Jab’s Builds! (Nightmare Creatures/Circus! Lawnmower Man! Metroid!)

[Devastation Bob]

"By the Great Spirit----The Bear who murdered my parents--come to kill me, too!" Would you really take the time to say all that, or would it be more like, "SHITSHITSHITSHIT--"doorslam, nails being pounded.

[Batgirl III]

"By the Great Spirit----The Bear who murdered my parents--come to kill me, too!" Would you really take the time to say all that, or would it be more like, "SHITSHITSHITSHIT--"doorslam, nails being pounded.

This is a medium where Superman routinely tells the Batman how his powers work... Sometimes you just gotta and move on.

[Jabroniville]

"By the Great Spirit----The Bear who murdered my parents--come to kill me, too!" Would you really take the time to say all that, or would it be more like, "SHITSHITSHITSHIT--"doorslam, nails being pounded.

It's a Claremont book- we're lucky that's ALL she said . But yeah- it's hella-awkward. She's dreaming, though.

[Jabroniville]

(Mandatory joke about those being the hottest breasts ever)

MAGMA (Amara Juliana Olivians Aquilla, aka Allison Crestmere)
Created By: Chris Claremont & Bob McLeod
First Appearance: The New Mutants #8 (Oct. 1983)
Role: The Princess, The Hot One, The Written-Out One, Blaster
Group Affiliations: The New Mutants, The Hellions, X-Corporation
PL 10 (155)
STRENGTH 2 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 3
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Acrobatics 3 (+6)
Athletics 2 (+4)
Close Combat (Sword) 2 (+8)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 3 (+9)
Deception 2 (+4)
Expertise (Politics) 2 (+4)
Expertise (History) 4 (+6)
Expertise (Survival) 4 (+6)
Insight 2 (+4)
Intimidation 4 (+6)
Perception 3 (+5)
Persuasion 2 (+4)
Ranged Combat (Magma) 3 (+9)

Advantages:
Attractive, Improved Aim, Improved Critical (Magma Blast), Improved Smash, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 3, Teamwork

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: Geothermal Form & Geokinesis"
"Geothermal Form" (Move Action) [-1]
Magma/Flame Aura 5 [20]
"Magma Skin" Protection 3 [3]
"Surviving Lava" Immunity 7 (Suffocation, Heat, Heat/Fire Damage) [7]

"Magma Orbs" Blast 10 (Extras: Penetrating) (30) -- [39]

• AE: "Magma Burst" Blast 10 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (30)
• AE: "Magma Stream" Blast 9 (Feats: Indirect) (Extras: Area- 30ft. Line) (28)
• AE: "Boost Aura" Magma/Flame Aura 5 (20)
• AE: "Earthquake" Affliction 10 (Dodge; Hindered/Prone) (Extras: Ranged, Area- 60ft. Burst +2) (Flaws: Limited Degree, Instant Recovery, Limited to Grounded Targets) Linked to Blast 10 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Burst +2) (Flaws: Limited to Grounded Targets & Objects) (30)
• AE: "Move The Earth" Move Object 10 (Extras: Perception Range) (Flaws: Limited to Earth/Rock) (20)
• AE: "Extreme Heat" Environment 3 (Heat 2) (6)
• AE: "Permeate Earth" Movement 3 (Permeate) (Flaws: Limited to Earth) (3)
• AE: "Emit Light" Environment 5 (Light) (5)
• AE: "Tectonic Shifting" Environment 3 (Impede Movement 2) (6)

Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Magma Orb +9 (+10 Damage, DC 25)
Magma Burst & Stream +10 Area (+10 Ranged Damage, DC 25)
Aura +9 (+5-10 Damage, DC 20-25)
Earthquake +10 Area (+10 Affliction & +10 Ranged Damage, DC 20 & 25)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +9 (DC 19), Parry +9 (DC 19), Toughness +2 (+5 Magma Skin), Fortitude +6, Will +5

Complications:
Prejudice (Mutant)
Accident- Magma's powers have frequently gone out of control, and she strives to master them. When angered or agitated, her powers are liable to shake the very earth beneat her, causing devastating earthquakes.
Enemy (Selene)- The evil mutant sorceress Selene carries a grudge against Amara, who ruined her schemes in her first public appearance, and she has attempted revenge on Amara several times.
Relationship (Empath)- Amara loved Empath despite herself (without his control, even), and still carries a bit of a torch for him.
Attraction (Bad Boys)- Amara's dating partners have included both Empath and MEPHISTO.

