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

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
Shock
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Avengers! Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra!)

Post by Shock »

I like how creation of an underground sun is just a casual aside.
Jabroniville
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Avengers! Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra!)

Post by Jabroniville »

kreuzritter wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 11:48 am re: Wonder Man, he really only ever comes to mind for me when I recall the forum Jab, Ares and I first met, where we had this pretentious douchebag who was a huge WM mark, before getting repeatedly banned for being an out-and-out Nazi
That was KK, right? He was one of the big "LOL racism is funny!" posters and a huge troll. He was always trying to get into the movie business, so he had some fascination with Simon's book.
also, the aforementioned page of Simon's lot in life
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Hahaha, YES!!! I was looking for that one on ComicVine but didn't see it. I remember you called it "the most epically derp'd DO-DEE-DO-DO walking sequence" and it's stuck with me for years ever since I first saw it.
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Scots Dragon
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Avengers! Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra!)

Post by Scots Dragon »

Jabroniville wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 8:30 pm
kreuzritter wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 11:48 am re: Wonder Man, he really only ever comes to mind for me when I recall the forum Jab, Ares and I first met, where we had this pretentious douchebag who was a huge WM mark, before getting repeatedly banned for being an out-and-out Nazi
That was KK, right? He was one of the big "LOL racism is funny!" posters and a huge troll. He was always trying to get into the movie business, so he had some fascination with Simon's book.
It always perplexes me when racists get into superhero comics. And even more when those same racists act like comics having anti-racist themes is recent 'Jewish infiltration'.

Nobody tell them about Captain America and the creators of Superman, I suppose.

For context, I was looking for a decent image of the Golden Age Superman fighting Nazis for a build on the old Atomic Think Tank when I stumbled on literal actual Stormfront complaining about Jewish influence on comic books. Weirdest thing I've ever stumbled on
Last edited by Scots Dragon on Sun May 31, 2020 8:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Formerly known as Narsil on the ATT and Ronin Army forums.
Jabroniville
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Swordsman (Duquesne)

Post by Jabroniville »

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SWORDSMAN I (Jacques Duquesne)
Created By:
Stan Lee & Don Heck
First Appearance: The Avengers #19 (Aug. 1965)
Role: The Mole, The Old Mentor, Melee Fighter
Group Affiliations: The Avengers, The Lethal Legion, The Emissaries of Evil
Avengers Grade: D-Level
PL 10 (135)
STRENGTH
3 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 11 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Acrobatics 5 (+10)
Athletics 4 (+7)
Close Combat (Sword) 3 (+14)
Deception 5 (+8)
Expertise (Criminal) 6 (+8)
Insight 3 (+5)
Intimidation 3 (+6)
Investigation 2 (+4)
Perception 4 (+6)
Persuasion 4 (+7)
Ranged Combat (Sword Blaster) 8 (+10)
Stealth 3 (+8)

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Agile Feint, Assessment, Defensive Roll, Evasion, Improved Critical (Sword) 2, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Smash, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Ranged Attack 2, Takedown

Powers:
"Makluan Sword" (Flaws: Easily Removable -2) [20]
"Disintegration Ray" Blast 8 Linked to Weaken Toughness 4 (Extras: Ranged, Affects Objects) (28) -- (33 points)
  • AE: "Sword Slash" Strength-Damage +3 (Feats: Improved Critical) (Extras: Penetrating 4) (8)
  • AE: "Concussive Force Beam" Blast 8 (16)
  • AE: "Jet of Flame" Damage 8 (Feats: Reach 4) (12)
  • AE: "Lightning Bolt" Damage 8 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Line) (16)
  • AE: "Nerve Gas" Affliction 7 (Fort; Dazed & Fatigued/Stunned & Defenseless/Paralyzed) (Extras: Area- 30ft. Cloud, Cumulative, Extra Condition) (28)
Offense:
Unarmed +11 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Sword Slash +13 (+6 Damage, DC 21)
Disintegration Ray +10 (+8 Ranged Damage & +4 Weaken, DC 23 & 14)
Force Beam +10 (+8 Ranged Damage, DC 23)
Flame Jet +13 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Lightning Bolt +8 Area (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Nerve Gas +7 Area (+7 Affliction, DC 17)
Initiative +9

Defenses:
Dodge +11 (DC 21), Parry +12 (DC 22), Toughness +4 (+5 D.Roll), Fortitude +8, Will +5

Complications:
Reputation (Criminal)- The Swordsman tries to reform, but is believed to be bad by a great many heroes.
Relationship (Mantis)

