Muskateer's Pick: Muskateer. Muskateer is essentially me projected as a superhero, with a few small changes, unlike Spectrum. Since his reactions are often mine, as if I was in his place, he is how I would imagine myself in the same place and situations. Muskateer was the first character I created to use in a CHAMPIONS campaign that I didn't run. For some unknown reason, I did switch main characters at one point in the past, first to Eclypse and then to Jack O'Lantern (an extremely fun online character to run). For the life of me I have no idea why I ever did that. Not that I don't like those characters, but Muskateer is like an extension of myself. I have lots of characters that I like, but Muskateer is truly ME.

Muskateer threatened to run away with this race, but some last minute votes for Spectrum made it interesting. Still, Muskateer received more than half of the votes. In addition to Spectrum, the Thing and Terra Fire each received one vote. Voters' comments about Favorite Hero ranged from:

• Muskateer: "He has really grown into his leadership position with the Avengers. He has become THE MAN",
• Muskateer: "His sword wielding sarcasm and powerful puns make an interesting read."
• Muskateer: "His irreverent attitude, and ability to be serious at (almost) the same time makes him a truly interesting character. I always look forward to his appearances."
• Muskateer: "The attitude...it's all home grown."
• Spectrum: "I have just found your website in the last few months and, since then, have just been following the exploits of Spectrum."
• Spectrum: "I enjoyed his personal life as much as his professional one. He seems to draw others into his orbit whether he wants to or not. Things happen around him!"

Muskateer's Comments: Well, I have to say I am very happy with the results. I can't truly say I am surprised, since I agree whole heartedly with the voters. Thank you, thank you. You have very good taste, if I may say so myself.

Muskateer has really grown for me as a character. He was originally intended as a character that I wouldn't have to worry about leading something and just having fun. I always seem to gravitate towards the leader in anything I've done before, whether role-playing or clubs or anything. Well, as he became me (or I became him), it was inevitable. Muskateer could never truly be comfortable taking orders. He kept his originally smart ass attitude, thankfully.

He was originally created out of my love for the Three Musketeers and ancient history in general. I had originally envisioned him with a much different costume, but it became the orange, navy and purple one that he had in his first appearance you are all familiar with. In some sense, the masquerade ball costume was a little closer to what I was first thinking, but it never happened (perhaps thankfully). Why I came up with the orange, blue and purple combination is beyond me. It's actually a little on the nasty side, at least the purple part of it. I do like his costume now though and there will be various color changes throughout the upcoming months.

I wish I had more time to contribute to writing Muskateer at this time, because it is truly an enjoyable experience and rather easy once I actually get in front of the keyboard. Lots of changes and adventures are on the way, as you may be able to tell from hints in Lost Heroes. I expect Muskateer to be a constantly changing character and yet essentially always be the same. Thanks for all the kind words!

Spectrum's Pick: I have to admit that I like all of our main heroines. All of them are worthy of winning. I like writing them and using them in our stories. To pick just one is extremely difficult. That in mind, I ended up settling on the Huntress. The concept of the Huntress was one I've always liked since I first discovered her in DC Comics back in the late '70's. Here was a heroine who was a talented normal, who was tough and not afraid to use her fists. Dainty she was not! The concept is not new nowadays, but it was unique for its time. I quit getting DC's soon after her debut, but managed to follow some of her adventures by getting comics from our local library. Her death in Crisis on Infinite Earths was nothing short of a crime. And her replacement was an insult.

Anyway, getting back to our version of the Huntress, I started with the character I wanted to use and worked backwards, creating Hunter and everything that goes with it. I didn't want to make her a carbon copy of the DC version, so I took some liberties with the concept, but kept a few things familiar. Hunter became more of a Captain America clone with gadgets than Batman. With Felina I emphasized her agility, but removed her desire to get involved in combat. And unlike the original, I kept her mother alive.

Like any good character, the Huntress is not perfect. She makes mistakes. Being the daughter of a famous hero gives her other baggage to carry around that most characters don't have. Being raised as she was also lends itself to other areas to explore. Having her 'shade of gray' mother around, just creates more interesting situations. You'll be seeing a lot of the Huntress this year as the drive towards her 25th anniversary issue gains momentum.

Muskateer's Pick: Enchantress. She has changed dramatically since my first knowledge of her (i.e. our first writing of this back in 1983). At first I was wary and sceptical of all the changes when they were first made, but the changes have worked and made her more believable. And she's a lot like my fiancée, Tanya. I always wondered how two people who are so different could make it together, but they manage to make it work. There's a lot to see from Gwen in the months to come.

To be totally honest, I was not very fond of the original Enchantress. I am glad to see the old Clea hairdo go away also. The relationship between Muskateer and the Enchantress really came as a big surprise. In the original writing, Firestar was older, had a different name, and had a brief dating relationship with Musky. Gwen then underwent a big change and the two hooked up. In the original pass of the campaign, Steven asked Gwen to marry him, but it was never completed before it was ended and our current writing began. They had a lot of twists and turns, which will be coming again in the months and years ahead. As the new version of our stories have taken on a life of their own, while still being based on our original writings, you all will have to wait and see what's in store for them for the future. Frankly, I am curious to see how some of it is going to turn out myself!

