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

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
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KorokoMystia
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Re: Jab’s Builds (Trigon the Terrible! Tim Drake! The Secret! Wonder Girl!)

Post by KorokoMystia »

I read somewhere that the reason Donna didn't show up in the Teen Titans cartoon and other things was because there was an embargo at the time stating that Wonder Woman and all her related characters could not show up in media unless it was in a "starring role". I don't know the full details.
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Woodclaw
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Re: Jab’s Builds (Trigon the Terrible! Tim Drake! The Secret! Wonder Girl!)

Post by Woodclaw »

KorokoMystia wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 5:32 pm I read somewhere that the reason Donna didn't show up in the Teen Titans cartoon and other things was because there was an embargo at the time stating that Wonder Woman and all her related characters could not show up in media unless it was in a "starring role". I don't know the full details.
It was because of some strings attached to the 1977 series. The network, I believe CBS, still had an option on Wonder Girl.
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Jabroniville
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Bombshell

Post by Jabroniville »

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BOMBSHELL (Amy Sue Allen)
Created By:
Geoff Johns & Tony Daniel
First Appearance: Teen Titans #38 (2006)
Role: The Mole-Turned-Angry-Loyalist
Group Affiliations: The Teen Titans, Atlantis
PL 8 (119)
STRENGTH
7 STAMINA 8 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 7 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Deception 4 (+6)
Expertise (Criminal) 2 (+3)
Insight 3 (+5)
Perception 3 (+5)

Advantages:
Power Attack, Ranged Attack 2

Powers:
Flight 7 (250 mph) [14]
Energy Blast 8 (Feats: Split) [17]
Impervious Toughness 5 [5]

Offense:
Unarmed +7 (+7 Damage, DC 22)
Energy Blasts +6 (+8 Ranged Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +7 (DC 17), Parry +7 (DC 17), Toughness +8 (+3 Impervious), Fortitude +8, Will +4

Complications:
Reputation (Bitch)- Bombshell debuted as a mole on the Titans, and many still don't trust her.

Total: Abilities: 68 / Skills: 12--6 / Advantages: 3 / Powers: 36 / Defenses: 6 (119)

-This is a curious case of a character who debuted as almost literal wallpaper (just a distinctive-looking face in a list of "Teen Titans who joined over the past year and then left") who later got elevated into an actual recurring character. Fundamentally being a Distaff Counterpart of Captain Atom and other energy heroes inside metallic shells, she was a military black ops recruit (having been arrested for assault and battery, and wanting to avoid jail time), and betrays the Titans almost immediately. Ravager stops her, and the Titans shatter her metal skin. De-powered and in jail, she is mind-probed into giving up the truth that Titans East exists, and has her throat cut by Cassandra "Batgirl" Cain.

-Surviving, she is protected by the Titans when her old bosses try to kill her. Ravager takes issue with this (having been framed as the traitor by Bombshell), but she trusts her after the two fight and prove themselves. She sticks around for about a year, but is soon dumped alongside Aquagirl, as Wonder Girl thinks that so many untrained, inexperienced heroes are improper for such a big-name super-team. This, obviously, is during the "Revolving Door" era of the book. Bombshell more or less disappears from comics after this, aside from being a "face in the crowd" in group scenes (helping out Stephanie "Batgirl" Brown; fighting Superboy-Prime alongside the other Titans).

-Bombshell is more or less a High-Powered Idiot, an aggressive wild-child given PL 8-ish superpowers, typically focused around being a Flying Brick, but also packing Tech Control (enough to control parts of Cyborg) and Mind-Scrambling Radiation. Impressively powerful, but a total amateur who isn't well-rounded at all- enough to be seen as a liability.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Ken
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Re: Jab’s Builds (Trigon the Terrible! Tim Drake! The Secret! Wonder Girl!)

Post by Ken »

Woodclaw wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 6:51 pm
KorokoMystia wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 5:32 pm I read somewhere that the reason Donna didn't show up in the Teen Titans cartoon and other things was because there was an embargo at the time stating that Wonder Woman and all her related characters could not show up in media unless it was in a "starring role". I don't know the full details.
It was because of some strings attached to the 1977 series. The network, I believe CBS, still had an option on Wonder Girl.
Since Debra Winger was Drusilla while Wonder Woman was still on ABC, it might be have been ABC. It depends on if the option moved to CBS with the rest of the TV show.
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Jabroniville
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Aquagirl (Marquez)

Post by Jabroniville »

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AQUAGIRL IV (Lorena Marquez)
Created By:
Will Pfeifer & Patrick Gleason
First Appearance: Aquaman #16 (May 2004)
Role: Replacement Character, New Sidekick
Group Affiliations: The Teen Titans, Atlantis
PL 8 (115)
STRENGTH
7 STAMINA 7 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 7 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+9)
Expertise (Atlantis) 6 (+7)
Insight 3 (+5)
Investigation 4 (+7)
Perception 3 (+5)
Stealth 2 (+5)

Advantages:
Equipment (Trident +1- Reach), Favoured Environment (Underwater), Ranged Attack 2, Set-Up, Teamwork

Powers:
"Undersea Capabilities"
Swimming 8 (60 mph) [8]
Movement (Environmental Adaptation- Aquatic) [2]
Immunity 3 (Pressure, Drowning, Cold) [3]
Senses 3 (Low-Light Vision, Extended Hearing & Scent) [3]

"Talk To Fish"
Comprehend 2 (Animals) (Flaws: Limited to Marine Life) [2]
Communication (Mental) 1 (Extras: Area) (Flaws: Limited to Marine Life) [4]

Offense:
Unarmed +7 (+7 Damage, DC 22)
Trident +7 (+7 Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +7, Fortitude +7, Will +5

Complications:
Relationship (Various)- Lorena is flirtatious with both Superboy and the Blue Beetle.
Responsibility (Aquaman, Sub Diego)- When San Diego sank, Lorena became one of its most able defenders, and Aquaman's best human ally.

Total: Abilities: 68 / Skills: 20--10 / Advantages: 6 / Powers: 22 / Defenses: 9 (115)

-The new Aquagirl was introduced in 2004, about twenty years after the death of the last one (Tula). Like many modern-day sidekicks, she's a visible minority, being a Latina from the sunken city of San Diego (now called Sub Diego). Losing her entire family in the calamity that sank the town, she recovers and gains gills like many others- she's our "Human Focus" character, quickly allying with Aquaman as the human face of the people whose lives were changed- he swiftly makes her "Aquagirl". She was shown as one of the many "One Year Later" group of temporary Teen Titans, and later rejoins the team properly. Unfortunately, this was during the "Revolving Door" era, and so the character swiftly left the book, booted out by Wonder Girl, who didn't want to endanger "inexperienced" heroes by being on the team (which, to be fair, had a LOT of fatalities). Her appearances after that are few, simply helping out Queen Mera at times. A new Aqualad has since debuted, replacing her as the New Minority Sidekick on both Aquaman and the Teen Titans.

