Halt Evil Doer! megaverse thread

[Libra]

It certainly does. I'm very grateful that you continue to take the time to post so much in response to my no-doubt tiresome requests.

(I rather deduced the second, but I'm interested by the new wrinkles you've added.)

[Charles Phipps]

Yes, well I eventually have to get around to detailing New Amsterdam and Falconcrest City and Los Dios.

Also, the Van Helsing Family.

Quite a few other requests I've missed.



But I can't wait to see the Independent Golden Age villains (and the later Axis-Japanese ones---though my Japanese villains are sorely lacking).

We've got a full schedule ahead of us too since you decided to do the Silver Age!

[Libra]

Independent Villains of the Golden Age

Dracula: The Lord of the Vampires spent much of the Golden Age in his Transylvanian stronghold, attempting to bend Romania and the Vampires of Europe to his will. While no lover of the Nazis, his opposition to them was more due to the fact that if they won Varney Orloff, “That Lord of Hampires”, one of his most hated foes – Not rival, no vampire could rival Dracula, especially not that bald, rodent-faced Hungarian! – would effectively assume the Crown reserved for Dracula alone.

The two spent much of the Second World War locked in a shadowy duel, which distracted much of Nosferatu’s attentions and energies, reducing his impact on the War by an enormous degree. Still, the looming presence of the Thule society meant that this was no one-sided struggle and Wilhelm Kantor helped to fan the flames by secretly aiding both combatants, privately relishing the inconvenience to two of his more dangerous enemies.

Not only was Nosferatu forced to burn through his resources at a prodigious rate, he became ever more reliant on Kantor’s protection and willing to submit himself to his ‘benefactor’s’ command. As for Dracula, Kantor still bore grudges against the "Leech Lord of Lackeys" for slaying a prior incarnation - a Transylvanian lord of Hungarian descent, disfigured by a curse that his face and form would ever reflect the sins upon his soul, who concealed his deformity behind armour of black iron, ruling over his Carpathian domain with a tyrannical genius for the blackest arts of science and mysticism.

His former henchman hadn’t even planned to betray him, he’d just been infuriated by that accursed do-gooder Jew Bellafonte’s post-mortem triumph and struck out at the nearest target!

In the end the conflict was only finished after Bowman and Cynthia Van Helsing sprang their trap, luring the two Vampire Lords together for a meeting, slaying Dracula and destroying Orloff. When revived in the 1970’s Dracula was so incensed by the Bowman’s actions that he vowed to travel to his homeland, defeat his son, ruin his legacy and utterly humiliate him before all!

Dracula really hates dramatic irony.

‘Mister King’: While himself profiting from the conflict between the followers of Dracula and Nosferatu – the latter individual attempted to operate against him personally on several occasions – Mister King was himself a pawn manoeuvred in the intense game of very bloody chess played between the Iron Khan and Dr Sin during the war.

An asset of Dr Sin, The Khan had deliberately cultivated him and then set him at the forefront of the hottest battle then simply ignored his requests for aid. With Relish.

While Sin disliked the loss of a potent aid to his manipulations, he decided that the Khan’s goal of using ‘Mister King’ and his minions as a scouting party into the United States was sufficiently useful to abet, although ‘The Coolie King of Crime’ remained infuriatingly reluctant to operate in Freedom City.

The eventual loss of ‘Mr King’ was irritating, but the allies and connections he had made in the American Underworld would prove very useful when Sin ‘vacationed’ in America during the 60’s.

Medea: While Medea generally keeps to a ‘Do not meddle in the affairs of Gods, except under copper-roofs’ Athena was much too fond of Heroes and had helped thwart too many of Medea’s effort against them far too often for her to resist the impulse to make Earthly existence miserable for her, every so often.

Though Athena was forced to accept Medea’s eventual ‘explanation’ that she had mistaken her for a mere metahuman insulting the glorious Goddess by imitating her and sought to punish such an affront – since if she hadn’t Medea would have resumed an old relationship with Ares and caused far too much trouble to humanity – she relished the opportunity to humble Medea in public while defeating her.

This was not the first time that the two have played this game and certainly not the last.

Taurus: Taurus had a very good – not to mention profitable - War. The dissolution of the Bavarian incarnation of the Illuminati resulted in several useful assets falling into his paws, the chaos in Europe – while inconvenient and the Nazis a despicable annoyance – meant that few remarked on the securing of certain properties and the Phantom League (which he had secretly backed) proved a sound investment, despite that egotistical takeover of theirs.

While John Moriarty had his suspicions, four generations of the Moriarty family have barely glimpsed the portico of the Labyrinth, much less discovered the Golden link to the heart of the complex. Age and long experience in treachery have their advantages. . .

The Alien-Gator: “The Alien-Gator? Hoo boy, now there’s a story to tell. I’d heard reports of a big, gator in the South River swampland doing some pretty nasty business to folks down there. Now I reckon that’s baloney, but people are still getting hurt, so I hook up the wings and fly over the area till I hear someone screaming for help. I swoop down, grab this nice lady from the City who’d been taking a shortcut and get her to safety. Then I actually take a look at the thing that attacked her.

Mister, it was nine feet tall if it was an inch, sure enough scaly and toothy as a crocodile should be - and standing on its own two feet like a man. It was throwing what I can only describe as a hissy fit, like I’d stolen its girlfriend instead of its lunch and made a brave attempt to do unpleasant things to my anatomy, but I beat it like a dirty rug and tossed it into the water. Haven’t seen head or hide of it since. Oh, and get this: It was bright red!”

Michael O’Connor (snr) on the Alien-Gator.

The Black Hand: The Iron Khan and Dr Sin spent the better part of the Second World War waging a shadowy campaign of subversion, sabotage and assassination against the British Empire, Kuomintang, Chinese Communists, and Japanese et al, playing each against the other, plotting to divide and then rule all China. The only major flies in their unguent were Jacob Hunter, the occasional actions of the Liberators, The White Lotus Society, their old foe the Green Dragon Society – and each other.

At no time, before or since, have the two greatest masters of the Asian Underworld come closer to outright confrontation, taking liberal advantage of the opportunities offered by the chaos of War to assassinate, outmanoeuvre, subvert and destroy each others assets, choosing various factions as cats-paws in their brutal game of treacherous intrigue. The conflict ended with both sides in disarray - and the Communists in power, a resolution neither mastermind desired or had intended.

It’s no surprise Sin decided to take a long sojourn in the West after the urgent business of reconstruction was accomplished. It was more than his life was worth to stay.

The Crime League: Cheerfully and outspokenly independent of the Phantom League during the war and one of the major reasons it stayed out of the Freedom City Underworld – Although August Roman maintained some connections to the former institution, never one to disregard potentially useful federates in his campaign against the Centurion.