Total: Abilities: 60 / Skills: 48--24 / Advantages: 16 / Powers: 20 / Defenses: 14 (135)

-Swordsman's a bit weird in that he only briefly joined the Avengers, and on two separate occasions. He did the "join the team, only to betray them" bit, only years before Terra did in Teen Titans (though it was one of those quickie bits solved in an issue or two, and you knew about the betrayal before he joined up), but changed his mind at the last second to save the team. Oddly, he didn't DIE as a result of his change of heart, which was common among Stan's reformed villains. He reappeared periodically after that, typically acting as a mercenary (working for the Mandarin, the Red Skull, Batroc, Egghead, and others), until joining the team as a hero in Avengers #100 in 1972.

-Then, Jacques Duquesne's full backstory was revealed- he'd been a swashbuckling Communist rebel against French rule in Siancong, as unlike most Frenchmen there, he wasn't prejudiced against the natives. However, when his own father was killed by rebel leader Wong Chu, he became "devastated and disillusioned", leaving Siancong to find adventure elsewhere, and became a travelling drunk and gambler. Along the way, he'd taken a young Clint Barton under his wing, teaching him how to use bladed weapons, but nearly killed the boy when he tried to turn Jacques over to the police. This led to a broken Jacques becoming a supervillain.

-Finally, he honestly reformed out of love for Mantis, and joined the Avengers properly. He followed Mantis around like a sad puppy, even putting up with her ignoring him in favor of the Vision, and was humiliated when Kang captured the whole team but left Swordsman behind, blowing him off as "worthless". This was in the Celestial Madonna arc- which serves as proof that Marvel's creators were on psychedelic drugs at the time. Determined to prove himself, Jacques teamed up with his old enemy Hawkeye to save the world- when Kang decided that the Celestial Madonna would be his or no one's, he decided to execute Mantis when the Avengers defeated him; Jacques leapt in the way of the blast, dying to save her. Finally realizing she'd loved him after all (WOMEN, AMIRITE?), Mantis pledged her love to the dying man, who had his spirit placed into the body of a Space Plant, which then boned Mantis to produce the future "Celestial Messiah". So Jacques got a hero's death AND a kind of happy ending.

-Englehart, however, was more determined to use his beloved Mantis than the sad-sack Swordsman. After another story, the Cotati-Possessed Swordsman crumbled to dust. History has kind of slighted him, in that he's mostly forgotten, and has had his name taken by dozens of scrubs over the years (including an alternate-universe version in the '90s, and Andreas Von Strucker of the Fenris Twins later on), but he still gets some props for being "The Greatest Swordsman Ever", and did a heroic turn as one of the "Dead Avengers" in during the "Chaos War". Lately, a female "Swordswoman" has appeared as a member of Euroforce, claiming to be the illegitimate daughter of Jacques.

-At PL 10 (135), the Swordsman under-pointed, but few are better with their chosen weapon. That sucker can blast various types of energy, fire out nerve gas (loooove Affliction still), and is a regularly effective sword at the same time. He crits on anything from 17-20, has +14 to Attack with his chosen weapon, and is damn hard to hit as well. He does quite a bit of damage, and has a really good set of Advantages to play off of his talent. Despite being under-pointed, he's a threat to nearly anyone in the PL 10 class short of the major Powerhouses.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Thu Aug 04, 2022 5:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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KorokoMystia
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra! Swordsman!)

Post by KorokoMystia »

I do like how it's Swordsman's mentoring of Hawkeye that explains his melee skills (like during his Ronin runs), despite Hawkeye generally being more focused around the bow. It might be interesting if Hawkeye carried around a sword (or smaller blade) for situations that he gets disarmed of his bow or an enemy gets too close.
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Davies
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra! Swordsman!)

Post by Davies »

Just a couple of continuity notes -- the Swordsman's backstory wasn't revealed until around fifteen years after his death, in an issue of Avengers Spotlight. It also tied him to the Musketeer, a WWI-era superhero mentioned in The Invaders.
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Goldar
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra! Swordsman!)

Post by Goldar »

What is the Mak'luan Sword?

Is it extra-terrestrial?

Who gave it to Swordsman, or did he take it?

How/why does his sword shoot fire, lightning, gas, disintegration rays? Makes me think the Mandarin had something to do with it.
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KorokoMystia
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra! Swordsman!)

Post by KorokoMystia »

Goldar wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 10:24 pm What is the Mak'luan Sword?

Is it extra-terrestrial?

Who gave it to Swordsman, or did he take it?