Total: Abilities: 44 / Skills: 36--18 / Advantages: 9 / Powers: 68 / Defenses: 16 (155)

-Magma's interesting in that she got a huge push in the New Mutants' first big "out of mansion" trip (in a LONG series of them) when they found her in... God I love comics... a long-lost group of freaking Roman expatriates living in the jungles of Brazil, having fled the fall of the Roman Republic centuries ago. Magma was a big factor at first, but then slowly disappeared to the background of the book in favor of the other characters. Largely this is thanks to major focus coming in on Magik & Warlock, then Cypher, and Kitty's eventual major place in the book, to the point where poor Amara got shoved aside much like Karma did. I mean, after a point she had almost NOTHING to do (there was a brief bit where Cannonball was crushing on her HARD, but she shot him down pretty succinctly when he tried to shorten her name to 'Mara, and she said "that's a nickname given to lovers"). This eventually led to her leaving the team and joining the Hellions on friendly terms, hooking up with Empath, who finally started showing a somewhat better side (given how monstrous he was before that, I found it hard to buy). Before that, she was basically a combination of "Runaway Power" and "Girl Who Sam Likes"- nothing too unique, but as the most powerful New Mutant aside from Warlock, she certainly had her place- with her powers boosted in the team's fight against The Magus, she was opening huge chasms in the Earth and slamming them shut, hurting a monster that's Kaiju-sized.

-I'll always love Nova Roma, though- an entire ROMAN CITY deep within the jungles of the Amazon, with natives joining and interbreeding with the Europeans, and then a friggin' immortal sorceress is revealed to be the dark power behind them all, and the team has to fight Selene. Some mileage was gotten out of Amara's resulting feud with the Black Queen, but they glossed it over pretty quickly as she shifted to be more of an X-Men villain, and they barely even focused on the whole "Selene is Amara's ancestor" revelation. However, Amara when Amara ran off with Empath, she disappeared from the book, never mattering again. Hell, in one of the most asinine, random decisions in comics history (and that's saying something), out of NOWHERE it was revealed that Selene made up the whole "Nova Roma" thing, and all its denizens were actually British people brainwashed by her & Empath's power. This was, of course, idiotic on so many levels that they casually hand-waved it off years later, but MAN was that dumb. It wasn't even revealed in an important story! They just wiped its history from comics for NO REASON.

-This of course shows further the way that writers in general forgot about or disrespected the Amara character. Hell, even to this day, you'll see her pop up now and then (the crucifixion on the Mansion lawn), but even in books that were MADE for appearances of her (X-Force, New Mutants/X-Men second run), she'll only be there for about two or three issues, before disappearing again (she went nuts and ran off when Elixir tried to heal her crucifixion injuries, but we didn't see her in the book again). Her biggest role in DECADES came in the New Mutants update a few years back, but she still hasn't done too much- she just lacks the characterization of the other members of the team. Hell, her big running storyline was that she was going on dates with MEPHISTO, a LORD OF HELL. This would be the most disgusting, low-down, darkest depth any super-heroine could ever sink to for a boyfriend, except she used to date Empath, so the devil is really a step towards respectability for her.

-It's altogether kind of a shame- Lava-based characters are EXTREMELY rare in comics- she's one of the most unique and original characters out there, even ASIDE from her origin as a Roman/Brasilian girl, and yet she never really gets anything interesting to do.

-For Powers, Magma has a rather costly array of Energy Aura, Immunity, Blasts, Environment (three kinds- Light, Impede & Heat), Earth Control, and a big Earthquake power that functions as Trip Affliction/Damage Objects effect. Her Blasts are rather varied, including Lines, Bursts & Penetrating, which results in a rather versatile classic Blaster/Energy Controller-type. So she's a good fighter, and handy in a brawl as one of the team's only Blasters (in modern or current cases), but most of her best showings have involuntary stuff going on, like huge Earthquakes or volcanic eruptions, working more as Complications than real Powers she uses often.



