so, we started talking about this in the storylines thread and after talking to Abt, i'd love to be able to expand on this. I'm workin gon a storyline ATM that involves Bones (a member of R.I.S.E) trying to capture Desperado, who we can assume has escaped prison. at first this was gonna be a short little one shot, but more and more im getting the itch to hitch it up to a working plot in HA. before i do that though, i just totally wanna lay down the ground work for R.I.S.E.


now the farthest Abt and i got was that this is a sort of reform group for not so “shining” superheroes and anti-heroes. superbeings that have strayed off the beaten path a little bit and now this agency is trying to scootch them back on the path of decency. for everyone's sake. so these superbeings do things like “community service”. for instance, the more good you do, like taking down bad guys, etc, the less hours you have left. this also suggests that there'd be some kind of safeguard in place to keep heroes that arent necissarily happy with this situation from running off. (for instance, Bones loves to drink, so there's a cap on his liver keeping him from doing so until he's done his good deeds.)

who should we have on the team? who should we have as the leader of the team? what sort of ideas are there for how this could tie in with the HA team and stories? any other ideas?

R.I.S.E. members:
Archangel
Fury
Bones
The Unexpected
Gemini
Target
Colonel Lawler
Ecotist
Riotmonger (on or against the team)
Cat Kid and Shadow Fox (possible aids to the team)
Militia

Originally, the plan was to get War to become a member through this then get into HA -but I don't think he fits the purpose of this reform and won't be as valuable as he will be in the main HA roster - which I now think I have the story which will introduce him in a good way. I will, however, have some kind of villain or anti-hero created for this. I already have a few ideas - they should be reasonable “powerhouses” too.

that's great!! i cant wait to see what you have! i know there are plans for Archangel to be in it as well, and the girl that shapeshifts too. damn her name escapes me right now. Claire?

I think you mean Alicia, or Fury as she might be called. Claire is a little psychic girl who can see souls.

Anyway, if you're taking suggestions for characters to include I suggest The Ecotist from HA #5.

Oh man…. he's not officially a member of HA…. but I have a character who would've been PERFECT for this group! I call him “The Unexpected” and he's basically Deadpool given 5th dimensional powers…. his favourite of which is to pull out an absolutely MASSIVE hammer out of his jacket to hit enemies with yelling “HAPPY SIWAGOH!!!” (Smash It With a Grotesquely Oversized Hammer) He's rather violent, INCREDIBLY insane… and just fun to be random with!http://macattackproductions.deviantart.com/gallery/?offset=72#/d3hdwct

In the first draft of the “Wrath of the Zombie Queen” script, Alicia/Fury, Archangel and Bones are included, as well as another person who might or might not end up being JOD. The idea was for him to be introduced as a bit of a mystery man before we get to see him in the armor. (An “Army of JOD” chapter might not be too far behind.) What I'd like to include in the second draft is a dialogue between him and Colonel Lawler (gotta get Nepath's approval for that), giving a bit of exposition on the post HU-world, and that projects like R.I.S.E. are meant to fill the gap of super-powered teams under government control. Militia (created by sux) is set to appear in the 3rd act of “Wrath…”. And we probably have room for two or three more in the 3rd act.

I am starting to build up ideas already. Like I said before - are we having Archangel and Fury sort of as the “bullets” behind this team? I'd like to see Archangel, now in government control, sort of in a silent like style. He's the dark Superman of this world. As for Fury, I can see them dropping out of a helicopter (like I think someone suggested) and exploding on impact.
I have a character in planning - he's sort of the monster who is pretty hard to keep on a leash. He's a complete Savage (like Venom was in The Thunderbolts.) - is it possible he could be in the third act? Also, did we say we could take this team to a comic/mini-series of it's own? That'd be cool to see.

