The Jabverse: An O.C. Thread (Cyber-Samurai, Lady of the Eternal Winter)

[Skaramine]

Did someone say editor?

BTW, Superstar is such a great universe.

[Jabroniville]

Did someone say editor?

BTW, Superstar is such a great universe.

Thanks! I think the combination of "childhood creations" and modern influences combines to make him one of my best guys. And a PL 11 with street level threats is way easier to handle than a PL 12 Flying Brick like Mega-Woman.

[Jabroniville]

SuperStar: "Wait! Weren't you CURED last time I saw you? How the hell did you turn back into a monster again?"
The Cuttlefish: "I GOT BETTER! RAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
-Superstar & The Cuttlefish, using Inconsistent Writing as an in-universe effect

THE CUTTLEFISH (Dr. John Belemnos)
Hgt: 6'8" Wgt: 200 lbs.
Role: Monstrous Foe
PL 10 (170)
STRENGTH 9 STAMINA 9 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 5
INTELLIGENCE 5 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE -2

Skills:
Close Combat (Unarmed) 2 (+11)
Expertise (Science) 4 (+9)
Expertise (Science) 4 (+13) -- Flaws: Limited to Biology
Intimidation 11 (+9)
Perception 6 (+7)
Stealth 5 (+9)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Benefit (Ambidextrous), Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Tentacle), Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative 2, Startle

Powers:
"Giant Cephalopod"
"Boneless Body" Insubstantial 1 (Flaws: Limited to Holes At Least 4 Inches Around) [4]
"Ten Arms" Extra Limbs 8 [8]
Swimming 6 (30 mph) [6]
"Air Jets" Swimming 8 (120 mph) (Flaws: Limited to Short Bursts) [1]
Movement 2 (Environmental Adaptation- Aquatic, Slithering) [4]
"Camouflage" Concealment (Visuals) 2 (Flaws: Partial) [2]
"Shapechanger" Morph 2 (Shapes of Same Size) (Flaws: Limited to Rudimentary Shapes) [8]

"Ink" Dazzle Visuals 8 (Feats: Accurate 3) (19) -- [20]

• AE: "Ink Cloud" Concealment 2 (Visuals) (Extras: Attack, Area- 30ft. Cloud +2) (Flaws: Limited to Within Water) (8)

Offense:
Unarmed +11 (+9 Damage, DC 24)
Ink +11 (+8 Ranged Affliction, DC 18)
Initiative +12

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

Complications:
Prejudice (Monster)
Enemy (Criss-Cross)- Dr. Belemnos was transformed into a monstrous Cuttlefish-Man by Criss-Cross's science, and has sworn revenge. Though at times they've put mutual hostility aside in order to kill SuperStar, or because Belemnos decides he likes his new form.
Enemy (SuperStar)- SuperStar unseated a few of The Cuttlefish's early rampages and schemes.
Responsibility (Insane)- Being transformed into a boneless monster has left Dr. Belemnos's mind a bit frazzled. He often acts unpredictably and viciously, and can either be a Savage Menace (attacking people indiscriminately), a Common Criminal (stealing things even though he has no real need for money), or a Misunderstood Monster (hiding away from a cruel world that hates and fears him). Even when reverted to human form, sometimes he goes a bit nuts and transforms himself back.

Total: Abilities: 78 / Skills: 30--15 / Advantages: 9 / Powers: 53 / Defenses: 14 (170)

-The Cuttlefish was, in a former life, a Biologist opposed to the teachings of Dr. Christopher Vancross. When his dissertation included several passages that ruined Vancross' reputation, Vancross swore revenge. When he became Criss-Cross, Vancross decided to finally take it- he kidnapped the Doctor, and mutated him permanently into a gigantic Cuttlefish-creature. The procedure drove Dr. Belemnos insane, and he himself became a recurring menace, though his methods are often quite random and unpredictable- sometimes he simply wishes to be alone; at other times he's an oceanic raider; sometimes he's a thief; and at other times he's a truly savage beast. Occasional attempts have been made at returning him to normal human form, but he tends to revert back due to either failed processes, Criss-Cross reverting him again, Belemnos going nuts and deliberately mutating himself back, or unexplained phenomena (SuperStar has noted on more than one occasion that The Cuttlefish always reverts back to form, often mysteriously).

-Though not a major member of the Star-Rogues, he is considerably dangerous on his own, and has been recruited into various villainous schemes over the years. When Criss-Cross was thought-dead, The Cuttlefish was briefly brought in as a replacement- he was well-liked (if considered a bit nuts) since he was still less of a nutjob than Criss-Cross, but he the group fell apart quickly when their schemes went awry (he reacted poorly when Dr. Death & Gigawatt began arguing).

Jab's Notes: The Cuttlefish comes from my childhood creations- the super-original Doctor Squid. Dr. Squid was basically by Battle Beasts toy "Combat Cuttlefish", but I didn't know what a Cuttlefish was, and so he was a squid. He dropped the tube-mouth and yellow eyes, and simply had a big frowny face with sharp teeth on a cephalopod's head. He was a central member of The Destructive Six, though didn't take the Doc Ock role- that went to Electro-Man. I threw around various names (including Dr. Squid), since there was no way this guy was coming off as original ANYWAYS, but I ultimately settled on "The Cuttlefish". Since his origin was always gonna seem similar to Criss-Cross's, I had him be a victim of that guy, and even be tied in to his origin. Since a lot of the Star-Rogues this far have been "Big Deals", I wanted at least another one of them to be in the "Standard Villain" class- guys who weren't crazy-huge threats or major, well-rounded characters- he's just a nasty character with a gimmick. Standard PL 10, too.

-His random characterization came up because... well, because I couldn't decide on what I wanted for him . He's so nutty-looking that "crazy villain" seemed perfect, but that's also Criss-Cross's pattern. His backstory is almost sympathetic (it's likely that Vancross WAS nuts, though I imagine Belemnos was a real dick about it), so I also wanted some "Hulk Wants to be LEFT ALONE!" stuff. And then I was like "but why is he a CRIMINAL, exactly? You just become a cephalopod, and then you commit crimes? Is that how it works?" So in essence, I kind of "gave up", but also kind of had fun with the fact that this guy is a deliberate attempt at a villain who writers can't get a handle on. Like, "Inconsistent Writing" is literally a part of him. I even wrote in the Back-To-Basics Syndrome and "shit, the last writer forgot what he was doing last time, didn't he?" thing.

