Hunter's Crosshairs

Ugh

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 04:14:32 GMT

I have become so damn depressed in the past week and I have no idea why it's affecting me like this right now. Couldn't it have waited until finals were over?

New Releases from Marvel Omega!

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 07:45:54 GMT

We're moving right along into December with some new issues for your enjoyment! Also be sure to check out the Spotlight page where we have a chat with Derrick Ferguson!

Black Cat #2 · Gambit is arguably the greatest thief in the entire world. But when the Black Cat crosses his path, will his luck turn sour? And why have the two of them both found themselves on the same trail? Someone is being played, but can Felicia get past the Ragin' Cajun's arrogance long enough to get to the bottom of this? See for yourself in the second part of "Cat's Paw" by D. Golightly!

Cloak and Dagger #1 · Chemistro has unleashed a new drug called Spectrum onto the streets of San Francisco. And two of its users have become...Cloak and Dagger? Unfortunately for them, the real Cloak and Dagger are on the trail as well, and this night won't end well for one side! Find out which one in "As The Night Falls" by Ed Ainsworth!

Deadpool #3 · The Yakuza want Wade dead! Too bad for them Deadpool's got some help in the form of his new partner, Sunfire! Although Sunfire is only interested in taking out the Yakuza and couldn't care less what happens to Wade. Bullets fly, limbs are severed, and all the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put the fourth wall back together again in the (un)stunning final chapter of "Tokyo Suckerpunch" by Dino Pollard!

Ghost Rider #20 · In sixth century Bengal, young Prince Sirajul watched in horror as the vicious Lord Lakshman brutally murdered two of the young man's closest friends. And since the boys were orphaned, there was no chance that Lakshman would be brought to the King's justice. But there is another kind of justice, one which Sirajul will learn about from a strange visitor... Find out more as "Spirits of Vengeance" continues by Dale Glaser!

Thunderbolts #18 · Assault on Castle Zemo! Strucker sends his army of supervillains after the Thunderbolts and the ultimate prize? Nothing less than the head of Baron Zemo! But the Thunderbolts are no slouches and they quickly rise to the challenge. However, there are those on both sides who have their own agendas in mind. Just how will this play out for the warring Barons? Find out as "Masters and Slaves" continues by Steve Seinberg and Dino Pollard!

Buzz Books

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:17 GMT

Has anyone here read Chew from Image? I've heard really good things about it. I picked up Irredeemable on a whim based on the reviews it was getting and wasn't disappointed, so I put in an order for the first Chew trade. I was just hoping for a few perspectives from people I know exist before I trust some CBR reviewer, heh.

Also, what other not-mainstream-superhero Marvel/DC trades do you recommend? I'm caught up on Y: The Last Man, Fables, The Walking Dead, and I'm in the midst of getting caught up on Invincible. Thoughts?

Mark Millar's Nemesis

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 03:00:45 GMT

After the scheduling catastrophe that was Old Man Logan, Mark Millar and Steve McNiven have unveiled their latest project together: Nemesis.

Any thoughts, anybody? My first thought is, hey, wow, this looks really interesting. I might actually buy a non-superhero/mainstream Marvel/DC comic for once. My second thought is, hey, if I like it, I'm going to start getting more and more disappointed as the book starts coming out later and later and later, aren't I? Should I even bother?

And based on the length of time it took Civil War and Old Man Logan to come out, I'm going to have to pass. Sign me up for the collected edition in 2012, please, because for all I know that's how long it'll be before I see it.

Forge, the Maker

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:00:40 GMT

In case you don't frequent the site on a multiple-times-daily basis like I do, you may have missed the fact that UncannyXmen.net did an update on their Forge spotlight, this time including all of his inventions...ever. Check it out. It's well worth your while, believe you me.

Case for a Title #13: Captain America

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:15:50 GMT

He's the Sentinel of Liberty, the Harbinger of Freedom, but in our reality, he's not Steve Rogers. Meet Josiah X, the new Captain America.

You see, this is a book that has some history behind it. Much of the past twelve issues has been spent dealing with the shadowy background agency called Control that no one knows much about but everyone knows it dangerous. I know, it sounds odd, right? But Dino made it work.

