Kid Ballistic
Yes it's true, he's only sixteen. He's five-six, one-hundred and sixty-two pounds, and handsome as the devil. What's that? You can't tell if your heart's exploding? Or perhaps it's the shudder of a not-so-controlled demolition next door. Why can't it be both?
He's the Kid with No Name, the Quick and the Dead Sexy, Master of Munitions and Duke of Demolitions. He's Kid Ballistic.
He wades through Westside, armed to the teeth, all ten of his trigger fingers itching to squeeze gunmetal. If you still have all five senses after the opening act (bombs), then you better find cover. When that fails (idiot), it really doesn't matter what you do. Between a storm of rubber bullets or that little bomb that sticks to the bottom of your car (adorable!), you're completely [CENSORED]
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Archetype Level Player Real Name Citizenship Headquarters Legal Status Marital Status Species Apparent Age Abilities |
Freeform 35 Sidney Mason American Westside Illegal Superhero Unmarried Homo sapiens 17 Firearm Virtuoso, Gunsmith, Quickdraw |
Appearance
Let's picture Kid Ballistic for a moment.
Wow. What a man. Look at that body! Sixteen years old and he looks like a star athlete. Maybe even a model. A model with guns and an orange-blue costume. Look how that thing fits him. And that hair? Black as the raven and just as mysterious, ladies. Who wouldn't want to ride with this guy into the sunset?
The outfit is a combination of Kevlar armor, ceramic components, leather, and Spandex. Trendy and rugged; safe and stylish. Despite being skin-tight in many places, it still manages to sport pockets and pouches to store away all kinds of ordinance.
He doesn't have any tattoos or piercings (does shrapnel count?), but he's got a few scars. Most of them are small, the fond memories of firefights, car bombs, and hours of gunsmithing. He does have a rather long scar that runs along his forearm; he's particularly proud of that one.
If KB had a cologne patterned after his scent, it'd be called "Big Iron" and it'd smell like gunsmoke, sweat, and kerosene. He wears it everyday, but it's not for everyone. It usually doesn't outright repulse others. Usually.
Kid Ballistic carries himself (and his weapons) with energy and unerring confidence in his abilities. And it's not all bravado. He's very comfortable with his deadly weapons. Some might say he's too comfortable, but those people need to grow a spine, some balls, and thicker skin. Outside of combat, KB likes to play it cool. He lounges and leans like the coolest of cats, evoking imagery of the modern cowboy; thumbs hooked in his belt, a smoke or a piece of gum in his mouth. Sometimes he'll listen to music, dance to himself, whistle, etc.
But that air of relaxation tends to decay into what he calls "The Itch". It happens whenever he's anticipating a mission, or when he hasn't fired his weapon for extended periods of time. At this time, he'll start tapping his foot, he'll start pacing, clicking his fingers on the butt of his pistols. He'll check and recheck his equipment, do a little gun twirling, do a lot of gun twirling, and even exercise if it comes to that.
In combat, the young gun is vigorous in pursuit of ballistic excellence. He can keep it in his pants until necessary, but once he let's loose, opinions of his behavior rate on a scale from wild to insane. The heat of battle is euphoric for KB. He'll cackle wildly, and sometimes he dances before, after, or during a shot. It's good fun for him a handful of others. For most, it's annoying. Or terrifying. I don't know what the big deal is.
Powers
Kid Ballistic is a man of many talents. Gunsmithing, urban warfare, demolitions, dance. He gained these skills traveling the world with his father (more on that later). Well, all except for dance: great dancers are born, not made.
First, let's get to the man before we talk about his equipment (patience, ladies). KB believes in staying in shape. His time in foreign lands (so, you know, his whole life) demanded a strong, healthy body. KB's got half of that covered. His days are filled with a strict conditioning regimen, as well as hours of rigorous exercise in the field. He needs it for survival...and because he drinks bourbon whiskey, eats whatever he wants, and sleeps when he wants. Yin and yang, right?