-Lorena is more or less the same character as Tula, right down to using a Trident as a weapon. She is, however, a bit more clever, using some detective skills in Aquaman's book.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
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Lagoon Boy

Post by Jabroniville »

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LAGOON BOY
Created By:
Erik Larsen
First Appearance: Aquaman #50 (Dec. 1998)
Role: Forgotten Ally, "Part Of Your World" Guy
Group Affiliations: Young Justice (Ally), The Land-Lovers, Atlantis, Titans East
PL 7 (112)
STRENGTH
6 STAMINA 6 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+10)
Expertise (Survival) 5 (+5)
Insight 3 (+4)
Intimidation 2 (+4, +6 Blowfish Form)
Perception 4 (+5)

Advantages:
Benefit 2 (Wealth From Sunken Ships)

Powers:
"Aquatic Being"
Immunity 3 (Drowning, Cold, Pressure) [3]
Swimming 7 [7]
Movement 1 (Environmental Adaptation- Aquatic) [2]
Senses 2 (Low-Light Vision, Extended Scent) [2]

"Commands Humpback Whales" Mind Control 8 (Flaws: Limited to Animals, Limited to Whales, Limited to Humpbacks) [8]
"Conjure Water" Create 4 (Extras: Movable) [12]

"Puffer Fish Form"
Growth 2 (Flaws: Limited to Non-ST & STA Growths) [2]
"Quills" Damage 1 (Extras: Reaction +3) [4]

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+6 Damage, DC 21)
Quills +8 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +6, Fortitude +6, Will +5

Complications:
Prejudice (Inhuman & Inatlantean)- Lagoon Boy is very freakish to peoples above and below the water.

Total: Abilities: 52 / Skills: 18--9 / Advantages: 2 / Powers: 40 / Defenses: 9 (112)

-... Erik Larsen wrote and drew Aquaman? Huh- I had no idea. Lagoon Boy was an outsider introduced to Atlantis by Aquaman, who wanted it to be open to all peoples- the Atlanteans were not impressed by the boy (who resembled the Creature From the Black Lagoon). He meets up with a sentient whale and an inquisitive mermaid, all of whom yearn to explore the shore up above, if you get my drift. Calling themselves the "Land-Lovers", they of course immediately left the book when Erik Larsen did. This might have been the end of him... but his curious appearance and age made him ideal for an appearance or two with the Young Justice members. This allows him to survive the destruction of Atlantis in Infinite Crisis, and he reappears on Titans East before they're wiped out by the Sons of Trigon.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
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Osiris (Amon Tomaz)

Post by Jabroniville »

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OSIRIS III (Amon Tomaz)
Created By:
Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, Grant Morrison, Mark Waid & Keith Giffen
First Appearance: Teen Titans #38 (2006)
Role: Flying Brick, Kid Sidekick, Disposable Sidekick
Group Affiliations: The Black Marvel Family, The Titans
PL 11 (233)
STRENGTH
14 STAMINA 14 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 1

Skills:
Persuasion 4 (+5)

Advantages:
Ranged Attack

Powers:
"The Wisdom of Zehuti"
Enhanced Advantages 3: Beginner's Luck, Jack-Of-All-Trades, Well-Informed [3]
Enhanced Skills 2: Arcane Lore 2 (+2) [1]
Comprehend 3 (Languages) [6]

"The Strength of Amon"
Power-Lifting 4 (6,000 tons) [4]
Enhanced Advantages 2: Fast Grab, Power Attack [2]

"The Stamina of Shu"
Impervious Toughness 13 [13]
Enhanced Advantages 3: Diehard, Ultimate Toughness Check, Withstand Damage (Trade Off Defenses For Toughness) [3]
Immunity 16 (Life Support, Fatigue Effects, Aging) [16]

"The Power of Aton"
Features 1: All Attacks Count as Magical [1]
"Shazam Bolt" Damage 11 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Cylinder +2) (Flaws: Distracting) (22) -- [23]
AE: "Ground Pound" Affliction 12 (Strength/Athletics; Hindered & Vulnerable/Stunned & Defenseless) (Extras: Area- 60ft. Burst +2, Extra Condition) (Flaws: Limited Degree, Both Must Be Grounded, Instant Recovery) (12)

"The Courage of Mehen"
Immunity 2 (Fear Effects) [2]
Enhanced Advantages 1: Ultimate Will Save [1]
Enhanced Will Check 2 [2]
Impervious Will 5 [5]

"The Swiftness of Heru"
Enhanced Advantages 1: Improved Initiative [1]
Flight 15 (60,000 mph) (Feats: Dynamic) (31) -- [35]
  • Dynamic AE: Quickness 8 (Feats: Dynamic) (9)
  • Dynamic AE: Speed 12 (8,000 mph) (Feats: Dynamic) (13)
Movement 1 (Space Travel 1) [2]

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+14 Damage, DC 29)
Shazam Bolt +11 Area (+11 Damage, DC 26)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +14 (+7 Impervious), Fortitude +14, Will +7

Complications:
Motivation (Bringing Back His Family)- Amon will do ANYTHING in order to bring back Adam & Isis. ANYTHING.
Involuntary Transformation ("Black Adam!")- Amon Tomaz must say the magic phrase to transform into Osiris. Similarly, he will transform back if he says it again. Osiris is a crippled boy with unimpressive stats (ST -1, STA 0, AGI -2, FIGHTING 2, AWA 0).
Power Loss (Lightning Bolt)- Osiris must speak to call down the Lightning. If struck by the Lightning for any reason, he will revert to non-powered form.
Relationship (Black Adam & Isis)- Osiris worships his older partners.