With Steve Rogers dead after Josiah X has inherited the cowl and shield, his position as Captain America has been solidified, yet the book is currently writerless. There are so many things that someone could do by coming onto this book. They could play up the contrast between his solo adventures and his exploits with the Avengers, bringing in Nightcrawler as a guest-star when a religion-based foe rears his/her ugly head. Delve into the subculture of New York as Josiah gets down and dirty, just like he always has, when trouble arises.

Better yet, have Josiah start to question whether he is worthy to wield the title of "Captain America." Have him get himself a motorcycle and take a Cap-style road trip, answering hotline calls all over the United States as his pilgrimage of sorts.

But heck, why do anything that's come before? Pit him against villains that have never seen the light of day at Marvel Omega. Take Paper Doll and Freak and make them Josiah X Captain America villains. Do something crazy and fun. Don't let me be the one who stops you.

It took us years to get a Captain America book at Marvel Omega. The title's open again. Don't make me wait years for the next writer, eh?

Hunter Lambright
crawler0822@hotmail.com
http://marvel.omegacen.com/submissions.html

Seeing Red

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:04:35 GMT

Though I didn't get any new comics today because I'm an American (I tease, but I don't), I did get a copy of Hulk #17 and it has me thinking that if Red Hulk really is Thunderbolt Ross, then Red She-Hulk, the person they sent to control him, has to be Betty "Dead" Ross. One, she has leverage on the Hulk. Two, she has leverage on her father. Three, after Bruce confused the Marlo Harpy for Betty, it means they just brought her back up, kinda like the time Forge was mentioned twice in an issue of Astonishing X-Men before he ended up being involved, surprise, surprise.

Anyway, I'm honestly just tired of waiting to find out who's who. The mystery either better be something I totally didn't expect or else it better blow me away at this point.

New Releases from Marvel Omega!

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:25:40 GMT

December is here, so while you're out Christmas shopping or cramming for finals, make a little time for these five new books, two of which are from first-time Marvel Omega writers! Enjoy!

http://marvel.omegacen.com

Amazing Fantasy #27 · All the original Guardians of the Galaxy wanted was to keep their ship spaceworthy when they docked on this Earth-like planet, but Starhawk has other ideas. Who has set him off and what shifting threat awaits the Guardians of the Galaxy on this world? Find out in "A Day in the Life…" by Travis Hiltz in his first Marvel Omega story!

Exiles #1 · Sandman, Goblin, Husk, Wasp, Sister Grimm, and Daredevil. These six heroes have become unstuck from time and each finds themselves in the midst of heroes that they've never known in their own realities. Will they answer the call of the Tallus or will they refuse to give in? Find out in "Reality Check" by Marvel Omega newcomer, Wesley Overhults!

Heroes for Hire #6 · Danny and Luke are out on the town, but what will Danny do when he comes face to face with his toughest opponent yet—Luke Cage?! Plus, will Danny be able to save his best friend when the Livewires decide that the best way to save him is to kill him? It all goes down in "Gunpowder Burns" by Hunter Lambright!

Nova #2 · Richard Rider has been summoned to Xandar after so much time back on Earth. Will he respond to the call of his own free will or will he even be given a choice? Meanwhile, Nova's oldest and deadliest foes regroup and begin tracking down his loved ones as the Terrible Trio reforms! Check it out in part two of "The Man Called Nova" by Scott Redmond!

Tomb of Dracula #6 · Lilith introduces Frank Drake to her Shock Troop, but is that the only surprise she brought with her or will she reveal another as Colleen Wing and Misty Knight jump into the fray? Plus, the Paladin and Cloak & Dagger action continues while everything spirals downwards. Curt Fernlund brings all the action in "Blood Complex!"

And, as always, be sure to stop by the forum when you're finished reading to let everyone know what you thought so you can earn their undying gratitude!

Hunter Lambright, EiC
crawler0822@hotmail.com

http://marvel.omegacen.com

Case for a Title #12: Namor, the Sub-Mariner

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:42:32 GMT

How many times has he attacked the surface world in the past six weeks? Months? Years? Yeah, I thought so. We're talking about Namor here.

