My World : Non-Supers, Part 1

Pat August : Pat August is the president of Mann Creations, and the one who runs the day-to-day operations of the company. Though Paul Mann founded the company, and is the principal owner and CEO, it is Pat who keeps it humming along. He is probably Captain Satellite's most valuable and trustworthy confidante besides Shelly Ericson herself. Pat is involved with a number of charities and community programs both in his official capacity and as a private citizen, including serving as chairman for the Major City Council on African-American Affairs (MCCAA).

Karma Bando : Don't let Karma Bando's hippie girl name and slight appearance deceive you - she is an expert auto mechanic and car customizer. Captain Satellite enlisted her aid in creating his Rocket Racecar, and she has an exclusive contract to maintain the specialized vehicle. Her reputation has only grown with her association with Cap, and she has been able to franchise her business around the country as a result.

Bruce Chase : Bruce Chase is famous as the star of the popular and trendsetting TV series Cat-Man. Noted for his exaggerated and overly-dramatic delivery, he was perfect for the role, and that landmark program has defined his career. Though he went on to play the title character in the cop show Lomax! for several seasons, success as a movie actor - what he really desires - has eluded Bruce. He is still doggedly optimistic, and convinced that all he needs is the right part - such as that of Captain Satellite in the film adaptation of his life story.

Rex Coronado : Rex Coronado is the executive director of C.H.I.E.F. (Command Headquarters International Espionage Force). The son of Mexican immigrants, he is deeply proud of the United States, and will fight to defend it with his last breath. He wears sunglasses at all times to disguise the fact that he has a glass right eye. Rex is cantankerous seemingly beyond reason, but has been known to display a sharp sense of humor when least expected. Never one to be underestimated, he will do whatever it takes to accomplish his mission.

Eve East : Eve East co-starred on the TV series Cat-Man as the hero's sidekick Kitten. She later left acting behind and entered the arena of politics. She was recently elected mayor of El Oceano, California - the largest city on the west coast, and entertainment capital of the world.

Manon Etienne : Manon Etienne is the owner and general manager of the stylish Chez Cafe favored by Paul Mann and Shelly Ericson when dining out. In fact, the Chez Cafe was where they had their first face-to-face meeting (it wasn't really a "date"). Manon has parlayed great service and exquisite cuisine into her restaurant holding the reputation as one of the places to eat in Major City. It is said that she knows all the movers and shakers in town on a first name basis.

Howard Fein : Howard Fein is the current President of the United States. He was eager after taking office to associate his administration with the rising popularity of Captain Satellite and the Invincible Alliance. Critics have charged him with engaging in publicity stunts for his own gain, but Fein contends that he truly believes in the idealism represented by this wave of superheroes.

Dick Major : Dick Major is the wealthy scion of the venerable family that founded Major City centuries ago. Though the rest of his clan has either embraced or at least accepted Paul Mann, Dick resents what he feels is the diminishing of his family's legacy due to Mann's rise in stature in town. He is a proud (many might say arrogant) man who refuses to accept what he sees as the devaluing of the Major name.

Mondo Style : Mondo Style (obviously not his real name) is one of the more famous professional wrestlers of the last 25 years. He thought it would be fabulous publicity to challenge Blue Behemoth to a "superhero vs. wrestler" match for one of his grappling group's pay-per-view events. Deciding to "forget" the pre-planned outcome, he went into business for himself during the "contest", and BB taught him a lesson in humility that was an entertainment bargain for fans everywhere.

Dr. Nicola Tanihara : Dr. Nicola Tanihara is an esteemed astronomer who serves as a professor at Major Technological Institute (MTI). Dr. Tanihara was the first observer to note the anomalies which signaled the advent of the Astro-Giants. She is frequently consulted by the superhero community in matters involving outer space.

Velvet Verity : Velvet Verity is a world-famous supermodel who has managed to run afoul of super-villains on more than one occasion. Her sometimes reckless behavior makes her an easy target for those seeking valuable hostages, and she has required rescue several times in recent years. Sadly, she is not one to learn lessons.

Basil Whittaker : Basil Whittaker is the British millionaire and daredevil adventurer who originally financed Paul Mann when he mysteriously appeared a number of years ago. Mann considers Basil his mentor, and the two have a surrogate father/son relationship that is perhaps so obvious that it led to the non-revelation that ended Paul Mann and Roxanne Prize's relationship. When not tending to his business interests or off on some boondoggle like circling the Earth in a hot air balloon, Basil is one of the foremost art collectors in the world. He specializes in pieces that are considered "grotesque" by the population-at-large.



My world is like our real world in some ways, but heavily fictionalized in others. I like to call it a "retro future", because while it may take place in the present or recent past, it's viewed partially through the prism of how folks in times far past imagined these times. One key element of this world is that it's not saturated with costumed types. In fact, they are rare. Even some of the profiled characters, like Shelly Ericson, aren't exactly super folks.

This little list profiles a dozen non-super powered characters that flesh out the world of Captain Satellite. Some of them are intended to be recurring characters, while others might pop up when the time is right. I won't be drawing any of them, but don't be surprised to see artwork featuring at least some of them in the future.

