Revamp a Villain

[Huntsman Spider]

The Terrible Tale of Mortimer Toynbee

"Toad? The lackey? Hahaha I haven't seen him or even thought about him, who cares. . ." - Exodus to Husk on Krakoa

Mortimer Toynbee was lost. In fact he'd felt he had spent his entire life lost. He was lost when his parents left him at the orphanage.
Lost among the other children that had been cast aside by wayward progenitors. Lost among his fellow so-called homo superior.
Lost in space among strange star gods and lost on earth cast aside by people he'd idolized and loved.
So he killed himself. Tried to discard his life like so many others had discarded him, like refuse, like trash... but as they say one mans trash...

and where the mutants lost their toadee. The Shadow council found Mortimer Toynbee.

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Mortimer Toynbee is the story of the mutant formerly known as toad and how he becomes a high level espionage asset/agent for any of the espianoge groups you can thik of really but his true allegiance is to the shadow council and himself

Thing about toad is that he's really a big ball of physical super powers nowadays but MORE importantly... toad is a genius can build ex-skeltons, and androids but really wasn't creative enbogh to become IronMan, but honestly his biggest thing was that he was ugly and ashamed and made miserable.

But now... he's probably one of the greatest assassins the world has never known (Thanks to Moira Mctaggert continually resetting everything).

His powers really lend themselves to this too and marvel just kept dumping them on him... Think of everything any amphian creature on earth "CAN" do and "The Monster" Mortimer Toynbee can do it.
He's spiderman + the purpleman + gorgan from hydra, and so finally someone comes in and puts ALL those powers to use.
Wall Crawling, camouflage, super-genius, pheromones, various chemical secretions. Agility and speed the way toads can react fast enough to catch flies he use guns... swords... knives... whatever's handy. He's been trained by some of the best money can buy, as well as the taskmaser who won't remeber him specifially because Mortimer is a master of hiding his mutation and skills, in fact being non-descript at will is one of his greatest abilities.

Visually he's Jack Hawskmore from the authority with a better suit, and better hair. Occasionally no shirt and a long coat...
Personality wise he's a smiley glad hand, well wishing, friendly and polite. Conversely he's also the villian character from not country from old men. "Why do you always say that.... You don't have to do this"

In the end though, he's not a character that misses the X-story. He doesn't care if sentinels ravage the planet, nor honestly if "Bad Guys" win, or the "Good Guys" win. . . he's finally found something that matters more than any allegiance, any plan, any ending...
He's found himself.

A new kind of man, a new kind of monster.

Mortimer Toynbee

I like this. I like this a lot, actually.

Joker
Is dead.

Clayface
Vincent Price from House of Wax plus Vincent Price from Dr. Phibes. He's not a shapeshifter, he's an actor who murders everyone that ever wronged him in outlandish and attention-getting ways. He uses his knowledge of disguise to get close to his victims.

Mr. Freeze
Reforms. Serves his sentence in a special room in Ivy University while helping Ray Palmer come up with miracle treatments. Cryo super science plus microsurgeons can cure a lot. Feels a vague but tangible sense of satisfaction for the lives he saves.

Catwoman
Gets a sidekick after she happens to catch a runaway shoplifter. She takes the runaway under her wing to show her how its done.

I like your ideas, but do you have any in mind for Marvel villains?

[Midnight_v]

I like this. I like this a lot, actually.?

I think a lot of these lesser characters aren't held back by powers but by narrative. A long time ago I wrote this for Daken.

If I'm honest, I really liked Daken. . . during Dark Reign. So that was my expectation of the character. If I think about him ostensibly I'd think "this guys trolling", but he's actually doing it brilliantly.
He's an inversion of wolverine's masculinity, and his "moral" code, this guy shows up and makes EVERYONE question their sexuality with pheromone manipulation. His interactions with "Gorgon/Venom"; the "human torch";
and honestly even Ares was damned funny, hes served to keep everyone on edge, and was a master manipulator who was actually immune to telepathy so he couldn't get "cheated out" so to speak on his machinations.

