Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

We have a winner in the unbelievable Slay Monstrobot 5.000th Post Contest-A-Rama, and it's tomg:

The Trouble Shooters
Core members: Alison Double (Marvel), Phantasmo (Dell), Vibe (DC), Copper (DC). Invisible Scarlet O’Neil (Famous Funnies), Blue Jay (DC) Frequent ally: The Golden Bat (Nagamatsu) Temporary members : Life Lass (DC), Weight Wizard –(prior to his capture by Nardo) (DC)

Alison Double, the albino telepath who was last seen recovering in the Alps with Elizabeth Braddock just before the latter adopted the mantle of Captain Britain (back in 1986), returned to her work at S.T.R.I.K.E. She moved up in the organization, eventually being placed in charge of security which also gives her authority of the robot known as Copper on loan to S.T.RI.K.E by Doctor Magnus.

S.T.R.I.K.E. scientists experimenting with some machines confiscated in one of their assignments accidently activate a time storm that causes chaos across the English countryside. Copper and Double do their best to assist in stopping rampaging dinosaurs and some creatures they cannot identify (like the flasher beasts from Adventure Comics 339). They find themselves aided by Vibe and Phanstasmo who were pulled in from the past before the respective deaths as well as from Life Lass and Weight Wizard from the 30th century. The Golden Bat, a hero missing for decades, also joins the battle and leads the drive in locating the person or people behind the increasingly uncontrolled temporal storms. (That would be Wizard, a villain from Dial H for Hero, looking to gather all the unclaimed dials from across time and space).

After the Wizard’s defeat, S.T.R.I.K.E. is left decimated. Vibe, Double, Phantasmo, Copper, Life Lass, and Weight Wizard decide to remain work together and are allowed to operate out of the remains of S.T.R.I.K.E.’s headquarters (which will eventually be purchased outright by Phantasmo) providing stability to the team. Golden Bat reveals that he is not time-displaced and generally operates on his own, but agrees to help the team with emergencies that have global ramifications.

Sometime later, Life Lass and Weight Wizard, are rescued and returned to their time by the Heroes of Lallor in a time bubble… but not before a team-up can occur where the Lallorians can shine. Losing two members leads the team to conduct a recruitment drive. They opt for powers of stealth and select Invisible Scarlet O’Neil and Blue Jay. 

No shade to any other entrants, but this cross-multiversal team most tickled my fancy, both in the obscurity of some of it's characters, and for having the audacity to plan for the replacements in the first The Old Order Changeth event.

Congratulations, tomg. A copy of Take That, Adolf is winging itself your way.

Stand by for the next contest at Post 10,000...

5,000th Post Contest-A-Rama!!

Well, this is post #5,000.

Yeah, it's just an arbitrary round number, and yeah, we just celebrated our 10th anniversary of the blog a couple of months ago.

Still, 5,000 strikes me as somewhat more significant, as a measure of depth. Blogging for 10 years? No big deal. Averaging 500+ posts per year? That some serious wastage of time.

And serious wastage of your time, reader. For which I feel obligated to reward you.

And so, our first (and perhaps last) official Slay Monstrobot contest!!

Let's start with the prize. Via a complex series of circumstances, I just happen to have an extra copy of this fine book laying around:

Between 1941 and 1945, Hitler was pummeled on comic book covers by everyone from Captain America to Wonder Woman. Take That, Adolf! is an oversized compilation of more than 500 stunningly restored comics covers published during World War II, featuring America’s greatest super-villain. From Superman and Daredevil to propaganda and racism, Take That, Adolf! is a fascinating look at how legendary creators such as Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, Alex Schomburg, Will Eisner, and Lou Fine entertained millions of kids on the home front and buoyed the spirits of GIs fighting overseas by using Adolf Hitler as a punching bag!

Well, that seems an appropriate prize for this cow-town puppet-show of a blog.

And how shall someone win this most excellent tome? As I cryptically hinted earlier this week, just create your own super-hero team!!

By which I mean, take some preexisting comic characters--however many you want. 2? 7? 140? They can be from any company, past or present. They can be any previously published heroes, past or present. Just make a fun, kick-ass, interesting team. The best suggestion wins.

NOTE:

A) All entries MUST have an original name for the team, not one that's been used before, or a variation of one that's been used before. Get creative, people. You can do better than West Coast New Gods.

B) You have free reign on your choice of heroes, but you might want to keep in mind your judge's predilections. Multiple versions of the same person probably won't find my favor (i.e. Logan from three different time periods); different characters using the same identity are somewhat more likely to meet my approval. Insert characters from non-super-hero tales at your own risk. Also, this is a team of heroes, and your judge is mighty tired of villains being "redeemed" willy-nilly. Still, your team, your choices, and I'm willing to keep an open mind.

C) Show your work. If you think it will help, explain why your characters would work/fit together well. Give the team an origin/motivation, if you like. Pick a particular universe for them to operate in, if you like. Attention to detail may help!!

D) The sole criteria for this contest is whatever tickles snell's fancy. It's completely arbitrary, so just repeat to yourself, "it's just a silly contest, I should really just relax." All decisions final. Legalese, legalese, whatever.

All entries should be left as a comment to this post. You're on the honor system--no swiping ideas from other entries. All entries must be received by Thursday 10/5. Winner posted whenever I get around to it.

Go to it!!