Still, he might have been a crook, but he was an American crook so he severed all connections to the newly-formed P.H.A.N.T.O.M after the death of the Steel Commando and the Liberators.

Why destroy a perfectly good republic when one can imitate Augustus and subvert it?

The Grue Unity: In 1947, a spaceship of the Thran Allegiance crash-landed near Roswell after being shot down by a Republic Cruiser. Both had been sent to investigate this world against which the Tsavong so ardently railed. It was manned almost entirely by Grue Infiltrators (The Meta-Mind preferring to subvert the institutions of other powers for everything save outright conquest. Plausible deniability, infiltration of the important military arm of any Interstellar Polity and it allows them to focus their resources for other purposes.)

Almost all of the actual Thran aboard were killed by the Grue to leave a suitable false trail for any native investigation team, with only one managing to survive and then taken into custody. What happened to it is an interesting question, without a confirmed answer.

The U.S Government really should listen to Mike O’Connor’s old war stories sometime.

The Invisible Empire: Formerly the political weapon of the Black Phantom – Jack Moriarty was nothing if not grandiose in his delusions – the organisation managed to survive his death because it was quite simply too deeply and dangerously entrenched for John Moriarty to uproot, headquartered in Freedom City – where his influence tended to be weakest – and just cunning enough in it's leadership to evade his efforts against it.

The only reason Nixon worked for P.H.A.N.T.O.M was because Overshadow said he could.

The Widow: Always ‘That Woman’ to Jacob Hunter, rumours abound that she has some connection to the Crimson Scorpion, but if it exists that lady isn’t saying anything, except a snappy rejoinder or two.

Queen Pendragon: The occasional ally - and constant annoyance – of the Allies of Freedom operated in the United Kingdom during the Second World War, since it was her homeland, whatever the dimensional differences and because His Majesty’s Government was prepared to tolerate her eccentricities. The Royal family found their ‘distant cousin’ quite alarming, but decided that her occasional visits were rare enough to endure. She was, at least, preferable to Herr Hitler. But only just. . .

Still, Britannia and Lady Celtic were rather fond of her independent attitude, even if she was mad as a purblind hatter and were quite disappointed when she made her play for World Domination. Still, they enjoyed working with the Green Knight – Lady Celtic relieved to finally find an Arthurian figure who lived up to a cherished childhood dream of Chivalry and Knights in Shining Armour.

[Libra]

Yes, well I eventually have to get around to detailing New Amsterdam and Falconcrest City and Los Dios.

Also, the Van Helsing Family.

Quite a few other requests I've missed.

No rush. I have plenty of things I'd like to do, but have trouble finding time for.

As regards the Van Helsings, I was checking up on Vlad Tepes descendents and found something interesting; Mihnea cel Rau, son of Vlad the Impaler, is supposed to have bred a son, Morsus Atrum, who may be a mythical figure. I suggest that he would make an excellent patriarch for the Van Helsings - Alongside Isaac Belafonte, of course. Can't leave Heru-Ra out of a heroic enterprise on Earth-627.

But I can't wait to see the Independent Golden Age villains (and the later Axis-Japanese ones---though my Japanese villains are sorely lacking).

We've got a full schedule ahead of us too since you decided to do the Silver Age!

They shall come and I'll probably be posting some thoughts on the various Immortals of Heroic Earth between them.

The Silver Age's crescendo was what is known as the Bronze Age in the Freedomverse.

Not quite. By my calculations the Silver Age of Heroic Earth was technically part of the Iron Age of Freedom. I've a few ideas percolating already, so I should have something.

In the meantime my interest was piqued by the following tidbit:

Robin Hood was much more at home amongst the original Justicars who were a morally ambiguous, but otherwise down to Earth collection of anti-heroes (ironically invited there by George Timons)

I suspect that the perceived relationship between FORCE-Ops and the 7 - Cause and effect, according to the media - will be a significant part of any series on the 1980's.

I'd be interested in hearing as much about this incarnation of the Psychotic 7, as well as their descent into darkness, as you can tell me. Please?

[Crinos]

I got the Secret Empire reference regarding Nixon Libra.

I lulzed.

[Charles Phipps]

Dracula: A nice summary of Cynthia Van Helsing's dramatic confrontation with the Archlord of Evil. It also dovetails nicely into the Lord of the Vampires reasons for visiting Freedom City.

Mister King: Works very well, though I personally should remind you of the Black Hand's international nature. Doctor Sin is a very Chinese figure, while the Iron Khan has no loyalty to the Middle Kingdom.

In Heroic Earth, the Black Hand undoubtedly had elements supporting numerous sides during the war (a tragic waste of resources but the Iron Khan likes to keep his bases covered). My suggestion would be that the Iron Khan had a demonic Oda Nobunaga raised from the Hells to lead the Japanese branch of the Black Hand in conquest, very much liking the idea of "Asia for Asians" during WW2. He probably also was involved in the Last Emperor's support/internment in Manchuria. He might have personally offered his assistance while in disguise as the "Oni King."

Of course, the Iron Khan would have also realized early on which way the wind was blowing as well and moved to betray the individuals who he gave so much (perhaps encouraging Japan not to surrender via mystical prophecies). Suffice to say, I think the Crimson Katana would very much like to put an end to the Iron Khan's immortal life as part of his list of people to kill.

Still, this only dovetails nicely with your write-up and Sin's confirmed loathing of the man.

Medea: I do find this quite cute. I do have an interesting image of her spending much of the war on an island filled with Beasts (once belonging to a relative of hers) that the Fabulous Five once got shipwrecked on with a crew of American sailors.

Taurus: I personally would be inclined to suggest that the destruction of the Bavarian Illuminati and the Thule Society bitterly irritated Taurus but he made wonderful inroads in the wake of the war, regaining lots of what he lost. Having the Old Bull at the center of the conspiracies works quite well.

It makes you wonder if General Venom's paranoia that the United States was still under PHANTOM control was actually him detecting Taurus' hand.

Alien Gator: It took me a second read to get this but then I laughed outloud.

August Roman: A nice nod to the Rocketeer regarding August Roman. Very approriately so, as well.

Grue Unity: A good continuity patch, another would be that a lot of spaceships crashed in that area and had their stuff taken there.

Invisible Empire: Interesting idea that this group got taken over by SHADOW. Nice reference to the Captain America storyline too (which is what Nixon's service in HED! was to begin with).

The Widow: Hehe.

Queen Pendragon: Oh how I love Queen Pendragon. She was just a fun character to roleplay against. There's nothing so much fun as a Mecha wielding girl in a Aristocrat's military uniform. Poor Lady Celtic.