Capers:
* The Cuttlefish has been observed attacking ships at sea, often stealing food or just injuring people in random attacks. It is discovered that he's been hiding out, Scooby-Doo-style, on an undiscovered island, hoping everyone stays away.

[bsdigitalq]

As I mentioned on Facebook, I find this guy hilarious. I'm just imagining him sounding like the Tourettes Guy all the time, and his dialogue in all caps all the time.

[Jabroniville]

THE SEVERE SEVEN:
-The Severe Seven (sometimes called Satan's Seven, primarily when Doctor Death is calling the shots- some of the others take issue with the name) is a loose conglomeration of some of SuperStar's worst enemies. They formed in the hero's first year of action, figuring that their combined efforts would easily defeat the hero. They lured him into a trap, and would have won handily had SuperStar not caused a fight among the group (by repeatedly deflecting shots from one villain to another).

-They have since reformed on multiple occasions (or simply had smaller groups when the others weren't around), usually to accomplish a scheme of some sort, such as when Doctor Death reformed them in order to take down a Weapons Conference that featured a line of Combat Robots- he wished to keep the robots for himself, teasing the others with offers of a Robot Army at their disposal (SuperStar won by convincing the others of Death's selfishness disallowing him to share, and by proving that the "lowest bidder" won the rights to make the Robots, rendering them a bit Mook-ish). Another time, the Crown Jewels came for a visit, and so a small group of them formed under Fatal Flare. They also went into the employ of one of those Start-Up Balkan Nations when it made offers to pay super-villains to act as their standing army.

-Though near-unstoppable as a group (the combined Seven once took on the entire Legion- with the most powerful heroes on Earth present- and won. The heroes had to do the "rally to a comeback" thing once captured in order to save the day), the Seven lack teamwork and harmony- a frequent cause of disruption is the inability of Doctor Death & Gigawatt to work together. Both alpha-types with power issues, they both try to dominate the team, giving orders and being condescending- this leads to infighting, childish posturing and arguments, and has even led to physical violence. Lancehead has little patience for Grand Supervillain Schemes, Fatal Flare has little patience period, and Criss-Cross is borderline uncontrollable.

The Roster:
Gigawatt, The Electric Man- Usually the creator of the grandest schemes that offer them the most power or money. Willing to share the spoils of victory, but has little patience for stupidity and posturing... in other people. His top-dog personality and condescension means he doesn't mesh well with Doctor Death.
Doctor Death- Another top schemer, though his ideas tend towards either gaining high technology, amassing weaponry, or simple revenge against SuperStar. He despises taking orders from others, meaning he & Gigawatt do not get along. He isn't condescending, and is instead openly insulting. The others all dislike him as a person.
Kid Spectrum- Around Gigawatt's intelligence level, but less smart than Dr. Death, Kid Spectrum has issues with a lack of respect from his superiors, owing to his time as a bullied youth. Death spent a lot of time indulging his desire for compliments and respect, but once he uncovered the ruse, it was the spark that wrecked the team's first conflict against SuperStar.
Fatal Flare- Teams up with the group for kicks- the "wild" battles are incredible fun for her, and involve the biggest explosions. Plus, it brings her closer to SuperStar. The others find her tremendously annoying (though Kid Spectrum will do anything she says, and is defensive of her).
Criss-Cross- Joins out of a personal hatred for SuperStar. Will generally do what is asked (politely), but lashes out at disrespect, and is borderline uncontrollable in situations that require a delicate touch.
Barricade- A big stupid moron, Barricade joins for money and power. A thug's thug, he does what he's told, but his thick-headedness causes many issues. The others tend to find him a "Useful Idiot", as his raw power and toughness means that he can draw all the attention from superheroes while the REAL troublemakers can do their work.
Lancehead- He joins because he's getting paid- plain and simple. The others always have to bribe him increasingly-large amounts to get his attention, because he finds Giant Supervillain Fights "messy" and always end in disaster (plus, he's a Gimmick-User on a team of powerhouses). His nose for practicality and attention to detail make him the best "planning" guy, and he'd be an amazing leader... if any of these idiots would let themselves be led.

Occasional Members:
* Various others have joined the Seven for one-offs, though the above is the "iconic" group. Gigawatt & Dr. Death's inability to co-operate often leads to one not being present. As well, "deaths", imprisonment or something else can leave another one indisposed.
Recoil- Reduced to being a criminal, too, Recoil often replaces another member of the group (Barricade, Spectrum & Lancehead are usually the only permanent members), to the point where he's basically a regular member. He doesn't particularly care for any of the others as human beings, aside from Lancehead- the two have a shared military background.
RazorStar- A short-lived member, RazorStar was found to be "sub-par".
WhiteStar- WhiteStar is a respected Star-Rogue, but his history makes him an unpopular choice. He also doesn't take orders well.
The Cuttlefish- Only as a replacement for Criss-Cross.

[Jabroniville]

I can't think of a look quite yet. Somethin', somethin', Robot SuperStar... I dunno yet.

ROBO-STAR II (Chance Elders)
Hgt: 6'5" Wgt: 300 lbs.
Role: Robot Version of Hero, Heroic Ally
PL 10 (177)
STRENGTH 10 STAMINA -- AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE -1

Skills:
Expertise (Science) 3 (+6)
Insight 4 (+8)
Intimidation 5 (+4)
Investigation 4 (+8)
Perception 6 (+6)
Ranged Combat (Stars) 2 (+10)
Technology 8 (+11)

Advantages:
Ranged Attack 4, Startle

Powers:
"Robotic Body"
Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects) [30]
Protection 11 (Extras: Impervious 11) [22]
"Robotic Sensors" Senses 3 (Infravision, Extended Vision & Hearing) [3]
"Shooting Star" Flight 7 (250 mph) (Extras: Affects Others) (Flaws: Platform) [14]
"Star Defenses" Enhanced Dodge 2 & Parry 1 [3]