Here you have character whose true power lies in "Out witting" everyone as well NOT just out fighting them (but he could do that too), inheritor of a rather insane legacy and whose prime motivator is power, who got a taste of power
being one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes for a year, and friends with the fantastic 4, PERFECT for being a big bad, Crime lord, or at least a major player in the Marvel universe....

Then dark reign ended.
They moved his characterization back to "whine about dad" to chase dads coat tails... silly stuff about Romulus, establish his "relationship" to the clone (which really... could have been done way better and in his favor)
Then the writers moved him to L.A. where he got hooked on "heat" a plot devices drug that beats healing factors... and really I lost interest after that.
I picked it up and scanned it, I'd follow it in previews, but the writer in my opinion didn't do the character justice but MORESO didn't understand that people following a character in that characters SOLO BOOK, overwhelmingly do so to
see the the character win or dare I say GROW. I picked up that solo and ... I remember my brother liked him and started picking up the book, but he said... "Damn, I'm not gonna keep paying to see a character I like get thrashed ever issue".

this in the wiki

Liu described him as someone who is confident in his own abilities and superiority, despite never having actually tested them "on the world stage". But since taking up the mantle of Wolverine means being in the public eye, he gets to "live a little and spread his wings [and] face the fact that there are people just a bit better at the game than him....
On whether Daken joining the Dark Avengers means he's being redeemed or not, Liu stated that in order for someone to want to achieve redemption, they first need to believe they've committed an act that requires atonement, and Daken doesn't feel any guilt for his past actions.[6] She also described him as elegant, preferring to use his brains over his brawn. She further stated that Daken is unable to form meaningful relationships, with the ones he does form being based on how he can use the people around him. His father is the one exception, who manages to "ruffle his emotions".[8]
"The first part translated to "Daken fails at everything after the dark avengers", the second in practice was "He never gets over his daddy issues, and transfers some of them to x-23 imho"

So he basically went from a guy poised to be super dangerous, essentially able to become the "Kingpin" at a minimum where ever he went, while pretending to be a hero to... well... a 3rd tier putz that almost everyone hates
Except for his sexuality for which he's loved, but critical analysis illustrates he's not really bi or pan or whatever his interest is power and control, he's a violent manipulative, brilliant...sociopath or psychopath. Sure he'll sleep with you but...
"You think I care? We're all just meat" -Black manta should have always been his secret position on things while he's accepting love and awards and playing the good guy.

The best way for him to defeat wolverine would have been to keep "winning" and doing bad things dressed as wolverine and all the while his response to both Wolverine AND X-23 should have been

"Dad... Sis, please get out of my office, the security for this building are all actual off duty police officers, and I'd hate to see you got to jail..."
and Not...
RAWR I'm gonna KILL YOU!!!!
Instead of fighting them hire a mutant bodyguard whose sole job is teleport melee guys away a (neo vanisher if you will), or hell have Mr.Fantastic design smart system that does just that, and have logan served with ACTUAL back child
support papers and require a DNA test if he wants to be trolling.

I have trouble selling you on a character that has suffered such a regression over the years. I like him, he lived the perfect "blueprint for a bastard" and he has potential but it was never really reached, he could have been a real player and IF YOU WANTED to read a book about an unrepentant bad guy then he would have been the perfect fit "If you want that" alot of people don't but then its what we say about different target audience all the time.

Daken was supposed to be Mordred + Christian Grey + Sabertooth...

... but instead they chose to drown him in a puddle. ymmv.

Originally Posted by Michael Watkins View Post

I didn't like him until he was the Dark Avengers' Wolverine. I like that he's an evil Wolverine alternative who isn't as trashy as Sabretooth.

I agree with this. The perfect fit for him is being the black king of the hellfire club, except based out of LA and Vegas, and where as Wolverine is many times portrayed as an honorable Samurai Berserker and in touch with the wild. Daikin, should be a depraved predator in touch with the post of modern civilization. Reading a book about him should be like reading the best book about Lex Luthor.

Wolverine has his daughters but he should also have a son that he's not proud of and would stop if you could... But he should not be able to through hook or crook, because while Dakin could theoretically out fight him or not... The entire goal is to deny Wolverine that fight unless it's a certain win and an embarrassing one at that.