The Huntress took in just under 50% of the votes cast, while the Enchantress came in second. Others voted for included Firestar, Black Diamond, Scarlet Sabre, and Morning Star. Your comments included:

• Huntress: "I just like her."
• Firestar: "Although we don't see her enough for my liking, she is young, with amazing powers. Perhaps an exploration of what it's like to be abnormal as a teen is in order?"
• Black Diamond: "Nothing wrong with an ass kicking blonde bombshell!"
• Scarlet Sabre: "The first person style of first the Troubleshooters then Scarlet's own series are refreshing."
• Morning Star: "I Loved her in 'One From the H.A.R.T.'."
• Huntress: "The Huntress represents the continuity (3rd generation hero) that we never get in the comics. (Possible exception: JSA). The need to carry on a fine tradition coupled with the inevitable interaction with the previously established heroes generates tension in the stories, making them a fun read."

Muskateer's Comments: Well, the Huntress is a fine choice for the winner. She has certainly undergone a lot of character growth since first appearing and frankly she's not done yet. That seems to be true of all the heroines in this category. I admit it was a difficult choice. She has had a lot of screen time and showed well in those appearances.

Black Diamond has always been an old favorite of mine. Scarlet appeared in the online Q-Link games (which while I started the campaign for them, was not as involved as Spectrum), so I am still learning about her as much as all of you out there. Cassie has a soft spot for me from our first writing (which has carried over to this edition), but I'm not sure I ever got over her choosing to be in the Defenders with Di rather than staying in the Avengers with Muskateer. It was logical, so he never made a big deal about it. This time it is an even more logical decision for Firestar. Morning Star was one of the first characters that I created oh so long ago. Except for some character development, she has remained basically the same and of course is one of my favorites.

I still think Gwen is the best heroine, but of course, I am biased. One comment about the Enchantress' old (potentially new) series is that it was joined with Muskateer's after each reached issue #22 or so and became known as 'Muskateer and the Enchantress'. Good chance this will happen in this future also.

Spectrum's Pick: Imperial is my choice for Best Supporting Hero. He's got the kind of attitude that every game needs. You know, the pain in the butt kind of guy that just has to ruffle the feathers of those around him and is not very PC. Imperial fits the bill nicely, as does his name. Yes, he has a pretty high opinion of himself. Just ask him!

Imperial does have a somewhat interesting past history. He also originated in the Q-Link game as a character I portrayed in a Message Based game Muskateer ran. What the other players didn't know was that Imperial was a plant. In actuality, he was a VIPER Staff Villain who betrayed the team from within. It made for some very interesting posts as players tend to trust other players when they really shouldn't. Not to worry, our Imperial is a hero and is scheduled to be in an upcoming issue of Muskateer.

Muskateer's Pick: Thing. Always liked him. Don't think he gets enough screen-time, but he makes the most of his appearances. Great dialog! The Thing was listed under Main Hero for voting category and I thought he was truly more of a supporting character in our stories. Of course, we didn't have enough male heroes to fill the category, so he got bumped up. I voted for him using the OTHER write-in choice.

Supporting hero was a difficult choice for me because I have lots of favorites who really have yet to appear. I am hoping to have some good stories upcoming for folks like Eclypse, Jack O'Lantern, Blizzard, and Photon, but I felt none of them were fair choices at this point (either few appearances or haven't really appeared yet). I have to admit, the guys need some help in the development department. So far the heroines have been getting all the attention. Of course, you could say they are more interesting and of course, they are a lot better looking!

A few last minute votes lifted Jeeves over Imperial for the victory! Other than Muskateer's vote for the Thing, Texas Ranger, Supreme, and Sword of Justice also received votes. Those voters who offered comments said this:

• Imperial: "'Cuz he's too cool. More Imperial."
• Jeeves: "No one ever chooses the butler..."
• Jeeves: "The normal guy in an abnormal setting, who manages to remain calm, dependable and steady in the face of calamity."

Muskateer's Comments: This was a bit of a surprise to me as well. Jeeves had a big start in the stories, but hasn't done much new lately in my opinion. Apparently, we will have to rectify that somewhat.

As Spectrum stated, Imperial was a great idea we had in our online game at the time and he's managed to survive into this writing. He can be a little annoying to others at the time, but he has some great lines at times. Both are good supporting characters and maybe we'll even see Imperial's team in the near future.

As far as the Texas Ranger goes, there's a lot of history that should be appearing and honestly there's a lot about his character that even I don't know about. (We often keep plot secrets from each other to make it more realistic and interesting, not to mention sometimes annoying.) Keep your eyes peeled, pah'dna. Sword of Justice is an annoying twit, but he has an interesting secret. I'm not telling, however. You'll have to figure it out or wait until we write it. Supreme is also annoying in his own way. Still not sure if he'll end up with the same fate as our first edition. Another mystery...!

Sure, the Empress is egotistical, self-centered, and not particularly shy about getting what she wants. Alright, she's not the nicest lady you're going to run into but that's part of the charm of the character. She's like a female Imperial in that way. You're never sure just what she's going to say or do next, but it will probably be interesting. She even surprises me at times. We've got plans for her.

Muskateer's Pick: Spinnerette. Lots of possibilities in exploring her character. I may be voting for her some on what I have planned in the future. She manages to steal a scene now and again, despite few appearances. She was one of the first five characters I designed, back in 1982, when we first were introduced to Champions. I always liked the name from the beginning.

One of the things I like most about Spin is her attitude. She doesn't come across as totally egotistical or full of herself, but at the same time, she is definitely not a goody-goody. She's not afraid of speaking her mind and doesn't care what most people think of her (except for close friends). I am looking forward to exploring more of her personality, her past and some changes that are in the works for her. She should be seeing some series of her own in Troubleshooters, as she had two mini-series there in our first writing.