"Cosmic Stars"
"Throwing Star" Blast 10 (Feats: Precise, Affects Insubstantial, Homing) (Extras: Penetrating 6) (30) -- [35]

• AE: "Starfield Storm" Blast 8 (Extras: Multiattack) (24)
• AE: "Stellar Star" Create 7 (Extras: Selective, Movable) (Flaws: Limited to Simple Star Shapes- Only Covers One Side) (21)
• AE: "Moving Stars" Move Object 6 (Feats: Precise) (13)
• AE: "Stars In The Way" Deflect 10 (10)
• AE: "Tripping Stars" Affliction 8 (Athletics or Acrobatics; Hindered & Vulnerable/Prone & Defenseless) (Extras: Ranged, Multiattack, Extra Condition) (Flaws: Limited Degree, Instant Recovery) (16)

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+10 Damage, DC 25)
Throwing Star +10 (+10 Ranged Damage, DC 25)
Starfield Storm +10 (+8 Ranged Damage, DC 23)
Tripping Stars +10 (+8 Ranged Affliction, DC 18)
Initiative +1

Defenses:
Dodge +7 (+9 Star Defenses, DC 17-19), Parry +8 (+9 Star Defenses, DC 18-19), Toughness +11 (+6 Impervious), Fortitude --, Will +5

Complications:
Motivation (Justice)- Robo-Star used to be a Police Detective, and was friendly to super-heroes, seeing their vigilantism as a necessary evil to stop the darker levels of crime.
Responsibility (Robotic Body)- Robo-Star's family watched his body die in a comatose state, and he is unwilling to let them know that he is still alive. He feels that they have already grieved his loss, and he merely watches them from afar.
Prejudice (Robot)- Robo-Star was responsible for the death of a rookie hero, and the public has difficulty believing the story that he is a different person entirely.
Disability (Madness)- Robo-Star is all-too-aware that most of the world's only other Full-Conversion Cyborgs (Doctor Death, Cyber-Dragon and others) are all insane super-villains. As SuperStar once said, "you can't replace your entire body with metal and wires and come out normal on the other end". Chance is more put-together than most mentally, but even he has "moments" where the fact that he has no sense of touch, taste or smell get to him, or gets lost inside his metal shell, losing touch with humanity entirely.

Total: Abilities: 48 / Skills: 32--16 / Advantages: 5 / Powers: 107 / Defenses: 11 (177)

-In the fourth encounter between Dr. Death and SuperStar, Death attempted to convert his enemy into a robotic body under Death's own control, creating the first Robo-Star. The Robo-Star served Death in several crimes, however, a bio-feedback loop when SuperStar's good personality reasserted itself caused a mechanical malfunction. While trying to fix it, Death accidentally restarted Robo-Star, who deactivated his controls and allowed SuperStar to reawaken. Suddenly, both existed simultaneously, an "imprint" being left on Robo-Star, and the two attacked Dr. Death. Death fired his laser at SuperStar, but Robo-Star sacrificed itself, taking the blast full-on, deflecting it into Mervin's body, vaporizing them both. SuperStar then defeated Dr. Death, who was forever trapped in the robotic form.

-A second Robo-Star was eventually reformed from the scraps by a gang of forgotten Mad Scientists out to make a quick buck. The unthinking machine was instrumental in several major crimes, and even killed the superhero Tazorblade (a rookie with a silly name, but he didn't deserve THAT fate). When SuperStar opposed him, he was unable to overcome the robot's lack of ability to feel pain (despite losing an arm, the creature kept coming at him). It wasn't until he was able to activate a Super-Magnet that he could stall the robot, and enacted his master plan: he stole Dr. Death's "Brain Downloading" program, and placed the personality of his ally, an ailing Police Detective friendly to super-heroes, into Robo-Star. Thus, Det. Chase Elders was able to gain a second chance at life.

-Robo-Star thus defeated the Mad Scientists, and became a force for good. However, Elders' human body soon passed away in a comatose state, leading his family (his widow and young son) to grieve the loss. Unwilling to put them through further pain, Elders chose to keep his existence a secret (despite SuperStar's protestations). He still watches over them from time to time, and lives with the pain of watching his wife remarry. Elders threw himself into his heroic work, forgoing much human interaction- he allied with SuperStar on several occasions, becoming a close confidant. However, he would often go on sabbaticals, lost inside himself. Various instances of being taken over by villains, or torn apart and downloaded into a common computer, took their toll. Robo-Star is a very damaged, tortured individual, though he does his best not to let it show. Only SuperStar knows the depths of his pain (and feels a bit responsible for it, having come up with the idea).

-Robo-Star is more or less a robotic version of SuperStar, though at a lower-level thanks to his lack of experience (in his debut, he was naturally far superior to his then-enemy). He possesses the same abilities at the same levels, plus Robotic enhancements (such as increased Strength). However, his humanity has taken a hit, resulting in lower Presence that he would have had in human form (at least 3).

Jab's Notes: One of the absolute oldest aspects of my "Rhino-Man" stories was the "Rhino-Man & Friends" crew, which consisted of Rhino-Man, Desert Cat (his wife/my ideal woman), Torch-Rhino, and this guy's original form- Robo-Rhino. Just a robot with a rhino head, flying around and helping. I had no origin for him or anything, but I eventually figured out he'd be connected to Doctor Death once I needed a bio for the current guy, who now obviously needed to be called "Robo-Star". I don't think I'll be going for a "full-time team" dynamic like my old stories, but he'll probably be around as an occasional ally or "Spin-Off" character.

[Hoid]

....I actually still own this toy.

[Jabroniville]

hah- I own so many Battle Beasts that I started paying a guy to cast all-NEW ones out of fancy colors! Look up Green Mountain Beastformers on Facebook sometime.

