That was a fun issue to write, although I struggled to get it finished in time. Forcing myself to sit down and write is never easy, when there’s so much mindless junk I can be doing (Thank you internet).
I really wanted to show off the difference between the two couples, as well as just write a fun issue about my favourite holiday. Kevin and Katie are supposed to be your standard high school sweethearts, Kevin going to all this trouble to make her happy, and the two of them waited to sleep together until the right moment. Matt and Hannah on the other hand, are having fun, they’ve been sleeping together for a while, they don’t get to spend a lot of time together, so they’re not quite as close as the others. And they are also a high-profile super-couple, hence them going out in costume and enjoying their night.
Thanks for the comments again Mich and Maedel (Hehe, M’n'M), I love feedback, and I’m glad you guys seemed to enjoy this issue as much as I did. The suggestions for Pixel were good, but I’m kind of trying to keep a certain amount of innocence in the character. She’s a year younger, so she’s like a little sister, and she’s so bright and cheerful, in contrast to the seriousness around her. I’m sure I’ll find a voice for her, or I’ll let her fade into the background a bit (a bit more, I guess).
A note on the world: I decided Nymphette (Of the (West Coast) Boomers) had a water-based powerset, after just leaving her as a name when I introduced her.
One more thing, anyone who doesn’t read the main site, the first issue of LessThanThree Comics Presents has been posted. Shadows Over Los Angeles Issue #001 is about The Shadow, as mentioned in my previous Author’s Notes. One thing, the blog is separate to this one, so you’ll have to create a new profile if you want to comment. There’s a link to the page on the right menu of this page (and every page, except <3 Presents itself. Of course).
Later Days,
The Author
<3 Comics

Ok, I was hoping to start posting more often, and had it all planned out to get this issue up on the 1st, mostly because I wanted to do a Valentine’s Day Issue (which will be going forward anyway). I had planned to get the first issue of Less Than Three Comics Presents written and posted, before I did these Author’s notes, so I could plug the second issue, but extenuating circumstances kind of killed my creativity… But it’s all good, and I’m back.
Ok, on to the issue. This one was a lot of fun. Built up a lot on the characters, which was what I’ve been hoping to do. There’s also a few members of D13 that I want to flesh out, but that will happen later.
Kevin/Mr Perfect is all business, because, let’s face it, in a couple of months, he’s taking on some of the toughest villains. He’s a good leader, and is doing everything he can to ensure his team gets through. And then in the morning, he keeps training so he doesn’t let his other team down.
Matt is a geek, which I don’t think I’d really got across previously. He’s best friends with the head cheerleader, he’s dating one of the hottest teen superheroes in the nation, seems pretty normal. He’s had his moments, the shared joke with Aperture, bitching about movies with Jake in the first issue, but I didn’t feel I’d really got it across. So he spent the night playing video games (also, I couldn’t really think of anything for him to do, and wanted to include everyone in this issue).
Ally and the band was just a way for me to work some Tom/Mac humour in there, and so that I could involve more of the Brats. Ally’s been the hardest character to flesh out, because while I have a clear idea of where I want the other four to go, and their history, and who they are, Ally was a last minute creation. She’s a little odd, and bright, and sparkly, but beyond that, I don’t have much to build around her. I had always intended for a fifth Brat, but didn’t really flesh her out until the last moment.
Katie was one of the main reasons I wanted to write this issue. So far, I’ve put her in there as the perfect daddy’s girl, who gets good grades and does everything she possibly can, all the extra-curriculars she can possibly do, so she can get into college or whatever. That kind of pressure puts a lot of strain on a person, and throw on her working as a superhero, with all her contract obligations, she has to have a breaking point. So she’s started drinking. Because, let’s face it, everyone loves a good character flaw. (For the record, it’s not just a flaw for the sake of it, I’d originally planned her as the perfect girl who lets it get to her)
Mosley’s part was there for two reasons. One, to reveal he was the Pumpkin King (although that was hinted at when Belle met him…). And two, to plug the (originally planned) second issue of <3 Comics Presents. For the record, the meeting between Shadow and Pumpkin King occurred in-between <3 Comics Presents: Shadows Over LA Issues #001 and #002. Issue #001 should be posted this month some time. Probably after the Valentine’s Day special next week.
Fissure’s interlude was just to build him as a serious guy, and just because I hadn’t really mentioned where he’s been since telling his story.
Well, that’s about all for now. Prepare for couple-y goodness next week, when Issue #011: Whole Lotta Love hits the blog.
Later Days,
The Author
<3 Comics