The problem with Namor is that he's constantly portrayed as an angry S.O.B. when that's not anywhere close to his most interesting characteristic. The guy lives underwater, which covers, what? Three-quarters of the planet? Do you know how much room there is down there for entire societies? I think K.A. Applegate did it best in her Animorphs series, with the underwater race that scours the seabed for shipwrecks and then drags them across the seafloor to their underground/water buildings as museum exhibits. I don't want you to rip that off, but that's the kind of stuff I'm looking for.

I'm suggesting two different takes on the guy since he's not with the Avengers anymore. 1.) Sea-faring exile and 2.) Political mastermind.

When Namor could be the coolest is when you kick him out of his empire because someone else has taken over and you have him searching the seven seas for something that can get him in power. In the meantime, he finds himself in the Sargasso Sea and encounters just what alien power (or is it alien?) that makes bad things happen to ships and planes in the area. He goes off into the San Andreas fault and finds a creature that has been living there for the dawn of time--just before said creatures launches its plan to evaporate all the water on earth! I just think that Namor, a crabby kind of guy, stuck in these fantastic situations, will provide enough of a contrast that it won't get boring.

Then you have the political intrigue side of things. Namor is King of Atlantis, so why is he never there? He's always on the surface world doing surface worldy things. So put him back on his throne and have him contest a man who has appeared out of the depths of the ocean, claiming to be the legitimate heir to the throne in front of Namor. And Namor knows, if the man is who he says he is, then that man is the legitimate king. And thus begins a series of political maneuvers. The people who want Namor to stay in power begin trying to off his cousin. Then the Fathom Five get involved on the behalf of the cousin, because they want Namor out of power. And it all ends in trouble for Atlantis. Too often has Namor gone to the surface world when they were in need. Will he swallow his pride when the underwater world is in need instead?

I'm not sure what's going to happen, actually, and, though no one has pitched a book based on a CfaT yet, I'm hoping someone will. Send an e-mail to crawler0822@hotmail.com for any brainstorming or pitching or questions about the site, and check out http://marvel.omegacen.com/submissions.html if you're interested in checking out any of the other book ideas we've got for you.

Case for a Title #11: Domino

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 06:20:38 GMT

First off, before we get started, I’d like to point you all over to http://marvel.omegacen.com/submissions.html because Dino Pollard has done some amazing work coming up with upwards of twenty new logos for titles that have no writer. Check those out and see if any of them hits a chord, would you?

And then, once you’re back here and strapped in tight, we’re going to talk about Domino.

First off, there’s one very attractive part about formulating a pitch for Domino that people might want to consider. Your title character? She’s dibbed by me. I’m trying to give you ideas for a solo series. Thus, it’s a given that it’s okay with the dib holder that you write a solo series alongside her team adventures.

There are so many directions you can go with Domino. Maybe she’s hired by a casino director to use a little luck of her own to see if a snobby rich kid, barely into his twenties, is cheating at the games, because he has to be to be winning so much money, but, in actuality, he’s dead-Hellion Roulette’s uptight cousin who has no idea he’s a mutant. The moral dilemma then becomes whether she turns the kid in for her paycheck or she mentors him due to her own experience with relative probability manipulation.

You could also go with the straight-up assassin route. She’s good at what she does, maybe even the best there is if Wolverine is off the table. She’s strong, self-sufficient, and, well, sexy, but she can also kill you before you can beg her not to. However, when an attempt at offing an unfriendly foreign ruler goes bad, she has to ask herself, does she finish the job and maintain her identity with the government? Or does she stand by and do nothing, knowing that mutantkind will benefit if she doesn’t show her face in public?

Maybe she’s given a target, but she has one big problem: this target has long since been killed, ages and ages ago. Is it possible that this person is alive? And what happens when she confronts Matthew Risman, the scarred hitman who is trying to beat her to her undead quarry?

That’s up to you. Feel free to shoot me a pitch for an ongoing OR a mini-series at crawler0822@hotmail.com . Remember, feel free to use any of the premises I come up with as your own. They’re stories I would love to read.

