WWYCD: Fans and cons

[wylodmayer]

I previously put forth a "WWYCD" thread regarding merchandising, and this is along the same vein (also prompted by running across some of the G4 ComicCon preview stuff).

 

How would your character relate to fans and - especially - cons (like comic and/or sci-fi cons)? Would he go to them in secret ID, surreptitiously checking out prices on his merch? Or would he roundly condemn them? Make surprise appearances in costume? Think they're bizarre and creepy?

 

Feel free to extend the discussion to include fan clubs and fansites.

 

As for my guys...

 

Ace: Has a public ID and a job as a stunt man and stunt coordinator for a number of ubergeeky shows (like Highlander and Buffy, when they were on). He regularly attends cons, giving demonstrations of stage fighting and stunt techniques, as well as answering questions about his superhero career. He's also an incorrigible lech who used his fame to nail every fangirl and washed up sci-fi cleavage queen between LA and NYC.

 

Cat: Collected comics when younger, dreaming of superheroes she hoped would rescue her from her miserable life. She still reads comics, something she keeps a secret from her teammates - especially since the comics she reads are the cheesiest and four-coloriest of them all, a proclivity that belies her cynical, hardbitten demeanor and reveals her for a starry-eyed romantic after all. She goes to cons in her secret ID, but avoids any stuff about real superheroes, preferring to stick to her Golden Age fantasies of tights-clad white knights who can do no wrong. The real world - and the truth about real heroes - depresses her.

 

Ingrid: Doesn't read comics and probably wouldn't like them very much; she's also totally unaware of "fan culture." She prefers Greek myths or nigh-fascistic pulp-hero stuff.

 

Terminaxx: A jerk. If he ever found out that there were fansites for him, he'd probably log on just to heckle his adoring throngs. He might try to go to cons to score with the girls, but really, he's more interested in being a complete p***k than using his.

[McCoy]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Millennium believes he is the living incarnation of The Hero With a Thousnad Faces. As such, it is as much his job to inspire, lead by example, and be a role model as it is for him to catch the Bad Guy. Fans are an indication that he is Doing It Right. He will readily interact with fans, cautioning those without powers to not attempt his feats, but encouraging all to keep searching for their inner Hero.

 

Cheeta Ka-CHING!

 

Iron Will "All my fans shoud urge their parents to write their congressman requesting more funding for NASA, especally for crewed space flight. Oh yeah, and more R&D for chronic diseases."

 

Snow Leopard "If they admire me, they Know nothing about me!"

 

Dolphin "Look, I'm flattered, but if you want to admire me, please do so for something important, like I have a PhD in Marine Biology or my enviromental activism, not just because I can lift a blue whale."

[Adventus]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Adventus: A stuntman and b-movie star. He would have a blast. Sign autographs for a small fee. All the proceeds would be donated to the Red Cross, which is his other job. He is a first respondent to major catastrophes.

 

Pyhrus: Would go in his super ID. While showing off for the fans would cause a major fire at the con. which he would command to go out and it would. But only after causing a $2,000,00 in damages.

[Trebuchet]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Zl'f would pretty much ignore it. She's been a celebrity since she was an Olympic medalist at age 13, so she's used to the media and rabid fans. She doesn't go out of her way to avoid it (pretty much impossible since MidGuard is so high profile), but she does attempt to guide it with occasional interviews and public appearances. She actually rather likes the attention, but realizes it's not conducive to maintaining a secret ID.

[Lord Mhoram]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Blackcat would go to cons and arrange with the con organizers for some time to do a Martial arts demo - and she would then give a small little speech about using physical training for mental discipline and such. She had a fan club (having moved to being an interdimensional agent leaves some of that behind), and before that campaign folded, there was going to be a plot about her becoming the object of worship (she died and came back, and can heal people). Alas that never materialized.

 

Meeb would think it funny and likely go, but not really understaning all of it.

 

Smokeater is in a formal team in his world, and they have liscenced action figures and comics, so he would do them to try and be a good role model.

Terminal Velocity has a fan club, and it is full of teen girls (he is a teen hearthrob), and actually dates the president. He really goes out of his way for fans.

[Kevin Schultz]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Jake the Troll - is a moderate sci/fi and Fantasy goob, and has his own fan club of middle-aged housewives he calls his Mercedes Lackeys. When his parents give permission, they take him to fantasy conventions in Vancouver, BC. Thus, he's fairly well known in the region at cons, although he tends to get annoyed a the quasi-religous fangirls. "Um, you realize I'm not wearing this crucifix out of a sense of irony, right?"

