Jab’s Builds! (Lawnmower Man! Samus Aran! Metroids!)

[Doc chaos]

Mr. Sinister is over the top in the 10 of Swords crossover. When and how did he get so flamboyant and wacky?
I love when your builds are synchronized with the comic books. Not even on purpose!

[Ares]

Mr. Sinister is over the top in the 10 of Swords crossover. When and how did he get so flamboyant and wacky?

If the writer is following the Bendis/Millar school of writing, then it doesn't matter what personality the character is supposed to have, they have whatever personality best suits the story. Character consistency is so last century.

[Hoid]

Mr. Sinister is over the top in the 10 of Swords crossover. When and how did he get so flamboyant and wacky?
I love when your builds are synchronized with the comic books. Not even on purpose!

Superboy-Prime punched time. Obviously.

[Doc chaos]

Here's something I noticed in Immortal Hulk 40. The Gamma Flight soldiers are wearing NFL Superpro uniforms! Deep cut.

[catsi563]

As for the origin, his past did get stupid convoluted, but a more simplified version of his origin wouldn't be that bad. He's a Victorian era scientist who became obsessed with genetic mutation, possibly after an encounter with Apocalypse. I'd actually have him stumble across one of Apocalypse' labs/chambers (I imagine millenia year old villains with advanced science have dozens of these these places all over the world) and Essex was just smart enough to figure out how to use some of the tech to enhance himself, making him a kind of mini-Apocalypse, as well as being functionally immortal. Mr. Sinister then sets about furthering his knowledge of genetic manipulation, possibly working with other guys like the High Evolutionary over the years. He never actually worked WITH Apocalypses because he considers Apocalypse a caveman playing with science he doesn't understand, beating his chest and focusing on physical strength while Sinister focuses on pure science.

This was sosmething i always thought Sinister shoudl be as well. the man who would be king the human who would be mutant, a scientist ahead of his time who saw the mutant race coming but subverts the prohuman trope by being obscessed with mutants and wanting to be the ultimate mutant and even being a bit syndrome in the of course all humanity will mutante with me and ascend to heights of greatness

one of those the road to hell things

the above also is where you limit his powers the omni psychic alone is strong enough when he discovers the grey summers combo which is where those powers come from beyond that he uses apocapyspe style naps to remain alive and vital

[Jabroniville]

Mr. Sinister is over the top in the 10 of Swords crossover. When and how did he get so flamboyant and wacky?
I love when your builds are synchronized with the comic books. Not even on purpose!

yeah, things happen that way sometimes. I remember the "Cap is a HYDRA Agent" thing came out like a month after my Cap builds were done over on Ronin Army.

So for the next few days, I'll be re-posting some old Ronin Army stuff, some of which has new commentary. Part of my ideal to get all my stuff transferred over. Some guys will have all-new commentary because the old builds were weaksauce as far as bios went. A few are just easy re-posts.

And in addition, there will be guys Goldar requested from 1960s & '70s Marvel ! Those will be all-new!

[Jabroniville]

SPELLBINDER (Erica Fortune)
Created By: Louise Simonson, Carl Potts & Terry Shoemaker
First Appearance: Spellbound #1 (Jan. 1988)
Role: Random Magic Chick
PL 11 (112)
STRENGTH 1 STAMINA 2 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 5 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Expertise (Teacher) 4 (+7)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Benefit 5 (Otherworldly Ruler), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 4, Ritualist

Powers:
"Power Rings" (Flaws: Removable) [50]
Enhanced Skills 6: Ranged Combat- Magic 6 (+8) (3)
Flight 6 (120 mph) (12)

"Spellbinding"
"Disintegration" Blast 11 Linked to Weaken Toughness 11 (Extras: Affects Objects) (44) -- (47)

• AE: Move Object 15 (Feats: Precise) (31)
• AE: Standard Energy Blast 13 (26)
• AE: "Rebuilding" Transform (Anything to Anything Else) 10 (50)

-- (62 points)

Offense:
Unarmed +5 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Blast +8 (+13 Ranged Damage, DC 28)
Disintegration +8 (+13 Ranged Damage & Weaken, DC 28 & 23)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +2, Fortitude +4, Will +4

Complications:
Hatred (Other Spellbinders)- Few Spellbinders can stand to be around others.
Responsibility (Insane)- The Power Rings and Spellbinding itself have a deliterious effect on one's sanity.

Total: Abilities: 40 / Skills: 4--2 / Advantages: 12 / Powers: 50 / Defenses: 10 (112)

-Erica Fortune debuted in Spellbound, a six-issue Limited Series written by then-New Mutants scribe and X-Editor Louise Simonson. She gained some Power Rings from a pair of creatures who wished to escape their servitude to an alien "Spellbinder" named Zxaxz. Erica fought the bad guy, eventually joining forces with The New Mutants & Lila Cheney in the process. Another, more powerful Spellbinder named The Other soon arrived, and Erica & Zxaxz teamed up against him. Eventually, she went insane due to the Spellbinder powers, and her brother Roy trapped her in a crystal, where I guess she still stays. So, you know, a happy ending.

-Erica has been given "Vast Telekinetic Powers" of apparently an extremely-high level, and she can defeat Zxaxz (a more-experienced foe) numerous times with them, but with the help of the New Mutants once. So PL 11, I guess.