Other than that, check out the above link. We’re open for ongoings AND miniseries books right now. If you can’t commit for the long haul, don’t. We understand. But if you have a five-issue arc that you can’t get out of your brain, we’ll sign you up for a mini-series. We’re a forgiving bunch here.

Hunter Lambright, EiC

Friday, Black Friday

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 05:02:03 GMT

Despite the fact that I've gotten about seven hours of sleep over the past three nights, I'm in the midst of unpacking my Black Friday purchases. I think this is the umpteenth (and last) time I'll be saying this, but I only just got into watching movies, like, recently, and so this Black Friday was a godsend for me. I walked in, and for two or three dollars apiece, I walked out with, Underworld, Underworld: Evolution, The Mummy Returns, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, A History of Violence, Across the Universe, I am Legend, Transformers, Vantage Point, 30 Days of Night, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and 007: Casino Royale. I also know that I'll be getting from my parents at Christmas copies of The Dark Knight, Ocean's 11, Ocean's 12, and Blazing Saddles.

Tack onto this a five-dollar copy of the What if...? Secret Wars TPB (at a twenty-dollar print tag), and my day was made. I was able to hit every store I wanted to, get everything I wanted and more, and not hit any craziness.

If it makes Black Friday fun again, I kinda like the economy the way it is.

I'm kidding...right?

Holiday Weekend

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:14:00 GMT

First off, to all my USA LJ friends, a very happy Thanksgiving to you and whoever you're spending it with. Hopefully all turns out well. To you across the pond, thanks for giving us a reason to run away from your religious persecution and get saved by that Squanto guy, because, well, turkey tastes darn good with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, rolls, and, my personal favorite, the gravy itself. You guys are the best.

I say that all with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek, of course.

And tomorrow (which might as well be today, as I know I won't be sleeping tonight), I'll venture into that scary world they call Black Friday in search of two-dollar DVDs and half-price half-price (=75% off) books while avoiding the people who threaten to kill me because they think I'm eying "their" Wii. But I know I'll have a good time, death threats or not, and get a good few hours of cheap movies out of it, too.

And this weekend, sometime, I am going to catch up on sleep, tryptophan or not. And then I'll read the three $4.99 Stephen King books that I was able to get for $2.50 apiece when it's all averaged out. I'll do that starting this weekend. Any recommendations on whether to start in on Misery, Thinner, or Cujo first?

Anyhow, everyone have a great weekend. I've already navigated the horrors of Thanksgiving Day Meijer for a 25% off television that my parents wanted but didn't want to go get themselves. Maybe you'll have some good fun without spending any money, eh? Eh?

Well, it was a thought, haha.

Justice League: Cry for Justice

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:00:22 GMT

Possible SPOILERS ensue...

For those of you about to go to the comic book store today to pick up Justice League: Cry for Justice #5, I might advise you to stop before you waste $3.99 and a good portion of your lunch in disgust. You see, despite how good he was at Starman, or so I've heard, Mr. Robinson had devolved into what we call--and I believe I'm using the technical term--a "hack." A hack is a writer whose plots are contrived and whose stories are based more on shock value than character, right? Am I working on the right definition here? I mean, seriously? What the hell was that about?

It's just like every time someone didn't know what to do with Banshee, they had someone slit his vocal chords or his throat. Just, well, this time they don't know what to do with Roy Harper. Screw this.

End rant.

Marvel Omega: Special Update

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:14:52 GMT

We at Marvel Omega are pleased to say that today, for the first time since Marvel-X, the KITTY PRYDE: SHADOW OF THE CAT six-issue mini-series is live at http://marvel.omegacen.com/shadowcat . This series, which takes place before the start of even the UNCANNY X-MEN title, sets the stage for Kitty's exploits as they've occurred over the years since. It pits Kitty against old favorites, such as the Friends of Humanity as well as Ogun, and it introduces the mysterious Michael Ramsey. Give it a read and get a taste of the Marvel Omega of old, available for the first time in, well, ages.

HeroClix: Hammer of Thor

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:58:34 GMT

My LCS had one box of the new HeroClix set left. I was disappointed. Then I opened it up. Not only did I get Loki, but I also got one of the two chase figures, Frog Thor, who's selling online for $114.99. Hell yeah.

