Mark Rand Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 Hermit's thread on Animal Motifs for Supers got me thinking about Black Scorpion. Sure, she was a B movie Roger Corman character, but the name has potential. Let's start with a kunoichi, or female ninja. Instead of Darcy's somewhat skimpy costume, she wears a traditional black ninja costume with two changes, a black ski mask replaces the other mask and she adds clawed gloves. These aren't climbing claws, they scratch the crook and, maybe, put some kind of drug into him. Besides the claws, she carries a sword, throwing stars, a weighted chain, possibly, a device for firing sleep darts, all bought, along with the finger claws, as a multipower. She also carries other weapons, bought as a VPP, and probably other specialized tools, bought either as a multipower or a VPP. Her Scorpionmoble could be based on a Pontiac TransAm, last made in 2001, instead of a Corvette. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEmerged Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 /humor on I don't remember this show, and nothing you can do will make me remember it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it /humor off Actually it had its moments but the signal to noise ratio was painful. And I haven't seen that much stock footage since the original run of Jonnie Quest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterhawk Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 Re: Black Scorpion Originally posted by Mark Rand Her Scorpionmoble could be based on a Pontiac TransAm, last made in 2001, instead of a Corvette. Oh hell yes, preach brother...preach! The motto of my old old TA club was: "Trans Am...the car Darth Vader would drive." And just as a point of fact, it was sadly discontinued in 2002, along with the Camaro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupus Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 Re: Black Scorpion Originally posted by Mark Rand Hermit's thread on Animal Motifs for Supers got me thinking about Black Scorpion. Sure, she was a B movie Roger Corman character, but the name has potential. Let's start with a kunoichi, or female ninja. Instead of Darcy's somewhat skimpy costume, she wears a traditional black ninja costume with two changes, a black ski mask replaces the other mask and she adds clawed gloves. These aren't climbing claws, they scratch the crook and, maybe, put some kind of drug into him. Besides the claws, she carries a sword, throwing stars, a weighted chain, possibly, a device for firing sleep darts, all bought, along with the finger claws, as a multipower. She also carries other weapons, bought as a VPP, and probably other specialized tools, bought either as a multipower or a VPP. Her Scorpionmoble could be based on a Pontiac TransAm, last made in 2001, instead of a Corvette. Nice. I especially like that there's no lame attempt to work in an actual tail. slavish devotion to theme can get silly. And ugly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEmerged Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 Re: Re: Black Scorpion Originally posted by Lupus Nice. I especially like that there's no lame attempt to work in an actual tail. slavish devotion to theme can get silly. And ugly. Show trivia time! Believe it or not the character did have a "tail" -- a ponytail with a cover like a scorpion. And it looked *horrible* on the actress in the TV series. Fans of the show (they existed, really) were told this as an explanation for why such an unflattering look was kept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetle Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 I just noticed that first season (aka "the last season") of Black Scorpion is now available on DVD. Nice to know that this cultural gem will now be preserved for posterity. I wonder if the guy who played the cop walked around the set muttering "I used to be on Family Ties! Where did it all go wrong?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted February 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 Winterhawk, thanks for providing us with the correct information about when the TransAm and the Camaro were discontinued. As far as the Scorpionmobile goes, I'm thinking KITT, without the AI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 You can't bring back a car as "retro" until you've discontinued it for a while. Sales were down on those two so it makes sense. In a few years there will be a "back by popular demand" ad campaign followed by modernized unveilings of them, like the changes to the beetle. You know, I thought this show was silly and ridiculous, but I just couldnt' look away. I'd have it on Sci-Fi and be playing everquest and then i'd realize that I'm getting the crap beat out of me by something and there are text messages from friends saying, "Pay attention!