[Charles Phipps]

As regards the Van Helsings, I was checking up on Vlad Tepes descendants and found something interesting; Mihnea cel Rau, son of Vlad the Impaler, is supposed to have bred a son, Morsus Atrum, who may be a mythical figure. I suggest that he would make an excellent patriarch for the Van Helsings - Alongside Isaac Belafonte, of course. Can't leave Heru-Ra out of a heroic enterprise on Earth-627. Wink

In a bit of self-referential humor, undoubtedly those two lineages crossed and merged completely at some point. Honestly, in a merged Freedomverse, the Van Helsings choosing to be with the White Lotus Society's Western Branch probably has more to do with their fundamental dislike of magic for magic's sake as opposed to the Order of Light. Instead, preferring to put it to use.

Also, a previous Van Helsing may have been impressed by the Society when facing Seven Golden Vampires.

Not quite. By my calculations the Silver Age of Heroic Earth was technically part of the Iron Age of Freedom. I've a few ideas percolating already, so I should have something.

Actually, it's a reference that the end of the Silver Age's tone was closer to the Bronze Age, but there's only three "Ages" in Heroic Earth.

I suspect that the perceived relationship between FORCE-Ops and the 7 - Cause and effect, according to the media - will be a significant part of any series on the 1980's.

I'd be interested in hearing as much about this incarnation of the Psychotic 7, as well as their descent into darkness, as you can tell me. Please?

The original Justicars were started by Black Wing I and Aquarius really, to do a lot of "Under the Table" work. Fundamentally, the Patriots ties to the United States government and the Foundation for World Harmony were all well and good but they were heroes first and they did not like being hampered by bureaucracy. Snakes like Kenneth Kane (James V's alter ego in the United States) hid all too well behind masks of money and power.

Robin Hood fit into this group very well due to his simple status of being a thief and capably ignoring laws whenever it suited them. Aquarius and Red Jaguar were monarchs and considered themselves beyond the laws of other nations. Samson, on the other hand, enjoyed the simple morality of it all and the chance to bash in things.

Black Wing would leave the team and come back a couple of times over the course of its adventures. Fundamentally, he was always drawn back to Falconcrest City and couldn't manage two teams full time (and wasn't willing to abandon the Patriots when they needed him). Eventually the roster would include figures never included in the Patriots (the future Psychotic Seven), Hecate, and some B-heroes that were willing to obey Black Wing unquestionably.

The real breaking point that eventually lead to Black Wing's retirement was, of course, the issue of killing. More precisely, it was over the issue of Blood Wing. Pretty much, as far as the Freedomverse goes, you will not find a figure who more fits the mold of pure evil outside of a supernatural entity like Orkus.

Blood Wing's actual origins are a mystery. To all intents and purposes, he appeared to be a copycat vigilante of Black Wing when he first appeared but his targets were ostensibly good and righteous individuals (and were dealt with in an exceptionally harsher manner). He had also destroyed his fingerprints and face to prevent identification, using his mastery of disguise to cover it up even when captured.

Blood Wing is really the exception to rule that super villains don't escape jail in Heroic Earth. No prison seemed capable of holding him and George Timons was constantly forced to push his limits to face him. If there was a nightmare for any superhero, it was undoubtedly Blood Wing who killed quite a few minor heroes and taxed even individuals like Divinos (by threatening him with impossible moral choices). He was also not above targetting families.

In the end, George Timons believed himself responsible for Blood Wing somehow. Quite possibly he was an early criminal that was severely injured by one of Black Wing's beatings and suffered brain damage or was caught in an explosion that later deprived him of oxygen. Maybe he was a relative, though George has actually scoffed and rolled his eyes at this. Whatever the case was that George desperately wanted to somehow stop him without killing him. Other heroes were not so conflicted about it but until the moment that he murdered Aquarius' Queen and the discovery he was responsible for so many deaths amongst the loved ones of the heroes that formed the final incarnation of the Psychotic Seven, none had ever set out to just MURDER him.

They did.

As Aquarius said when Blood Wing died. "He looked up to us and laughed, like he was insanely happy before stating 'Now I am martyred to my cause.' and giggled outrageously until drowning in his own blood with a smile on his face." George Timons, watching the act of savage and naked act of public revenge, realized that he'd opened the gates for this and retired thereafter.

Blood Wing's death set off a series of copycat slayings as lesser heroes imitated the Justicar's example on increasingly minor individuals (there's A LOT of murderers and rapists out there). Only later would the Red Jaguar realize that the entire Iron Age was actually Blood Wing laying a trap to gaslight them and corrupt the CONCEPT of heroism as restrained power.

Blood Wing was undoubtedly just a human being, yet terrifyingly, he still occasionally surfaces as individuals adopt the attire and mannerisms of the monster.

Evil never truly dies. It just changes form.

[Charles Phipps]

Silver Age of Heroic Earth Part III

Villains of the Silver Age

The 1980s and early 1990s were a time when villains were not nearly so politically and economically entrenched as they were in the 21st century. Furthermore, the era of indiscriminate vigilante murder had not really taken the country by storm with monstrous demons like Hellrider tearing up the streets while vampires stalked the night. Instead, really, it was a time of criminals being criminals and a heroes' job to put them behind bars.

While most villains did not subscribe to a code against killing, there were very few politically motivated or sociopath villains during this time. Most were motivated by a desire for wealth or power and were fairly often possessed of a modicum of conscience. Even world conquerors didn't want to destroy the planet, merely force it to its knees. Later generations would confuse this for a time of innocence. In truth, they simply were faced against villains with some scruples who caused the world to become too convinced of its own righteousness.

Blood Wing: Really, the heart of evil doers during this period. Blood Wing is a self-styled prophet of evil and a herald of things to come in the future. At this present time, though, he's the ONLY villain who acts in a manner such as this and TERRIFIES every other villain on the planet with his ruthlessness. He's even eliminated other killers who try to ape his style of nihilism.

General Iblis: Arrives during the Silver Age with grandiose plans to enslave the entire world. General Iblis is frequently frustrated by Divinos but also the simple fact that humans are a great deal more powerful than he summarized them to be. In actuality, this is partially the result of Kenneth Kane whose anti-Divinos weapons start making General Iblis a great deal less undeafeatable.

Still, his appearance, along with Ultramind and the Tsavong helps defuse Cold War tensions.

General Venom: Something of a myth. Most people don't actually believe General Venom exists, preferring the fiction that Jack Washington Jr. died heroically after overthrowing Nixon. Instead, most believe that Supreme is the House of Serpent's head. Only the FOF and a few others suspect that Jack Washington is actually the head of the organization or that there is someone above Supreme.

For the most part, the people don't take the House of Serpents very seriously. It's considered an extreme right (or left wing depending on the listener's politics) nationalist organization that has members occasionally engage in terrorism that the main group is very good at disavowing. Even the Foundation for World Harmony is skeptical its anything other than an annoyance. General Venom is still building up his vast networks of armies and sympathizers through the nation. Many disillusioned veterans of Vietnam and economically disadvantaged Americans join the "real" House of Serpents after being approached away from its public face.

