Star Sapphire – SSOSV (Icons Writeup)

Posted on by Barry Reese

Star Sapphire
aka Remoni-Notra / Deborah Darnell / Camille

Prowess 4
Coordination 5
Strength 5
Intellect 4
Awareness 4
Willpower 6

Stamina 11

Powers
All of her powers are granted by the Star Sapphire gem. Without it, her Prowess, Coordination, and Strength are all reduced to 3 and her Stamina is reduced to 9. With the gem, she also has the following abilities:
*Flight 9
*Life Support 1 (Harsh Environments)
*Blast 8
*Force Field 8

Specialties
Aerial Combat, Leadership, Occult

Qualities
*Prolonged use of the Star Sapphire Gem often drives the wearer insane.
*Romantically attracted to Captain Comet
*The “other” Star Sapphire

Background

Remoni-Notra, of the planet Pandina, was chosen by the Zamarons to be their queen, an honor previously bequeathed upon Earth’s Carol Ferris, but refused. Remoni-Notra was given one of the five Star Sapphire gems and was told of the existence of the other four. Using her powers, she came to Earth to locate and steal Carol Ferris’ gem and joined the Secret Society of Super Villains as the new Star Sapphire in hopes of finding a clue to the gem.

On Earth she took the name Deborah Darnell and became a stewardess at Ferris Aircraft, in hopes of getting closer to Carol to take the Star Sapphire gem. As Debbie Darnell, she often dated long-time hero Captain Comet. She also sometimes used the identity Camille, a French real estate agent. Her whereabouts were unknown until recently when it was revealed that she was mind-wiped and put in a coma. She was most likely mind-wiped at the request of Green Lantern Hal Jordan to protect Carol Ferris. She was in a coma following the mind-wipe, and was revived by her teammates in the Secret Society. Together, they again battled the Justice League of America during the events of Crisis of Conscience.

During the events of Day of Vengeance, several magic-users (including Remoni-Notra) assembled at Stonehenge and summoned the Spectre. He singled out Remoni-Notra, condemned her, and transformed her into a star sapphire and shattered her, killing her.

Pulp Factory Awards Nomination Season

Posted on by Barry Reese

These books are (I believe) worthy of consideration for the Pulp Factory Awards. All of them were published in 2022 and were written by yours truly:

• The Adventures of Lazarus Gray, Volume 11: Thirty Pieces of Silver

• The Adventures of Lazarus Gray, Volume 12: The Life and Death and Life of Lazarus Gray

• The Adventures of Lazarus Gray, Volume 13

• Worlds Collide

• The Chronicles of Lilith

Harley Quinn

Posted on by Barry Reese

Harley Quinn
aka Harleen Francis Quinzel

Prowess 4
Coordination 6
Strength 4
Intellect 4
Awareness 4
Willpower 3

Stamina 7

Powers
*Resistance – Toxins 8
*Regeneration 3
*Pistol 4
*Mallet 4
*Gadgets 4

Specialties
Athletics (Master +3 bonus), Martial Arts (Expert +2 bonus), Psychiatry (Expert +2 bonus), Weaponry – Mallet

Qualities
*Live fast, die clown
*Property of Joker (old)/Propery of No One (current)
*Fandom pairing: Harlivy

Background

Harleen Quinzel was a psychiatric intern at Arkham Asylum. A model student, in addition to receiving high grades in college, she was also a dedicated gymnast, winning a scholarship to Gotham City University. While researching the lunatics at Arkham, she became fascinated with the Joker. Ambitiously volunteering to analyze him, She pleaded with the doctors at Arkham for three months before she could treat him. After he gained her sympathy during their sessions, he seduced her, causing her to fall madly in love with him. After helping him escape from the asylum more than once Harleen was suspected by the authorities, who revoked her license and placed her in her own cell.

Freed from Arkham after Gotham City’s cataclysmic earthquake, Harleen made herself over in greasepaint and tassels. As Harley Quinn, she was the perfect partner-in-crime–a curvy jester who delighted in mayhem as much as the Joker.