This was a tight race for a long time but Night Owl broke out of a four way tie with Whitney Parks, Shockwave, and Spinnerette. Other than the Empress, Nemesis also received a vote. Once more, our voters speak:

• Shockwave: "The 'Nice girl in an unfamiliar setting' is nicely done. You can see why, even though she feels uncomfortable Shockwave keeps up with the profession."
• Nemesis: "Kewl power."
• Shockwave: "There hasn't been a lot of character development for Shockwave, but she remains interesting nevertheless. Let's see some more of her point of view and/or thoughts on situations. We know she doesn't like the Empress, so there's an opportunity for some stories. Force them to work together or something on a case."
• Whitney Parks: "Another normal in a strange world. (California I mean!) Strong and supportive in dire situations."

Muskateer's Comments: It's not that I don't like Night Owl. She was one of my more favorite characters in the first writing of our series. At the moment I don't feel like she's come across as well as a few of the others, but I don't always follow the majority, I guess. I think we have lots more to see from Night Owl in the future, so I think she'll be a good selection here eventually.

There are a few other worthy winners in my opinion as well. Shockwave is another favorite of mine, but she hasn't been explored as much as I would like yet. I never did get adequate use out of her in the original writings and I hope to rectify that situation this time around. She ended up bouncing around through a lot of strange, tragic experiences without any real direction. Look for a new suit of armor for ol' Shocky.

Empress has been well developed (pun not intended) so far and you probably wouldn't believe where the basis for her character came from. I'm not going to tell, so you'll just have to guess (it's not from the comics). Other characters I feel who have shown well so far are Jaime, Nightingale, Nemesis and Diamond/Silver Spectre.

I am glad to see Whitney getting better use this time. I tried a few different things last time, but Spectrum didn't seem to be receptive. Now we have the possible makings of an interesting love triangle. Stay tuned.

Spectrum's Pick: My choice is Ripper. He's big, he's loud, and he's a whole lot of fun to write. While not the deepest of characters, I enjoyed his appearances.

Muskateer's Pick: Black Paladin. Always my favorite. He mixes a nobility with an edge. He is truly dangerous and plays for keeps. Always liked knights anyway. There should be a lot to see from Blackie in the months to come. Some will be expected sorts of adventures from Black Paladin and some will be (I hope) quite unexpected. I got a lot of use out of him in the original series, so there should be even more appearances this time out. Spectrum has picked up a bit with him too, so that should help his development also. He's got lots of really interesting story possibilities available.

This was another tight race with Foxbat being narrowly edged out while Dr. Destroyer came in third. Ripper and the Crimson Claw also received votes. Let's see what our voters had to say:

• Dr. Destroyer: "Because EVERY campaign needs a supervillain who is *so* above it all. 'Of course his plan had worked perfectly. It was the only possible outcome.' Brilliant."
• Foxbat: "How can you not love Foxbat? He's not quite as megalomaniacal as some, but he's a LOT funnier."
• Black Paladin: "Love the archaic battle armor."
• Dr. Destroyer: "How can you not love the classics?"
• Black Paladin: "Odd, twisted sense of honor. Distinctive speech patterns. Knows what he wants, doesn't babble."

Spectrum's Comments: This race literally came down to the wire with a vote for Black Paladin a few hours before the poles closed breaking a tie with Foxbat. I always found Black Paladin to be an interesting character, but it wasn't until I used him in Troubleshooters #12 that I started to see real possibilities for the character. His pairing with Lady Bale seemed like a natural and him possessing one of the Lesser Eyes of Azog just makes him all the more dangerous. He'll be seen again in X-Factor.

As our voters pointed out, "How can you not love Foxbat"? He's a loveable loon. The concept of a villain who thinks that his life takes place in a comic book is just too funny. The idea of him having a crush on Morning Star was one of those spur of the moment developments. Having Foxbat and Shadow Queen as a duo was an idea I just had to try. They're both not playing with a full deck.

Then there is Dr. D. As one voter noted, he does fill a certain niche. We've taken some liberties with him and should have a surprise or two involved when it comes to Destroyer. I like his use in the GSVC. The idea of Destroyer stopping another world conqueror because only he was worthy of conquering the world was just perfect. The quote our voter refers to comes from Avengers #15.

I feel we did a very good job handling the Crimson Claw and his little contest. You could almost feel the contempt flowing from him. I had no idea just how he was going to be defeated until it happened. Just a case where I started writing and let the characters lead me to a conclusion.

Muskateer's Comments: Black Paladin has been most likely my most favorite Champions villain since I first saw him in the old Enemies book. I used him on occasion in the original writing, but we should be seeing much more from him in this edition. He has so many possibilities and you have to figure his path will one day cross with the Enchantress (and therefore Muskateer). Can't wait to see that fight!

Ripper is great. Not the deepest character, like Spec said, but fun. We'll see him quite often. Dr. Destroyer is a classic. We've already seen that his influence is far-reaching and it's likely to expand. The Crimson Claw and the GSVC was always one of my favorite ideas and we got much better play out of it this time around. I was quite pleased. And as for Foxbat,... well, just don't let him get too close to me. I still want to strangle that nut bar!

The original Lady Darkness appeared near the end of the Q-Link era as part of a PC's origin. I've always found DEMON to be an interesting organization, but the Morbanes themselves to be a little dull. Eventually I came up with the idea of the Lords and Ladies of DEMON and it seemed a nice fit.

Muskateer's Pick: Scorpia. Not one of my stand-out villainesses, but one that we have done the best job fleshing out so far. I wouldn't want to cross this woman! I like what we've seen out of her so far (in a manner of speaking of course). We've really gotten a chance to see someone who knows what she wants, has lots of means at her disposal to get it and isn't afraid to do whatever she has to. Can't wait for the upcoming direct conflict with X-Factor and her little band of misfits.

