Create a Hero Theme Team!

[death tribble]

Rich,

 

Is your guy a take on Mirror Master ? Just so I get it properly.

 

Icecapader

 

Louisa Tarn was going places in the world of Figure Skating until her coach The Spinner was killed by Mr Speed. He did not even bother with her. Distraught she quit and after overcoming her grief she vowed revenge on the Speedster of Spite. Using ice skates and a projector that enabled her to skate on any surface she began to plague the Careering Crook. To his immense disgust she then began using gems and jewels to also throw off is Accelerating Antics. This means someone is heling her, but who ? So first he bumps her off and then he takes down the gadgeteer.

[Rich McGee]

40 minutes ago, death tribble said:

Is your guy a take on Mirror Master ? Just so I get it properly.

No, he's a take on the overarching theme of a goofy villain who uses a bunch of gadgets with a loosely connected theme that make up a large part of Flash's Rogues' Gallery.  Not trying to remake any particular guy, although it wouldn't surprise me at all if someone did impossible nonsense with photography in the actual books at some point, then never ever used it again.  I think I even remember Mirror Master playing around with reflecting photos at some point, now that I think about it.  

 

One-story gimmick "science" happened all the time in the Silver Age with Flash villains as the writers tried to keep him challenged and the readers engaged, which is hard to do if all you've got to work with is a parka and a cold gun.  Captain Cold, Heatwave and Mirror Master are probably the ones that did it the most, but that may have more to do with the amount of page time they got compared to everyone else but Grodd - who also ass-pulled one-off inventions and abilities pretty often, but they tended to be more varied and less tied to relatively narrow themes.  Abra Kadabra and Weather Wizard and Prankster aren't far behind, but I don't recall them appearing as often back in the day.

 

Applying the trope to a hero with a villain speedster doesn't actually feel like it would work in a comic since heroes need more versatility than villains to retain readers, but Flash makes "fast" as a power set do everything in the world so maybe I'm too pessimistic.  Heck, I'd read Simian Samaritan if he had a book, but like Grodd he sounds inherently more varied than hot/cold/reflections...or impossible camera tricks, FTM.

 

And hey, at least Cameraman isn't holiday themed. 

Edited December 22, 2023 by Rich McGee

[death tribble]

No, what you did was fair enough. I was just wondering if it was related to someone specific in the Flash's Rogue's gallery. That you wen one step further is fine as far as I am concerned  

[Rich McGee]

Fair enough.

 

Haven't some of the Rogues been cast as kind-of-heroic themselves at times anyway?  I seem to recall the Trickster at least getting some very sympathetic story arcs over the years that blurred the line on villain and antihero a bit, and I thought Mirror Master more or less stopped a dimensional invasion single-handed one time and never got any credit for it.  Big fan of the "villain doing crime to accomplish something heroic" trope in my RPG campaigns, as long as it isn't overused.

 

Also, was the Spinner a hero too, or just his vengeful protege?  I can never hear that word without thinking of the Martian Manhunter and his proclivity for doing everything imaginable with spinning despite having a bajillion other powers to use already.  

[Sundog]

Black Ice

 

John Ling is neither black, nor does he have cold-based powers, which confused reporters for a while (everybody else figured it out fast). His actual power is to influence the friction coefficient of any materials around him, making it horribly sticky or as slick as, well, black ice.

John invented his gloves, which enable his amazing abilities, but this has been his one success story. Everything else he's invented has been a complete bust, or worse, something he then had to adopt his costumed ID to stop (the autonomous, self-replicating senior's walking frame was especially embarrassing...). Of course, he could make a fortune if he sold his friction control tech, but he'd have to think of that, and his brain is always full of new ideas. Right now, he's working on lunar energy.

[death tribble]

Spinner is The Top. Icecapader is Golden Glider

[Rich McGee]

Ah, I'd managed to erase the Top from my memory completely.  The Golden Glider bit was obvious.