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterhawk Posted February 4, 2004 Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 Originally posted by Blue You can't bring back a car as "retro" until you've discontinued it for a while. Sales were down on those two so it makes sense. In a few years there will be a "back by popular demand" ad campaign followed by modernized unveilings of them, like the changes to the beetle. I think that was a given, and the relaunch may be sooner than later with Ford unveiling the new Mustang and Shelby Cobra. Rumor has it that GM has hired the designer of the PT Cruiser for the redesign. Originally posted by Blue You know, I thought this show was silly and ridiculous, but I just couldnt' look away. I totally agree. It had the camp/kitsch of the 60s Batman with the addition of raw sex appeal. I found myself being sucked in as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted February 4, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2004 What I'm thinking for the Scorpionmobile is this: it looks like a 2002 (ram-air, if possible) TransAm, but is armored, can spray oil or smoke out of rear sprayers, has revolving license plates, three energy beams under the hood, a stun beam, a laser, and something to jam electronic systems at short range. Other gadgets may be added, but I haven't thought of them, yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted February 5, 2004 Report Share Posted February 5, 2004 Family Ties to Black Scorpion:confused: Maybe they should do a where is he now on him:D . Probably......."we found him working at a Kroger's in Boise":p I actually watched a couple of epsiodes. The sci-fi channel had a marathon of it one day I was off from college. I graduated 2 and a half years ago. So that tells you it was a while. I remember it because the acting was so bad it was painful to watch and also I remember saying "hey isnt that the Family Tie guy" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rechan Posted February 5, 2004 Report Share Posted February 5, 2004 First of all, I'd point out that the Ninja garb is not "traditional" ninja clothing. Ninja do not wear uniforms (else, well, you'd know WHO THEY ARE wouldn't you? ). They wear normal clothing when on missions, because then they can disguise themselves as commoners. Second of all, might want to try one of those 'stretching/swinging' grapplehookers in the claws. Also: She might have a power like tremorsense, able to feel vibrations on the ground (maybe through some special ultrasonic radar system in a helmet). Scorpions have this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted February 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2004 When I called Black Scorpion's ninja garb traditional, I should've said, the garb we traditionally associate with the ninja. The grapple hook and line idea is a good one, but I might have it hidden in one sleeve of her costume, or an armguard, while the dart gun, or an electronic stinger, is in another. The tremor sense might be a device in her misc gear VPP or multipower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rechan Posted February 5, 2004 Report Share Posted February 5, 2004 Sounds cool. Maybe she has an electrical Stinger whip? That would be an interesting fighting style, using a whip and claws. Snatch 'em, reel 'em in and punch 'em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithcurtis Posted February 5, 2004 Report Share Posted February 5, 2004 I owned a '78 Trans Am for many years (8=track player and everything. Beautiful condition. I hated it. The car was a COP MAGNET! I swear, I have never received so much attention from our blue knights than when I was driving that thing. In the course of two weeks, I was stopped twice on the left turn near my old apartment. The first time it was for entering the left turn lane too late, then for entering it too early. It was the exact same maneuver! It was the same turn I had done a hundred times in my Toyota Corolla sedan. I aborted a lane change on the freeway once. A police car two cars ahead pulled onto the shoulder, still going at freeway speeds, just about ten mph slower so the cars on the road could pass him. He's kicking up all kinds of dust and rocks just so he can pull back onto the road behind me and follow me for 25 miles. Probably running my plate to check it against other people who pull out of their lane for two seconds. Sheesh! Keith "Smokey and the Bandit indeed!" Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterhawk Posted February 5, 2004 Report Share Posted February 5, 2004 Originally posted by keithcurtis I owned a '78 Trans Am for many years (8=track player and everything. Beautiful condition. I hated it. The car was a COP MAGNET! I swear, I have never received so much attention from our blue knights than when I was driving that thing... Keith "Smokey and the Bandit indeed!" Curtis Two questions, was it red and did it have the 'Screaming Chicken' decal on the hood? Older guys in my TA club related similar stories about the decal. As far as GM's Bright Red aka Pull-Me-Over Red... I was driving back from Sam's Club in my '99 TA with a carful of groceries, with my gf in the passenger seat. It was rush hour traffic so everyone was below the speed limit. There was a black Camaro directly in front of me. A cop pulled up in the next lane. He paced me, paced the Camaro then dropped back and pulled me over to tell me I couldn't have fuzzy dice hanging off the rear view. I noticed the Camaro had something hanging off the rear view and asked why the cop didn't pull him over too? "You had the red car." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithcurtis Posted February 5, 2004 Report Share Posted February 5, 2004 Originally posted by winterhawk Two questions, was it red and did it have the 'Screaming Chicken' decal on the hood? Black and Nope. Keith "ex-Batmobile Driver" Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acroyear II Posted February 6, 2004 Report Share Posted February 6, 2004 She was hot though... Even though the series sucked, the young lady who played Black Scorpion was a hottie though. Check out the pic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acroyear II Posted February 6, 2004 Report Share Posted February 6, 2004 She was hot though... Here's another pic, this time she's in her Secret ID. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted February 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2004 What do you think of metal or plastic throwing scorpions? It's based on the iron mandarin duck, found in The Ultimate Martial Artist, which was written by Steven S. Long. Should she carry knives and a sword? If so, what kind? Both the katana and nonja-to were used by ninja, and this Black Scorpion is one. On pages 75-83 in The Ultimate Martial Artist, advanced ninjitsu is discussed. There are variant styles of taijitsu (the proper name for the ninja's martial art). Which one, if any, would she know? There are also both mundane and mystical ninja abilities listed in the chapter. Which ones, if any, would she know? I found an interesting article, FU SCHTICKS FOR CHAMPIONS: Wild Martial Arts Powers Derived From the Pages of Fung Shui on Michael Surbrook's site.One that caught my eye was PATH OF THE SHADOW's COMPANION. Think Black Scorpion would know this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristopher Posted February 7, 2004 Report Share Posted February 7, 2004 Re: She was hot though... Originally posted by Acroyear II Even though the series sucked, the young lady who played Black Scorpion was a hottie though. Check out the pic! I knew that series was going to stink like old fish when I saw that costume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandi Posted February 7, 2004 Report Share Posted February 7, 2004 Re: Re: She was hot though... Originally posted by Kristopher I knew that series was going to stink like old fish when I saw that costume. Looks pretty good compared to Halle Berry's Catwoman costume, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loraxxx Posted February 7, 2004 Report Share Posted February 7, 2004 Re: Black Scorpion Originally posted by Mark Rand Hermit's thread on Animal Motifs for Supers got me thinking about Black Scorpion. Sure, she was a B movie Roger Corman character, but the name has potential. Let's start with a kunoichi, or female ninja. Instead of Darcy's somewhat skimpy costume, she wears a traditional black ninja costume with two changes, a black ski mask replaces the other mask and she adds clawed gloves. These aren't climbing claws, they scratch the crook and, maybe, put some kind of drug into him. Besides the claws, she carries a sword, throwing stars, a weighted chain, possibly, a device for firing sleep darts, all bought, along with the finger claws, as a multipower. She also carries other weapons, bought as a VPP, and probably other specialized tools, bought either as a multipower or a VPP. Her Scorpionmoble could be based on a Pontiac TransAm, last made in 2001, instead of a Corvette. AND WHAT THE HELL WAS WRONG WITH THE SKIMPY COSTUME!?!?!?!?!?!?!? CHEEUS HAYCH CRIPES--it took FOREVER to get BLACK CANARY back in fishnets, and now you want to start messin' with BLACK PUSH-UP-BRA....ER, SCORPION:rolleyes: some people.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted February 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2004 Simple, loraxxx. The only things my Black Scorpion and Roger Corman's have in common are the name, the fact that they're both martial artists with cool gadgets, and they both drive a Scorpionmobile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loraxxx Posted February 8, 2004 Report Share Posted February 8, 2004 Originally posted by Mark Rand Simple, loraxxx. The only things my Black Scorpion and Roger Corman's have in common are the name, the fact that they're both martial artists with cool gadgets, and they both drive a Scorpionmobile. yours is also lacking in the T and/or A department, particularly if she's covered head-to-toe, except for her eyes--which in my eyes IS WRONG--JUST WRONG!!!! ..but then again, i run JAMIE JUSTICE.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.