Darkling – Ultimate Version (Icons Writeup)

Darkling
aka Darla Lang

Prowess 3
Coordination 4
Strength 3
Intellect 4
Awareness 6
Willpower 7

Stamina 10

Powers
Most of Darkling’s abilities are tied to the cloak that she wears. It cannot be removed — presumably, this means that she wears it when she bathes, gets medical examinations, etc. It may be that she sometimes uses magic to render the cloak invisible so that it doesn’t attract undue attention in intimate situations. She often uses the Cloak as an offensive weapon, wrapping it around her enemies and then teleporting them to another place or even to another dimension. The cloak gives her the following abilities:
*Binding 5
*Teleportation 6
*Dimensional Travel 6
*Magic 5 (Darla has mastered the following spells and can cast them without using the Performance Limit: Blast, Detection – Magic, Emotion Control {Limit: Sensing emotions only], Flight 3)
*Precognition 4 (Limit: Uncontrollable)

Assuming that the Darkling that worked with the New Crusaders is the same Darkling as this (see the discussion under Background), she may also have the following abilities or they may be ones that she no longer has access to:
*Shadow-Bending (Darkness Control) 7 (Extras: – Energy Drain, Phasing; Limits: +2 Difficulty when operating in bright sunlight or extremely well-lit areas)

Specialties
Occult (Expert +2 bonus), Stealth

Qualities
*Mysterious Background
*Aura of Creepiness
*Student at Ivy Hollow University

Background

The mysterious Darkling first appeared during the Crusaders epic battle against the combined forces of Eterno, the Brain Emperor and the Malevolent Legion of Juggernauts. She aided the team with her mystic cloak and was quickly accepted into their ranks. Darkling never revealed anything about herself, though she seemed to forge a quick friendship with Kim Brand, aka Flygirl.

Serious without being overbearing, Darkling was a sensual woman with an appreciation for the paranormal. During the alien invasion that united the Crusaders with Thunder Bunny, it was Darkling who sensed that the rabbit hero was not a threat to the Earth. She also proved her usefulness in dispatching the Druid when the mystic villain attempted to steal the Jaguar’s magical belt.

Unfortunately, Darkling’s promising career as a hero came to an abrupt end when the evil Brain Emperor returned with the Riot Squad at his side. Seeing that Darkling posed a threat to him, the Brain Emperor wiped her mind clean and left her floating adrift in Limbo.

During the New Crusaders era, Darkling appeared as a member of that group with a very different appearance and internally-based powers.

Recently, however, Darkling has appeared in a form that looks far more like her original appearance and once again uses the cloak for most of her abilities — though she also now displays the ability to cast magical spells. As Darla Lang, she attends Ivy Hollow University and solves supernatural mysteries with her friend, Phoebe Hayashi. According to this story, Darla was found as an infant, wrapped in her cloak, on the doorstep of a distant aunt. The cloak couldn’t be removed and she grew up with a connection to the supernatural – and everyone, including her aunt, found her to be off-putting and frightening.

Archie/Red Circle is somewhat infamous for its loose continuity but there are a couple of ways that all this could be explained away:

1. The New Crusaders version is NOT the original Darkling but either a legacy hero or a living shadow, explaining her weakness to light. The version that has most recently reappeared IS the original Darkling but her memories are mostly gone as a result of the Brain Emperor’s attack, leading to her enrolling at Ivy Hollow University in an attempt to find a new life for herself. Her new sorcerous abilities have developed as she has thrown herself into her occult studies.
2. The 1980s version, the New Crusaders version, AND the most recent version are all the same person. Her appearance, powers, and personality have undergone various shifts as she tries to recover from the Brain Emperor’s attack. For a time, the cloak became a part of her, allowing her to access its abilities, but due to its negative effects upon her, she had it separated from her spirit, resulting in a slightly different set of powers. She has recently enrolled at Ivy Hollow University.
3. All three versions are completely different from one another and are located in different universes, all along the “Blue Ribbon” that binds the Archie multiverse together.