Ironically, the FOF saves the country several times from Supreme during this time as they're the only ones who take the House's threat seriously.

Kenneth Kane: (A.K.A. Death Mask III and James Moriarty V)

Billionaire industrialist Kenneth Kane rules New Amsterdam's Underworld with an iron fist during this time. The criminal Kingpin of the United States and head of SpartaCorp. Kenneth Kane is the secret identity of Death Mask III, who is more concerned with building a network of corrupt corporations and illicit arms deals than he is with PHANTOM at this time. Ruritania is under the control of General Moran the Iron Duke and this frees up "Kenneth" to lay the groundwork for his evil organization's revival.

The biggest irritation to Kenneth during this time is the Man of Fusion, Divinos. Attempts by Kenneth Kane to install puppets in the Soviet Union, begin a non-nuclear World War 3, and assassinate Reagan so his own man could take over the country failed miserably. Kenneth would find his reputation as an upstanding citizen ruined by Divinos until he became something akin to John Gotti in the eyes of America despite staying out of jail for very long thanks to an army of trained lawyers.

In truth, the US Government came to an accomadation with Kenneth Kane due to the man's enimity with Divinos and their own fear of extraterrestials. Many of the weapons used to repulse later attacks were reverse engineered Thran and Tsavong weapons created by the Fifth Napoleon of Crime.

Ironically, for all of Kenneth Kane's jealousy and racism towards Divinos. Divinos has never hated Death Mask. James Moriarty V has always been little more than a tragic waste and a small man blinded by his own ambitions to the Man of Titanium.

Red King: The Red King fancies himself a new Alexander the Great, a Boy Conqueror, and certainly he manages to impress much of the world with the fact that he's capable of taking over small nations and ransoming the United Nations on a few occasions. At this point, he has not yet built the Gene Nation or become whitewashed by history as a freedom fighter. Instead, the Red King is considered a racist terrorist who only claims to act in the best interests of Metamen. His own gang in the "Superior Squadron" are little more than Metaman crooks and bullies mixed with some misguided souls drawn by his personal charisma.

Cassius isn't entirely taking his quest for world domination seriously either. He's still exploring the limits of his technology prowess and what his empathy powers can do. Thus, he's often spending months in the labs to create new superpowered humanoids to "take over the world" in far fetched schemes and frequently teams up with more dangerous villains like Kenneth Kane (who views him as a pawn) and General Venom (who is bitterly disappointed at the man's interest in only Metamen vesus all of humanity's freedom).

Later, the Red King would drop the Alice in Wonderland theme to his henchmen and start fighting opponents other than the FOF.

Thran and Tsavong: Pretty much at their most belligerant during this time and send a large number of groups to take over planet Earth as a hyperspace refueling and resupply depot. The actual importance of Earth, galactically speaking, is roughly equivalent to Afghanistan but the egrevious defeats that occur actually humiliate both Empires and result in the planet recieving a disproportionate amount of attention. Ironically, the Tsavong have come to grudingly respect the Earthlings tenacity as a rule while the Thran (the more "civilized") has had several leaders attempt wholesale genocide due to the humiliation of previous commanders (part of this being that humiliations reflect on the families of nobles as well as the individual)

Ultramind: The Computer makes its appearance during this time and generally finds itself repeatedly crushed by the Patriots. Part of this has to do with the fact that it is reluctant to harm Divinos as the last survivor of the Mithran (until General Iblis shows up) and its own misunderstanding of magic that is wielded by Athena and Isis. Eventually, it's team ups with Kenneth Kane would correct much of these flaws.

[Charles Phipps]

OOC:

Fun filled fact, Percy is based on a fairly obscure DC comics character as well as straight up the Red Baron.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enemy_Ace

[Libra]

Hinomaru

If you told a citizen of the Occidental Allies in 1941 that Japanese metahumans actually existed they would have laughed in your face. As far as they were concerned the Japanese were dangerous – The attack on Pearl Harbour had proven that – but only in terms of conventional military forces. It is only comparatively recently that non-Japanese historians have become aware of the Japanese superhumans.

The Hinomaru (Currently the most popular term for the Japanese metahumans of World War II as a group, but used at the time only for those metahumans answering directly to the Emperor – and, although most did not know it at the time, the Green Dragon society) were never numerous and seldom openly utilised, even their presence on the battlefield a well-kept secret to disguise their rather pitiful numbers. Japan simply produced very few supermen during World War II.

You see for centuries the Green Dragon society had drawn power, mystic, criminal and political unto themselves. They deliberately cultivated enormous concentrations of mystic energy which allowed them to defy both the Black Hand and the White Lotus, so long as they faced their foes on the soil of their homeland, a significant factor in Japan retaining it’s independence.

However these energies suppressed the natural expression of the metagene in the Japanese population, so that when the military sought out volunteers to undergo empowerment in Germany, a little less than fifty possible candidates were found and very few of them expressed abilities suited to the battlefield.

While Tojo and the military had sought to use the forty-seven as a force of metahumans loyal to them alone, a counterbalance to the mystic assets of the Green Dragon, they were eventually forced to allow them to be trained by their bitter rivals. It was the policy of the Green Dragon to train, subvert and utilise any and all superhumans discovered in Japan – Any who refused their offer died. They saw no reason that the forty-seven should be any different and their influence with the emperor and his government was just strong enough to allow them to have a hand in their training and keep the forty-seven from being made an official part of the military chain of command.

Indeed for much of the War nearly all Japanese metahumans were under the control – direct or indirect - of the Green Dragon society, which had (a) absolutely no interest in publicity and (b) No intention of wasting their valuable assets in open battle against superior forces of Occidental supermen, when far more dangerous foes – such as their nemesis the Iron Khan – waited on their doorstep. In addition, they had for centuries preferred to operate in the Shadows and were most comfortable when doing so.

Therefore their resources were usually dedicated to espionage, sabotage and similar shadowy operations, with only a few ever operating openly – and then only at the insistence of the military, which theoretically controlled the Forty-seven. (The most commonly-used term for the metahumans empowered in Germany at the time. ‘Ronin’ was a term of insult added by their detractors, given their lack of official affiliation.)

Somewhat unsurprisingly – given the military’s lack of experience with ‘unconventional assets’ - these tended to be failures.

A final reason for the lack of any significant impact made on the consciousness of the West by Japanese superhumans has been the fact that it was rare for them to oppose their Allied counterparts. Relatively few Allied superheroes operated in the Pacific and those who did, like the Liberators, were far more discrete than the likes of the Liberty League and Liberty-Men. This lack of Allied metahumans is generally attributed to the fact that very few on the Allied side – except for the military - were actually aware of the activities of the Japanese metahumans, thanks to the Green Dragon society’s habits of covert operation and the fact that the US Government did not wish to encourage efforts to shift the major American effort from the European theatre to the Pacific. (The Nazi concentration of metahumans was one of the chief reasons given for the largest American intervention being made in Europe.)

