These are a great visualization of my characters done by Gabriel, using the character builder in the “City Of Heroes” / “City Of Villains” computer games. They come phenomenally close to my vision of the characters. Good on ‘ya, Gabe!

Clifton “Challenger” Storm

The Cipher

The Black Wing

A MARDL Transmission-ette (sent on 06/07/07):

Help! I’m having problems envisioning The Cipher.

Challenger Storm is easy- he’s from the same gene pool as Indy Jones, Allain Quartermain, Doc Savage, etc. His identifying feature is the scars on the left side of his face.

The Black Wing is easy, too. I’ve decided that he doesn’t look too much like the Serial Squadron guy, especially after seeing him in 3D (I used a wrestling game’s “Create a Character” mode)- he looks pretty cool.

But The Cipher…

First of all, I envision him in greys- grey fedora (not slouch hat), grey trenchcoat (not greatcoat or cloak), etc. His mask is all black, except for the glowing blue night-vision goggles. My problem with this, though, is he looks uncomfortably close to Gabriel’s character The Red Phantom (http://nycpulpwriter.blogspot.com/index.html). I don’t want to step on any toes here!

While doodling the character today, I put a rose in his lapel for the hell of it. It added a *little* something to his image. Maybe I could work it into the story: maybe the treasure the Cipher team “liberated” was hidden beneath a field of rose bushes. It’d be a little nod to where the character was born, perhaps. Hmm…

What say you, loyal MARDL technicians? Anybody have any suggestions as to how I can make The Cipher less “generic pulp” looking?

Thanks for your consideration and continued help.
______________________________________________________

Tom Floyd gave me some ideas in his speedy reply:

It is a tough problem…..I had the same problem designing Patch’s old hero identity from the Captain Spectre strip…altho I didn’t stray far from the common avenger archetype character, one thing I did was to take away all that cloak/long coat/cape image and just give him an old horsehide jacket like a car coat in the 30’s. So I see your problem for
sure.

I do like the flower idea - now that is something that can be used if the image is in black and white or color. It is also something to give him a
bit of flash and style - which I believe are the reasons that the shadow had a red scarf on the covers….but your way a flower is an actual image
to use that works in all forms.

Have you thought about doing away with the fedora and going with a hood? or something like that? A hood and googles work well together, as we only
expect stuff like that on a ‘bad’ guy.

Sometimes I start at the dictionary and try to get ideas…..I found three interesting things about the word cipher….

1-The mathematical symbol (0) denoting absence of quantity; zero.
2-One having no influence or value; a nonentity.
3-To solve by means of arithmetic.

Maybe the zero could become a symbol on his mask or calling card or token… just thinking out loud…..

Every time Tom drops a hint about upcoming “Captain Spectre” developments, I get excited! Please check it out, if you haven’t already.

My reply to his comments:

I’m glad you sympathize with my plight. I’ve always seen the hat/coat silouette for this character, it is such a strong and resonating outline for a character. I’m glad you like the flower: sometimes it’s the smallest touch that can carry the strongest impact, from a design standpoint. I think the flower is here to stay.

The moment you mentioned the hood, wheels started turning in my head. That may be the direction I go in with the character’s appearance. It reminds me of Bruce Willis’ rain poncho “costume” in the movie “Unbreakable”.

As far as the symbology of the word “cipher”, I’ve been playing with this a little bit. I’ve been looking for some kind of “code imagery”. I once doodled a character logo where the “p” in “Cipher” was in the shape of a stylized question mark. But the question mark is overdone a little bit. I may go for the zero as a symbol, now that you bring it up. The zero with the diagonal line through it could also double as the “no” or “not” symbol (ex: the “no smoking” sign”). Hmm…

The more I think about the hooded-Cipher image, the more I like it!

In fact, I’m going with the hood. That’s the way to go for The Cipher. Although he’ll be losing the classic hat-silhouette, he’s gaining a much more mysterious and superstitious image.

I mean, they’re gaining a much more mysterious and superstitious image.

You know what I mean.

Anyone else have a suggestion?

The second MARDL “transmission” was sent today (06/05/07). Below is the relevant portions of that message:

Challenger Storm SECONDARY CHARACTERS

Willy Avis: A former member of “The Harlem Hellfighters” in WWI, Willy is the chief mechanic for Storm and his Associates. Late-50’s, salt and pepper hair. Small in stature, but holds his own in a fight. Sometimes acts as a surrogate father for Clifton, as the younger man looks up to his wisdom and experience.

Manny “Skids” Gerard- Boyish, good-looking Air-racer, womanizer, and society page-fixture. Scared of the dark.

Brock Thurston: Ex-circus strongman and boxer. 6′ 4″ and tattooed, Thurston likes to clown around (excuse the circus pun, it was unintentional), especially when it’s at Skids Gerard’s expense.

Buddy the Boston Terrier: A young, black-and-white dog. Buddy was found by Clifton Storm on the streets of Miami, being chased by a group of stick-wielding kids. After being rescued from his tormentors, Buddy becomes attached to Storm, rarely leaving his side. The dog can frequently be found dozing beside Storm’s desk, snoring loudly.