 

Icon - is a complete and utter closet Superman fangirl, rather than comics or sci-fi or anything like that. She goes to cons in her secret ID for that reason, but does so in secret. (She's got a reputation as a goth to protect.) She actually goes in full Supergirl costume, which she can pull off OK if she dyes her hair.

 

Shinji Miromoto - hates shojo anime with the burning passion of a thousand suns, and thinks that the entire magical girl genre should be thrown into the Burning Hell of a Thousand Hack Cliches. He doesn't even bother with the Western versions.

[Hermit]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

I previously put forth a "WWYCD" thread regarding merchandising, and this is along the same vein (also prompted by running across some of the G4 ComicCon preview stuff).

 

How would your character relate to fans and - especially - cons (like comic and/or sci-fi cons)? Would he go to them in secret ID, surreptitiously checking out prices on his merch? Or would he roundly condemn them? Make surprise appearances in costume? Think they're bizarre and creepy?

 

Feel free to extend the discussion to include fan clubs and fansites.

 

As for my guys...

 

Aquatic- Probably rather uncomfortable, and sure that this would not end well. He'd be polite, but he had enough of being used as a posterboy when he was younger so unless it was for a charity or something, wouldn't go to cons . If he met any fans, he'd thank them and try to be polite.

 

Banner- Would be delighted, and if he had spare time, might even go to a Con. The Avengers need to keep in touch with normal folks.

 

Comet- Hook line and sinker. He thinks he's tops, finding out people agree would not surprise him A nice guy despite his arrogance, Comet would only stop if someone pointed out he was endangering his fans.

 

Gaze- Would secretly love the adulation, but discourage it as much as possible. He has too many enemies, and besides, he tries to cause fear in his foes, not adoration in the citizens. His secret ID as a stage hypnotist in Vegas gets enough love.

 

Mole- Is young, dumb, and would love it.

[Spidey88]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Phidippus: would probably jump at the chance, on the assurance that his attendance wasn't advertised (thus bringing villains out of the woodwork when he's in a known location for a set amount of time). He's reasonably humble - but underneath his exoskeleton, he craves public acceptance and praise. Also, he'd probably love to meet any other heroes that might be making appearances - he'd have all 30 fingers crossed for Diamond showing up, or Flashover (who he's got a bit of a crush on, after drawing dozens of issues of the Justice Squadron comics and studying their roster intently - see below).

 

While he'd like to take the chance to talk to as many fans in person as possible, he'd settle for some sort of athletic demonstration and speech (no doubt about the sort of proper values a true hero stands for, and how each person can do their part for their community, eat your veggies, etc.). If there wasn't the time for talking to the kids: with 6 arms, ambidexterity, OCV levels w. sweep, etc. he'd have the fastest-moving autograph line by a mile! Maybe a super-cool musical performance to end the show would be in order - he's fairly well-acquainted with the Champions, and correspondingly Sapphire, and he's a stellar guitarist (shades of MY WWYCD: Let's Rock! from a while back - I just liked the idea of a superpowered rock band).

 

The biggest problem would be his secret I.D. In his civilian identity, he's a renowned comic book artist (skill 19-) - so he's likely had to go to a few comic cons as eccentric wunderkind, Warren Webster. I could definitely see the stereotypical awkward situation where Phidippus and Warren are supposed to be in the same place at the same time...

 

"Oh, the poor kids - They all came to see Phidippus! I can't possibly disappoint all of them; but how can I keep from breaking the heart of little Timmy Franklin, who came all the way from the hospital to get drawing tips from his favorite artist, Warren Webster? His nurse says it's all he's had to look forward to, what with having to deal with his condition..."

[Matt Frisbee]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Low Rent: He would insist that any comic based on his likeness pay into a charity fund for the people of the Lodo, but wouldn't do public appearances, figuring that his enemies would use them to stage ambushes and get a bunch of innocent people hurt. If Claire "Crystal" Vosser asked him to attend one, however, he would be there on time and in costume...

 

Scrapyard: He would be there because he usually needs money to make ends meet in his personal life, though most likely in his heroic identity.

 

Sky: Public appearances are his idea of a good time -- so long as they're for a good cause. Since he is always on call (he's a public superhero who is a member of the local fire department as an EMT), he would have a bail clause in his contract and the appearence money would go to a local charity.

 

Thunderbolt: "I'm too busy to give autographs to a bunch of drooling fanboys! The Illegal Army is still on the loose!"

