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

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
Jabroniville
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Firebug (Harlan Combs)

Post by Jabroniville »

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FIREBUG II (Harlan Combs)
Created By:
Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark
First Appearance: Gotham Central #3 (March 2003)
Role: One-Off Villain
Group Affiliations: None

-The second Firebug is at the heart of the murder mystery that takes up a good bit of Ed Brubaker's first arc on Gotham Central- Det. Marcus Driver is constantly trying to find who murdered a teenage girl. He questions several people- the rich yuppies whose kids she was babysitting, some boys who were picking on her at school, and a crazed homeless man, but uncover the truth, along with the answer to a story running alongside it- a new Firebug had popped up in Gotham and was raising hell. Finally, Driver (and the readers, nearly simulataneously) realize what happened when the hobo reveals that someone burned down his shanty while the girl had been murdered by something big and heavy- the original Firebug tells the police he sold his gear to a guy (this is, naturally, a bit ethically-questionable considering it's literally an arson costume), and that man was the man of the aforementioned yuppie couple. He is arrested without Batman's help- something that's important to Driver, as he hated having to get Batman to solve their Mr. Freeze situation.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Firebug (Unknown one)

Post by Jabroniville »

FIREBUG III (Real Name Unknown)
Created By:
Christos Gage & Steven Cummings
First Appearance: Deadshot #1 (Feb. 2005)
Role: One-Off Villain
Group Affiliations: None

-A final Firebug debuted in a Deadshot Limited Series- he had won the Firebug costume in an internet auction. He's just a background goof.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Professor Milo

Post by Jabroniville »

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PROFESSOR MILO (Achilles Milo)
Created By:
Bill Finger & Sheldon Moldoff
First Appearance: Detective Comics #247 (Sept. 1957)
Role: Evil Scientist
Group Affiliations: None

-A chemist with an EXCEPTIONALLY douchey haircut, Professor Milo actually made the DCAU, as he was responsible not only for Anthony Rumulus's werewolf form in Batman: TAS, but joined Cadmus and unleashed Doomsday on the Justice League after his funding was cut off by Amanda Waller in JLU. Doomsday's gratitude consisted of ripping Milo's head off. In the comics, he was just kind of a generic Mad Scientist, often trying to use chemicals or medical-related schemes to kill Batman. Once, Bruce was made afraid of anything bat-shaped, and another time, he lost his will to live. This makes him seem like a less-gimmicked Scarecrow, I dunno. He also turned Anthony Lupus into a werewolf (the story B:TAS used), and took over Arkham Asylum once. He was later exposed to chemicals that drove him insane, putting him in Arkham as well. He apparently retired from criminal activity at some point (once trying to convince people the insanity-inducing gas had worn off, but nobody believed him), last being seen during 52, missing his legs for whatever reason.

-Milo is a pretty generic Mad Scientist- smart without being really clever. Though his chemical gases often produced lasting reactions from Batman.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
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The Golden Age Scarecrow

Post by Jabroniville »

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THE SCARECROW (Dr. Jonathan Crane)- Golden Age
Created By:
Bill Finger & Bob Kane
First Appearance: World's Finest Comics #3 (Fall 1941)
Role: Emotion-Controller, Psychotic Madman
Mental Problems: Obsession With Fear
PL 8 (94)
STRENGTH
0 STAMINA 1 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 6 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 4 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Close Combat (Scythe) 5 (+11)
Deception 5 (+7)
Expertise (Criminal) 3 (+7)
Expertise (Psychology) 9 (+13)
Expertise (Science) 2 (+6)
Expertise (Science) 8 (+14) -- Flaws: Limited to Chemistry
Insight 6 (+9)
Intimidation 6 (+8, +16 Costume)
Perception 2 (+5)
Stealth 4 (+6)
Technology 2 (+6)

Advantages:
Daze (Intimidation), Equipment 5 (Gas, Chemicals, Gadgetry, Vehicles, Pistol, Pitchfork/Scythe), Fascination (Intimidation), Improved Initiative, Ranged Attack 6, Skill Mastery (Psychology), Startle, Ultimate Chemistry Skill, Ultimate Intimidation Skill