[death tribble]

Joke Shop

 

This hero uses all sorts of gimmicks that you would find in a joke shop to fight crime. Like whoopee cushions which thwart crooks who rely on stealth and quiet. Stink bombs can disable bank robbers and muggers. And the ever reliable hand buzzer which can knock someone out. Mr Speed hates him for the caltrops, marbles and banana skins which have caused him to trip up. Joke Shop works with the others as he feels he does not have the power to stand against the villainous speedster on his own.

 

That is five. If anyone has a new team idea that they want to use, they can do so. Otherwise we do at least one more.

[Quackhell]

New team: Curse Breakers

 

Minimum: 4

 

Individuals who have been cursed, but have managed to deal with it in some manner. They now dedicate themselves to helping others who have been cursed and battle evil curse users or creatures.

[death tribble]

Lawrence Talbot

 

When people hear his name some people get a little worried. After all this is the name of the Werewolf in the film the Wolf Man. They are right to be afraid. He is a werewolf. He has killed people while as a werewolf which troubles him. He was supposedly cursed by gypsies or his family were and he carries the curse now. However he now lives with it and has managed to learned to help others. He can be restrained on the nights of the full moon and has versed himself in lycanthrope lore so that he can help those with the curse. And if they want to live with the curse and kill people Lawrence will deal with them once and for all. He has also involved himself in dealing with curses that are not to do with shapeshifting. That way he is not a one trick pony. And he has the strength of the wolf to help him.

[AntonioTodd]

On 12/23/2023 at 2:00 AM, Rich McGee said:

No, he's a take on the overarching theme of a goofy villain who uses a bunch of gadgets with a loosely connected theme that make up a large part of Flash's Rogues' Gallery.  Not trying to remake any particular guy, although it wouldn't surprise me at all if someone did impossible nonsense with photography in the actual books at some point, then never ever used it again.  I think I even remember Mirror Master playing around with reflecting photos at some point, now that I think about it.  

 

One-story gimmick "science" happened all the time in the Silver Age with Flash villains as the writers tried to keep him challenged and the readers engaged, which is hard to do if all you've got to work with is a parka and a cold gun.  Captain Cold, Heatwave and Mirror Master are probably the ones that did it the most, but that may have more to do with the amount of page time they got compared to everyone else but Grodd - who also ass-pulled one-off inventions and abilities pretty often, but they tended to be more varied and less tied to relatively narrow themes.  Abra Kadabra and Weather Wizard and Prankster aren't far behind, but I don't recall them appearing as often back in the day.

 

Applying the trope to a hero with a villain speedster doesn't actually feel like it would work in a comic since heroes need more versatility than villains to retain readers, but Flash makes "fast" as a power set do everything in the world so maybe I'm too pessimistic.  Heck, I'd read Simian Samaritan if he had a book, but like Grodd he sounds inherently more varied than hot/cold/reflections...or impossible camera tricks, FTM.

 

And hey, at least Cameraman isn't holiday themed. 

It's fascinating to explore the evolution of comic book villains and their gimmicks over time. The Silver Age indeed brought about some creative and often quirky solutions to keep heroes challenged and readers engaged. The use of themed gadgets and one-off inventions by characters like Captain Cold, Heatwave, and Mirror Master reflects the creative ingenuity of writers during that era.

Your observation about the potential challenges of applying such a trope to a hero with a speedster power set, like the Flash, raises an interesting point. The need for versatility in a hero's abilities to retain reader interest is certainly a crucial aspect. However, the Flash's wide range of applications for his super-speed does open up possibilities for unique and imaginative storylines.

The comparison to heroes like Grodd, who showcase a broader array of abilities, emphasizes the variety that can exist within a rogues' gallery. The mention of Simian Samaritan adds a touch of humor and highlights the potential for diversity in character concepts.

Lastly, the acknowledgment that Cameraman isn't holiday-themed injects a sense of relief, showing an appreciation for the variety in villain themes beyond the more common tropes. It's always intriguing to see how writers play with these elements to keep comic book stories fresh and engaging.