On a personal level, the Japanese metahumans functioned fairly well. The ‘eccentricities’ so often found in the Ubersoldaten of Germany – while still present - were allowed far less free reign. Their duty would come first. There would be no other option. Coupled with the fact that the Hinomaru usually operated singularly or in small tight-knit units – As special agents, rather than military units – the Japanese metahumans got along with far fewer ‘friendly accidents’ due to interpersonal relations.

Which is not to say that Japanese supermen could face the enemy without thought for the foes that stood beside them. . .

The Green Dragon Society: For centuries, ever since the Genko Invasions of Japan by the Mongols in the 13th Century, the Green Dragon society had worked to control all supernatural – and much other - power in Japan, for the greater purpose of protecting the Emperor and his dominions from all foes. Not least amongst these foes was the Iron Khan, the enemy who had persuaded the diverse mystics of Japan to unify their power in the first place.

It was to this end that they abducted, trained and employed every entity of inhuman power found within their reach – Or killed those who refused their advances.

For centuries they were successful in this mission, Japan’s independence in a great part due to their activities, as they worked from the shadows to defeat all obstruction and opposition – even that of the Emperor, for they would do that which no man of good conscience could or would allow. They were the shadowy guardians of Japan and enforcers of its traditions, feared, powerful, independent of all others, yet by the 20th Century they faced their own destruction.

The Meiji restoration and the modernisation it spearheaded was anathema to the Green Dragon Society. It was one thing to adopt the technology of the foreigner to one’s ends in time of need, but to permit the perversion of Japan’s culture and traditions? To permit foreigners to set foot in the land of the Rising Sun? Unthinkable! As foreigners and foreign ideas flowed into Japan the society began to wither, as the fear which it inspired faded with the traditions forgotten in a rush towards the modern age.

Even worse, the Black Hand had taken the opportunity offered by Japan’s opening up to the world and infiltrated the country. While the Green Dragon swiftly destroyed these attempted foreign usurpers, it was a bloody business. The vicious shadow war saw some of the most powerful servants of the society slain, a loss not made good even by the start of the Second World War, some fifty years later. Even worse, this defeat simply persuaded Temujin that the Green Dragon was almost certainly invincible on the soil of their homeland. So he decided to be . . . creative.

He turned his attentions to the Japanese Army, shortly after the Russo-Japanese War. Far from their home - and the attentions of the Green Dragon society – the officers and high command proved a receptive audience, seeding the dream of a War in China deeply into the military psyche. He persuaded them that their destiny lay beyond the bounds of the Home Islands, no matter what any group of hidebound old magicians might say.

His arguments still rang in the ears of Japanese military when they effectively assumed control of Japan. The Green Dragon society was less than impressed – they had no wish to risk Japan and their own power in the uncertain gambit of an offensive war against powers far larger than Japan, with supernatural resources which the Green Dragon did not understand. Though they fought valiantly they were eventually dragged into the war by their patriotism – and the cynical realisation that if they did not fight they were certainly doomed, either mortally or politically. At least their involvement in the War would allow Japan a fighting chance. This political infighting between the High Command and the Green Dragon Society would continue – discretely but ferociously – during the entire course of the War.

Temujin still crows when he remembers that little political coup. With the ear of the Japanese High Command he wrought absolute havoc on his foes in Asia – the British Empire, the Green Dragon, Sin's allies in the Kuomintang, even his few connections to the Communists. He even gifted the Japanese military the services of a revived Nobunaga as a field asset after the Nanking massacre. Quid Pro quo. . .

The Crimson Katana: Though the first of a bloody line, Asano Ranaga was little more than a sneak-thief armed with a terrifying mystic weapon. Unfortunately that gave him more than enough power to make him dangerous, as numerous members of the Black Hand and White Lotus society could attest to – if they were still among the living, that is.

While Ranaga fought more than one Occidental hero, few would take away a lasting impression, since it was generally a part of his mission – and an integral part of his nature – to avoid confrontation and discovery. Not to mention the fact that he was seldom dispatched to the Occident, given his public role as the Emperor’s personal bodyguard.

Ranaga might have started a feud with Kung-Fu King, had the two actually met after the destruction of ‘Mister King.’ Ranaga had retrieved the Green Dragon sword from the clutches of the Iron Khan – Its loss during the Imjin War was the reason Lord Tegemusha had forged his Three Flames katana - he had taken it to America so that he might destroy the Chinese Vampire that so beset the Japanese agents in America - and then that accursed foreigner had stolen the blade! Even worse he then actually used the Green Dragon to greater effect than Ranaga had ever used the Three Flames katana – and given it up to a museum!

In the end though, until after the first Crimson Katana slew the Human Tank and Gunner and escaped Japan, he made little impression on the West, more concerned with his own survival than with striking against the foes of his nation. His death, while mysterious, is generally chalked up to the actions of some old opponent in the Black Hand or the White Lotus, either of whom would have been happy to see him dead.

His son, far more dangerous than his sire, would consider this simple truth and a major part of the reason he refused to bow to any authority, would only do business with them – and then destroy them. It was to further this end that he attempted to assassinate the Iron Khan, getting as far as the antechamber of his sleeping quarters - and wreaking bloody havoc on his guards - before the Emerald Dragon arrived. The fight that followed saw both bloodied and a terrible and lasting grudge formed, which saw each participant play a bloody game of cat and mouse with the other – and which still endures to this day.

Temujin barely remembers the man and keeps calling him ‘The Blue Bludgeon.’

Irezumi: As a major mystical centre of the United States it’s no surprise that Freehold – Alongside her nearby sister Freedom City - was one of the few American cities which saw Japanese metahumans during the War. It’s even less surprising that when the Japanese sought to assassinate the irritating Allied agent known as Ink Spot they sent their tattooed terror into the Underworld. He didn’t enjoy his time there and neither did Freehold. Let’s leave it there.

Geisha: It’s interesting to note that the member of the Green Dragon society who most interested the Iron Khan was Geisha. While they never interacted during the War, he approached her shortly after the conflict had ended, while she was assuming a leadership position amongst the remnants of the Green Dragon society – Now little more than Yakuza and a few minor mystics. He made her an offer she didn’t refuse and she was - apparently until quite recently - the head of the Black Hand in Japan.

Somewhere in the afterlife, the shades of the old Green Dragon Society are screaming. Temujin himself still recalls the bargaining process fondly.

Kamikaze: A frequent foe of Jet Boy when he assisted Doc Aeon in his occasional efforts on the Pacific Front. She wasn’t impressed by him and that’s where I’ll leave it, so I can leave out a great deal of horribly racist language on her part.

She formed a rather interesting relationship with 32 during their occasional meetings during the War. They hated each other, but there was undeniable electricity.