KB's got a brain like a bullet. And that's not a cheap attempt to keep ramrodding gun references and metaphors into this thing. Honest. It's like a bullet because it's just begging for the inspiration to move, it's explosive, and it gets sharper the faster it goes. See, that wasn't that bad, was it? I'm kind of proud of that one.
Kid Ballistic is a creative, passionate sort. He doesn't have a mind for strategy, memorization, and goal-oriented decision making. But he is adaptive, innovative, spontaneous, and quick. He's very good at overwhelming his enemies not only in gunfire, but distraction and diversion. He has a talent for improvised weaponry and experimental tactics, making him a superb guerrilla combatant.
When you get down to it, Ballistic's heroic methodology rests on [CENSORED] his enemy with as many bullets and bombs as possible, and to do it all with style. His payload is precious, and mustn't be wasted by cruel efficiency or impeccable aim. Excess is the best! And speaking of excess, KB has more weapons at his disposal than any one 16 year old without a high school diploma has any business owning. His entire hideout (and several other, sometimes public locations) is stocked with ordinance. But KB doesn't just use any old gun. Some he knows to be reliable, and some he just plain loves. So, let the gun porn commence!
Heckler & Koch Mark 23 “SOCOM”
This is Kid Ballistic's bread and butter. Normally reserved for the United States Special Forces, KB is proud to own more than a few of them. It allows the attachment of a laser sight and suppressor, but KB isn't interested in either. He got his hands on this weapon because it's ambidextrous, water-proof, and corrosion resistant. If it's good enough for SpecOps, it's good enough for Kid Ballistic.
Smith & Wesson Governor
If the HK Mark 23 is KB's bread and butter, the Smith & Wesson Governor is his...cottage cheese? It's not just a solid back-up, it's perfect for his special ammunition. Revolvers survive when automatics don't, they work in wet conditions and don't jam nearly as often. This revolver in particular supports three different ammunition types: .45 Colt, .45 ACP, and .410 shotgun shells. It's versatility makes it ideal to deliver one of his custom rounds, and makes a great secondary handgun. He always carries two, often custom loaded for the mission with a mix of standard and custom ammunition.
Walther PPK-E
Bigger isn't always better. Wait...yes it is. But sometimes you need something you can hide. It's the one thing James Bond has going for him. Stuffed in his boot, in a suitcase, or down his pants (aw yeah), the PPK-E is KB's resort when all other clips are empty. It's a .32 weapon, but when you have a tendency to unload the entire magazine, it does its job.
Mossberg & Sons 500
Right, so this is a 12 gauge, pump-action, pistol grip, yadda yadda yadda. I'd say I don't wanna bore you with the details, but I just don't wanna bore me with the details. KB likes this for its maneuverability, price, that useful-as-hell breacher choke (knock knock!). And it's pump action. Who doesn't love that sound!?
Heckler & Koch MP5A3
"H-K-M-P-5-A-3, find out what it means to me!". The standby of badasses around the world, KB digs the MP5 for its reliability and sterling performance as a submachine gun. When he needs something steadfast, portable, and automatic (and he always does), KB goes for the MP5.
Heckler & Koch IAR
OK, so this much should be obvious now: it doesn't get better than German engineering for this kid. In Europe or Africa, Asia or the Middle East, his father kept his collection of HKs close, and KB learned that lesson well. When KB needs to get serious he packs this bad boy. Now, KB doesn't dig assault rifles very much: they're big and...accurate. There's no tension, no savoring the uncertainty of your bullets' trajectories! But he also knows to be prepared, so he always has IARs in storage.
Norinco Type 69 RPG
The Chinese version of the more archetypal Russian RPG-7. Like a lot of the Reds' weapons, the Type 69 is cheap and easy to use. It's loud and dirty, like any good rocket launcher. It does something near and dear to KB's heart: delivers explosives quickly and stylishly. He loves the way its grenades travel through the air. Naturally, he mostly uses concussion rounds, but it's still impressive.
