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Character Contest 54 – Bounty Hunter
One of the first characters in my meta-verse, Vulpina is one of my favorites. She is a bounty hunter who specializes in tracking meta-villains though she has no super powers herself. I referred to this ability as the “Normal Factor.” Still open to suggestions for something other than the obvious “X-Factor” comparison.
Vulpina
Wideshot
HeroMachine 2.5
Origin
Brooke Kingsley was born and raised in Laredo. Her family traces its Texas roots to the days when Mexico opened the land to American settlers. The Kingsleys had a long tradition of lawmen. Lawmen with checkered pasts. Some simply would look the other way. Others were worse than the criminals whom they were entrusted to bring to justice.Brooke wanted to continue the tradition. When she graduated high school, Brooke joined the Air Force for a short tour as an SP. Brooke planned to some day join the FBI. While she was overseas, her father Josiah, a Border Patrol agent, began demanding more bribes from Los Ãguilas del Diablo.
The Devil’s Eagles are often mistaken for a street-level drug gang in the United States. In Mexico, they are one of the most powerful and deadliest criminal organizations. Some members are meta-humans. Most notorious was El Toro Rojo. The Red Bull was a real-life minotaur. A ferocious, unstoppable giant with the cunning and intellect of a man.
Angered by Josiah’s audacity, the Eagles dispatched the Red Bull to send a message the day before Brooke returned home from the service. In a brazen daylight attack, the Bull razed the Laredo border crossing. He killed Josiah, six other border agents, and four civilians. Dozens lay injured. Some pinned under the cars and trucks that El Toro threw around as if they were piñatas.
El Toro Rojo escaped to Mexico. The Federales refused to allow the U.S. Border Patrol to pursue. Everyone knew that the Mexican agents had been bribed, but they went as far as to fire upon the pursuing Americans. Diplomatic relations froze instantly.
American and Mexican officials refused to cooperate in the investigation. Neither country’s superheroes were able to apprehend the elusive Red Bull. The attack escalated into open warfare between meta-humans seeking justice and those who profited from the chaos.
Brooke took her fight to courtrooms and presented Congressional testimony. Still, there was no progress in destroying Los Ãguilas. The Kingsley family could not even collect on Josiah’s life insurance or due pension.She became active in the community. Brooke travelled the country speaking against violence and for restoration of order. When she was at a rally in Eagle Pass, El Toro Rojo attacked again. This time to silence Josiah’s daughter.
Brooke survived with a new outlook and determination. The law could not stop the Bull. The so-called superheroes could not stop him. She even blamed herself for delaying justice. The rampage broke her organization Patriots for Peace. The super-attorney Jack Lane had successfully sued her for personal and property damage. Brooke protested, but the slick lawyer had a legal trick for every appeal.
Staff Sergeant Chris Montag, a service buddy stationed at Lackland Air Force Base, was there to help her. Chris would meet with Brooke. He coached her back into the routine of PT training.Chris worked in weapons research and development. He had access to the munitions depot and cutting edge technology. He would grab “some serious firepower” and the two would go to the base’s proving grounds.
Before being re-assigned overseas, Chris gave Brooke keys to the base and the R&D lab. He knew that El Toro Rojo and the Eagles would return. Brooke was again on her own. She was also flat broke. No one would hire her for fear of their own safety. She could not get a government job because of her father’s corruption. His connection to the Devil’s Eagles had come to light during the court process of discovery.
One morning, the sound of squealing tires woke Brooke. My car! They’re repossessing my car! she shouted. Without thinking, she ran to her garage. Her car was indeed gone. However, parked in its place was a pink jeep. Her father’s old hat and badge were on the driver’s seat. Brooke saw a flyer in the windshield wiper. It read:Wanted: Dead or Alive
El Toro Rojo
$10,000,000 RewardBrooke smiled and donned the hat. She drove the jeep to Lackland late that night. Inside the munitions depot, she found a rocket launcher. Chris had taught her how to use it. They had even squeezed off a couple of the experimental “Wolf’s Fang” rockets. Ammunition specially-designed to take out tanks and meta-humans.
Through her own connections in the Border Patrol, Brooke slipped into Mexico. It did not take long for word to find its way to El Toro Rojo. He decided that he would be the hunter not the prey. He charged right into Brooke’s trap.
At first, no one believed the rumors. Not until Brooke and her pink jeep crossed back into the United States. There at the border, she lifted the Bull’s head to claim justice and her reward.
Calling herself Vulpina (“The Wolf”), Brooke is a bounty hunter who specializes in bringing fugitive metas to justice. She uses the reward money to keep ahead of her prey’s powers and technology. Though a normal human being, she holds her own against metas.Brooke has what meta-researchers call the “Normal Factor” or “N-Factor.” The phenomenon that allows even the most mundane homo sapien with no known super powers or enhancements to stand equal to metas. Some argue that the N-Factor is itself a super power.
She lost her father’s badge in the battle with El Toro Rojo. So Vulpina had it tattooed on her arm. Though Josiah was a dirty cop, he was a damn good father. She may not be corruptible like the Kingsley’s before her. However, Brooke shares her forefathers’ sense of frontier justice.
Character Contest 55 – Capricorn
No entries for this CC.
Character Contest 56 – Henchables
No entries for this CC. However, here is a HeroMachine 2.5 character from a GURPS campaign. For anyone interested, the backdrop was the city of Belles Fleurs. Think Miami Vice meets Cowboy Bee-bop with cajun spices. The Rothschild crime family was an over-the-top theatric crew. Their foot soldiers dressed in blue and yellow. The overseers were “Capos” (female: “Capas”).
