Alright, thanks for clearing that up. :)
I think I'm just too used to the silver age that Sotm takes place in where there's a clearer line between "good" and "evil", but this is meant to take place in the modern age of comics, or maybe even past that, so this makes sense.
Very much meant to have modern sensibilities, these. And, of course, you’re talking to the guy who literally wrote the book on Iron Age comics… http://www.drivethrurpg.com/m/product/133245
Oh, that's pretty cool! Although I gotta say, that book seems to be more focused on the dystopian side of modern comics, which is what I was kinda getting at when I said some of these look like they belong in the Miststorm timeline, which I think is meant to represent a different era from the Sc timeline.
Also, I'm not much of a comic buff outside of Sotm, so I don't even know what the iron age is.
Within the context of CSW, we define the Iron Age as starting in 1983 (with the first major crossover event comics like Secret Wars and Contest of Champions) up through the Marvel bankruptcy in 1996.
This is not to say that every comic published in this time frame is an Iron Age style book – just that they were more prevalent during this time. Iron Age books are still being published today, in what many call the Modern Age of Comics (and what I like to think of as the Celluloid Age).
Iron Age comics tended to be more grounded, with a greater focus on realism and are often rooted in deeper social issues of the time. Powers are downplayed somewhat in favor of heavy investigation and inter- character conflict, with echoes of comics’ roots in the noir and pulp tradition. Costumes became less colorful and more functional, with Sam increasing number of heroes wielding guns and other weapons. Target readership age increased, which came with a commensurate increase in ‘mature’ content, though the worst Iron Age books saw this as nothing more than an opportunity to pander to readers with over-the-top sex and violence.
Most notably, both art and writing took a great leap forward in the Iron Age. Denny O’Neil, Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Grant Morrison, Neil Gaiman, Garth Ennis, Greg Rucka, and Mark Millar all are noted Iron Age writers, with artists like Todd McFarlane, Dave McKean, and Mike Mignola providing the pictures.
The most notable Iron Age book is undoubtedly Watchmen, followed by The Dark Knight Returns and Frank Miller’s run on Daredevil. Probably my favorite Iron Age book, though, is Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth by Grant Morrison, which takes many off its beats from Morrison’s experience with the Egyptian tarot. I’m also quite fond of Denny O’Neil’s run on The Question, which is a full reimagining of the character from its roots in Objectivism.
Ah, I see. Then what's the age after/before that?
Prior to? The Bronze Age--About 1970 until 1983. A relaxed viewpoint on the comics code (particularly in terms of horror comics), an interest in racial and social issues (Denny O'Neil's Green Lantern/Green Arrow run is seminal Bronze Age reading), and an increased focus on topical/timely elements. Chris Claremont's run on X-Men is something of the bridge between Bronze and Iron Age comics.
Afterwards? Most people call it the Modern Age, for lack of something better. I've heard the "Electrum" Age, as it's a blending of metals--we have books now that are very heavily Silver-Age influenced and, right next to it on the shelf, a gritty-crime-drama Iron Age title. I'm pretty much alone in calling this the "Celluloid" Age: comics being used as properties for the purpose of creating, publicising, and expanding upon tentpole films and TV series.
PlatnumWarlock giving me low key comic recommendations without meaning to... Also, I to am really enjoying the superpowered soldier is the enemy vibes. For one can see how from there upbringing and viewpoint the others are wrong
Villain of the Day: February 13 (General Cordillera)
Diego Gaston Dorrego did not set out to become the ruler of Uruguay. But when circumstance and opportunity rose their twin heads, he certainly did not hesitate.
Uruguay's government was already instable when Dorrego came of age, though he was a firm believer in law and order. The son of a minor military official, Dorrego attended military academy in Montevideo and rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant through hardwork, skulduggery, and a few greased palms. Both a capable tactician and a canny politician, Dorrego knew that the prior ruler--President Jose Mujica--hung to his power with tenuous fingers and was entirely reliant upon the military for backing.
What few knew, though, was the Dorrego was a potent metahuman, in addition to a noted military leader. Able to manipulate and shape rock, Dorrego could also propel himself along stone and rock surfaces at an extreme rate, pulling the earth along behind him in a massive wake of destruction, effectively becoming a living avalanche. Where his powers come from, however, is anyone's guess. Some believe that he may have effectively paid some nefarious party for his powers; others believe him to be a latent Omega.
