[The Atomic Punk]

Willkommen, jep! Nice start with Wolf Warrior Queen. She has a very strong valkyrie presence. She appears very ornate and ceremonial but you do not want to provoke her.

[The Atomic Punk]

Character Contest 44: Nature

The first of four Elementals that I did upgrade from HM 2.5 to 3 Beta.

Flame, the Distrustful

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HM 2.5

[The Atomic Punk]

Most of the time, I switch perspectives when characters get into costume. When I do this, I employ a transition paragraph or two describing his costume and how he psyches himself into meta-mode. If you have ever been in a fight, you might have experienced that rush when you become detached.

You are conscious, you act deliberately, you calculate, you defend, but you feel like that you are “not there.” Remember when you described the fight to others. At some point, you catch yourself. You stop saying “I” and “me” and start describing what the other guy (or gal) was doing. You describe your own actions as “do you know when?” or “have you ever?” or “it’s like when you…”

Another technique is to provide a street-level view during epic battles. Moving from what witnesses see then interjecting with the combatants’ own thoughts or banters. This allows for a description of the action with the reader insight into the fight’s outcome and consequences.

[The Atomic Punk]

Character Contest 44: Nature

I didn’t enter these Elementals in the contest, just wanted to share them. Originally done in HM 2.5. Most likely, I will not upgrade them in HM3.

Clay

Cloud

Frost

Harvest

Heat

Mist

Slag

Smoke

[The Atomic Punk]

Character Contest 44: Nature

I re-visited my HeroMachine 2.5 characters during this contest. The theme of this group is the elements (earth, wind, fire, water) and their minions (frost, flame, smoke, etc.). I never fully developed the characters. My draft storyline is that the elements are rivals on a ruling council. More suited as a Greek drama or Shakespeare than a comic book.

You already met Earth, the Foundation. I used him as an entry in Character Contest 42. Here are the other three Elements.

Air, the Magistrate

Fire, the Indifferent (Yes, her left hand is backward!)

Water. Ironically, I did not give Water an HM3 makeover or a title. I like her just the way she is.

[The Atomic Punk]

Willkommen, Legatus! Glad that you “made the switch.”

[The Atomic Punk]

@nathanyael said:

Hey guys, just give me one comment on the Conjuration pic…. Don’t ignore me!!!! Sniff…..

I say this honestly, and as advice to everyone who reads this. Begging is not the way to get attention. Just because there are no comments does not mean people are not viewing and admiring your creations. (Wow, that’s a lot of negatives for a sentence meant to be positive.) This is why I want Jeff to bring back the “thumbs up” / “Like” button. An instant poll would go a long way to placate egos.

After all that harsh lecturing, I will comment. I like Conjuration. The color-scheme really pops. The green comes across as manna and a great balance of Zypping. The face in the smoke is a little distracting. Maybe tone it down by adjusting the color Alpha. The same for the black cloud at her feet. Make it a little more transparent to match the red smoke.

[The Atomic Punk]

Character Contest 43: Laborer

Closing this retrospect with “Davyper.” The bucket and city skyline reminded me of the opening scene of “Saturday Night Fever.” Tony Manero (John Travolta) strutting down the street with paint cans. Davyper morphed into a blue collar guy with a street punk attitude. Hence the leather jacket instead of the a window wiper’s uniform.

Davypr: Terror (and clean windows) on the 34th Floor

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[The Atomic Punk]

Character Contest 43: Laborer

Ahab’s Occupational Rehab: an exclusive therapy clinic and spa for superheroes. The figure to his left is confusing. It’s supposed to be a robot or armored characer lying on a floating workout bench. He is trying to touch his toes with his pincers. Though I think that I was successful with Dr. Ahab’s hip workout clothes and knee braces.

Dr. Ahab

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Tagline
Throw out that back when you plugged the erupting volcano with a meteor?

Sprain your brain in psychic combat against a Sklorbork?

Biomechanical gravity-compensating gyroscope not gyrating?

We have the therapy program for you!

[The Atomic Punk]

Hippogryph

[The Atomic Punk]

Thanks, Myro.

Character Contest 43: Laborer

Overall, I’m pleased with the Apiarist. His arms are a snidge outside his body armor. Deciding whether to incorporate into my meta-verse. I designed the Apiarist along the lines of a Spider-Man villain. A lot of Spidey’s foes are blue collar guys themselves (Electro, Shocker, Sandman). They might have odd motifs and outlandish costumes but they are some of the most destructive and deadliest bad guys out there.

The Apiarist

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Backstory
Mason Bumble developed a way to control bees using high-pitched frequency modulation and a purple chemical compound of his own design. With his hive of specially-bred and trained giant bees, he commits crime for something sweeter than honey –

MONEY!

[The Atomic Punk]

Character Contest 43: Laborer

Next, and because I wanted it to stand out, is “Snowball in Hell.” One of my all-time favorite bands / groups – They Might Be Giants. Love, love, love TMBG. Their music is nerd-brain lyrics… If Tori Amos was two dudes and you smashed their heads together to write stories that matched quirky lyrics to music… you would have Tori Amos as two dudes that you would smash their heads together to match stories that matched quirky hot Tori Amos. You feeling this? Because that’s how I feel about “They Might Be Giants.”