MAGMA (Amara Juliana Olivians Aquilla)- Late New Mutants Era
Created By: Chris Claremont & Bob McLeod
First Appearance: The New Mutants #8 (Oct. 1983)
Role: The Princess, The Hot One, The Written-Out One, Blaster
Group Affiliations: The New Mutants, The Hellions
PL 8 (128)
STRENGTH 0 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 3
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Acrobatics 3 (+6)
Athletics 3 (+3)
Close Combat (Swords) 2 (+8)
Close Combat (Unarmed) 1 (+7)
Deception 2 (+4)
Expertise (Politics) 2 (+4)
Expertise (History) 4 (+6)
Expertise (Survival) 4 (+6)
Intimidation 3 (+5)
Perception 3 (+5)
Persuasion 2 (+4)
Ranged Combat (Magma) 3 (+7)

Advantages:
Attractive, Power Attack, Ranged Attack, Teamwork

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: Geothermal Form & Geokinesis"
"Geothermal Form" (Move Action) [-1]
Magma/Flame Aura 4 [16]
"Magma Skin" Protection 1 [1]
"Surviving Lava" Immunity 7 (Suffocation, Heat, Heat/Fire Damage) [7]

"Magma Orbs" Blast 9 (Extras: Penetrating) (27) -- [36]

• AE: "Magma Burst" Blast 9 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (27)
• AE: "Magma Stream" Blast 8 (Feats: Indirect) (Extras: Area- 30ft. Line) (25)
• AE: "Boost Aura" Magma/Flame Aura 3 (12)
• AE: "Earthquake" Affliction 8 (Dodge; Hindered/Prone) (Extras: Ranged, Area- 60ft. Burst +2) (Flaws: Limited Degree, Instant Recovery, Limited to Grounded Targets) Linked to Blast 8 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Burst +2) (Flaws: Limited to Grounded Targets & Objects) (26)
• AE: "Move The Earth" Move Object 7 (Extras: Perception Range) (Flaws: Limited to Earth/Rock) (14)
• AE: "Extreme Heat" Environment 3 (Heat 2) (6)
• AE: "Permeate Earth" Movement 3 (Permeate) (Flaws: Limited to Earth) (3)
• AE: "Emit Light" Environment 5 (Light) (5)
• AE: "Tectonic Shifting" Environment 3 (Impede Movement 2) (6)

Offense:
Unarmed +7 (+0 Damage, DC 15)
Magma Orb +7 (+9 Damage, DC 24)
Magma Burst & Stream +9 Area (+9 Ranged Damage, DC 24)
Aura +7 (+4-7 Damage, DC 19-22)
Earthquake +8 Area (+8 Affliction & +8 Ranged Damage, DC 18 & 23)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +7 (DC 17), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +2 (+3 Magma Skin), Fortitude +5, Will +4

Complications:
Prejudice (Mutant)
Accident- Magma's powers have frequently gone out of control, and she strives to master them. When angered or agitated, her powers are liable to shake the very earth beneat her, causing devastating earthquakes.
Enemy (Selene)- The evil mutant sorceress Selene carries a grudge against Amara, who ruined her schemes in her first public appearance, and she has attempted revenge on Amara several times.
Relationship (Empath)- Amara loves Empath despite herself (without his control, even), and still carries a bit of a torch for him.

Total: Abilities: 38 / Skills: 32--16 / Advantages: 4 / Powers: 59 / Defenses: 11 (128)

-Magma circa the end of her New Mutants run is rather pricey, but much lower-powered, lacking accuracy, but maintaining a great deal of power with a +2 trade-off leaning towards hitting power.