Comet – Red Circle Version (Icons Writeup)

Comet
AKA John Dickering

Prowess 4
Coordination 4
Strength 4
Intellect 4
Awareness 3
Willpower 4

Stamina 8

Powers
*Light Control 7 (Extras: Flight, Blast, Constructs)
*Armor – Damage Resistance 4, Radio Communications 2

Specialties
Aerial Combat, Military

Qualities
*Flippant
*Patriot
*Mighty Crusader

Background

In this incarnation of the hero, the Comet was first introduced in the Inferno back up feature of The Shield. He originally worked for General Latham as a deep cover agent working amidst Arvin Halliday’s metahuman operatives. He pulled off the part and even acted as Halliday’s bodyguard. He engaged The Inferno in a conflict in Halliday’s company’s headquarters and eventually become close friends with The Inferno (much to The Inferno’s dismay). When Arvin Halliday was exposed as a Durlan agent, The Comet and Inferno showed their true colors and helped their fellow Mighty Crusaders in the attack on the headquarters.

He was sent on a mission to Japan (where he was confused with a Japanese Hero) to find more Durlan agents and ran into The Fox. Eventually he and the Fox reunited with the other Crusaders and helped defend their headquarters from the amassed forces of both Durlan factions. He participated in the mission to secure the box and thus helped in defeating his former employer: Arvin Halliday. The Comet was last seen with the other Crusaders preparing for any threats in the future.

War Eagle – DC Red Circle (Icons Writeup)

War Eagle
AKA Theresa Shane

Prowess 5
Coordination 5
Strength 6
Intellect 5
Awareness 5
Willpower 4

Stamina 10

Powers
*Extra Body Parts – Talons 7
*Extra Body Parts – Wings, Flight 5
*Damage Resistance 2

Specialties
Aerial Combat (Expert +2), Science

Qualities
*Berzerker Rage
*Strange Appearance
*Mighty Crusader

Background

Theresa Shane was a scientist working for Project Cadmus, assigned to oversight of classified projects. She uncovered a genetic manipulation ring, but the rogue scientist that ran it captured her and used her as a test subject. By splicing her DNA with that of an exotic bird, she became a strong, winged creature that resembled a harpy. As a side effect of this experiment, she has problems controlling her rage, especially in combat situations.

Fly Girl – DC Red Circle (Icons Writeup)

Fly Girl
AKA Kim Brand

Prowess 4
Coordination 4
Strength 5
Intellect 5
Awareness 4
Willpower 4

Stamina 9

Powers
*Modified WEB Suit – All of Kim’s powers are derived from her modified WEB host suit. She hacked her suit and modified it to fit her new identity as Fly Girl. Her suit provides him with the following abilities:

• Ability Boost 2 – the suit increases the user’s Strength by 2. Without it, Kim’s Strength is 3 and her Stamina is reduced to 7.
• Flight 6
• Damage Resistance 5
• Onboard GPS Navigation Unit
• Goggles protect Kim’s eyes during flight and also offers Resistance 4 against Dazzle attacks
• Gadgets 4
• Buzz Gun – Sonic Attack 6

Specialties
Aerial Combat, Technology (Expert +2 bonus), Weapons – Buzz Gun

Qualities
*Tech Head
*Friendly Rivalry with the Web
*Mighty Crusader

Background

Enrolled as a Web Host, Kim Brand was determined to forge her own path of justice. This led her to make modifications to her Web Host costume, both cosmetic and technological. In doing so she dropped the Web code-name in favor of calling herself Fly Girl. All of her powers are from the modified Web Uniform. The Fly Girl costume enables Kim to fly, offers resistance to physical attack, and the baseline Web Host suits are known to provide a measure of enhanced strength.

As Fly Girl, Kim worked alongside The Web and was later recruited to join the Mighty Crusaders.