I have another person who may work.
He's a medical doctor/psychologist who suffers from Split Personality Disorder.
His name is Gemini.

ironhand: Yup, those are pretty much my own thoughts. The dropping-out-of-a-helicopter scene happens in the first act of “Wrath…” (and it was me who suggested it first :p). We seem to end up with a lot of heavy hitters on this team, so it's hard for me to say who the “bullets” are. But yes, Archangel has an intimidating set of space-time-warping powers, and he's not entirely stable - picture Tetsuo from Akira. (And I also tend to think of him as a “dark Superman”.) The extent of Fury's powers hasn't been explored yet, but it's safe to say she could do what the Hulk did in the Avengers. And I think a Venom-like beast could be a nice addition to the team! As for a spin-off/miniseries, I'd say let's see how things go… we've got a lot on our plates as it is, and in the end it always boils down to finding enough artists. But in principle, yes, that could be cool.

sux: Very cool! What are these things on his arms/elbows?

Abt: Yeah, I like that this team is full of heavy-hitters - it adds strength to this team and makes them maybe a little scarier - which is pretty cool. I'll work on this Venom-like person (he'll be there unwillingly and will have to basically be put on a leash) soonish - that should be cool. And yeah, Archangel and Fury are really cool characters and if ever the opportunity arises I would love to work on them (either in script or in art) - they're both pretty scary! And yeah, we'll have to look out for artists, but hopefully we could pull this off (as you said, depending how it goes)

Abt_Nihil wrote:
ironhand: Yup, those are pretty much my own thoughts. The dropping-out-of-a-helicopter scene happens in the first act of “Wrath…” (and it was me who suggested it first :p). We seem to end up with a lot of heavy hitters on this team, so it's hard for me to say who the “bullets” are. But yes, Archangel has an intimidating set of space-time-warping powers, and he's not entirely stable - picture Tetsuo from Akira. (And I also tend to think of him as a “dark Superman”.) The extent of Fury's powers hasn't been explored yet, but it's safe to say she could do what the Hulk did in the Avengers. And I think a Venom-like beast could be a nice addition to the team! As for a spin-off/miniseries, I'd say let's see how things go… we've got a lot on our plates as it is, and in the end it always boils down to finding enough artists. But in principle, yes, that could be cool.

sux: Very cool! What are these things on his arms/elbows?

They are suppose to be belt buckles like from a straight jacket.

ah yeah, thats right! crap i had almost said Alicia too, sorry guys.
so first off, i started a hero roster out've what you guys offered up so far like in the hero/villian threads, just for the sake of organization. if i've missed anymore,lemme know!
and Ironhand, i'll add your guy soon as you got him ready to load! might i add also that i like the way you capilalized “savage” when you described him. maybe a good idea for a name? ;)

so maybe Archangel then is the sort of leader of the group. there would be a whole different leader for the organization, but groups tend to naturally get a leader, and maybe R.I.S.E. starts off small. that might keep it easy to manage until we figure out what we want to do with it. it'll have the capacity to grow. in the one-shot im writing between Bones and Desperado, Bones is given the task of trying to recruit Desperado for R.I.S.E before any fighting happens.
Maybe archangel, being the leader, is charged with keeping the others in the team in line as much as he can, like he's responsible for keeping them in check because he's effective and as a part of fufilling HIS own service. a sorf of “redeeming” excersize. Especially with fury under his charge, it could become really hard sometimes. extremely hard i think actually.almost unfairly so, and it'll challenge him to either rise up to the occassion, or not. Bones i think, will be managable to an extent. he'll learn to time his incompliance just right though i think, and be more sly. He's going to be the least “super powered” of the group i think and will be aware of it which'll force him to act on his own special brand of….“intelligence”.

and i DEF think it'll be good to draw sort of niche distinctions like these for the different memebers, because we dont wanna just paste together a group of wannabe bad guys for the shits n giggles of it.you're right Ironhand, we do have alot've heavy hitters here, and that could be something very rad. so this might be another advantage of starting off with a small group and i think all the characters being suggested so far are very capable of being distinguiable in the group.

i think when this group meets HA in “Wrath” it'll help figure out some things as well, like an exposition and what not. i can imagine co-enciding missions with HA heroes and these off the rocker types crossing paths to inevitably do the same thing, but in different perspectives, could be the sorce of f*cking up alot've HA mission,hahahahaha!

I like this idea already - what I think we need, though, is some more lesser powered people. Feel free to have Target in the group as one of the main “killers” of the group. I can imagine how she gets recruited in that she's on the run, then possible Archangel grabs holds of her wrists (seeing as she can't fight back against that) and is recruited somewhere in the background. So, yeah, feel free to use her if you want.