Only sad thing is that I didn't get any Runaways...

Incredible Hulk

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:10:51 GMT

So... Rick Jones is the new Abomination...er...A-Bomb. And his wife? She's the new...Harpy?

I'm having trouble here. Why did Hulk's human supporting characters suddenly have to get powers?

Case for a Title #10: Ms. Marvel

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:17:05 GMT

Remember when I was complaining about a lack of strong female leads? No female lead seems stronger than Ms. Marvel.

For someone so steeped in the history of a male character, Carol Danvers is someone who seems to have finally come into her own. Unfortunately, her codename is rather symbolic. She tried out Warbird and Binary to get away from the shadow that was Mar-Vell, and, now that she finally can stand on her own two feet (or at least believes she can, since she was perfectly capable the entire time), she's gone back to the old moniker. Ah, well, that's just me talking. How about some title-case-making?

Ms. Marvel has a ton of potential. She's a superheroine. Men want her. Women want to be her. She has slowly become just as beloved as the belated Steve Rogers. If that doesn't say something, I don't know what does.

So turn that on its head. A villain frames her for something. Carol loses face with the public. People begin hating her, calling her vile things. The thing is, she didn't do it. But whoever it impersonating her keeps going on and doing it anyway. And they're getting away with it. She's the new Spider-Menace. So Carol gets depressed, because, no matter what she does, no matter which random villain she takes down, she's still hated. And she turns back to the bottle. Except this time, when Carol gets drunk, she releases the fiery part of her personality that's been hiding away in the Binary persona. She's struggled with her identity so long that it's all developed separately. She's the public darling version of Moon Knight.

But still, who the hell is messing with her? Is it a new foe from her most recent series? Is is an old Avengers foe trying to settle an old score? What the hell is going on?

You tell me.

crawler0822@hotmail.com
http://marvel.omegacen.com

If you need a laugh...

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:59:50 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Wd-Q3F8KM

Face-Palm

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:38:57 GMT

In a message I sent out to the MO Staff list, I used the word "sea" instead of "see."

I am left speechless. I have no excuse. It wasn't even one of the many forms of the word that sounds like, y'know, "THAIR."

*Sigh*

Comic Moment of the Week

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:38:52 GMT

From the JSA 80-Page Giant One-Shot:

Cyclone (regarding Power Girl's costume): Oh, gosh! No..I meant--see--I meant the bullet holes. I would never joke about your costume. I love your costume. It's got to be one of the best-designed ever.

Power Girl: Most women don't react quite that way.

Cyclone: Really? 'Cause from a theatrical point of view, it's perfect for who you are and what you do. It's all about contradictions. The hole draws the eye precisely where everyone knows they're not supposed to look--putting anyone you're dealing with off-balance. The name says Girl, but the costume says Woman... And not just woman, I mean. It says, "I'm tough enough to handle everything I am. Are you?" I'm talking too much again. I'll shut up.

Brilliant? Or is someone trying too hard? Hahaha.

On this day in Fan-Fiction

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:58:10 GMT

Holy cow. Altered Visions, Marvel 2000, and Marvel Omega, all in one day? FSI on the way?

If I'd known there would be so many of us updating today, I'd have held off till the weekend. Phew! Good work, Doug and Cory!

New Releases from Marvel Omega!

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:38:58 GMT

Did you miss us? Of course you did! Check out these nine--nine!--brand new releases for the month of November, and look forward to more timely updates in the months to come!

Avengers #30 · The Avengers are called to defend their new home against an attack by the Wrecking Crew and Moses Magnum, but can they hold out against such destructive force? Plus, what exactly is Maria Hill up to? And has all of this been any more than a distraction? Find out in part two of “Wreck and Roll!” by Curt Fernlund and Dino Pollard!

Black Cat #1 · Felicia Hardy has been earning a good living, but, when she’s ask to do just one more job, will she be able to resist? Or is Bruno not telling her everything she needs to know about this job? Plus, when two thieves meet, will there be any honor between them? Find out as D. Golightly tackles this femme fatale in part one of “Cat’s Paw!”