Regardless of his powers' source, Dorrego, now calling himself General Cordillera, declared a coup on the Uruguayan government less than a year before the OblivAeon crisis. Despite the brutality of his military followers--over 400 people died as Cordillera moved on the palace in Montevideo--the new military-led governement was recognized by the United Nations not four month later. The United States has moved towards sanctions on Uruguay, citing Cordillera's status as the dictator of a rogue state, though these have been hung up in political entanglements.
To this day, General Cordillera rules Uruguay with a stone fist. His state has become known as the only nation to harbor rogue or wanted metahumans, who are often given positions of power within Cordillera's government. Cordillera has discussed joint military maneuvers with Iran and North Korea at various points, leading to further strain with the United States and its allies. Arms trafficking, biomedical experimentation, and worse have become staples of the Uruguayan economy, which benefits only Cordillera's ruling class. And, given the current political rhetoric, how will the supers of the world react to a second full-on supervillain as its leader...particularly one willing to work with terrorist states?
"…you wear a flag on your chest and think you fight a battle of nations! I have seen the future, Captain! There are no flags!"
Villain of the Day: February 14 (Calvin Davies and the Sommerland Collective)
In amidst the hubbub of Brexit and the movement towards Scottish independence, another movement has gone nearly unnoticed. However, the events transpiring at Conwy Castle in Wales may be of greater import than any other in the United Kingdom.
Calvin Davies was a data entry specialist at a firm outside of Manchester. Generally speaking, he was unfulfilled, mildly depressed, and walked through life in a relative malaise. When Netflix and curry failed to amuse, he actively began to search online for a new hobby. His search led him to a community center for the Sommerland Community Collective, a group operating out a former resort building in Llandudno.
Without mincing words, the Sommerland Community Collective was nothing short of a cult. Their leader, one Jeremy MacGruder, grew up in a New Age household and believed he could share his message of peace, non-violent resistance, and chemical transcendance with the community at large. His success in this arena was fairly limited, until Calvin arrived at his door.
After Calvin's third "experience" with MacGruder's psychotropics, something within him emerged. A latent Omega (as he later discovered), Calvin was able to exude an aura of calm and passivity, influencing the emotions of all those around him. MacGruder quickly rose Calvin through the ranks in the Collective, with Calvin swiftly becoming his second-in-command. Were these powers restricted to the Collective, this would be one thing. However, such was not the case.
Calvin's continual use of his power allowed him to expand his range, covering the vast majority of Conwy County. Citizens throughout the province began falling into docility, with the Collective's recruiting efforts kicking into hyperdrive. Work went abandoned, public services evaporated, and the citizens of Conwy began to gather at Conwy Castle to listen to MacGruder's message of peace. Within weeks, much of the county was under the complete and total sway of Jeremy, Calvin, and the Sommerland Collective.
The British government has responded to the Sommerland Collective with great alarm, declaring the group a domestic terrorist organization. Efforts to recover Conwy have only resulted in more individuals--highly trained SAS agents, no less--joining the Collective. Calvin's power aura continues to spread, though, carving an ever-larger swath out of Wales. And with his aura, so grows the Collective...
Villain of the Day: February 15 (Secutarus)
"Rome will exist as long as the Coliseum does; when the Coliseum falls, so will Rome; when Rome falls, so will the world." --Venerable Bede, Saint
Arturo Amalio could have been the pride of Italy; instead, he chose wealth. A born metahuman, Arturo exhibited a phenomenal degree of strength and endurance, coupled with a preternatural aptitude for armed combat. As a child, he idolized the stories of Ancient Rome, particularly those of the gladiators in the great Coliseum.
As a teenager and adult, though, his metahuman abilities began to lead him down a path of greed and petulance. His abilities caught the eye of a local Camorra mafioso, spending a few weeks on the mainland from Sicily. Arturo's natural strength and intimidating demeanor made him an excellent leg-breaker, though Arturo himself wasn't satisfied with just the scraps handed down to him from the consigliere. Rather, he knew he could join the top of the heap.
As such, he proposed a meeting with the capo with a new idea. Underground fighting rings were no new concept, but one that catered specifically to high rollers? One that featured metahuman-only fights? Now, Arturo was on to something.
