Gaiaterra: Elysea's Conflict/Comicbook Heroes

Walk into any store in Eorzea, gas station in Aquila, or drug store in a Sprawl, and you will find three or four pre-adolescent boys, and occasionally girls, scrutinizing the comic book display. In years past, these racks of cheap ink and cheaper paper were filled with tales of masked brawlers, the heroes of pulp fiction made famous by the radio dramas, or featured war-time tales of Guardian Heroes.

These days, they have Superheroes.

Now, men with extraordinary powers have been the subject of cheaply-produced fiction for years, but the economic turmoil of the 30s and 40s in the Federation, combined with growing political strife in Eorzea with the advent of leaders like Oswald Mosley, the idea of a “Super-Man” had fallen out of style.

All that changed during the GVAW. The sight of a burning exhaust trail streaking over the Aquilan sky, followed by a column of Voshkod tanks exploding and a man in a dashing uniform fighting Voshkod infantry with fists powered by rockets engraved itself in the memory of many an Aquilan soldier.

And so in the latter part of 1958 V.C., an Aquilan Soldier named Jerry Spiegel wrote a story about Captain Rocket that was published in SC's Adventure Comics #1.

World Wonders
In the late 50s and early 60s, a company named Atlas Comics tried to revive their long-dead superhero franchises, only to find those ancient tyrants from under the sea and flaming “artificial men” no longer captured the interests of the youth of the free world. The company drifted in and out of debt until an unlikely alliance was struck: The newly renamed “Wonder” Comics would receive funding to publish a superhero series, and in return, that superhero would be modeled after none other than the new prism weapon. Prismatica was born.

Beaten By Rainbows
"The ability to do great things gives you the obligation to do the right thing."

-Janice Jubilance

The character of young Robin Jubilance, a high school student, was an anomaly from the start. Not only was she a female (the male Captain Rocket being the paradigm of heroes at the time), but she was a teenager, a person with problems and authority issues. Needless to say, the growing unrest among post-GVAW youth caused them to immediately identify.

In the comic book, Robin was observing an AseliaTech demonstration when she was accidentally trapped and struck by a “Prism Projector” machine. The next day, she found herself able to create and control light, which projects into the colors of a rainbow, uses the "Spectrum Force" to transform into and move at the speed of light, and sense other people’s “colors”, and a side effect of permanently dying her brown hair into the seven colors of the rainbow.

Robin initially used her powers for fun, playing pranks, getting revenge on the bullies who had tormented her before, and using her super speed to get rich. All that changed when Robin used her powers to steal a briefcase and laughed in joy when it was filled with money, not knowing that she had actually stolen from an infamous mobster and that the suitcase had a tracker on it. And later that fateful night the mobster came to her home.

Fortunately, she was hanging out with her friends at the time, unfortunately, the only occupant at her house was gunned down and the house was razed to send a warning to her: Robins' grandaunt Janice.

When the news came soon after, Robin was distraught, realizing that her childish actions had destroyed her home and killed her grandaunt, who raised her when her parents disappeared when she was a baby. From that day on, she swore to use his powers to help others, becoming the Amazing Prismatica.

Despite the laughable science, the series was a hit, and sales continued to climb through the late 60s V.C., even as public interest turned to the exploits of later conflicts.

Mr. Freeze
"I'll extinguish you with my burning soul!"

-Captain Winter's catchphrase

While Captain Rocket had dominated the Market of the Alliance the unveiling of the Andoran cryotechnology caught the interest of Wonder writer Kirby Jacobs: about a superhero who could control cold itself.

Kirby and fellow writer Leonard "Lee" Wong created a character modeled after the heroes of epics and taking a mythological origin for the first time since Captain Rockets' debut.

By day William "Billy" Kennedy is an exemplary firefighter, charging into the inferno without fear to save those in need, but when evil comes he would raise his cane, revealing its true form of a spear, and transform into Captain Winter.

The origin of Captain Winter lies from the very beginning. When a freak housefire had engulfed the young Billy's home, trapping him as the firefighters were too far, when a brave man, which Billy only remembers was the blue mohawk he had, rushed in and saved him. And while both of them had escaped the man had lost his left arm in the fire, and soon after disappeared, a mystery Billy is still pursuing today.