A few notes, if you're interested :

* Pat August is a character that has shown up periodically in the proto-Cap continuity for years, though his current name is a recent invention.

* Karma Bando was originally just an excuse to finally discuss Cap's souped-up vehicle, but she has grown on me. Her name and description are inspired by a friend, who provided input on both.

* Bruce Chase was originally one of the possible alter egos of Captain Satellite back in the good old days.

* Dick Major allows me to discuss something only hinted at previously - the Major family that founded the city which bears their name.

* Mondo Style was the original secret identity of Blue Behemoth.

* The name "Velvet Verity" showed up as an alleged sender in my spam e-mail folder one day, and I jotted it down as too good to lose.

* Basil Whittaker's name evolved from "Basil Wolff", another old secret identity for Captain Satellite. Yes, comics fans, it was inspired by Basil Wolverton.

Today's Pop Quiz

Circle your answer and turn your paper over after completion. This is a timed quiz!

1)Which statement best describes Jeremiah?

a) He was a bullfrog

b) He was a good friend of mine

c) I never understood a single word he said

d) I helped him drink his wine

e) He always had some mighty fine wine.


2) Which statement best describes yourself?

a) You know, I love the ladies, love to have my fun

b) I am a high night flyer

c) I am a rainbow rider

d) I am a straight-shootin' son of a gun

e) I said, a straight-shootin' son of a gun


3) Joy ____________________

a) to the world, all the boys and girls

b) to the fishes in the deep blue sea

c) to you and me

d) Philbin

e) other (please specify in the space provided)

Blue Behemoth's Bulletin Board

Occasionally, I have ideas that are a little weird even by my standards.

One day, I was out taking a walk (walking is like my stealth hobby, actually) and toying with Captain Satellite business in my head. Don't laugh - I have had some of my best ideas walking. Eventually, I was seized by an idea so offbeat that it immediately shot to the top of my "Let's Make This Happen!" list. What if...I had a picture that told a story about a character without depicting that character?

I don't remember the chronology of my thinking process, but the decision was made that Blue Behemoth would be a good candidate for this treatment. There are a lot of facets to his character that haven't been explored that much yet, and he is a key component of the Invincible Alliance team. With the character set, I needed a concept to build around. After discarding a few, I remembered this Return of Jetman piece done for me by the amazingly amazing Kabuki Katze. That was it! A bulletin board!

Well naturally, I went to Kabuki with proverbial hat in hand and asked if she were interested in taking on this unorthodox commission. Fortunately for me, she is game for a challenge, and accepted. We were off!

This piece is slightly more collaborative than usual, in that bits and pieces of my actual writing are incorporated into it. I also offered plenty of suggestions when asked. Some of what was included was an attempt to build the Captain Satellite "world", but some of it was brought in mostly for laughs. That the gags also could serve as world-building was even better!

I'm not going to list every individual piece on here; really, you should read it and enjoy it for yourself. Needless to say, clicking on the full-size image is not only recommended, but is almost a must. A ton of detail is lurking in this piece, waiting for you to find it. I'm slightly jealous that it's the joke almost entirely written by Kabuki that I find the funniest on this board. That lady has talents she doesn't even use!

Major kudos to Kabuki for her stellar work on this picture. It is seriously even better than I first visualized it, and that is some high praise indeed. You can leave a comment here or Kabuki's dA page for the pic. Kabuki has also written a blog entry on this piece, which is loaded with incidental details I was too lazy to discuss point-by-point. You can read Big Blue's Board, Redux on her highly-recommended blog.

Chaos Theory 2010

Kraken Killz by Erik Jessen

Hey, remember how I mentioned my buddy Eric in this entry? Well, I ran into Eric not long ago, and he revealed to me that he was now the art director for the Henning Cultural Center in nearby Sulphur, LA. The funny thing is that I had passed this place dozens of time and never even knew what it was!

Eric also passed along an invitation to Henning's current gallery show, "Chaos Theory". The concept of Chaos Theory is an "alternative" art show, spotlighting works related to comic books, movies, TV shows, video games, and the like. In other words, my sort of thing! My first visit to Henning was great, except for the tiny little detail that my camera's batteries chose to die. But I remedied that and made my way back on August 3rd.

Here is the gallery of photos I took at Chaos Theory. Regrettably, I just couldn't get pictures of everything, and I missed the names of a few pieces that I did capture. But this should give you a representative sampling of the work on display at this show. It is good stuff, all done by local artists!

If you would like to learn more about Henning, you should visit the official website of Henning Cultural Center. The Chaos Theory show runs from July 15-August 25, so there is still time to check it out if you happen to be in the SWLA neighborhood. And if you see Eric, tell him Christopher Elam's OWARI sent you. He might even introduce you to drunk Picard if you're lucky!

The E. Nelson Bridwell Collection

E. Nelson Bridwell was a national treasure who was and is unknown to most of the nation. He was the author of many of my favorite comics when I was a kid, including the Super Friends title that was miles ahead of anything you'd ever see on TV. Heck, the man created the character who evolved into the popular Justice Leaguer Fire just as one of dozens of new characters he introduced in that book.