M84 Stun Grenade
In a world where killing is a big no-no, rubber bullets, bean bags, and these bad boys are king. They're practically Kid Ballistic's party favors. Great for getting someone's attention, saying hello, saying goodbye, asking a girl out, or paying your bill at a restaurant. Oh, and clearing a room, stunning the enemy, creating a diversion, etc.
M67 Fragmentation Grenade
And here's his big brother. Let's not beat around the bush: it's a dangerous world. And even though heroes don't kill, it pays to be ready for anything. Maybe that means blowing up a car. But in Millennium City, it definitely means blowing up a [CENSORED] robot. You just hope it's driving a car so you can get a two-for-one deal. So it should come as no surprise that KB loves these little babies, but keeps them in his pants until its safe. Usually. And he doesn't actually keep them in his pants. There's enough firepower down there.
Semtex Plastic Explosive
Semtex. Just listen to that name. Just hearing it reminds you what kind of man you want to be. She's soft, but tough. She'll do whatever you want her to do, but not without working for it. She's unique, waterproof, and stays plastic in below-zero temperatures. And that color! KB is a plastique man. He always has some handy. I am not exaggerating. It's so versatile KB is convinced there's nothing it can't do. Questionite be damned: KB wants a Semtex exchange.
Gerber Mark II Survival Knife
Kid Ballistic doesn't savor melee combat. That shouldn't be a surprise. Not that he's afraid or unable to fight, it's just no fun. Besides, point-blank range is his playground. But when he simply can't fire a weapon or use an explosive, his fists and this knife are his back-up. It also makes for a great tool in a pinch.
Thrillers, Fillers, Rubbers, and Killers
He's cool, he's quick, he's good-lookin', but Kid Ballistic's real genius lies in his custom ammunition. Trained by his father and other professionals around the world, KB has years of experience and experiments under his belt. Not that all of his inventions are successful or safe, but some are the only reason he can be a gunslinger and not be a murderer. Among his creations are low-velocity rubber rounds, mag rounds, tracer rounds, and rescue rounds.
Grapple Gun
Besides a good run or a cab, this is how KB makes his way about Millennium City. This item's an indispensable tool and occasional weapon. With it, he scales entire storied buildings or swings between them in the nick of time. It can make a solid projectile weapon if you just need to knock someone down at close range. It can be used to grab opponents and reel them in. One of KB's favorite things to do is lock the grappling claw onto an explosive device and launch it onto a roof, through a window, into a passing car, etc.
Armor
KB’s costume includes a temperature-adaptive bodysuit, Dragon Skin/Kevlar ballistic vest, Kevlar pants and chaps, leather/boron carbide combat boots and elbow pads, and leather fingerless gloves. Because of his compulsion to look his best, he removes the sleeves from most of his bodysuits, and custom colors his vest and chaps. All together they protect his ass while keeping it moving at a decent pace. He can take most small arms fire, knives, blunt objects. He could even withstand fire for a brief time if he weren't sleeveless. The entire outfit is waterproof, fireproof, and bulletproof. Is it idiotproof? Keep your distance, I'd rather not test it out.
OK, we all saw this coming. Let's get it out of the way: Kid Ballistic is not perfect. He's not even close.
God, did I just say that? Don't worry people, it's all under control. Who wants perfection anyway? It's shiny and...well actually it doesn't exist so it isn't anything. Unless you consider concepts to be a real thing. How can something imaginary be real? How do you- OK your eyes are glazing, I get it. Moving on.
KB's weaknesses aren't like those of other supers. Most of them are plain old human weaknesses. But they're worth stating for the record. Or whatever this is.