Blackjack – Impact Comics (Icons Writeup)

Blackjack
aka Rex Ventura

Prowess 4
Coordination 4
Strength 6
Intellect 3
Awareness 3
Willpower 4

Stamina 10

Powers
*Damage Resistance 4
*Poker Chip Throwing Discs 4

Specialties
Martial Arts, Performance – Gambling, Weapons – Thrown

Qualities
*Mysterious Past
*What happens in Vegas…
*Gambler

Background

Rex Ventura was a celebrity’s personal assistant who somehow acquired superpowers. Deciding to be the resident hero of Las Vegas, Rex designed a playing card-themed costume with poker chip throwing discs and fought crime as Blackjack. He teamed up with the Fly on one case and it was revealed that he and the Fly’s grandfather had worked together in some capacity with the WEB in prior years.

The Shield – Impact Version (Icons Writeup)

Shield
aka Joe Higgins

Prowess 5
Coordination 5
Strength 6
Intellect 4
Awareness 4
Willpower 4

Stamina 10

Powers
All of the Shield’s powers come from the suit of armor that he wears. Without it, his strength is reduced to 5 and his stamina drops to 9.
*Damage Resistance 5
*Force Field 7 (Extra: Reflection)
*Flight 4 (Limit: Exhausting, drains the armor’s resources considerably)
*Boost – Raises Strength of the wearer by one
*Interface 4
*Super-Senses: Infrared Vision 1
*Gadgets 2

Specialties
Athletics, Leadership, Martial Arts, Military (Expert +2), Weapons – Guns

Qualities
*Daddy Issues
*Founding Member of the Crusaders
*Patriot

Background

Joe Higgins, was a career officer in the U.S. Army, one of the most highly decorated servicemen of his time. His father, Brigadier General Marion Higgins, the Commanding Officer of America’s Air Reconnaissance and Military Strike installation, had staked his entire Army career on the creation of a unique Suit of armor that could turn its wearer into America’s mightiest secret weapon. General Higgins, inspired by the exploits of the Shield, the long-vanished star-spangled champion active during the ’50s and ’60s, made it his self-appointed mission to recreate this symbol of patriotic liberty around a soldier who would unknowingly serve as his puppet, setting his sights on Joe, he realized that his son was, physically and psychologically, the perfect candidate for Project: Shield, but Joe’s high rank precluded him from involvement, General Higgins took care of that by secretly framing and disgracing Joe, arranging for a court-martial that busted him to Sergeant and allowed Joe to undergo the year long training that culminated in his role as the new Shield. Shortly after helping form the Crusaders, Joe retired from the role of the Shield and passed the armor on to Lt. Michael Steven Barnes.

Jaguar – Impact Comics (Icons Writeup)

Jaguar
aka Maria de Guzman

Prowess 5
Coordination 6
Strength 7
Intellect 4
Awareness 6
Willpower 5

Stamina 12

Powers
All of Maria’s powers are only available to her in her Jaguar form. When she is in her ‘normal’ identity, her physical stats are reduced to: Prowess 3, Coordination 3, Strength 3, and her Stamina drops to 8. In addition, her Awareness is reduced to 3.
*Damage Resistance 4
*Claws – Strike 7 (Extra: Wall-Crawling)
*Super-Senses 3 – Smell, Hearing, Vision
*Super-Speed 3 (Limit: Running Only)

Specialties
Art – Lace Making, Athletics (Expert +2 bonus), Science – Math (Expert +2 bonus)

Qualities
*Split-Personality
*Struggles with bloodlust
*Protector of Nature

Background

During her youth, Maria lived with her aunt Luiza. Luiza secretly was a Brazilian jungle warrior and protector of the land. She once took Maria with her and performed a ritual. It was meant to channel certain mystical powers that passed down intermittently through the family line.