[Jabroniville]

And that's it for the SuperStar builds, for now! There are some other characters I might add in at a later date (once I come up with names & backstories), but I wanted to get to some of the other major heroes, plus finally touch on my universe's Golden Age. It was pretty fun taking my old "Rhino-Man" stories & concepts and morphing them into other things:

* Rhino-Man becomes SuperStar, hitting the same general power level, but gaining Energy Powers and a real origin story. He's a nerdy teen with a super-form instead of a big, ripped-all-the-time, married adult.
* Robo-Rhino becomes Robo-Star.
* Torch-Rhino & Desert Cat disappear, though I'll do something with the Cat character at some point.
* Electro-Man becomes Gigawatt, The Electric Man. He goes from an electric monster to a skinny white guy to a bigger black guy.
* Barricade loses the rhino-head and becomes made of stone.
* Doctor Squid becomes The Cuttlefish, and changes personality.
* Robin is gone, replaced by Kid Spectrum and Fatal Flare- both new characters entirely. WhiteStar & RazorStar are also added.
* The Severe Seven shifts the roster. I'm pretty sure the old one just had six.

[Jabroniville]

METEOR HAMMER (Marius Akins)
Hgt: 6'3" Wgt: 250 lbs.
Role: Team Brawler, The Tough Guy
PL 12 (216)
STRENGTH 3/12 STAMINA 4/13 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 3
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Close Combat (Unarmed) 1 (+11)
Deception 3 (+6)
Expertise (Streetwise/Criminal) 6 (+7)
Expertise (Intergalactic Warrior) 9 (+10)
Expertise (Social Worker) 6 (+7)
Insight 3 (+6)
Intimidation 10 (+13)
Investigation 4 (+7)
Perception 1 (+4)
Persuasion 3 (+6)
Stealth 2 (+4)
Technology 4 (+5)
Vehicles 4 (+7)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Daze (Intimidation), Diehard, Fast Grab, Fearless, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Hammers), Improved Grab, Improved Smash, Inspire, Interpose, Last Stand (Ignores All Damage For 1 Round With HP Spent), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 3, Startle, Takedown, Teamwork, Ultimate Toughness

Powers:
"Cosmic Restructuring"
Enhanced Strength 9 [18]
Enhanced Stamina 9 [18]
Regeneration 5 [5]

"Cosmic Armor" (Feats: Restricted to Cosmic Collective Agents) (Flaws: Removable) [36]
"Space Metals" Impervious Toughness 9 (9)
"Space-Faring" Immunity 7 (Suffocation 2, Vacuum, Pressure, Heat, Cold, Radiation) (7)
"Mind Shield" Immunity 10 (Mental Effects) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) (5)

"Cosmic Rockets"
Flight 10 (500 mph) (20)
Movement 1 (Space Travel 1) (2)
-- (43 points)

"The Cosmic Arm" (Feats: Restricted to Cosmic Collective Agents) (Flaws: Easily-Removable) [15]
"Groundstrike" Damage 10 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (Flaws: Limited to Rank 6 on Living Targets, Distracting) Linked to Affliction 10 (Strength; Dazed/Stunned) (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (Flaws: Limited to Grounded Targets, Limited Degree) (21) -- (22 points)

• AE: "Energy Hammer" Strength-Damage +2 (Feats: Improved Critical 2, Reach, Affects Insubstantial) (Extras: Penetrating 12) (18)

Offense:
Unarmed +11 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Cosmic Enhancements +11 (+12 Damage, DC 27)
Energy Hammer +10 (+14 Damage, DC 29)
Cosmic Blast +8 (+11 Ranged Damage, DC 27)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +11 (DC 21), Parry +11 (DC 21), Toughness +13 (+5 Impervious), Fortitude +13, Will +10

Complications:
Motivation (Cleaning up the Streets)- Growing up in a poor, urban neighborhood, Marius fights to protect the defenseless.
Motivation (Young Kids)- Knowing first-hand how seductive and all-consuming the gang life can be, Marius tries to keep younger kids from falling into the same path, and making the same mistakes he did.
Enemy (Lord Tiburon, The Cosmic Collective)- Marius remains the only being to refuse the lethal call of the Cosmic Arm- the alien Collective seeks to kill him and take the weapon back. Lord Tiburon, their leader (and a Warlord in his own right), instead seeks to turn Marius to their side of things.
Reputation (Murderer)- Marius killed his best friend in revenge for the death of his mentor- he is still being hunted by an obsessed Detective (the uncle of the boy).
Reputation (Cosmic Armsman)- The Cosmic Arm and the armor connected to it are instantly-recognizable to numerous alien species, many of whom are terrified of the sight of them. Others will attack him instead.
Responsibility (Marked Man)- Many interstellar enemies have set their sites on Meteor Hammer, causing numerous bounties to be put on his head. He often has to deal with "Monster of the Week" aliens with a scheme or two to cash in.

Total: Abilities: 58 / Skills: 58--29 / Advantages: 20 / Powers: 92 / Defenses: 17 (216)

Origin:
-Growing up a young street thug in Harlem, New York, Marius Akins was expected by most in the community to become one of the many drug dealers or pimps dominating the neighborhood. With his father gone and his mother a low-class hooker, it would have most likely come true, were it not for a chance meeting with Terrance Diggers, an old '50s-era hero known as The Hurricane. Diggers caught the young boy running from beating up a rival gang leader, and nursed his gunshot wound without giving him up to the police- the only payment he asked for was a full month of the boy's time. There, he taught the cynical Marius the ways of the world, the responsibilities of people, the ability to pull oneself up by the bootstraps, and a knowledge of right from wrong.

-Naively, the now-15-year old tried to get his thug buddies to listen to the old man's ideas, but they quickly rejected him- seeing few other options, he went along with their plans and schemes for a while longer, until one day, when Diggers tried to turn Marius away from them for good after a drug bust came down on the gang. The leader, Marius' best friend, shot and killed Diggers in cold blood. Furious, Marius killed him and went on the run, eventually becoming Black Brother, Harlem's vigilante defender from the seediest elements from within.

-Sadly, the leather-clad adventurer failed to take off, being humiliated by the most powerful ganglord and pimp in Harlem, The Big Daddy, and forced to run away again. Months later, he reappeared as the Black Warrior, trying to organize Harlem's youth into a more positive direction. Similarly, he failed, and most of the kids ran back to drugs and stealing when they saw the money in it (the alternative, naturally, was starvation). After humiliating himself yet again after appearing on the news preaching about how blacks could pull themselves up by some more knowledgeable reporters questioning his capabilities and goals, he hid away once more, creating the identity of Brother Hammer, now a violent vigilante that beat on crooks with a steel mallet. It was in this last identity that, after running from some of Big Daddy's thugs, he came across an alien artifact: the Cosmic Arm, a weapon of great power.