Total: Abilities: 94 / Skills: 4--2 / Advantages: 1 / Powers: 120 / Defenses: 4 (233)

-Osiris (actually the third DC character by that name) is the little brother of Isis, and suffered crippling injuries before being infused with Black Adam's power- a reflection of the origin of Freddy "Captain Marvel Jr." Freeman. The three of them form the Black Marvel Family, complete with an animal sidekick in Sobek the talking crocodile. However, tragedy ensues, as Osiris accidentally tears The Persuader in half during a televised fight with The Suicide Squad (Amanda Waller reveals this was basically part of the plan- guarantee a fatality on television in order to discredit Adam's side), tries to give up his powers after attacking Adam, and powers down... leading to Sobek revealing his evil nature as Famine, Horseman of Apokolips, assaulting Osiris, and then devouring him alive.

-This leads to Adam's breakdown, and renders Osiris kind of a weird footnote in an increasingly violent, nasty DCU. But Osiris gets a heroic demise in Blackest Night, assuming control of his zombie form and saving the day in his last moments. He is resurrected during Brightest Day, but immediately joins Deathstroke's evil Titans (who promise to help him bring back Adam & Isis, who are frozen in stone) and helps murder Ryan Choi (The Atom). He sticks around on the team, resurrecting Isis, but the deaths he's caused result in her coming back evil. He is able to purify her with his lightning, and he is last seen carrying off Dr. Sivana in order to force him to resurrect Adam. Weird, weird history for such a new character.

-Osiris is basically Captain Marvel Jr. but dumber and more naive. He has a REALLY high amount of power, but lacks the experience to use it properly.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:17 am, edited 2 times in total.
Jabroniville
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Superboy (Conner)

Post by Jabroniville »

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SUPERBOY II (Kon-El, aka Conner Kent, "Superman")
Created By:
Karl Kesel & Tom Grummett
First Appearance: The Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993)
Role: Younger Version (of Superman), "Super-Cool" Teen, Angsty Teen (Despite Having it TOTALLY GREAT!)
Group Affiliations: The Teen Titans, Young Justice
PL 12 (264)
STRENGTH
15 STAMINA 14 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 9 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Aerobatics 4 (+8)
Deception 4 (+7)
Intimidation 4 (+7)
Investigation 2 (+3)
Perception 6 (+7)
Persuasion 2 (+5)
Ranged Combat (Heat Vision/Freeze Breath) 2 (+9)

Advantages:
Diehard, Fast Grab, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Improved Initiative, Interpose, Move-By Action, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 3, Takedown, Teamwork, Withstand Damage (Trade Defenses For Toughness)

Powers:
"More Powerful Than a Speeding Locomotive" Power-Lifting 4 (12,000 tons) [4]
"The Man of Steel" Protection 1 (Extras: Impervious 13) [14]
Immunity 11 (Life Support, Aging) [11]

"Heat Beam" Damage 12 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Line +2) (36) -- [41]
  • AE: "Heat Vision" Blast 12 (Feats: Extended Reach 2) (26)
  • AE: "Freeze Breath" Affliction 11 (Strength; Hindered & Vulnerable/Stunned & Defenseless/Paralyzed) (Extras: Ranged, Extra Condition) (33)
  • AE: "Freeze Cone" Affliction 11 (Strength; Hindered & Vulnerable/Stunned & Defenseless/Paralyzed) (Extras: Area- 60ft. Cone, Extra Condition) (33)
  • AE: "Ground Pound" Affliction 12 (Strength/Athletics; Hindered & Vulnerable/Stunned & Defenseless) (Extras: Area- 120ft. Burst +3, Extra Condition) (Flaws: Limited Degree, Both Must Be Grounded, Instant Recovery) (24)
  • AE: "Super-Breath" Affliction 12 (Strength/Athletics; Hindered & Vulnerable/Stunned & Defenseless) (Extras: Area- 60ft. Cone +2, Extra Condition) (Flaws: Limited Degree, Both Must Be Grounded, Instant Recovery) Linked to Move Object 9 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Cone) (Flaws: Touch Range) (15)
"Faster Than a Speeding Bullet"
Flight 15 (50,000 mph) (Feats: Dynamic) (31) -- [35]
  • Dynamic AE: Quickness 10 (Feats: Dynamic) (11)
[*]Dynamic AE: Speed 11 (1,000 mph) (Feats: Dynamic) (16)
Movement 1 (Space Travel 1) [2]

Senses 19 (Extended Vision & Hearing 3, Analytical, Infra, Ultra & Microvision 4, Vision Penetrates Concealment, Ultra-Hearing) [19]

Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+15 Damage, DC 30)
Heat Vision +9 (+12 Ranged Damage, DC 27)
Heat Beam +12 Area (+12 Damage, DC 27)
Freeze Breath +9 (+11 Ranged Affliction, DC 21)
Freeze Cone/Ground Pound +12 Area (+12 Affliction, DC 22)
Initiative +8

Defenses:
Dodge +9 (DC 19), Parry +9 (DC 19), Toughness +15 (+7 Impervious), Fortitude +14, Will +8

Complications:
Secret (Conner Kent)
Power Loss/Vulnerable (Kryptonite)- Superboy will lose all of his powers, and soon begin to die, if exposed to Kryptonite, the element of his dead homeworld.
Power Loss/Vulnerable (Red Sun Radiation)- Earth's Yellow Sun empowers Superboy- without it, he will soon lose his powers. Red Sun-based energies will do much more damage to him. Typically, Brainiac-5 will give him some kind of protection against this weakness.
Power Loss/Vulnerable (Magic)- Magic has a vague effect on Superboy- sometimes he's so vulnerable to it that a werewolf or something can hurt him- at other times, it just hurts a bit more than regular attacks would.
Power Loss (X-Ray Vision)- Kryptonian X-Ray Vision cannot penetrate lead.
Relationship (Cassie Sandsmark- Wonder Girl)- Conner & Cassie have loved each other for years, but are nearly always separate.

Total: Abilities: 100 / Skills: 24--12 / Advantages: 14 / Powers: 126 / Defenses: 12 (264)

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH:
-Okay, just being honest here- I DESPISE this character. He is absolutely on my Top Ten Most Hated characters. He's not SENTRY bad, but he's awful to me. This guy went from the biggest embodiment of what "Uncool Establishment Figures" thought cool teens acted like into the most inappropriately-emo character of all time. Seriously, every Titans issue I read features this dude going all up his own ass with angst, all "BLOO BLOO BLOO!! I HATE MY LIFE SOOOOOOOOO MUCH! I'M SO ANGSTY AND MISERABLE, WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" when he looks like every High School Quarterback ever rolled into one, is handsome, has some of the best super-powers on Earth, tons of cool friends, wears skintight regular clothes instead of a superhero costume, and has a hot girlfriend. I mean, that "poor me" shit works on an introverted, formerly-picked-on dweeb like Peter Parker, who also has REAL PROBLEMS. Prince Zuko's non-stop angst in Avatar also came from a lifetime of verbal and physical abuse from his own father, and a desperate need to prove himself. THIS little bitch reveling in teen angst came off as the stupidest thing ever. He was also in a book called Superboy and the Ravers, which alone is reason enough to hate him.

