Year in Review

Year in Review for 2003

File Review:

Overview:

The Avengers are the premiere hero team in our universe. The team's regular membership includes: Black Diamond, Muskateer, Firestar, Enchantress, Supreme, Lightburst, Nightingale, Texas Ranger, Huntress, & the Thing. Guardian Angel guest stars.

Issue #36 "A Taste of Armageddon"

Poll Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Plot: Lady Darkness checks up on the Ravager, while the Avengers relax on a Sunday Afternoon.

Villain: Ravager, Lady Darkness, Lord Evil

Guest Stars: Frank Page, Satara; Heroes of Earth AC535Q (Otherwise known as Q-Link Earth: Crusaders - Firestar, Gargoyle, Backlash, Mighty Mite; LA Knights - Nightstalker, Enchantress; Gwyn Kingston.)

Notes: This was on strange little file. The prologue is set on an alternate Earth apart from our heroes homeworld and that of Terra Nova. This Earth, Q-Link Earth for discussion reference, was the world my games on Q-Link from 1989-1993 were held. It was loosely based on our original campaign, the same source material as this website. However, things turned out radically different. We decided from the get-go to not use existing hero team names and so Crusaders & the LA Knights became the big PC teams. Firestar and the Enchantress were characters that I ran, but they were modified from the versions you are familar with. The Q Firestar was named Lynn Adams and she was something of a scientist and the Q Enchantress was Shiela Grace. While Shiela had the beauty and spell casting ability of Gwen, she was totally different than our Enchantress! All the other characters and those referred to only by name were all played by people. On the Avengers side of things, this was a realitively quiet issue allowing me to get into some character subplots that I had been putting off. This issue kicked off some of the troubles Guardian Angel is going to be facing and also sets up some stuff with Firestar.

Overview:

This series focuses on a young heroine trying to make her way in the world of super-powered folk as a 3rd generation hero. In addition to the Huntress, her mother, Felina, is a series regular.

Issue #29 "Chapter Two"

Poll Rating:

Plot:

Villain: None

Guest Stars:

Notes:

Overview:

Lost Heroes focuses on a future version of Muskateer and the horrible events that have forever changed his life. Molly "Starshine" Berkowitz, Sandra "Ladybug" Anderson, and Jaime are regular characters.

Issue #7 "Sole Survivor"

Poll Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Plot: Muskateer tries to save Jaime while recalling the final assault on Destroyers base.

Villain: None

Guest Stars: None

Notes: Much of this issue features a flashback to the the final raid on Destroyers base. It reveals the final fates of a few people while setting things up for later on. Just how Jaime survived will be revealed in the next issue.

Overview:

Muskateer focuses on the solo-exploits of the sword-swinging Avenger. Work on this series has been slow, and some of the events to be shown in future issues have already been referenced in other series. But be patient and Muskateer will be brought back up to speed. The Enchantress is a regular guest star.

Issue #26 "Dragon Fire"

Poll Rating: 3.7 out of 5

Plot: While enroute to Tabia's Fortress, Muskateer & his allies are attacked by a undead dragon.

Villain: An undead fire breathing dragon

Guest Stars: Sorceress, Kester, Priestess Vestra, Havok.

Notes: This file was one of those files that I loving call 'Files From Hell'. A File From Hell in our sense of the phrase is any file that you have a difficult time writing. This one was one of those. It started off easy enough and the first 12k was written in one sitting. The next 12k took over two weeks to complete. Finally, I decided enough was enough and forced myself to finish the file, writing 13K in one day. As was typical for a file that I struggle to write, when I went back to do an editing pass nearly a week later I found the file to be pretty good and an easy read. Everything flowed nicely and there really wasn't much that needed to be fixed. Weird how these things work out! As for the file itself, Muskateer & I discussed the nature of the items and some of the story. For the most part he told me to indulge myself. Although, I did ask if he wanted 1 big encounter or an encounter with a lot of little critters. He choose the big one, he got the big one. Ironically, part of the dragon battle was 'borrowed' from one of our D&D game files. I can't say that I've used much of that sort of material before on the website! Havok was the name of Muskateer's griffon in our old D&D stuff as well.

Overview:

This title focuses on the Scarlet Sabre, the computer whiz from the Freedom League. As the League isn't much of a normal hero team, Scarlet often adventures with other heroes or by herself. Scarlet's cybernetic alter ego, Jaime, is her constant companion.