More importantly the more Wolverine chases him down the more it should look like he's the bad one, coming in late trying to be a dad when he never was, portrayed by Dakin as father that is after him now that he's found legitimate success excetera excetera.

Meanwhile he's actually a high tier power broker involved in lots of things, but he still gets invited to Fantastic Four gatherings and meetings with the Avengers because everyone thinks he's a good guy and that's his cover

Krokoa upsets this type of thing entirely but ... Hell he could work for Roxxon or any other group instead, Doesn't matter.

[Michael Watkins]

i appreciate the Toad revamp. i can't remember if i did one for the Brotherhood in this thread. but i do feel that they were a victim of that time period. they were comical foils to the X-Men. realistically, a guy like Magneto would be more discerning on who he used as his core attack force. his choices would be skill based. and he'd logically train/test them. i thought that the original ******action x-men movie gave me some of what i wanted. Toad was more or less an engineer or high level mechanic. what nature didn't give him in the looks department was compensated for with intelligence. i could see him as the Brotherhood's demolitions expert and hacker. even if he isn't some kind of martial artist like Ray Park, he still does have super strength (most of it in his legs). he'd be dangerous to most humans physically. learning jiu jitsu might enhance that. otherwise though, i think he should be the mechanically inclined member, lookout, weapons expert, etc. personality-wise, i don't see him as someone necessarily wanting to engage physically. all of the abuse he experienced as a child probably led to his apprehension.

Mastermind would of course be quite experienced in intelligence gathering and subterfuge. he brings knowledge of psy-ops to their terrorist cell. but he'd be relatively useless as a physical combatant; preferring to use his illusions or a gun (if it came to that).

[Midnight_v]

i appreciate the Toad revamp. i can't remember if i did one for the Brotherhood in this thread. but i do feel that they were a victim of that time period. they were comical foils to the X-Men. realistically, a guy like Magneto would be more discerning on who he used as his core attack force. his choices would be skill based. and he'd logically train/test them. i thought that the original ******action x-men movie gave me some of what i wanted. Toad was more or less an engineer or high level mechanic. what nature didn't give him in the looks department was compensated for with intelligence. i could see him as the Brotherhood's demolitions expert and hacker. even if he isn't some kind of martial artist like Ray Park, he still does have super strength (most of it in his legs). he'd be dangerous to most humans physically. learning jiu jitsu might enhance that. otherwise though, i think he should be the mechanically inclined member, lookout, weapons expert, etc. personality-wise, i don't see him as someone necessarily wanting to engage physically. all of the abuse he experienced as a child probably led to his apprehension.

Mastermind would of course be quite experienced in intelligence gathering and subterfuge. he brings knowledge of psy-ops to their terrorist cell. but he'd be relatively useless as a physical combatant; preferring to use his illusions or a gun (if it came to that).

Well yeah one of the reasons I went into a whole revamp, and why i think its a good idea right now especially is because of hickmans run.

I don't love the krakoa bit because of the lack of dissenters so far therefore, I'm more interested in the mutants that would be just tired of serving the cause and especially Mags or Sinister, or =A= pocalpse in general.

Toad will always be toad as long as he's ugly and as long as he serves magneto in any capacity. There's a lot of mutants that are just NEVER going to be mutant royalty.

As far as looks go in there was this issue X-men 379 where they showed him if he wasn't born a mutant, pretty handsome guy

I'd have him played by Robert Pattinson or some other character with non-traditional good looks. Even aside from people like Masque (who should be there) and Fabian Cortez existing alongside the mutants means that
there are a lot of options when it come for reason to NOT be what you were.

But... of all the people out there who are involved in mystical, alien, inter-dimensional, The shadow council just randomly jumped out at me as being the perfect fit for toad. Especially since Max fury and John Steele are dead.

So yeah I think the best revamp for toad at least is to reject that name, get with people who appreciate and utilize his skills and intellect, but moreso have james bond adventures.

Even if he's found new masters. This group lets him be sometime so much more important that what he's been to the X-books. I agree a victim to the age he was made.

Horrible to see a character never get any growth espcially when his role is perpetual whipping boy and "Toadie' smh.