On a more serious note Kamikaze’s father was killed during the bloody, discrete pre-War struggle between the Black Hand and the Green Dragon Society.

Ronin-32: Although they were in Japan on that fateful day when the ronin attempted to assume power, the Human Tank and Gunner were busy hunting down false reports when the villains struck. They arrived just in time to catch the last act of the battle and it was Gunner who left the most vivid reaction: ‘It was Magnificent! Seven men, every single one a hero, against a horde a’ villains. They should make a movie.”

They did. Two in fact.

[Charles Phipps]

A truly glorious and fascinating write-up, Libra.

I may have to rethink the Pacific side of the campaign sometime and create a fully fleshed out team of super-heroes and super-villains sometime for the group. I have a few of the Liberators detailed and a few ideas of the Japanese super team but I never quite managed to get them fully down on paper.

Maybe this will help inspire me so.

Your handling of the Iron Khan's interaction and the cultural forces in this little developed part of the Golden Age was extremely well handled. I give you props also for showing the Green Dragon Society's problem with overextending their military assets.

Bravo.

[Libra]

I want to thank you once again for all the information you've posted Charles. I love learning more about Heroic Earth and I'll try to live up to the work you've done.

Mister King: Works very well, though I personally should remind you of the Black Hand's international nature. Doctor Sin is a very Chinese figure, while the Iron Khan has no loyalty to the Middle Kingdom.

So noted, but I suspect that during the War he was keeping most of his attention on Asia, given the potential for hammering his various foes - using them as his tools to do so! - taking the opportunity to stab Sin in the back and cement his power.

In Heroic Earth, the Black Hand undoubtedly had elements supporting numerous sides during the war (a tragic waste of resources but the Iron Khan likes to keep his bases covered).

That was my idea as well, both Sin and Temuge using just about every side against all the others - and sometimes themselves - but Sin would definately have focussed his efforts on having the Chinese come out on top.

My suggestion would be that the Iron Khan had a demonic Oda Nobunaga raised from the Hells to lead the Japanese branch of the Black Hand in conquest, very much liking the idea of "Asia for Asians" during WW2.

I've taken that suggestion. Remember though that the Green Dragon rules the Japanese mystic world in the 1940's - and for a long time before that - that they hate The White Lotus Society and the Black Hand in general and the Iron Khan in particular. He could never operate openly against them On Japanese Soil.

He probably also was involved in the Last Emperor's support/internment in Manchuria.

Indeed.

Suffice to say, I think the Crimson Katana would very much like to put an end to the Iron Khan's immortal life as part of his list of people to kill.

Indeed, but that's a very long list. He hates all authority except his own and has a bit of an ego as well.

Medea: I do find this quite cute. I do have an interesting image of her spending much of the war on an island filled with Beasts (once belonging to a relative of hers) that the Fabulous Five once got shipwrecked on with a crew of American sailors.

I can see it now.

Taurus: I personally would be inclined to suggest that the destruction of the Bavarian Illuminati and the Thule Society bitterly irritated Taurus but he made wonderful inroads in the wake of the war, regaining lots of what he lost.

He'd have mourned the Illuminati - his first conspiracy, though he was not the only founder - but not the Thule society. They were just too powerful and Taurus has no love for maniacs like the Nazis. He's quite happy with Liberal Democracy and Capitalism - much easier to subvert and profit by.

Having the Old Bull at the center of the conspiracies works quite well. It makes you wonder if General Venom's paranoia that the United States was still under PHANTOM control was actually him detecting Taurus' hand.

Almost certainly. They may not be the Illuminati, but they're a lot close than PHANTOM and singing music0 from the same sheet:

"La-li-lu-le-lo."

Alien Gator: It took me a second read to get this but then I laughed outloud.

It's probably horribly inaccurate - I do not yet own Freedom's Most Wanted, which is also why I didn't do more of a write-up on the Crime League. I still rather like the idea.

August Roman: A nice nod to the Rocketeer regarding August Roman. Very approriately so, as well.

Indeed. Roman does feel a certain patriotism and besides, it's easy to take the reigns of power in a republic - of course it's keeping hold of them without being tarred as a tyrant that's hard and August lost interest when Centurion died. He built Empires criminal, financial and political just to tick the Centurion off.

Grue Unity: A good continuity patch, another would be that a lot of spaceships crashed in that area and had their stuff taken there.

True, but that makes our Solar system just a wee bit too important and I think that it adds to the characterisation of the Grue. The Tsavong will plan infiltration to aid an Invasion. To the Grue infiltration is an end in and of itself. How do you think they gained much of their technology as well as the knowledge and skill to use it?

Invisible Empire: Interesting idea that this group got taken over by SHADOW. Nice reference to the Captain America storyline too (which is what Nixon's service in HED! was to begin with).

I remember you mentioning that. I also thought that it made for an suitable overlap between PHANTOMs interests and Overshadow's.

The Widow: Hehe.

I fear I've made an error! (I thought that Crimson Scorpion was likely a cross between Black Widow and Catwoman, therefore a perfect descendent - biologically or spiritually - of the Widow.)

Queen Pendragon: Oh how I love Queen Pendragon. She was just a fun character to roleplay against. There's nothing so much fun as a Mecha wielding girl in a Aristocrat's military uniform. Poor Lady Celtic.

Don't worry too much. She got her Knight in Shining Armour with Hank Griffin and her encounter with The Green Knight - Who became very fond of the concept of chivalry after reading some works on the subject brought to Avalon by True Thomas the Rhymer (Not the Irishman, the Scot.) - cheered her up tremendously.

Merlin hates talking about Camelot and will only ever refer to you-know-who as 'Wart.'

Memories, Too many of them good and a good many too much for him to bear. So he keeps them stored away in the back of his mind and doesn't let them out.

As to the young lady who was with him in the London Underground: I have no idea. He has never mentioned her name and tends to get very. . .touchy when she is mentioned.

[Libra]

A truly glorious and fascinating write-up, Libra.

Flattery will get you everywhere.

I may have to rethink the Pacific side of the campaign sometime and create a fully fleshed out team of super-heroes and super-villains sometime for the group. I have a few of the Liberators detailed and a few ideas of the Japanese super team but I never quite managed to get them fully down on paper.

Maybe this will help inspire me so.

I would be pleased and proud if it does so. The Asian and Pacific theatre is - I find - an oddly obscure one outside of the naval operations. The poor old British Army in Burma - In which my granfather served - called itself the 'Forgotten Army' with some cause.

Your handling of the Iron Khan's interaction and the cultural forces in this little developed part of the Golden Age was extremely well handled. I give you props also for showing the Green Dragon Society's problem with overextending their military assets.

Thank you.

[Charles Phipps]

The Future of Wonders Revised Part 1

I decided to expand a great deal upon my original article and really, that should be considered to be largely non-cannon now.