Abt: Feel free to use Colonel Lawler.

And for Militia, I am currently working on a redesign for him. Trying out for a more military looking outfit (inspired by the recent Capt America outfit, both movie and comic.)

Like AzuJOD said, you can use the Ecotist if you like.

I think Riotmonger would work in this- either on the team or against them.
On the team- Riotmonger would be a lesser-powered member of the team, using only his gear to be a threat. He's a former cop, so he'd have an interesting perspective on the team. He's someone who may, on the other hand, be conflicted: wanting to be a hero, but struggling with his views about eliminating his foes…and ‘corrupt’ teammates. He's a cop at heart, though. It might be that something pushes him over the edge - for the good (managing to save a child that reminds him of his late son) - or for the worse (oops, one of the ‘good’ guys just crossed the line, a corrupt cop, something like that). If nothing else, he'd be someone who could really be a point of stress for certain members of the team. He still thinks that he's a good guy- and while, if he's on the team, he is not searching to destroy the current society, he still thinks that it has some serious issues- and he absolutely, positively despises people who kill innocents.
Against the Team- Alternatively, perhaps Riotmonger has become more and more fanatical, taking his ideals to a level past terrorism- attacking bigger and bigger targets. When our heroes come to face him, he tries to sway them to his side. He thinks he's a good guy, and even though he'd offer them a chance at redemption, it'd be clear, at least on some level, that if they killed innocents, that he'd finish them off later. Either way, he thinks he's a hero.
All in all, I'm excited about the idea.
EDIT- as I was driving home, more things came to mind. Updating.

It was posted before somewhere, but I think Cat Kid & Shadow Fox were to be included as Aides to the team of some sort.

So would the team be led by Dad Lawler as a type of Amanda Waller/ General Ellington type deal?

JimHarbor wrote:

So would the team be led by Dad Lawler as a type of Amanda Waller/ General Ellington type deal?

Yep, that's one possibility. I'm not quite sure yet who the government liaison would be.

okay, list updated for consideration, and Escutcheon, i got your PQ a while ago and replied, but im not sure if you got it.

You can also put Militia on the list.

okay, got him!

I'm kind of partial to having Riotmonger be one of the low-power heroes on the team, but, if necessary, I don't mind him being the enemy for the team.
Reasoning is- who are we going to have the team fight? In theory, I imagine that for an issue, a single big bad would just not be a good fit. It's a team effort, so we should get to really see them shine by putting them up against something tougher than they are.
As far as villainous organizations go, I have a couple that might be good. They relate to Dueling Heroes, but are not necessarily tied to it- I think this might be an opportunity to showcase a real challenge for our formerly fiendish friends.



The Pact of Salem- a group of vigilantes, formerly sanctioned by the US government to eliminate magical threats. The group fell off the radar during the Cold War. There's reason to believe that the group, whose ties go back all the way to Colonial Massachusetts, are out to kill any supernatural- or percieved supernatural- beings that are not a part of their group. Their members range in magical, technological and physical ability- and are trained assassins.
—
The Rasputane- Another Cold War Entity, The Rasputane are Russian spies living on US soil, awaiting the time to use their talents to overthrow the United States. While they may have lost contact with their leadership core, as well as several major operatives, the group is still highly dangerous- and without a leader, they may be wild, chomping at the bit to bring about their cause, even after the Soviet Union has fallen.
—-
The Cult of Humanity's Failure- All across the world, formerly ambitious people have disappeared off the map at seemingly random times- and no one seemed to notice. Those who seemed to have so much potential- and, thought by some to be dangerous- have not merely been taken- but rather, shaped into a militant corps, brainwashed by a man who stands in the shadow of the earth. While the original leader may have disappeared, it is led now by a man filled, and fueled- by hatred. A giant golem, Amadeus, has taken the fallen group and turned it into a significant threat once more. No longer is he content to wait in the shadows. The Cult shall rise, and humanity shall fall under its march.
—-

All of these groups have some level of brainwashing to them, if, for nothing else, to contrast the nature of these reformed villains/dark heroes- and…possibly to give them something to question. Perhaps, they may think, they too are beginning down the path of being brainwashed tools. Perhaps they'll even question their government connection by the end.