P.S. A note on the music. Some of you may remember this issue's title. 'Breathe (2AM)' by Anna Nalick charted in 2005 after being used on a few popular shows (Grey’s Anatomy and Joan of Arcadia come to mind). Issue #007, ‘Soldier’ was also named after one of her songs. The woman has an amazing voice and writes some beautiful songs, just lacks the support of her label (they chose the wrong song for her second single, but I digress). Unless you’re exclusively into metal, or won’t listen to anything but hip-hop or are a techno-dance fan, I suggest you try and find a copy of her 2005 album ‘Wreck of the Day’ (better yet, the 2006 re-release, which has some great bonus tracks on it), or even the ‘Shine EP’, which was released last year. Her label appears to have forgotten her, so I’m trying to do my part so that her completed second album will actually get released. At the very least, check her out on YouTube or Last.fm. You won’t be disappointed. Ok, off my soapbox.

The TDT were, as I stated in an earlier A/N (Author’s Notes), just a team name that I came up with on the fly as I was writing the story. I thought it would be fun to flesh them out in a Mutants and Masterminds game. Appy and Rose were both my creations, my brother created Cobalt and Balefire. He picked out the powers and then had trouble picking names. I found a list on the internet and he decided those names were cool. I was thinking about adding a fifth member, but couldn’t decide on a power set.
Balefire’s power set is based off of ‘Hellfire’, which is like fire, only not hot, and can be shaped to the wielder’s will, creating objects and such. It’s from the Mutants and Masterminds game, I wanted to make it personal, and decided she just made it into threads,to make things simpler for her. With practice, I’m sure she could make complex objects.
Rose’s ability is to absorb natural abilities (including mutant powers). Arachnophobia’s powers come from another source (which will be revealed in upcoming issues). It’s not a radioactive spider-bite though.
Aperture was a super I’d been looking for an excuse to use for months. He’s basically a living portal-gun. I figured he’d make sense as a teenager, and made him a member of the TDT. And yes, there will be more Portal jokes when I use him.
Cobalt was the result of my brother and I deciding it would make sense to have a psychic on the team. Names for psy’s are hard, so he just picked a cool sounding word, and decided he’d wear cobalt blue.
Hyper Girl was being sarcastic, pointing out that even if Fissure was right, they’re leading half of the future’s only hope into battle with one of the world’s most powerful villain groups. There’s a good chance Mr Universe, Mr Perfect and the Richards’ could die, and where would that leave the future Rebels?
The thing about Cobalt showing promise was also sarcasm, Mr Universe had just said that even if the three of them die fighting the Order of Darkness, the other founders of the Rebellion will still be around. Fissure said that Cobalt was one of said founders, Hyper Girl was just putting him down more.
I chose Cobalt because I didn’t want to just make the Rebellion into the Brat Pack with a couple of extra dudes, and I wanted a psychic. I guess Cobalt will just have to grow into his powers…
Anyway, I hope those answers were to your liking, and I also hope y’all are here for Issue #010. Same Brat-Time, Same Brat-Channel.
Later Days,
The Author
<3 Comics

Ok, I’m a little behind on the author’s notes, not to mention everything else I’m supposed to be doing lately, but here goes:
A lot was explained, but a lot of names were introduced… Let’s see if I can get all of them:
Cobalt: Was mentioned as one of the founding members of the Rebellion, is currently Teen Dream Team’s resident psi.
The Freak: A member of the original Boomers, and founding member of the East Coast Boomers, The Freak was a scientist. A freak accident occurred during a test with his method of ‘flash-petrifying’ organic matter, and he was himself petrified… But still alive. Now made entirely from stone, The Freak is one of the strongest men alive, and near-invulnerable, not to mention seemingly immortal, having not aged in the forty years since the accident.
GL: The leader of the West Coast Boomers. A speedster. Struggled for a codename, changing between many, before Blackbird told him to name himself after Mr GL, an early member of the original Boomers team. (GL stands for ‘Greased Lightning’… I needed a dodgy-sounding name for a 60’s super, Mr Greased Lightning fit the bill. When it came time to put together the modern-day team, I thought a tribute would be nice.)
Nymphette: I’ll be honest, I was filling up the Boomers roster, and noticed I didn’t have a girl, and thought this would be a cool name. No idea what powers I’m going to give her.
Corona and Plasma: Two brothers, spent the late nineties robbing banks and such using their powers. Were captured by Liberty Force, did two years in Alcatraz and were released into the custody of the West Coast Boomers. Plasma has the ability to blast energy from his hands, whereas Corona can surround his body in the same energy, increasing his strength and speed.
The kids in the New Brat Pack are nothing more than names really, except Uncle Sam III and Miss Liberty II, who are the current Uncle Sam’s children.
That’s about it really, stay tuned for Issue #009: Teenage Rampage, where we’ll be introduced to the Teen Dream Team.
Later Days,
The Author
<3 Comics

