Jab’s Builds! (Beaker! Sam Eagle! Miss Piggy! The Swedish Chef!)

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Morlocks

Post by Jabroniville »

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THE MORLOCKS:
The Morlocks are a great little story in X-lore. Initially debuting in Uncanny X-Men #169, they came in during part of the Late Bronze Age of Comics, when things started getting REALLY dark in the post-70s era, and you had stuff like punk music, leather, etc. all becoming fashionable, and Chris Claremont latched onto that. Using the "Mutants As Outcasts" trope, he created an HUGE society of hundreds of mutants living in the catacombs of New York, all physically deformed, to prove that not all mutants were six-pack-having gorgeous people with bulging muscles and/or bosoms. I mean, the X-Men and New Mutants were outcasts, but at least they LOOKED normal. These freaks were monstrous, lumpy, way-too-skinny individuals who could never pass for ordinary human beings, and didn't have the "Cool Outcast" stuff like costumes, tights and Image Inducers.

The first appearance of the Morlocks (named in-story for The Time Machine's futuristic psycho-zombies) featured them kidnapping Angel (of the old team of X-Men... Claremont didn't use them a lot, but he occasionally showcased them), nearly forcing him to marry Callisto, the Morlocks' leader, because he was so pretty and they were a combination of jealous and amazed. Storm fought her way down, fighting her own Claustrophobia all the while, and kicked Callisto's ass in solo combat, taking leadership of the entire society (what IS it with dork-based media always setting things up with "Trial By Combat" being the road to political leadership? Angry memories of being beaten up by popular jocks in High School to create the pecking order?). Rather than be shuffled aside, the Morlocks showed up multiple other times: Annalee kidnapped Power Pack in their own book to replace her murdered children, Caliban nearly forced Kitty Pryde to marry him (but let her go, realizing she was sad and didn't want it), and that Healer guy came in handy a thousand times, frequently being used as a Deus Ex Machina any time somebody got hurt.

So Claremont actually got some good play out of them. And then, when he realized the storyline was kind of drawn out, he cut a SWATH through them, wiping them out with The Marauders during The Mutant Massacre. Okay, so none of the major characters died. X-Factor was allied with several, all of whom survived. Callisto, Sunder and Caliban all made it out. So it was really three-hundred Mooks who died. But still. Their society as they knew it was done for, and the remaining members kind of scattered to the winds... for a time.

See, a good idea like the Morlocks just won't die, so various other writers tried to re-create them, with varying success. The early '90s saw a few comics featuring them as disposable victims, as the Vidkids murdered many in a Wolverine story, while a riot of surviving members threatened parts of New York in Uncanny X-Men one time. Then someone got the bright idea to create "Gene Nation", a band of Morlock survivors who'd teleported to another dimension by Colossus' long-lost brother, doing the ever-popular "Rapid Aging" excuse that I hate so very much. They kind of sucked (they dished Marrow out on the world). A few communities have also showed up here and there in other cities.

In recent years, someone revealed the whole group was created by Dark Beast as "Failed Experiments", and that was the revelation as to why Mr. Sinister had them killed (as the Marauders' boss)- he saw his handiwork in them. But whatever. For the most part, they fit perfectly in many stories as the ultimate underclass, and a way of introducing some TRUE grit into the X-books- a society of unclean, freakish, dirty hobos was just what the doctor ordered to take the glitz out of super-heroics every once in a while.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Background Morlocks

Post by Jabroniville »

MORLOCK TEMPLATE- FILLER
Role:
Background Filler & One-Offs
Group Affiliations: The Morlocks
PL 3 (28)
STRENGTH
1 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -1

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+5)
Deception 4 (+3)
Expertise (Sewer Dweller) 4 (+4)
Perception 3 (+3)
Stealth 3 (+4)

Advantages:
None

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: Various"

Offense:
Unarmed +4 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Initiative +1

Defenses:
Dodge +3 (DC 13), Parry +4 (DC 14), Toughness +2, Fortitude +4, Will +0

Complications:
Prejudice (Mutant)

Total: Abilities: 14 / Skills: 18--9 / Advantages: 0 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 5 (28)

-These are the weak, non-combatant-type Morlocks, often seen in the backgrounds or manipulating things.

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BRAIN CELL- PL 8 (42): ST -1, STA -1, Mind Control 8 (Extras: Continuous) (Flaws: Touch Range -2) [14]
-Brain Cell led a major Morlock riot in a '90s issue, requiring the X-Men to engage him. Professor Xavier got him to stop, but badly injured his leg (since he had no feeling in that area, he tore right through an obstacle).

DELPHI- PL 3 (28): [0]
-Unknown powers.

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CHICKENWINGS- PL 3 (30): Flight 1 [2]
-Chickenwings had only weak flight, and was first maimed, then murdered, by Sabretooth, who was hunting the survivors of the Mutant Massacre.

KILLRON- PL 3 (32): Comprehend Animals 2 [4]
-He talked to a super-strong alligator that lived with him in the sewers.

IRVING- PL 3 (28): [0]
-A former Mutant, cured by M-Day, but still retained his hideous appearance.

JOE BUGS- PL 3 (28): [0]
-Insect-like, shown in flashbacks being killed by a clone of Kraven the Hunter.