Inspired by the man's bravery and sacrifice Billy would model his hair after his hero (and is quick to anger if someone insults it) and trained to become a firefighter, officially joining the Andoran fire brigade at the age of eighteen. But his heroic origin only starts four months later.

A museum was suddenly lit on fire and Billy's team was the first to respond, saving people inside and dousing the flame. When Billy heard that one of the head archeologists was still trapped deep within the building he rushed in, despite his team's protest. And met face-to-face with the firestarter.

It was Kulam seeking out a relic spearhead the archaeologists recently uncovered, and had intended to use it in her plan to dominate Gaiaterra. Seeing the danger Billy charged to stop her, armed with nothing but a broomstick, and managed to hold off the superhuman.

But Kulam was too strong and used all of her powers to severely burn Billy, including burning off his left arm, but had lost the spearhead in the process, and in vengeance she would burn down the museum and the people around.

Billy, near death yet still determined to stop it, then heard the spear talking to him, telling him to reach out. And, crawling despite the pain, grasp the spearhead in his remaining arm and transformed. Ice began growing out of the stump to form a new arm made of ice, yet had the same dexterity and sensation as a flesh and blood arm (and can look like a normal arm when in his civilian mode saved for the blue tattoos), his body was encased in an armor of ice, and his black hair turned blue.

He saw a vision; a great figure who told him that his courage and kindness made him worthy of wielding the frost spear. The spearhead he had grabbed was the Spear of Winter, and as long as he wields it, he would be transformed into Captain Winter. And with his new power, Captain Winter blast out and defeated the witch.

Captain Winter has the ability to shoot ice from his left arm, as well as call it down from the sky. He has a near immunity to cold, heals others with the power of cold, has mastery over his spear, and can create ice only limited by his imagination.

There is also a popular fan theory that the man who saved Billy was in fact his older self, having been thrown back in time by Lady Paradox. Wonder Publishing has neither confirmed nor denied such claims.

Stitch in Time
One of Wonder's most popular female heroes, as well as one of their few (Norwegian) ones, Lady Paradox is, like so much of popular culture in Alliance countries, based on misconceptions about what Chronotechnology can do. She was introduced in early 1966.

Captain Annalina Jørgensen was an operator of the prototype Quickshifter during the GVAW. While transporting to a battlefield somewhere in Central Hawke, the Quickshifter suffered a one-in-a-million malfunction that slagged her vehicle but strangely left her unharmed, and left her hundreds of miles behind enemy lines. Trying to make her way back to an Alliance base on foot, she suddenly found herself under attack by a Voshkod home guard division. Fleeing for cover, she found herself under the sights of a Tesla assault gun, which fired a bolt of lightning straight at her...

Which froze inches from her face. To Captain Jørgensen's shock, time itself had come to a stop (or very slow crawl. Different writers etc.). The Quickshifter malfunction had somehow given her the ability to slow down time and teleport. Using her newfound powers, she was able to quickly return to her base, only to find that she had been listed as KIA. She decided to fight the Voshkod menace as a masked heroine, and Lady Paradox was born.

Along with her sidekick, airman Trevor Stevens (who is the only one who knows that Captain Jørgensen is not in fact dead) Lady Paradox used her powers against the Soviet (and later (Japanese)) Wonder villains during the rest of the GVAW. One of the most popular to this day is Kommissar Kurtain, a Voshkod soldier who accidentally had his body fuzed to a "EX-45 Micro Iron Curtain Personal Forcefield", giving him the ability to create weapons, barriers, and shields of "Iron Energy". He is also somehow resistant to slowed or stopped time.

Master Of The Four Paths
When Cantha had officially joining the Guardians in the aftermath of the GVAW. Opinions of it were rather mixed, with many not trusting the Canthans due to their past as a colony. And in order to ease tension and encourage unity Wonder Publishings, coproducing with the Canthans, created Badang, master of the four paths.

Badang's origin starts with the distant past where the five nations/clans, of Jade, Lion, Horse, Raven, and Sky, of Nusantara had lived in harmony, protected by the mystical "Orb of unity".