[Jabroniville]

ZXAXZ
Created By: Louise Simonson, Carl Potts & Terry Shoemaker
First Appearance: Spellbinder #1 (Jan. 1988)
Role: Evil Magic Douche
Group Affiliations: None
PL 11 (291)
STRENGTH 8 STAMINA 8 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Deception 3 (+6)
Expertise (Magic) 11 (+14)
Expertise (Ruler) 8 (+11)
Intimidation 4 (+7)
Ranged Combat (Magic) 4 (+8)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Benefit 5 (Otherworldly Ruler), Power Attack, Ranged Attack 4, Ritualist

Powers:
"Crown" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [45]
Shapeshift 8 (64)
Immunity 20 (Magical Effects) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) (10)
-- (74 points)

"Cloak of Flight" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [8]
Flight 6 (120 mph) (12 points)

Growth 5 (Str & Sta +5, +5 Mass, +2 Intimidation, -2 Dodge/Parry, -5 Stealth) -- (18 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [11]
Movement 1 (Slithering) [2]

"Control Over Order & Chaos... so Magic, I guess"
Variable (Whatever. Magic Stuff) 20 [140]

Offense:
Unarmed +12 (+16 Damage, DC 31)
Magicky Stuff +8 (+12-14 Ranged Damage/Affliction, DC 29/24)
Initiative +1

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

Complications:
Hatred (Other Spellbinders)- Few Spellbinders can stand to be around others.
Motivation (Power)- Zxaxz initially mastered his powers to protect his homeworld from "The Other", and soon came to believe that doing so would require taking over ALL worlds.
Vulnerable (Bright Lights)- Zxaxz comes from a darker world, and bright lights are bothersome to him.

Total: Abilities: 50 / Skills: 30--15 / Advantages: 12 / Powers: 206 / Defenses: 11 (291)

-Zxaxz is a character from the Spellbound book- something I've never heard of from the 1980s. Initially mastering his powers to save his homeworld, excessive use of the "Spellbinder" powers eventually drove him a bit nuts. He conquered his home dimension and enslaved numerous races. Two thieves stole his gear and attempted to find another Spellbinder on Earth, but Zxaxz followed- he was driven off by Erica Fortune, the one the thieves sought. He returned to Earth, and attempted to learn more about Erica, her family, and Earth itself, and continuously lost his gear to others. During the last of numerous fights between Zxaxz and Erica, something called "The Other" showed up, and the two pursued him through a portal- Zxaxz soon fell into a singularity alongside his castle, and his gear was subsequently destroyed.

-Zxaxz is your typical "Can Do Whatever" kind of Mage (apparently able to create portals the size of PLANETS, which is one bugger of an Area Effect on the Portal Extra of "Dimensional Travel"), but is like 19 feet tall. He tends to always lose to Erica Fortune (whoever the hell that is), so he's not THAT elite, but she's apparently a toughie if she can take out an Otherdimensional Dictator.

[Goldar]

So for the next few days, I'll be re-posting some old Ronin Army stuff, some of which has new commentary. Part of my ideal to get all my stuff transferred over. Some guys will have all-new commentary because the old builds were weaksauce as far as bios went. A few are just easy re-posts.

And in addition, there will be guys Goldar requested from 1960s & '70s Marvel ! Those will be all-new!

Yay!

[Davies]

I don't think the Spellbound characters ever reappeared, outside of a sequel to the original miniseries that ran in Marvel Comics Presents. (I probably read the latter, but I don't remember it, and only learned about the characters when I read the Marvel Universe Update '89.

[Goldar]

I don't think the Spellbound characters ever reappeared, outside of a sequel to the original miniseries that ran in Marvel Comics Presents. (I probably read the latter, but I don't remember it, and only learned about the characters when I read the Marvel Universe Update '89.

Yeah, those old Marvel Universe Books were so great!

[Ares]

Its remarkable how an awesome name like Spellbinder is used by such do nothings in both Marvel and DC. I'd definitely flesh this concept out a bit.

[Davies]

Could be worse, we could be stuck with the guy who fights Letterman.

[HalloweenJack]

Mr. Sinister is over the top in the 10 of Swords crossover. When and how did he get so flamboyant and wacky?

If the writer is following the Bendis/Millar school of writing, then it doesn't matter what personality the character is supposed to have, they have whatever personality best suits the story. Character consistency is so last century.

I thought it was pretty obvious we don't know if this is our Sinister or not, or if it's just one of his many, many clones he has.

so easy out.

[Ian Turner]

Ehhh, Marvel has an easy ‘out’ for Sinister’s insanely vague powers. He is a master geneticist and can easily clone people. If I were in charge of Marvel’s Titles, I’d have it that every time we see Sinister he’s tinkered with his own powerset, or else created a variant clone of himself. His powers vary because he’s field testing new ideas.

Back in Age of Apocalypse, it was suggested that the Dark Beast had done this to himself many times over the years using DNA from the hundreds of mutants he'd 'processed' for Apocalypse. I was excited to see what sort of little extras he'd given himself!

And then, pfft. Nothing.

Sinister, Apocalypse, Exodus, Vulcan, Mikhael Rasputin. The X-writers are shockingly bad at creating uber-villains. They just keep strapping more and more unrelated powers onto them, it seems. Meanwhile, the gold standard, Magneto, has basically one power (taken to an absurd degree, but still) and has an actual *theme* other than 'boss mob at the end of the level with a jillion hps.'