Not to mention access to new tech. His powers + tech-tailored for him make him just a threat to everybody he gets sicked on.

Kinda cool that any big-bad organization can just hand you a makeover too. Makes a lot of sense.

[Huntsman Spider]

Those are some interesting thoughts there. I especially like your take on Daken from way back, having him as the true inverse of his father --- as opposed to an anti-hero that is somewhat distrusted, feared, or even looked at askance for his savage nature, a villain that is beloved by almost everyone, including actual heroes, because he's so good at adopting and exploiting the trappings of civilization and playing (or preying) on people's assumptions and biases.

[Michael Watkins]

“The Mandarin”

Trying a different approach. I would keep the background as an Tem being from an obscenely wealthy family and being raised by a bitter & sociopathic aunt. He’d grow up enjoying every privilege of having money but would also seek influence. As a young man he’d already have ties to the criminal underworld and vice in general. But he’d still basically be a lazy brat who would feel entitled to status simply because of his heritage (from a long line of warriors & some say despots). Anyways, he pisses off the wrong people and is taken out to the middle of nowhere to be tortured & killed.

Much of what happens next will be magically rewritten in his memory; to make it a brave hero’s story . But he survives due to encountering the rings. This is the big change. You may know that Kunlun was ruled by dragons at one point. They had land disputes & personal wars just like humans. One of the nastiest dragons was named Makkulan. The others ganged up on him and spread his essence among 10 rings. So Makkulan thinks he has found a desperate and vulnerable vessel that he can eventually use to regain his form. He doesn’t realize just how strong Tem’s narcissism and thirst for power is. He’s able to guide but not control the new wearer of the rings.

Still arrogant and a glory hound, my version would actually start out as China’s hero. He would publicly oppose organized crime and corrupt military figures. But his motives would remain impure; a need for revenge and to be worshipped. Makkulan would nurture this side of Tem. Enter the evil American Iron Man! Stark has the nerve to enter China in pursuit of the Radioactive Man. Without hesitation, Tem attacks the intruder and seemingly defeats him with little effort. Yadda yadda, Iron Man wins the second round and protects civilians who get caught up in the fight.

Tem is humiliated. This and Makkulan’s urging is enough to turn China’s champion against the rabble. He decides that their fear is just as useful. He becomes the region’s fiercest villains and a criminal planner with global reach. And yes the Ten Rings terrorist cell is his. In case it’s not clear, Makkulan kind of molds him into a leader. He’s able to erase the complacency and bring out the repressed rage. This allows Tem to put in the physical and spiritual work to become the Mandarin we are familiar with. Remember that this potential is in his blood. He’s descended from rulers and was made soft by privilege. The Mandarin name was given to him by American and British intelligence. It’s derogatory and not used by other Asians. He has a villain name. I just haven’t thought of it. I like his armor look from Acts of Vengeance. He forms it with the rings but the look was straight out of the stories he was told as a child. Normally he’s in overly expensive tailored suits. Demeanor-wise, he’s a thin skinned showman who enjoys combat and people singing his praises. And, temper aside, my version is a bit of a marketing genius. That and his money allowed him to really exploit China’s black market prior to finding the rings.

[Huntsman Spider]

“The Mandarin”

Trying a different approach. I would keep the background as an Tem being from an obscenely wealthy family and being raised by a bitter & sociopathic aunt. He’d grow up enjoying every privilege of having money but would also seek influence. As a young man he’d already have ties to the criminal underworld and vice in general. But he’d still basically be a lazy brat who would feel entitled to status simply because of his heritage (from a long line of warriors & some say despots). Anyways, he pisses off the wrong people and is taken out to the middle of nowhere to be tortured & killed.

Much of what happens next will be magically rewritten in his memory; to make it a brave hero’s story . But he survives due to encountering the rings. This is the big change. You may know that Kunlun was ruled by dragons at one point. They had land disputes & personal wars just like humans. One of the nastiest dragons was named Makkulan. The others ganged up on him and spread his essence among 10 rings. So Makkulan thinks he has found a desperate and vulnerable vessel that he can eventually use to regain his form. He doesn’t realize just how strong Tem’s narcissism and thirst for power is. He’s able to guide but not control the new wearer of the rings.