However, seeing Luiza turn into a werejaguar, Maria panicked and fled. Maria was found by her father who, believing that Luiza was badly caring for her, took her home. Maria has since studied maths and science, in order to avoid the merest hint of magic and mysticism.

Meanwhile, Luiza was becoming more and more predatory. She killed many government men in order to protect the rain forest. The Brazilian military finally caught up with her and killed her. But young Maria, who had been sent to study in the US the day before, inherited her powers.

She also received a costume as a last gift from Luiza. From there Maria discovered she could become the super-powerful Jaguar, a fierce, feral avenger of evil.

Maria Concepcion de Guzman is a shy and insecure young Brazilian girl. She has been given by her father the responsibility of someday inheriting and controlling the considerable de Guzman fortune. Consequently, despite her protests, she has been sent to study business and mathematics at Elm Harbor University in America. The poor girl is a stranger in a strange land.

The cool Maria finds herself excited by the fire that the Jaguar lights in her soul. She is enticed by the animalism her new alter ego. Nevertheless, she has yet to find a satisfying balance between time spent as The Jaguar and time spent pursuing her academic studies.

Since acting as the Jaguar is exhausting, she must learn not to let her super-heroics affect her study habits. Later, she ended up forming a close relationship with The Fly, marrying him at the end of the event known as The Crucible.

Writing Updates

So for the past couple of months, I’ve been splitting time between two projects. The first is a horror collection. So far, I’ve completed four stories for it and I’m hoping to do at least two more. This collection is totally unrelated to the Reese Unlimited universe and has no connections or references to the characters that I’m generally known for. I wanted to do something different and it’s worked — I think people will like it. No idea about the collection title right now. The second thing I’ve been working on is the fifth book in the Dark Society series. I know, I know, you guys haven’t even seen the *first* book yet. What can I say? I’m far ahead of Pro Se’s publishing schedule, which seems to be slowing down a bit over the last few years, I’m afraid. Still, hopefully one day these books will be released becaue I think they’re pretty good. The art accompanying this post is by Gilbert Monsanto and will eventually be the cover to DS # 5 — it shows Jupiter, Catalyst, and a surprise figure engaged in battle. Hope you enjoy the peek behind the curtain!

Pariah (Icons Writeup)

Pariah
aka Kell Mossa

Prowess 3
Coordination 3
Strength 3 (8 while empowered by Great Darkness)
Intellect 8
Awareness 4
Willpower 6

Stamina 9 (14 while empowered by Great Darkness)

Powers
*Detection – Universal Disasters 8 (Limit: Uncontrollable)
*Multiversal Travel 8 (Limit: Uncontrollable – is triggered by his Detection power)
*Flight 6
*Immortality – Longevity 1
*Life Support 10
*Damage Resistance 8
*Teleportation 7

During the Dark Crisis, Pariah’s Detection power was no longer functional and he was able to use his Multiversal Travel power without the Limit. His Strength increases to 8 and his Stamina is boosted to 14. He also gained the following powers:
*Force Field 9
*Blast 9
*Reality Manipulation – Pariah is able generate pocket universes based upon his or others’ desires. This power is automatically successful when used and does not require a game roll.

Specialties
Medicine, Science (Expert +2), Technology (Expert +2), Occult – The Great Darkness

Qualities
*Cries a lot. A LOT.
*Blames himself for the loss of his family.
*Desperately seeks atonement.

Background

In his home dimension, Kell Mossa was one of the most gifted scientists to have ever lived. Arrogantly hoping to unlock the mysteries of the universe, and flying in the face of his people’s concerns, he locked himself in an anti-matter chamber. He hoped to witness creation at the Dawn of Time, but instead he witnessed the Anti-Monitor, and helped begin that being’s rampage of destruction. His world destroyed, Kell was saved by the Monitor, and renamed Pariah. He acquired the mostly involuntary ability to travel from one alternate Earth to another, forced to witness untold millions perish, although he could control this ability on occasion. He blamed himself for the destruction of his own world, the release of the Anti-Monitor, and the subsequent destruction of universe after universe, until he eventually learned he was essentially blameless.