Several last moment votes for Scorpia broke her out of a deadlock with Mind Slayer. The ladies (and I use the term loosely) of Terror Unlimited were the only ones to receive more than one vote. Others voted for included Lady Bale, Lady Darkness, and Iron Maiden. Voters' comments:

• Mind Slayer: "Because I'd like to see what happens when she finally meets up with Nightingale. Mini series anyone?"
• Scorpia: "She's cold, deadly and has a goal. One dangerous woman."
• Lady Bale: (She's) just too kewl with him (Black Paladin)
• Scorpia: "I liked the direction you've taken this classic villainess."
• Scorpia: "Sensible in direction. Doesn't suffer fools, dumped the other failures in Terror Inc."

Spectrum's Comments: Scorpia is one of several Classic Champions characters that we've modified for our particular game. Published gaming material is a great source for ideas and characters that I probably wouldn't have thought of on my own. And at the same time you have to wonder just what the heck they were thinking. Scorpia falls into this category. I can see her initial joining of Terror Incorporated. However, she wants power, wants to be in charge, and dislikes her teammates for being so damn ugly. Given all of this, why in the world would she stay?

I couldn't think of a good reason either. And so Terror Unlimited was born. Her relationship with Shamrock was alluded to in Champions Universe. The evil Spectrum fit in nicely from the back story and Mind Slayer seemed like a good choice for the group. This is a case where I think our tinkering created a much better character.

With Mind Slayer we were given just a thumbnail version of her back in the original Enemies book that was somewhat lacking. Then came the 4th Edition and her radical revision in Mind Games. I have to admit that I don't really care for that version of the character. So basically, we came up with our own version, keeping what worked and dropping the rest. Tieing her background in with Nightingale was just barely an afterthought originally, but obviously it has struck a chord with our readers. At the moment, Mind Slayer is busy with the Terror Unlimited storyline. But after that, who knows?

Both of these villainesses have a big year ahead of them as Scorpia's plans to cause terror are unleashed. It's something I'm calling the "Terror Game" as Terror Unlimited squares off against Terror Incorporated with X-Factor and Los Angeles in the middle! Truly, a case of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly! And wait until you see Professor Muerte's plans for revenge against Scorpia!

Lady Bale came about because I thought Black Paladin worked better with a consort. Since a witch played such an important role in his origin, I provided him with another one. She's a reworking of the character Bale from an old AC.

Iron Maiden is one of my creations and was later worked into her position with Dr. Destroyer. Since Destroyer builds his technology on the work of others, obviously someone has to do this since it's beneath his dignity to do it himself. Iron Maiden filled this void. She also provides a nice counterpoint to the other Destroyer related team-- Terror Incorporated. She'll also be a regular thorn in the side of Muskateer.

Muskateer's Comments: If you had told me a few years ago that we'd be doing a story line where Scorpia would be playing such a big part, I would have been sceptical. She's always seemed like a background character as part of Terror Inc. Having her split out and start her own bit of mayhem was a natural and has been played out very well so far. We've gotten to see how she thinks and operates. A fine choice.

Mind Slayer was a bit of a surprise to me. She's gotten some good development, but honestly wouldn't have thought of her for this award. There are some great story possibilities with her, especially her connection with Nightingale. She was also a minor character in the original write-up from Enemies. I like taking the established characters from the game and sending them off in their own new direction.

We should see a bit of Lady Bale, what with lots of Black Paladin ideas in the works, so she should have ample opportunity for even more character development and as for Gennie-poo (Iron Maiden), well, let's just say I can't wait to personally annoy the hell out of her. Lady Darkness is another than I can't wait to get my hands on (to wring her neck). I know some things that are coming in the future, so that makes it even more personal. Should see a lot of her in the upcoming Avengers, from the sounds of it.

Spectrum's Pick: This is another tough category for us. After all, we have some interest in a series to make it one of our regular titles! But in the end, I settled on the Avengers. This is our premiere team book that lends itself to big stories, while trying to keep the team members as recognizable people. There are grand battles, but also many private, personal moments. It's our flagship title.

Muskateer's Pick: Lost Heroes. This series has been a long time in the making. It started out of a small idea about two years ago (based on an idea over 11 years ago!) and has taken lots and lots of twists along the way in getting to what you've actually seen. With Spectrum's help, it has some changes I wasn't expecting, but the world of our future is slowly taking on its own life. It was originally planned by me as a limited maxi-series kind of title, but with Spec's help, it will be a full run series. I hope everyone enjoys this series, as well as all our writing of course. Don't take anything for granted. It draws upon a lot of things that have happened for us in our first pass at this, but which have yet to be touched on in our regular series. It may take years to see some of these references, which is fun for us and I hope suspenseful for our readers. It keeps getting bigger and bigger too. The series has a life of its own now and sometimes I am as anxious to find out what's going to happen next as I hope everyone else is.

Lost Heroes came in a distant second in this race. Spectrum, X-Factor, Young Champions, and the Huntress had one vote each. And now our voters speak:

• Lost Heroes: "Cool idea."
• X-Factor: "This is the best team piece I think. It does a good job of balancing the time spent on its team members, and has interesting stories."
• Avengers: "Avengers are always the bomb"
• Spectrum: "The one I've read the most,.....you keep me coming back for more :)"
• Avengers: "Major characters in serious conflicts with opponents and each other. Always something going on even in the quiet times."

Spectrum's Comments: And there you have it, the Avengers is our most favorite title. I voted for it as well, so no complaints from me. Lots of interesting stuff coming up in the Avengers' future. Stay tuned!