LIGHTNING BUG- PL 3 (58): Remote Sensing 10 [30]
-Faced Marvel Girl in Marvel Comics Presents, but was revealed to have been the psychic emanations from the character's own skeleton. So basically an Astral Form that persisted after death.

MATCHSTICK GIRL- PL 5 (26): ST -1, STA 0, Damage 4 [-2]
-A little girl- her right hand lit up when exposed to oxygen, so she usually kept it wrapped up.

MISS SACCHARINE- PL 2 (15): ST -1, STA -1, AGI -1, Features 1: Pleasant Odor [-13]
-A crippled old woman whose powers turned her sweat into sugar.

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MOLE- PL 2 (40): ST 0, STA 0, Burrowing 8 (Extras: Affects Others), "Disintegration" Damage 5 & Weaken Toughness 6 (Objects Only), Transform Material to Same Material But Different Shape 6 [12]
-The shrimpy, bespectacled Mole can "energize" anything he touches, allowing others to follow him through any material, "Burrowing" through it. He suffered badly in daylight, and had to wear special sunglasses. He was later murdered by Sabretooth, who was hunting Morlock survivors of the Mutant Massacre.

MOTHER INFERIOR- PL 3 (58): Mind Control 5 (Area- 250ft. Burst +4) (Limited to Cockroaches & Rats -2) [30]
-Used a Sonic Voice to control vermin, and faced Spider-Man.

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PIXIE I- PL 3 (30): Flight 2 (Winged) [2]
-A Ghost Rider supporting character who was never seen flying. She had a badly misshapen leg, and was later murdered by the second Blackout (a GR foe).

POSER- PL 3 (117): ST -1, STA 0, Mimic 12 (Feats: Gains Precise on Any Power) [89]
-Another "Power Mimic" type, but pretty young.

QWERTY- PL 3 (32): Precognition 4 [4]
-An old woman who went crazy over her precognitions, and died before the beginning of a story- a bunch of Morlocks formed a cult around her teachings.

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ZEEK- PL 3 (28): [0]
-An unknown who was killed by Harpoon during the Mutant Massacre- only known because someone screamed "Zeek" as he was being vaporized.

MORLOCK TEMPLATE- FIGHTER
Role:
Background Filler & One-Offs
Group Affiliations: The Morlocks
PL 4 (40)
STRENGTH
2 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -1

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+5)
Deception 4 (+3)
Expertise (Sewer Dweller) 4 (+4)
Intimidation 6 (+5)
Perception 3 (+3)
Stealth 3 (+4)

Advantages:
None

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: Various"

Offense:
Unarmed +6 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +2, Fortitude +4, Will +2

Complications:
Prejudice (Mutant)

Total: Abilities: 22 / Skills: 24--12 / Advantages: 0 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 6 (40)

Morlocks:
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ALEX- PL 4 (48): "Blob Creature" Insubstantial 1, Fast Grab, Chokehold, Close Combat (Unarmed) 2 (+8) [8]
-A blob that engulfs and smothers people.

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BLISS- PL 8 (64): "Second Head" Strength-Damage +2 (Reach) Linked to Affliction 10 (Fort; Dazed/Exhausted/Incapacitated) (Extras: Cumulative) (Reach) [24]
-An agent of Masque's, and one of the more distinctive characters.

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BRUTE & HUMP- PL 4 (57): ST 7, STA 6, Speed 1 [17]
-A pair of big, muscular goons who hung around with Masque in an X-Force arc as they were trying to forcefully drag Feral back to their enclave- when Masque threatened Cable, he shot Brute through the head as a "warning". Brute was brown; Hump was green.

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ENT- PL 7 (64): ST 8, STA 8 [24]
-A super-strong mute who faced Spider-Man one time.

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BULK- PL 7 (64): ST 8, STA 8 [24]
GLOW WORM- PL 5 (42): Slithering [2]
-These two were outcasts living in a garbage dump, where the radioactivity there made them fatally-ill, and rendered them dangerous to even be around. X-Factor left them for dead in a very weird story ending (they were basically like "yeah, good luck with that, but you can't live around normal people"), but they sacrificed their lives to save Danielle Moonstar, powering the High Evolutionary's machine that temporarily boosted her powers.

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CARAPACE- PL 7 (48): Protection 8 [8]
-Formed armor around herself.

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JOEY- PL 7 (64): ST 8, STA 8 [24]
-A possible Morlock who fought Spider-Man one time.

GROONK- PL 8 (105): ST 10, STA 10, Affliction 10 (Fort; Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated) (Accurate 3, Ranged, Cumulative) [65]
-A Grinch-inspired powerhouse who actually fought Thor for several rounds, even stun him using his Eye Beams.

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THE MARKED MAN- PL 8 (53): ST 4 (Source- Finding Secrets), "Discover Secrets" Mind-Reading 8 (Limited to Secret Shames), "Tattooed Ink" Create Ink 1 (Continuous) [13]
-The Marked Man was a Cloak & Dagger character- a Morlock who used ether to render people unconscious and find their guilty serets- this boosted his strength and let him write the secrets of his victims on their foreheads. He was a paranoid type who abandoned the tunnels before the Mutant Massacre struck, having guessed it would happen. He was possibly mentally disabled (he had a childlike mentality and speech patterns), and was captured by the police with the unwilling assistance of Dagger, who'd been trying to help him.