Cable #3 (vol. 2) · Cable must make a journey to one of the most desolate places imaginable—Sinister’s mind! Can he and Sinister rid the madman of Apocalypse for good, or will something even more sinister be lying in wait for them? Find out in part three of “Apocalypse Tomorrow,” by Hunter Lambright and Dino Pollard!

Excalibur #6 (vol. 2) · The Captains get their act together just in time to face the greatest threat western Europe has ever faced—the legendary Stone Henge! Plus, Elsa Bloodstone and Druid’s plan takes a wicked twist while Morganna Le Fay and Roma plot in the background. Check out “And to All Things Comes an Ending…” by Ed Ainsworth!

Force Works #3 · Bridge’s Force Works team finishes its work in North Korea while it fends off the Atom Smashers? Wait, did we say Atom Smashers? Plural? Can they stand against such power? Who do you think they are, anyway? It all goes down in part three of “Atomic,” by Dino Pollard!

Ghost Rider #19 · A reporter makes his investigations in Guernica concerning gold, but where there is strife, there is HYDRA! But, where innocent blood has been spilt, can a Spirit of Vengeance be far behind? Of course not! Josh Reynolds brings the Ghost Rider to Spain in part three of “Spirits of Vengeance!”

Mystic Arcana #1 · Something in the world is calling magic·based people together—and something else is killing them! Follow Ian McNee, Jennifer and Andrew Kale, Wildpride, and Wai Chee Yee as they find their ways to each other, and hopefully away from the hands of the killer! Find out what happens in “Strange Tales” by Stuart Fairchild!

Quasar #5 · The Heralds of Galactus fight over the Ultimate Nullifier, but there are even more pressing matters at hand. Adam Warlock taunts Annihilus, and Quasar is stuck in the middle. Can he fend off the might of the Celestials themselves, the creators of life? Find out in part five of “Annihilation,” by Mitch Crane!

Shanna, the She·Devil #4 · Shanna and Madeleine seek out the Madragorgona Helix, but what will they do when its guardians rise up to fend off the intruders? Shanna proves why she earned the nickname of “She·Devil,” while Zabu finds out that something is very, very wrong in his household. Check it out in “The Secret of the Screaming Serpents,” by Meriades Rai!

Hunter Lambright, EiC
http://marvel.omegacen.com

Case for a Title #9: The Initiative

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:36:07 GMT

Yes, yes, I know that there's no Superhuman Registration Act in Marvel Omega's history, but that doesn't mean you can't write a title in the vein of The Initiative.

You know all that fear that happens in world without super powers, that if someone finds out that you have said powers, you're going to be taken by the military and put to use for your country? Well, say the United States government has finally wised up. They realize that Big Hero 6 is going to jump when Japan says to jump, and Alpha Flight is going to save Canada's butt any time Canada asks. But when the U.S.A. is on the brink of war with half a dozen countries at any given moment, it might be good to have your own personal battalion of soldiers.

That's where Camp H.A.M.M.E.R., a former Hulkbuster base, comes into play. It's in the middle of nowhere, where no powers can blow up Stamford or anything. And when your kid doesn't eat their veggies, you tell them that the kids who don't eat their veggies get superpowers...and then they disappear to Camp H.A.M.M.E.R....

There's a man who has a gigantic metal alien arm, and he's your drill sergeant. You're a kid. You have no idea what you're meant to be doing. But the Gauntlet doesn't take crap from anybody. He's going to mold you into a soldier whether you want to be molded or not. You don't like your bunkmates? Sucks to be you. Sure, Hardball might be an asshole sometimes, and you never know what's going on in Trauma's head, but you either shape up in hopes of getting reassigned something quiet when you graduate from the year-long boot camp, or you ship out in the form of power-removing S.P.I.N. technology.

When three Hulk foe derivatives show up in the forms of Axon, Aberration, and Morass, you get your first day of field training. When Hydro-Man washes onto the scene? You take him down, and, in return, he gets offered a chance at changing his act and becoming a government worker.

And, when Baron von Blitzschlag says that, despite his warnings to the government, he knows for a fact that the Piranha is going to be leading an assault on the West Coast from underwater, and that no one is going to do anything about it, that's when you get to shine. Your cast? Choose from the entire cast of the Marvel book. Use Hardball, Trauma, Cloud 9, MVP, Spinner, any of the Liberteens, Red Nine, Melee, Telemetry, and so on and so forth for your class of trainees.