MAGMA (Amara Juliana Olivians Aquilla)- Debut
Created By: Chris Claremont & Bob McLeod
First Appearance: The New Mutants #8 (Oct. 1983)
Role: The Princess, The Pretty One, The Blaster
Group Affiliations: The New Mutants
PL 7 (82)
STRENGTH -1 STAMINA 1 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 5 DEXTERITY 1
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE 1

Skills:
Acrobatics 3 (+5)
Athletics 3 (+3)
Close Combat (Swords) 2 (+7)
Deception 2 (+4)
Expertise (Politics) 2 (+2)
Expertise (History) 3 (+3)
Expertise (Survival) 3 (+3)
Intimidation 2 (+3)
Perception 3 (+3)
Persuasion 2 (+3)
Ranged Combat (Magma) 3 (+4)

Advantages:
Power Attack

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: Geothermal Form & Geokinesis"
"Geothermal Form" (Move Action) [-1]
Magma/Flame Aura 4 [16]
"Surviving Lava" Immunity 7 (Suffocation, Heat, Heat/Fire Damage) [7]

"Earthquake" Affliction 7 (Dodge; Hindered/Prone) (Extras: Ranged, Area- 60ft. Burst +2) (Flaws: Limited Degree, Instant Recovery, Limited to Grounded Targets) Linked to Blast 7 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Burst +2) (Flaws: Limited to Grounded Targets & Objects) (21) -- [28]

• AE" "Magma Orbs" Blast 7 (14)
• AE: "Magma Stream" Blast 6 (Feats: Indirect) (Extras: Area- 30ft. Line) (19)
• AE: "Move The Earth" Move Object 5 (Extras: Perception Range) (Flaws: Limited to Earth/Rock) (14)
• AE: "Extreme Heat" Environment 3 (Heat 2) (6)
• AE: "Permeate Earth" Movement 2 (Permeate) (Flaws: Limited to Earth) (2)
• AE: "Emit Light" Environment 5 (Light) (5)
• AE: "Tectonic Shifting" Environment 3 (Impede Movement 2) (6)

Offense:
Unarmed +7 (+0 Damage, DC 15)
Magma Orb +7 (+9 Damage, DC 24)
Magma Burst & Stream +9 Area (+9 Ranged Damage, DC 24)
Aura +7 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Earthquake +7 Area (+7 Affliction & +7 Ranged Damage, DC 17 & 22)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +1, Fortitude +3, Will +3

Complications:
Prejudice (Mutant)
Accident- Magma's powers have frequently gone out of control, and she strives to master them. When angered or agitated, her powers are liable to shake the very earth beneat her, causing devastating earthquakes.
Enemy (Selene)- The evil mutant sorceress Selene carries a grudge against Amara, who ruined her schemes in her first public appearance, and she has attempted revenge on Amara several times.

Total: Abilities: 18 / Skills: 28--14 / Advantages: 1 / Powers: 40 / Defenses: 10 (82)

-Magma during her debut is still reasonably Skilled, and has all but her Boost Aura for her APs (a rare case of a vastly Arrayed rookie New Mutant), but lacky physicality completely, and is PL 7 only with her wide-range Affliction Earthquake.

[Spectrum]

(Mandatory joke about those being the hottest breasts ever)

Except for, you know:



and:



or:



or maybe even:



and on the other team:

[Jabroniville]

Karma & Tran also bring up the interesting thing about how Mind Control & Possession work on comics. Tran, who is evil, is effortlessly able to control the entire Fantastic Four, which includes the stubborn-as-hell Ben Grimm. All at once, he sends them on a campaign to murder Spider-Man, and it damn near works. They're permanently under his control.

Meanwhile, Karma, who adds Tran's powers to her own, is thereafter barely capable of controlling one angry person at a time, rarely takes over groups, and has failed to hold even losers like Sunder just because of their anger. Because she's a superhero, and that kind of thing is a fight-ender.

This seems to have let up a little bit, as Karma controlled some pretty powerful people in modern times. Something that's pretty rough to do with the way M&M's Mind Control stuff works- a +10 Affliction is gonna have a hell of a time grabbing someone with a good Will Save, especially with three degrees of failure required.

---

Regarding Bill Sienkiewicz, the one thing I disliked about his art style was how he drew Magneto. I mean, we've got Lee Forrester in the exact same scene, often wearing bikinis and what-not, and she looks amazing- that combination of photorealism and blocky otherworldiness that defines Bill's work. And then there's Magneto, sporting big spires of hair, all Wolverine-style, looking like the Prime Douche of the universe.