My attempt with the cast of “Challenger Storm” isn’t to emulate Doc Savage’s crew; I envision them as closer to Buckaroo Banzai’s team- a ragtag crew that comes and goes from time to time. The trick with all this is to keep close to the tradition of pulp-heroes and their helpers/sidekicks/agents and to pay homage to that tradition… but not so close that it’s a blatant rip-off. I feel like I’m walking a tightrope, the rabid pulp addicts like tigers below.
_______________________________________________________

The Retropolitan was the first on the scene:

1. Manny’s fear of the dark: comic relief or some sort of wartime trauma?

2. I hate dogs in stories. Personal opinion. 90% of the time, if they’re not dumb comic relief, they’re Lassie — overly-anthropomorphized until their intelligence is just this side of human.

3. I am going to name my first child “Brock Thurston.”

His reply touched on the subject of pets in pulp entertainment; I agree with his remark about the subject.

My reply:

1. A bit of (attempted) comic relief. Manny’s kind of too young to have served. But it’s a good idea about the wartime trauma thing (but then, that would make making fun of it cruel… hehehe…)

2. Trust me, the dog will be realistic. He’s not highly trained like the Doc Savage pets. Hell, he’s probably not going on any adventures with them. I just always wanted a Boston Terrier and wanted one in the stories. (He’s named after my grandma’s Boston Terrier, who could cry on command, BTW).

3. That’s a great porn star name, too. Pulp hero or porn star, that kid’s going to have an exciting life.

(I realize now what an influence “Boogie Nights” must have had on me.

Gabriel’s response also touched on “the dog issue”:

For me… I love it. Especially the dog. Reminds me of Tin Tin’s dog Snowy. If done right, Buddy can be perfect. Roll with it!

While on the subject of Buddy the dog in my fiction, why didn’t I think of this? Would have been a great piece of nose-art on one the planes…

Tom Floyd buzzed in with this report:

I don’t mind dogs in stories, after all I grew up watching Rin Tin Tin and
Bullet…..probably why there is a dog, Rocket, in the Captain Spectre
strip. He only appears from time to time and don’t really have plans of
turning him into a Lassie clone. He is mainly just a companion to the good
Captain, someone he could talk at, but wouldn’t judge him, as long as he
gets fed.

One thing about Skids just how scared of the dark is he? would he fly his plane at night?

You hit the nail on the head, Tom: Buddy is just a pet, a companion.

As far as Skids’ fear of the dark: that’s something I haven’t thought about. I was thinking more about enclosed spaces in the dark (closets, caves, etc.). He could fly in the dark and maybe run around in the dark (in the open), but that touch of claustrophobia combined with the fear of the dark causes him to need the lights on inside.

You know, originally this trait was just added to the character as a humorous device: a character who smugly has a lot going for him has a potentially embarrassing problem. But it has given me a bit to consider…

Last but not least, Dave Flora:

I like the cast of characters, including the dog. I know this goes against the typical pulp grain, but are they all white American guys? You could throw in a little ethnic flavor there to add some variety and mystery….just something to think about.

I’d like to hear about how you’d like them to appear in a story. Savage was pretty much surrounded by the crew, while the Shadow’s guys worked almost on their own. I kind of like how the henchmen were in the Spider stories….they’d appear, maybe go off on orders, and then show up with stories of what happened….good and bad. You could always count on them for extra muscle or advice in case things got in deep.

You know, when you were describing them, I almost saw them in a cool, cartoon version…kind of like the Hellboy animated series stuff. Maybe it would be neat if the cover and interior illustrations were in a serious-but-cartoon style? Maybe even if it were rendered in an old Johnny Quest style?

That’s just me thinking about art again.

I’m curious what you have in mind for their first story!

My reply:

Rest assured, all the characters are not white, WASP-y guys. Willy Avis is a black man, and I definitely will have a hispanic character or two. These guys are going to be diverse,and I hope not to be constrained to the same characters too often, should a series develop.

I’m a failed artist (an art-school dropout, in fact), so I understand the visual thinking. I would love to have illustrations in the books (and Jonny Quest leaped to my mind, too!). I may try to do some illustrations eventually, but my skills are uneven and inconsistant, so who knows…

In the meantime, I am starting to think storylines. I’ve got a few plot ideas and devices in the works, but still ironing them out. This will be the longest and most difficult phase for me, I’m sure…

While you’re waiting for more info to be posted, check out the banners that Gabriel cooked up.

Banner 1

Banner 2

The first one above is my favorite, just because I think the image of the test-pilots is more in keeping with what the MARDL labs are about in “Challenger Storm”. Still, that shot of the plane-manufacturing plant is pretty damn cool…

Just a quick note: I am working on some more nuggets of information. Since the initial feedback, my brain has been dying to come up with new details. However other, more important things are occupying my mind and my time. I hope to release another “transmission” to the MARDL team soon, further outlining characters in my “universe”. Until then, it’s back to the salt mines…

PS: In creating Challenger Storm and his men, I’ve been careful not to make it too close to Doc Savage. Now I have to make sure I don’t fall into another pulp-hero hole.

I need a beer.