Snowball-in-Hell

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* Also checkout Homestar Runner!

[The Atomic Punk]

Character Contest 43: Laborer

The Keeper. Remember your first job in high school? Did you ever daydream of someday running the store, a franchise, or the whole conglomerate? That is the optimism that drives the Keeper.

The “Itsaburger” fast food chain is another creation that started in HeroMachine. I have since incorporated the idea into other projects.

The Keeper

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Tagline
The Keeper starts his workday with a cup of Itsaburger Xtra Black coffee. This month’s Itsakidsmeal prize is a bisphenol-A plastic replica of the Itsaburger CEO’s 18th Corvette.

Stick with him, girlfriend. Some day that car will be his. He’s got potential. Right there, that’s his cat – “Potential”.

[The Atomic Punk]

Character Contest 43: Laborer

Design a blue collar superhero. I tried a lot of wordplay with this contest as well as more pop culture references.

“Demolition Man” is a tribute to the song by Grace Jones.

A Sandhog is an underground engineer or construction worker The term refers almost exclusively to those who work the networks beneath Boston. Most of you will recognize the “Looney Tunes” reference.

A more serious entry was The Wichita Lineman. Though he is inspired by the Glen Campbell song of same name.

• Insulated suit protects from electricity, fire, and is near bulletproof
• Insulated suit also amplifies electricity, using the Lineman’s own bio-electric charge for power
• Copper wire bola voltage is modulated. It can mildly shock or punch a hole in a concrete wall
• Grappling hook allows for access to high places, quick exits, and grabbing at a distance

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[The Atomic Punk]

Character Contest 42: Another Brick in the Wall

Final entry for CC 42: Molly B Denum. Molybdenum, Element 42, is a soft, silver-colored metal used in the manufacture of ink, rubber, and plastic. What better element for a model turned cyborg? She is a villain from my GURPS Supers campaign but was a wholly different character. I gave her a reboot – new origin, new look.

Also, I introduced another Dr. Menudo. She started as an original character whom I created as a one-shot for CC 42 but have since expanded her role. More on Dr. Menudo when I get to Character Contest 53: Bad Guy. Hope you guys stick around for her. (And thanks for viewing my gallery thus far!)

Molly and Menudo are major characters in my meta-verse. Plus a pop reference to “Right Said Fred” in Molly’s origin. In my admitted laziness, I used flashlight items as floorlights.

Molly B Denum

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Origin
Vain Molly “Mo” Beatrice Drozdoski wanted to be the next supermodel. She was dating a socialite who sent her career soaring. He was always secretive about what he did for a living. It didn’t matter to Mo. She was in demand. Fashion shows in Milan, New York, and Japan. Meeting the rich, famous, and powerful. Weekends in Paris. Mo was living the life.

Her boyfriend was none other than Alex Giancanni, son of Don Alessandro. Being the heir apparent of the infamous Philadelphia Giancanni crime family was dangerous enough, but Alex had ran up considerable debt. Rather than paying what he owed, he decided to take out his creditors.

After several “unsanctioned” murders, even Don Alessandro wanted Alex stopped. It was decided to settle Alex’s debts. Which was unfortunate for Mo, who knew nothing of her beau’s evil ways.

The car bomb destroyed the Lamborghini and killed Alex instantly. Mo survived. The Giancanni Family had bribed the ambulance crew to ensure that Alex was dead. They didn’t say what to do about passengers. The EMTs knew of a surgeon who paid good money for recently deceased patients.

Disgraced Dr. Tina Mendoza was that surgeon. She had a felony record, even spending a few years in Federal prison for her bizarre experiments. Dr. Mendoza was known as “Dr. Menudo” because most of her operations involved mixes of body parts and exotic materials.

Dr. Menudo was able to save Molly. She was delighted with her success. So much so, that she promised Molly a whole new body in exchange for certain services. Molly, still in shock and her mind warped by various experimental drugs, agreed. If nothing, she wanted revenge on those who took her career and her lover.

Now she is Molly B Denum (molybdenum), or simply “MO.” Mo has become amoral and indifferent. Due largely to the various drugs and experiments that Dr. Menudo continues to administer. However, she is angry not just for the loss of her life, but her looks.

Her cybernetic parts enhance her strength and durability. Though not as powerful as some “bricks”, she is able to punch through concrete walls, lift cars, and ruin anyone’s day. Dr. Menudo often contracts Mo to supervillains who are in need of no-questions-asked muscle.

Dr. Menudo is actually trying to grow a clone of Mo. Not to make good on her promise, but to conduct other experiments. The enhancements that she ocassionally gives Mo are cosmetic. Trading the metal exterior for biomechanical improvements, giving the illusion that she is restoring Mo’s humanity. Dr. Menudo controls Mo through drugs and microchips. She has not decided whether she will let Mo leave after she is no longer useful.

[Author]

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