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.

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.

The Jaguar – New Crusaders (Icons Writeup)

The Jaguar
aka Ivette “Ivy” Velez

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

Stamina 10

Powers
All of Jaguar’s powers stem from the Helmet of Ai Apaec. Without it, her Prowess, Coordination, and Strength are all reduced to 3, and her Stamina is reduced to 7.
*Claws – Strike (Slashing) 6
*Enhanced Senses 2 – Hearing, Smell
*Damage Resistance 4

Specialties
Science – Zoology, Stealth

Qualities
*”Glorious battles” for Ai Apaec!
*Legacy hero
*Split personality

Background

When zoologist Ralph Hardy discovered the Belt of Varigon, which granted him the powers that made him the heroic Jaguar, he initially thought the mystic totem was unique. But in time he learned it was just one piece to a set of armor, one of a number of Jaguar Artifacts, each representing a unique power… a living force allowing the wearer to channel the abilities of what some ancient civilizations dubbed as “gods”. Of these he also recovered the Helmet of Ai Apaec. He kept his work searching for mystic artifacts a secret, known to most as only Dr. Ralph Hardy, zoologist. It was in that role that he came to know young Ivette “Ivy” Velez.

Ivette had a hard childhood, with both her parents dying while she was still an infant. Growing up in an orphanage, Ivette became extremely shy and timid, but also gained a great love for zoology. After earning a job at the zoo in the city of Red Circle, she formed a close bond with her supervisor, Ralph Hardy, who took her under his wing as her mentor. Despite her shy nature, Ivette longed to make new friends, and accompanied Hardy to a reunion of his old friends – actually his old superhero friends. When the Brain Emperor attacked the reunion of the original Mighty Crusaders, Ralph was apparently killed, but Ivette was saved by her mentor’s old teammate The Shield, as were the five other teenagers that had been at the party. From this old hero Ivette learned the truth about her mentor, and learned that Ralph had left the Helmet of Al Apaec to her in his will, entrusting the Jaguar legacy to her.

Upon donning the helmet, however, Ivette’s consciousness was mystically projected into the realm ruled by the fearsome, bloodthirsty, and powerful Jaguar-god Ai Alpaec. As the embodiment of battle and carnage, Al Alpaec had nothing but contempt for Hardy, the god Varigon, and most of all Ivette, who he terrified into fleeing his domain, screaming insults at her so loud his entire firey world shook. Inspired by watching her new friends overcome their own fears, however, Ivette confronted Ai Apaec once more, standing up to his taunts and promising the god that if he empowered her he would have the “glorious battles” he craved. Seeing that she might have some use to him, Ai Apaec bestowed Ivette with his power. Ivette became the new Jaguar, and joined the New Crusaders.

Ai Apaec’s power did not come without a price, however, and Ivette soon realized that he had not just lent her his power, he had filled the normally-meek girl with his dangerous thirst for battle and carnage as well.

The Shield – New Crusaders Era (Icons Writeup)

The Shield
aka Joe Higgins

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

Stamina 12

Powers
*Leaping 2 (Limit: This ability is boosted by his suit, which is specially formulated to work with his altered metabolism. Without the suit, Joe’s Leaping is 1. If anyone else wears the suit, they only have Leaping of 1 since it won’t work with their metabolism as well).
*Damage Resistance 6 (Limit: This ability is boosted by his suit, which is specially formulated to work with his altered metabolism. Without the suit, Joe’s Damage Resistance is 4. If anyone else wears the suit, they only have damage resistance of 2 since it won’t work with their metabolism as well).
*Super Senses – Enhanced Vision 3

Note: During his prime, The Shield had Strength 7 and Stamina 13

Specialties
Athletics (Expert +2 bonus), Investigation (+1 bonus), Leadership (Expert +2 bonus), Martial Arts (Expert +2 bonus), Mental Resistance (+1 bonus), Military (Expert +2 bonus), Science (+1 bonus), Wrestling (+1 bonus)

Qualities
*Get off my lawn!
*America’s First Patriotic Hero
*“Don’t let up!”

Background

Joe was the son of Thomas Higgins, a government biochemist and member of the Burning Hand – a secret society formed to protect America. Thomas was attempting to recreate the powers of the legendary Shield (a hero known throughout the centuries as a defender of America and embodied in the current day by Victoria Adams) when he was killed by Axis-allied spies.

Joe completed his father’s research and applied it to himself, becoming the Shield. After WWII he became an F.B.I. investigator, using his intel and super-powers to combat organized crime.

At one time, the Shield was frozen in suspended animation due to the Eraser’s “Ion Weapon.” His son, Bill Higgins, found a spare uniform and continued his father’s legacy, though without his dad’s full range of abilities. Bill fought alongside the Mighty Crusaders as a hero, but his civilian life was difficult, as he would often shuffle from job to job, and never felt worthy of following in his father’s footsteps.

When Bill finally asked for help to “cure” his father’s condition, the Comet used his “Altroxian Science” to reverse the Ion Weapon’s effects, and the original Shield came back to life. With his father in action again, Bill retired his Shield identity and joined the Armed Forces. Joe joined the Crusaders at this time – many people assume that the Joe Higgins and Bill Higgins Shields were the same person but it was in fact Bill that helped found the Crusaders and his father joined later.

After many years passed, the Brain Emperor reappeared, having gained power over the mysterious Blue Ribbon. With his new powers the Brain Emperor ambushed his old foes (now retired and raising families) at a reunion, using his new powers to apparently kill Fly-Girl, Comet, Fireball, The Web, Pow-Girl, Jaguar, and Steel Sterling. Joe Higgins, however, succeeded in saving the children of Steel Sterling, Fly-Girl, Comet, Pow-Girl, as well as Fireball’s nephew, and Jaguar’s protege. Joe followed his agreement with his old friends, becoming The Shield once more to protect their young. Following protocols set up by the Crusaders earlier to give the teens the abilities they would need to protect themselves, Joe gave Alex Tyler, Greg Dickering, and Johnny Sterling treatments to give them the powers of the original Fireball, Comet, and Steel Sterling. Kelly Brand received weapons and gear replicating the powers her mother had possessed as Fly-Girl, Ivette Velez was given a powerful mystic artifact that had been found by the original Jaguar, while Wyatt Raymond received a super-suit based on The Shield’s own, enabling the young boy to become a new Web. Joe clearly struggled with dealing with his young charges, however, unused to interacting with teenagers. Nonetheless the youngsters decided to allow him to mentor them as they followed in their elders’ footsteps, becoming the New Crusaders and swearing to bring the Brain Emperor to justice.

In the final battle with his long-time nemesis, the elite assassin Eraser, Shield was severely and irrevocably injured. With the return of the Shield (Victoria Adams) that first inspired his father’s work, Joe opted to finally step down from command and lead the M.L.J. He currently operates from behind a desk, offering counsel to Victoria and the rest of the team as needed. This writeup is based upon The Shield as he was when leading the New Crusaders, before his injuries sidelined him for good.