Eventually freeing herself from the toxic relationship with the Joker, Harley has found new love with Poison Ivy and has reformed enough to have actually joined one incarnation of the Justice League.

Doctor Solar, Podcast of the Atom: The Meteor from 100 Million B.C.!

Posted on by Barry Reese

As we move to July 1965, Doctor Solar must contend with a rock from space — a rock that contains larvae! Yes, thanks to comic book science, the meteor lands in the swamps and soon enough, we’ve got dinosaurs! The Man of the Atom speeds off to battle a T-Rex alongside Dr. Clarkson and Gail! Well, sort of — Gail only has two lines of dialogue this issue but she looks really good delivering them!

Catwoman (Icons Writeup)

Posted on by Barry Reese

Catwoman
aka Selina Kyle

Prowess 5
Coordination 6
Strength 4
Intellect 5
Awareness 6
Willpower 5

Stamina 9

Powers
*Claws 4
*Whip 4 (Extras: Binding, Swinging)

Specialties
Athletics (Master +3 bonus), Drive, Investigation, Martial Arts, Sleight of Hand (Master +3 bonus), Stealth (Expert +2 bonus), Weapon

Qualities
*Femme Fatale
*Master Thief
*The Cat and the Bat

Background

Selina Kyle was born to Brian and Maria Kyle in the slums of Gotham City. Her mother was never close to Selina or her sister Maggie and would often rather spend time with her cats than her children. Her father was an abusive and drunken man who would always quarrel with Maria. In her spare time, Selina took acrobatic lessons, to avoid the domestic violence at home. One day, as she returned home from school, Selina found her mother lying in the bath tub filled with blood. Apparently, Maria had committed suicide by cutting her wrists with a razor blade. Selina’s father hated Selina because she looked like her mother, eventually he drank too much and succumbed to alcoholic poisoning. Selina called the police, but as soon she hung up the phone, she packed her bag and ran away from home.


Selina lived on the streets while Maggie was taking to an orphanage right away. She became a petty thief who would steal food at grocery stores. Eventually Selina was caught and sent to an orphanage. She caused so much trouble that she would be sent to Juvenile Hall. When Selina was 13 years old she was sent back to an orphanage, but she soon discovered that the place was embezzling money. They would confront her and attempt to cover it all up by drowning Selina in a bag dropped into the river. Selina escaped and returned to the orphanage. She stole documentary proof that they were embezzling money and also stole money to live on her own, she sent the documents to the police in order to expose them.


As Selina grew older, she became a prostitute but she was quietly a cat burglar by night, stealing jewellery and diamonds from museums and rich people’s homes. One night, she stole a valuable totem from a museum when suddenly a hooded ninja interrupted her escape and took the valued item for himself. Selina followed the ninja into a warehouse, which turned out to be a secret martial arts academy. The ninja, known only as Kai, told his Sensei that she was an intruder and a thief and must be severely punished. However, after seeing her fast reflexes, the Sensei politely asked her to join the academy so that she could develop martial arts skills.


Several weeks had gone by and Selina’s fighting abilities improved dramatically but her relationship with her senior Kai was far from nice. He despised Selina (who was nicknamed “Nehko-Chan” in the academy) and would deliberately hurt her during training. It gave Kai even more grief knowing that the Sensei favoured Selina more than the other pupils. A few nights later, news broke on television stating that Batman was last seen at Robinsons Park. Curious, Selina walked to the park and caught a glimpse of the Dark Knight in action who glided out of sight moments later. She noticed that Batman was bleeding when she saw a trail of blood and it immediately triggered something in her mind: if someone could don a costume and leave people either be happy or terrified to see him, she could do the same too. The Batman became her omen and Selina decided to become a costumed character as well. She bought a cat costume using all of her savings and resumed her stealing profession using her brand new costume and ability. As she was attempting a robbery at a local store, she was stopped by a group of security guards and one of them called her “Catwoman.” Selina loved the name and thus, the Catwoman persona was born.