Born in the Clan of the Jade, who was the guardian of the Orb. Badang was chosen to be its new guardian but, due to being young, had rebelled in his duty, encouraged by his childhood friend Oryol. When Oryol, and the whole clan of the sky, betrayed the clans by trying to steal the orb, accidentally shattering it when it encouraged the other clans to steal it for themselves, leading to the awakening of a dark force, known only as "Meleron" to escape and plunge Nusantara in darkness, barring the clan of the sky who escaped by making a deal with Meleron. And for his negligence, the survivors exiled Badang.

Ashamed of his action Badang would live in exile until one day he would fish up a dragon, thought extinct, who called himself "Sung", who was actually sent from the heavens to help Badang atone for his mistake by uniting the Orb fragments, which are now held by the four remaining clans, and learning the martial arts of the clans. Thus started an epic journey as Badang trained himself to save the world, learning the nobility of Jade, the pride of the Lion, the strength of the horse, and the wisdom of the Raven. His origins end with him uniting the Orb only for it to be stolen by Oryol, now known as the villain Kulam, who refuses to let her clan lose their prestige, leading to a fight, as the friendship they had shattered, that ends with Badang, in desperation, absorbing the Orb within him to let out a cleansing pulse that sealed Meleron but had killed him and Kulam.

Or so it was thought. Years later, in modern times, Asokka and her older brother Kantaro stumbled upon a giant iceberg with a person trapped in it. And upon freeing it they realized it was Badang, who actually survived as the Orb protected him. And around his awakening the nation of Encanta, who are descendants of the Sky clan, had finally broke the seals binding Kulam in stasis.

Now trapped in the modern day, with everyone he knew but his former friend Oryol dead, Badang's heroic tale continues as he vows to protect Nusantara from his old foe Kulam, and various villains, to protect the innocent, now his skills empowered by the Orb he absorbed.

Witch Of The Skies
When the Triumvirate had declared that females would be allowed to join the Protectorate military, the Protectorate citizens, whose nations was rather hidebound in culture, rioted. And in order to save face Emperor Tatsu, in what could be called a controversial move, hired a writer of Wonder Comics to work with a mangaka to help make a story that would promote the newly made Rocket Angels.

Thus Lee worked with manga artist Naoko Omino to create Flying Girl Azami.

The series takes place in the year 1977 V.C., during a war between the Protectorate and the Principality of Vota, an empire of space-faring aliens. Which started when the Vota launched a surprise attack using their devastatingly effective new humanoid supersoldiers known as Star Marines, catching the Protectorate completely off guard, decimating the Protectorate military, followed up by invading Gaiaterra.

Months later, after the war has dragged into a stalemate, the Protectorate is testing a new warship (an assault carrier named the Tatsu) and a highly advanced power armor known as the Luna Infinity when they come under attack by a small Vota force. Local resident Azami Usagi, an Ordinary High-School Student, ends up piloting the Luna in the chaos of the battle and ended up fending off the Vota attack. With most of the Tatsu staff killed during the battle, Azami and a group of surviving locals are forced to crew the Tatsu themselves in order to survive.

From there, this unlikely group journeys across Gaiaterra, going up against the Vota forces and a variety of villains arrayed against them, in a classic series that is both a superhero and a Coming of Age Story, focusing simultaneously on the horrors of war and the gradual maturing of its teenage cast from frightened, desperate children simply fighting to survive into a tight-knit crew of unlikely heroes who manage, through skill, luck, and determination, to change the course of the One Year War. With Azami's own popularity being big enough that she is known to fight alongside Captain Winter and Prismatica whenever they crossover.

And to say that Azami has inspired a generation of women to join the Protectorate, particularly the Rocket Angels, in an understatement.

Anything Goes
"Sociopath is such a harsh term; I prefer the term puckish rouge."

-Macaque before impaling a nameless thug with his spear.

The idea of an antihero, a character who, while on the side of good, acts with questionable morality, is not a new idea. However, the creation of Macaque in 64 has catapulted that trope into the mainstream, for better or worse.

Macaque was a pet monkey of a cybernetics surgeon working for the fictional company Zeo-Matrix and had been enhanced by his owner with implants giving him the ability to speak and human-level intelligence. When Macaque's owner invented a subdermal implant that could counter the effects of any illegal drug, Zeo-Matrix realized that if such a thing became known the profits from its more questionable activities would quickly become nonexistent, decide to attack the home of Macaque's owner, killed him and burning the entire place to the ground.

