Thread "Character usage from HA and HU Spinoff's discussion " in forum "HA Characters"

Posted at 6:07AM, Jul. 24, 2017

ironhand wrote:
I don't see Tazer being the head of R.I.S.E. at all. It's not his MO at all, especially with the knowledge that they have a feud with HA (heroes he has countlessly worked alongside and called friends). Although hearing Tazer might be still in play again gets me excited…I would LOVE to write a solo story involving Tazer…there's a lot of untapped potential in his character.

Perhaps there'd be some way that Cobalt would get what he wants and get himself a more of a trusted, higher-ranking role? We're already showing he has a few tricks up his sleeves, something like Lawler dying and R.I.S.E's growing popularity would be a great power play for him.

I always saw Cobalt as the real head of RISE, Lawler was merely the backer for it. How I see it is like this.

Lawler's dead and they know its Energize or some sort of facsimile of him. Cobalt emphasizes that RISE is needed now more than ever as Energize was in HU and HA as the potential for ultimate destruction.

Cobalt looks the type to play on peoples fears through logical wording and such.

The government of course isn't going to give him a blank check but prodding from war hawks could fix that.

Posted at 6:07AM, Jul. 24, 2017

ironhand wrote:
I don't see Tazer being the head of R.I.S.E. at all. It's not his MO at all, especially with the knowledge that they have a feud with HA (heroes he has countlessly worked alongside and called friends). Although hearing Tazer might be still in play again gets me excited…I would LOVE to write a solo story involving Tazer…there's a lot of untapped potential in his character.

Depends how its played. I can see Tazer maybe wanting to try and reform RISE from the inside. (Think Angel Season 5. :).

If you don't go that route with Tazer there are other HU characters who might fit it. Weaver, possibly.

Cobalt seems like a reasonable fit, but it's hard to comment on that since so far we know essentially nothing about him.

Posted at 7:07AM, Jul. 24, 2017

irrevenant wrote:
Depends how its played. I can see Tazer maybe wanting to try and reform RISE from the inside. (Think Angel Season 5. :).

If you don't go that route with Tazer there are other HU characters who might fit it. Weaver, possibly.

Cobalt seems like a reasonable fit, but it's hard to comment on that since so far we know essentially nothing about him.

My only thought re. Colbalt leading is that RISE is a team of villains. Lawler was the "good guy" keeping them in check? Would you hand that role to a villain? I think Irrevenant may be right, if not Tazer, then Weaver or someone trustworthy, but logically it would not be an existing member of RISE.

Posted at 9:07AM, Jul. 24, 2017

You guys have a point about Cobalt. We don't know much about him, which makes me wonder if he'd attempt a power play. I really, really will protest against Tazer. Even trying to reform from the inside isn't his MO - he'd be trying to shut them down just the same as Bombshell IMO.

Someone like Weaver, or maybe a similar type of character, could really work. This plays the "trying to reform from the inside" approach, while also juggling the "power-struggle" as Cobalt works his way up the chain to become the head. This makes everything internal in R.I.S.E. so much more interesting and dynamic, and maybe even opens them up to a weak spot (and an even dangerous spot as Cobalt plays everyone.)

(RE: Tazer, I'll get thinking…I love that character too much to see him fall into limbo)

Posted at 12:07PM, Jul. 24, 2017

Hah, cool.
Well it will be interesting to see what you do with RISE.
At least me killing off Lawler made things interesting. :)

Posted at 1:07PM, Jul. 24, 2017

I've been quietly waiting in the shadows till now, since I really wanted to hear everyone's angle on this first. Now…
I must admit I don't see Tazer as head of RISE either. Whoever heads RISE must absolutely believe that the ends justify the means… Frank Lawler fit that category, but I don't think Tazer does. How do you reform a team of villains, most of whom are forced to act against their own will? I don't see how that could work. But I'm always open to suggestions, of course!
Cobalt cannot become the official leader of RISE, for pretty much the same reason any if their members can't: They're all villains. They can hope for redemption, but not merely by rising to power; in the public eye, that would be irresponsible.
Personally, I believe the most plausible development is - very straightforward - that another military leader will take over from Lawler. But, again, I'm still open for more interesting suggestions ;)

Posted at 2:07AM, Jul. 25, 2017

I actually have a genuine suggestion that would make more sense.

https://next.theduckwebcomics.com/Energize/5284467/

Lawlers best friend and head of his armoured soldier program - Arsenal.

He is military, could lead AND could be on the team.