During the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Pariah worked with different heroes from different realities, including Alexander Luthor of Earth-Three, in an attempt to defeat the Anti-Monitor. Once the Crisis was abated, Pariah remained on the newly reformed Earth, relieved that his penance seemed to be over, and hoping to find a new life for himself.

After some time living in peace, Pariah attempted to warn Lex Luthor of a threat from outside the universe. However, this Luthor was in actuality Alexander Luthor of Earth-Three in disguise, posing as the New Earth Lex Luthor, and preparing to remake the universe to his liking by restoring the multiverse. Pariah was subsequently murdered by Alexander Luthor.

During the Blackest Night, Pariah returned as a zombie and a member of the Black Lantern Corps with a black ring. He was once more condemned to travel the universe and warn of impending disaster. Pariah reappeared for the first time in Gotham Cemetery right before the Spectre was reanimated, and then in deep space he appeared to John Stewart right before the entire planet Xanshi became a Black Lantern.

When reality was changed again by the Flashpoint, Pariah was restored to life and fell through a crack left in the new Multiverse, landing back in the ruined Multiverse-2. He was held prisoner by the Empty Hand and The Gentry, who forced him to watch as they devoured the infinite Earths one by one. His captors eventually left to invade the new fifty-two Earths.

Alone in an empty Multiverse, he decided there was a way to escape the cycle of destruction and rebirth. While Alexander Luthor had tried to create one perfect world, Pariah would create perfect worlds for everyone. Eventually Barry Allen, the man who created the cracks, crossed through them himself and entered Multiverse-2. Pariah sent Barry into his own pocket dimension, Earth-Flash.1, where he would always be happy “No matter what.”

Empowered by the Great Darkness, Pariah instituted the events known as the Dark Crisis. He was eventually defeated and now resides in a section of the multiverse that appears to be identical to the world that he lost at the beginning of the original Crisis.

The Hangman – DC Red Circle (Icons Writeup)

The Hangman
aka Robert Dickering

Prowess 5
Coordination 4
Strength 7
Intellect 5
Awareness 5
Willpower 5

Stamina 12

Powers
The Hangman’s powers are only available to him at night. During the day, his physical stats are reduced as follows: Prowess 4, Coordination 3, Strength 4, Stamina 9.
*Hangman’s Noose – Binding 6 (Extra: Swinging)
*Immortality 1 (Limit: Longevity Only)
*Detection – Guilt 8
*Damage Resistance 4
*Mystic Steed – The Hangman can magically summon a large horse that has the following stats: Pro 3, Coo 3, Str 6, Int 3, Awa 4, Wil 4, Stamina 10, Running Expert +2 bonus, Regeneration 1.

Specialties
Investigation, Medicine (Expert, +2 bonus), Occult, Weapons – Hangman’s Noose

Qualities
*At night, he rides!
*Saves lives by day, punishes the guilty by night
*Old-fashioned manners

Background

The Civil War claimed many lives…but one of those lives still hasn’t ended! Union doctor Robert Dickering found himself on the wrong side of the battle lines, and despite his heroic treatment of a fallen enemy soldier, he also found himself on the wrong end of a noose! But a shadowy power stepped forth in the twilit moments between life and death and offered him a deal he couldn’t refuse: to forever roam the Earth, saving the lives of innocents condemned like himself – or hastening the deaths of the guilty!

Robert Dickering transforms at night to become the superhuman Hangman, able to summon a supernatural steed and wield a noose that appears to respond to his control. The transformation appears painful and uncontrollable, coinciding with sundown and reverting back at sunrise. He appears to be long-lived or possibly immortal, and has more than human strength. He is also able to survive gunshots, although not without sustaining a degree of injury from such assault.