Angered over what happened to his beloved owner Macaque fled to the nearby woods where his owner had a secret secondary lab hidden in a cave. There over the course of several months using the lab's programmable auto-doc surgical robot transforms himself from a ordinary slightly modified monkey, into a 4-foot-tall humanoid cyborg monkey. Once completed Macaque dressed himself in a yellow jumpsuit and a blood-red scarf with gold trim and outfitted himself with a spear, a submachine gun, and a bandolier of grenades. Now reborn Macaque embarked on his quest to burn Zeo-Matrix as well as anyone who got in his way to the ground.

However because of all the immense pain he underwent modifying himself, Macaque's mind ended up warping and twisted, occasionally referring to himself in the third person, having cravings for whiskey and churros, and finally breaking the fourth wall (in one memorable issue, when surrounded by thugs Razor told the reader to ‘Watch this’ and the book cut to the next page, showing the bloody aftermath. Razor angrily complained "You didn't get to see that… Damn f@&#ing censors!").

Despite the bizarre premise and the over-the-top violence, Macaque was a hit with readers to everyone's surprise thanks to his over-the-top behavior. A complete psychopath, Razor often disgusts more conventional superheroes with antics such as stuffing grenades down criminals' throats or lighting his victims on fire and then dousing them to hurt them some more. Only the fact that he turns this violence against anyone who seems to be working for Zeo-Matrix, most of whom are criminals or worse killers, has kept other superheroes from taking him down; they fear diverting his wrath onto innocent people (and many are happy to get out of the way whenever a supervillain sets Macaque in their sights).

Since his first appearance Macaque has fought with and against just about everyone, and his popularity has only grown larger, much to the dismay of anti-violent comic groups. One thing is sure: Macaque and his offbeat violent behavior are here to stay. It is also said that Macaque’s popularity is what caused SP to create its even more controversial "What If?" series.

Mistress Of Storms
When the news of the Storm Clans joining the Voshkod came to light the Guardians were devastated. As not only did the Storm Clan join the Voshkod but did so willingly.

I'm the Cosmonaut, Flakker!
Although Wonder is not affected by the so-called "Red Scare" as more "mainstream" media, they have no lack of Voshkod communist villains. Although most of these villains are single-issue threats, one of the more popular recurring ones is Josef Leonis, the Cosmonaut.

Josef was working outside the Mir station when a shower of green rocks struck him. Somehow, he was fused into and with his Gagarin X suit, which was itself transformed. Unable to live a normal life, Josef went insane and began committing crimes as the Cosmonaut.

While certain parts of the suit such as the liquid-O rockets were removed, it has become near invulnerable, and no longer requires energy. The suit provides energy to Josef himself, as well as oxygen and medical attention. The Cosmonaut does not need air, food, or sleep.

The suit possesses enormous strength, nigh-invulnerability, and can move at greatly heightened speeds. The magnetic boots have been enhanced to the point where standing still, the Cosmonaut is almost immovable.

However, he is not without his weaknesses. For all its power, his suit of armor is still a piece of technology and is vulnerable to extreme cold (how convenient). And while he is strong, Behemoth is the strongest one there is.

And I’m SP.
Founded in 1934 V.C. as National Alliance Publications, by the 1960s SC, short for Skye Publishings, Comics became a giant in the entertainment industry. Aside from the million-dollar Captain Rocket franchise, the company has produced numerous other superhero series, all of which “crossover” with Captain Rocket at least once a month.

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane
Everyone knows who Captain Rocket and the Rocketeers are. Children everywhere have listened with wide eyes as their fathers told tales of a masked thunderbolt streaking over the Voshkod lines in the GVAW, and went on themselves to turn these tales into the comic books, radio dramas, and television cartoons that exist today.

SP also makes thousands each year from Captain Rocket action figures, Captain Rocket posters, Captain Rocket playsets, Captain Rocket lunch boxes, Captain Rocket bedsheets, Captain Rocket costumes, Captain Rocket breakfast cereal… The list goes on.

Needless to say, the Rocketeer Corps use SP’s media and merchandise shamelessly to encourage young men and women to enlist. Surprisingly, many Rocketeers feel that real life in the Corps is just as, or at least almost as, exciting and romantic as the media. Of course, more cynical Peacekeepers often chalk this up to the Rocketeers' huge egos.