So, KB's human. He's tough and willful, but has dem limits tho. He's got to eat, sleep, and socialize like any good animal. Ah! There's our first major weakness: KB's a jerk. He's brash, wild, and egotistical, and generally doesn't care what others think. He's a show-off, and he handles deadly weapons as if they were toys. His bullet hole of a moral code is often a source of friction between him and his colleagues. So he doesn't play well with the other children. It also means he doesn't have many friends. If I have to explain why this is a weakness, I quit.
On to more functional problems. Kid Ballistic may be a gunslinger. He may even be a quick draw. But he's no deadeye. His accuracy with firearms is above average...when he doesn't move, takes his time, and focuses. So most days, his marksmanship is average to terrible. He makes up for it with quantity, but when you need the shot to be just right, KB falls short, and knows it. It eats at him, this reputation as a gunslinger without aim, so any criticism in this ballpark really does not go over well.
Beyond that, KB isn't your usual gun nut. He's proficient with guns, but he isn't encyclopedic. He knows his equipment intuitively and based on experience. Ask him technical questions, he isn't always going to know the answer. Sometimes this translates to problems. Not understanding the intricacies and details of deadly weapons tends to do that. So far, he's been just careful enough to not harm anyone but himself. But when you're a line-stepper, you're always at risk of losing balance.
Kid Ballistic's other weaknesses include fire, poison, death, femme fatales, psychics, mages, and bad luck.
Biography
As you might have guessed, Kid Ballistic's story began with a bang.
KB's real name is Sidney Lee Mason. You can call him Sid. Wait, no, don't. You call him Kid Ballistic. But his father called him Sid. Actually let's talk about that guy for a moment. His father was a mercenary of some repute, who made a small fortune as a freelance paramilitary operative. He traveled the world, for hire as a bodyguard, a bounty hunter, and an enforcer. This soldier of fortune's name was Marcus Mason Jr., an American who washed out of the Navy SEALs and went into business for himself.
By his side the whole time was his son, your hero (and lover if you play your cards right): Kid Ballistic, still in beta testing. Just after Sid was born, his father left the United States. Take notice that the mother has no part in this picture. Sid never knew her.
Young Sid was raised in dozens of foreign countries, in planes, trains, and horse-drawn carts. Sometimes they lived in luxury, and sometimes, they slept in the dirt. But Daddy Ballistic was raising his kid to be a crack operator just like him. As he sprouted, Sid became more involved in his father's business. Some kids hand their father the socket wrench when they need it. Sid handed his father a Desert Eagle.
In fact, Sid knew very little beyond the life of a mercenary. He knew more about sub-Saharan Africa than he did the United States. Marcus never operated stateside, and never spoke of Sid's mother. So his birthplace took on this mythical quality. Sid's only real exposure was secondhand through his father's keepsakes. Action flicks, rock 'n' roll, Westerns, comics, and food. This was all Sid needed to know about America.
At the age of 14, Sid could improvise explosives from home chemicals. He could field strip a gun in seconds. And he had acquired a taste for the shake, rattle and roll of automatic weapons fire. Sid was now a full-fledged partner to his father. Despite his tendency for excess (a.k.a. the perfect amount) and overkill (Sid's favorite kind of kill), he seemed essential to the family enterprise. Sid was his father's quartermaster and his backup. And never was he more needed than when Marcus' needed a diversion. That is, until the bastard left.
Now here's where I let you in on a secret (unless you actually read the "Weaknesses" section): Sid has never been the best shot. His father, however, always was a deadeye, and more or less an expert when it came to firearms. Sid was a quick learner but never had the discipline that Marcus possessed. Young KB was driven to somehow meet those expectations. To get the job done, he turned to quantity over quality, fielding tenacity, style, and a lot of bullets. Sid had a gift for passion, not pragmatism. As he grew into a young man, Marcus must have grown tired of his talents, or lack thereof. Because he left.
At first, Sid was angry. Then he was pissed. He searched the world for the better part of a year, calling all of his training to the fore and tapping every contact he could. But Marcus was gone. Part of him had hoped it was a test, but even after failing, there was no reprisal, and no return. So what next?