Equipment:
"Scythe/Pitchfork" Strength-Damage +3 (Feats: Reach) (4)

Offense:
Unarmed +6 (+0 Damage, DC 15)
Scythe +11 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Emotion Control +12 Area (+12 Affliction, DC 22)
Initiative +6

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +7 (DC 17), Toughness +1 (+3 Costume), Fortitude +4, Will +5

Complications:
Obsession (Fear)- Crane is obsessed with cataloguing and causing fear.
Enemy (Batman)

Total: Abilities: 40 / Skills: 48--24 / Advantages: 18 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 12 (94)

-The Scarecrow is another of the most old-school Batman foes, but he only made two appearances in the Golden Age. He had been bullied at school for his resemblance to Ichabod Crane of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, leading him to become bitter & antisocial, as well as obsessed with using fear as a weapon to control others. In disguise, he terrifies a school bully and a cheerleader who had rejected him into getting in a car accident, killing the girl and crippling the boy. He goes on to become a psychologist, but when he's fired for firing a gun in a classroom (accidentally wounding a student), he murders the professors responsible and becomes a career criminal.

-This version of the Scarecrow had no Fear Gas- he is merely a nasty criminal mastermind.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Sun Oct 03, 2021 4:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
Skavenger
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Re: The Scarecrow

Post by Skavenger »

Jabroniville wrote: Sat Oct 02, 2021 10:21 pm -The Scarecrow is another of the most old-school Batman foes, but he only made two appearances in the Golden Age. He had been bullied at school for his resemblance to Ichabod Crane of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, leading him to become bitter & antisocial, as well as obsessed with using fear as a weapon to control others.
I suppose it's easier to dress as a scarecrow than to figure out a) where to get a horse in Gotham City, and b) survive cutting off your own head.

But man, that's a bullying technique I think just wouldn't get much play any more these days. You'd be more likely to bully somebody now by saying they look like an astronaut from Among Us.
Last edited by Skavenger on Sun Oct 03, 2021 3:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
Shock
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Re: The Scarecrow

Post by Shock »

Jabroniville wrote: Sat Oct 02, 2021 10:21 pm

-The Scarecrow is another of the most old-school Batman foes, but he only made two appearances in the Golden Age. He had been bullied at school for his resemblance to Ichabod Crane of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, leading him to become bitter & antisocial, as well as obsessed with using fear as a weapon to control others. In disguise, he terrifies a school bully and a cheerleader who had rejected him into getting in a car accident, killing the girl and crippling the boy. He goes on to become a psychologist, but when he's fired for firing a gun in a classroom (accidentally wounding a student), he murders the professors responsible and becomes a career criminal.

-This version of the Scarecrow had no Fear Gas- he is merely a nasty criminal mastermind.
I like how he fired a gun in a classroom and wounded a student and all he got was fired. And still manages to think he was treated unfairly.
Sidney369
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Re: Firebug (Joe Rigger)

Post by Sidney369 »

Jabroniville wrote: Sat Oct 02, 2021 5:29 am Image

FIREBUG I (Joe Rigger)
... He resurfaced later as an employee of the Calculator in a one-off story...


I'm pretty sure that was the Hero Hotline mini series. 70s Manbat villain Snafu also appeared in it.
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Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

The Scarecrow (Modern)

Post by Jabroniville »

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THE SCARECROW (Dr. Jonathan Crane)
Created By:
Bill Finger & Bob Kane
First Appearance: World's Finest Comics #3 (Fall 1941)
Role: Emotion-Controller, Psychotic Madman
Mental Problems: Obsession With Fear, Phobia of Bats
PL 12 (161)
STRENGTH
1 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 9 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 4 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Close Combat (Scythe) 2 (+11)
Deception 5 (+7)
Expertise (Criminal) 4 (+8)
Expertise (Psychology) 9 (+13)
Expertise (Science) 3 (+7)
Expertise (Science) 9 (+15) -- Flaws: Limited to Chemistry
Insight 6 (+9)
Intimidation 10 (+12, +16 Costume)
Perception 3 (+6)
Stealth 4 (+6)
Technology 2 (+6)

