Issue #006: Author’s Notes
I know I said I’d get these posted within a week, and I’m usually earlier, but I like to wait until I have the title for the next issue, so I can tease for it, but I haven’t come up with anything, so here’s the last-minute Author’s Notes… (On an unrelated note, am I the only one who can’t listen to the song ‘Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds’ without thinking of Carolina from Runaways (and if you haven’t read Runaways, go out and buy the TPB’s))
Ok, first up, Katie and Matt kind of alluded to the origin of the Brat Pack name. The Brat Pack were, in the 80’s, a group of teen actors who stared in such classic movies as St Elmo’s Fire, The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. Most of them never really went beyond the teen actor stage, but they were pretty awesome at the time. Why did these guys pick that for their name? That will be revealed when I do the origin story… Probably in ‘LessThanThree Comics Presents’… Some day.
Blackbird… I pretty much summed him up there. He’s like this universe’s Batman. Nowadays he’s retired, has revealed his secret identity, and is something of a public representative of the hero community, appearing on news programs and such. He was the founder, and original leader of the (West Coast) Boomers.
And last night I kind of realised I haven’t even mentioned Ally (Pixel) for two whole issues. She’s still around, just hasn’t been central to the inter-personal storylines I’ve got going. The next issue may or may not feature her heavily. Kevin (Mr Perfect) could probably use the spotlight a little too. Maybe I need to make these things longer or something.
Anyway, I’ll catch y’all when the next issue comes out (some comments would be nice 
).
Later Days,
The Author
<3 Comics
Comment!
1- Does longer mean less frequent? I vote shorter & more often… but that’s just me.
2- Where does Mr. Universe’s name come from? (Yeah, yeah, AN01 “Blessed with the power to control one of the universe’s primal forces, magnetism.” What made you think of *that name*, ‘though? Quantum physics/ electroweak theory/ Einstein’s special relativity?)
3- Was he inspired by another superhero specifically? (À la Thunderbolt?) [Magneto? Or something DC?]
4- Pixel’s brother and his best friend are obviously ‘gifted’ as well… I wanna know more! Let’s see some of that!
Onto the ‘critique’…
Moonlight Shadow’s events… niggle at me.
A)It’s really all about the Persona Laws…
a) Facts: Shadow and PK are known to fight the criminal element. Mr. Universe and Belle id the supers & can thus infer that the caller is ‘one of the bad guys’. So Shadow and PK are probably “attacking” criminals, and thus, in accordance with ’superhero justice ethics’. Yet Belle summarily terms them “wanted men”, not something along the lines of having to go ‘check it out’.
b) Is Belle just hasty, or is there some pre-existing reason to bring in the other supers? Are Shadow and PK not under Persona Laws; would such make them vigilantes? (I fully realize that any super under the Persona Laws, should they decided to commit crimes, becomes a “wanted man”. As PK and Shadow can be presumed to be acting in defense of justice, this isn’t applicable, however.)
So… All about the Persona Laws –
1- Does registering under the Persona Laws label the super as an “authority” with powers of arrest?
2- Is failure to register and subsequent superhero activity deemed vigilantism? (Consider the Richards brothers; born & operating in a state without the Laws, then operating in a state with them.)
3- In a broader scope, what is deemed vigilantism with regards to registered superheroes?
B)How do Belle and Mr. Universe justify not bringing in Shadow and Pumpkin King? (I kinda think H-a-H must frown on the “they got away” line.) Does it involve metric tonnes of paperwork? [If so, I want to see them complain!]
Whoo!
LONG comment.
Are you happy now?
Thanks for being the first to leave comment (besides the bots doing their pingbacks and whatnot). I always like a little feedback.
Longer may mean less frequent, I was trying to work out a writing schedule for myself, which would probably increase my output, it’s just a matter of getting into the rhythm.
I went through phases with Mr Universe… He was originally going to be a weather controller with a different name, I think I was going to make him a gravity controller (that idea didn’t last long) and then I decided on magnetism. Most of the good names for magnetic supers are taken (Magneto, Polaris, Lodestone), so I was trying to think of something… Different. So I went with Mr Universe (to match Mr Perfect… sort of).
Personality-wise, no, Mr Universe is not based on any particular hero. Powers, he’s based on Lodestone from Michuru’s New Vindicators Story Hour (an excellent read, probably better than actual comics most of the time).
Pixel’s brother and his best friend will feature more and more as the comic continues, although the best friend was originally going to be some random dude at their school.
Shadow and PK aren’t registered Personas. They’re just two guys who go around using their powers to take down non-supers. They’ve got warrants out for assaults and stuff on guys that there isn’t any proof committed crimes. Their methods are a little more violent than your average supers’ too. Registered heroes tend to have their super-battles with other supers in public, after the villains have just committed their crime in front of witnesses (not always, but mostly). Registered heroes can testify in court, but Shadow and PK would have to unmask and give their identities, before they could, and that’s not going to happen. Registered Personas are considered ‘citizens’, so can therefore make citizens’ arrests. Shadow and PK aren’t citizens (their secret identities are, but the law considers the two to be different things). Also, where the Brat Pack or the Boomers would bring the criminals to proper authorities, Shadow and PK would beat them up and leave them bleeding in an alley.
It’s not so much a super-human registration act thing, I’m staying away from that. Persona Laws were originally in place to allow heroes to testify in court (previous to that, most didn’t, for fear of revealing their identity, and I’m pretty sure US law says that you have the right to face your accuser or something (I think I saw it on Law and Order)). The laws were later extended to make them a full citizen, allowing them to earn money and whatnot from their careers.
The Richards brothers operated in a state without Persona Laws, but did so under a company that had contracts with the state, giving their employees some authority. Also, there’s always a citizen’s arrest.
Vigilantism is not bringing criminals in to the proper authorites (there’s that citizen’s arrest thing again), and bringing about your own justice, usually through violence.
Belle and Universe could just put it down as a false alarm, or that the targets had already long fled the scene (they were only still around because PK had a flat tire, remember?). It’s not really a mountain of paperwork, maybe like, one page, tops. And it’s all on computers. Just like, a brief mission report or something.
I hope I answered all your questions.
Yes, quite satisfactorily. Thank you! I’m eager to see what you offer up next, keep it up!
Reading back, I just realized that Ally’s brother’s name is Tom Sawyer. That’s what happens when you pick a name at random.