Still arrogant and a glory hound, my version would actually start out as China’s hero. He would publicly oppose organized crime and corrupt military figures. But his motives would remain impure; a need for revenge and to be worshipped. Makkulan would nurture this side of Tem. Enter the evil American Iron Man! Stark has the nerve to enter China in pursuit of the Radioactive Man. Without hesitation, Tem attacks the intruder and seemingly defeats him with little effort. Yadda yadda, Iron Man wins the second round and protects civilians who get caught up in the fight.

Tem is humiliated. This and Makkulan’s urging is enough to turn China’s champion against the rabble. He decides that their fear is just as useful. He becomes the region’s fiercest villains and a criminal planner with global reach. And yes the Ten Rings terrorist cell is his. In case it’s not clear, Makkulan kind of molds him into a leader. He’s able to erase the complacency and bring out the repressed rage. This allows Tem to put in the physical and spiritual work to become the Mandarin we are familiar with. Remember that this potential is in his blood. He’s descended from rulers and was made soft by privilege. The Mandarin name was given to him by American and British intelligence. It’s derogatory and not used by other Asians. He has a villain name. I just haven’t thought of it. I like his armor look from Acts of Vengeance. He forms it with the rings but the look was straight out of the stories he was told as a child. Normally he’s in overly expensive tailored suits. Demeanor-wise, he’s a thin skinned showman who enjoys combat and people singing his praises. And, temper aside, my version is a bit of a marketing genius. That and his money allowed him to really exploit China’s black market prior to finding the rings.

That sounds very much like an evil Iron Man. I like it. This is the kind of characterization and development I think would make him a top-notch rival to Tony Stark like he was supposed to be. And you even threw in an Iron Fist connection with the Makluan rings coming from K'un-L'un, which I like as well.

[Michael Watkins]

That sounds very much like an evil Iron Man. I like it. This is the kind of characterization and development I think would make him a top-notch rival to Tony Stark like he was supposed to be. And you even threw in an Iron Fist connection with the Makluan rings coming from K'un-L'un, which I like as well.

Thank you. I remember people not liking the idea of Mandarin being the pawn of an alien race. So I did a quick read of the dragon seed storyline. Decided that it would be cleaner to fit those characters into existing kunlun history. I also gave Mandarin some dignity back by having him be so insanely high on himself that the dragon’s essence couldn’t control him. He would make a play for kunlun at some point and pretend to be Master Khan. He’d also have a strange relationship of mutual respect with Fin Fang Foom. They both have contempt for humanity.

Thank you for picking up on the symmetry with stark’s story. I tend to rush when I type this out on my phone. He’s very much what tony was before taking over stark industries; an intellectually gifted hedonist. Having Chinese underworld figures put him in a trunk and take him to a killing field was supposed to be his shrapnel to the heart moment. And Makkulan is blatantly yinsen in the story. But make no mistake, the Mandarin would acknowledge no commonality between himself and any other person besides maybe Genghis Khan. The rings amplify all of his character flaws even as they augment his chi. His senses are dialed up to 10 as well. I would distinguish this from Norman Osborn’s super sanity.

[Michael Watkins]

The Serpent Society

I admit that my problem with them is visual. They look like something a toy company would have created in the 80s. I don’t know that it has aged well; depends on the artist. But I have also seen some cool redesigns. Black Mamba and Constrictor looked quite formidable in that one-off Daredevil appearance. Anyways...

I would change the mission statement and make it more exclusive. You don’t get invited to the Serpent Society without first establishing a rep as a successful contract killer, merc, smuggler, or cage fighter. Most of these snakes would be wanted in multiple countries. And they don’t get to choose their venomous persona. They get that after a painful initiation. Some are cybernetically enhanced like the Reavers. Others happen to be mutants or inhumans (they don’t discriminate). And they hire themselves out as gun runner protection and killers for hire. The society was originally a Hydra special forces unit that was co-opted by Voorhees, a sadistic recruit with a penchant for strangulation. They lost a few members in the course of business. He strangled whoever was left and used that opportunity to branch out.