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MeMe- PL 7 (85): ST 8 (Flaws: Source- Bodies), STA 8 (Flaws: Source- Bodies), Affliction 8 (Fort; Impaired/Immobile/Transformed to Part of MeMe) (Continuous +3), Extra Limbs 10 (Source- Bodies) [45]
-A bizarre Mutant who could permanently connect his body to those of others- during the riot set off by Brain Cell (above), he was gathering dozens of humans into his form, sprouting off tons of limbs, heads and torsos in a sick arrangement. Speaking in the first person, he promised Jean Grey that the connections would soon become irreversible, so she did the only thing she felt she could- she reached in, and "turned off" his mind. She said this while shedding a single tear and holding MeMe's tiny, brain-dead vegetable of a body, but still- YIKES.

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MISSY- PL 7 (66): ST 8, STA 8, Extra Limbs 2 [26]
-Four-armed giant and sister of Pixie.

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PESTER- PL 6 (47): "Bite" Strength-Damage +3, Senses 4 (Acute & Extended Scent, Low-Light Vision, Infravision) [7]
-Stong jaws and teeth, good senses. Small and didn't speak well.

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REVELATION- PL 8 (96): "Death Field" Weaken Stamina 8 (Extras: Reaction +3, Area- 120ft. Burst +3) [56]
-Appeared in a Wolverine/Punisher story during the "Punisher as an Angel" years. Had a Death Field that could cover hundreds of feat, killing humans very quickly, but usually just made people sick. He died at the end of the story.

---

THE LONDON TUNNEL DWELLERS:
-Some Morlocks are found living in London as well, pretty much copying their western neighbors. They were Carla (mole-like), Harmony (had gills) and her infant daughter Hope, Double Helix (two heads) and Burning Puddle- the son of Miss Saccharine, who sweated acid.

The Chicago Morlocks:
* This group came about during a 2005 Limited Series written by... Geoff Johns?!? Seriously? I always forget he had a Marvel run or two back then... In any case, it was about a band of outcasts living under the streets of Chicago, who tried to help each other go to the surface for the purpose of completing each of their "last wishes". They ended up finding a Sentinel base and destroyed it.

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ANGEL DUST (Christina)- PL 8 (75): ST 10, STA 10, Speed 3 [35]
-Angel Dust was a runaway who feared her parents' reaction to her Mutant nature and wished to reconnect- much to her surprise, they were accepting of it. She returned home for good after defeating a Sentinel base. She was De-Powered after M-Day, but showed up out of nowhere for the Deadpool feature film, as the bad guy's "Muscle", played by the phenomenally gorgeous MMA washout Gina "Crush" Carano. Her powers were adrenaline-based, and would eventually run out.

CELL- PL 6 (114): Insubstantial 1, Slithering, Morph, Elongation 2, Immunity 40 (Bludgeoning, Slashing & Piercing Damage), "Digestion" Weaken Toughness 5 (Extras: Reaction +3) [74]
-Cell could reduce himself to a single cell, and control the rest of his body. He was a former gang member who ran away during the final battle, only to find new courage and return, hoping the villain (a Sentinel-creating scientist) wouldn't be able to create others- he sacrificed himself to kill the evil Doctor.

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ELECTRIC EVE- PL 6 (50): Damage 8 (Reach 2) [10]
-A former heroin addict and prostitute, Eve could knock herself out accidentally by overdoing it with her powers. She was sold into prostitution by her boyfriend, and her "last wish" was to see him... so she could kill him. This caused a scuffle within her team, as they were now accessories to murder, but Eve later helped them out when Trader took a bullet meant for her. Her status after M-Day is unknown.

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LITTERBUG- PL 8 (68): ST 9, STA 10, INT 5, Technology 5 (+11), Speed 3, Senses 2 (Infravision, Acute Scent) [28]
-A Cockroach-Man who discovered his mutant powers... AFTER he had helped the Sentinel program. He was badly beaten by his teammates when they found out, but he later proved his loyalty. He retained his powers after M-Day, and is sometimes seen in background shots, thanks to his distinctive appearance- he was last seen being led around by Masque, then as a guest of Utopia.

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POSTMAN (David)- PL 7 (80): Affliction 8 (Will; Entranced/Compelled/Transformed Memories) (Extras: Continuous +3, Hearing Perception) [40]
-He could make people forget about things just by saying the word of the thing ("gun"). He accidentally left his wife comatose, because his power can also erase minds. He argued with his more murderous teammates, but used his powers to fry the minds of several bigoted cops. He lost his powers after M-Day.

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SHATTER- PL 7 (74): Equipment 1 (Bat), "Diamond Skin" Protection 6 (Impervious 9), Regeneration 2, Features: Regrows Limbs, "Crystalizes Any Liquid" Transform 5- Any Liquid to Solid Form [34]
-Wielded a baseball bat and could freeze stuff. He joined the team to find his "best friend"- his dog, Hank. He lost his right arm to a Sentinel's blast (it grew back), and quoted a lot of revolutionary type stuff, such as Malcolm X's "We are non-violent with people who are non-violent with us". He lost his powers after M-Day.