Sid knew the demands of the life. And he wasn't so sure he could do it alone. In fact, he was pretty sure he would screw it up. His father seemed to think so. In a decision pretty much bankrupt of all pride and guts, proto-KB gathered his belongings and stacks of cash to smuggle them and himself into the United States.
Why, do you ask? It was all he had left. Maybe he'd meet his grandfather, or finally figure out who his mother was. Or, maybe he'd spend his money on booze and inordinate amounts of ordinance. I mean, can you blame him? Unemployed, filthy rich, and high on American life for the first time? His life became one big party, unshackled to the demands of his former life. "Wild" doesn't begin to explain it. So, a moment of silence for all the liquor bottles, put to death by one-man firing squad.
But his first love came back to him in a dream, and he awoke, hungover on his couch, embracing a belt of grenades. I'm betting most of you would take this as a sign to quit the booze. Interesting. Sid didn't see it that way. The Itch was back: it was the freedom, the firepower, and the style of his childhood calling for him. And if he wasn't going to be a mercenary, there was another profession that offered all three.
Making the leap from washed-up mercenary to superhero was not difficult for Sidney. He already had the equipment, the hideout, and the training. He didn't have much of a secret identity to protect, but he fashioned an alter ego anyways. Take that, logic! Sid conjured Kid Ballistic from his upbringing, distilling that aforementioned American education down to a rugged, stylish, gun-toting, bomb-throwing superhero.
Kid Ballistic has enjoyed a successful career so far. Criminals often underestimate him on account of his age, and most don't hold a candle to the baddies Sid took on during his mercenary days. Sure, he blows up a few too many minivans, and fires a few too many bullets. But that's what walls are for! And it's not like there were any kids in those ugly minivans. He's confident people will come around. With enough spectacle and bullets, anything is possible!
- Kid Ballistic meets former members of the New Vigil at a teen nightclub. He helps them defeat a cadre of alien robots, and joins the Progeny after.
- Kid Ballistic, with his new comrades, find a new place to call "headquarters". It'll never be the Boom Cave, but KB does his best to make it feel like home. Hidden weapons and all.
- The Progeny defend their new hideout from the Pinball Wizard, and chill out afterwards. KB actually talks about himself. A little.
- Kid Ballistic helps defend Millennium City Stadium from the vampire horde of Adrian Arkwright.
Allies
Slowly, but surely, KB's making a name for himself. Even more surprisingly, he's making a few allies, most notably in the Progeny, a superteam of young do-gooders. No friends yet, but who needs 'em?
- "Kay Bee is my man! He's got style, a sense of humour and knows what it means to be at the top of the food chain, so you know you can trust the guy. - Maverick
- "Kid Ballistic is really sexy, funny, rich and has a big... oh, come ON, now... that's just gross!" *rips up card she was paid to read* "He's like, totally confident and totally good at shooting things. He makes me laugh when I don't think he's trying to. I don't think he's a bad guy, but maybe a little weird." - Lash
- "Trigger happy would be too obvious of a description. I find at least one or more of his gun stashes when I go on rat patrol in the Arcade-O-Rama, which leads me to believe he might be paranoid. He doesn't seem to be so keen about magic, though he seems to accept my presence at least." - Cait Sith
- "Miao." - Miss Pussycakes
- "You'd best prepare yourself, Darren. We're coming for you and all of your delicious pizza!" - Black Ice
- "I'm glad to have another normal human on the team and it's good that he enjoys what we do. I see a bright, fully loaded future for him." - Cobalt Crush
- "He seems very determined and has an incredibly strong drive to succeed. I'd tell him to expand on his skill sets as well as continue to apply himself to his shooting expertise. I do know he was responsible for saving almost 8000 lives and was undeterred by the threats around him when it was probably an easier task just to quit. While I've heard some less than stealer things about him on a personal level, who knows... we may just see the next All-Star on our hands one day." - Sparrowhawk
Enemies
Quicksable is a speedster working for the one thing in this world that matters: power. Money and fame are but a means to that end, but he ultimately cares for neither. Unlike many of his ilk, this speedster is calculating and patient, rarely rushing into a situation until its called for. And while he may never be the fastest, he more than makes up for it by being cold-blooded, power-hungry, and unswerving in his path to glory.