History of the Future

The year is 235 New Calender. This has contributed in some small way to never being quite able to nail down what year the Future of Wonders is actually supposed to be able to take place. The Time Agency has always done its best to erase the memories of specific details from heroes visiting from the 20th century in order to avoid catastrophic damage to the time stream. Perhaps as a courtesy, they are allowed to remember their adventures' generalities if not specifics.

The origins of the New Calender relate to the Doom Crusade that Orkus began against the entire galaxy, bringing forth the massive Black Vortex that opened a gateway to the Annihilation Zone and brought forth literally trillions of soldiers from that universe into the physical reality to bring about the subjugation of all life in the universe. It was a good thing humanity had already fled to the stars because Earth was utterly scoured by the enemy in revenge for so many previous defeats. More individuals died in the Doom Crusade than any previous war in Galactic History. This war affected the immortal too as countless Entropic Masters and Cosmic Eternals battled to the very end. Orkus himself was supposedly finally slain by Divinos in an epic battle that caused the eternal champion of Earth to disappear.

In this harsh environment, Ramses the Second emerged. A brutal dictator from the stars, Ramses the Second was the descendant of Horus Re and harnessing alien technology provided to him by Set, set himself up as ruler of the Earth. Believing himself to be a hero, he would eventually grow weary of the "paradise" that he'd created and routinely journey back to the 20th century to measure himself up against the heroes that came before. The death of Rasmes the Second during the Psychotic Seven's attempted coup resulted in a general revolt against the dictator's egyptian themed dictatorship and a new democracy created.

The Galactic Earth Alliance was formed by Earth, Mars, Lunaria, and several other powers in the Sol Star System that had been populated by human beings by Ramses while sending colonies out into space on the orders of his hidden master. It was a surprising beacon of hope and tolerance in a galaxy that had largely fallen into darkness. Hundreds more worlds soon joined as it became clear that many of the old empires had fallen.

The first great test occurred when the GEA was lured into war with the Tsavong Hegemony. The two sides almost wiped each other out before a time travel accident plopped a number of superheroes from the past in the future (and the sinister Death Mask). Together, they discovered that the war was deliberately being engineered by the sinister Time Master. A being that ruled that the vast majority of the galaxy from the Black Vortex. Most assumed him to be the heir to Orkus. The newly formed Patriot Army defeated the invasion force sent to the Tsavong and GEA home worlds even as Thran fell almost completely under the sway of the Vortex Empire.

Since that time, Earth has managed to mostly rebuild itself and establish itself as a cultural and artistic mecca in a galaxy largely still suffering from the Doom Crusade. It is a paradise in the middle of a Hellish and war ridden galaxy, however. The Patriot Army and the Foundation for Galactic Army struggle against it and the House of Serpents to avoid falling prey to the Vortex Empire or other enemies beyond it.

Major Galactic Powers

The Galactic Earth Alliance: The successor union to the former Union of Allied Worlds that existed as a third power to the Thran and Tsavong states. It is a relatively small but prospering power that is pulling out of the Galactic Dark Age that emerged thanks to the Doom Crusade. The majority of the inhabitants are humans or Near-Humans with many minor alien races getting along uneasily with them. The GEA is a Republic with a President and a Parliament that uneasily share power and are constantly jockeying for more authority. Gigantic megaconglomerates operate out of Titan and wield a disproportionate amount of power in the galaxy including Sparta Heavy Works. Disgustingly, PHANTOM is *STILL* around but has since become the ruling body of Titan and simply is interested in economic rather than galactic domination of the galaxy.

The Tsavong Hegemony: The Tsavong Masters and the Tsavong Warrior Caste have changed to some extent to become significantly more civilized. While still hostile to the GEA, they're actually not solely interested in warfare and the Warriors are far more honorable than their 20th century counterparts. The Masters are also seemingly significantly less racist and evil as well. The Tsavong produce their own technology now and are the partners with numerous other races who favor the brutal Viking like culture of the Hegemony. Significantly, the Masters are no longer in charge but the Tsavong Council that includes a mixture of Warrior Caste and Master Caste. Peculiarly, many Tsavong now assume human form for extended periods and even permanently exist in them.

An uneasy alliance exists with the GEA against the Vortex Empire.

Thran Allegiance: Approximately 10% of the original Thran Allegiance's former size with the rest conquered by the Vortex Empire. The Thran Allegiance is now a crumbling hold-out of Space Nazis that have many of their worlds occupied by the Tsavopng and GEA. They are the chief party responsible for the House of Serpents and hope to eventually rebuild their vast former domiciles. The Patriot Army is routinely called to deal with the terrorist army that exists here.

Vortex Empire: Do you remember Voltron? Remember how there was this Dark and Scary looking Mordor like realm where all the horrible Robot Monsters came from? How humans served the gray skinned warlords as slaves? Yeah, that's the Vortex Empire in a nutshell. Ruled by the Time Master, ther Vortex Empire is composed of most of the former Thran Allegiance and all of Orkus' former domiciles. A heavy handed military dictatorship is imposed over the planet as tithes are taken from all worlds and criminals are put to backbreaking labor in reconstructing the planets that are taken over by it. The Vortex Empire makes use of vast numbers of robot armies, mutated monsters, magic, and weird eldrich science to maintain control over the galaxy. The Djinn are the ruling caste of the Empire but even they fear the Time Master.

The GEA and Patriot army has liberated several worlds from the Vortex Empire but a great number of planets actually seem to like the Time Master.

The truth is the Time Master is a human being. James Moriarty X who is as much trapped by his position as ruler of the galaxy. Appointed by the Grigori to defeat Orkus' hordes before they left this dimension to fight Orkus' minions in a higher dimension, James Moriarty conquered the Void Empire to STOP its brutal wars of expansion. He is primarily a supervillain solely to terrify his subjects into towing the line while he undertakes the massive rebuilding project to get the galaxy back in order. The unfortunate fact is that he's not exactly sure how he can REMOVE the boot from the head of his subjects without the Empire self-destructing despite the fact that he's largely finished with his reconstruction.

New Mithran: A planet inhabited by humans that have genetically re-engineered themselves to be identical to Mithran. They worship Divinos as a demigod and the Hidden Light while having repaired the original world. New Mithran is a member of the GEA but its members are powerful enough to work on their own and they struggle to fight the evils of the Vortex Empire and other horrors that threaten the universe.

Thundaria: A planet that broke away from the Tsavong Hegemony. The Thundarians are a winged race of humanoids that are uneasy allies of the GEA. The Thundarians are locked in an eternal war against the Ashura and the two powers are determined to wipe each other out. The Thundarians are weaker than the Ashura but far more numerous.

The Ashura: Cousins of the Mithran, the majority of them lost their powers thanks to a nanotech bomb that the Patriot Army chose NOT to stop due to the fact that the Ashura are now a brutal scientific technocracy obsessed with galactic conquest and ruled by computer tyrants. They are now locked in a genocidal war with the Thundarians.