I'm sure that many of you are wondering just who does what when it comes to the writing aspect. I really can't get specific about our roles as they change from file to file, but in general we both have some input in each and every file. Muskateer does all our final editing for grammar and spelling, while I concentrate more on continuity. In general, I'm the head writer on the Avengers, the Huntress, Scarlet Sabre, Spectrum, X-Factor, and Young Champions, while Muskateer takes care of Lost Heroes and Muskateer. For Troubleshooters, it depends on the character we are currently featuring. That's not to say that either one of us doesn't do any significant writing on the others files. For instance, Lost Heroes #3 was pretty much co-written by both of us. (For the curious, I wrote the Prologue, the Epilogue, did the initial writing for the conversation with Marv and wrote both of Molly's scenes.) In short, it really is a collaborative effort.

The Huntress is a good series for exploring street-level criminal activity. It's a nice change from the bigger villains the Avengers tend to fight and features more character development. As I explained above, there is just a lot of stuff to sink your teeth into as a writer with this character.

I have to admit that I'm excited about Lost Heroes. Before we started work on #3, we sat down and had a brainstorming session. Using notes made from that session, I put together a rough outline for the first part of the series. Once the outline was finalized, I broke it down into a best guess about what is going to happen in what issue. Based on this, we shall be revealing just what this series is all about around issue #18 or so. But there is a lot of great stuff to come before that time. I'm not going to ruin the surprise by giving any of it away. Had there been more issues written, I may have chosen this series.

Muskateer concentrates on Muskateer, of course. Some of the things that we gloss over in the Avengers are shown here in greater detail, but we do plan to get more self-contained stories in this series.

We never planned to do a Scarlet Sabre series. It just sort of happened that way. Scarlet has an involved back story that I wanted to reveal to the readers. It had been danced around with tidbits dropped in the Huntress and elsewhere, but it was time to put all the cards on the table. Since it was her story, I thought it would be different for her to tell it. And so Troubleshooters #4 was written as told by Scarlet herself. I came up with three story ideas to round out her run in Troubleshooters. I figured I could do one idea per issue. Unfortunately, my first idea ended up being stretched into three issues! Then we decided to do some behind the scenes stuff for the GSVC and that pretty much ended Scarlet's run. Later on I gave her own series since she was just so useful to in resolving various plot threads. Plus she's the only title character who regularly travels, so you'll get some insight into the rest of the world in this title.

Spectrum is my baby of course. At the moment, I don't have any specific plans for this title, so there may not be as many Spectrum issues next year. But you never know.

Troubleshooters is our anthology series, of course, and one that's been pretty much ignored for over a year now. Muskateer had an idea for a Tigress arc, but never got past the rough notes stage. I had something in mind myself, but it appears that it'll be incorporated into future issues of the Avengers. At the moment, we have no concrete plans for Troubleshooters.

The same cannot be said about X-Factor as their plate is rather full at the moment. The assault on a VIPER's Nest will dominate the next several issues and will lead to some unusual situations for the team. I like this series as it's very far removed from the Avengers, giving us what it's like to be a new hero team starting out with very little.

Young Champions is our title where folks come to learn about their powers. That's one thing that always sort of bothered me about Champions. You make your character and you know exactly what you can do right off the bat. There is no mystery to it, no trial and error, no unexpected powers. This title makes up for that.

Muskateer's Comments: Well, I can't argue with the Avengers. It's a great title and were it not for such close ties for me to Lost Heroes, it would likely have been my choice as well. Of course, since Muskateer gets his share of screen time in the series, it has to be good. The Avengers was our first hero team in our original version of this and it actually was gamed out at the beginning. I remember playing out the battle with Power Crusher's cronies and the battle with PRIMUS at Avengers Mansion was done as a sort, but with DEMON agents (lots of things have changed!). I'm not sure if Spectrum will let me tell everyone, but Muskateer will eventually become the leader of the team, so I will be even more interested in it than now, if that's possible. There have been lots of changes from our original writings, which were good, but these are much better, and more believable. Look for a comparison of this edition and the previous one when we reach issue #25.

The Huntress and Muskateer's series give us the chance to expand on ideas from the larger Avengers series and see more of the details in their lives. These two often work together as well, so we will likely continue to have cross-overs in their series (at least until Gwen merges into Musky's title). I am looking to do some significant stories for Muskateer soon, but he's been very busy (as have I) with other things.

What else can I say about Lost Heroes without giving out secrets? Using Molly Berkowicz, who was rescued by Firestar after falling from her apartment roof in Avengers #9 (don't tell me you didn't figure that one out), was a great idea by Spectrum. Originally the outline had her place taken by a new character to our universe. She's been a good connection to the past, which you all may see more of as we go along with this series. Okay, one hint: I can't wait to show everyone what happens to Spinnerette in the future!

Scarlet Sabre is pretty much Spectrum's baby and so I don't have much writing input, but it's an interesting series and a unique perspective for us. Spectrum is also mostly in his capable hands now. The first version of Spectrum started out as a disjointed collection of mini-series that I wrote and then Spec took over. Loved the Arena idea which I originally came up with and we got better use out of it this time around.

Troubleshooters has some things in the works, but they all seem to be on the back burner for now. Been wanting the Tigress mini-series to see the light of day, but life hasn't let that happen yet. I also have plans for some stories for Spinnerette, maybe Morning Star, Starbolt and of course, Photon. We also started plotting an interesting tale about a character to be known as the Purple Phlox. Not sure when she'll finally make an appearance.

X-Factor was originally written mostly by me, but that was changed in this edition (again due mostly to my schedule, impending wedding, travels across country and now internationally and everything else). Spectrum has done well modifying and updating the series from its inaugural edition with my help. In fact the original series started out with the assault on the Viper's Nest, which we haven't even quite gotten to yet. The roster has been more stable this time around, but we have lots of great plans in the works. And lots of additions to the team in the years to come.