The Cosmic Arm:
-Taking the mysterious Cosmic Arm, Marius was covered in powerful alien metal, which altered his physical make-up and gave him superhuman abilities. It downloaded information telepathically into his mind- the Arm is a technological weapon of a conquering Intergalactic Army, designed to maintain order and control on worlds throughout the universe. It telepathically seeks out great warriors and offers them the weapon, allowing them to slay their adversaries and allow their homeworlds to join The Cosmic Collective. Marius used the Arm in its original formation- that of an energy blade, and tore apart several vehicles and buildings while chasing his aggressors, but halted himself before killing his foes. Despite the Arm's urgings, he rejected the sensation of murder (having slain his own best friend and feeling the after-effects), and converted the Arm into a Cosmic Hammer- because while a Hammer is also a weapon, it can also be used to build. He spared his foes and had them sent to jail instead.

-From that time on, Marius became Meteor Hammer, still a defender of Harlem, but also a classical super-hero, facing threats from around the world, and beyond the stars. He later came to understand the true grandeur of his mission as well- the alien Cosmic Collective, a collection of many of the beings who'd used Cosmic Arms to take over their homeworlds, had taken notice of the one being to refuse their mission, and came to take the Arm back. Fighting the Collective and allying with their enemies in The Armistice of Worlds, he took great missions over lightyears as well as back home in Harlem, he carved out a legacy as one of the top heroes of his era, albeit a controversial one (Marius retains an anti-authoritarian vibe).

Meteor Hammer the Hero:
-After a few months as the Meteor Hammer, Marius joined the Legion of Light, the pre-eminent hero force of the era, as one of its major players, despite early comments that he was the "token" minority member meant to placate people looking for things to complain about. A charter and long-standing member, even taking the leadership role later on, Meteor Hammer is seen by many as the heart of the team.

-Meteor Hammer also had to deal with the attentions of a semi-retired Police Detective, who'd made it his goal to bring in Marius for the killing of his best friend (the Detective's nephew- the last surviving son of his little sister, no less). While they both knew that Marius was guilty, the Detective couldn't prove it, and hunted him for years. This caused problems with Marius' secret identity, and threatened to expose him as a murderer several times. Both realized that it was self-defense, but Marius' own guilt and the Detective's near-obsessive sense of justice for his sister's boy compounded to make things much more complicated. Finally, the Detective uncovered all of Marius' secrets, but couldn't bring himself to put an authentic hero in prison. Ultimately, he sacrificed his life to save Meteor Hammer in battle against Lord Tiburon, his greatest foe.

-Meteor Hammer is among the most-powerful of Earth's defenders, and generally-known as the toughest. Others have him beat on versatility, but Marius is easily the most-famous for getting up from crippling blows and demanding MORE punishment. As his enemies consist of agents of the Cosmic Collective, this is rather a necessity.

Jab's Notes: Meteor Hammer started life as "Iron Hammer", a new character for an Avengers-like team I created for the "Something Unique" universe about fifteen years ago. He was pretty much created to be a black superhero, and a representation of the way I used to think as a kid- my favorite guy was usually the black guy on most shows & comics back in the day, probably due to PBS (which featured Gordon as the coolest adult on "Sesame Street", and LeVar Burton on "Reading Rainbow"... also maybe Jamal on "Ghost Writer"), and part of me wanted to reflect that by having him be the most bad-ass member of the team (which featured him and Athena as the major characters). Though the other guys thought he was a bit much like Steel (I guess a black dude can't wield a big hammer and not draw comparisons), I dug him. As the years went by, I moved him over to my "JLA" team instead, alongside Gryphon (the former Robotech) and Silverwolf (the former Sabretooth).

-Eventually, I dropped the "Demolition" look (the black hockey mask thing looked kind of like the gimp masks Ax & Smash wore) and altered him into more of a space hero, coming up with the "Evil Green Lantern Corps" concept. I also added in a ton of backstory about how he'd been one of those "Non-Powered Heroes" who failed multiple times, doing the Angry Young Black Man thing as a stereotype of '70s comics & blaxploitation stuff (where most black kids had chips on their shoulders and a rebellious attitude)- he'd eventually grow up into one of the stronger heroes around. And basically, this guy was the all-around "Bad-Ass" of my hero team- he hit harder than almost anyone, and was tougher, too. While Mega-Woman was mightier, he was the "Ben Grimm" of the team. To stop him, you'd have to kill him.

-His new look comprises a few things- I created this initial look for a wrestler (yes, I had a fictional wrestling federation, too- I'm a well-rounded nerd, if nothing else) called Space Ninja- a deliberate goofball, but still a pretty good look, though there the "armor" bit was just a skin-tight "poncho"-type thing that left his sides exposed. Here, I made it more of a Space Uniform, combining parts of Wildfire from the Legion of Super-Heroes, along with a metallic arm to reflect the old design (which was more medieval-looking, and thus didn't really fit the "Space Hero" look). The other arm is exposed, and the face shielf opens up, revealing the look of the character- this lets audiences know that Meteor Hammer is a black man, and also shows off the races of the various Aliens that maintain the "Cosmic Arm" corps.

[M4C8]

hah- I own so many Battle Beasts that I started paying a guy to cast all-NEW ones out of fancy colors! Look up Green Mountain Beastformers on Facebook sometime.

Battle Beasts were probably the most frequently stolen toys from car boots sales here in England throughout 90's, their small size made it very easy for kids to come home with pockets full of them.

Also I see your character Kid Spectrum visits the same same hair stylist as Legion.