Quicksable is something of a dark reflection of Kid Ballistic: he's young, but skilled, dangerous, and undiminished by his adult competitors. But where KB maintains something resembling a moral code (mostly for appearances), Quicksable throws it all out the window, and does exactly what he needs to do in order to survive, profit, or eliminate his adversaries. He poses a significant challenge for Kid Ballistic, being able to outwit and elude all but the most skilled of shooters. Despite KB's quick hands, he's no match for Quicksable's speed, and must rely on his wits and creativity to stop him.
The Sable Speedster's powers all result from his incredible control over velocity. He thinks, runs, and fights at a superhuman rate. He can spin his body to create gusts of wind, and vibrate portions of his body to destroy weapons, locks, or the armor of an unlucky foe.
Coming soon...
Coming soon...
Soundtrack
These Boots Are Made For Walkin' | Nancy Sinatra
T.N.T. | AC/DC
Libiamo ne' lieti calici | Francesco Maria Piave
(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) | Beastie Boys
Turn Blue | The Black Keys
I Don't Wanna Set The World On Fire | The Ink Spots
Anything Goes | Cole Porter
Sexy and I Know It | LMFAO
Weapon Of Choice | Fatboy Slim
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly | Ennio Morricone
1812 Overture | Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Cum On Feel The Noize | Quiet Riot
Bang Bang | Nancy Sinatra
Summer Wine | Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood
The Ecstasy Of Gold | Ennio Morricone
Billie Jean | Michael Jackson
Shake It Off | Taylor Swift
Big Iron | Marty Robbins
For Whom The Bell Tolls | Metallica
Moves Like Jagger | Maroon 5
I'm A Man | Black Strobe
The Good Life | Tony Bennett
Fire Your Guns | AC/DC
Requiem: Dies Irae | Giuseppe Verdi
Short Change Hero | The Heavy
The Last Gunfighter Ballad | Johnny Cash
L'Arena | Ennio Morricone
Killing Me Softly With His Song | Nancy Sinatra
Sinister Kid | The Black Keys
Dirty Work | Austin Mahone
Peace Sells | Megadeth
Cool For The Summer | Demi Lovato
Shots | LMFAO
No. 1 Party Anthem | Arctic Monkeys
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap | AC/DC
Young At Heart | Frank Sinatra
Can't Kill Us | The Glitch Mob
I Walk The Line | Johnny Cash
Violence of the Sun | Wolfmother
Il Tramonto (The Sundown) | Ennio Morricone
Gold Guns Girls [Acoustic] | Metric
If I Ruled The World | Tony Bennett
Tropes
- Allergic To Routine - Kid Ballistic does what he wants, when he wants. So when he has to keep doing the same thing, or worse, do nothing, he gets...itchy.
- Badass Normal and Superhero Packing Heat - KB's skills and talents go beyond the ken of mortal men. Well, OK - normal men. Part of that is innate badassery, part of it is intense training, and part of is an arsenal worthy of most 80s action flicks.
- Berserk Button - KB is always kind of a [CENSORED], but he only really gets angry at two things: failing a shot, and getting teased for his poor aim.
- Bottomless Magazines - Sometimes he never seems to run out. Sometimes there are never enough.
- Bulletproof Vest - A necessity. The only thing keeping his fickle friend, the bullet, from finding its way back to his heart. That, and his undeniable charm.
- Crazy Prepared - KB always shows up to a situation packing heat, and a lot of it. Does he use it all? He tries his damndest. He has weapons caches all around the city, crates of weapons and ammo at home, and plenty of hidden goodies on his person.