TRADER II- PL 8 (49): Concealment (Visuals) (Perception Save Required), Illusion 8 (Will Save Required) [9]
-Could control the perceptions of others. He was a stockbroker who was fired after a co-worker "outed" his status as a mutant- his "final wish" was to kill that man. However, he jumped in front of a bullet meant for Electric Eve, saying he never thought he'd "take a bullet" for someone again.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: Jab's Builds! (Emma Frost! Chamber! Banshee! Synch! The Neo!)

Post by Jabroniville »

I was trying to find that John Byrne quote about "moratorium on creating new characters for five years" or however long it was, but instead found this: http://www.cbr.com/john-byrne-the-hidden-answers/

I'm sure I've read it before- bits and pieces are quite clear. He also repeats himself a lot between interviews and his website. But some of his points are interesting, even if you disagree:
THE LAST GALACTUS STORY

MDT: The Epic Magazine folded due to many reasons, but one of its legacies it left dangling was the end of a story that never came: The Last Galactus Story. In a Marvel Age interview in 1988, you talked about the lingering nature of that story and about possibly publishing it at a later date. Then I remember reading about 6 years ago about how, because of continuity problems (Nova dead, Galactus’ history changed) in the current Marvel universe, that that story would never see an end published to it. Essentially making it like the joke without a punchline in Breakfast Club. Can you talk a little about how that story eventually fell into what seems to be permanent limbo? Has there been any talk of reviving it in the last five years? What would you like to see happen to it?

JB: “The Last Galactus Story” is pretty much dead, at this point. Too much has happened, since, as you note. Mostly, alas, writers playing off the cliché I was trying to undo – that Galactus always loses his Heralds for one reason or another. I thought it was kinda neat to show that Nova was still his Herald, billions of years in the future.

For the edification of your readers, though, this is how “The Last Galactus Story” ends”

Galactus battles the Watcher who showed up at the end of the last published chapter. This turns out to be the same Watcher who witnessed the “birth” of Galactus – yes, that was not Uatu – and who has been driven insane by his guilt over all the deaths that have happened because, as he sees it, he did not snuff out the nacent Galactus when he had the chance.

As the two battle, over millennia, the universe basically dies around them. The stars burn out. No “Big Crunch” of everything collapsing back onto itself to be born again. Entropy wins over all. As the universe verges on flickering out of existence, Galactus draws into himself the last shreds of energy, giving him just enough of an edge to defeat the rogue Watcher. But then Galactus and Nova are alone in an empty, endless void. The universe as we know it is gone.

Galactus finally understands what it’s all about. What he’s been doing all these billions of years. He cracks the seals on his armor, and all the energy he has absorbed spews out of him. He becomes, effectively, the Big Band of the next universe. Nova survives – and herself becomes the “Galactus” of that universe, the cycle beginning once again.
Huh- that actually sounds pretty bitching. And it's funny that in friggin' *1988* "Galactus Loses a Herald" was already a cliche.
JB: From the beginning it was my intent that NEXT MEN be “realistic”. I had grown tired of fans praising as “realistic” works which I thought were anything but. WATCHMEN, or instance. Brilliant, yes. Realistic? No. So I thought I would see what I could do with superheroes in the “real world”. Explore the impact their existence would have. Almost of their own accord, the stories took a “darker” turn. I suppose that plays to my own lack of faith in the basic nature of humankind. In my “regular” work I always writer about the inherent nobility of the human spirit. In NEXT MEN I let my true attitudes steer the book!
Heh- that's actually pretty funny.
MDT: Favorite Story? Favorite Character? Favortite Villain (besides Doom)? And the whys…

JB: The Thing is probably my favorite member of the FF, so I expect it would come as no surprise that “This Man, This Monster”, FF 51, is far-and-away my favorite story. The first Galactus trilogy is a knockout, too, deus ex machina ending notwithstanding. My favorite villain, other than Doom, is the Super Skrull, though oddly enough I did not use him in my run on FF. Used him in ALPHA FLIGHT and later in NAMOR, though.
Seriously? In FIVE YEARS he never manages to use Super-Skrull in an FF story?
MDT: Are there any moments that you regretted leaving Uncanny X-Men? What kind of decision process did you go through to arrive at that moment?

JB: No real regrets, no. I’d reach a place in my life and my career that I needed certain reassurances. I’d become the Number One Artist in the business – deservedly or not – and I really needed to know if that was because of me, or because of the X-Men. Plus, I was increasingly unhappy with Chris’s portrayal of the characters, and his scripting of scenes, many of which I’d plotted. So, I decided to leave.

MDT: Chris Claremont has returned to the main X-Men titles (Uncanny and adjectiveless) after an eight-year respite. The inevitable question that you face every time is coming, but I1ll try to be a tad fresher. What would it take for you to return to the X-Men in the present? More money? More creative control?

JB: If you’re asking if I would work with Chris again, the answer is “Nothing”. There’s nothing that would make me go back there. It would just be too frustrating. He and I were miles apart even when we were working on the book the first time. That gulf has only grown with the years. If you’re asking what would get me back there on my own, without Chris, again, I can’t really think of anything that would serve as an enticement. The characters have been taken too far from the ones I know and like. The storylines have become too convoluted. Frankly, I would not be interested in doing all the homework necessary jut to catch up!

MDT: What’s your relationship with Chris Claremont currently? Is it a civil professional relationship or is it more friendly than that? Besides X-Men, has there been talk of you and he collaborating on any other project together: plots, characters, completely original?