Issue #14

Poll Rating:

Plot:

Villain: None

Guest Stars:

Notes:

Overview:

The adventures and misadventures of Spectrum are covered in this series. Now that he's the leader of X-Factor, there haven't been as many solo adventures. Impact, Whitney Parks, and Stephanie Sculley appear frequently in this title.

Issue #33 "Basking in the Afterglow"

Poll Rating:

Plot: Jim relaxes with his teammates and has an appointment with Rachel Moret.

Villain: None

Guest Stars: Morning Star, Sabre, Icicle, Shockwave, Mockingbird, SIMON, Rachel Moret.

Notes: This issue gives X-Factor the chance for a little bit of downtime after the events of X-Factor #22. Just slid something that normally would have appeared in X-Factor over to Spectrum. There's a lot of ground to cover in the next three issues of X-Factor and little time for such character development. It should have not been a surprise to anyone that Morning Star would ask Spin to join the team. Will the wallcrawler say yes or no? Stay tuned!

Issue #34 "The Mystery of High Forks"

Poll Rating:

Plot: Jim assists Whitney on a case.

Villain: Howarians

Guest Stars: None

Notes:

Issue #35 "Delta-Star-Delta"

Poll Rating:

Plot: Spectrum and Whitney try to escape from the Howarians.

Villain: Howarians

Guest Stars: Starguard

Notes:

Overview:

Troubleshooters is our anthology series featuring a variety of characters and situations.

Our first mini-series featured those heroes from Texas, the Superior Six.

Issue #31

Issue #32

Issue #33

Poll Rating:

Plot:

Villain:

Guest Stars:

Notes:

Our second mini-series focusing on the adventures of Captain Valor on the world of Terra Nova.

Issue #26 "Devil from the Deep"

Issue #27 "Dangerous Waters"

Issue #28 "The Hidden City"

Issue #29 "The Gift"

Issue #30 "In the Name of Love"

Plot: The Windsabre and her passengers try to make it to the main land. Friza is hunted by one of her own kind while a deranged mage has plans for Lyndah.

Villain: Vina, Vilsimbra, Lady Darkness, Warlock

Guest Stars: Lyndah, Robert, Kristine, Sargon, Hunter, Katrina, Friza, and Captain Jess

Notes:

Overview:

X-Factor is one of the newest hero teams around, comprised of mostly new heroes with one veteran. This is an offbeat look at the team concept starting with a group that doesn't have any equipment of their own. Membership includes: Spectrum (Leader), Morning Star, Sabre, Shockwave, Mockingbird, Blizzard, and Icicle. Regular guest stars include SIMON, Impact, Empress and Spinnerette.

Issue #23

Poll Rating:

Plot:

Villain:

Guest Stars:

Notes:

Overview:

Young Champions focuses on a bunch of supers in training. The series is set on Sanctuary and includes island staff and many superpowered guests. Members of the Young Champions include: Gladiator (Leader), Archangel, Terra Fire, Tempest, Nemesis, Sapphire, Tigress, and Turbo. Sanctuary Staff members include Charcoal, Peacekeeper, Pooka, Metalla, Dr. Angelique Marin, and Hyperion. Firestar and Nightingale put in frequent appearances.

Issue #26 "Home Coming"

Poll Rating:

Plot:

Villain:

Guest Stars:

Notes:

Back to the Awards Page

Issue #36	"A Taste of Armageddon"
Poll Rating:	3.75 out of 5
Plot:	Lady Darkness checks up on the Ravager, while the Avengers relax on a Sunday Afternoon.
Villain:	Ravager, Lady Darkness, Lord Evil
Guest Stars:	Frank Page, Satara; Heroes of Earth AC535Q (Otherwise known as Q-Link Earth: Crusaders - Firestar, Gargoyle, Backlash, Mighty Mite; LA Knights - Nightstalker, Enchantress; Gwyn Kingston.)
Notes:	This was on strange little file. The prologue is set on an alternate Earth apart from our heroes homeworld and that of Terra Nova. This Earth, Q-Link Earth for discussion reference, was the world my games on Q-Link from 1989-1993 were held. It was loosely based on our original campaign, the same source material as this website. However, things turned out radically different. We decided from the get-go to not use existing hero team names and so Crusaders & the LA Knights became the big PC teams. Firestar and the Enchantress were characters that I ran, but they were modified from the versions you are familar with. The Q Firestar was named Lynn Adams and she was something of a scientist and the Q Enchantress was Shiela Grace. While Shiela had the beauty and spell casting ability of Gwen, she was totally different than our Enchantress! All the other characters and those referred to only by name were all played by people. On the Avengers side of things, this was a realitively quiet issue allowing me to get into some character subplots that I had been putting off. This issue kicked off some of the troubles Guardian Angel is going to be facing and also sets up some stuff with Firestar.

