Here's an exercise I'm personally using to open up a new storytelling idea, to help me try to give Integr8d Soul Comics at least one title that appeals to superhero fan? I think, in playing this game, Joe and I have uncovered a lot of cool ideas that just maybe await our own unique characters of our own creation? Continuing our creative brainstorm re: the Mystic Order of the Defenders C Lue's reply to Devil Slayer Joe (see previous posts): 1. Those cult assassins sometimes double cross one another if they cross paths, and sometimes they work in tandem. You could introduce, one by one, a potential team of them. The Devil Slayer Revenge Squad would be a combination of altered cult members, trained Agents of Fortune, who are the materializers; Agents of Death, the assassins, and demons in human form for the possibility of infiltrating human society...like, say, masquerading as the richest man in the world, and controlling Mexico's telecommunications. Masquerading ...

As fun as it is to do a radical story with a bunch of nearly-forgotten Marvel comics characters (the best ideas are for a completely forgotten one, basically), just wait until you see what we make when playtime's over. Here's Joe Devil-Slayer: Considering some of the things that DS has pulled out of thin air, including an "Anti-Matter Mace", yeah, I think that there must be something more than what-meets-the-eye when it comes to the Shadow Cloak. It would be interesting to explore DS powering up to pull something that could prove more of a threat than mere steel. Not too crazy about him pulling tons of firearms out of there, but, as in all comics, some things one writer tosses out there can be ignored by another. Considering Payne's powers were taught to him by an infernal cult and he does spend his time killing earthbound demons, he might view himself as tainted. I think trying to find a good use to them and helping other heroes transcend their own personal dem...

First, my thoughts on Vera, or as Joe put it : "who knew a washed-up minor half-demon from the '70s could be so relevant in the '10's?" You have me on the edge of my seat about what she'll do next! I rather imagine circumstances will force them onto the same side, but who will be in control? Vera will have far more personality and sex appeal than some plot cypher. I think it was telling she came to Payne in #58 as the cult seemed on the verge of their greatest success, that she valued him so. On the other hand, she could not have him running loose outside of her plan, for reasons we could develop more lucidly. 2 Ha, she might even pop in on Victor Von Doom, or Baron Mordo. 3 I wonder if she has enough of a heart to experience a tragic side in her heritage? 4Did you note both our antagonists carry numerical suggestions in their names? Six Fingered Hand, Vera Gemini (the dual nature). 5 does Vera indeed have a twin, on the physical or spiritual plane? ...

Never heard of Devil Slayer? Well, that's our point!!! When he's not editing award-winning programs for the Pentagon, my college pal Joe Braband, a fine artist by training, loves a creative challenge for its own sake. My recent thoughts to revive the Defenders as a movie-ready renewed franchise---but first and foremost, a fun and intriguing story--- led me to dig into B and C list characters that aren't really busting any blocks, so to speak. I chose Devil Slayer in particular because my friend seemed to have an affinity for this obscure character, much like my enjoyment of, say, Machine Man. His pitch for developing the character is Awesome Sauce. Here's his rejoinder to the return of Vera Gemini (thanks, Patti Smith) and Devil Slayer. Hit it, Joe! I think it is important for a writer to understand the characters that he's going to write before writing, especially in the case of those who have significant backgrounds that can be harvested for some really great...

Did not realize this when the plot began to come to me, but Deathlok and Devil-Slayer have a history---from Devil-Slayer's first Marvel appearance!! What are we doing? We're resurrecting a title of B and C list characters and developing them in (hopefully ) compelling storylines. The philosophy, banter, and other specifics have yet to emerge, because first, there's the brainstorm, to set the stage. See if you recognize some classic Marvel story lines, or if all of this is alien to you, heck, feel free to ask! It's a sheer creative exercise, whose value can't quite yet be determined, but it's more fun than griping about comics not being the way they used to be! You never know, we may have Marvel's next movie idea, LOL! So, I gave him a line up, he gave me his suggestions, then he gave us a story to kick off this new version of the characters, reaching back for the villains and heroes he enjoyed as a new reader. So, Braband offered me a great tableau f...

Well, here they are: the English blokes with the big fiddles. With 27 Top 40 hits across both sides of the Atlantic, some say E.L.O. picked up where the Beatles left off. I started with the very first E.L.O. song ever made, then their last Top 20 hit in America, which is probably where i started hearing them. In the cue, I moved those songs behind a smattering of their best known hits and good deep cuts. Jeff Lynne took over the band from Roy Wood after three albums and wrote a lot of great music. But don't take my word for it. Plug in. I'm going to add to the text here further, but this goes out to my friends, the Lyons..es...anyway, daughter Abbie's a fan, particularly of "Rockaria," so it's 1st on the list. For that matter, I found a Dr. Who video set to ELO's "Time After Time" so here it is second (and also, at the end of this post! E.L.O. were also Dave Powell's follow-up answer to, "is there anything I'm going to totally...