JB: Bob Harras asks me to do something with Chris again about twice a year. Somehow he seems to think such a collaboration would save Marvel and the Industry as a whole. I think the opposite. My relationship with Chris is cordial and professional, but I have no desire to work with him again.
MDT: You had a brief return to X-Men (both books), albeit as what you refer to as a “hired typist,” basically, to come up with the words.2 And then when you asked for more than two days to script the art, you were fired and Scott Lobdell filled the vacuum. What kind of feelings did you have about your treatment in this situation? Has this sort of situation soured you on returning to those books (especially considering Bob Harras is still running the X-line of books)?

JB: It was a truly bizarre and frustrating adventure, that brief tenure as scripter on the two X-Men books. I’d need a dozen pages just to begin to explain how ridiculous it all became, trying to simply do the work, with Jim and Whilce plotting, and changing their own plots from page to page, as they drew, without warning. It was a nightmare. I should add that I was not “fired” by the way. That would indicate a much more “proactive” event that what really happened. I was kind of “nothinged” off the book. I didn’t even find out I was no longer scripting until Terry Austin mentioned that he’d heard it from a friend of Lobdell’s. No one at Marvel actually told me!
That seems to happen a lot to "issue-by-issue" creators. Stan Goldberg, one of the last Silver Age creators still active (he was a colorist on the original Fantastic Four, and was still drawing for Archie in the 2010s), was essentially fired from Archie Comics by the time-tested method of "just stop sending him assignments".
JB: First, let’s give credit where credit is due. That would be Richard Donner’s movie, much more than Salkind’s. Donner was the director, and he provided the thrust. And, yes, he also provided a couple of important insights, for me, into the character of Superman. One was the absence of Superboy. So much of Superman’s personality and history made much more sense if, as originally presented by Seigel and Shuster, he made his debut as an adult. Then there was the preception of power. I’ve mentioned many times how very aware I was that, after seeing him push over mountains and lift the San Andreas fault, the theater audience cheered when they saw him rip of a car door. That was comprehensible power. Oddly, the one thing in my version that most people seem to think was heavily inspired by the movie, my portrayal of Krypton, was not at all. I came from an entirely different direction, looking for that “look”. I even went so far as to make “my” Krypton a desert work, so as not to be “confused” with the ice planet of the movie.
I ALWAYS use that "ripped the door handle off" comparison to things. I never realized it was Byrne's. SO MANY POWER-GEEKS do not understand that aspect of power-feats. Christ, everyone at Marvel no longer has an idea. Yet the people making the movies do- I swear I heard like fifty people in the theater get a boner when Captain America picked up that heavy bag in The Avengers.
JB: Kirby is a synergism. The whole is so much greater than the sum of the parts. There are people who are better writers. There are people who are better artists. There are even people who are better concept creators. But Kirby was all these things, and the parts feed each other in such a way as to create the comicbook equivalent of a Force of Nature. It is difficult to overestimate his importance in the history of the industry.
A pretty good summation of Kirby, too.
AVENGERS WEST COAST

MDT: You started out your run with a bang by breaking down and redefining the Vision. What kind of resistance did this meet initially?

JB: None. In fact, that was conditional to my doing the book. “Can I do my Vision story?” The editor said “Sure”, and off we went!
One of the ones that it's hard not to knock Byrne for, though it's not his most legendary foul-up. This basically RUINED the Vision as a character. For more than a decade. But it seems like at the time, nobody thought about the repercussions of that.
FuzzyBoots
Posts: 2396
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:20 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: Marvel- Y

Post by FuzzyBoots »

Jabroniville wrote: Wed Feb 01, 2017 7:59 am -The letter "Y" is well-known for being the only letter that's either a consonant OR a vowel.
And "W", but that's basically restricted to "cwm" and "crwth". Of course, by strict definition of consonants and vowels, "l", "m", "n", and "r", as well as all of the "vowels", are sometimes used as consonants and sometimes as vowels. Just like at the difference in "u" between "unkind" and "unity", or "m" between "mad" and "rhythm".

^_^ God love English...
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Tommy

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

"Eyesight to the blind..."

TOMMY
Created By:
Chris Claremont & John Romita, Jr.
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #210 (Oct. 1986)
Role: One-Shot Character
Group Affiliations: The Morlocks
PL 1 (28), PL 2 (28) with Skills
STRENGTH
-1 STAMINA 0 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 2 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE 0

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+3)
Expertise (Sewer Dweller) 3 (+3)
Stealth 3 (+5)

Advantages: 
None

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: 2-D Form"
Alternate Form (Activation- Standard Action -2) [-2]
Movement 1 (Slithering) [2]
"Flat" Insubstantial 1 (Flaws: Limited to Wide Enough Spaces) [4]
"Hard to See" Invisibility (All Visuals) (Flaws: Limited to Side View) [4]

Offense:
Unarmed +2 (-1 Damage, DC 14)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +4 (DC 14), Parry +2 (DC 12), Toughness +0, Fortitude +2, Will +1

Complications: 
Prejudice (Mutant)

Total: Abilities: 10 / Skills: 10--5 / Advantages: 0 / Powers: 8 / Defenses: 5 (28)