Well, that was a fun issue. I’d been intending to introduce Dylan through Ally, Tom and Mac, but wasn’t sure I could get an entire issue out of it. I had originally intended for him to already be one of their buddies already, and just introduce him in passing a few times (which was the plan for Mac too, just some random precog that Ally knows for some reason), but this links stuff together a little better. I’d also been planning on having Mr Perfect and Uncle Sam team up in Las Vegas (Uncle Sam lives on the opposite coast to the Brat Pack, so I had to find a reason to put them together…) for a while too, and that was originally going to be the entire issue (clearly it would have been extended somewhat), but I also didn’t want to leave Ally out again. I was going to leave Fissure out for a little while longer, give me a little more time to flesh out the world for y’all, but I’m itching to get into the main storyline, assuming it all goes to plan…
Thanks for the comments again Maedel, I’m glad you like my new characters. Uncle Sam is this universe’s Captain America, except he didn’t get frozen. He was allowed to continue to be a hero and retire, leaving the world with the legend of Uncle Sam. Dylan is going to be featuring heavily for a while, but will probably become a supporting character in the end.
I’ll be playing ‘Match the Name’ at some point in the issue, with their explanations, but Fissure’s got a story to tell first.
Good luck in your finals by the way.
Later Days,
The Author
<3 Comics

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

Ok, I’m a little bit late, but I don’t like writing my author’s notes until I’ve got a title for the next issue, so I can tease y’all with it…
Ok, where to begin?
Thunderbolt got a mention early on… He’s this universe’s version of Thor (well, his current successor…), wielding Mjolnir, which was gifted to him from former Soviet villain, The Hammer. Basically has the same power-set as Thor, only without the immortality and such. One of the world’s foremost superheroes.
The Gibbon… I just liked the image of a guy swinging from streetlight to streetlight. Works solo in Manhattan, has low-level super-strength and agility.
Anna started getting a little weird towards the end of her ranting at Katie, but that’s because she’s a bit unhinged. And because I was probably half-asleep when I wrote those parts. I had intended for the fight scene to last longer… But we’ve seen what happens when I try to write a long fight scene… It’s not pretty.
And of course, at the end, there’s the foreshadowing… Our big bad guy happens to hold a high office in Washington, Secretary of the Interior, Stephen P Carmichael. And he has a teleporter on staff in Daytripper. But is all as it seems? Why is he interested in the Brat Pack? All this, and more, revealed in upcoming issues of Brat Pack. Stay tuned for Issue #006: Moonlight Shadow.

Later Days,
The Author
<3 Comics

Another issue, another empty comment box… One of these days, this will be famous, and you’ll all regret not contributing in the early days. Oh well… Let’s see, what needs to be covered? Ah, Perdition first up…
Perdition is the product of a virgin birth, the arch-demon Belial’s spawn with a mortal sacrifice. A Belial-worshiping cult raised him and taught him use of magic and a blade. Eventually, he grew tired of being a pawn in his father’s plots, and went rogue, destroying the entire cult. He was captured by the East Coast Boomers, and would have been on the first plane to San Francisco, to spend his life in Alcatraz, but Hire-A-Hero worked out a new deal, putting him in their service. He is a master magician, one of the best in the world, super-strong, has super-reflexes, and natural control over earth and stone.
The nameless electricity wielder is just that… Nameless. I never really got around to building a character for him, it just made sense that the HRI would keep the biggest threats separate from the main group, and a human tazer would certainly be one of them…
Alcatraz was re-outfitted in the 60’s, and is currently North America’s best super-human containment facility, second only to the UN facility in the Hague. A private company is currently building a new, state-of-the-art facility underground in an old mine in the Applachians, as Alcatraz is becoming overcrowded.
Well, that’s all for now guys, be here in two weeks (or thereabouts), for Brat Pack Issue #005: Blood and Flames.
Later Days,
The Author
<3 Comics