[Jabroniville]

LORD TIBURON (Tiburon D'Allaster)
Hgt: 8'5" Wgt: 2,000 lbs.
Role: Galactic Conqueror
PL 13 (253)
STRENGTH 8/13 STAMINA 9/14 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 12 DEXTERITY 3
INTELLIGENCE 4 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 4

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+15)
Deception 4 (+8)
Expertise (Warlord) 8 (+12)
Expertise (Science) 2 (+6)
Insight 2 (+5)
Intimidation 10 (+14)
Perception 4 (+7)
Stealth 1 (+4, +3 Size)
Technology 4 (+8)
Vehicles 3 (+6)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Assessment, Benefit 6 (Galactic Emperor), Benefit (Ambidexterity), Daze (Intimidation), Diehard, Equipment 2 (Telepathic Plug- Communication), Fast Grab, Fearless, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Cosmic Arm), Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative, Last Stand (Ignores All Damage For 1 Round With HP Spent), Power Attack, Prone Fighting, Ranged Attack 7, Startle, Takedown 2

Powers:
"Kall'ceran Physiology"
Growth 1 (Str & Sta +1, +1 Mass, +1 Intimidation, -0 Fighting/Dodge, -1 Stealth, Reach 1) -- (8 feet) [4]
"Four Arms" Extra Limbs 2 [2]
Leaping 2 (30 feet) [2]

"Cosmic Restructuring"
Enhanced Strength 5 [10]
Enhanced Stamina 5 [10]
Regeneration 5 [5]

"Cosmic Armor" (Feats: Restricted to Cosmic Collective Agents) (Flaws: Removable) [36]
"Space Metals" Impervious Toughness 9 (9)
"Space-Faring" Immunity 7 (Suffocation 2, Vacuum, Pressure, Heat, Cold, Radiation) (7)
"Mind Shield" Immunity 10 (Mental Effects) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) (5)

"Cosmic Rockets"
Flight 10 (500 mph) (20)
Movement 1 (Space Travel 1) (2)
-- (43 points)

"The Cosmic Arm" (Feats: Restricted to Cosmic Collective Agents) (Flaws: Easily-Removable) [26]
"Molecular Destabilizer" Weaken Toughness 13 (Extras: Affects Objects, Area- 30ft. Burst) (39) -- (41 points)

• AE: "Energy Halberd" Strength-Damage +2 (Feats: Improved Critical 2, Reach 2, Affects Insubstantial, Improved Smash) (Extras: Penetrating 12) (20)
• AE: "Destabilizing Pierce" Weaken Toughness 10 (Extras: Affects Objects) Linked to Strength-Damage +1 (21)

Offense:
Unarmed +11 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Cosmic Enhancements +11 (+12 Damage, DC 27)
Energy Halberd +12 (+14 Damage, DC 28)
Destabilizing Pierce +12 (+13 Weaken & +14 Damage, DC 23 & 29)
Molecular Destabilizer +13 Area (+13 Weaken, DC 23)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +12 (DC 22), Parry +12 (DC 22), Toughness +14 (+5 Impervious), Fortitude +14, Will +8

Complications:
Motivation (Empire)- Like most Kall'cerans, Tiburon is warlike and covetous. He wishes the subjugation of even further outposts of the universe.
Obsession (Being the Best)- Tiburon comes from a "Might Makes Right" culture, and strives to be the strongest. Any rumors of great warriors across the cosmos draw his attention.
Responsibility (Love of Earth)- In the Earthlings, Tiburon sees not weak cattle, ripe for the harvesting, but kindred spirits. He greatly-admires humanity's own murderous and warlike nature, and strives to have them join his empire as grand foot-soldiers.
Responsibility (Cynicism)- Tiburon has a tendency to believe that everybody is like him- covetous and power-hungry. This causes him to misinterpret others, and misunderstand things like altruism.

Total: Abilities: 92 / Skills: 40--20 / Advantages: 33 / Powers: 95 / Defenses: 14 (253)

Origin: Lord Tiburon is the leader of the Cosmic Collective, having merged it long ago with the Kall'ceran Empire. One of the leaders of a grand noble house of the planet Kall'cera, Tiburon was a warlord who exemplified his culture's "Might Makes Right" philosophy. After having his own father executed for treason (he'd run off with a female slave, with whom he'd fallen in love- he sought to end his people's barbaric practises), he wished his people's falling fortunes could be reversed. When he was gifted with the Cosmic Arm, his wishes were granted- he immediately took to wiping out his people's opposition, and uniting all of the Kall'ceran armies with the agents of the Cosmic Collective. Eventually, his power threatened those in charge of the Collective as it grew and grew- he responded by slaughtering any who opposed him, taking command of the Collective as well as Kall'cera.

-When the Collective discovered Earth, Tiburon investigated personally after reports came back of the planet's history. Expecting yet another world of weak subjects to enslave, he was shocked to find KINDRED SPIRITS- humanity was as vicious, hateful and warlike as his own people! Infatuated, Tiburon arranged to have the newest Cosmic Arm given to an Earthling. Finding someone of great anger in Marius Akins, he gave the weapon to the man, and fostered his feelings of hate and anger. However, much to his displeasure, he watched as Marius rejected the cause of destruction, and started using the Cosmic Arm for horrifying things like ALTRUISM.

-Tiburon challenged Akins, now calling himself Iron Hammer, and the two battled. Through trickery and clever tactics, Akins was able to defeat the warlord, and the fight was broadcast throughout the galaxy. Humiliated and enraged, Tiburon swore vengeance, and arranged a number of hits to be taken out on Iron Hammer- making him the target of scum across the galaxy. His own reputation sundered, Tiburon bides his time, waiting for the right moment to strike. In the meantime, he attempts to win back his reputation, slaughtering other world's champions, forging his Empire further, and occasionally battling Akins at other times. Despite the blow to his reputation, Tiburon remains classified as a Universal Threat, and one of the most dangerous beings in the cosmos.

Jab's Notes: I struggled with this guy's design for a bit, but started with his name ("Tiburon" is "Shark" in Spanish. Since most Comic Book Conquerors take their names from actual words in Earth languages ANYWAYS, I see it as appropriate) and the fact that he was blue. I made him more monstrous at first, but once I cemented the nature of the Cosmic Arms, I made him more humanoid, ending with a large, blue, four-armed guy.