SHIELD, pretending to be another organization, tries to infiltrate the group by augmenting an injured soldier named Frank Payne and creating a reputation for him as the Constrictor. Unfortunately, he is finally accepted into the gang as Ophelia Sarkassian takes over. She’s a nihilist and a fan of collateral damage. She also changes the admission standards (lets just say that there were several people wearing the Boomslang outfit). Frank winds up with so much blood on his hands that SHIELD cuts him loose. This and a relationship with the equally conflicted Diamondback keep him on the dark side.

So my change was to make the more familiar serpents professionals. They are each dangerous enough on their own to justify being regular headaches for Captain America. That doesn’t mean that Mamba and Asp don’t still enjoy clubbing. Their personalities are intact. But they would now be peers of someone like Natasha Romanoff instead of being former exotic dancers or car salesmen.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pr...h5xW0U7bRJIrSg

[CRaymond]

The Serpent Society

My only request is that they have a NOLA safehouse and are known as the Assassin's Guild there.

Would you mind revamping the Thieves' Guild while you're at it? Make it a similarly loose international discipline --rather than some weird family thing.

[Michael Watkins]

Grim Reaper

This character frustrates me to no end. Same with Simon, actually. I’ll try to keep this from the villain perspective.

I’m borrowing heavily from Bucky and Steve’s movie relationship. But I guess you could say that it’s also like Russo and Castle’s tv relationship.

First huge change, Eric isn’t related to Simon. And he’s Italian-American (maybe his absentee father wasn’t and just liked the name Eric). Simon would also be part Italian on his mother’s side. I replaced him in Simon’s story with a responsible straight-laced older brother figure named Sanford “Ford” Williams jr. Eric and Simon are from very different worlds but meet in basic training. They become closer during whatever conflict. Eric is nicknamed the Grim Reaper because 1) he keeps a kill count 2) he ends up being a magnet for roadside bombs and ambushes. He survives all of that. And, more importantly, he saves Simon’s life several times. Not too important but Simon is nicknamed Hollywood by his unit because he’s fresh faced and from a wealthy family.

Things aren’t great back in Eric’s old neighborhood. He finds work as a low level soldier for the Maggia. He moves up in the ranks after personally saving the life of Joey Manfredi, the Son’s son, by taking the brunt of an explosion. His arm is mangled. The Maggia get him a brand spanking new one courtesy of Silvermane’s personal mechanic. Eric is enjoying his elevated position. He and Joey are practically on a first name basis. He’s getting more work as an enforcer. He’s happy but clearly wants what guys like Silvermane and Hammerhead have. He tries to build some business on the side with a mutant club owner nicknamed the Mandrill. They get involved with the drug trade. He is also sleeping with the Mandrill’s sister behind the scenes (story for another day). By this point his reputation is a lot like Jack’s in the Keaton Batman movies.

Back to Maggia business, they’ve been leaning on Ford Williams (now running the family business) using their fathers debts as leverage. They want to be silent partners and Ford is not cooperating. Eric sees an opportunity to get a hold in the business through his old friend Simon; a struggling actor doing underwear commercials and trying his hardest to get on the young & the restless. That ends very badly for everyone. Ford ends up dead but with his integrity. Simon ends up guilt-stricken and very ionic powered pawn of the Masters of Evil. The kicker being that Eric was the ambitious mortal that the Enchantress had been seeking. But events transpired that Simon paid back his debts and was mortally wounded while saving Eric. She respected his chutzpah. Don’t worry. The experience really kicked the Grim Reaper’s career as a costumed villain into high gear. He talked Joey Manfredi into looking the other way while he made moves against the aging Silvermane. It didn’t work. But he was able to upgrade the arm (it appears to be a regular arm most of the time) and build enough of a crew to strike out on his own.

My changes were to decouple Simon and Eric. The evil brother angle is well worn in the marvel universe. I also made them younger. Personally I found it kind of lame that Simon dyes his hair. Seems like a pointless affectation that would appeal to an older comic book writer but not contribute much to Simon’s popularity. The military angle was just a convenient way to have the two meet while giving Reaper a skill he could parlay into being a mafioso. If your curious, Simon wound up in basic training because the money that was to be spent bribing his way into college was spent instead on work related settlements. Sanford senior liked to cut corners and show off for his sidechicks.