 

[Quackhell]

Ed Grim the Undead Detective 

 

Ed Grimaldi was a homicide detective working a case involving a series of ritualistic murders in New Orleans. He was betrayed and killed by his partner who was secretly in service of the killer they were investigating named Baron Kriminel. Kriminel then raised Grimaldi as a zombie servant.

 

He acted as an undead soldier for Kriminel until a voudou bokor named Brother Semdi freed his soul. Ed stayed in control of his body as he still had the will to fight evil in this world instead of passing on to the next.

 

He now acts a sort of private detective dealing with cases involving the occult. He has tangled with the likes of the Romany Witch Lavinia, the Cajun cannibal Crowe clan, Kristoff the Lycan King, and the grave robbing ghoul Rictus.

 

He has learned to mitigate the complications that come with being an animated corpse through various magical techniques, but it is still a struggle. He faces these problems with a snarky attitude, gallows humor and wry wit. 

Edited February 16 by Quackhell

[death tribble]

Resurrection Man

 

Carl Forbes is the last survivor of an expedition that awoke a mummy who spent its own sweet time killing all those affected by the curse. Carl managed with the help of the others and other scholars and heroes of placating or keeping the mummy at bay. He knows that one day it will kill him but for now he lives. For now. He deals with ancient mysteries and histories that primarily do not deal with shapeshifting. He cannot be killed except by the mummy or by someone who can warp reality and thus break the curse and protections around him. He is trying to help Ed as he has staved off death and Ed did not. He has also assisted Ed on some of his cases as dealing with death is one of the things the ancient Egyptians did. Some people get revolted as has no problem in dealing with corpses. But the last person who made a wise crack about it and referred to Ed Grim got an almighty beating. 

[death tribble]

One more entry completes the team

[Hermit]

Carebear Huey McGreggor is a big lovable man, the sort of guy you wish nothing but the best for. Sadly, Huey is jinxed. He doesn't drive or he'll hit every red light there is. He is careful about dating, because he invariably ends up attracting the wrong sort of attention. He's been struck by lightning on a cloudless day. He's pretty durable , it as if something out there wants him to live through things so he can suffer some more. The worst part of his curse was that when it seemed his personal luck was better, the luck of those near him that he was invested in emotionally went down hill instead. He consulted a few mystics and gurus and the like, and they all came to the same conclusion, "you share your jinx with those you care about"

 

This threw Huey into deep depression, until he encountered a supervillain who took the building he was in, and its people hostage. Suddenly, Huey was really focused on that villain, as in he was deeply emotionally invested here! And things went wrong for the villain completely, so very wrong. Devices stopped working for the crook, the villain found out he had an allergy which nearly incapacitated him, and a giant superhero come to the rescue stepped on him.

 

Realizing that 'care' can mean a lot of things, and magic isn't exactly smart, Huey put on a costume with a bear theme, dubbed himself "Carebear" because it would scare fewer innocents than 'doomed jinx walking' and joined the Curse Breakers, the only team that would take him at the time. His favorite tactic is to find out who put a curse on an innocent then 'care' really hard about that curse bringer. He's also enjoying foiling more typical villains. More than one supervillain has been defeated because a man with a bright bear costume appeared and declared "Hey, Scumball, I CARE about you and what you're doing!"

 

--------

New Team: The Undershadowed

 

You don't have to be superpowered, or even a criminal, to be a complete jerk. In 2024's Solar Eclipse, Five ordinary  self serving advantage taking people found themselves under the shadow of the Eclipse thinking nothing of it. But later they came to realized they had developed super powered alter egos who were civic minded, kind, and good hearted! They can't control the change. One minute each one is 'a winner' (By cynical standards), then the next they're some goody goody in tights who fight crime,  build homes for the homeless, or otherwise help their fellow man! Worse, their alter egos have begun talking to them through mirrors, delivering lectures about how they should be ashamed.

 

Team Number 5!

[death tribble]

Maxima Justice !