-Tommy showed up exactly once, starting off the Mutant Massacre by running off with her Hellfire Club boyfriend, then running away as he was being murdered, only to be nailed by Harpoon, then shot at point-blank range by Scalphunter, the first Morlock fatality. She had a 2-D Form, like Flatman, but couldn't do anything combat-worthy with it, and was basically a civilian.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Cybelle

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

CYBELLE
Created By:
Chris Claremont & John Romita, Jr.
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #211 (Nov. 1986)
Role: One-Shot Character
Group Affiliations: The Morlocks
PL 5 (75)
STRENGTH
1 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE 0

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+5)
Deception 4 (+4)
Expertise (Sewer Dweller) 5 (+5)
Perception 5 (+5)
Stealth 2 (+4)

Advantages: 
None

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: Acid-Secreting Skin"
"Acid Skin" Acid Aura 5 (Extras: Secondary Effect) Linked to Weaken Toughness 5 (Extras: Secondary Effect) [35]
Movement 2 (Permeate 2) [4]

Offense:
Unarmed +4 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Acid Touch +4 (+5 Damage & Weaken, DC 20 & 15)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +4 (DC 14), Parry +4 (DC 14), Toughness +2, Fortitude +4, Will +2

Complications: 
Prejudice (Mutant)

Total: Abilities: 20 / Skills: 20--10 / Advantages: 0 / Powers: 39 / Defenses: 6 (75)

-Cybelle is one of the first victims of The Marauders, attempting to flee when a group of them attack a bunch of seated Morlocks. While her allies are cut down in droves by Riptide and Scalphunter, Cybelle corrodes the stone wall behind her and rushes to get Callisto's help. As she runs, she's nailed from behind by Harpoon's Energy-Spear, which eats her alive from the inside-out. She's got a handy little power, but ultimately ineffective against a group with so many Blasters, and her tiny amount of Defenses did her in. The whole "Acid Skin" thing is a SERIOUS advantage for a better type of character, though, but it's cost at high levels would be incredibly prohibitive.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Beautiful Dreamer

Post by Jabroniville »

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BEAUTIFUL DREAMER (Ilona Bean)
Created By:
Louise Simonson & June Brigman
First Appearance: Power Pack #12 (June 1985)
Role: Brainwasher
Group Affiliations: The Morlocks
PL 10 (69)
STRENGTH
-1 STAMINA 1 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 2 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE 1

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+3)
Expertise (Sewer Dweller) 4 (+4)
Insight 2 (+3)
Perception 2 (+3)

Advantages: 
None

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: Memory Alteration"
"Dream Smoke" Affliction 10 (Will; Dazed/Stunned/Memory Transformed) (Extras: Area- 15ft. Cloud, Cumulative, Continuous +3) (Flaws: Limited to Sleeping Targets) [50]

Offense:
Unarmed +2 (-1 Damage, DC 14)
Dream Smoke +10 Area (+10 Affliction, DC 20)
Initiative +1

Defenses:
Dodge +1 (DC 11), Parry +2 (DC 12), Toughness 1, Fortitude +3, Will +2

Complications: 
Prejudice (Mutant)
Motivation (Companionship)- Beautiful Dreamer most often brainwashes people into joining her community because she desires their friendship. 

Total: Abilities: 10 / Skills: 12--6 / Advantages: 0 / Powers: 50 / Defenses: 3 (69)

-Beautiful Dreamer has an extremely powerful ability, though her targets have to be asleep for it to work, heavily limiting its use, especially on the battlefield. It was her who convinced the Power Pack kids that they were Annalee's children, and her power is Continuous (ie. is still active without her input) until she chooses to let it go. This makes it quite expensive (Cumulative, Cloud, Continuous +3), but again, she's a background NPC, so it's not exactly a game-breaker. Dreamer never did too much after that Power Pack appearance, surviving the Mutant Massacre only to enter Marvel Limbo for two decades and end up being killed by The Purifiers with a modified Legacy Virus needle or something, amping her powers beyond control (and convincing several people at an anti-mutant rally to "forget" their body functions like pumping blood).
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Annalee

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

ANNALEE (Real Name Unknown)
Created By:
Louise Simonson & June Brigman
First Appearance: Power Pack #12 (June 1985)
Role: Evil Mother Type
Group Affiliations: The Morlocks
PL 7 (17)
STRENGTH
-1 STAMINA -1 AGILITY -1
FIGHTING 0 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -1

Skills:
Expertise (Sewer Dweller) 6 (+6)
Insight 4 (+4)
Perception 2 (+2)

Advantages: 
None

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: Empathic Field"
"Feel My Pain" Affliction 7 (Will; Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated) (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst, Selective) (Flaws: Limited to When She Feels Pain/Despair) (14) -- [15]
AE: Affliction 7 (Will; Entranced/Compelled/Controlled) (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst, Selective) (Flaws: Limited to Emotions, Limited to Her Own Emotions) (7)

Offense:
Unarmed +0 (-1 Damage, DC 14)
Emotion Field +7 Area (+7 Affliction, DC 17)
Initiative -1

Defenses:
Dodge +0 (DC 10), Parry +0 (DC 10), Toughness -1, Fortitude -1, Will +4

Complications: 
Prejudice (Mutant)
Relationship (Children)- Annalee loved her children, and would go to any lengths to protect (or replace) them, to the point of throwing herself upon enemy guns, or kidnap other children to replace the ones she'd lost.