Today, Arturo runs the single largest underground metahuman fighting league this side of the Bloodsworn Coliseum. His persona as manager is one straight out of his childhood fantasies--he dresses in a toga and loincloth, wielding gladiatorial weapons, and is referred to only as Secutarus. Bets on various metahuman fights typically range in the tens of thousands of dollars, and numerous high-rollers spend entire evenings, alternating back-room deals with bone-crunching cage matches. On occasion, Secutarus enters the ring himself, though usually only in the style of Vince McMahon in the WWE--done only to continue the drama and theatrics of the arena. On the few times where Secutarus fought "for real", the ease with which he dispatched his foes was an act of blood-spattered beauty.
Secutarus' Coliseum currently brings in tens of millions of dollars each year, providing funding for numerous Camorra operations throughout the world. And, of course, if you need to find someone of note, Secutarus probably has had them in-house.
After reading that one, my immediate thought was "I wish this was real", and I don't know if I meant in Sentinels lore or in the real world. c.c;
Villain of the Day: February 16 (The Wall)
It's said that old buildings have a power to them, a spirit bestowed upon them by decades of persons within.
If this is the case, the entity known as The Wall may be one of the most powerful to ever walk the Earth.
The People's Republic of China has been ominously silent during the rise of the American metahumans. Many have surmised that China's military had been secretly recruiting, creating, or otherwise developing their own metahuman security contingencies. However, throughout the past twenty years, China has become one of the biggest detractors of metahumans on the UN Security Council. Lieutenant General Jian Hung Zhao has spearheaded this efforts, continually encouraging sanctions or peacekeeping actions against nations that incorporate metahumans into their existing military or law enforcement hierarchies.
Needless to say, General Zhao's efforts have placed him into the minority, with so many other nations taking up the exact viewpoint that Zhao would see removed. And, as OblivAeon descended upon the world, even Zhao and his mainland commanders were left wondering what direction the PRC should take--conventional arms seemed ineffective in the face of Aeon Men, and not even China's world-leading air force could stand against even a single scion.
That's when The Wall emerged. Literally stepping forth from the tower known as Old Dragon's Head in Shanhaiguan Pass, a gigantic colossus of stone and mortar strode towards besieged Beijing, sweeping aside Aeon Men like leaves tossed in a storm. The PRC's military leaders were stunned. As OblivAeon's forces withdrew from China--presumably to attack some other part of the world--The Wall strode among the crowded city, holding up crumbling skyscrapers and even serving as a living bridge while citizens fled from a fire.
Attempts to communicate with The Wall have been fairly unsuccessful to date, though a few things are clear: The Wall seems to be animated by the spiritual essence of each person to ever have walked along its stones. Because of this, it has an almost intuitive feel for where it might be needed, always seeming to show up alongside the Chinese military when attempting to put down a metahuman threat or any aggression from a rival nation. The Wall regenerates almost as fast as it can be damaged, making it nigh invulnerable. Further, The Wall has a decided antipathy against any creatures associated with or harboring powers derived from OblivAeon. This has led to several international incidents as latent metahumans--some not even knowing they *had* powers--being attacked as their plane landed or their boat arrived in port. These attacks have even included Chinese scientists attempting to study a fragment of an OblivAeon shard, which utterly devastated a military base outside of Shanghai.
Regardless of its reasoning or motives, The Wall has become the titan of China, defending against all interlopers as it has for thousands of years prior.
Secutarus: You know, considering both what he does and where he lives, this guy would make a perfect nemesis for my character the Penitent, who I wrote about in the Hero Ideas thread. I'm curious, though, do they kidnap metahumans and force them to fight, or do they look for volunteers? I can't imagine either would be easy.
The Wall: I'm so sorry, but the moment I heard that name my first thought was,
Re: Secutarus
A little bit of both, really. He has a network of regular fighters, but occasional enemies and captives end up as targets. Mainly scheduled, willing fighters though.
I kind of wish the Wall wasn't in the villains thread now, he sounds great. :(
It’s also a barely sentient construct that will pursue and smash anyone even remotely affiliated with Oblivaeon that comes neat sovereign China…
But for all that, you have to admire its loyalty. It doesn't let a handicap like "barely being sentient" stop it from protecting what it cares about! :') What a trooper.
Villain of the Day: February 17 (Dr. Emershan Laurent)
Number three on Interpol's most wanted list, Dr. Emershan Laurent is simultaneously one of bio-engineering's foremost minds and among the most conniving, twisted minds in the world.