Posted at 1:07AM, Jul. 26, 2017

Isn't Arsenal one of the characters on the off limits list?

Posted at 2:07AM, Jul. 26, 2017

I can sort that out, i'm sure.
He will be making a small cameo in Energize: Black, so his restriction was more to stop the character being free to use. That goes for all of Spudsy's characters. It's not that they cannot be used ever, just that you need to seek permission.

The only problem is that he is not on the site. But I talk to him everyday anyway, so it's no bother to ask.

For example, Ironhand recently had a suggestion for a Tazer/Nemesis story which he contacted me about on Deviantart. Spudsy liked the New Guard ideas, but wasn't keen on this pitch, so vetoed it. But if the idea is right, he would be fine.

Just to confirm, his key characters are as follows;
Tazer
Exocet
Arsenal
New Form
Prodigy

Posted at 5:07AM, Jul. 29, 2017

Is there a character bio on Arsenal somewhere? Just so I can evaluate his potential role better. My concern is that perhaps Arsenal might overshadow Cobalt's role, especially if Arsenal is in the field during RISE missions too… It's important for future plots that Cobalt has clear authority over the other RISE team members in the field.

Posted at 4:07PM, Jul. 29, 2017

Abt_Nihil wrote:
Is there a character bio on Arsenal somewhere? Just so I can evaluate his potential role better. My concern is that perhaps Arsenal might overshadow Cobalt's role, especially if Arsenal is in the field during RISE missions too… It's important for future plots that Cobalt has clear authority over the other RISE team members in the field.

I think the idea we're playing with here is that Arsenal would replace Lawler as overall director of the program. He wouldn't be leading them in the field.

If we were going to go that route we'd have to address why Arsenal is happy to take a desk job though. (Hmm, maybe something that went down during "The New Guard"?).

Posted at 2:07AM, Jul. 30, 2017

I can solve that for you.
Originally, he was retired when he first appeared in Energize. He was replaced by a newer armorored soldier, B.A.S.S.
He suited up to fight Nemesis as a favour, and stayed on when B.A.S.S. was killed.
When he appears in Energize Blafk, I am playing it as though his time in New Guard is done, and he is already in a less active role. He appears as head of Armored Soldier Program, having now found a replacement for B.A.S.S.
Dont want spoil it, hut there was a reason I needed Titan back…

Posted at 2:07PM, Jul. 30, 2017

Ah, thanks for the info! So… he'd probably get the job because of his ties to Lawler and his experience with superhumans… that would make a lot of sense. Now what I'd also like to know is: What would be his attitude toward leading RISE?

Posted at 5:07AM, Jul. 31, 2017

Is Lawler still going to be a head of R.I.S.E in our HA 11&12 finale?
This also includes the use of Titan and she is a part of the team in the finale.

I'm assuming if we're given the green light there, once the season is up we won't be able to use them again, correct?

Posted at 2:08AM, Aug. 2, 2017

@Ironhand - Yeah, I think no change to your status quo for anything you have planned. Just phase in the changes as appropriate.

@Abt - As far as I'm concerned, Arsenal is very much like Lawler. Long term military guy, and used to being a "super on the payroll" doing what was asked and when. I think you could make him work.

I spoke to Spudsy and he likes the idea, but would just like to keep him honest. Basically, don't do "an HU Commander" on him.

Posted at 4:09AM, Sep. 10, 2017

Hmm. Based on the latest page, Cobalt seems to have more power and credibility behind the scenes at RISE than I had assumed. Maybe he would be suitable.

Posted at 9:09AM, Sep. 20, 2017

Nepath wrote:
@Abt - As far as I'm concerned, Arsenal is very much like Lawler. Long term military guy, and used to being a "super on the payroll" doing what was asked and when. I think you could make him work.

I spoke to Spudsy and he likes the idea, but would just like to keep him honest. Basically, don't do "an HU Commander" on him.

Sure! Is he still active as a superhero, or just as a pentagon pencil-pusher these days?
Currently, I don't have any plans that would require him to take part in any action stuff… if he just takes over Lawler's role, it means he'll instruct Cobalt on missions and the latter will report (or talk) back to him.

Posted at 5:09AM, Sep. 21, 2017

He has a brief cameo in Energize coming which will explain that he is back into retirement as far as donning the exosuit is concerned. So back to the desk job.

His cameo is essentially him getting up to speed on various projects, now that Lawler has been killed.

On the latest page of Energize, I have already established that Titan has taken over command of his old "Armoured Soldier Program". I did this mainly to move her on a little as a character.