Young Champions has had a few incarnations for us now. It first appeared as part of our Q-Link universe, as a live online game (I got a few terrorizing sessions in as Jack O'Lantern), but I didn't have a big part to play in the Q-Link world as time went on (again, life got in the way). It was reincarnated as an attempt at a message-based game, where I played Tempest. The gaming was different in that we designed character concepts, but only the GM (Spec) knew all the character's powers. The name Tempest actually was another character originally, who ended up getting written out of the current edition, since I wanted her name. A few other characters were lost along the way as well, leaving only Jessica, Jason and Jennifer, but quite the trio nonetheless. Jess and Jace weren't even related at first. We used the team as a chance to explore a few of our more favorite characters who didn't have a place elsewhere and the series is going quite well in my humble opinion.

Spectrum's Pick: Another toughie since you only have 131 different issues to choose from. We certainly don't set out to write a bad issue, but it's just the nature of the beast that some are going to be better than others. Everyone has a different criteria for choosing their best issue. For me, and I am generalizing, those issues I find to be our best work also seem to be the ones that were the easiest ones to write as well. The stories were so ingrained, so vivid in my mind that the words just flowed out easily without much thought. These issues also seem to be the ones that required the least amount of re-working and editing. I just about nailed them on the first pass. There are several issues that fall into this category.

With all that said, my choice is X-Factor #4. First off, it's the conclusion of the GSVC. A storyline that was written so out of sequence that it's not funny. Only the issues at the tail end were written in order. (I've kicked around the idea of doing the TPB version of the GSVC-- all the elements in their proper sequential order to see how it lays out. Let me know if there is any interest in this) Second, it is a grand story featuring more characters than you can shake a stick at. Heroes fighting against incredible odds to save their world. X-Factor #4 is also our largest file to date, clocking in at a 65K text file. What else could you ask for?

Muskateer's Pick: Muskateer #14. It was a very vivid issue for me and very personal of course. I often 'see' the stories before I write them or as I write them, and they sort of unfold as if watching a movie. Some of it I get to control and some the characters seem to control themselves. Every once in awhile I am quite surprised by how things happen. They're not always what we set out to write, but it just sort of happens. This one had bits of both, and was more like an epic film to me. Or as if it were actually happening.

I was very happy with the emotions expressed as Muskateer and the Enchantress 'found' each other and finally let their feelings start to show. Maybe not the most action, but I liked it. It set the tone for the beginnings of their relationship, but it wasn't supposed to bloom so soon. Just another example of the fact that you can't completely control yourself when you're in love. Their relationship is bound to go through lots of twists and turns if our first writing is any indication and if you have read Lost Heroes. Even though I am responsible for writing most of it, I am still interested to see just what's going to happen between these two. Needless to say, nothing is set in stone.

Other issues voted for, apart from Muskateer #14 & X-Factor #4, include Muskateer #3, Avengers #24, Spectrum #24, Huntress #2, Spectrum #18, Scarlet Sabre #1 and Spectrum #26. Let's see what our voters said:

• X-Factor 1: "Excellent start."
• Spectrum 18: "(I liked) the conclusion to 'One From the H.A.R.T.'."
• Spectrum 24: "A fallen hero, unable to explain his seemingly villainous actions. This was a masterpiece."
• Spectrum 26: "The revelations....."
• Scarlet Sabre #1: "This first person origin tale drew me right in from the start. The creation of Jaime and the inner dialog was fun to read."

Spectrum's Comments: Solid choices all the way around. X-Factor #1 is high on my list of top files, probably in the top ten of my personal favorites. Much like X-Factor #4, #1 has lots of action, tons of characters, and some very nice personal moments tossed in. Foxbat and Imperial put in nice appearances, and Black Paladin showed just how evil he really is. Indeed, an 'excellent start'. It's also the second largest issue at 63K.

Muskateer #14 was a good issue chocked full of character development. I liked Muskateer's talk with the Huntress while they danced. We also did a twist on the old comic book cliche where 'the hero goes out for the night and somehow ends up in a robbery' where none of our heroes, Muskateer, the Enchantress, or the Huntress, actually interacts with the criminals!

I have to confess that when the vote for Muskateer #3 came in that I brought up the file to give it another look. I knew the gist of what happened in the issue, but wanted to find out what made it so special. I would say that it went a long way to establishing Muskateer as a hero and an Avenger. The scene where he takes out VIPER's latest super weapon with one sword stroke is priceless.

Avengers #24 is pretty much the middle part of a trilogy of tales, but is important in several ways as it introduces a trio of new characters. It advances the overall plot while giving a variety of characters a chance to shine.

Unlike Avengers #24, Spectrum #24 and Spectrum #26 are the bookends of a trilogy. When I was preparing for Spectrum #24, I considered doing something special for issue #25. After all, it is a comic book tradition! The biggest thing I could think of was the confrontation with Hexmaster and the death of Jordan Sculley. Everything was already in place, and so Spectrum #24 explained Jim's mental problems and ultimately allowed him to remain free of Hexmaster's control in Spectrum #25. Spectrum #26 wrapped up everything and put all the pieces together to make clear what had been going on all the time. I'm glad you enjoyed both of those issues.

Spectrum #18 is the last part of the One From The H.A.R.T. storyline. I thought this re-write turned out very well and gave Morning Star a nice entrance and showed that Icicle isn't has bad as she was made out to be. Every once in a while I'll experiment and try to do a file in a different style. For this file, we picked up in the middle, flashed back to the beginning and then proceeded to the end. Lots of great moments such as Brick throwing part of his head at Morning Star, Spectrum being swallowed by the alien cat, and that mysterious appearance that will be explained some day.