[Michael Watkins]

My only request is that they have a NOLA safehouse and are known as the Assassin's Guild there.

Would you mind revamping the Thieves' Guild while you're at it? Make it a similarly loose international discipline --rather than some weird family thing.

I almost referenced Kill Bill. But I couldn’t remember the actual name of the squad. Sure, Nawlins is a great location. The general vibe works with how they like to spend their downtime. I don’t need to touch the Guild because it’s already been revamped for the Black Cat series. It’s no longer a lebeau family affair. The Serpent Society, like everyone else who engages in illicit activity in the region, would have to pay the Guild’s toll. Similarly, they don’t operate in New York without being taxed by the Kingpin or the Pride on the West Coast. There are rules to this game.

[Michael Watkins]

Captain Ultra

One more quick one for the road.

I see potential in Slapstick as the villain equivalent of Gwenpool. But I don’t know his status. So I am reimagining Ultra as a small scale Doctor Manhattan with the sensibilities of the Comedian and the background of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker.

He’s a a standup who becomes the deserved victim of cancel culture. Desperate and unhirable he offers himself up as a guinea pig and has his mind expanded in some frightening ways. His eyes are now portals to another dimension and his body has been unmade and reconstituted several times to keep him from being atomized by the energies leaking from that dimension. He’s still a schlub. But now he at least thinks that he’s seen the truth of everything/existence/the marvel universe. And like most comics, it’s made him cynical and self destructive. He’s extremely dangerous and nigh indestructible. But it’s all pointless so he routinely engineers his own losses. The fainting at the sight of open flame is done entirely for comedic value and a nod to his red headed ex girlfriend. He wears a special visor designed by The Corporation to prevent his gaze from inadvertently bending reality.

[JudicatorPrime]

Knights of the Zodiac

I've always wanted to see a Zodiac team comprised of existing villains, who set aside their super-villain names, costumes and careers to join one of the most sinister cabals of all time -- or so they aspired.

The problem is that I never got around to figuring out who I wanted on the team. I did want to eschew any logical connection between the zodiac sign and the person assuming that role. So my Taurus wouldn't necessarily be someone born under that sign, or an anthropomorphic, bovine-like villain necessarily -- although I had considered Kurse and Juggernaut for that spot. Instead of matching the villains to their KOtZ identity, it's probably best if I jot down some of the names of characters that I wanted on the team. Note: I may list more than 12 people here.

1. Kang - Founded the team, recruiting individuals from across the space/time continuum.

2. Medusa - Recruited by Kang when she was still a villain. The two are especially close and there are whispers that the two are secretly lovers.

3. Dansen Macabre/Umar the Unrelenting - Dormammu punishes Umar for some slight or other by imprisoning her on Earth in Macabre's body. With each dance Umar slowly regains her full magical prowess. She's biding time with the team for now.

4. Graviton - Too powerful a character not to use...especially with so many OP past and present Avengers running around.

5. Kurse - The most honorable of the lot, but nevertheless a being with his own mysterious motives that don't always align with the angels -- or most human criminal statutes. Oddly enough, the cause of relationship woes between Lotus and Frenzy.

6. Hobgoblin - An alternate timeline version who wields a fraction of the Goblin Force.

7. Black Lotus - Kang sends her across time to learn from all of the great martial arts masters. She returns as one of the top pure martial arts fighters ever to exist. In a gender fluid relationship with Frenzy and Kurse.

8. Frenzy - Kang uses advanced science to time-slide her genetic structure, thus giving her the same powers as her distant future progeny (Maxam). Unlimited strength and she grows about 25' when pushed; Unexpectedly falls for Lotus, until the silent dark elven warrior, Kurse, enters the picture. Somehow they try to make it work.

9. Mister X - Every team of bad guys should have someone that is in love with death. X is here seeking greater power, though, feeling inadequate to witness and/or foment death on a grand scale with his current limited skill set. He admires Thanos like Kobe admired Jordan. Given time he'll prove just as dangerous. Kang needs to watch his back.