[Charles Phipps]

The Future of Wonders Revised Part II

The Future of Wonders has its champions and the greatest of these is undoubtedly, the Patriots Army. The Patriots Army has many branches spread out through countless worlds and not all of these are even beneficent (The Patriots Army has often found itself battling its own branch teams). Nevertheless, it's main team is famous galaxy over as an embodiment of the good and righteousness in the galaxy.

This wasn't always the case.

In fact, the Patriots Army started as something almost ridiculous to the extreme. Effectively, it was a collection of teenagers who had become fascinated with Pre-Cataclysm Earth history and the superheroes of the past. Less heroes and more a gang, the original trio stole into one of Earth's Time Agency offices to meet some of their heroes.

The encounter with Angel Girl, Black Wing, and the Red Queen shamed the group as the three heroes their own age convinced them to join together to become genuine heroes. First, defeating Death Mask on a rampage through the 2nd New Calender Century and then stopping the galaxy conquering Time Master.

Over the next decade, they'd routinely summon the three heroes from the past and occasionally a few others in order to gain advice on being super heroes. Eventually, the team matured to become just as great a group of heroes as the ones from the past. It has been a long and difficult road, however, and often still comes back to bite the heroes.

Surprisingly, the humans of the 21st century are aware of the Future of Wonders. Showing his typical disdain and dislike for the timestream's laws, Black Wing published accounts of his adventures (as he was predestined to do, according to the Time Agency) and the team has often found itself thrown into the past by Time Master or other temporal villains.

Suffice to say, the Patriots Army tends to unnerve certain heroes as their attitudes are somewhat different from the socially norms of the future (often regarding sexuality and interactions while being unnerved utterly in return by 21st century humanity's causal reaction to artificial intelligence and gene-engineering). Only the former FOF really had any cross-friendships with them. Their interactions were most common during the Silver Age of Freedom.

The Patriots Army-Alpha Team

Telekinetic Boy: The leader of the Patriots Army according to most; Telekinetic Boy is seemingly indestructible, capable of flight, and possesses incredible strength. In fact, this is all a manifestation of his incredibly versatile telekinetic abilities that he uses to great effect. The most serious of the team, Telekinetic Boy is a classic hero and a bit of a stuffed shirt by New Calender 2nd century standards. Part of this has to do with coming from the very emotionally and culturally repressive culture of Lunaria.

Telekinetic Boy is bisexual. While in love with Chameleon Girl, he has often been known to develop crushes on heroes of the 21st century (much to many's deep discomfort).

Ultramind X: The "child" of Ultramind 2.0 and Alexander Timons (with the D.N.A of Red Queen complicating the matter as well) who was created when that android needed to 'upgrade' due to programming leftover from Ultramind 1.0. The result is a nano-tech enhanced human who grew to adulthood within only a few days and the consciousness of an entire planet. Ultramind is the frequently irritated brains of the team. Ultramind has frequently had to fight for his rights given androids do not have rights in the future and cybernetics are outlawed. His "human" name is Julius Moriarty.

Ultramind X is known to play a ridiculously complex game of chess against Time Master, the pieces being the worlds of the galaxy themselves. This is especially irritating given their real goal is the hand of Star Princess and his relationship suffers with his team over both.

Star Princess: Marinna Holmes is from the planet Mars and and possessed of vast space-time bending powers. Equally important is her razor-sharp intellect that allows her to keep pace even with Ultramind and other villains like him. Star Princess suffers a frequent uphill battle to have people take her seriously given she's about as intimidating as Sarah Michelle Gellar in appearance (her costume is also pink and white). Her genuine niceness and pleasant attitude constantly cause individuals to underestimate her, much to her annoyance. Star Princess is a genuine royal, which annoys many of her home planet's British descended royals given her generally pleasant and egalitarian manner.

Marinna seems to have an odd affect on men of the Moriarty Line, causing them to fall over themselves trying to impress her. This has been awkward on several occasions, especially given Time Master's attempts to offer her the galaxy.

Kid Divinos: Kid Divinos is Angel Girl's many many many times removed descendent, much to her irritation. A snot nosed punk from New Mithran, Kid Divinos has always been a fame seeker and even traveled back to the 21st century to show up the heroes of the past (often getting smacked down brutally in the process). A glory hound, Kid Divinos is mostly doing such because he was unexceptional on his home world and starved for some kind of approval. His glory lust doesn't get in the way of his genuine heroism however and he's lost several endorsements (in this century or another) because of a refusal to compromise his beliefs for money.

Kid Divinos is the youngest member of the Alpha Squad and has a on and off again flirtation with Valkyrie's adult self. Ironically, her adult self can't stand him yet her younger self crushes on him.

Lady Wotan II: The daughter of Lady Wotan and Percy Washington, Lady Wotan II grew up the child of another century. While her parents were remembered as hated vllains, Lady Wotan vowed to use her magics to right the wrongs of the New Calender 2nd century. Unfortunately, Miss Wotan didn't inherit her father's keen intelligence and often bumbles over the tremendous magical power she wields. A shy wallflower type, many heroes unconsciously find themselves drawn to her and she's unsure how to react to them. She has a deep problem with Twilight Queen due to their polar opposite personalities and the fact that her powers are primarily light based.

Chameleon Girl: The beautiful Emma Winton is capable of shapshifting into any form and 'clouding' the minds of those around her. Chameleon Girl is something unnerving to many given she hails from the Vortex Empire and is a former member of Time Master's Secret Police. Still a fascist, Emma Winton joined the side of angels due to her love with Telekinetic Boy but is always the voice of brutal practicality within the Patriot Army. Several times, Time Master has attempted to lure her back into his service and this has called her loyalties into question.

Chameleon Girl relationship with Telekinetic Boy is unconventional by 21st century standards given that they're deeply in love but has maintained relationships with several other members of the team. While Emma Winton appears to be a pretty brunette human, she's actually biologically Tsavong but considers that ancestry unimportant and identifies with Earth/The Vortex Empire as her home.

Twilight Queen: Deborah Stein-Fairchild is the distant descendant of the Shadowcasting Stein family. Twilight Queen is significantly darker, one might even say a future version of Goth, person compared to her predecessor and a great deal more bombastic in her personality ("BOW BEFORE YOUR QUEEN!"). She is also a bit of a mystic that has learnd her powers do not require the Shadow Ring of her ancestors. Twilight Queen is also arguably the most powerful of the team given her ability to generate vast amounts of shadow.

Curiously, Twilight Queen considers Light to be a fundamentally evil force and has faced numerous cults devoted to the 'Lightbringer' that she is determined to fight. Part of this has to be that the Light cultists massacred her entire home world to attempt to destroy her at birth.