 

Look, up in the sky ! It's a bird ! It's a plane ! It's Maxima Justice !

Faster than a speeding train ! More powerful than a Mac Truck ! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound !

Yes, it's Maxima Justice ! The Brunette Bombshell who has come to the city with abilities far greater than normal men and women,

Maxima Justice !, who can change the course of human history, bend metal in her bare hands, and who, would never have done anything like this as she was so self centred but now finds herself fighting a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.

Helen Reynolds is a lawyer content to just do the minimum effort to get the best result and would have stayed that way if not for the eclipse. And if not the fact that they made snide remarks to a woman with a rather vindictive eight year old with a mean streak and a doting uncle who just happens to be a mad scientist. He is used to maybe making a rod for his own back but having observed Ms Reynolds the opportunity to make her come off the side lines and join in proved irresistible. That and the fact that it might intrigue competitors.

Helen is horrified by what she has become. An idealist like Superman ? Ridiculous ! That is kids stuff not relevant in today's society. And the outfit. A bit like Wonder Woman with a cape, no mask and no tiara. How no-one has identified her is a mystery. (Except that Maxima and Helen do not look alike, Helen just thinks she does) 

[Hermit]

Beacon!

 

Dustin Deeds has been a part of the outrage factory that is the worst of modern TV/Internet news for over three years. He thrives on creating crisis where there is none, peddling misinformation to villify innocents as far as the law will allow, and paints himself as the victim whenever called on his BS.

And He has absolutely no shame in doing so!
That was at least until the Eclipse. After that, his life was no longer his own. He began to transform into the light projector 'Beacon',  a humble hero in gold and blue who fights crime, but worse, has exposed the lies of his news station by presenting evidence. Dustin is in danger of getting fired because HIS password was clearly used. Meanwhile, Beacon saves lives, supports the down trodden, and visits kids in hospitals.
Dustin has bigger problems than he knows. His personal assistant, a woman who really needs her job so she puts up with his sexual harassment and ill treatment, has actually gotten a crush on his 'do gooder alter ego' so his orders to her in trying to stop Beacon are really going nowhere!

 

[Quackhell]

Asclepius

 

Ellis Brand is the CEO and administrator for Harmony Medical Management, one of the largest health care providers in the country. Ellis is notorious for putting profit first and patients health second and has been the target of several lawsuits and investigations by the HHS. 

 

Then the eclipse happened and he found himself transformed into a veritable god of healing. In his hero form he can mend wounds, cure disease and even reverse the ill effects of aging to a degree.  Asclepius is also an advocate for widespread change in the health care system which puts Harmony in financial jeopardy.

 

Ellis has tried to suppress the transformations through various drugs, hypnosis, and even consulted a supposed mage. None of these worked and he has grown paranoid that his secret will be revealed and cause him to lose the backing of the board and stockholders.

[death tribble]

Clark Branston was a salesman selling all sorts of things to people especially if they did not need it but playing on 'keeping up with the Joneses' and 'The American Dream'. The bottom line was that he was making money and being successful. And that meant a better office, access to the executive bathroom, a better place to live, getting tables at the best restaurants and admission to better clubs. Life could not be better in most ways for Clark. He paid no attention to the eclipse after all what could it do for him. But after it passed over him and shrouded him in darkness something happened. He felt a little unwell and was deciding on getting a check up when a new hero appeared on the streets.

The Citizen. Halting petty crime and exposing corporate dirty dealings, no crime was too small or too large for The Citizen to handle. He was helping people all over the place. Clark first saw i in the papers but it was when he saw TV footage that his jaw dropped. That was him ! He was The Citizen ! He decided on sleeping pills and exhausting himself so that he could not possibly go out crime fighting as this vigilante. Except it did not work. Not only did The Citizen appear, he seemed full of beans.

But the last straw was The Citizen appearing in the mirror admonishing him for his life choices. Clark does not understand how friends, the people he works with and the Underworld has not easily identified him yet. The Citizen knows the answer but thinks that Clark would be better off not knowing.