Superboy- Way Kool '90s Kid Personified:
-The new version of Superboy (who did not exist in the Post-Crisis Universe, except that Pocket Universe one they made because they cocked up the Legion of Super-Heroes continuity without one inspiring them) was created during the Reign of Supermen mega-arc that showcased the Supes-related books during the time when he was dead. He was a genetic clone created in a lab at Project Cadmus, deliberately given Superman-like powers via "Tactile Telekinesis", their closest approximation of Kryptonian abilities (since this was the "well we're TRYING to explain stuff scientifically" era, they're adding stuff like "there's a thin electro-magnetic layer around Superman, which is why he can lift stuff that would otherwise break apart around him, and why his costume never gets wrecked!", which was pseudo-science and kind of dumb... but the '90s was full of that kind of "how it would REALLY work" stuff). Cadmus, of course, super-aged the clone and gave him implanted memories, and wanted him to think he WAS Superman, but he was released too early, popping up as a teenage "Superboy".

-Insisting on being called "Superman" at first, this clone was part of the Reign of Supermen, which included Eradicator, Cyborg Superman (whom I thought was the real-deal, because he WAS SO BAD-ASS, yo), Steel and the real deal- the issue was who was the "true" Superman or successor. The real thing soon returned, and this one, as one of the non-villains (Eradicator & Cyborg turned out to be bad), he was given his own book. I read a few of them back in the day, and HATED them- it was another sure sign to me of DC's inferiority to Marvel (which at the time was producing few classics, but *I* liked them well enough), because he was this over-the-top "Cool Kid" stereotype, acting like a fun-loving smart-mouthed teen using the dorkiest dialogue and behavior ever from writers probably twenty years older. I still remember Tana Moon being all shocked when she realizes what he's wearing on his head, covers up all "oh no", and he's all "OH YEAH!! X-RAY SPECS!" Basically, he acted like a stereotype of what an old man thought young kids talked like, and thought was cool. His "fade" haircut, the AWFUL leather jacket, his earring, and more, all contributed to make him look like the Douchiest Douchelord in the Douche Universe.

Superboy Moves On:
-Superboy would tearfully be given the honorific Kryptonian name "Kon-El" by Superman, who considered the boy part of his family, and he'd stay with the Kents for a time. He also joined Young Justice, a proto-team of kids too young for the Teen Titans. His female love interest from his own book, Tana, would be killed at some point, with more focus being on Wonder Girl, who'd liked him while he was clueless to her feelings. Eventually, he joined the reformed Teen Titans along with Wonder Girl, Robin (his friend from Young Justice), Impulse (now Kid Flash) and a few established, older Titans. Here, infamously, would be when Geoff Johns took over, and he changed Superboy's origin. As others have pointed out, a very young, teenage Geoff Johns once wrote in to a Superboy Letters Page, suggesting that Superboy be the clone of Superman AND Lex Luthor, in a "wouldn't it be COOL?" kind of way. He was politely rebuffed by the DC Editors, and things went on as normal. Well this would be a whole lot funnier later on, when Johns was THE king of the DC Universe, and of course made that exact origin story the official Retcon of Conner's existence.

-Superboy (now looking like a giant ass in his tight jeans & tight black t-shirt with an "S" logo on it), horrified and angst-ridden at the revelation, starts gaining real Kryptonian powers, including Heat Vision and the like. Pretty much every issue became an "OH WOE IS ME!" bit of angst, which as I've stated, was ridiculous- most Marvel characters can pull this off because they have legitimate problems- they're hideous, hated, experience prejudice, etc. Superboy had a ton of friends, a hot girlfriend, and looked extremely handsome and muscular. WHAT THE F*CK WERE HIS PROBLEMS? He shaved his head and went a bit nuts for a time, but recovered in time to consummate his relationship with Cassie (Wonder Girl). However, he was then killed during Infinite Crisis, laying down his life to stop Superboy-Prime.

The Return of Superboy:
-A later book features the return of both Superboy and Kid Flash- ironically, it was a Legion of Super-Heroes book that resurrected both of them, which is a bit... incongruous. I mean, the Titans weren't even really a part of that story! Conner had been placed in a "Kryptonian Healing Chrysalis" for 1000 years, allowing him to be healed in the time of the Legion. He & Kid Flash are instrumental to beating Superboy-Prime this time around. The character's resurrection didn't last too long, however, as DC Continuity was restarted by the "New 52" shortly after he got his own solo book again- he was still there, as a "genetic anomaly" thing, and he showed up again in the "DC Rebirth". In an era with Superman having his own super-powered son named Superboy, Conner was a bit superfluous, so he was kind of more of a side character.

Superboy's Stats:
-Superboy is an incredibly-powerful hero, and would stand out as really strong on, say, The Avengers or Teen Titans, but is a small fry compared to the upper-tier DC characters. At this stage in the game, he takes Kryptonian Powers and scales them down to PL 12.

Image

SUPERBOY II (Kon-El, aka Conner Kent, "Superman")- 1990s Version
Created By:
Karl Kesel & Tom Grummett
First Appearance: The Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993)
Role: Younger Version (of Superman), "Super-Cool" Teen, Angsty Teen (Despite Having it TOTALLY GREAT!)
Group Affiliations: The Teen Titans, Young Justice
PL 11 (169)
STRENGTH
2/13 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 9 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Aerobatics 4 (+8)
Deception 4 (+7)
Intimidation 4 (+7)
Investigation 2 (+3)
Perception 6 (+7)
Persuasion 2 (+5)

Advantages:
Fast Grab, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Improved Initiative, Interpose, Move-By Action, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 3, Takedown, Teamwork

Powers:
"Tactile Telekinesis"
Enhanced Strength 11 [22]
Power-Lifting 2 (800 tons) [2]
Force Field 10 (Extras: Impervious 9) [19]
"Air Pocket" Immunity 2 (Suffocation) (Flaws: Limited Time) [1]