How/why does his sword shoot fire, lightning, gas, disintegration rays? Makes me think the Mandarin had something to do with it.
The Makluans are the aliens who made the Mandarin's rings, aren't they? (Fin Fang Foom is also a Makluan) That would explain some of it.
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Goldar
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra! Swordsman!)

Post by Goldar »

KorokoMystia wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 10:29 pm
Goldar wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 10:24 pm What is the Mak'luan Sword?

Is it extra-terrestrial?

Who gave it to Swordsman, or did he take it?

How/why does his sword shoot fire, lightning, gas, disintegration rays? Makes me think the Mandarin had something to do with it.
The Makluans are the aliens who made the Mandarin's rings, aren't they? (Fin Fang Foom is also a Makluan) That would explain some of it.
Ah so. Thank you.

Those powers reminded me of the Mandarin rings and now with your info, it makes sense.

But, did we ever see Swordsy and Mandy working together?
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KorokoMystia
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra! Swordsman!)

Post by KorokoMystia »

Goldar wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 10:31 pm
Ah so. Thank you.

Those powers reminded me of the Mandarin rings and now with your info, it makes sense.

But, did we ever see Swordsy and Mandy working together?
Yeah, apparently the Mandarin was the one who outfitted his sword and set up Swordsman as a double agent.
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kreuzritter
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Avengers! Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra!)

Post by kreuzritter »

Jabroniville wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 8:30 pm
kreuzritter wrote: Sun May 31, 2020 11:48 am re: Wonder Man, he really only ever comes to mind for me when I recall the forum Jab, Ares and I first met, where we had this pretentious douchebag who was a huge WM mark, before getting repeatedly banned for being an out-and-out Nazi
That was KK, right? He was one of the big "LOL racism is funny!" posters and a huge troll. He was always trying to get into the movie business, so he had some fascination with Simon's book.
Kameha King, yeah. he and his clique are a big reason I stopped going to HC before Xerxes and the other mods actually made good on cleaning house
Jabroniville
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Swordsman (Newbie)

Post by Jabroniville »

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SWORDSMAN IV (Real Name Unknown)
Created By:
Mark Waid & Chris Samnee
First Appearance: Captain America #696 (Feb. 2018)
Role: Legacy Villain, Sword-Fighter

-An unknown "Swordsman" appeared in a recent Captain America issue, threatening a small town in Georgia when he mistakenly thought a travelling Captain America was targetting him. Threatening the down's dam, he fought Cap and set it to open- Cap swiftly knocked him out and saved the day. This guy is apparently a pretty good swordfighter, with a Vibranium blade that can "absorb shocks".
Jabroniville
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra! Swordsman!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Swordsman is annoying in that his successor characters are often best dealt with elsewhere, lol. Swordsman II will be posted with Proctor's "Gatherers", and I already posted Swordsman III here: The Fenris Twins (Swordsman IV)
Jabroniville
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Swordswoman

Post by Jabroniville »

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SWORDSWOMAN (Adelynn Duquesne)
Created By:
Nick Spencer & Marco Checchetto
First Appearance: Avengers World #8 (Aug. 2014)
Role: Legacy Hero, Sword-Fighter

-One of the more underrated books of the 2010-20 era was Avengers World, which was largely "filler", but kind of entertaining in the "heroes getting into fights" sense, as it was rarely as up it's own ass as many comics are these days. It featured a lot of International Super-Teams popping up and getting into rumbles with bad guys, but as is usual these days, most of the characters ended up being just "Name + Look" with little of their fighting capability or powers seen.

-Adelynn here claims to be the illegitimate daughter of Jacques "Swordsman" Duquesne, and is a skilled swordswoman, taking the legacy for herself. She joined the Black Knight's new "Euroforce" team, fighting Spider-Woman until Black Knight broke it up, turning both heroines against Morgan Le Fay's army of the dead in Italy.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Thu Aug 04, 2022 5:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Ares
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Re: Jab’s Builds! (Wonder Man! Grim Reaper! Tigra! Swordsman!)

Post by Ares »

It's kind of a shame about Swordsman, because that's such a good superhero codename, and I'm always a fan of weapon users like that. If anything, I'd love if guys like Swordsman or the Black Knight would go up against guys like the Silver Samurai and showcase that Western swordsman who attain enough skill to parry bullets and energy beams can do just as well against Eastern swordsmen.

I'd love to see a good heroic Swordsman get another good push. It was weird as heck when one of the Fenris kids took up that mantle.
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- Captain Marvel SHAZAM! : Power of Hope (2000)

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