Scarlet Sabre #1 was a bit of surprise. It's a good issue, but not what I would consider one of the best. It does help resolve a few different plot threads, so it was a productive file. Not sure if the voter had meant to choose Troubleshooters #4 as that was the Scarlet Sabre origin file.

That leaves Huntress #2, which like Muskateer #3, went a long way to show Helena's personality. It's her first night out as a heroine, she encounters the Scarlet Sabre and both end up captured and unmasked by VIPER. Not the best way to begin one's career!

Muskateer's Comments: Well, it's hard to settle on just one issue as being head and shoulders above the rest, I happen to think that there have been quite a few great issues and XF #1 was one of those. Despite being on the defensive and constantly under attack from so many areas, the heroes still had moments of great character development. Shockwave got to reveal her secret motivation for being a heroine. There were lots of great scenes, almost too many to even mention. It had humor and some suspense and Black Paladin just mauled the American Eagle in a perfect example of the Dark Knight at his best (or should that be 'his worst'?).I was happy with the GSVC in total and this was a pivotal part of the middle of the story.

As I mentioned earlier, I liked Muskateer #14 for the character development and the personal ties to the issue. It didn't have the most action, but it was a vivid issue for me.

Muskateer #3 was a fun issue. I got a chance to focus on Muskateer in combat almost exclusively for the first time and it was enjoyable. The scene with the robotic VIPER superweapon was ironically comical, but at the same time showed us the true potential of our young hero. (Much like the later scene where he cut through a Porsche with one swing!)

X-Factor #4 was almost my choice in this category as well. It was also a great action-packed issue and had lots of great scenes. There were great moments of desperation, tragedy and heroism in this file, and it's hard not to vote for this one for me. Again, the GSVC turned in a great performance and I for one would love to see the TPB version of this story. There could even be some behind the scenes additions that we didn't write the first time around!

The Spectrum files were very good. We showed his tragic tale must sooner than our first time around. Some of it is a testament to greater maturity at this point in our writing. Everything is a lot less disjointed and makes more sense too. Whitney has stuck around longer than before and this should prove interesting in the long run. I enjoyed writing my parts of One from the H.A.R.T., especially Morning Star. We need to use her more, but since she's mostly in my writing realm, that hasn't happened as much as I would like.

Huntress #2 was a good file, but personally, I think the stories with Roxy were much better. It was a good issue, but I don't think it was even the best in her series. That's what personal opinion is for, I guess. I loved the exploration of Roxy and Helena; the comparisons and contrasts and how much they actually were alike.

All I can say is that it should be easier to vote for 2000 as there will be a lot less files to choose from, but hopefully there will be just as many deserving of the award.

Spectrum's Pick: My Best Moment was one of the five samples I provided on the Awards Ballot Page. It's the beginning of Lost Heroes #1 where Molly dreams of being a heroine and wakes up in a trash bin. Lost Heroes is one of our newer series, just having premiered last May. There were lots of other files already on the site, so folks pretty much knew what to expect from us. At the beginning of Lost Heroes #1 we used that to our advantage. Everything seems normal at first, but then you find out that it's only wishful thinking and the story takes place in a grim world. I wish I could have seen the looks on people's faces when they realized that.

Muskateer's Pick: When Muskateer rescued Molly in LH#1. This was one of the first scenes that came to me when I started piecing the series together. Again it was very visual in my mind and I think suitably surprising. Muskateer came out of left field in this one, completely unmentioned until his arrival. It fits how he operates in this world, very symbolically. Needless to say, I was very happy with the result. Every time I think of this scene it is there in my head, more like a memory than an imagination. I had a very vivid and intense series of images and feelings in my head as the Hunter taunted and tormented Molly before it was about to kill her. I wish I had been able to get more of the sensations out of my head and onto the page.

There were lots of significant moments in the various series and it was a tough decision actually for me. Of course, for me, most of them include Muskateer to some degree, but that's only natural I guess. I think I put my best work into him, since I can really concentrate of getting the feelings and ideas out rather than having to step into character. There are really a lot of moments that are fond to me for various reasons.

Here are the other choices and their reasons as given by our other voters:

• "Blade leading the charge into the Blue Dome (in X-Factor #4). A very compelling mental image."
• "Definitely Terra Fire copping a feel (in Young Champions #6). How could you not love that moment?"
• "The story of how the heroes fell out favor in the Lost Heroes line (specifically in Lost Heroes #2). It just shows you how ungrateful people can be when you help them."
• "The beginning of Lost Heroes #1 because,....I'm a "sucker" for well done alternative futures/history."
• "The Hunters Death. He says what everybody must think at this moment. It also sets the mood for the Huntress Issues re: tradition."

Spectrum's Comments: We made the Best Moment category an optional one, since it's tough to remember everything that happened in all the stories. I remember it, but then again, I should remember it. As such, we received fewer votes than in the other categories.

Blade's charge is an interesting choice. I for one would like to see someone like George Perez draw it. That would be cool.

Terra Fire getting a grip on Tigress was another of those spur of the moment things. It happened pretty much as I wrote it and was not planned. I thought it was cute.

The heroes falling out of favor is another one of those things I would have liked to see visually. Would make a great series of images in a comic.

Hunter's death is a very important event in our game history, so it is a good choice. So much of the early tales spun out of this happening. It also leaves the Huntress to find her way on her own and for Black Diamond to try and continue on with the Avengers with their founder.