"Manipulate Objects" Transform 4 (Any Object Into Different Shapes) (8) -- [10]
  • AE: "Extend Field to Another" Force Field +0 (Extras: Affects Others 8) (8)
  • AE: "Give Explosive Force" Blast 8 (Flaws: Source- Particulates) (Diminished Range -1) (7)
"Faster Than a Speeding Bullet"
Flight 10 (2,000 mph) (Feats: Dynamic) (21) -- [24]
  • Dynamic AE: Quickness 6 (Feats: Dynamic) (7)
  • Dynamic AE: Speed 8 (500 mph) (Feats: Dynamic) (9)
Movement 1 (Space Travel 1) [2]

Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Tactile TK Strength +9 (+13 Damage, DC 28)
Explosive Force +7 (+8 Ranged Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +8

Defenses:
Dodge +9 (DC 19), Parry +9 (DC 19), Toughness +13 (+5 Impervious), Fortitude +7, Will +6

Complications:
Secret (Conner Kent)
Power Loss (Invulnerability vs. Energy)- Energy Attacks are a little bit more powerful against Superboy than physical ones.
Power Loss/Vulnerable (Kryptonite)- Superboy will lose all of his powers, and soon begin to die, if exposed to Kryptonite, the element of his dead homeworld.
Power Loss/Vulnerable (Magic)- Magic has a vague effect on Superboy- sometimes he's so vulnerable to it that a werewolf or something can hurt him- at other times, it just hurts a bit more than regular attacks would.
Power Loss (X-Ray Vision)- Kryptonian X-Ray Vision cannot penetrate lead.

Total: Abilities: 52 / Skills: 22--11 / Advantages: 12 / Powers: 80 / Defenses: 14 (169)

-The "Tactile Telekinesis" version of Superboy actually has a more interesting set of powers with some unique stunts- basically being like a Geokinetic... but with stuff other than rocks. Like, shaping it and stuff like that is not the typical feat of a TK user, y'know? He did briefly wear a set of Super-Goggles that allowed him Heat Vision, Telescopic Vision, and X-Ray Vision, but he soon dropped them after fearing they would fall into the wrong hands. And also because "Goggles as a Super-Hero Costume" VERY badly became dated.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:18 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Osiris (Amon Tomaz)

Post by Davies »

Jabroniville wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 12:54 pm
OSIRIS III (Amon Tomaz)

<snip>

Involuntary Transformation ("Black Adam!")- Amon Tomaz must say the magic phrase to transform into Osiris. Similarly, he will transform back if he says it again. This is not always a good thing, considering that the words are PART OF HIS CODENAME.
Umm?
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Re: Superboy (Conner)

Post by RUSCHE »

Jabroniville wrote: Wed Feb 06, 2019 12:36 am Image

SUPERBOY II (Kon-El, aka Conner Kent, "Superman")
Created By:
Karl Kesel & Tom Grummett
First Appearance: The Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993)
Role: Younger Version (of Superman), "Super-Cool" Teen, Angsty Teen (Despite Having it TOTALLY GREAT!)
Group Affiliations: The Teen Titans, Young Justice
PL 12 (264)
STRENGTH
15 STAMINA 14 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 9 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Aerobatics 4 (+8)
Deception 4 (+7)
Intimidation 4 (+7)
Investigation 2 (+3)
Perception 6 (+7)
Persuasion 2 (+5)
Ranged Combat (Heat Vision/Freeze Breath) 2 (+9)

Advantages:
Diehard, Fast Grab, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Improved Initiative, Interpose, Move-By Action, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 3, Takedown, Teamwork, Withstand Damage (Trade Defenses For Toughness)

Powers:
"More Powerful Than a Speeding Locomotive" Power-Lifting 4 (12,000 tons) [4]
"The Man of Steel" Protection 1 (Extras: Impervious 13) [14]
Immunity 11 (Life Support, Aging) [11]

"Heat Beam" Damage 12 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Line +2) (36) -- [41]
  • AE: "Heat Vision" Blast 12 (Feats: Extended Reach 2) (26)
  • AE: "Freeze Breath" Affliction 11 (Strength; Hindered & Vulnerable/Stunned & Defenseless/Paralyzed) (Extras: Ranged, Extra Condition) (33)
  • AE: "Freeze Cone" Affliction 11 (Strength; Hindered & Vulnerable/Stunned & Defenseless/Paralyzed) (Extras: Area- 60ft. Cone, Extra Condition) (33)
  • AE: "Ground Pound" Affliction 12 (Strength/Athletics; Hindered & Vulnerable/Stunned & Defenseless) (Extras: Area- 120ft. Burst +3, Extra Condition) (Flaws: Limited Degree, Both Must Be Grounded, Instant Recovery) (24)
  • AE: "Super-Breath" Affliction 12 (Strength/Athletics; Hindered & Vulnerable/Stunned & Defenseless) (Extras: Area- 60ft. Cone +2, Extra Condition) (Flaws: Limited Degree, Both Must Be Grounded, Instant Recovery) Linked to Move Object 9 (Extras: Area- 60ft. Cone) (Flaws: Touch Range) (15)
"Faster Than a Speeding Bullet"
Flight 15 (50,000 mph) (Feats: Dynamic) (31) -- [35]
  • Dynamic AE: Quickness 10 (Feats: Dynamic) (11)
[*]Dynamic AE: Speed 11 (1,000 mph) (Feats: Dynamic) (16)
Movement 1 (Space Travel 1) [2]

Senses 19 (Extended Vision & Hearing 3, Analytical, Infra, Ultra & Microvision 4, Vision Penetrates Concealment, Ultra-Hearing) [19]

Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+15 Damage, DC 30)
Heat Vision +9 (+12 Ranged Damage, DC 27)
Heat Beam +12 Area (+12 Damage, DC 27)
Freeze Breath +9 (+11 Ranged Affliction, DC 21)
Freeze Cone/Ground Pound +12 Area (+12 Affliction, DC 22)
Initiative +8

Defenses:
Dodge +9 (DC 19), Parry +9 (DC 19), Toughness +15 (+7 Impervious), Fortitude +14, Will +8

Complications:
Secret (Conner Kent)
Power Loss/Vulnerable (Kryptonite)- Superboy will lose all of his powers, and soon begin to die, if exposed to Kryptonite, the element of his dead homeworld.
Power Loss/Vulnerable (Red Sun Radiation)- Earth's Yellow Sun empowers Superboy- without it, he will soon lose his powers. Red Sun-based energies will do much more damage to him. Typically, Brainiac-5 will give him some kind of protection against this weakness.
Power Loss/Vulnerable (Magic)- Magic has a vague effect on Superboy- sometimes he's so vulnerable to it that a werewolf or something can hurt him- at other times, it just hurts a bit more than regular attacks would.
Power Loss (X-Ray Vision)- Kryptonian X-Ray Vision cannot penetrate lead.
Relationship (Cassie Sandsmark- Wonder Girl)- Conner & Cassie have loved each other for years, but are nearly always separate.