Part of the initial concept was the guy being a big "Speciesist" who hated all other races, and thus natural opposition for a fine, upstanding racism-hater like Meteor Hammer. I felt that was a bit cheesy and on-the-nose, so I shifted it into something far more disturbing: A guy who instead LOVES humanity, and holds them as a great example for others in the cosmos... because they're SO VIOLENT AND HORRIBLE. I mean, imagine being an alien species and finding out all the horrible stuff humanity's done ("Hey, look! Two whole continents of people in a Stone Age culture! Let's tear them apart with our weapons, take their women, and then grab everything once our diseases kill them all off!" "Hey! These people are easy to capture! Let's ENSLAVE them and make them be the basis for our economy!" "Hey! They believe in stupid magical shit in a slightly different way than we do! Let's murder them with inhuman savagery!")- you'd think we were monsters, too.

[Jabroniville]

KALL'CERA:
-Kall'cera (sounds like "Kal-SAIR-a") is a faraway planet known for its powerful humanoid population- tall, four-armed, blue-skinned creatures with great physical strength. Having grown warlike and covetous, they carved out a sizeable Space Empire even before Lord Tiburon's time, though their fortunes had faded. The Kall'Ceran credo was that war was the ultimate purpose of existence, and that soldiers, conquerors and the military were to be held above all others. This let the powerful creatures grow heartless towards other, weaker races, but also led to their downfall, as the various races they'd stepped on had united and formed a coalition against them.

-This ended when Lord Tiburon gained the Cosmic Arm- he reconquered many old worlds, and slew numerous Champions of the other races. Soon, the Cosmic Collective had merged with the Kall'ceran Empire, forming a much-larger army, with much more devastating champions.

THE COSMIC COLLECTIVE:
-A small army of powerful warriors, each carrying a lethal "Cosmic Arm"- morphological weapons that fashion themselves the user's ultimate ideal of a weapon, and carry deadly payloads of "Cosmic Force". Some warriors carry universally-useful Swords. Others frightening Axes for more power. Others "split" the beams and wield Paired Daggers for greater subtley and messier close combat. One notable warrior combined the power with his martial arts skill to create "Energy Gloves". The true numbers of the CC's warriors are unknown, as they are commonly-split across their Empire and outlying worlds.

"Cosmic Arms" are rare creations, and devised to be among the mightiest carriable weapons in the cosmos. They are created by the collapsing of a black hole- the Cosmic Forces are sped up artificially, and then "Harvested", thus powering a hand-held device with a near-inexhaustible supply of power, and the ability to restructure the body of a person into something much stronger. Only the rarest and most durable materials in the universe can contain this energy- the danger in wielding one, and the costliness of the process (far in excess of its usefulness to a single user- a planet-crushing payload is actually simpler to utilize for a would-be conqueror) means that there are few who would be willing to go through with creating one. In fact, they are a symbolic weapon, and a representation of the Collective's might. While other weapons (such as bombs) are mightier, and the Cosmic Arms lack range, the CC's warriors know that few things create as much of a psychological terror as a melee fighter tearing apart the opposition at close range. And in any case, the Collective has plenty of bombs and ranged weapons at their disposal anyways- the Cosmic Arms are meant to take down targeted individuals (especially the champions of various worlds they intend to conquer, or the enemy's own Planetary Defenses).

Their origins are shrouded in secrecy, but strong evidence suggests that there was an altruistic purpose to their beginnings- Meteor Hammer has discovered that thousands of years ago, an enclave of "Wise Men" created powerful weapons meant to restore order to a chaotic part of the galaxy. Instead, the power of the weapons corrupted many of the wielders- they began seeking order through conquest, trading the freedom of their worlds' peoples for security. Centuries later, they are known only as conquerors, culminating in what is known today.

Capers:
* The Unified Galactic Alliance Peace Force was to be a grand symbol of unity in the cosmos: A dedicated police force, meant to defend the vulnerable across the galaxy. They were created specifically to counter the army of the Cosmic Collective, and were drawn from the best lawmen from the various planets in the UGA. That was the idea. Tragically, the CC invaded during the graduation ceremony of the armored UGAPF (called "Forcemen"). In an absolute atrocity, the Collective's best warriors came in and massacred hundreds of Forcemen, leaving only a few survivors to be executed at a later date. This, they warned, was a "lesson" to be learned: do not cross the Collective.

Only a tiny handful of survivors made it clear of the massacre- crash-landing on Earth, the injured Forcemen pleaded for aid to the one person to fight the Collective and win: Meteor Hammer mounted a near-suicidal rescue mission of the few survivors.

[Jabroniville]

Next up: my Golden Age team! These guys were among the first OCs I actually built, and I was trying something with playing up how this "fictional comic universe" would be in real life. Like, in how it would sell and stuff. I eventually dropped this, figuring it presumptuous.

[Jabroniville]

The Legion of Liberty as a whole

The Beginning
The Legion began in 1942 as an attempt to capitalize on DC's Justice Society, by gathering all of the solo heroes under one banner. Initially, the team's roster consisted of Mr. Maximum, the Black Fox, the Freebooter, Miss Adventure, Mr. Meteor...... This lineup was forever on the move, as virtually every single hero published by the company for more than two or three issues was given a slot on the team to give them more exposure and help their own comic sell more. The vast majority of these characters were mostly short-lived failures to sell, and were usually brought in as replacements for another character, and leaving 'to do a solo mission' or something to explain a departure. 

Power Boy, Captain Flag and Kid Hercules joined the team shortly after the debut, but Kid Hercules was gone in a few issues, his Circus Adventures being cancelled. Will Scarlet, Robo-Man, Captain Guts & the Green Piper joined the team, and Miss Mystery & The Barred Avenger joined (Mystery for three issues in mid-1942 to give her own solo stories some appeal) replacing the vacating Mr. Meteor to his own solo series, and the cancelled Captain Flag, but the non-colourful female hero never caught on, and her character (and appearances in the Legion) was cancelled soon after, right after "Guts" was ousted and Reddar the Mystic brought in. The Rapier replaced them. The Black Fox soon followed through the door, as his own book had come out by that time, with El Torah and Selkie (from a bought-out Irish publication) replacing him. The Rapier, El Torah & Robo-Man left the team, replaced by Blonde Bombshell and Wingman, who was short-lived. Mr. Black replaced him. Reddar and Bombshell quit the team (with Mr. Black disappearing shortly thereafter), replaced a few issues later by Wild-Boy inexplicably, who vanished a few issues later. The Blue Hood made an appearance months later, with Dryad soon after, but he follows Will Scarlet out the door by the end of 1944, while Dryad only lasted two issues. March 1945 saw Power Boy leave the team, Selkie following that September, and the entire comic (along with its heroes) was cancelled in December, taking the roster of Mr. Maximum, Freebooter, Miss Adventure, Green Piper, The Barred Avenger, Mr. Meteor & ..... down with it. The title was never as popular as DC's crew (and was outsold by Marvel's key three of the Human Torch, Sub-Mariner & Captain America), but managed decent sales throughout the age in spite of it's rapidly rotating cast of mostly unpopular heroes. The Black Fox was the only survivor alongside largely unrelated Wild-Boy, though the kid only lasted another year. Black Fox was cancelled in 1955, disappearing until the Silver Age.