 

Matt "Living-the-dream" Frisbee

[Plex]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Muiltiplex Would have a great time at the conventions, playing tricks, telling jokes, just having fun with the fans. He'd probably buy some of the expensive crap that people were selling of him and hand it out to kids who couldn't afford it. He'd also act like William Shatner in that SNL skit

[Pariah]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Jack Diamond went to a con once -- incognito, just to look around. While he was there, he heard a couple of fan arguing about whether he was really a hero or a menace. For kicks, he joined the argument on the "He's a menace!" side. The "He's a hero!" fan made a compelling, passionate case for why all the negative publicity Diamond got was inaccurate and undeserved. Later that day, he watched with satisfaction as his unknowing supporter found something he'd covertly placed in his jacket pocket: his calling card (a blue-backed Hoyle jack of diamonds) with the word "Thanks" written across it.

 

Pariah is uncomfortable with all that attention. He'll go if asked, but he'll spend most of the time deflecting attention and praise to his teammates.

 

Thunderstrike has been going to cons for years. He participates in the discussion groups, signs autographs, poses for pictures, gives lectures, the whole nine yards. Although he's been in the business for more than a decade, he remembers the wonder of being a new superhero and is happy to share that joy as much as he can.

 

Wild Card has never been to a con. They always seem to schedule these things the same weekend as his archaeology symposia.

 

Morningstar spends her day at the con with conflicting feelings -- thrilled and humbled, on the one hand, at the number of people who seem to want to see her and talk to her, and a little peeved at the long, long line of pretty girls falling over themselves to get a glimpse at Terminal Velocity. Have a little pride, girls!

 

ColdFire is a geek at heart, so she eats the experience up. When she's not making public appearances, she's hanging out with fans and beating anyone who cares to try their hand against her at Halo 3.

 

Onyx is amazed that, with all the superheroes patrolling New York these days, they'd ask him to come to a con. He jumps at the chance.

[Blue]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Uncle Slam would be unlikely to make an appearance at a con. First off, that's "down time". If he's going to do something social it's likely to be a larger charity event with a cause of some kind. He's never declined to sign an autograph, but sitting at a table for hours and signing them would be an ill fit for him.

 

Anthem would be surprised if anyone knew enough about her to want her at a con. She has no merchandising, and only gets local publicity on the news occasionally. In fact, her biggest publicity involved her getting her butt kicked on tv. (When she beat the culprits later on it was in private, so no satisfaction there.) But if asked, she'd definitely consider it.

 

Audra Blue being agoraphobic, could only appear via video. But she'd do it once, just to see what it was like; She's all for new experiences. But I doubt she'd repeat it.

[Clonus]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Riptide would have no interest in comic book conventions. He's a drummer in a band and that gives him much more satisfactory ego strokage. Dude, he's got groupies. If circumstances conspired to force him to accept a GoH position, he'd be charming and polite and wait for it to be over. But he has licensed his image to a collateral damage fund so there is a comic book with him in it.

 

Hellfire would be baffled and out of her depth at a convention, a bit intimidated.

 

The Wizard of Oz Incorporated goes to conventions as a participant.

[Arac-4105]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Arac-4105 couldn't possibly go to a con as a 'civvie', his unnatural inhuman features are too hard to disguise, and the four arms don't help. He'd probably have a ball, talking to the two or three fans he might have, signing their autographs and seeing what stuff's in the Dealer's Room.

[sinanju]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Hell's Angel IS a fan in her secret identity. She writes fiction, both fanfic and professionally published fiction. She posts to a blog. She participates in variosu web forums and the internet. She chats with friends and acquaintances over instant message clients. She attends science fiction conventions.

 

She would continue attending cons just as she always has--and also, yes, get a quiet secret kick out of seeing Hell's Angel fans there. She would even check out the merchandise (all of it pirated, naturally, because she hasn't authorized any of it) and fan fics.

 

She does not, however, like the NC-17 smutfic starring Hell's Angel.. Not that she objects in principle--she likes to read (and even write) smut as much as the next gal. But so much of it just so badly written, plus it's "real person" fic--which she really doesn't care for. And then there's the truly vile porn involving things best left unmentioned.

 

She also doesn't like the fake nude photos circulating on the internet, but there's not a lot she can do about those.

[Zed-F]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Soulbarb tries to keep a low profile in hero ID, and is generally not known as a hero in her campaign world. She's also not normally a frequenter of cons. Her boyfriend Nocturne, however, is a geek and might persuade her to attend one. If she did find some mention made of her heroic ID in any but the most vague of terms, she'd want to find out who knows about her heroic ID and how they found out about it.