Total: Abilities: 100 / Skills: 24--12 / Advantages: 14 / Powers: 126 / Defenses: 12 (264)

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH:
-Okay, just being honest here- I DESPISE this character. He is absolutely on my Top Ten Most Hated characters. He's not SENTRY bad, but he's awful to me. This guy went from the biggest embodiment of what "Uncool Establishment Figures" thought cool teens acted like into the most inappropriately-emo character of all time. Seriously, every Titans issue I read features this dude going all up his own ass with angst, all "BLOO BLOO BLOO!! I HATE MY LIFE SOOOOOOOOO MUCH! I'M SO ANGSTY AND MISERABLE, WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" when he looks like every High School Quarterback ever rolled into one, is handsome, has some of the best super-powers on Earth, tons of cool friends, wears skintight regular clothes instead of a superhero costume, and has a hot girlfriend. I mean, that "poor me" shit works on an introverted, formerly-picked-on dweeb like Peter Parker, who also has REAL PROBLEMS. Prince Zuko's non-stop angst in Avatar also came from a lifetime of verbal and physical abuse from his own father, and a desperate need to prove himself. THIS little bitch reveling in teen angst came off as the stupidest thing ever. He was also in a book called Superboy and the Ravers, which alone is reason enough to hate him.

Superboy- Way Kool '90s Kid Personified:
-The new version of Superboy (who did not exist in the Post-Crisis Universe, except that Pocket Universe one they made because they cocked up the Legion of Super-Heroes continuity without one inspiring them) was created during the Reign of Supermen mega-arc that showcased the Supes-related books during the time when he was dead. He was a genetic clone created in a lab at Project Cadmus, deliberately given Superman-like powers via "Tactile Telekinesis", their closest approximation of Kryptonian abilities (since this was the "well we're TRYING to explain stuff scientifically" era, they're adding stuff like "there's a thin electro-magnetic layer around Superman, which is why he can lift stuff that would otherwise break apart around him, and why his costume never gets wrecked!", which was pseudo-science and kind of dumb... but the '90s was full of that kind of "how it would REALLY work" stuff). Cadmus, of course, super-aged the clone and gave him implanted memories, and wanted him to think he WAS Superman, but he was released too early, popping up as a teenage "Superboy".

-Insisting on being called "Superman" at first, this clone was part of the Reign of Supermen, which included Eradicator, Cyborg Superman (whom I thought was the real-deal, because he WAS SO BAD-ASS, yo), Steel and the real deal- the issue was who was the "true" Superman or successor. The real thing soon returned, and this one, as one of the non-villains (Eradicator & Cyborg turned out to be bad), he was given his own book. I read a few of them back in the day, and HATED them- it was another sure sign to me of DC's inferiority to Marvel (which at the time was producing few classics, but *I* liked them well enough), because he was this over-the-top "Cool Kid" stereotype, acting like a fun-loving smart-mouthed teen using the dorkiest dialogue and behavior ever from writers probably twenty years older. I still remember Tana Moon being all shocked when she realizes what he's wearing on his head, covers up all "oh no", and he's all "OH YEAH!! X-RAY SPECS!" Basically, he acted like a stereotype of what an old man thought young kids talked like, and thought was cool. His "fade" haircut, the AWFUL leather jacket, his earring, and more, all contributed to make him look like the Douchiest Douchelord in the Douche Universe.

Superboy Moves On:
-Superboy would tearfully be given the honorific Kryptonian name "Kon-El" by Superman, who considered the boy part of his family, and he'd stay with the Kents for a time. He also joined Young Justice, a proto-team of kids too young for the Teen Titans. His female love interest from his own book, Tana, would be killed at some point, with more focus being on Wonder Girl, who'd liked him while he was clueless to her feelings. Eventually, he joined the reformed Teen Titans along with Wonder Girl, Robin (his friend from Young Justice), Impulse (now Kid Flash) and a few established, older Titans. Here, infamously, would be when Geoff Johns took over, and he changed Superboy's origin. As others have pointed out, a very young, teenage Geoff Johns once wrote in to a Superboy Letters Page, suggesting that Superboy be the clone of Superman AND Lex Luthor, in a "wouldn't it be COOL?" kind of way. He was politely rebuffed by the DC Editors, and things went on as normal. Well this would be a whole lot funnier later on, when Johns was THE king of the DC Universe, and of course made that exact origin story the official Retcon of Conner's existence.

-Superboy (now looking like a giant ass in his tight jeans & tight black t-shirt with an "S" logo on it), horrified and angst-ridden at the revelation, starts gaining real Kryptonian powers, including Heat Vision and the like. Pretty much every issue became an "OH WOE IS ME!" bit of angst, which as I've stated, was ridiculous- most Marvel characters can pull this off because they have legitimate problems- they're hideous, hated, experience prejudice, etc. Superboy had a ton of friends, a hot girlfriend, and looked extremely handsome and muscular. WHAT THE F*CK WERE HIS PROBLEMS? He shaved his head and went a bit nuts for a time, but recovered in time to consummate his relationship with Cassie (Wonder Girl). However, he was then killed during Infinite Crisis, laying down his life to stop Superboy-Prime.

The Return of Superboy:
-A later book features the return of both Superboy and Kid Flash- ironically, it was a Legion of Super-Heroes book that resurrected both of them, which is a bit... incongruous. I mean, the Titans weren't even really a part of that story! Conner had been placed in a "Kryptonian Healing Chrysalis" for 1000 years, allowing him to be healed in the time of the Legion. He & Kid Flash are instrumental to beating Superboy-Prime this time around. The character's resurrection didn't last too long, however, as DC Continuity was restarted by the "New 52" shortly after he got his own solo book again- he was still there, as a "genetic anomaly" thing, and he showed up again in the "DC Rebirth". In an era with Superman having his own super-powered son named Superboy, Conner was a bit superfluous, so he was kind of more of a side character.

Superboy's Stats:
-Superboy is an incredibly-powerful hero, and would stand out as really strong on, say, The Avengers or Teen Titans, but is a small fry compared to the upper-tier DC characters. At this stage in the game, he takes Kryptonian Powers and scales them down to PL 12.