Muskateer's Comments: I think the scene at the beginning of LH #1 got the series off to an off-beat start and it seems to be continuing to follow that lead. It's helped to tie a few things together with the past more than we originally intended and Molly gives us a direct link that we didn't have on first draft.

Blade's charge was not as visual an image to me as some of the other parts of that battle, but it was one heck of an attack that I would love to see in print some day. (No, I don't expect to draw it myself, so it probably won't happen.)

The story of the start of the superhero/mutant war in LH may still get a bigger play before we're done. Depends on how things go. As for Terra Fire, I'm not sure who was more embarrassed, him or Tigress. Good thing for him, she didn't get her claws back at him!

Hunter's death was indeed a significant moment, as Spectrum stated. We haven't gotten to see a lot of Hunter and I once half-joked about doing a new series: Lost Stories of the Avengers, meaning stories of the Avengers before our current group. There's more to be seen developing from Hunter's death as well, in some unlikely sounding areas.

Spectrum's Pick: The character I would like to see more of is Guardian Angel. Originally, she was based on a DC character called Superwoman who appeared in a few DC Comics Presents Annuals. When we started re-organizing we had the choice of keeping the character as is (like Huntress, Thing), simply drop them (like Captain Atom), or change them into new characters (like Supreme, Density & Warlock). Guardian Angel is a new character who shares most of the powers of her source material. From there, I modified her powers slightly and came up with an entirely new origin. I thought the idea of someone playing a hero on television and then suddenly becoming one interesting to explore. Hopefully you'll find her as interesting a character as I do.

Muskateer's Pick: Photon. There is so much that can be done with this character and so much to explore. I don't feel like I did as good a job as I could have on his mini-series. He is a hero in another direction and he should end up as part of X-Factor, if we follow our original plans and stories. Photon has lots of possibilities, but I just never seem to get around to them. He has a very unique and interesting back story to explore and lots of great plot ideas. Now if I would just start writing some of them...

Other than Guardian Angel, Captain Valor, Black Diamond, Scarlet Sabre, and the call for a 'Thor-Clone' received votes. Their comments:

• Captain Valor: "What happened to him after Avengers 14?"
• Photon: "He brings a darker feel that you don't really have at the moment with any of your established heroes. He's a monster hunter, but what kind of monsters? There are bound to be some interesting ones in a world of superhumans."
• Thor-Clone: "Thor is the man..hands down. He would rock and roll on the Avengers list..and put Supreme in his place!"

Spectrum's Comments: Photon it is. As the votes started to come in, I casually remarked to Muskateer that maybe we should do a 'Monster Hunters' mini-series in Troubleshooters featuring Photon and Jack O'Lantern. I think a lightbulb might have gone off ...

I have plans for Captain Valor. His situation ties into a few other things, but in ways the readers are not currently privy to. The question now is how to show what happens and where. It may very well in be the Troubleshooters mini-series format.

Black Diamond appears quite a bit in the Avengers. At times I think she's the leading character in that series, but that tends to be true of any team leader. The position does lend itself to having lots of on screen time.

Likewise, the Scarlet Sabre can appear just about anywhere and in any file. You'll be seeing a lot of her, especially in her own title.

A 'Thor-Clone', huh? I can't say that we plan to do such a thing, but you never know.

Muskateer's Comments: Okay, so others agree with me. Hopefully that will give me the impetus to get a story out. The thought of Photon and Jocko together is a wonderful idea. It has the makings of a very unusual story.

Captain Valor was never one of my favorites, but he fills a niche. If his role is improved in this edition as much as some other characters have been, then he has some interesting possibilities.

Guardian Angel is brand spanking new and I expect will have a big role in upcoming things, so Spec's wish is already pretty much granted. I think Di has seen a lot of screen time, but she hasn't done much on her own. She seems to always turn up in something, with quite a few guest shots in Muskateer and Huntress as well. Rest assured, she will continue to appear in something. As for a 'Thor-clone': let's just say, I won't be creating him (or her?). Scarlet Sabre has been all over the place, and should continue to do so. We'll be seeing plenty of her and Jaime.

Spectrum's Final Comments: I want to thank everyone who took the time to vote. Your input has been greatly appreciated. Hopefully, the process will be a bit more streamlined next year. It's also showed us a few things as well. Things like sometimes numbers are not always right.

For instance, Black Diamond is our most looked at Bio and yet she received only 1 vote for Best Heroine. The Huntress was ranked 5th and she won. Go figure. Muskateer was the most looked at male Bio. The Avengers is our most looked at series by a wide margin and the votes did reflect this. We were right on the money there. X-Factor #1 is not our most looked at file, but it was voted the best. Although it is the 4th most looked at. Believe it or not, the file with the most hits is Lost Heroes #1, which as mentioned above was only released last May. It rocketed past files as up nearly two years earlier! We knew we had a winner on our hands when the numbers started to roll in. (For the curious, Avengers #9 and Avengers #11 are the 2nd and 3rd most looked at files.)

Well that's it. The awards have been handed out. Show's over. Everyone's gone out to the after awards parties. See you all next year.

Muskateer's Final Comments: I have to say that I'm happy that you guys out there are reading this stuff. I had hoped that was going to be the case when I talked Spec into putting these stories online for our rewrite. Thanks for your interest and support. Hopefully I will be able to contribute a little more this coming year, but I wouldn't hold my breath. It's not the lack of interest, but the lack of time. So we will also ask you to be patient. The schedule may not be as regular as it has been at times. We'd probably still be doing some of this, even if it was just for ourselves as it was before, but it's nice to have such a loyal audience.

Spectrum covered most of the technical info about the site already, so I'll just say,"Tell others out there about us and stay tuned. Our best is yet to come."