Total: Abilities: -8 / Skills: 12--6 / Advantages: 0 / Powers: 15 / Defenses: 4 (17)

-Annalee was a sad old story, as she was initally depicted as an Evil Mother type who wanted to kidnap the Power Pack children and have them brainwashed to be her own young. It turns out, however, that her real children were murdered (by Scalphunter, it was later revealed), and she was merely trying to replace them. Power Pack felt bad for her, and offered her the care of young Leech instead. THIS turned out negatively as well, as Leech was left alone again following Annalee's brutal murder at the hands of Scalphunter (who bragged about murdering her other children). Just doesn't pay to be a background mutant character.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Callisto

Post by Jabroniville »

Image
Image

CALLISTO (Real Name Unknown)
Created By:
Chris Claremont & Paul Smith
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #169 (May 1983)
Role: Leader, Evil Dragon Lady
Group Affiliations: The Morlocks, Gene Nation, Genosha Excalibur
PL 9 (136)
STRENGTH
4 STAMINA 5 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 11 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Acrobatics 4 (+8)
Athletics 6 (+10)
Close Combat (Knife) +1 (+12)
Deception 4 (+6)
Expertise (Sewer Dweller) 10 (+12)
Expertise (Tactics) 9 (+11)
Insight 6 (+10)
Intimidation 6 (+8)
Investigation 4 (+8)
Perception 6 (+10)
Sleight of Hand 4 (+4)
Stealth 4 (+8)

Advantages: 
All-Out Attack, Chokehold, Cunning Fighter, Defensive Attack, Diehard, Equipment (Knife +1), Fast Grab, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Knife), Last Stand, Leadership, Power Attack, Prone Fighting, Quick Draw, Startle, Tracking

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: Enhanced Senses"
Senses 8 (Extended Vision, Scent & Hearing, Low-Light Vision, Acute Scent & Taste, Accurate Hearing) [8]

Offense:
Unarmed +11 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Knife +12 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Initiative +5

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +11 (DC 21), Toughness +5, Fortitude +9, Will +8

Complications: 
Prejudice (Mutant)
Motivation (Morlocks)- Callisto is (or was) the leader of the Morlocks, and the survival of her community means everything to her.
Relationship (Marrow)- Callisto sees Marrow as the daughter she never had, and would do anything for her.
Rivalry (Storm)- Callisto respects Storm's power and leadership, yet resents her for taking the Morlocks from her- their relationship is very complex.
Enemy (Masque)- Masque has deliberately tortured his old boss several times, and seems obsessed with doing so.

Total: Abilities: 66 / Skills: 64--32 / Advantages: 16 / Powers: 8 / Defenses: 14 (136)

-Callisto is a rather important background character to X-History, but actually hasn't accomplished a whole lot as a character. She's the semi-evil nasty bitch in charge of the Morlocks (she was once apparently quite beautiful, but was scarred by anti-mutant mobs), but knows what's best for her group. Though she's engaged in some VERY questionable activities, she's ultimately that gray-area amoral that makes so many anti-heroes of the 80s very interesting characters (in the days before that became an overdone trope).

-Callisto debuted with the rest of her people, having Sunder kidnap Angel so that she could marry him due to his great beauty- she and her people were, of course, hideous freaks. In order to rescue Angel (and Kitty, who'd become deathly ill beneath the sewers), Storm is forced to combat her claustrophobia, and engage in the age-old trope- Trial By Combat. Storm defeats Callisto (who appears to be a more dangerous melee fighter at first, as Storm had shown little aptitude for this beforehand), becoming the new leader of the Morlocks. Callisto is embittered, but accepts Storm's leadership, and remains a loyal lieutenant, and Storm's "eyes" below the streets.

-Callisto later helped Caliban kidnap and try to marry Kitty, and was one of Kulan Gath's top minions during that story arc in which he transformed Manhattan into a Hyborian Age world. By this point, she & Storm kind of had a neat relationship, as Callisto made it quite clear that she intended to take leadership back at some point in the future... but respected Storm all the same. At a few points, she helped out the team, and refused to allow Power Pack to become Annalee's brainwashed adopted children. Once the Mutant Massacre happens, Callisto moves in with the X-Men, then becomes Moira MacTaggert's bodyguard- she is a bit rudderless by this point.

-She gets into a brief fling with Colossus after he passes through the Siege Perilous and remembers nothing of his past- she has been rendered more beautiful thanks to Masque, the new Morlock leader. He later takes it away, and does so repeatedly, as a means of tormenting his former boss. This leads Callisto down a dark path, as she allies with Mikhail Rasputin, now powerful and crazy, and they seemingly kill themselves flooding the Morlock tunnels. However, this just puts her on the shelf for a bit, and she returns after "Gene Nation" came to great power in an alternate dimension. She acted as a foster mother to Marrow, convincing the girl to find and join the X-Men- this leads to a very long stretch where she does little of importance- she shows up in 2004's Excalibur revamp, but that was quickly cancelled and she was De-Powered on M-Day. She was last seen adopting a new band of runaways (human, this time) beneath Manhattan. She & Storm fought briefly, but departed as allies once more.