Nice Villan Groups! I'd put some of my own if they werent so neutral and non-antagonistsic (for themost part :P) Love the Magic angle.

Thank you! I know what you mean. XD I have a tendency to love making groups of villains. It just kind of seems natural that the more dangerous crime would tend to cluster together to become more dangerous. While a lone boogeyman can be a terrifying thing, if most of your villains are a solo act, you kinda lose some of the punch of the boogeyman.
After doing some thought, I thought of possible scenarios for the government connection to possibly use with each villain group, so that whatever one or ones you want can fit in with ease.
The Pact of Salem (TPS)- News stories are coming in about superhumans being murdered/assassinated/kidnapped and it's starting to make a big stink. The government connection suspects TPS's involvement and needs a team to face them that won't be afraid to get their hands dirty. The team would likely be sent in to the old TPS HQ to start.
—
The Rasputane (Ras)- Former CIA agents are disappearing off the map, picked off one by one- the thing that is in common? All cold war-era spies who returned from Russia. With very few of these spies remaining, the team is used to bodyguard one- who turns out to be the bait they needed to draw the baddies out.
—
The Cult of Humanity's Failure (CHF)- Unlike the other two- the team is not told about the Cult- but rather, the Cult is interested in taking Desperado for themselves, and so they show up to the party at the same time our team does.

i really like the idea of the big bad group bein brainwashed, Escutcheon! as a matter of fact, i wanted to end the Desperado/Bones corssover im making with a sort of questioning like that. whethere the program isnt just neutering some of these heroes or not, and in my story, Desperado does get away, so there's def still room for some chasing afterwards. Desperado also strikes me as the type of character that'd just instantly be against anything like R.I.S.E or TCOHM for the very reasons that you mentioned, Esc. he's such a “man of my own” kind of character, i think he'd find them laughable. (not that he IS my character) and that makes it all the more intruiging both of these groups would be after him and willing to fight for him.

You see that's odd because I assumed a thrill junkie like Desperado would love to have a chance to shoot at plenety of superhumans. In SHELL he seemedpretty bored with just killing normal cops.

I'll be glad to add the major members of whichever group(s) end up being chosen (if any) to the Villains thread.
But yeah. I think that since the tone of R.I.S.E. would likely be rather dark, we might want to consider some stylistic motifs. While I imagine that our ex-baddies/dark good-ies have their own outfits, it might give a bit more unity to thematically unite them. I'm not saying everyone should have all-black gear or anything like that- rather, there should be some level of contrast to make them all stand out, but enough in common that they are clearly a unit.
One of the interesting comparisons that might be drawn is this: HA is an assembly of heroes, people who don't feel bound to stick to any one theme. We can have people who look as sci-fi as Shell or Classic as Bombshell- gritty like Peligroso, yet lighthearted as Mr. Imp. In short, HA is as fantastic in its wide membership and its diversity as it is their powers and personalities.
Meanwhile, as a contrast, imagine R.I.S.E.- all of its members are either former villains or heroes who are a bit more Dirty than Harry- whose outfits, while still somewhat diverse, if my suggestion were to be taken, would have this centralized black/gray motif to them- who work together as a core unit- a centralized team, all for the same goal, with the same, if gritty, standards.
Whilst the heroes of HA can walk in the sunlight unharrassed, R.I.S.E. members can't stray too far alone- lest their enemies pay back old dues. Perhaps, even, a pack mentality may seep in- counterbalanced by the paranoia- the fear that this, in fact, is just what the government WANTS. And, in fact, perhaps the government DOES want them to be one pack. One united pack, ready to take orders and do whatever comes out- without question. Without rebellion. Without failure.

JimHarbor wrote:
You see that's odd because I assumed a thrill junkie like Desperado would love to have a chance to shoot at plenety of superhumans. In SHELL he seemedpretty bored with just killing normal cops.

ah, but see? with these two groups after him, he can fight all the super creeps he wants, and then some! and the less people he works with, that's the less glory that he has to share with others.
i could see him getting a kick out've these groups fighting eachother for him and then on top of it, they have to probably fight him as well. one man can just cause so much damage! XD