Advantages:
Daze (Intimidation), Equipment 5 (Gas, Chemicals, Gadgetry, Vehicles, Pistol, Pitchfork/Scythe), Fascination (Intimidation), Improved Initiative, Ranged Attack 6, Skill Mastery (Psychology), Startle, Ultimate Chemistry Skill, Ultimate Intimidation Skill

Powers:
"The Scarecrow Costume" (Flaws: Removable) [42]
Enhanced Skill 4: Intimidation 4 (+16) (2)
"Fear Gas" Affliction 12 (Will; Dazed/Compelled/Controlled) (Extras: Area- 30ft. Cloud +2, Continuous +3) (Flaws: Limited to Fear, Scent-Dependent) (48)
Protection 2 (2)
-- (52 points)

Equipment:
"Scythe/Pitchfork" Strength-Damage +3 (Feats: Reach) (4)

Offense:
Unarmed +6 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Scythe +11 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Emotion Control +12 Area (+12 Affliction, DC 22)
Initiative +7

Defenses:
Dodge +11 (DC 21), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +3 (+5 Costume), Fortitude +5, Will +7

Complications:
Obsession (Fear)- Crane is obsessed with cataloguing and causing fear.
Enemy (Batman)

Total: Abilities: 54 / Skills: 67--32 / Advantages: 18 / Powers: 42 / Defenses: 15 (161)

-In the Silver Age, the Scarecrow was revived only in 1967, having missed out on 15-ish years. He maintains the origin story of the original, but also debuts his infamous "Fear Gas" in that issue. He retains a similar personality most of the time, and is treated as one of the most menacing and terrifying of Batman's foes, though is often physically inferior to the others, and is prone to getting into scraps with them. At one point, he's KO'd by Catwoman, and at another time, he is transformed into the "Scarebeast" and made to kill henchmen who have failed the Penguin. But he's got an encyclopedic knowledge of all phobias, and is an expert at manipulating and terrifying people through only words. He often appears in stories featuring the other baddies (he's a minor one in both The Long Halloween and Hush, but at some point, becomes immune to fear due to being exposed to his own toxins so much. This actually mortifies him, so he is delighted to temporarily be deputized into the Sinestro Corps during Blackest Night.

-He gets a LOT of focus in the "New 52" era, arguably more than anyone except the Joker, possibly because his inner turmoil and psyche is among the most interesting and untested of the Bat-Rogues- Two-Face had kinda been done by this point, and the Penguin was more about straight greed. Jonathan Crane still had a lot of stuff to mine. Not tha the was ever a terribly big name- he missed the 1960s series entirely, and didn't make any movies until he was a throwaway bad guy in the first of the Nolanverse Trilogy. His best stuff is probably in Batman: The Animated Series, which used him less as a character of focus, and more of a reason for big stories to happen- like the endless "Nightmare & D'Spayre" stories in 1990s Marvel, his stuff is good to take a look at the inner and outer fears of your main characters. And so we saw that Bruce fears failing his father, Barbara Gordon fears her identity tearing her father & Batman apart, etc. When done well, it gives you a real insight into your cast, and so he'd honestly be a fantastic villain for just about any superhero.

-Scarecrow is the most "powerful" of the Bat-foes, though only because his Fear Gas has a REALLY powerful Save DC. The sheer effects of it have been shown to bowl over people as mentally tough as Batman & Batgirl with ease unless they get their breathing devices on. This would be unnaturally tough if Bats didn't have constant access to his Utility Belt, and Crane was anything but a weakling outside of his Fear Gas, which he is. In fact, he's physically one of Batman's WEAKEST foes, probably going down to a single punch. He's extremely focused on just using the gas, his minions, and whatever hidden scheme he's got going (making athletes terrfied of the ball or being tackled, then betting on their opponents for big money).
Skavenger
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Re: Jab’s Builds (Bane! Azrael! Firefly! The Scarecrow!)