SUPERBOY II (Kon-El, aka Conner Kent, "Superman")- 1990s Version
Created By:
Karl Kesel & Tom Grummett
First Appearance: The Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993)
Role: Younger Version (of Superman), "Super-Cool" Teen, Angsty Teen (Despite Having it TOTALLY GREAT!)
Group Affiliations: The Teen Titans, Young Justice
PL 11 (169)
STRENGTH
2/13 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 9 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Aerobatics 4 (+8)
Deception 4 (+7)
Intimidation 4 (+7)
Investigation 2 (+3)
Perception 6 (+7)
Persuasion 2 (+5)

Advantages:
Fast Grab, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Improved Initiative, Interpose, Move-By Action, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 3, Takedown, Teamwork

Powers:
"Tactile Telekinesis"
Enhanced Strength 11 [22]
Power-Lifting 2 (800 tons) [2]
Force Field 10 (Extras: Impervious 9) [19]
"Air Pocket" Immunity 2 (Suffocation) (Flaws: Limited Time) [1]

"Manipulate Objects" Transform 4 (Any Object Into Different Shapes) (8) -- [10]
  • AE: "Extend Field to Another" Force Field +0 (Extras: Affects Others 8) (8)
  • AE: "Give Explosive Force" Blast 8 (Flaws: Source- Particulates) (Diminished Range -1) (7)
"Faster Than a Speeding Bullet"
Flight 10 (2,000 mph) (Feats: Dynamic) (21) -- [24]
  • Dynamic AE: Quickness 6 (Feats: Dynamic) (7)
  • Dynamic AE: Speed 8 (500 mph) (Feats: Dynamic) (9)
Movement 1 (Space Travel 1) [2]

Offense:
Unarmed +9 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Tactile TK Strength +9 (+13 Damage, DC 28)
Explosive Force +7 (+8 Ranged Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +8

Defenses:
Dodge +9 (DC 19), Parry +9 (DC 19), Toughness +13 (+5 Impervious), Fortitude +7, Will +6

Complications:
Secret (Conner Kent)
Power Loss (Invulnerability vs. Energy)- Energy Attacks are a little bit more powerful against Superboy than physical ones.
Power Loss/Vulnerable (Kryptonite)- Superboy will lose all of his powers, and soon begin to die, if exposed to Kryptonite, the element of his dead homeworld.
Power Loss/Vulnerable (Magic)- Magic has a vague effect on Superboy- sometimes he's so vulnerable to it that a werewolf or something can hurt him- at other times, it just hurts a bit more than regular attacks would.
Power Loss (X-Ray Vision)- Kryptonian X-Ray Vision cannot penetrate lead.

Total: Abilities: 52 / Skills: 22--11 / Advantages: 12 / Powers: 80 / Defenses: 14 (169)

-The "Tactile Telekinesis" version of Superboy actually has a more interesting set of powers with some unique stunts- basically being like a Geokinetic... but with stuff other than rocks. Like, shaping it and stuff like that is not the typical feat of a TK user, y'know? He did briefly wear a set of Super-Goggles that allowed him Heat Vision, Telescopic Vision, and X-Ray Vision, but he soon dropped them after fearing they would fall into the wrong hands. And also because "Goggles as a Super-Hero Costume" VERY badly became dated.
I liked the idea of Superboy and his Tactile Telekinesis powers, could not stand him when he first was introduced . He came off as you stated, at horrible , cocky jerk. The idea that he had it great due to his appearance and powers does come off as shallow. I think DC could have done a better job of playing up to him filling a impossible set of shoes in Superman. They could have had him checked by some other heroes or individuals as HOW good he has it compared to others and to try and see past his supposedly hard life. The pain of finding out part of you is a evil genius billionaire shield be tempered by HELL I have the greatest superheroes Blood running through my veins!
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Re: Jab’s Builds (Trigon the Terrible! Tim Drake! The Secret! Wonder Girl!)

Post by catsi563 »

the YJ show actually handled the whole angsty superboy better imo by making him basically a day 1 clone who had to find his place in the world and who was for the moment effectively rejected by his ""father"" superman, only to find out later that Lex Luthor is his other father so now hes got two enemies as paternal contributors and worse because of the human contribution hell never be as strong or as powerful as the real superman, barring a major miracle of science or genetics.

the new season even plays on this angst a bit by having him be the mature one who has to control his anger and teach the new hot head about patience and not flying off the handle.
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Re: Osiris (Amon Tomaz)

Post by Jabroniville »

Davies wrote: Wed Feb 06, 2019 12:55 am
Jabroniville wrote: Tue Feb 05, 2019 12:54 pm
OSIRIS III (Amon Tomaz)

<snip>

Involuntary Transformation ("Black Adam!")- Amon Tomaz must say the magic phrase to transform into Osiris. Similarly, he will transform back if he says it again. This is not always a good thing, considering that the words are PART OF HIS CODENAME.
Umm?
Forgot to edit that from Freddy Freeman’s bio, I think.
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Tana Moon

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

I hate Superboy so, SO much.

TANA MOON
Role:
The Hero's Girlfriend

-Tana Moon was the main love interest of Superboy pre-2003, but is more of a relic of the 1990s version of the character. She was a reporter who was scooped up by Superboy, who then bragged to her and got her to be his personal "advertiser", as she would do reports on only him while he showed off. There was a big "will they; won't they" thing, since she was older and more mature, while he was an immature braggart who just wanted to bone her. It's said that they had some true love... but she would frequently leave his life (ie. the writers would switch), wanting to not just be a "Superboy Reporter". A friend, Roxy, would also fall for Superboy, but would soon step aside. Tana was thereafter Refrigeratored by writers who figured the character's use had run out- she was electrocuted by Amanda Spence- whom she'd accidentally given confidential information years before. In a classic "Refridgeration", her death was mainly used to affect Superboy, who "lost his innocence" that day, becoming a more adult person.

-Kind of too bad- she was pretty and exotic in a way that was REALLY popular in the 1990s- I remember guys loving Jessica Alba on Flipper back then, and Tia Carrere & Kiana Tom were popular for the same reason. Being vaguely-ethnic (dark skin and Asian ancestry) was seriously popular, which might be why the character looks so dated to me now. That said... all my memories of her were of Superboy sexually-harrassing her and being a total "Dudebro" with her, so them being "truly in love" later comes off weird.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Jab’s Builds (Tim Drake! The Secret! Wonder Girl! Superboy!)