- Disarm, Disassemble, Destroy - Kid Ballistic can take apart most firearms and explosives in seconds, sometimes quicker if you don't need every piece. Sometimes, he'll do this to his enemy's weapons as well.
- Firing In The Air A Lot - What better way to celebrate a victory? Start a race? Get the bartender's attention?
- Good Is Not Nice - Kid Ballistic is not the nicest person at first blush. Or second and third blush. Whatever that means.
- Good Old Fisticuffs - KB hates it, but if he has nothing left, he'll square off with some basic boxing and Krav Maga techniques. He stands no chance against anyone well-trained in martial arts, but against your average opponent, its an advantage.
- Gun Nut - This much should be obvious. He loves them. He cleans them. He holds them. He loves them again. They're the source of his greatest delight on Earth.
- Gun Twirling - What self-respecting gunslinger doesn't do this on a regular basis? Nevermind that it's not entirely safe!
- Guns Akimbo - When you need quantity over quality, two pistols are the way to go. And KB always uses two.
- Handsome Devil - Despite his arrogant, wild, and spiteful attitude, KB's rockin' a serious bod and a handsome mug to boot.
- Heroic Fatigue - He's more likely to feel this after long hours of preparation, smithing, inventing, patrol, etc. KB has a penchant for long-hours and putting off sleep as long as he can. He almost seems to enjoy it.
- Jerkass Has A Point - No matter how arrogant or insufferable he can be, he's been around the block, and his adaptive mind often finds solutions others never thought of.
- Jerk With A Heart Of Gold - Deep down, KB just wants approval and acceptance. He has a lot of respect for others, and even cares about a few, for whom he would do a great lot. Will he admit it? No. Will he show it? Don't count on it.
- Made Of Iron - He's 17, and he drinks like a fish, smokes like a factory, and sleeps like an junkie. His bones have been broken, he's been shot, he's been concussed. And still he marches on.
- More Dakka - Kid Ballistic doesn't savor the shot like a sniper. He rides a wave of automatic fire until his hands are numb and his ears are ringing.
- Muscles Are Meaningless - Ballistic's in great shape, but there are hordes of those stronger and tougher than him. And he takes those people down on a regular basis.
- No Range Like Point-Blank Range - He knows a few martial arts moves. He carries a knife. Doesn't matter. If you try to close distance with him, you will still get shot. "Multiple" doesn't even begin to describe how many times.
- Post-Victory Collapse - KB usually makes it home first, but almost every battle pushes him to his limits, being a normal human and all. Adrenaline's a hell of a drug, and the come-down is a hard one.
- Quick Draw - He may not be accurate, but he is a quick handed [CENSORED]. Try him.
- Smoking Barrel Blowout - Another obligatory gunslinger move. He actually engineers his ammunition to produce more smoke just so he can do this.
- Socially-Awkward Hero - KB can be an odd duck. Being raised in foreign lands by his father didn't nurture all the social cues and graces that most people get in the States. Or culture in general.
- Trick Bullet - The essence of KB's crimefighting. He uses more custom, non-lethal ammunition than the standard. And it still feels good.
- Trigger Happy - If he's standing still, you can bet he wants to be moving. And if his guns are holstered, you can bet he's trying to find an excuse to whip 'em out.
- Wall of Weapons and Where Does He Get All Those Wonderful Toys? - KB's hideout is packed with weapons and ammo. Some are on display, many are hidden in crates and panels and pipes and drawers and floorboards. One wonders where and how someone his age gets his hands on hundreds of pounds of Semtex. A close second is "Why does someone your age have hundreds of pounds of Semtex!?"
- Young Gun - While remarkable for his age, it's remarkably obvious that KB's still got a lot to learn. He is usually outmatched by other heroes who do the same thing he does.