Post by Skavenger »

It's almost a shame that Scarecrow is always stuck in Gotham. I remember instances of other villains taking small trips to other cities (The Riddler hassled the Flash for a couple issues, Bane pops up here and there, etc), but I can't remember Scarecrow ever going anywhere else unless he was part of a cross-company team of do-badders (or that Darkest Night storyline.) Which is really too bad, because he'd be really effective in stories featuring other heroes, giving us looks at anyone from Superman and Wonder Woman to Blue Beetle and Booster Gold and what makes them afraid.
Jabroniville
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Re: Jab’s Builds (Bane! Azrael! Firefly! The Scarecrow!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Skavenger wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 3:12 am It's almost a shame that Scarecrow is always stuck in Gotham. I remember instances of other villains taking small trips to other cities (The Riddler hassled the Flash for a couple issues, Bane pops up here and there, etc), but I can't remember Scarecrow ever going anywhere else unless he was part of a cross-company team of do-badders (or that Darkest Night storyline.) Which is really too bad, because he'd be really effective in stories featuring other heroes, giving us looks at anyone from Superman and Wonder Woman to Blue Beetle and Booster Gold and what makes them afraid.
Yeah, he could easily fit into what Marvel was doing with Nightmare & D'Spayre for much of the early '90s. But hopefully, uh.... better.
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Ken
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Re: Jab’s Builds (Bane! Azrael! Firefly! The Scarecrow!)

Post by Ken »

Skavenger wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 3:12 am It's almost a shame that Scarecrow is always stuck in Gotham. I remember instances of other villains taking small trips to other cities (The Riddler hassled the Flash for a couple issues, Bane pops up here and there, etc), but I can't remember Scarecrow ever going anywhere else unless he was part of a cross-company team of do-badders (or that Darkest Night storyline.) Which is really too bad, because he'd be really effective in stories featuring other heroes, giving us looks at anyone from Superman and Wonder Woman to Blue Beetle and Booster Gold and what makes them afraid.
I wonder how Scarecrow would be as an Iron Man foe....
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Skavenger
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Re: Jab’s Builds (Bane! Azrael! Firefly! The Scarecrow!)

Post by Skavenger »

Ken wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 5:38 am
Skavenger wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 3:12 am It's almost a shame that Scarecrow is always stuck in Gotham. I remember instances of other villains taking small trips to other cities (The Riddler hassled the Flash for a couple issues, Bane pops up here and there, etc), but I can't remember Scarecrow ever going anywhere else unless he was part of a cross-company team of do-badders (or that Darkest Night storyline.) Which is really too bad, because he'd be really effective in stories featuring other heroes, giving us looks at anyone from Superman and Wonder Woman to Blue Beetle and Booster Gold and what makes them afraid.
I wonder how Scarecrow would be as an Iron Man foe....
"How 'bout a little fire, scarecrow?"

"How 'bout a little GAS, witch?"

"Oh...oh no, I see... I see a Canadian...stalking me everywhere, saying my name is... Idina... oh no..."
Arcae
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Re: Jab’s Builds (Bane! Azrael! Firefly! The Scarecrow!)

Post by Arcae »

Ken wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 5:38 am
Skavenger wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 3:12 am It's almost a shame that Scarecrow is always stuck in Gotham. I remember instances of other villains taking small trips to other cities (The Riddler hassled the Flash for a couple issues, Bane pops up here and there, etc), but I can't remember Scarecrow ever going anywhere else unless he was part of a cross-company team of do-badders (or that Darkest Night storyline.) Which is really too bad, because he'd be really effective in stories featuring other heroes, giving us looks at anyone from Superman and Wonder Woman to Blue Beetle and Booster Gold and what makes them afraid.
I wonder how Scarecrow would be as an Iron Man foe....
Not really effective with that armor on.
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Ken
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Re: Jab’s Builds (Bane! Azrael! Firefly! The Scarecrow!)

