Super Sunday: Doom Punch and Claire Lincoln

Doom Punch

There is a group called the Weird Assassins. One of them, however reluctantly, is Doom Punch, also known as Rick Ramsay.

Rick was never really a good man, but he wasn’t a wholly bad one either. He’d had his troubles with the police, but the crime that he was sent to prison for, a double homicide, was one that he had not been guilty of. He’d just been the wrong color in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was convicted and sentenced to life behind bars. Whether it was a lucky break or not is impossible to say, but the warden of the prison was the type to conduct strange occult experiments. Seeking a volunteer, the warden offered Rick preferential treatment if he agreed to be his test subject.

Long story short: Rick wound up with a magic hand replacing his own that could kill at a touch. Instead of being nicer to Rick, the warden attempted to have him killed, so Rick escaped. Living in a world with superheroes, Rick made the understandable jump to trying to make a living as a bounty hunter. But it is not easy for a wanted man with a death-touch to keep on the straight and narrow path. He needed money, and eventually realized that killing could be the easiest way to earn a living. In the end, he’d become not only a killer, but a killer much worse than the one he’d originally been accused of being.

Claire Lincoln

Claire is a member of the same demon-plagued family we met with her cousin Natalie Lincoln. To reiterate: a demon cursed this family line so they would be attacked by all sorts of monsters and mystics, but rather than die off, the clan has grown especially skilled at fighting supernatural forces.

In her lifetime of fending off those forces, Claire has picked up some intense fighting skills, along with a particularly study bo staff made of strange mystical wood. That sort of thing is common in her family, which is why so many of them wind up either as monster hunters or paranormal investigators or other similar occupations. But Claire has always wanted to be a teacher. That seemed like an impossible dream for someone who is at constant risk of being attacked by weird enemies, the kids would be in danger at all times. But what if the kids were already in danger? Recently Claire has been given the opportunity to teach and train a class of children who are, like her, likely targets for mystical foes. The children of wizards and demons and mad scientists need to get educated somewhere, and why shouldn’t Claire be the one who teaches them? Claire is very interested in taking the job, but she can’t help but wonder who the secret individual bankrolling this strange school could be.

Stories about a class made of weird kids with powers and stuff are practically overdone. So I wanted to do it too, obviously!

Super Sunday: The Beam (Again)

In several universes there has arisen a superhero known as the Beam. As they met one another

The Beam of Earth Purple

Fukui Yuito was an ordinary young man until he was caught in the blast caused by an exploding time machine that had crashed into his home. The temporal energies caused Yuito to gain superhuman powers: flying and moving at speeds so fast he could barely be seen. As occasionally happens, he decided to become a superhero called the Beam. Like the other Beams, he eventually learned that there were other universes and had adventures in them. But when he came home, things had changed. Due to some time travel event that occurred while he was away, his world was rewritten. People he knew weren’t who he knew, and more importantly, there was another Yuito as well, one still living the life he had before the accident. The Beam’s home was gone, so he left it to the new Yuito and began to wander the multiverse helping those in need and, hopefully, finding a new place for himself.

The Earth that was home to Yuito is the one ravaged by the Time Travel Chaos of the time travel characters I gave you back in August.

The Beam of Earth Brown

On the island of Islopia, the Wizard King enforces his rule by enchanting his police force with superhuman powers. One of those officers, Klair Getting, was given powers of supernatural speed. In spite of her massive frame, she is the fastest person in her world. She takes her job very seriously, so when the Beams from other strange versions of the Earth arrived in hers, she had no interest in helping them with their adventures until it mattered in some way that effected her jurisdiction. But when it does, she is glad to help out.

Earth Brown is the name for the fantasy world that is also home to the nation of Podd. I like to think that Superpowered Cop from a Fantasy Earth would be sufficiently different from standard superhero fare that it would be an interesting source of conflict.

This is it for the Beams. I’m not going to make more of them here. This world-building exercise that is Super Sunday has resulted in more universes than even I expected, and I wanted a few more Beams to continue filling out their role as the hero archetype in multiple universes. But I also think it would be ridiculous is every one of those universes had a Beam. For now, the only way I’d bother making more of them is if I’m actually making a story in which they appear. There’s a few colors left, but screw those colors for now.

Super Sunday: Efmons 5

Efmons

Here is two more of the Efmon family, the mutated cult of evil mystics whom I have covered before.

Vedur Efmon

Vedur Efmon is, in a way, the ambassador of the Efmon family. It his his job to go out to worlds and meet people who don’t worship Thalamaya. While he would love to convert them, that is often not his mission. As much as they hate to admit it, the Efmons do occasionally need to negotiate for material resources or for information. Vedur has more skill than most Efmons at restraining from killing enemies on sight, so he has to do such jobs. It isn’t easy work, but in worship of Thalamaya, Vedur will do what he must.

Towwa Efmon

Before their mutations, members of the Efmon family look roughly like normal humans look. After her mutation, Towwa, like most Efmons, looked different. Either by pure coincidence or as part of Thalamaya’s plan, Towwa’s new form, which was not especially powerful, looked exactly like one the people of planet Zezwek. In their wandering through dimensions, the Efmons had come across Zezwek and saw it as being strategically useful. An agent who could infiltrate that world, laying the groundwork for an Efmon invasion, was obviously an asset that could not be passed up. And that’s how they established their new base of operations, making slaves of the local population. Towwa now serves as the Master of Zezwek, relaying the family’s orders to the Zezwek people and, when necessary, keeping them in line with force.

Super Sunday: The Paladins of Podd

The Paladins of Podd

The nation of Podd is essentially a paradise. They’ve eliminated crime and poverty and disease. They’ve got the finest educational system in their world. Menial tasks are done by machines and philosophical and intellectual pursuits are enjoyed by any who want to enjoy them. Podd wants to spread their happiness across the world. Does that make them assholes?