 

Sylph is also not a frequenter of cons as a general rule. If persuaded to go for whatever reason, she'd be genuinely embarrassed by whatever attention is paid to her heroic persona. She's far too modest and thinks that the other heroes in the city are much more deserving of adulation than she is. Especially since half of the stuff about her would be about how 'hawt' she is (probably including public nudity shots in the back rooms -- her alternate ID is a maenad after all), and the other half of it would be miracle cures from bits and pieces of her costume that's fallen off in various places or quasi-religious stuff devoted to her healing powers.

[Great Beyond]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Natasha has a pretty good handle on her merchandising, action figures, comic book run and animated series. With help of her publicist, she's got a fairly strong brand name. So who knows, she very well might be slated for an appearance at the comic con or something. Of course inevitably one of her many foes would also show up and try and mess up the day. Suddenly everyone gets a front row seat on a super powered beat down.

Great Beyond only just found out that she's got a following and fan club and fan web page (she approached the web master and started working with him - it's now her official page. That's one happy fan!). She takes being a roll model very seriously, so she'd show up at the con, press the flesh, sign autographs for the kids - the whole nine yards.

Scarlet Arrow, the new character that we just started doing a couple of weeks ago, is far too new at the job to rate action figures and fan clubs yet. I have no idea how she'd handle the fame yet.

[Drhoz]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

How would your character relate to fans and - especially - cons (like comic and/or sci-fi cons)? Would he go to them in secret ID, surreptitiously checking out prices on his merch? Or would he roundly condemn them? Make surprise appearances in costume? Think they're bizarre and creepy?

 

Feel free to extend the discussion to include fan clubs and fansites.

 

hmmm... Zero would be aghast anybody is aware enough of his existence to have started a fanclub - there's a reason he dresses in a a full-cover costume and spends most of his missions hiding on rooftops, or 200ft up at night, acting as communications relay for the Edge team. He would be further aghast at the more lurid speculation about him.

 

Vitus... Vitus, Vitus, Vitus. The adulation of people eager to bask in the glow of his ego rays would certainly appeal, but given the aftermath of the "Eurostar? Who are they? Are they anybody important?" media interview, Vitus's general misanthropy, and his happy in-depth descriptions of his plans to castrate every rapist on the planet, or dismember Cthulhu in the middle of a major city, makes it quite unlikely that his colleagues would pass on any invitation letter to a convention.

 

on the other hand, he's already been offered lecture tours by VIPER and at least one circle of evil magic workers.

 

Then there's the furry conventions - they may well be EAGER to invite a apparently anthropomorphic hyena to one of their cons (they could invite Orca too, and get two anthros for the price of one stamp. Leatherback alas has been missing ever since the Eurostar incident)

 

They would soon revise their opinions, once Vitus starts enthusing about his homeworld. Yes, it had gnolls, lion-centaurs, lizardfolk and ratkin - but it was also a bronze-age, slave-keeping, brutal civilisation under genuine risk of extermination too. No cross-species sex, either.

 

They'd especially regret inviting him after Vitus discovers the artwork of of, and the con-goers lusting after, his superhumanly attractive concubine, 3

[PhaseKitty]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

PhaseKitty would go to a con, for sure!

 

Especially the yearly PhaseKonny! Yes, there's a con devoted to her!

 

Which is run by her fan-club corporation. Yeah, she's incorporated herself, has an Official Fan Club, with franchises, Official Merch, the whole deal.

 

No other con has yet been willing to pay what she charges for an Official Appearance, that or not been willing to agree to her terms. Course, she's sneaked into a few cons under an assumed name.

 

She really likes checkin' out the cosplayers trying to "be" her; never seen one as good looking, but some been pretty d**ned hot! She likes to give those gals "pointers".

 

She's got an Official Web-site, course. And some licensed ones are out there. She finds an unlicensed one, she lands like a ton of bricks!

 

Sounds mercenary? Hey, her whole team lives off the money she pulls in. And there's a lot of charities that would be hurtin' without the $$$ she pours in.

 

There's advantages to being the most popular super on Earth (so says People Mag, and they should know, right? )

 

 

[SKJAM!]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Mask of Justice: Has an semi-official fan group, the Junior Justice Club. Seeing as how it's the Golden Age, activities for most fans are limited to sending fanmail and carrying their official membership cards/decoder rings. But every so often, some lucky boy or girl gets contacted by the Mask to help out (non-violently) on a case! Naturally, the Mask of Justice tries to be a good role model for the kids.