Character Contest 57 – Aquarius
Continuing the Zodic motif, I was stuck for an idea. Instead of something directly related with the astrological sign, I went with “aquarium.”
Elle and Eddy: Feeding time at the aquarium. Eddy loves teasing Elle with tasty mackerel.
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Character Contest 58 – Simply Your Best
Jeff restricted this contest to one entry. You know, “simply your best.” I took this as an opportunity to update an old character. Though not my “best,” I like my Norseman. Moreso, the upgrade version highlights the versatility of HM 3 Beta and the use of setting to tell a story.
Norseman
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HeroMachine 2.5
Thanks, Kaylin
Character Contest 59 – Pisces
Again, couldn’t quite get into the whole Zodiac aspect. Instead, I went with references to water, mythology, birthstones, and obscure movies.
Ironic thing about “Going for Gold” is that I did not watch any of the 2012 Olympics. I was going for the effect of splashing water, but it comes across as blue flames.
Going for Gold
Character Contest 59 – Pisces
The Pisces is a fictional basketball team from the movie The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh. I consider this movie a classic. Coincidentally, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and I share the same birthday, April 16th.
The IMDB synopsis reads: “The Pittsburgh basketball team is hopeless. Maybe with the aid of an astrologer, and some new astrologically compatible players, they can become winners.”
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Character Contest 59 – Pisces
We are coming to the close of the Age of Pisces. Soon will be the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. Which, coincidentally, begins on December 21, 2012. Why is that date so familiar?
Thinking of a character, I recalled some Sumerian legends. These stories have found their way into modern belief systems (notably Judaism and Christianity). As fate would have it, Ancient Aliens was on History Channel. So I wrapped all these elements together to create an interpretation of Zu, the Southern Wind. A creature said to exist in the first days of the Age of Pisces.
On a personal note, I encourage everyone to play “Age of Aquarius (Let the Sunshine In)” by The Fifth Dimension on December 21st. Then any song with “time” in its title or as its theme. Except “Time” by Pink Floyd if you are at a bar. Great song if you play “Dark Side of the Moon” in its entirety at a house party, but it really kills the atmosphere as a single.
Also, “apocalypse” is the Greek word for “unveiling” not “the end of the world.” I know what I’m doing that Friday!
Zu
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The Legend
The Lion-Headed Thunderbird of Sumerian and Akkadian mythology. Also called Anzu or Imdugud, Zu stole the Tablets of Destiny from Enlil, the Lord of the Wind. He hid them on a mountaintop. Many tried to find them. Many failed.Some say it was Marduk, son of Enki, who dispatched Zu. Others claim Nin Ur, the Lord Plough, slew the demon. One thing is certain. It was Moses who retrieved the Tablets from Mount Sinai.
Character Contest 59 – Pisces
The Cat’s Eye is considered a “luckstone” for Pisces. It’s also the fiendish creature who wakes me up at 5 in the morning…
Character Contest 60 – Revamp 2.0
The contest was to re-design or re-imagine another HeroMachine creation. Had a lot of fun with this one.
First was Muhammet’s Ghost Monk. Pretty straight-forward character. I wasn’t satisfied with my flame effects, so I removed them altogether.
Ghost Monk
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Original character by Muhammet
Character Contest 60 – Revamp 2.0
Jeff announced today that the HeroMachine Pin-Up Edition is now available. I believe it and other versions of HM were in limbo while Jeff and UGO finalized some agreements. What coincidence, because Janie is my original character who I created in HM Pin-Up then re-envisioned for this Character Contest.
Haven’t decided where she fits. I could work either version or both into my meta-verse, my mecha-verse, or just about any short story or continuum. In the HM 3 version, I wanted to give her a Yellow Rose tattoo. The yellow didn’t show very well, so I stuck with red. Looking again, I should have stayed with yellow.
Without further adieu, gentlemen (and ladies), taking the stage tonight… Janie!
Concept and design by the Atomic Punk
Janie was a 19-year old freshman at the University of Texas-Austin. She was “working her way through college” at The Shack just off US Highway 183 South. That changed when Time Revolutionaries “drafted” her to be a cybersoldier in Texas’ third war for independence.HeroMachine Pin-Up Edition
HeroMachine 3 Alpha
Character Contest 60 – Revamp 2.0
Emmanuel Sosa designed his knights in HeroMachine 2.5. I re-imagined them as ska cover-band “The Sugg Knights,” influenced by the classic 1980s British comedy “The Young Ones” and one of my favorite bands Madness. Madness’ lead singer goes by the name of “Suggs.” My gathering of the term “sugg” is that it means something along the lines of “an unemployed punk in a cheap suit.” “Sugg Knights” is a play on the name of notorious Death Row producer “Sug Knight.”
Audiophiles might also enjoy bands like The Jam, The Specials, The Members, the compilation album “Bad Hair Day” (ska covers of heavy metal and hard rock songs), and any of the “Give ‘Em the Boot” compilations.
Going to spread this one out over a few posts as I have the group picture and individual member shots. For the record, my group picture is one widescreen shot not four pictures pasted together. Which was why I chose Sosa’s original design. To get a better feel for moving Items outside of the main HM window. At the time… what a pain. So I overlook my mistakes when it comes to the instruments and masking of hands.
Emmanuel Sosa’s “Knights”
The Atomic Punk’s “Sugg Knights”: Rocking out Ska covers of Death Row Records circa 2011
Character Contest 60 – Revamp 2.0
Sugg Knights’ frontman Kevin McGillicuddy
Fang provides those blaring horns and crazy tones through his synthmaster keyboard
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