And, when it's all over...send your troops to war. That's a series I damn well want to read. Interested? Shoot me a line.

crawler0822@hotmail.com
http://marvel.omegacen.com/submissions.html

Case for a Title #8: Incredible Hercules

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:29:57 GMT

There is no book in fan-fiction that I want to see more than a great, fun take on Hercules.

Now, before I start, I'll make a shout-out to C.W. Russette, whose recent Hercules Unleashed miniseries only served to delay my appetite momentarily without sating it in full.

You see, Hercules, for all of his power, is such a likable character. He has fully joined the present, but the gods he has left behind still cherish the old ways. Set him up with a rivalry with Ares himself, who damn well needs more characterization than "I like to fight!" and you already have an interesting cast.

Maybe Hercules could take a tour of pantheons, in honest search of who makes the best alcohol? And, of course, he has a series of misadventures along the way. Or perhaps Pluto is getting out of hand, harnessing dead souls to use as his personal errand children, and Zeus charges Hercules with putting a stop to it. Heck, maybe while Ares and Hercules are out for a night in the world, Olympus itself goes missing, and the pair must somehow stop each other from killing each other while they determine just what happened to the city of the gods.

Keep Ares and hook Hercules up with a young, witty partner (not necessarily Mastermind Excello, although I certainly wouldn't object), with said teen sidekick asking humorous questions, such as a fearful, "You're not keeping me around for that Roman thing, are you?"

What I'm saying is, the possibilities are just as endless as they are offbeat. That's what I would love to see, and someone out there can do it. Interested?

crawler0822@hotmail.com
http://marvel.omegacen.com

Case for a Title #7: The Order

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:54:31 GMT

Every once in awhile, a comic book pops up that gets some critical acclaim, followed by its subsequent disappearance from ever being mentioned again. It happened recently with True Believers, but I'm talking about the one before that, perhaps one of the most excellent new takes on superheroes in recent memory: The Order.

Matt Fraction takes a lot of crap lately for Uncanny X-Men, and he gets a lot of praise lately for Invincible Iron Man. But where the fans were once heaping praises and are now sitting in silence, there is The Order. Maybe I want a fan-fic series based on it simply to see more of its stories told. That's probably selfish of me. Oh well.

The only thing you need to read to realize that this book has potential is issue number one of the main series. In it, Fraction introduces the first rendition of the team, which is subsequently fired because, well, they went out drinking. They signed a contract, and they damn well know what they have to do to keep their powers. But all those characters should have a chance to shine. Imagine the untapped potential of Corona, etc. Then combine them with an ensemble cast of the main Order members, like Anthem (an absolute must for this team), Aralune, Calamity, Mulholland etc. etc.

Now, the twist, since fan-fiction always has a twist or else it reads like, say, my first issue of Runaways? Strikeforce: Morituri.

Drop the Stark or government-sponsored side, and make it that the characters made a theoretical deal with the devil. They'll front as superheroes, but the M.A.N. from S.H.A.D.O.W. holds the cards. If he says jump, they damn well better jump higher than he asked. Or else he'll let their powers run for the course of the year without a recharge, and they'll die a painful death of cellular degeneration. But while they're not doing the M.A.N. from S.H.A.D.O.W.'s dirty work, they're off becoming rich and famous, becoming celebrities in their own right, and, for one of them, trying to figure out how to recharge the powers on his own accord. Because he wants out. And he wants to live. And keep the powers, fame, and glory.

And when the M.A.N. from S.H.A.D.O.W. finds out, oh boy, there's going to be hell to pay. Who has enough faith in our dissenter to take his side? Who will side with the M.A.N. from S.H.A.D.O.W. in fear of losing their powers and life? Who are the Black Dahlias, and what is their deal if they have nothing to do with the M.A.N. from S.H.A.D.O.W. in this reality? Same with the mutated desert critters? And the zobos? And the Infernal Man?

So many questions, and I have none of the answers. But I'll be damned if one of you doesn't. Send me a proposal. You know you wanna.

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