-Callisto's got a VERY vague set of mutant powers, and I don't think they even showed them until well after her debut in the early 1980s. She's got Super-Senses, making her kinda redundant with Caliban around, but she's got a slightly different set. She's stronger than she looks, but not superhuman (about equal on a hand-to-hand level with Storm), and is very accurate in combat, with many Combat Advantages. So she's no pushover, but she's still only PL 8.5. Also, for a while she had Extra Limbs which probably had some Enhanced Strength on them

The "Tentacle Arms" set-up:
Extra Limbs 4 [4]
Strength +1 [2]
Strength-Damage +0 (Extras: Multiattack 6) (Boost due to Weapons) [6]
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:04 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Jab's Builds! (Emma Frost! Chamber! Banshee! Synch! The Neo!)

Post by FuzzyBoots »

^_^ What, no mention of Claremont deciding to to have Masque give Callisto tentacles, which she decided to keep up until she was depowered?

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Ares
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Re: Jab's Builds! (Emma Frost! Chamber! Banshee! Synch! The Neo!)

Post by Ares »

Huh, he gave Jean Grey tentacles as well. Weirdo.
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Re: Jab's Builds! (Emma Frost! Chamber! Banshee! Synch! The Neo!)

Post by Spam »

As silly as the tentacles are, as someone who remembers Calisto from way back when, seeing her say "Totally!" Is even stranger. SO out of character. "Totally tubular tentacles, dude!"
Jabroniville
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: Jab's Builds! (Emma Frost! Chamber! Banshee! Synch! The Neo!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Yeah, Masque's bio is... pretty weird.
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Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Healer

Post by Jabroniville »

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"Jazz hands!"

HEALER (Real name unknown)
Created By:
Chris Claremont & Paul Smith
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #179 (June 1984)
Role: Party Healer, Deus Ex Machina
Group Affiliations: The Morlocks
PL 2 (45) Combat, PL 3 (45) Skills
STRENGTH
0 STAMINA 0 AGILITY 0
FIGHTING 2 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 0

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+2)
Expertise (Sewer Dweller) 4 (+5)
Insight 4 (+6)
Stealth 2 (+2)

Advantages: 
None

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: Healing Wounds"
Healing 10 (Extras: Persistent, Restorative) (Flaws: Limited to Others, Tiring) (Quirk: Mutants Only -1) [19]

Offense:
Unarmed +2 (+0 Damage, DC 15)
Initiative +0

Defenses:
Dodge +2 (DC 12), Parry +4 (DC 14), Toughness +0, Fortitude +4, Will +4

Complications: 
Prejudice (Mutant)

Total: Abilities: 10 / Skills: 12--6 / Advantages: 0 / Powers: 19 / Defenses: 10 (45)

-Oh, Healer. So many times did the X-books write off a ton of damage using him. Makes you wonder why more healing-centric guys aren't around in comics- they're just so HANDY for that sort of thing! Like that time Professor Xavier was gang-beaten into near-death by a bunch of thugs. The Morlocks found him, took him to Healer, and boom, he was up and walking in a day. This happened a half-dozen times if I remember correctly, and nearly every time with a Claremontism (you know, those things that Claremont tends to write, like "I'm the best there is at what I do" and "bionic housings in his forearms" and "the focused totality of my telepathic powers") of some form of "it took everything he had, and he's nearly comatose now". He was injured during the Mutant Massacre, but Wolverine saved him. He later died over-doing it with his powers on Callisto, removing this Plot Device from the X-books forever (but don't worry- they have Elixir now!). What's funny is that for all the use they got out of him, I don't recall him actually SAYING anything. He was literally just this guy in the background who got brought out to save someone's life, and then go back to doing nothing!

-Healer is focused around only one thing- a very powerful Healing effect that's Limited to Others (and Mutants- a Quirk at-best) and Tires him out. He can't fight or dodge or do anything else cool- he just sits back and heals the injured. 
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
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Piper (Morlock)

Post by Jabroniville »

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PIPER II (Real name unknown)
Created By:
Louise Simonson & June Brigman
First Appearance: Power Pack #12 (June 1985)
Role: Animal Controller
Group Affiliations: The Morlocks
PL 10 (79)
STRENGTH
1 STAMINA 1 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 2 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 0

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+3)
Expertise (Sewer Dweller) 4 (+5)
Insight 3 (+5)
Intimidation 4 (+4)
Persuasion 5 (+5)

Advantages: 
Animal Empathy

Powers:
"Mutant Powers: Animal Control"
Mind Control 10 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Burst +2) (Flaws: Limited to Animals, Limited to While Playing Flute) [40]

Offense:
Unarmed +2 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Animal Control +10 Area (+10 Affliction, DC 20)
Initiative +1

Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +5 (DC 15), Toughness +1, Fortitude +4, Will +4

Complications: 
Prejudice (Mutant)

Total: Abilities: 16 / Skills: 18--9 / Advantages: 1 / Powers: 40 / Defenses: 13 (79)

-Holy... this guy's got the exact same name AND POWERS of the Piper from the Savage Land Mutates!! Oh well, I guess it makes this one an easy build :). Piper mainly controlled sewer-dwelling types of beasts, this being bats, rats, insects and alligators (okay, it's a Comic Book and that's a popular urban legend, so that's acceptable), making him a good Horde-Summoning type of guy. Note again that I do not use the "Summon" Power from the rulebook, since he doesn't SUMMON them, and they don't vanish and stuff when defeated- why they gave that power to Aquaman I have no idea.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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