The Other Doc Savage: Doc Brazen in the Millennium Bug — Fraser Sherman’s Blog

Posted on by Barry Reese

THE MILLENNIUM BUG: Doc Brazen #1 by Jeff Deischer feels more like Lester Dent than any Doc Savage pastiche I’ve ever read. I’m not entirely sure that works, though I’m sure I’ll read Book Two eventually. Caution: spoilers included below. Deischer is a die-hard Doc Savage fan who’s written both Man of Bronze fanfic and […]

The Other Doc Savage: Doc Brazen in the Millennium Bug — Fraser Sherman’s Blog

Kindred (Icons Writeup)

Posted on by Barry Reese

Kindred
aka Gabriel Stacy Osborn and Sarah Stacy Osborn

Prowess 4
Coordination 4
Strength 6
Intellect 3
Awareness 6
Willpower 5

Stamina 11

Powers
*Alteration Ray 7
*Aura (Bugs) 4
*Dream Control 8
*Extra Body Parts (centipedes) 5 (Fast Attack)
*Damage Resistance 8
*Magic 4
*Mind Control 7 (Extra: Extrasensory Perception, can see through the eyes of those he controls)
*Teleportation 8
*Mind Shield 8
*Healing 8 (Extras: Resurrection)

Specialties
Athletics, Investigation – Sarah Stacy only, Occult

Qualities
*Extremely confusing backstory
*Ages rapidly
*Actually twins pretending to be the same entity

Background

Prior to his death, Harry Osborn devised a cruel plan to torture both his father Norman and his former best friend Peter Parker. With the help of Mendel Stromm, he built a secret laboratory in the Parisian Osborn Manor and genetically-engineered two bodies spliced from Norman and Gwen Stacy’s DNA: a boy named Gabriel and a girl named Sarah. They were created to torture Peter, Norman, and Mary Jane Watson by making them believe Gwen had cheated on Peter with Norman and got impregnated by him as a result, with Harry going as far as to hiring Mysterio to hypnotize both Norman and Mary Jane to implant false memories which corroborated that narrative. The twins were raised by an artificial intelligence designed from Harry and Norman’s minds, who inherited Harry’s revenge plots after he died, to believe that lie as well.

Because of a genetic flaw caused by Norman’s enhanced blood, the Stacy twins aged at a rapid rate, resulting in their premature deaths. Taking advantage of that, Mephisto, the Hell-Lord to whom Norman traded Harry’s soul for achieving glory, acted through the Osborn A.I. to bring them back to life again and again, forging them in the literal flames of Hell while they were in his realm. He planned to eventually use them as his pawns to claim Spider-Man’s soul, thus averting a future he saw in which the hero’s daughter with Mary Jane ended his reign of terror once and for all.

Once more living on earth, Gabriel and Sarah shared the mantle of “Kindred” and haunted Peter Parker as the damned soul of Harry Osborn, also manipulating Norman’s awareness of facts into believing such. During Mysterio’s psych review in Ravencroft, Sarah appeared apologetic and allowed him to mutter her real name. However, she apologized again and killed him,before learning it was an escape by Mysterio from Ravencroft. Although angry that he shared Kindred’s name, she instead spared him in a plan to give Mary Jane a job in a film. Prior to Dark Carnage’s invasion, Sarah visited Norman’s cell in Ravencroft to vent, and also implant a parasite that stunned his Carnage-ized form later, helping Peter win in the fight. She ventured into Hell to make Sin-Eater a minion of Kindred’s on earth,and sent him on a violent campaign, culminating in the cleansing of Norman before Gabriel harvested the combined sins to possess the Order of the Web.