The Strongest One There Is
In the wake of the Collective, rumors abounded about the strange men in purple who had seized control. While every bar owner, AURA chatroom member, and crazed survivalist has their own theory of who or what this organization is, one particular rumor caught the interest of SP writer Jeremy Schultz: Green giants, enormous muscle-bound men that could supposedly rip Battlemaster Tanks in half with their bare hands.

Schultz and fellow writer Jake Shell created a character modeled after Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but reversed: Evil Voshkod scientist Dr. Reik was exposed to a strange green rock from space, causing him to turn into the gentle giant Behemoth!

Incredibly strong, the Behemoth is sometimes childishly simple, but has a good heart and is often wiser than the super-genius villains he invariably encounters, and despite his frightening appearances, often gives off an aura of trustworthiness and compassion. Reik, on the other hand is evil but brilliant, seeking take over the world with his fantastic scientific inventions. Complicating matters is the fact that Reik randomly turns into Behemoth, and vice versa when he desires to protect something/someone; they constantly come into conflict, with the evil Dr. Reik wanting to figure out a way to control Behemoth to further his nefarious plans, and the "monster" having to stop the doctor's schemes.

Mystic Samurai
"Power Of The Sun! Henshin!"

-Asurman's transformation call

Since the end of the GVAW, the Guardians have sought to reconcile and grow closer with the Katsuragi Protectorate. The combination of reform-minded Emperor Kamina, the value of Protectorate electronics and other goods, and a shared distrust of the Voshkod have served to slowly bring the two entities together and with that, their cultures.

The recent works of Shotaro Tezuka have become greatly popular in Eorzea, and while Elsword and Cantha have more reason to distrust the Katsuragi than others, many there have also started to dabble in Protectorate culture (it works the other way too; Behemoth and the Talon Knight are immensely popular in some parts of Ulthuan).

SP, while usually advocating a more pro-Aquilan stance, has also been somewhat influenced by the increased interest in Protectorate culture, as seen in their creation of the Steel Shogun. Before long, Jerry Jones proposed creating a Katsuragi character who was actually a hero, and the rest is history.

Takeshi Fujioka was a simple high school delinquent with a heart of gold when he witness a sudden flash not far away and investigate. And saw a critter with a half-dead dog in it. Nursing it back to health the dog then reveal that she could talk and told him of her mission.

Her name is Soleil and she is an alien from the planet Asura before it was devastated by the dark forces known only as Basilisk, and in order to save the kingdom the Sun King sends his only son's spirit to Gaiaterra, which eventually reincarnated, to begin a new life. And in order to save their world she was tasked with finding the "Sun Prince" who could wield the Solar Belt, but she was attacked while in transit, forcing her to morph into the form of a dog to both survive and heal. And, being too weak to find the prince and desperate, tasked Takeshi to complete her mission, gifting him her Solar Belt, begging him to find the prince.

Takeshi at first did not believe what had happened, though he kept the belt on hand. However, as he walked into the nearest town, he found that Basilisk had used the crystals to transform criminals into their minions who were about to kill the people. And though he tried to stop them he was a regular human and in desperation, Takeshi donned the belt, and was transformed into Asurman, revealing himself as the reincarnation of the Sun Prince. And now he faces off the Basilisk minions.

Despite the character's loose relationship with actual Katsuragi mythology, he has become rather popular in both the Guardians and Ulthuan. Although he is still rather new, it looks like Susanoo will eventually become the arch-enemy of the Steel Shogun.

Harbingers Of Chaos
"You think of us but another underworld hitman? Another hired gun here to make a name for themself?

No, We are ruin, we are chaos, and this is your day of reckoning."

-The Harbinger's first confrontation with the Talon Knight.

Isaac Newton once said that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, thus it should not be surprising that when Anthony Moore donned the mantle of the Talon Knight and began his secret war against the Black Hand that another great figure would rise to oppose him. Once a great scientist with a desire to fly beyond Gaiaterra's moon to investigate the strange anomaly in space. Zelek Richards's project funding was suddenly cut by the government, supposedly due to some "grey knight" convincing them to stop, and, desiring his pursuit of knowledge, stole the rocket he build with three others. His best friend Nigel Bently, his girlfriend Slaine Tempest, and Slaine's brother Korey Tempest, and launched before the guards could arrest them.