Born in Johannesburg, Laurent attended some of the world's foremost universities, double-majoring in Biochemistry and Biology at University of Copenhagen, before pursuing advanced degrees in Genetics, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at Heidelberg, Utrecht, and Barcelona, respectively. Laurent's second doctoral thesis, "On the Advancement of the Human Condition" is simultaneously regarded as a masterwork of transhumanist concepts and reviled by most oganizations as an attempt to legitimize racist rhetoric.
Laurent's earliest job, at Polish genetics firm Genomax, was rife with ethical violations. Laurent seemed to have no compunctions in how he treated test subjects and suggested experiments that made his compatriots question his very sanity. Nevertheless, Laurent continued on, focusing primarily on creating and testing airborne retroviruses...
When the depths of his research were exposed, the Genomax board of directors immediately terminated his employment. However, Laurent already had the backing of another group: the Sicilian Camorra. Laurent was given his own private island laboratory in the middle of the Mediterranean, where he began development of numerous biological weapons...and stranger things. The wooded lands surrounding Laurent's lab soon were guarded not by mafioso, but rather by terrifying hybrid creatures, seeming more tumorous mass than men.
Even the Camorra could not abide this madness. The capo soon sent an armed force to the island...only for that force to be massacred by Laurent's genetic aberrations. By the time word reached the Camorra of what happened, Laurent and his creatures had vanished.
Laurent has been sighted throughout the world since that time, often in unstable governments ruled by oligarchs. Some have actively sought Laurent in search of longer life or cures to rare diseases, while other seek his expertise in the creation of biological weapons. One raid by Interpol agents onto a suspected lab led to the release of numerous genetic horrors onto the streets of Bern, Switzerland, which has only caused his profile to rise among criminal circles.
Rumor has it that Laurent has begun work on a new project; one which has the capability of rewriting genetic material en-masse...
Villain of the Day: February 18 (Duplex)
Born to parents from Northern Ireland in the British Virgin Isles, Brianna Donnally grew up watching heroes and villains clash on her tv and on the internet. She was utterly enthralled. Men flew through the air, women streaked through the streets with inhuman speed, and alien forces called down unfathomable forces with aplomb in both defense of earth and in usurpation of it. She couldn't get enough.
But, despite living in an island paradise, Brianna found herself wanting more. She got exactly that while at university, studying in Miami. The Prime Wardens, locked in combat against a contingency of Lieutenant Viktor's gene-bound minions, long-since marooned on Earth since the Voss invasion. Mere blocks away from the conflict, Brianna couldn't help but get a bit closer to for a better look.
As she watched the clash from behind an SUV, electrical power arced from Brianna's eyes, slamming into a nearby lightpole. As her vision cleared and she stumbled to the ground in alarm, she watched as Tempest had done nearly the exact same motion, lightning arcing into a Gene-Bound Minion. The battle continued on, though Brianna wandered the streets, lightning arcing from her palms, her eyes, and her fingertips. Within a few moments, she realized that the power was entirely under her control--the powers once held only by Tempest himself were now hers. As Captain Cosmic arced overhead, drawn by the peals of lightning emanating from Brianna, he dove towards her....only for her to throw up a shield of golden energy.
By this point, Brianna had realized the truth: she could replicate metahuman abilities. While she fled the field that day--her powers fading as she lost proximity to their source--she knew the truth. She was born for something more.
Draining her parents' bank account and taking all she had from her own paltry savings, Brianna began to travel the world, putting herself as close to the world's metahumans as possible, trying on their powers one after another. Over the next two years, she had experienced the powers of nearly every public metahuman in the world, both heroes and villains alike. Furthermore, she found that, given a degree of focus and observation, she could even replicate non-metahuman skills such as marksmanship, martial arts abilities, and athletic feats.
That was when she was approached by the Russian government. Brianna was offered an exorbitant sum of money, a palatial home, new cars and more....all to do exactly what she loved: find her way into proximity to known metahumans, skirmish with them if possible, duplicate their powers, and then report back to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. To date, codename Duplex has catalogued and duplicated over four dozen known heroes, two dozen villains, and countless other minor threats. Further, she has trained in covert operations, infiltration and exfiltration, krav maga, and marksmanship.
Few know that Duplex even exists at this point, but when she emerges, she will surely be a force to be reckoned with. ...to say nothing of what the Russians themselves are planning above Duplex's paygrade.