The first 25 songs in this list mostly reflect a lesser-known, but stunningly great, selection of album deep cuts from Blue Oyster Cult. "Flaming Telepaths", my favorite, leads off, followed by late career brilliance in "Here Comes That Feeling," and one of the best cuts from undervalued follow-up to Fire of Unknown Origin, 1983's Revolution By Night: "Dragon Lady." "The Vigil" is a live cut from the first widely-panned B.O.C. album, Mirrors, a more pop-rock flavored offering from 1979. After that are mostly cuts from Spectres, the 1977 follow-up to their smash record Agents of Fortune, but first, Joe Bouchard's terrific song off Agents, "Morning Final." "Subhuman" from their first live album On Your Feet Or On Your Knees, 1975, and the Jim Carroll co-penned favorite "Perfect Water" are among the first twenty songs listed here, and then, some of the band's more well-known (and, lately, well-played by...

Amazing Spider-Man 251,(Jonah's dark secret, final Stern showdown with Hobgoblin aboard his rushing auto-piloted battle van, with the secrets of the original Green Goblin---and Spidey's life!---in balance) Why did it rock: a new, mystery character had taken over the costume and weapons of the Green Goblin, to become the Hobgoblin. Along with the mystery man's identity, we were treated to his discovery of files kept by the original Goblin villain, with secrets ensnaring many prominent New Yorkers, whose paths cross as Spider-Man tries to understand what's happening. He realizes his own secret identity is also among those files, but he can't know for certain. He can only look for the Hobgoblin. This is the story where's he's got his wish, and it's drawn in a very exciting style by Ron Frenz and Klaus Janson. Daredevil 219 ("Badlands", a costume-less Matt Murdock in a stand-alone noir classic) Why did it rock: all the badness and secrets ...

Over on IMWAN, my friend Marcus Kelligrew put up some comparisons between the art styles of various embellishers, working over the pencils of comics great Gene Colan. Fans of this column may know him from Howard the Duck, and arguably his career pinnacle was his work on Tomb of Dracula, but Gene drew for both Marvel and DC. His earliest work I've seen was on Iron Man; he also had a fondly - remembered run on Daredevil for several years at the same time, the mid-to-late '60s. These pages were inked by the creator of the Submariner, Bill Everett. I've never read these issues of Amazing Adventures but the art on Black Widow alone suggests it was lovely and graceful and gritty at once. I particularly like her face. Love Bites...and so does MIRACALLA!!! Coming from Integr8d Soul Comics, copyright 2011.

I hear there's a Tardis at the beginning? Celestial the Queen, by Joe Bouchard and Helen Wheels Unknown Tongue Tenderloin The Vigil pAIN, steel, a plot of knives, the Transmaniacon, from the first album, Blue Oyster Cult (*I find this video irritating, for repeating the images, but I always have some other screen up while these play unless I can see Buck playing!) ME-262, the story of an altered human being, reincarnated again and again as an evil doer, to test mankind... Finally, the creepiness ends with the words of Wings Wetted Down, which will be an inspiration when I write my next most fearsome story...but my own life has taught me things of late that help me understand fear in myself and perhaps as it is for others. But wait! Here's tattoo vampire...that's right, I do have a ghoulish blood drinker on the loose, however vile the premise of the story sort of IS to me... These days, would it be...."Now Snooki has risen from the grave?" Op...

Braband/ Disharoon Defenders of the Order Mystic I sent my Defenders fan friend Joe some rough ideas for re-vamping one of his favorite comics, complete with the obscure Devil-Slayer as the enigmatic team leader and Sif, fresh from the new THOR movie. I gave him my list of characters and some ideas, and quickly he shot back a plot for the fresh start. When I saw how the after effects of the Illuminati/ Hulk struggle might spell the end of the traditional Defenders, even as Nighthawk tries to reassemble a team, I recognized plenty of big guns to kick off at least the first issue, where we assemble Nighthawk and Hellcat before Devil-Slayer arrives needing help (possibly testing them to see that they are who they say). He may at this point bring in Sif, as well. I told Joe: “Your plot to assemble the non-team is perfect. I'll contribute what I can, but the first story seems like your show!” (I do have a villainous cat’s paw in mind from my own creations, but basically the ...

Sponsored by Integr8d Soul Productions, featuring DNA: The Mountain, drawn with crisp, clear story telling by Lue Lyron and the Marc Kane, with scenes and ideas you won't find anywhere else in entertainment!! The comic for those who don't read comics! Black and White, $3 plus shipping each. Available from C Lue Disharoon 542 6th Ave. San Diego, CA 92101 Star Blazers Deputy Dawg the cartoon G-Force (do they count?) Dungeons and Dragons cartoon team Thundarr the Barbarian Mighty Mouse Felix the Cat T he Fall Guy (TV) The Starriors (the toys) Richie Rich For that matter, Power Man & Iron Fist/ Daughters of the Dragon would be such a great Saturday morning cartoon! Well, the Daughters adventures would need a little less crime, huh... PM/IF would be terrific, my first thought, especially if they focused on a very young Danny Rand, maybe Luke pretty young, too, but Danny, I'd make a teen for sure. Spectra Man (Japanese live action TV) Here's a s...