And as they reached the anomaly it was said they witnessed something men should never know and were then cursed/blessed by the anomaly before crashing back to Gaiaterra.

And upon return, they soon began to transform.

Zelek grew tentacles and eyes and his head split in two, gaining the power of seeing the past and future, but not the present, and controlling raw magic itself. Becoming the harbinger of madness the Fateweaver.

Nigel's body began to rot and bloat and fester a myriad of diseases, becoming super strong and tough, spreading diseases to those around him, but slow due to rotten ligaments. Becoming the harbinger of pestilence The Rot.

Slaine's body began to shift as her senses heightened, letting her shapeshift into almost anything while exuding pheromones that lets her charm those around her to do her bidding, while she became more hedonistic, sadistically torturing innocents for sick pleasures. Becoming the harbinger of sensation the Hedonist.

Korey grew giant wings and horns, and his body ignited in flames, becoming the strongest warrior with speed and power but blinded by rage and bloodlust. Becoming the harbinger of war the Holocaust.

Thus the four astronauts transform into the Harbingers of Chaos, destroying Gaiaterra to fulfill the plans made by the beings of the Anomaly.

Since their first appearance, the Harbingers have become one of SP's most recognizable villains, their distinctive outfit of combat armor, black hooded duster, and their trademark insignia of an eight-pointed star standing out amongst the bright colors and skintight outfits of other characters, and the fact that, despite being a team, they constantly fight each other, often losing because they chose to betray each other at the last minute. However many SP fans are now divided, ferociously debating who is better, Harbinger, or DC's other infamous villain, the psychotic Widowmaker.

Knight Of Steam
Anthony Moore was a wealthy young Alliance weapons dealer of Gilneas, known for his wastrel attitude and wasting his inheritance on decedant parties. Moore's life took a turn when, in the aftermath of another party, his mansion was struck by a missile, and in a flash a militia came and destroyed everything.

Though he miraculously survived Anthony had lost everything. And for the next four months, he would scrouge anything he could to survive and hunt his attackers. But upon finding them he learned the truth. Those that attacked him were a mixture of the workers he abused, hired mercenaries, and warlords who stole his own weapons to exact payback, and were also now part of a gang that now terrorized his home thanks to his weapons.

Distraught at how he caused his own downfall and gave monsters the tools to hurt the innocent. Anthony went back to the ruins of his house, wanting to find a way to atone when he noticed a hidden door. And opening it he realized his past. His parent, who died when he was just a baby, had belonged to a sacred order of knights tasked with stopping a hidden threat but was slowly being chipped away in a losing battle, with their last sanctuary being hidden within a mountain.

Realizing that this could be his chance to fix his mistake Anthony made a pilgrimage to the mountain, tiring as he walked and using what little money he had left to supply himself. And upon falling on its steps he was met by an old monk, who gave only the name Veritas, who nursed him back to health. Gradually, he explained to Anthony his parent's past and the order they served under in greater detail.

Veritas explained that Anthony's parents had served the Legion of Azrael and were killed by the Black Hand, an ancient organization that sought to rule the world. And that they were the ones who managed to form the militia that attack him, but also stressed that the cult had only managed to manipulate the people in the first place due to Anthony's own mistreatment of them. Veritas explained that he is the last survivor of the Legion, who were dedicated to combating the Hand. Through the centuries, the Legion had dwindled, hunted down as the Hand used their control of the world's governments and militaries to further their goals.

Having lost everything and realizing he was the caused of the new threat, Anthony had dedicated himself to atoning for his mistakes. He asked Veritas to train him as a member of the Legion, so that he could stop the Black Hand and atone for his mistakes. The monk accepted.

For over a year, Anthony would train under Veritas, learning the skills of combat, both armed and unarmed, deduction, stealth, intimidation, and focus. Veritas equipped him with the ancient and secret weapons of the Legion: Clockwork-driven armor and devices, secret potions that could harmlessly render a man unconscious, and more.

However, Veritas was an old man, and eventually, he succumbed to age. It was up to Damien, the last crusader, to carry on the mission of the Legion himself.

Returning to Gilneas, Antony discovered that the world was shocked to see him alive. He also discovered that the Black Hand had infiltrated Gilneas and almost every government in Gaiaterra. Donning the ancient armor of the Legion, along with more modern equipment, Anthony took to the streets, seeking to bring down the Black Hand, no matter the cost.