A lot of other nations seem to think so. Podd has a tendency to stick itself into the business of other nations. Sometimes this is good, such as when they provide relief to people who have been stricken by drought or disaster. Other times their presence is less appreciated, such as when they try to force other countries to change their policies by force. We may think it is right for them to fight for sexuality equality in the neighboring nation of Kebash, but do we agree when they force the nation of Islopia to free convicted criminals? What right does Podd have to tell other countries how to go about their business? After all, only a century ago, Podd itself was a nation with institutionalized slavery and anti-religious laws. Is Podd a great nation that has learned from its mistakes, or is it a land of hypocrites?

Podd works extremely hard to maintain the moral high ground. When Podd declares war on another nation, a typical year will result in about a dozen Podd soldiers’ deaths. But their enemies will suffer no casualties at the hands of Podd. They have perfected all manner of non-lethal weaponry and they aren’t afraid to use it. Podd soldiers will gladly surrender their lives for the cause, but the lives of others are not theirs to sacrifice.

Ren Lighten is the head of Podd’s Drop Knights. This Corps of soldiers will be flown over enemy lines and parachuted in to set up strongholds and engage the local populace when possible. Ren is the son of a government official and was raised with the values of Podd at his core. He could have lived a life of luxury (but then, so could anyone in Podd), but he had to get out there and make a difference. He’s the ideal Podd soldier.

Kurk Wisher was not raised in Podd. He was, in fact, an enemy who met Podd soldiers on the field of battle. As often happens, he was swiftly beaten. But when he saw how much better Podd was than his home at treating soldiers, he questioned his loyalty. Not only were the prisoners well treated, but Podd’s own soldiers who suffered from post-traumatic stress were cared for better than anyone in his home had been. As is the practice, Kurk was given his freedom when the war ended, and he promptly signed up with the more appealing side.

There are times when some individual in some nation other than Podd, scientists and community leaders or the like, are in danger, but the officials of Podd consider that person important. Before they even realize they are the target of sinister forces, those individuals will meet Bob Felling. The hulking soldier is one of Podd’s Target Guardians. When assigned to protect someone, Bob makes sure they stay protected. Such Guardians are the last unit of Podd’s military to carry a weapon designed to be fatal: a sword. While it is fully capable of killing, the Guardians consider it purely ceremonial. Those being protected by the Guardians are usually from nations that have not yet abandoned killing as a means of defense, so it does serve a comforting purpose for them as well.

Shell Worldly is part of the newest of the Podd military’s units. Some of them consider covert espionage to be underhanded and shady. Shell doesn’t necessarily agree with that sentiment, but her role as Podd’s first Overt Spy gives her a chance to show off her skills, so she is happy with it. Raised in a house with many competitive siblings, Shell always liked to prove herself to be the best. Now she does it on a national scale. If one of Podd’s enemy nations is, for example, constructing a nuclear missile silo, and they are trying to be sneaky about it, Shell Worldly will waltz up to the gates and let herself be noticed by as many of the guards as possible. She will break in and steal blueprints or take photos and escape uncaptured, but plainly seen. The message is simple: You can not hide your evil machinations from the nation of Podd, and they don’t fear you enough to bother trying to hide anything from you.

Wearing the blood red that is universal code for the occupation on this world, Dara Talik is a field medic. Among most countries, not just Podd, it is considered a war crime to attack medics on the battlefield, but Podd is unique in the amount of focus that they give on their opponents. Talik’s family is a member of the religious minority that was brutally oppressed in Podd only generations ago, but now her faith in both her god and her nation have made her one of the bravest heroes Podd has ever seen. There is no situation too dangerous for her to try to help the wounded.

So are the forces of Podd the good guys? It depends who you ask. But if history is written by the victors, it looks like Podd is going to be writing some history pretty soon.

Notes: Podd is set in another universe not already introduced in Super Sundays. I found among my notes mentions of an idea for a “Shotguns and Sorcery” world that combine elements from modern military and political fiction with fantasy universe stuff. I like the idea, so Podd is my first entry into this new alternate Earth that has magic and monsters, but still has trucks and planes and computers and such. And now I’ve got another world to flesh out.

Super Sunday: Ms. Curious and Epic Bro

Ms. Curious

Cats are more in tune with the supernatural side of the world than humans are. And the especially intelligent cats can be downright experts in the field. Ms. Curious is the world’s foremost paranormal investigator. Avoiding notice from the humans, she seeks out stories of haunted houses or monster sightings and looks into them. If anything truly out of the ordinary is happening, she will do what she can to help. She’ll help ghosts find their rest and, if necessary, she’ll bring down monsters whatever it takes.

I can’t draw cats even more than I generally can’t draw things. Still, I like the idea of a cat out there solving problems that humans don’t even realize are going on.

Epic Bro

Tyler Watson is straight up trippin’, dawg. He got the mad skills. He be punchin’, he be running, he be fuckin’ shit up. You know he’s bomb, ’cause he’s Epic Bro.

Okay, look, I can’t write “bro” lingo. It is beyond me. I can’t fathom it. But still, what we have here is a superhero character who embodies that type of attitude. I figure Tyler here was about sixteen when he developed supernatural powers, not knowing that he inherited them from a father he never met, and, while he does try to do “heroic” things, he’s also the kind of young idiotic person that cares more about style than substance. It is not uncommon for him to attempt his heroics while in an impaired state (Say, if a crime happens while he was at a kegger). And worse, he’d the type who things it is important to prove himself in a fight. If I did a story about him, I’d try not to paint him as a bad guy, but he’d have to grow up to be a real hero.