The lengths of activity for many of the heroes is misleading. Though heroes like Captain Flag and Rapier were in publication for over a year each, they both went through spots where they vanished, and in fact made very few appearances, mostly being entirely forgotten by even the Silver Age, a mere 20 years later. The Blue Hood as well, who lasted over a year, only made appearances mostly every other month.

The Re-Introduction
The team was re-introduced in the 1960s with the Legion of Light crossing over with both the team as it was in the 40s (now retroactively having almost every member active at the same time), and as the modern-day, older team minus a few deceased members. Early storylines include a later Freebooter (a few 'new' ones were created to explain the deceased appearing several more times in the 40s & 50s after his 'death') turning to evil after being fired from his post, and the murder of the Blue Hood being solved. Several members of the Legion were retroactively killed to give realism to the stories (it was dangerous work) and to get rid of extra members, so that the crossovers didn't involve thirty-odd people running around. Also, they were killed to explain long absenses in the regular books, as well as the fact that most of the characters disappeared long before the Legion did. Ironically, many of the Legion members gained more fame in the later years than they ever had at first, such as the minor-league Miss Mystery, who lasted barely two years, appearing fairly consistently in these crossovers and eventually developing a successor. Characters killed included Wingman, Dryad, Kid Hercules, Captain Flag and the Freebooter. El Torah made no appearances in this era, though a third Freebooter was brought in as a villain, as well as the return of failed character Mr. Black as a grand villain. The Barred Avenger, Redskin, and a few others were longtime retirees, most of whom rarely appeared at all, and even then only for the giant crossovers involving everyone alive for the team. 

The Legion of Liberty Revival (1970s)
Later on in 1978, a Legion of Liberty revival took place, with the gang appearing again, mostly with new successors to the roles. The team lasted for several years, dying out in the early 80s. Most of the characters had been allowed to age a bit, with only a few beating the aging process and living on. Characters that joined the new team included the originals Mr. Maximum, Mr. Meteor, Robo-Man, Miss Adventure, Power Boy (now Major Power) and ...... alongside new members Black Foxes III and IV (Paul and Victoria, the grandchildren of the original, joined at separate times; perhaps a bit too young at this point to be young adults, as Dick never had children even in the 50s, but it was obvious that later years would demand that they be descended by at least a couple generations), Miss Maxim (Mr. Maximum's cousin), Miss Mystery II (Miss Mystery's neice Chandra), Selkie II (the first's daughter), the new Freebooter (latest in a long line of government-aided adventurers, the son of one of the 50s-revivals of the character) and Will Scarlet II (inspired by the first). Alphaman made cameos once in a while from the Guard as well. It was never a wildly successful group, especially compared to the Guard and Legion of Light, but many fans still warmly recall the more reserved adventures of the team, which never seemed to be too galactic or crazy. Changes came as members left once in a while as the writer got bored, and the new Freebooter died and Miss Mystery and Mr. Meteor retired, being replaced by a new Wingman (inspired by the first), The Piper (grandson of the Green Piper) and Mr. Meteor II (a former street urchin and sidekick of Mr. Meteor). The Barred Avenger II also joined the team. Robo-Man was dismantled temporarily, and Major Power left to wander the stars. A new female Freebooter joined, as did a revamped Reddar the Mystic, as The Barred Avenger II was killed by Mr. Black and Piper left. By 1984, the Legion was being left behind by others, especially as the writers began running out of ideas and good artists, and the series was cancelled after Robo-Man was brought back to life, the team choosing to split up.

Later years resulted in a few more changes. Many team-members made regular appearances in other books, but others vanished. Reddar made some magic-related cameos, and his daughter Redda was added to the lineage. The less popular new Freebooter V, Wingman II and Mr. Meteor II were all callously killed (many fans believe) in the controversial Mars War crossover, all dying while fighting alongside Iron Hammer protecting the Earth from the Mother Martian. Other deaths throughout the series included the returned El Torah (possessed by a vampire lord enemy of his) and Will Scarlet (coming out of retirement to save Scarlet II).


Later Success
The most 'successful' members include Alphaman, later a charter member of the Guard, one of the only characters popular enough to live on completely. Mr. Maximum in active once in a while, and his successor, Miss Maxim, had some popularity in the 70s. The Black Fox has had constant revisions and new version added, making his own mythos intact. Dr. Skull I has had his own mythos expanded, especially with Dr. Skull II now running around. Selkie II is also a fairly successful character, as well as the Iron Paladin's history being left intact. Mr. Meteor began returning occasionally in other books as well. 

The Legion of Liberty Returns (again) (2000s)
The new Legion of Liberty, revived in the modern era, is a mix of the old guard with the new blood. Classic members Mr. Maximum, Mr. Meteor, Miss Adventure, Robo-Man and Major Power were brought in during a crisis to lead a new team of Legion members into the new era. Selkie II was taken from the 70s revival's ranks, and many modern-day versions of the old heroes not in Legion gatherings, such as the Blue Hood II (a Rhino-Man supporting character), Redda the Mystic (a magic-book semi-recurring character, and daughter of the original Reddar), the new Black Fox VI (Great-grandson of Dick), the newest Freebooter (a more thrill-seeking government agent), and Scarlett (the teenage granddaughter of Will Scarlet), also joined the new gathering.