Though it's nice to see Magneto's more introspective side in those issues, as Claremont does the "Slow Build" that turns him into Xavier's replacement Headmaster. And it shows something that later became rare- his backstory with Magda & Anya. It's easy to forget that Magneto had ANOTHER kid before that mess with Polaris (was his kid, then wasn't, then was) and Quicksilver & The Scarlet Witch (implied, then were, then weren't). But yeah, he repeatedly talks about how his daughter Anya was killed in a fire because some Russian goons held him back, and he let out his powers in a burst of rage, slaughtering them all. Then his wife screamed at him, thought of him as nothing but a monster, and left him forever. The X-Men Vignettes TPB I have goes into a full flashback with that scene, complete with Modern Magneto freaking out from the nightmare, waking up, and basically going "Oh my dear God... I forgot... I forgot how much that moment hurt." But you can also see through Magda's eyes just how horrifying it would be to see a normal man in a normal world... suddenly have his eyes light up and execute the men all around him.

[Jabroniville]

Also, regarding Magma, something I first posted way back in 2012:

I just recalled a great bunch of quotes from a New Mutants issue in the '80s.

----
I was surprised because Louise Simonson sucked on the book, but then I realized that Chris Claremont was guesting this later issue (#81):

Magma is going through a religious crisis regarding Hercules, who's being an ass, as usual. As a Nova Roman, she worships said God, but he's kind of a tool- to the point where Zeus plays a trick on him, and humiliatingly de-powers him in front of Amara. But he & her save some people from a burning apartment building, but one kid is badly burned saving his younger brother. The doctors explain there's nothing they can do, and the two mourn the boy's passing.

Herc: "I am an immortal. Three-thousand years and more have I walked this Earth -- in that time, I have seen and done so much-- yet the one thing I have never learned is how to endure the death of a friend. You mortals are so frail, you live so short a time, how do you stand it? This boy was as brave a warrior as any I have ever known. Compared to him... I am NOTHING."

He cries, and Amara bows before him, realizing that his grief at this loss makes him worthy of worship after all. He corrects her:
"No, lass, NO! It is I who should bow to you-- for which is the more deserving: The eternal Godling who is virtually impervious to death... who lives forever yet has learned so little from the experience. Or you mortals, whose very existence is a never-ending duel with the Reaper. A contest whose outcome is preordained. Bravery and heroics come naturally to me, for the risks I take are small. It is you, who gamble all with every breath, who embody the true miracle. Do not acclaim me as a God, Amara, or venerate my name... until I truly prove myself worthy."

Claremont in the '80s was a freaking GOD.

[Shock]

Magma was also the central character in the Xmen Legends Xbox game though for some reason they changed her real name to Alison Crestmere.

[KorokoMystia]

Funny thing, while I was reading up on the Chessmen arc of Iron Man to research the Chessmen, I came across the other Magma, Johnathan Darque. (I checked your to-do list, and he is indeed on it) I also came across other jobbers like The Melter and Firebrand, even Flying Tiger, and also saw when Rhodey became Iron Man. But yeah, how many times has Tony's company been taken over? A lot, by the looks of things.

[RUSCHE]

Am I the only one who uses a Dr. EVIL voice when saying Magma....most likely.

[Jabroniville]

Funny thing, while I was reading up on the Chessmen arc of Iron Man to research the Chessmen, I came across the other Magma, Johnathan Darque. (I checked your to-do list, and he is indeed on it) I also came across other jobbers like The Melter and Firebrand, even Flying Tiger, and also saw when Rhodey became Iron Man. But yeah, how many times has Tony's company been taken over? A lot, by the looks of things.

Almost as often as S.H.I.E.L.D. has been taken over... well, okay, NOTHING has been taken over as often as S.H.I.E.L.D. (the organization that all the superheroes were supposed to just hand their secret identities to, remember), but like... half as often.

Magma was also the central character in the Xmen Legends Xbox game though for some reason they changed her real name to Alison Crestmere.

That was her Post-Revelation, Pre-Re-Revelation name, when she was thought to be a kidnapped Englishwoman and Nova Roma was just a fake society created by Selene and Empath. The Editors later turned it back, making it that Nova Roma was a Roman colony all along... again.