Post by Ares »

Heh, Conner/Kon-El was one of my younger brother's favorite characters, and I honestly liked character as well. Karl Kessel and Tom Grummet clearly were having a lot of fun with the character, and their run on the book had an interesting feel to it. In a lot of ways it reminded me of late 70s/early 80s Marvel, with a steadily expanding supporting cast, some fun and unique villain designs, many of which were sympathetic, some of which were outright monsters, and they came up with a lot of unique uses for his Tactile Telekinesis. It's the kind of energy and art I'd have wanted for a Captain Marvel series.

Superboy himself as a person made sense to me, and felt somewhat genuine as a teenage hero. His whole deal was that he was a clone grown over a few days/weeks (Superman died and came back over the space of a month or two in-universe) and speed fed information to keep him up to date. He was broken out by the cloned Newsboy Legion because they didn't like the idea of them turning Superboy into a weapon. So he's got all of the information of a teenager, but none of the life experiences or emotional maturity that even normal teenagers have. The only things he did know for certain was that he had superpowers and he was destined to be Superman's replacement. You give that kind of power to a teenager, and then tell him he's destined to become the world's greatest hero, and of course he's going to be extremely cocky and full of himself.

The nice thing about the Reign of the Supermen/Return of Superman arc is that we actually got to see Superboy grow as a character. He gets some humility slapped into him fairly quickly, especially after encountering the much more noble hero, Steel. He makes a few boneheaded decisions that he clearly regrets, and then is the second Superman to get attacked by the Cyborg Superman. The Cyborg actually brutally slaughters a helicopter full of people that Superboy had promised to protect, and that failure clearly hits him hard. As does the beating the Cyborg gives him. When Superboy manages to escape, he shows some character growth and decides to actually go get help, specifically noting he can't grandstand here. And he gets an awesome moment later when he saves Metropolis on his own by turning a massive city destroying missile away.

What really hit him hard was learning that he wasn't a clone of Superman, but human DNA spliced with what little Cadmus could figure out about Kryptonian DNA. Superboy was powered by yellow sunlight and affected by Kryptonite, but they had to basically map Superman's own psychokinetic field onto human DNA and ramp up the power in order to mimic many of Superman's powers.

And that right there was a genuine reason for Superboy to angst, and set up his major character development from that point on. Yes, he's good looking and powerful. But he's also someone with no parents, no family and the only thing that gave his life purpose was knowing who he was cloned from and what he would grow up to be. His whole identity was wrapped around "I'm Superman's clone, and one day I'm going to replace him". It was really the only thing he really owned.

Something most teenagers and even a lot of adults struggle with is a sense of identity, and it's especially true for adopted children. There's all these mental issues about wondering who you are, where you come from, etc. It's also one reason why very wealthy kids sometimes rebel against their parents and act out, especially if the parents are distant and not really a part of their lives. Their lives are constantly overshadowed by people who everyone knows but who aren't a part of their lives, so they often do anything to either get attention or to do something they feel they can actually own themselves. Now, there are people who are in far, far, far worse situations than these kids, but they're teenagers. They often don't have the maturity to realize that, and it doesn't make their pain any less real to them.

So having that rug pulled out from under him is indeed something that Superboy could legitimately angst about, and it also set up his main character arc. After finding out what he wasn't, Superboy's big quest was a quest for identity. He left Metropolis to become a hero in Hawaii on his own terms, to really get his own experiences, to build a life for himself. And he actually didn't angst all that much, all things considering. Much like Changeling, he tried to use humor, a cocky attitude and his love of ladies as a cover for his insecurities, his uncertainties and his general loneliness. For all his supposed popularity, the kid basically only had five people in his life, at least until he started to develop more of a supporting cast.

Overall his original run was a lot of fun, at least until the Sins of Youth storyline hit, where Superboy lost a girlfriend, followed by his original creative team. Joe Kelly's run on the book was pretty lackluster, and it was made worse when someone else took over and made Superboy the "super" of an apartment building. His series pretty much petered out and died then.

Then came Geoff Johns, and man who either really gets a character or he does not. There's no middle ground. And he really didn't get Superboy. See, even as a young comic fan, Johns never liked the idea that Superboy wasn't somehow a clone of Superman. He even got a fan letter into the book talking about how something that made more sense would be if Lex Luthor had arranged for the Superman clone, and spliced his and Clark's DNA together. And sure enough, when Johns gets control of the book, he retcons Superboy into being a clone of Lex and Supes, even though in the original storyline, Lex was completely baffled by the appearance of a Superman clone.

See, the problem here was that Superboy's whole solo run had been on developing his own identity, and the reveal that his human doner had been Director Westfield of Cadmus was suppose to be the final time Superboy would really dwell on his status as a clone. He had come to the decision that it didn't matter who he had been cloned from: he'd been given power, he'd been given a name by a man he respected (Superman), he had friends, loved ones, etc. He had grown to the point where he was angsting less and had actual character development.

By making Superboy a clone of Lex Luthor and Superman, Johns brought back ALL of the previous angst about being a clone and dialed it to 11. And this is what broke the character, IMO. Because instead of trying to really become his own character, Johns made Conner angst and obsess over his cloned daddies, undoing all of that previous character development and missing the point of the hero. The Kessel/Grummet Superboy was about figuring out who you were by living life, learning from your mistakes and not being held down by your origins. Johns' Superboy was obsessed about his origins and became an emo-punktard because of them.

Johns also downplayd Superboy's tactile telekinesis, to the point that it basically vanished from the character, instead just making him a mini-Superman. He also gave him the "clothes as costume" look of jeans and a t-shirt.

So basically we went from a Spider-Man like "being funny while learning from my mistakes" hero to Zuko before the character development.

So yeah, I actually liked classic Kon-El Superboy, and hated what they turned him into.
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Re: Tana Moon

Post by Davies »

Jabroniville wrote: Wed Feb 06, 2019 4:23 amTana was thereafter Refrigeratored by writers who figured the character's use had run out- she was electrocuted by Amanda Spence- whom she'd accidentally given confidential information years before. In a classic "Refridgeration", her death was mainly used to affect Superboy, who "lost his innocence" that day, becoming a more adult person.
Ironic and unfortunate, given that the way that the character died was an almost perfect set-up for her to be brought back quite easily. (She was reintroduced after having been taken captive and then promptly killed, leaving lots of room open for Spence to have, in sadistic irony, cloned Tana, hidden the original somewhere, and then murdered the clone to screw with Superboy's head.)

Anyway, for stats, you can pretty much just use whatever stats you're using for Lois Lane, dropped a few ranks.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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