The Talon Knight had been born.

Unique for its time was that the Talon Knight was more of a wild card. While he does fight for the good of the people he is also focused completely on his goal of stopping the Black Hand, often going to extremes the other heroes are reluctant to do in the name of finding the Black Hand, to fighting the other heroes if they refuse to give him information of the Black Hand, and is known to suddenly appear to help the heroes and just as quick to disappear. But, no matter what, he will always prioritize saving others over hunting his foe.

''Grey Steel Order Note: Funnily enough, Crusader Bruce was supposed to be executed for revealing the Order identity and the publisher destroyed for accessing Order information, even if it was barely known, as the author of the Talon Knight had actually seen him facing off against a Herald cell. But in the end, when it was realized that no one believed that what the book showed was real they let him off. In hindsight, we were really lucky that we let the book continue publishing, as it now gave out own soldiers an alibi for their uniforms, as they can call it "cosplay" (don't ask, it's a Katsuragi thing), and in the rare times the Order was revealed in a battle they can easily bluff it as a reenactment of the comic, no matter how strained it sounded.''

Peace Through Power
In the years since he first debuted, the Talon Knight has amassed a rouge's gallery of unique and iconic villains. Above all else, this is what separates him from other SP heroes; characters like the Harbingers are just as popular as Anthony himself.

The character of Mastermind is similar to this. He is, after Ruin, the Talon Knight's most recognizable foe, and ranks among the top villains in the SP universe.

Almost nothing is known about Masterminds' origins. What is known is that he is completely and utterly insane yet calculating; his schemes range from petty crimes to horrifying massacres, all of which he to further his hidden plan. Mastermind has no inhibitions and will do anything if he thinks it will further his plan.

Mastermind dresses in a solid purple suit and a theatre mask, and usually has a variety of psychic powers to control and destroy his foes, hismost notable skill being his ability to control the minds of others.

One Vision, One Purpose
"He lives in death!"

-Final words of one of Abel's followers, before detonating a nuke that devastated a city and nearly killed Anthony

After the Talon Knight fought and defeated Mastermind for the first time, he thought that he had faced the worst that the Black Hand had to throw at him.

However, his actions had finally caught the attention of the very leader of the Hands itself: The man who calls himself Abel.

Abel claims to be as old as mankind, and indeed, Anthony's research of notes Veritas had left behind shows that Abel has been involved with mankind since the days of ancient (Mesopotamia), perhaps before. A unique alchemical formula gives Abel his immortality, as well as near-invulnerability and immense strength. Over the millennium, he has amassed knowledge of almost every field known to mankind and many that have long been forgotten, and become one of the most skilled martial artists in the world and a master manipulator who created a massive cult who will fight and die for him, many of which live in the city of Naldof.

In their first confrontation, Anthony is almost killed and only survives because Abel allows him to escape for his own reasons. What his plan could be is still a mystery to the Talon Knight and other heroes, but what is clear is that as long as Abel lives, the Black Hand can never be defeated.

Sawyer and the Unstoppables
Formed by Simon Sawyer, an expat from Embry. (lore incomplete)

The Miona Space Amazon
Created in response to the Voshkod occupation of Miona and the rumored arrival of the Federation in Gaiaterra.

(lore incomplete)

Twilight And Thorns
Even in war comics are published, though in such cases they are turned into glorified propaganda pieces. None showed that more than the comics published by both the Commonwealth and the Union during the civil war, which features a hero of the Commonwealth/Union fighting each other.

For the Commonwealth, they had Agent 74 "Thorn". A young man from the Aquilan-controlled island of Lexington who enlisted when the Embry Civil War started. Although enlisting as a regular private, Thorn's heroism, skill, and luck saw him recruited by the secret service, which included erasing his real name, and becoming the Commonwealth's greatest spy.

For the Union, they had Dia "Twilight". A young woman from the Voshkod-controlled island of who was recruited when the Embry Civil War started. Where her skills would lead her to be recruited by the Union black ops, making her into the greatest assassin killing countless Commonwealth officers and leaving a calling card.