Ok, first up… I apologise for the dig at the Avengers… I just got my Captain America Omnibus Hardcover, and was having a ‘Cap’ moment with Mr Perfect, and I thought a battle-cry was in order. Of course, nothing really fits ‘Brat Pack ‘, so I went with a joke. Because honestly, does anyone see Mr Universe or Firestorm taking him seriously?
Ok, one thing I forgot to mention in the last round of notes, the ‘Teen Dream Team’ is a group I just invented off the top of my head as I was writing the interview. All I’ve really got in my head is a group of kids aged 13-17 who operate out of NYC for various reasons… Haven’t even decided on their powers or anything.
The ‘East Coast Boomers’ are certainly worth a mention too… The original Boomers were formed in the 60’s in LA, by The Blackbird, Miss Liberty and Napalm, among others. The team was the first non-Government controlled superhero group in America, named for the ‘Baby Boomers’ which, at the time, all the members were. In the 80’s, former member Talon formed a new team in NYC, the East Coast Boomers, turning the original team into the West Coast Boomers.
The ‘Order of Darkness’ are another team I just made up off the top of my head (much like Arachnophobia in the previous issue, although I have since gone back and at least decided on their origin, names and powers) a standard-fare supervillain group who all have shadow/darkness-based powers.
Also, in the previous issue (my bad… Again), Hyper Girl mentioned ‘Radon’, who is an old hand at the supervillain game, your standard megalomaniac, he has radiation-based powers.
The Human Right Initiative are against any non-human super, claiming that they’re not human, and as such, should be eradicated. Mutants, aliens, super-soldiers, victims of freak accidents (radioactive bites, gamma rays etc). Cyborgs and power-armours are a-ok with them though.
The Sickle Armours are not to be confused with ‘The Sickle’, a former Soviet agent, often paired with ‘The Hammer’, but they’ll come up in another series I’m planning on writing some time, which will basically just be there for me to throw in stories about other heroes from past ages. Expect a lot of Uncle Sam I when that comes around.
For the record, none of the HRI guys were killed (even the two Mr Perfect drove through the roof), the Brat Pack don’t kill. They’re good guys, and more importantly, teenagers. If you want a killer teenager, wait until I start writing Shadows over LA, for the noir adventures of The Shadow, and his sometimes-partner, Pumpkin King, coming to a <3 Comics blog near you! But not for a month or two, when I get into a decent writing pattern.
As always, there’s no questions… I should really start advertising… If you’re reading, I hope you stick around for Issue #004: New York, New York (Part Three): If I Can Make It There, I’ll Make It Anywhere.
Later Days,
The Author
<3 Comics

Ok, I don’t need to do individual descriptions for the minor characters I introduced this issue, D13 were pretty well summed up, as far as powers go. I’ll give some more insight into their personalities next issue. Same goes for Hyper Girl.
A couple of guys were mentioned in passing… Liberty Force is the US Government’s super-human team. Led by Uncle Sam (II), they’re the poster-children for super-teams. The current line-up:
Uncle Sam II, the son of Miss Liberty, the grandson of the original Uncle Sam, the perfect human.
American Eagle III, the third in a line of heroes stretching back before the founding of Liberty Force, inherited the power of flight from his father and grandfather, whilst also able to generate balls of energy which act as incendiary bombs.
Patriot, as in ‘Patriot Missile’. When the President of Uhura (a small nation on the edge of Lake Victoria in Africa (which, funnily enough, only exists in the <3 Verse)), Dr Kujenga, invented a fully functional, state-of-the-art battle-armor, and sold it to the US Government, for enough money to continue his nation’s survival for several decades, the powers-that-be gave it to a soldier serving in Desert Storm, and transferred him to Liberty Force.
Cai, the senior member of the team, was discovered in a North-Vietnamese lab by the original Uncle Sam’s taskforce during the Vietnam War. Capable of walking through walls, a martial arts master, and capable of inhuman stealth.
Desert Storm, a mutant brought into the team during, unsurprisingly, Desert Storm. Can turn his body into a yellow-orange stone, and create sand storms spontaneously.

Sherman, Cal and Lee Richards’ grandfather, shares his grandsons’ power to change his body into steel. He was a member of the original Liberty Force, under Uncle Sam, and served in World War II.

‘Persona Laws’ allow superheroes to create a second identity, completely unlinked to their secret identities, allowing them to earn money, own property, and appear in court, without their real names being revealed. Currently California, New York State and the District of Columbia have standing persona laws, due to the high concentrations of superheroes in the areas (Liberty Force is based in Washington DC). The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and Canada also have persona laws.

Captain Awesome has super-speed, super-strength, flight and is invincible. One of the major players in the superhero world, the star employee of Hire-A-Hero.

Ok, no questions again, but any new questions (assuming anyone reads anything I’ve posted) can be put in the comments of this post, and I’ll answer them. But I doubt it’ll happen.

Oh, a note on my issue titles. Yes, they’re song titles. In a multi-part issue, I’ll name each part after a line in the song (NB, that’s multi-part issues, not story arcs).

Anyway, that’s about it.
Later Days,
The Author
<3 Comics