Bridwell was also a continuity geek that influenced my thinking through his text features and scripting. But he was never heavy-handed about it. He could masterfully integrate his references into the mix without batting an eye. Witness, for example, the early issue of Super Friends that namechecks Zatanna, one of the members of the Secret Six, the alter ego of the Harvey Comics heroine Black Cat, and Siegel and Shuster's largely forgotten hero Funnyman. Or how about the time when the villain Kingslayer petulantly asked in another SF tale about the whereabouts of the "Latverian" monarch? E.N.B. knew when to let that stuff go in service to the story though, and it's a lesson I sort of wish I had picked up better in those more innocent times.

In addition to being a writer and historian, E. Nelson Bridwell was a collector and fan. The University of Tulsa is the current home of the E. Nelson Bridwell collection. I have to tell you, when I look over that list, all I can think is that it is probably only the tip of the iceberg. I bet the man had an even more extensive collection than that when he left us in 1987. At least that stuff has found a good home where it can be appreciated.

You can read more about Mr. Bridwell at this link. It seems he was inducted into the Oklahoma Cartoonists Hall of Fame. That's a fitting tribute to his work and legacy, even though I can't recall seeing a single published piece of artwork from him. His writing, his knowledge, and his imagination more than made up for it.

It's Synthetic! It's A Platypus!

It's Synthetic Platypus! Yes, Synthetic Platypus, as seen on TV! Act now, supplies are limited! Operators are standing by!

...Or maybe not. You can't fault the enthusiasm of my hyperbole, though!

"Synthetic Platypus" is actually the branding created by my pal Sara for her Internet presence. I'm happy to report that I was there when that name was coined, though the extent of MY contribution was saying, "Ooooh, I like that one!" Synthetic Platypus was originally conceived as being a fanzine, but has since been co-opted to be the name for Sara's online literary and artistic ventures. Though, knowing her, I wouldn't bet against it being represented with real world products one day.

Sara has a fun and interesting perspective, and I've always found her writing worth reading. You can do that too, if you'll only check out the Synthetic Platypus Blog. It is one of my favorite destinations when the lady can steal away the time to update it. Among recent posts of special interest are her discussions (with copious photos!) of gallery shows Bigger Than You and Chuck Jones : An Animated Life.

Synthetic Platypus is, however, a two-pronged Internet juggernaut. You should ALSO hie yourself over to the Synthetic Platypus Art Page. Sara is currently involved in a project in which she is creating pieces based on the challenges in Ethan Bodnar's Creative Grab Bag: Inspiring Challenges for Artists, Illustrators and Designers. The results have been fascinating, and not always expected. Here, I'll show you a couple of them! (And if the embed doesn't display properly, my apologies to everyone -- especially Sara!) :

Grapheme Magazine by ~SyntheticPlatypus on deviantART

I love this piece, and I hope it finds a lot of love eventually. One typographic joke is hard enough, and this one is loaded with them! I would totally buy this magazine. Fantabulastic's Victoria by ~SyntheticPlatypus on deviantART

This "fake" CD cover is more eye-catching than a lot of authentic CD covers. It's a piece that goes off into new and interesting directions, and is loaded with a lot of hidden imagery.

Let's spread the word and get this lady some increased attention, folks. Exploring new vistas of creativity shouldn't go unnoticed!

My World : Third World Leader

No one has ever learned the identity of the original Third World Leader. For all anyone knows, the current Third World Leader might be the original, rather than a successor. There have been a host of confirmed imposters, so there is no way to be certain who holds the "legitimate" claim to the title at any moment. Whoever he is, the Third World Leader is the guiding hand behind that nefarious network. As to the question of whether this is a good thing or not for Third World, well, that is a hotly-debated topic in certain quarters. Let's just point out that Third World still hasn't established that dictatorship yet.


At one point in its development, Third World was commanded by a head in a vat named "Mekron." Helluva colorful opening sentence, right? That was during the period when Captain Satellite and company were far more influenced by B-movie trappings than any comic books. I think those elements have reached their proper equilibrium by now.

I still see a lot fun potential in the head in a jar trope, and I wouldn't necessarily rule out my using it in the future in Cap's setting. It might even be Mekron! But I decided that this incarnation of Third World needed a leader who might be a smidgen more proactive, and one who could semi-believably have founded the group in the first place. Since the phrase is already commonplace, I settled on "Third World Leader" as his name.

Third World Leader's design is another example of reverse-engineering, in this case from the basic Third World agent. The steel mask idea originated from an older character design of mine. I'll own up to loving that sort of imagery. The fact that Third World Leader is at once reminiscent to both "The Man in the Iron Mask" and G.I. Joe's Destro fills me with delight.

In terms of his portrayal, Third World Leader is a spiritual brother of baddies like the Supreme Hydra and Cobra Commander. He wasn't originally meant to be smaller and slighter than average, but the final version of him came out looking that way. I think that's an idea that could have legs.