10. Yellowjacket - The unexpected twist. I'd like to think that there's an alternate timeline where Janet Van Dyne was evil and took the name Yellowjacket, instead of the Wasp. Either way, Kang finds her and adds her the team. She kills the Bi-Beast with her stings for contesting her admittance to the group

11. Carnage - Every team of bad guys should have at least one certifiable psychopath

12. Chemistro - Our mad scientist

13. Speed Demon - Some guys are just bad guys because it feels good to their dark souls.

14. Superia - Can't have a team of villains without at least one superpowered narcissistic megolamaniac

15. Dr. Minerva - Evil alien mastermind, check!

16. Mysterium/Nth Man (Dr. Thomas Lightner)

17. Bi-Beast - Assisted the team with only one mission before being killed by Janet Van Dyne (Yellowjacket of Earth 20616) for refusing to accept her petition for membership.

[PCN24454]

Knights of the Zodiac

I've always wanted to see a Zodiac team comprised of existing villains, who set aside their super-villain names, costumes and careers to join one of the most sinister cabals of all time -- or so they aspired.

The problem is that I never got around to figuring out who I wanted on the team. I did want to eschew any logical connection between the zodiac sign and the person assuming that role. So my Taurus wouldn't necessarily be someone born under that sign, or an anthropomorphic, bovine-like villain necessarily -- although I had considered Kurse and Juggernaut for that spot. Instead of matching the villains to their KOtZ identity, it's probably best if I jot down some of the names of characters that I wanted on the team. Note: I may list more than 12 people here.

1. Kang - Founded the team, recruiting individuals from across the space/time continuum.

2. Medusa - Recruited by Kang when she was still a villain. The two are especially close and there are whispers that the two are secretly lovers.

3. Dansen Macabre/Umar the Unrelenting - Dormammu punishes Umar for some slight or other by imprisoning her on Earth in Macabre's body. With each dance Umar slowly regains her full magical prowess. She's biding time with the team for now.

4. Graviton - Too powerful a character not to use...especially with so many OP past and present Avengers running around.

5. Kurse - The most honorable of the lot, but nevertheless a being with his own mysterious motives that don't always align with the angels -- or most human criminal statutes. Oddly enough, the cause of relationship woes between Lotus and Frenzy.

6. Hobgoblin - An alternate timeline version who wields a fraction of the Goblin Force.

7. Black Lotus - Kang sends her across time to learn from all of the great martial arts masters. She returns as one of the top pure martial arts fighters ever to exist. In a gender fluid relationship with Frenzy and Kurse.

8. Frenzy - Kang uses advanced science to time-slide her genetic structure, thus giving her the same powers as her distant future progeny (Maxam). Unlimited strength and she grows about 25' when pushed; Unexpectedly falls for Lotus, until the silent dark elven warrior, Kurse, enters the picture. Somehow they try to make it work.

9. Mister X - Every team of bad guys should have someone that is in love with death. X is here seeking greater power, though, feeling inadequate to witness and/or foment death on a grand scale with his current limited skill set. He admires Thanos like Kobe admired Jordan. Given time he'll prove just as dangerous. Kang needs to watch his back.

10. Yellowjacket - The unexpected twist. I'd like to think that there's an alternate timeline where Janet Van Dyne was evil and took the name Yellowjacket, instead of the Wasp. Either way, Kang finds her and adds her the team. She kills the Bi-Beast with her stings for contesting her admittance to the group

11. Carnage - Every team of bad guys should have at least one certifiable psychopath

12. Chemistro - Our mad scientist

13. Speed Demon - Some guys are just bad guys because it feels good to their dark souls.

14. Superia - Can't have a team of villains without at least one superpowered narcissistic megolamaniac

15. Dr. Minerva - Evil alien mastermind, check!

16. Mysterium/Nth Man (Dr. Thomas Lightner)

17. Bi-Beast - Assisted the team with only one mission before being killed by Janet Van Dyne (Yellowjacket of Earth 20616) for refusing to accept her petition for membership.

But if you do that, can it really be called a Zodiac team?