 

By the time a true fan culture emerges, however, the Mask is long since retired. He's more or less content to let everyone imagine that he died on some secret mission, or vanished to another world. An authentic Junior Justice Club decoder ring will set you back over a thousand dollars.

 

 

Calculus: Is an urban legend. He monitors the media for mentions of himself, but has no time for fans or the public in general. He does, however, collect memorabilia of his former teammates in the Sidekicks.

 

 

Rock Bottom: Loves meeting his fans, though he only attends conventions near Baltimore (he's on-call, after all.) He's especially happy to get a chance to talk to his boyhood idols if they are also guests. Like most public superheroes, Rock pushes a pro-social message, and is especially active in GLBT rights causes. Fortunately, the one time a villain chose to attack Rock Bottom at a convention, Rock realized the fellow was a gloryhound, and was able to convince the fellow to keep it to a power demonstration and autograph session.

 

 

Kira Midori: Is much in demand for public appearances, though she is a New York police officer and as such seldom leaves the city except for super-team duties. She isn't too fond of the convention atmosphere (too many fanboys thinking icky lustful thoughts), and is more likely to appear at schools for lectures and rallies. As one might expect, her most frequent presentation is "the cops are your friends."

 

 

Talion: Isn't invited to conventions, but often attends in his civilian guise. He is very seldom recognized. Talion also often posts on various supers-related internet forums, again in his civilian identity. He's often ignored, even when he makes perfectly good points. (After all, he knows the New Legends personally--he has some very educated opinions on them.)

[AdamLeisemann]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Lab Rat may someday go to a convention, but he would do it in his Secret ID unless one of two things were happenning:

 

1) The Convention was not a comics one (probably a furry convention).

2) The convention was outside of Milwaukee (he doesn't realise how famous he might get as Lab Rat.)

 

And Hilarity will likely ensue should those conditions be met.

[Captain Liberty]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Captain Liberty would love the attention and take the opportunity to give small lectures and demonstrations on the priniciples of Libertarianism. He'd also do acrobatic demonstrations and maybe staged combats with other heroes he knows. And he might hook up.

[nexus]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Velocity: Would be all over the cons in both heroic and secret id. She's comic/sci fi/fantasy geek herself and being able to see it from the "other side" would be a dream come true

 

Tao: Would have no interest and likely wouldn't be encouraged to go. Her nature tends to make public relations events awkward at best like when the team did Fourth of July PSAs, her's was a lengthy critique of the tactics employed by the British, chastizing them for poor performance and giving the US reason to devote 24 hours to gloating as humans seems to enjoy doing.

 

Valkeyrie is far to shy to go to things like that and, secretly, is a bit of snob when it comes comics, seeing them as "lesser" literature. She might go into embarrsament induced coma if she stumbled any fansites with more...racy fics or fan art of her though.

 

Shidoku: I suppose she could get a odd fandom, as an attractive Asian woman in scant costume doing violent things. She might drop by a con for a laugh in her secret ID or get dragged to one by her otaku tech contact and find out that he's not alone in having an obession with "Sailor suits".

 

Eve loves comic books and would gladly got a con and have loads of fun talking to any fans there. Her "filters" wouldn't let her consciously see anything online that wasn't "age" appropriate but other than that she'd be active there as well.

 

Ivy has far too many issues going on to notice things like fan communities or comic cons.

[Badger]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Frosty Bob-

 

FB: So any hot chicks go to these things?

Teammate: Actually, Bob most of them are portly nerdy unkempt 30-something men who lives in their mom's basements.

FB: Damn!

 

 

Badger- Would not even acknowledge the existence of such. Doesnt have time for such trivial gibberish.

[OctoberRaven]

Re: WWYCD: Fans and cons

 

Mister Nonsense (who during his tenure in the group was the unofficial 'marketing' guy) would jump at this chance, handing out merchandise and free hamburgers (He had a LS power from the UNTIL database called Out For Lunch, which basically allowed him to use time travel to seemingly summon food out of nowhere. And he would offer food to other characters. "Hamburger?" "No thanks, I prefer tacos" *pulls out a taco*). He's too weird for most people to be fans of, though.

 

Shift: "Do I HAVE to go? I'd rather do something worthwhile".

 

Emerald Dragon: As a former kung-fu movie star, he LOVES the spotlight. He'll definately get into this.