWN actually has good press (for villains that is). They want to take the group out, they just don't know exactly how yet. (They prefer to wreck the group's reputation first, if that even is possible.)

 

Denier & Co.

 

Denier doesn't know or care about the IHA. The IHA has marked Denier for death, only that there is a huge amount of mutants above him (and supernatural beings, etc.) They won't get to him for some time.

 

EF-1

 

The Arrangers won't let EF-1 work with the IHA. EF-1 doesn't know the truth about the IHA. And the IHA doesn't want to directly use the EF-1. You know what is worse than mutants? Powered beings who could breed mutants.

 

Elemental Council

 

The Elemental Council doesn't know about the true nature of the IHA, but will not be willing to work with them, considering that there leader Aquaterran is a mutant and already has the Purity Knights after him. The IHA believes the group to be a powerful threat and shutters about them merging with the other pro-mutant groups (like the fear that Kinematic would form a 'Neo IMAGE' network someday).

 

Evil Mutant Society 

 

The EMS hates the IHA, but doesn't yet know of the IHA's true nature.  They suspect them of being badder than the public knows of. While a big threat, by the name alone is enough for them to point and say "we're right folks". Besides, the group has their hands full against the Purity Knights.

 

The Geodesics

 

While Dr. Koo knows about the true purpose of the IHA is, chances are that Dart and company don't know. They will not work directly with the IHA (mostly to keep Dart and Ultraviolet's twins safe).

 

IMP

 

A loose connection of clown themed assassins, they are willing to work with anyone who can pay them. IMP is the go to assassin group of the IHA, and the IHA are willing to use them to take out the group's rival CLOWN (as IMP is planning of killing CLOWN anyways, might as well get paid for it).

 

Now I go into book 3.

 

Mutant Legion 

 

Avatar believes that the IHA to be more than a simple lobby group, but doesn't yet know the truth. Avatar is high up the IHA's "must kill" list, mostly because of his personal powers, but also the fact that he opened a school training young mutants in the use of their powers. Avatar is no longer technically a villain, but is viewed as one still. Also his school doesn't direct the students to use their powers for anyone's benefit (there own nor for human kind), which scares them a lot.

 

Necronus & The Brood

 

The IHA doesn't know of Necronus' existence, nor does the Brood know about the IHA. If the IHA learn about them, they would rise to the top of the must kill list.

 

Psiforce

 

The Psiforce doesn't know the truth about the IHA. IHA hates the Psiforce about as much as they hate PSI. The existence of Stalker (who can change his mutations at will) scares them.

 

Purity Knights

 

The Purity Knights don't know about the true nature of the IHA, and believes them to be weak, more willing to talk the talk without walking the walk. IHA usually refers to the Purity Knights as "Genocide Light", and believes that it is only time before they bite off more than they crew and get destroyed (and proving their methods correct).

 

Red Death 

 

The Red Death knows that the IHA exist, but doesn't know the truth about them. Also, they have no use for the IHA. Working with them won't bring Oeramm to our dimension after all. Meanwhile, the IHA believes the group being a typical huge supervillain group which includes many suspected mutants, and doesn't know of the true nature of the group.

 

Russian Siblings 

 

The Russian Siblings usually don't operate in the United States, and this bairly knows about the IHA. And, of course, vicaversa.

 

Serpent Collective 

 

The IHA take their flimflam about them being a mystical group dedicated to Apep at face value. The Serpent Collective don't really care about the IHA, or know the true nature of the organization. 

 

Shadow Coven

 

The Shadow Coven doesn't know the truth about the IHA, but will work for them if doing so will fulfill their goals. The IHA doesn't directly know of the Shadow Coven. If they do, they will file them under "others to destroy once most of the mutants are.'

 

TF-1

 

The IHA would love to use the TF-1. All those cyborgs, which can be presented as victims of mutants abusing their powers. The TF-1 doesn't know the truth about the IHA, but because of the connection to The Arrangers, would have nothing to do with them. 

 

The Sisterhood 

 

The IHA scoffs at this all female villain group. There are mutants in the group, and divide there slander campaign against them as being a group of militant lesbians and a mutant eugenics plot to birth stronger mutants. The Sisterhood hates the IHA, but doesn't know the truth. 

 

Appendix: Hydro

 

Hydro has been mangled in the press by the IHA, but only thinks of them as a bunch of hate mongers with no teeth. He has bigger fish to fry after all...mostly VIPER and the Purity Knights. The IHA doesn't like the mutant's popularity among the masses and works to slander him.