Post by Ken »

Arcae wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 11:23 am
Ken wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 5:38 am
Skavenger wrote: Sun Oct 03, 2021 3:12 am It's almost a shame that Scarecrow is always stuck in Gotham. I remember instances of other villains taking small trips to other cities (The Riddler hassled the Flash for a couple issues, Bane pops up here and there, etc), but I can't remember Scarecrow ever going anywhere else unless he was part of a cross-company team of do-badders (or that Darkest Night storyline.) Which is really too bad, because he'd be really effective in stories featuring other heroes, giving us looks at anyone from Superman and Wonder Woman to Blue Beetle and Booster Gold and what makes them afraid.
I wonder how Scarecrow would be as an Iron Man foe....
Not really effective with that armor on.
Tell that to Ebenezer Laughton.
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Jabroniville
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Signalman

Post by Jabroniville »

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SIGNALMAN (Phillip Cobb, aka The Blue Bowman)
Created By:
Bill Finger & Sheldon Moldoff
First Appearance: Batman #112 (Dec. 1957)
Role: Jobber Villain
Group Affiliations: The Secret Society of Super Villains
PL 8 (86)
STRENGTH
2 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 3
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 5
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 1

Skills:
Athletics 5 (+7)
Expertise (Criminal) 5 (+5)
Intimidation 5 (+5)
Perception 4 (+4)
Stealth 1 (+4)

Advantages:
Equipment 9 (Gadgets- Knock-Out Gas, Miniature Flares), Ranged Attack 3

Equipment:
"Knock-Out Gas" Sleep 8 (Cloud Area) (24)
"Miniature Flares" Dazzle Visuals 8 (Burst Area) Linked to Blast 6 (36)
"Signal-Affecting Devices" Nullify 8 (Electronic Signals) (8)

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Flares +8 Area (+8 Ranged Affliction & +6 Ranged Damage, DC 18 & 21)
Knock-Out Gas +8 Area (+8 Affliction, DC 18)
Initiative +3

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +4, Fortitude +5, Will +4

Complications:
Motivation (Greed)

Total: Abilities: 54 / Skills: 20--10 / Advantages: 12 / Powers: 0 / Defenses: 10 (86)

-A Silver Age-era villain, Signalman was a small-time crook who decided he needed a "gimmick" to hit it big. Inspired by the Bat-Signal, he became "Signalman", using signals, signs and symbols in his crimes. He leaves Riddler-like clues at the scenes of his crimes, naturally luring in Batman, who inevitably defeats him repeatedly. Shockingly, he once fails by ignoring his own M.O.- he ignores a warning buoy and crashes the Bat-Boat, which he'd just stolen. A couple years later, he shared a jail cell with Bull's-Eye, a Green Arrow enemy, who explained that he mastered every trick arrow GA had, but was countered because the hero knew his own tricks. Theorizing that Batman wouldn't be as familiar with the gimmicks, Signalman changed his name to "The Blue Bowman" and got Bull's Eye to share the secrets to the Arrow's arsenal. In his first outing, he defeated Batman & Robin, but they returned with a bunch of gimmicked Batarangs, thus countering every arrow and having him arrested again.

-The character thus sat on the shelf for about fifteen years, returning as Signalman and capturing Batman, trapping him in the Bat-Signal so that if the police tried to summon him, they'd burn him to death. While that's sick and pretty awesome, it's also classic "Well I have him helpless so let's put him in a deathtrap", and of course Batman escaped. After this, the villain just becomes a Backgrounder- distinctive enough to show up. He is part of a jury to determine who killed Batman (naturally, Batman was still alive, and infiltrates the jury and arrests most of the crooks), then shows up as part of the Secret Society of Super Villains and fights the JLA & JSA. In Identity Crisis, he is kidnapped by Dr. Moon & Phobia, and seemingly tortured to death. However, only a couple short years later, it's revealed he's one of Black Lightning's informants. In Final Crisis, he pops up a few more times in Libra's own Society. So overall, he's just a Background Villain.

-Signalman is a generic douche with some gimmicks. Not very powerful, but Knock-Out Gas being an "always works" method in comics can even work against Batman, especially Pre-Batgod.
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