During the Embry Civil War, issues of The Twilight/Thorn portrayed 74/Dia as a one-man army, capable of taking on entire waves of Union/Commonwealth infantry and tanks with only his trusty pistol and disguises (74)/her array of knives and martial arts (Dia). They were often pitted against Commonwealth/Union super-scientists and their fantastic superweapons, such as the Bloodruiner Tank, the Tesla-Tron, The Lamprey, The Ragnarok tank, and most of all each other.

Of course when the Civil War ended in its fiery conclusion publishing stopped, and it was though to stay that way. But, like how the Minutemen rose from the ashes, so did the comic. As the General decreed that the Minutemen start making their own comics about Twilight and Thorn to both unite the remnants of the Union and Commonwealth, gives their children heroes to aspire to, and raise morale.

Thus in the new issue of Twilight and Thorn (now combined), both 74 and Dia realized that the forces they worked under was just as corrupt as the opposing side, who were just puppets to superpowers that couldn't care less for the people of Embry. And would defected when, in a last-ditch attempt to end the war, both sides fired a bomb that destroyed Embry.

Now with their homeland destroyed by outside forces Twilight and Thorn were briefly lost, only to hear the message of someone, known only as the Viceroy, who began to rally the survivors to rebuild their home. Now working together, Twilight and Thorn now fights to restore Embry, fighting against the Aquilans and Voshkods who want them destroyed.

Any rumors about the comic being a way for the Minutemen to secretly communicate/contains classified information/instructions for rebellion is nothing but slander.

Hero Of The Legion
Surprisingly, despite the condition they live in, the Legion Of Aden has their own hero kids look up too, and are proud to boast that, unlike other nations, their hero actually exits, something which aggravates Captain Rocket fans. That hero is Ciaphas Cain and his sidekick Ferik Jurgen.

To those who read the comics, Cain is a shining example of a commissar. Tough, unshakeable, and disciplined, charging head first towards his foe and inspiring his men, power sword raised and bolter pistol loaded, and facing many monsters from a Tesla Trooper to a demon prince and winning without a scratch. While Jurgen is his hilariously bumbling sidekick, only ever mentioned when he did something dumb or funny, whose sole contribution is his powerful melta gun.

To those who actually met him in real life, now as a retired teacher. He is a rather humble man with a dry wit who will bravely charge against monsters to protect his soldiers and homeland with a chainsword and laspistol, and considers a bolt pistol too heavy. While Jurgen is a hard-working if quiet assistant infamous for his bad smell and his melta gun, whom Cain considers his best friend.

To those who read his special autobiography, which shows his true feelings and is banned by the Legion. It actually reveals that Cain considered himself a self-serving coward, always ready to leg it once a threat comes unless fighting has a better chance of survival, with almost all of his heroic deeds being completely by accident, from stumbling into the enemies leaders while running away to running into a dead end with the enemy pursuing behind, and is rather miffed by the heavily embellished comics, though its not from the tales changing his character but because of how it treats Jurgen. To Cain, Jurgen was his greatest friend and ally, and he could count the numerous times his behind was saved thanks to him, with the comic turning him into an incompetent comic relief, and Jurgen being considered invisible in real life, being a major point of frustration for him. Jurgen meanwhile doesn't care, to him helping Cain is satisfaction enough.

Project Red Scarlet
The Aristocracy's first foray into the market. (lore incomplete)

Trivia

 * Wonder Comic is based on Marvel.
 * SP, by contrast, is based on DC.
 * Sawyer Comics is based on Hubris Comics from Fallout
 * Each of the heroes and villains are based off the heroes and villains of Marvel and DC and other heroes.
 * Prismatica: A mixture of Spiderman and the Flash with elements of Rainbow Dash
 * Captain Winter: A mixture of Captain America, the Winter Soldier (Bucky), and Mr. Freeze with elements of Galo and Josuke
 * Talon Knight: A mixture of Batman and Ironman
 * Azami: Gundam if it was a magical girl
 * Asurman: Sailor Moon mixed with Kamen Rider
 * Badang: Aang/Korra from Avatar
 * Harbingers: Fantastic Four if they worship the Chaos gods from Warhammer
 * Garak: Grognak the Barbarian from Fallout
 * The Black Shadow: The Silver Shroud from Fallout
 * Miona Space Amazon: Nuka-Girl
 * Red Scarlet: A mixture of Darna and Black Widow with elements of Wild Dog from Time Crisis and Quiet from Metal Gear