With Gabriel’s capture, Sarah continued the mission and abducted Carlie Cooper before she could reveal the real Harry Osborn’s corpse to Mary Jane, imprisoning her alongside Harry’s clone. Later, she moved on to guide Otto Octavius from afar in reassembling the original Sinister Six. As the Sinister War began, Sarah had Mysterio abduct Mary Jane and reveal her brainwashing with false memories as part of Harry’s posthumous plot. Sarah then revealed her true face before explaining the cloning experiment that created her, the connection to their “previous” encounter, and how Peter was to be punished. After Peter was portaled to Paris, their battle culminated in a final confrontation where, despite their best efforts, the Kindreds were ultimately unable to break Peter’s spirit as Mephisto wanted and the demon dismissed them. With Mephisto no longer keeping them genetically stable, their rapid-aging disease returned, and Sarah died with her brother beside Peter.

X-Caliber (Icons Writeup)

Posted on by Barry Reese

X-Caliber aka Sniper
Gregor Latinev aka Karl Breznoff

Prowess 5
Coordination 5
Strength 6
Intellect 4
Awareness 4
Willpower 4

Stamina 10

Powers
X-Caliber is a cybernetically-enhanced soldier. As a result of the modifications made to his body, he has the following abilities:

*Damage Resistance 4
*Technomorphing 7 (Extras: Interface, Images, Gadgets – his gadgets power reflects his ability to morph his arms into various weapons)

Specialties
Investigation, Military

Qualities
*Bionic Man
*Shadowy Past
*Project X-Caliber/Project Sniper

Background

X-Caliber, later Sniper, is a former Soviet agent who worked for the KGB. He underwent surgery receiving various bionic implants granting him a wide range of calibers and attack modes. Since the fall of the Soviet Union he now sells his services to the highest bidder. He clashed with X-O Manowar shortly after Aric became active in the 20th century.

The character first appeared in the sixth issue of Steve Englehart’s series Coyote, originally published by Epic Comics in the mid-1980s hence the “Featuring the Return of X Caliber” on the front cover of the issue. Englehart believed he owned the rights to the character and sold the license to Valiant. However, Marvel somehow objected and by the time this story was collected as part of the X-O Manowar: Retribution trade, the character was renamed to “Sniper” (real name “Karl Breznoff”) and the project was renamed to “Project Sniper” (instead of “Project X-Caliber”) as well.

20 Years!

Posted on by Barry Reese

Growing up, I wanted nothing more than to be a professional writer. I loved the little biographies of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert E. Howard that would be included with some of the pulp reprints that I bought… and I dreamed of someday being just like them. I submitted stories to comic book companies and other publishers for years, got a stack of rejection slips, and finally decided that as I moved into my Thirties that it was time to realize that it wasn’t going to happen. I told myself that I was okay with it – that’s I’d tried my best.

Then I got an email that changed all that. A friend that I’d made on the Internet while writing fanfiction had gotten a gig at Marvel Comics and when they asked him if he knew anybody that would work – cheap – on some Ghost Rider-related material, he thought of me. He emailed me to ask if it was okay for him to give my name to Marvel and I, of course, said HELL YEAH! Less than 24 hours later, I was sending a writing sample to editor Jeff Youngquist and they hired me the same day.

Since then, I’ve written multiple projects for Marvel Comics, gone on to write classic characters like the Avenger and the Green Hornet, and been published dozens of times. I’ve been a guest at Dragon*Con, Pulp Ark, and numerous other conventions. I’ve seen my books on the shelves next to my idols.

Despite all the stress and disappointments of life, I accomplished one of my dreams – and I want to celebrate that success. This year marks 20 years as a professional author – and that’s partially thanks to all of you that’s bought one of my books, supported my works, and posted a review somewhere. Even if the review wasn’t positive, it still helped – it made me better as a writer and helped me develop a thicker skin, which is actually a useful trait.

This image was done for me by Gilbert Monsanto and features a whole host of my characters surrounding the Reese Unlimited logo. There are big plans to make 2023 a year to remember. Stay tuned!