[M4C8]

I notice we never got any of the "good" shots of the Demon Bear as Seinkewicz drew him with two different size eyes (one doing the weird hypno-wheel thing that Warlock would adopt later on) and no legs (just built like a big compost heap). All the pics shown here are from BEFORE Seinkewicz broke his arm and was pretty much doing his "normal" excellent style he used on Moon Knight. As I recall, that didn't last long on New Mutants because he BROKE HIS FRIGGIN' ARM and decided to draw left handed (which is where the weird frizzy hair and squared off bodies started) and fans thought it was great! It was not great. It was neo-cubist vomit.

Don't try to fool me Jab. I'm old, but my memory works just fine.

That's a new story to me- he doesn't mention it in a retrospective I've read- just that he received the Artist's Lament: "Your old stuff was better".

I can see how it wouldn't appeal to your more pedestrian tastes, though- only elitist snobs such as myself get it :p.

This reminds me of when I got in trouble for hating on the anime "Tareme Eyes" at Ronin Army (I said "they look like they're legitimately retarded"- APPARENTLY that's not cool for some reason )- few things inspire such passion as perceived shitty art. Look at the reactions Mike Allred gets.

I completely understand the hatred for shitty art, let's face it comic books are a very visual oriented medium, bad writing is annoying but a book can still be enjoyed if the art is good, however no matter how great the story terrible art can completely ruin it for me.

[M4C8]

Rusty...ugh!

First off, his original plotline: "I just want to live a normal life!" is kind of dumb for a character who A) doesn't look monstrous and B) has complete control of their powers.

Second, he's yet another example of how the lack of a cool codename will absolutely sink a character, unless like Guido aka Strong Guy, the lack of a cool codename is on purpose. At least Strong Guy had an appropriately odd look to go with his name. Rusty's got no codename, weak powers and a boring costume.

Seriously, Deadpool movie aside, if you're going to wear brown pants as part of your costume, you better be bringing your "A" game everywhere else.

I don't know if it was ever canon but I'm sure 'Firefist' has been used as a codename for Rusty.

[Horsenhero]

Rusty...ugh!

First off, his original plotline: "I just want to live a normal life!" is kind of dumb for a character who A) doesn't look monstrous and B) has complete control of their powers.

Second, he's yet another example of how the lack of a cool codename will absolutely sink a character, unless like Guido aka Strong Guy, the lack of a cool codename is on purpose. At least Strong Guy had an appropriately odd look to go with his name. Rusty's got no codename, weak powers and a boring costume.

Seriously, Deadpool movie aside, if you're going to wear brown pants as part of your costume, you better be bringing your "A" game everywhere else.

I don't know if it was ever canon but I'm sure 'Firefist' has been used as a codename for Rusty.

If that was the case, they should have had him learn kung-fu. If you're going to sound like an Iron Fist knock-off you should own it. I mean in real life learning martial arts at a level of proficiency where you're actually more dangerous than the average guy takes time and practice, but in comics it can be done in a single training montage...or you can go the Kitty Pryde route and be possessed by a demon ninja who leaves behind their skills when they get defeated (convenient bit that).

Of course these days I'm not sure if writers remember that Kitty is a master of ninjitsu because...comics.

[KorokoMystia]

Funny thing, while I was reading up on the Chessmen arc of Iron Man to research the Chessmen, I came across the other Magma, Johnathan Darque. (I checked your to-do list, and he is indeed on it) I also came across other jobbers like The Melter and Firebrand, even Flying Tiger, and also saw when Rhodey became Iron Man. But yeah, how many times has Tony's company been taken over? A lot, by the looks of things.

Almost as often as S.H.I.E.L.D. has been taken over... well, okay, NOTHING has been taken over as often as S.H.I.E.L.D. (the organization that all the superheroes were supposed to just hand their secret identities to, remember), but like... half as often.

Magma was also the central character in the Xmen Legends Xbox game though for some reason they changed her real name to Alison Crestmere.

That was her Post-Revelation, Pre-Re-Revelation name, when she was thought to be a kidnapped Englishwoman and Nova Roma was just a fake society created by Selene and Empath. The Editors later turned it back, making it that Nova Roma was a Roman colony all along... again.

Yeah, S.H.I.E.L.D. has been taken over a lot. And as I continued reading the comics, I just happened to come across the legendary glory that is the Zodiac Cartel! Rhodey has to save Taurus from the LMD Taurus, but after that Van Lunt tries to kill Iron Man with various schemes.