The Rest Of It
- Kid Ballistic is nefarious for collateral damage, needless noise, and mayhem. It's been on the news, and if you're anywhere near Westside, you've probably heard it, or seen it up close.
- Kid Ballistic is a regular at Club Caprice. They won't let him drink, but he takes care of that before and after. Mostly he goes there to dance, people watch, and occasionally mingle with his new crowd.
- Kid Ballistic has been all around the world. He knows a mess of foreign language and custom. He misses traveling sometimes, and will often talk about the places he's been.
- If you've been paying attention, you know that Kid Ballistic is well-armed. He loves to talk about his arsenal.
- KB's a regular at Darren's Pizza in City Center. He's notorious for showing up in costume, and ordering the most ungodly recipes.
- Sid frequents a few record stores in Westside. He spends hours sampling records, usually before buying just one.
- Cigarettes and coffee make a volatile fuel for his long hours at the worktable, or on patrol. When he must do research or online orders, he can be found in any coffee shop with wi-fi.
- Sid often talks to himself, and others, when absorbed in a task. He may start talking about something without even realizing what he's saying.
- Nobody touches his guns. Nobody. If you're touching his guns, you're probably walking into a trap. Or he really likes you. Or he's dead...which means its probably a trap.
- Kid Ballistic is obsessed with action films and westerns. His favorite movies are The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Die-Hard, and Commando.
- KB listens to a lot of music, even during combat. Rock 'n' Roll, Jazz, Metal, Opera, Electronica? Yes please. It is not uncommon to find him dancing. Explosives and gunshots are cues and dance-moves in his one-man show.
- KB is an accomplished, albiet amateur dancer. Most of what he knows is learned from his favorite music videos, and his guilty pleasure: movie musicals. He is not, however, a good dance partner.
- KB doesn't just drink alcohol because it looks cool (although it does). He actually does enjoy some of it. He's very partial to bourbon and brandy.
- Ballistic is actually very nervous around girls. He had next to zero experience with them growing up, and was never really taught how to act around them. So he reacts in one of two ways: he belittles them, or tries to ignore them. Woe to any girl who actually catches his eye.
- KB is ambidextrous.
- KB doesn't care for video games, especially first-person shooters. Once you've done the real thing, the virtual comes up pretty short.
- KB knows a smattering of foreign languages. He can communicate basic ideas in Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Russian, and Arabic. He used to know Spanish and French pretty well, but has since let it fall by the wayside.
- KB, being new to the United States, knows comparatively little about it. Pop culture references and common knowledge often goes right over his head.
- KB hates the bow and arrow. Guess what he thinks of archers?
- KB hates telepathy even more.
- Don't even get him started on magic.
- KB is constantly experimenting with new ammunition or modifications to his weapons. These don't always go over well.
- KB is a huge fan of two people in the superpowered community: the supersoldier All-Star and the hired assassin Killshot, despite the fact that All-Star doesn't know he exists, and Killshot tried to, well, kill him.
- Sid's favorite season is Spring. He likes the rain. It's also mating season.
- The Boy in Blue doesn't have a driver's license. But he's fixing up an old motorbike anyway.
Kid Ballistic is heavily inspired by the more mercenary, underworld, and wild side of comic book superheroes (and villains). Chief among them are Hit-Girl, Damian Wayne, Arsenal, and the Comedian. A lot of little pieces of his character or costume were inspired by the Punisher, Deathstroke the Terminator, and Deadpool. There's also, as with most of my characters, a lot of me in KB's character.
In a live-action adaptation of Kid Ballistic's adventures, he might be played by Grant Gustin, of Flash and Glee fame. If he could put on some more muscle, cut the hair, and play a bad boy, I think he's got the chops and the look to do a pretty good KB. In animation, he'd look much the way he looks in the art commissioned below. His voice would be a deeper, but every bit as energetic performance by either Jason Spisak or Greg Cipes, who voiced the Flash in Young Justice and Beast Boy in Teen Titans, respectively.
Image Gallery