Issue #29	"Chapter Two"
Poll Rating:
Plot:
Villain:	None
Guest Stars:
Notes:

Issue #7	"Sole Survivor"
Poll Rating:	4.5 out of 5
Plot:	Muskateer tries to save Jaime while recalling the final assault on Destroyers base.
Villain:	None
Guest Stars:	None
Notes:	Much of this issue features a flashback to the the final raid on Destroyers base. It reveals the final fates of a few people while setting things up for later on. Just how Jaime survived will be revealed in the next issue.

Issue #26	"Dragon Fire"
Poll Rating:	3.7 out of 5
Plot:	While enroute to Tabia's Fortress, Muskateer & his allies are attacked by a undead dragon.
Villain:	An undead fire breathing dragon
Guest Stars:	Sorceress, Kester, Priestess Vestra, Havok.
Notes:	This file was one of those files that I loving call 'Files From Hell'. A File From Hell in our sense of the phrase is any file that you have a difficult time writing. This one was one of those. It started off easy enough and the first 12k was written in one sitting. The next 12k took over two weeks to complete. Finally, I decided enough was enough and forced myself to finish the file, writing 13K in one day. As was typical for a file that I struggle to write, when I went back to do an editing pass nearly a week later I found the file to be pretty good and an easy read. Everything flowed nicely and there really wasn't much that needed to be fixed. Weird how these things work out! As for the file itself, Muskateer & I discussed the nature of the items and some of the story. For the most part he told me to indulge myself. Although, I did ask if he wanted 1 big encounter or an encounter with a lot of little critters. He choose the big one, he got the big one. Ironically, part of the dragon battle was 'borrowed' from one of our D&D game files. I can't say that I've used much of that sort of material before on the website! Havok was the name of Muskateer's griffon in our old D&D stuff as well.

Issue #33	"Basking in the Afterglow"
Poll Rating:
Plot:	Jim relaxes with his teammates and has an appointment with Rachel Moret.
Villain:	None
Guest Stars:	Morning Star, Sabre, Icicle, Shockwave, Mockingbird, SIMON, Rachel Moret.
Notes:	This issue gives X-Factor the chance for a little bit of downtime after the events of X-Factor #22. Just slid something that normally would have appeared in X-Factor over to Spectrum. There's a lot of ground to cover in the next three issues of X-Factor and little time for such character development. It should have not been a surprise to anyone that Morning Star would ask Spin to join the team. Will the wallcrawler say yes or no? Stay tuned!

Issue #34	"The Mystery of High Forks"
Poll Rating:
Plot:	Jim assists Whitney on a case.
Villain:	Howarians
Guest Stars:	None
Notes:

Issue #35	"Delta-Star-Delta"
Poll Rating:
Plot:	Spectrum and Whitney try to escape from the Howarians.
Villain:	Howarians
Guest Stars:	Starguard
Notes:

Issue #31
Issue #32
Issue #33
Poll Rating:
Plot:
Villain:
Guest Stars:
Notes:

Issue #26	"Devil from the Deep"
Issue #27	"Dangerous Waters"
Issue #28	"The Hidden City"
Issue #29	"The Gift"
Issue #30	"In the Name of Love"
Plot:	The Windsabre and her passengers try to make it to the main land. Friza is hunted by one of her own kind while a deranged mage has plans for Lyndah.
Villain:	Vina, Vilsimbra, Lady Darkness, Warlock
Guest Stars:	Lyndah, Robert, Kristine, Sargon, Hunter, Katrina, Friza, and Captain Jess
Notes:

Issue #26	"Home Coming"
Poll Rating:
Plot:
Villain:
Guest Stars:
Notes: