Captain Collider
create the future." - Victor Hugo
U.S CitizenDirector of Research (Department of Applied Physics and Technology) at Arcadia City University
Adjunct Professor (Several Institutions)
Once a brilliant physicist eager to change the world for the better, Malcolm Parton's life was changed forever when a freak accident caused him to be caught in a highly experimental particle collider mid-collision. Though he should have been killed, an unknown variable caused the hyper accelerated Power Particles to destroy and reconstruct Malcolm's body, merging with his physiology at a subatomic level. The process radically altered Mal, transforming him into a conduit to the metaphysical plane and granting him extraordinary superpowers in the process. Imbued with power beyond his wildest imagination, Mal vowed to use it responsibly in keeping with his pacifistic beliefs and became Captain Collider, the immeasurable Man of the Millennium!
A gentle and reserved soul at heart, Captain Collider considers himself a scientist first and a superhero second, always prioritising thought and diplomacy over violence and confrontation. Though his wisdom, courage and compassion make him a hero among heroes, his idealistic pacifism occasionally borders on naivete. Still, with the potential for absolute power present within him, Captain Collider strives every day to ensure it doesn't corrupt him absolutely in his never-ending battle for a brighter tomorrow.
Currently, Captain Collider maintains his vigil over his hometown of Arcadia City and the world at large. He even devotes some time to adventures of a cosmic scale, travelling to alternate universes and alien worlds in a constant effort to protect the Multiverse from all who would threaten its existence.
Biography
Origin
Born in San Francisco to renowned physicist Gerald Parton and firefighter Grace Parton, Malcolm Franklin Parton was the second child of the couple, born after his older sister, Francine. Born into well-educated, well-off family, Mal wanted for little and received all the love and support he needed from parents, siblings, friends and teachers growing up. From a very early age, the true value of companionship and community were instilled within him.
Inheriting his father's natural genius, Mal showed a staggeringly high intellectual capacity very early in his childhood, especially with concern to the sciences. With his father's love of science and his mother's compassion for others, he would often spend his free time studying the world around him in the hopes that he could somehow use what little knowledge he possessed at the time to make the people in his life happier. Wherever there was a problem in his neighbouhood, a young Mal was never far behind with childlike inventions and a friendly disposition.
Throughout his school years, Mal often found himself on the receiving end of bullying and ostracisation from his peers to the point where he very rarely had any friends and could go through entire days without looking someone in the eye. His inventions and precociousness, likewise, earned him scorn from the teachers he eventually wound up surpassing. As far as romance went, he was almost invisible to most women and frequently felt the sting of rejection from them. Despite the self-doubt and insecurity that inevitably stemmed from a childhood of alienation, Mal maintained the belief that people were inherently good and sought to one day make them better. In his eyes, there was more to humanity than social hierarchy and popularity.
Mal was only twelve when a devastating earthquake hit San Francisco, endangering many of its citizens. Mobilising with the rest of the city's fire department, his mother, Grace Parton, bravely set out to participate in rescue operations. Dedicating herself to these efforts, she became one of the many firefighters who eventually gave their lives in the line of duty, becoming trapped in a burning building while evacuating civilians. Having died saving innocent people, she was honored as a hero by the people of San Francisco and would one day inspire her son to follow her example.
With dreams of using science to improve the lives of people around him, Mal quickly became an academic prodigy. Scholarships and college placements were offered left and right as many tried to get a hold of the promising young genius as soon as possible. Ultimately, he decided to study Particle Physics at one of the most prestigious specialised colleges in the country: Arcadia City University. It was during his studies that met the woman who would one day be love of his life, Vanessa Morello. A fellow student of Particle Physics at ACU, Vanessa's intelligence, beauty and warmness quickly drew the affections of Mal. Initially too shy to talk to her directly, he would spend his classes admiring her from afar and trying to gather up the courage to approach her.
Eventually, however, the two were partnered up on a group project and forced to work together. Despite Mal's intense timidity, they quickly began to hit it off while discussing the science behind their work and, after the project was completed, began hanging out with each other. Fighting through his inexperience and lack of confidence, Mal managed to muster up enough determination to ask her out. To his surprise, she accepted and confessed that she had been interested in him since their project. Following their date, Mal and Vanessa quickly fell in love with one another and began a steady relationship which would last well into their doctorate studies.
It was during their tenure at the university that a twenty-one year old Mal eventually proposed to Vanessa, hoping that they could start a life together once their studies came to an end. Overjoyed by Mal's proposal, Vanessa enthusiastically accepted. Once they graduated from Arcadia City University with their PhDs secured, Mal and Vanessa set a date for their wedding. The ceremony was a relatively small one attended mostly by a close circle of family and friends, but it would always be remembered as perhaps the happiest moment of Mal Parton's life.
While Vanessa got a job working at an up and coming industrial technology company called Steel Industries, Mal secured work within the physics lab of Arcadia City University both as a particle physicist and a trainee lecturer. In this position, he quickly established himself as a brilliant physicist with a bright future, helping to make a number of breakthroughs in the field of particle physics and gradually making a name for himself via his own personal discoveries and theories. One such theory would go on to form the basis of his life's work and would set into course events that would drastically influence his future: the theory of the 'Power Particle'.
Quickly becoming a popular name for his various theses and books on the Power Particle, it wasn't long before Mal received the support he needed to turn his theory into a reality. Approaching the bold, young physicist with an offer of his own lab stocked with resources, a team of diligent physicists at his disposal and all the money he needed to make sure he made the most of them, Olivier Martin, President and CEO of Unlimited Dynamics, enlisted Mal's brilliant mind in the search for his much vaunted Power Particle. Though Mal was originally reluctant to enter a partnership with the fast-talking, pampered businessman, he eventually saw that he truly wished to make the world a better place and agreed to work at his company, establishing a professional and personal friendship that would span throughout the following years.
Tragedy struck unexpectedly in Mal's personal life, however. After returning home from a day at Steel Industries completely exhausted, Vanessa suddenly collapsed and was rushed to the hospital by a panicked Mal. Once there, the couple were devastated to find out that she had somehow contracted an extremely rare disease for which there was no known cure. She was given roughly three years to live. Consumed by grief and unwilling to accept the fact that Vanessa might die, Mal single-mindedly devoted himself to unlocking the Power Particle in the hopes that he could harness its power to cure his ailing wife.
As the months went by, Mal's attempts at unlocking the Power Particle met wall after infuriating wall as Vanessa continued to grow ill. As Mal's pursuit of the perfect 'cure' to her condition became obsessive and self-destructive, Vanessa implored him to stop his research, accept her mortality and spend what little time he had left with her. Outraged by what he saw as her willing resignation to the inevitability of mortality and irritable from a great many sleepless nights, Mal lashed out at her in anger. Ashamed of his outburst, he retreated deeper into his work and refused to see Vanessa again for fear of losing his will to finish it.
Mal increased his work hours and devotion to the Power Particle over the next year, even inventing a robotic assistant named QUARK to help reduce his workload. Eventually though, as if through sheer determination, his efforts bore fruit with the creation of the world's first Parton Collider -- a particle accelerator that he hoped would uncover the mystery behind the Power Particle through the collision of accelerated particle rays. On the precipice of finally proving the legitimacy behind his life's work and saving Vanessa from the claws of fate, Mal wasted no time in trying to put the grand machine to practice.
With his life's work finally coming to a head, Mal worked up the nerve to visit Vanessa at the hospital again. Though he attempted to mend bridges with her and excite her with the possibility of a cure, Vanessa -- who had been wounded both by his previous outburst and his lack of emotional support over the last year of her life -- did not reciprocate his enthusiasm and, instead, revealed that the doctors had shortened her life expectancy to sometime within the coming weeks. Taken aback, Mal expressed an intention to redouble his efforts, but Vanessa stated that she'd prefer it if he would abandon his frenzied pursuit to save her and simply keep her company in her final days. Though Mal wanted nothing more than to make Vanessa happy, he refused to give up so close to a breakthrough and, wracked with guilt and self-loathing, left the woman he had devoted his life to sobbing in a hospital room alone.
Within a week, the preparations for the initial activation of the Parton Collider had been made. A gallery of esteemed scientists, interested investors, Unlimited Dynamics board members and a few representatives of the media gathered to observe history in the making. With the weight of the world on his heavy shoulders, Mal started up the Parton Collider and watched with bated breath as it began to pull humanity into a new age in a brilliant flash of light.
Almost too suddenly to comprehend the situation, the Parton Collider began to fluctuate wildly out of control, its collisions shaking the entire laboratory violently. As Mal hurried to find a solution to the problem, the audience and scientists were trapped in the lab by falling debris. Though he was initially unwilling to give up on his dreams, Mal quickly changed his mind on seeing the lives of others endangered and, in a bold act of heroism and redemption for his mistakes, he climbed to the upper level of the lab and attempted to hit the emergency shut down switch. As he slammed the button, however, the walkway he stood on gave way beneath him, sending him hurtling into the path of the Parton Collider's accelerated particle beams just as it fired off one final time. As the beams collided with him on either side, Mal Parton ceased to be, exploding in a flash of blinding light and leaving only an echoing scream in his wake. Though the machine shut down due to his efforts, every person in the room watched in horror as the man behind it was disintegrated before their very eyes.
Roughly a month later, as Olivier Martin and QUARK oversaw the clean up of what was left of the late Mal's lab, the former lingered for a moment on the deactivated Parton Collider and ran a sentimental hand across its surface. As he reached a certain point, however, a jolt of electricity arced out and zapped his hand as he recoiled in pain, the Parton Collider reactivated itself seemingly of its own volition. Before anyone in the room could react, however, the machine collided two accelerated particle beams and, with an explosive shockwave of light and sound, a form assembled itself out of particles within the light. As the Parton Collider once again deactivated itself, the mysterious being stumbled from its origin point. Though he was far more muscular and nude than he had been the day he 'died', he was, without a doubt, Mal Parton.
Though Mal appeared to possess the same memories and basic physical features he had prior to falling into the Parton Collider and being atomised, his body had been completely altered during the reconstruction process. Going from a lean, brown-eyed 5'11" man, he was 'reborn' 6'4" with extremely dense musculature, glowing blue eyes and the sides of his hair unnaturally whitened. Dazed and confused by his recent 'reincarnation', Mal's first thoughts immediately went to Vanessa. Pulling on a lab coat and pushing past Olivier and QUARK, Mal ran out of the building and onto the streets so he could get to the hospital as quickly as possible.
As he emerged onto the streets of Arcadia, however, Mal's senses were overwhelmed by things he shouldn't have been capable of perceiving. The sounds of voices whispering and shouting from miles away boomed in his ears like loudspeakers. His vision wavered between clearly fixating on objects too distant to usually observe and seeing through solid surfaces as if they were made of glass. His nose caught whiffs of the lunch time rush in Chinatown several blocks away and the salt water of the sea on the coast of the town. In complete agony, Mal attempted to run towards the hospital to get away from it all, only to break the sound barrier and crash headfirst through a store window; and as he pushed himself up and attempted to jump back through the opening he had made, he propelled himself into the air and came crashing back down in a heap, beams of energy firing from his eyes and into the ground wildly. Whatever had happened to Mal between his being disintegrated and being reconstituted had changed him.
With his wits restored, Mal carefully made his way back to Unlimited Dynamics' HQ and requested that Olivier have scientists examine him. Further study of Mal's physiology quickly yielded rather shocking results. For all his altered looks and musculature, the most radical change to his body came at a more subatomic level: indeed, his blood, bone marrow and even saliva all radiated a unique type of energy which indicated that the very building blocks of his body themselves had been manipulated and warped to a significant degree. In his effort to create the Power Particle, Mal had seemingly become a living conduit of Power Particles. The unique subatomic particle had become bonded with his physiology on an intimate level, granting him vast powers which may have been the result of the subconscious manipulation of particles, influenced by the superiority of the Power Particle. In short, though Mal's life's work had born fruit, all known Power Particles were currently trapped within his body, unable to be used for the benefit of anyone else while simultaneously granting him tremendous power.
Still desperate to meet his wife, Mal refused to allow Olivier's scientists to detain him for further study and insisted that his friend informed him of the time lapsed between his 'death' and 'rebirth' and Vanessa's condition. Though he seemed reluctant to tell his friend the truth when he seemed so unstable, Olivier eventually relented and revealed that Vanessa had died of her illness a few days after hearing the news of Mal's supposed death, seemingly losing the will to go on. Crestfallen at the fact that he had been unable to save the one person he had valued above all others, Mal solemnly agreed to let Olivier further study his abilities.
With the study of his altered physiology complete, Mal used the data gathered to create a 'stabilisation suit' capable of both regulating his powers and preventing the small but dangerous chance that the Power Particles in his body could become super dense and explode into a black hole with excessive use. Once his stabilisation suit was finished, Mal donned it, covered it with a layer of street clothes and, with Olivier at his side, journeyed to the cemetery where Vanessa was buried. There, he encountered her parents and, after a heartfelt moment of reconnection, reconciled with them for the mistakes he had made while Vanessa was alive.
After saying some final words to Vanessa and apologising for not being there for her when she most needed him, Mal broke down emotionally,convinced that he was a fool who had deluded himself into thinking he had the power to save anyone. Though Vanessa's parents assured him that he could still use his genius for good, Mal remained unconvinced and left with Olivier after recomposing himself.
As Olivier's limousine made its way over Arcadia City's Hyperion Bridge, the sudden arrival of a group of conspicuous motorcyclists raised alarm bells for both men -- especially when they closed in on an armoured truck a few cars away. Before either of them could come to terms with what they were seeing, the motorcyclists drew firearms and opened fire on the armoured truck, hoping to stop and loot it. Caught off-guard by the daring robbery, Olivier's hit the breaks, sending the car spiralling out of control and leaving it teetering precariously on the edge of the bridge.
After recovering from his initial panic, Mal mustered his courage and used his amazing new gifts to both thwart the robbery and save the lives of the other drivers on the bridge. When the smoke cleared, he stood over three would-be robbers wearing nothing but his stabilisation suit. Images of a man of god-like strength and presence standing over his enemies and lifting a grown man over his head with a single arm dominated news coverage and the media. Though no one could put a name and face to the mysterious strongman, they all agreed on one thing -- on that day, atop Hyperion Bridge, a hero had been born.
Meeting with his father and making up for lost time, Mal confessed that his accident had given him some sort of powers and that he had used them to save lives as the mystery man on Hyperion Bridge. Conflicted by his desire to help those around him and his apprehension towards his potentially dangerous new abilities, Mal asked his father for guidance. Though somewhat taken aback by the news, Gerald reminded Mal that his mother had died saving lives and that while her loss had forever impacted the lives of those closest to her, her sacrifice meant that those more vulnerable than her could live and grow to follow her example. Explaining to his son that the exceptional had a responsibility to use their gifts to better mankind, Gerald gave him his blessing to use his powers as his mother would have wanted. Touched by his father's words and the memory of his mother, Mal agreed.
Mal confided in Olivier that he wanted to start using his powers for the good of mankind while still pursuing the full potential of the Power Particle. Though Olivier was initially reluctant, he believed that the best way to do both things was to 'come out' as a superhero, allowing him to become an identifiable public figure while still enabling him to pursue scientific inquiry as Mal Parton. Pondering the idea, Mal noted that, with his powers being as potentially vast as they were, he wanted to ensure that there would always be accountability for his actions. This would both ease public opinion of him and humanise presence. Ever the opportunist, Olivier suggested that Mal premiere at the upcoming Wonderdome Science Expo, a representative not just of the city's shared goal of ushering in a better future, but also as a symbol of that future -- the way things could and should be.
Using Unlimited Dynamics' test grounds to train and explore the potential of his powers, Mal developed his already known powers of super strength, durability, speed and sense while picking up others such as his various energy and radiation blasts and particle vision along the way. At the same time, QUARK worked on developing a more streamlined, mobile stabilisation suit and Olivier began to figure out how to 'sell' the would-be superhero. After months of preparation, all three parties came together and gave birth to a new breed of superhero.
Eventually, the expo drew near and it was there that Mal would make his official debut as Captain Collider, trained in the use of his powers and fully ready to use them for the benefit of mankind. In a star-studded introduction heralded by music and fireworks, Mal Parton revealed to the entire world that he was not only alive and well, but better than ever. Swooping in from on high with a flowing cape and glowing eyes, the immeasurable Man of the Millennium, Captain Collider, was born.
In the coming months, Captain Collider went on to prove himself a hero worthy of his grandiose introduction. He devoted himself body and mind not only to fighting the various super criminals plaguing his home, but also to everyday criminals such as muggers, burglars and crime bosses. In addition, Captain Collider also contributed his powers and skill set to helping to further scientific inquiry both as his heroic alter-ego and as Mal Parton, promoting ideals of progress and forward thinking above all else. He has converted the uppermost levels of Unlmited Dynamics' HQ -- which soon became colloquially known as the 'Tower of Power' -- to serve as his base of operations and regularly allows civilians to approach him there with individual problems when not out on patrol or on some parallel world.
Antithesis
During his early study of his Power Particles, Captain Collider hypothesised that the Power Particle most likely existed in another dimension before manifesting itself in his atomic structure. In order to test this theory, he developed the Parton Portal -- an interdimensional portal generator intended to allow him to travel to other dimensions in search of Power Particles. Things took a turn for the worst, however, when the Parton Portal was activated for the first time. When Captain collider stepped through its gateway, he found himself in a desolate extradimensional world ravaged by war and entropy, Before he had time to truly take it all in, a chittering swarm of winged, reptilian creatures emerged from the portal and began to tear through the Tower of Power. As Captain Collider and QUARK struggled to restrain them, a towering lizard-like amazon wielding a unique staff stepped out of the Portal and with a screech, led the creatures out of the tower and towards Arcadia City, where they began to devour all in their path. As they did so, she used her strange staff to convert matter into antimatter, annihilating everything in sight.
This 'Antimatron continued on her rampage as Captain Collider rushed to stop her, fighting off her 'Ravening Horde' with QUARK and the ACPD's assistance. Eventually, through their combined efforts, they were able to force the Antimatron and her army back into the Parton Portal, sealing it within the barren dimension that would be further known as 'Point Z'. Thought he had managed to drive the Antimatron's army back, Captain Collider felt intense guilt for the creation of the Parton Portal and resolved to destroy it.
Before he could, however, Olivier Martin and Timothy Bowman reminded him that the device had been used to seal a seemingly unstoppable threat away where it could no longer do any harm. Reluctantly, Captain Collider decided to keep the Parton Portal for the sake of imprisoning superior threats to Arcadia City, modifying it to ensure that the Antimatron and her Ravening Horde would never break free again.
The Men of the Millennium
When a group of human and alien individuals donning uniforms resembling Captain Collider's costume materialised in the middle of the Eli Arcadia Memorial Park, Captain Collider quickly responded to the situation, approaching the mysterious strangers with caution. Led by a human man who referred to himself as the 'Alpha Collider', the group identified themselves as the Collider Consortium -- an intergalactic law enforcement organisation modelled after Captain Collider himself. From a future where an all-powerful Captain Collider decided to spontaneously retreat from the universe, the Collider Consortium used suits infused with sophisticated Power Particles to mimic his abilities, allowing them to fill the void of his absence. After assuring Captain Collider that they were there to help Arcadia City, Alpha Collider informed him that they had travelled back in time to apprehend a time-travelling fugitive who had taken up residence in the past and threatened the future of the Collider Consortium -- Captain Collider's arch-nemesis, Blacksmith. Still somewhat skeptical of the strange group's somewhat religious reverence for him, Captain Collider agreed to help them capture Blacksmith and take him back to the future.
With the Collider Consortium protecting the city, Captain Collider and Alpha Collider went on a manhunt for the fugitive Blacksmith. During this manhunt, however, Alpha Collider's increasingly unstable and authoritarian sentiment began to arouse Captain Collider's suspicions. These suspicions were confirmed when, upon fighting and defeating Blacksmith, Alpha Collider attempted to murder the man in cold blood. Quickly intervening, Captain Collider demanded to know what Alpha Collider's true intentions were. Duty bound to answer, Alpha Collider informed the hero that the Collider Consortium was more akin to a cult than an organisation, worshipping Captain Collider's power and using their share of it to oppress the universe. Repulsed, Captain Collider demanded that they leave his time period, but was quickly interrupted by an alert from QUARK informing him that the rest of the Collider Consortium had begun tearing the city apart in search of something. It was then that Alpha Collider incapacitated Captain Collider by catching him off guard, revealing the true reason the Collider Consortium had travelled to his time: to procure the Parton Collider and use it to increase the power of their suits.
Refusing to let them do so, Captain Collider struck a truce with a reluctant Blacksmith to stop the Collider Consortium from getting their hands on the Power Collider. Together, the two enemies fought back the Collider Consortium and its leader, using the Parton Portal to trap them in Point Z. Though Blacksmith used the chaos of the situation to slink away, Captain Collider managed to procure one of the power suits used by the Collider Consortium. Beginning to have doubts about the influence of the Power Particle and the Power Collider for the first time, he began to study the suit and time travel, hoping to prevent a future where the Collider Consortium would ever come to be. But one question remained at the very forefront of his mind: who was Blacksmith, and where did he really come from?
A Matter of Time
Through his adventures, Captain Collider eventually discovered the true nature of the Power Particle after an encounter with the villain known as Minuteman, in which he chased him to the year 3015 and met the time-travelling founder of Arcadia City, Eli Arcadia. While the two worked together to stop Minuteman as he rampaged through time, Arcadia explained that the Power Particles in Captain Collider's atomic structure actually served as a gateway to the metaphysical plane which governs the multiverse's physical laws -- the Metaverse. This meant that Captain Collider was, much to his surprise, a conduit for a greater cosmic force, granting him the power to use his particles to alter and manipulate the laws of physics as they act on him. When both men ended up trapped at the end of time thanks to the Minuteman, Arcadia helped Captain Collider change his perception of his powers and, as a result allowed him develop the power of chronokinesis. With this chronokinesis, the two men travelled back in time to stop Minuteman from killing Arcadia in the year 1700, trapping the villain between time and space. Afterwards, the heroes parted ways and returned to their respective time periods with Captain Collider resolved to further investigate the true nature of his powers...
The Battle of Arcadia
Eventually, after years of concocting schemes to destroy Captain Collider and using Power Particles to create enemies for him to fight, Blacksmith's secret identity as Maxwell Steel, the president of Steel Industries, was found out by his long-time nemesis. Backed into a corner, Steel revealed himself to the world via global broadcast as Max'ur Steel -- a time traveller from 200 years into the future. Having originated from an era where the hero had attained godhood through the mastery of his powers and used that godhood to rule over all life with an iron fist, Steel led a resistance against his tyranny and eventually used the Parton Collider to travel as far back in time as he could -- ten years before the accident that would turn Mal Parton into Captain Collider -- in order to stop him from ever unlocking the secret of the Power Particle. With only his knowledge of future technology and a few stolen canisters of stabilised Power Particles, Steel founded Steel Industries and became a billionaire, building the resources he would need to complete his mission.
His first attempt to discourage Mal Parton from creating the Parton Collider involved employing his wife, Vanessa Morello, at Steel Industries and exposing her to unique radiation which made her terminally ill. Much to Steel's dismay, however, this only prompted Mal to speed up his work on the Parton Collider, creating it ahead of schedule. With few options present to him, Steel sabotaged the first activation of the Parton Collider with a Metaversal Jammer of a future Captain Collider's own design. Unfortunately, it was this Metaversal Jammer's presence that acted as the unknown variable in activating the connection between the Metaverse and the Parton Collider, giving birth to the Power Particle and reconstructing Mal Parton into Captain Collider. For a while, Steel believed his plan had worked, having seen the Parton Collider deconstruct Mal. When he resurfaced with superpowers and went public as Captain, however, the villain had no other choice but to kill him before he became too powerful. Inventing the identity of Blacksmith, Steel used his stabilised Power Particles to create a number of Captain Collider's most formidable foes -- The Amorphous Man, Lady Winter, Obelisk, The Thunderer and ADAM to name a few. He also outfitted local gangs and super criminals with technology specifically made to counter the hero. Much to his frustration, however, Captain Collider always managed to overcome the obstacles placed before him, even becoming stronger with each new challenge. For the five years, Blacksmith conspired to eliminate Captain Collider and, for five years, Captain Collider sought to uncover the villain's true identity. When he eventually did so, however, Blacksmith had prepared one final contingency plan to dispatch his foe once and for all.
After revealing his true identity and purpose before a world which had begun to doubt Captain Collider as a result, Blacksmith put this plan into action by activating a legion of A.D.A.M drones with one singular purpose: to destroy Captain Collider and level his city. These A.D.A.M drones blitzed Arcadia with its vast numbers, targeting Captain Collider's loved ones and destroying the Wonderdome to draw him out. To protect his city, Captain Collider met the A.D.A.M drones in battle. Despite his strength and perseverance, the hero was overpowered by the army of A.D.A.Ms and was seemingly killed in the centre of Innovation Plaza. At the very last second, however, he had been rescued by one of Skeleton Key's portals, which transported him to the hideout of the Renaissance Men.
Asserting that the destruction of the city would be bad for business, the super criminals volunteered to truce with their enemy to protect Arcadia. While the Renaissance Men called in additional help from Vito 'Cash' Cardellini, The Fissioneer, The Wild Ones and Blockhead, Captain Collider activated the 'QUARK Defense Protocol', giving QUARK and Olivier Martin full control over a force of robotic drones to help protect the civilians and combat the A.D.A.M drones. Together, the fire-forged team, the police and the army united against their common enemy, destroying the A.D.A.M drones after a lengthy battle and saving Arcadia City.
Or so it seemed. Whilst the team of heroes and rogues had been protecting Arcadia City from the wave of A.D.A.Ms, Blacksmith had taken over Stonewall Penitentiary off the coast of Goldbrook to initiate the next step of his plan. Freeing some of the penitentiary's most dangerous prisoners, he offered each one a billion dollar reward for the head of Captain Collider and used a teleportation device to transport them directly to mainland Arcadia. With the likes of Obelisk, Lady Winter, The Amorphous Man, and The 3D Bandit now free, a second battle ensued between the combined forces of those protecting Arcadia City and the escaped convicts of Stonewall. During this fight, Captain Collider took the opportunity to pursue Blacksmith, chasing him to his safehouse and confronting him.
There, Blacksmith revealed his true role in Captain Collider's life, detailing how he indirectly caused the hero to be born, perverted the Power Particle to create most of the city's most dangerous threats and used his technology to kill Vanessa Morello. Furious, Captain Collider attacked Blacksmith, only to discover that he had used an experimental batch of short-term, high-yield Power Particles to temporarily establish himself as a Metaverse Conduit. With his new power, Blacksmith overwhelmed Captain Collider and took their battle to the streets of Arcadia in a devastating city-spanning brawl. As all hope seemed lost, however, Captain Collider used his own connection to the Metaverse to transfer his power to Blacksmith, overloading him with energy and causing him to 'burnout', losing all his power and collapsing.
Weakened to near death by the whole experience, Captain Collider took a moment to relax as the battle for Arcadia City came to an end. As he lay there, however, Captain Chemo arrived from the battle and entertained the notion of simply killing Captain Collider while he was vulnerable. Ultimately, though, the villain reluctantly opted to help the hero to his feet, deciding that their truce was still in effect.
Over the next few weeks, Captain Collider, the Renaissance Men, the gangs of Arcadia City and those rogues who had opted to help defend their home all banded together with volunteers and relief teams to rebuild the city in a record period of time, even managing to reconstruct and improve the Wonderdome. Though some of Stonewall's convicts had successfully escaped in the chaos of the Battle of Arcadia, the majority of them had been defeated by the combined efforts of its protectors and returned to their cells. For her part in the protection of Arcadia City and its subsequent reconstruction, Mayor Elizabeth Rhodes was elected for another term by a landslide vote. Unlimited Dynamics bought out Steel Industries and provided new jobs to all its employees, notably promoting Francine Parton to a high-level position as CFO of the new amalgamated Unlimited Enterprises. The QUARK Defense Protocol was developed further, acting as a contingency measure in the event of another city-wide crisis. Those villains who helped defend Arcadia City were given full pardons for their efforts and Blockhead became a new provisional member of the Renaissance Men (much to the Fissioneer's chagrin). Finally, the man behind Arcadia's darkest day, Max'ur Steel, was placed in a specially-made maximum security cell at Stonewall.
With his power returned to him, Captain Collider visited his imprisoned arch-nemesis and asked him for the truth behind his future. With nothing else to lose, Steel forewarned the hero that his vast power would one day grow to corrupt him, causing him to destroy everything he loves in the pursuit of godhood. This would usher in an age of darkness, in which all universes are controlled by a single man: the fallen hero once known as Captain Collider. Despite his concern over Steel's words, Captain Collider assured him that he would do everything in his power to ensure that future never came to pass. Skeptical, Steel simply dismissed him, urging the hero to leave him to his failure. With mixed emotions, Captain Collider left to continue his watch over the reconstructed Arcadia City and its people, thoughts of a potentially cataclysmic future still lingering in the corners of his mind. Though most of Arcadia City's populace still saw Captain Collider as a paragon of virtue, there would always be the doubt that Steel's broadcast sowed in the people and their protector. Would Captain Collider always be there to protect them? Or would absolute power one day corrupt him as absolutely as he always feared?
Absolute Power
During a routine confrontation with the remaining members of the Power Company, Captain Collider was struck by a sudden sense of dizziness and a lack of control over his powers, causing him to severely injure Obelisk and the Thunderer on live television. Mortified and facing pressure from A.P.E.X, Captain Collider withdrew to his Tower of Power to run tests on himself and quickly discovered that his Power Particles, once thought to be a stable quantity, had been gradually replicating and taking over his body, increasing his powers to dangerous and unpredictable levels.
As a host of new and erratic powers such as teleportation, intangibility, duplication and size manipulation began to surface in Captain Collider, he struggled to find ways to stunt the rapid growth in the concentration of his Power Particles and reduce them to their normal levels. After a number of failures, however, it was the rapid replication of his Power Particles that, ironically, provided him with a solution when the concentration in his brain grew to such an extent that he developed a mental connection to the Metaverse, granting him a unique type of 'cosmic intelligence.'
Siphoning off information from the Metaverse, Captain Collider became aware of the existence of a being known as the Superextant. Born in 19th century England, the man who would one day be known as the Superextant was once a super-genius Earth scientist named Noah Masterton. Unwittingly born a metahuman with the power of self-molecular manipulation, Masterton subconsciously used his powers to enhance his intelligence beyond that of the vast majority of humans alive during his time. Obsessed with the work of Charles Darwin, he developed several ideas and theories that would eventually be popularised as 'transhumanism'. Centuries ahead of his time, he became convinced that human evolution had been precipitated by some kind of transcendent non-human race and that the only way for humanity as a species to fully understand its purpose was to evolve beyond its current state. Though he was mocked and jeered for what had seemed like insane ramblings at the time, Masterton's theories were proven correct when he discovered a severely damaged piece of alien technology during an archaeological dig. With complete fanaticism, Masterton analysed and experimented on the piece of tech in secrecy, refusing to announce the discovery to the scientific world. His ministrations soon bore fruit when he inadvertently triggered the technology, transporting him from Earth to its planet of origin. What happened to Masterton when he materialised on this heretofore unknown alien planet remained a mystery, but eventually Masterton was able to transcend his own humanity, becoming an immortal post-human in possession of ancient Progenitor technology. With his newfound status, Masterton became the Superextant and spent a century travelling the cosmos, observing and manipulating entire species out of what appeared to be scientific curiosity.
Seeking out the Superextant, Captain Collider implored him to find a way to slow the rapid replication of his Power Particles and eliminate the slew of unstable new powers they had bestowed upon him. Though seemingly reluctant to stunt Captain Collider's potential to be "more than what was intended for him" at first, the Superextant eventually agreed and began using his Progenitor technology to 'cure' the hero's condition, explaining that he would relish the opportunity to better understand the Metaverse.
It was during this process that the Superextant explained his true motivation for helping Captain Collider. Revealing that he had been observing Captain Collider since the moment he got his powers, the Superextant used his technology to cure the hero, but also siphoned off the excess replicating Power Particles for use in his own 'experiment'. With them, he planned to create an entire race of Power Particle infused creatures and accelerate their growth to observe whether or not they would be powerful enough to conquer an entire universe. Outraged at the notion of sacrificing trillions of lives for the sake of experimentation, Captain Collider used his regained control of his powers to oppose the Superextant.
Though Captain Collider was able to deal the Superextant no small amount of damage, the post-human proved to be vastly more powerful and eventually defeated him. Impressed with Captain Collider's tenacity, however, he opted to alter his plans, instead deciding to travel back in time and use the Power Particles to completely alter the course of human evolution from its earliest possible point, hoping to create an entire planet of Metaversal conduits endowed with the indomitable human spirit. Refusing to let him do so, Captain Collider used his own chronokinesis to follow him and the two fought once more to a near standstill on a primordial Earth.
Though Captain Collider soon found himself being overpowered once more, he suddenly became aware of the fact that his mental connection to the Metaverse persisted after the procedure the Superextant had performed on him and, as such, he was able to draw upon its information on Noah Masterton before he became the Superextant. Using this information, Captain Collider implored to what remained of the Superextant's humanity and insisted that a universe in which all power is stacked in the favour of a single all-powerful species is not only a universe in which no evolution could possibly occur, but also one in which the core tenets of transhumanism would become irrelevant in the face of absolute power: it would create a universe in which progress would cease to exist and everything would become stagnant. Taken aback by the notion of his only reason for being no longer existing as a concept, the Superextant relented, disposing of the replicating Power Particles and returning himself and Captain Collider to the present.
Back in the present, the Superextant explained that, although he had managed to significantly slow Power Particle replication and remove the unstable powers in Captain Collider, there was no guarantee that the same problem wouldn't surface in the distant future and his mental connection to the Metaverse could not be safely reversed. Though still concerned at the potential growth of his powers at the cost of his humanity, Captain Collider was able to accept that evolution is fundamental to life and that any attempts to fight or pervert it would only lead to complication. Bidding farewell to the Superextant, he returned to Earth prepared to face whatever the future would bring.
As Captain Collider departed, the solemn Superextant immediately rematerialised the seemingly destroyed Power Particles and placed them in storage aboard his vessel. Though he had been discouraged from using them on this occasion, he remained convinced that, one day, they would serve a purpose and that he would most likely run afoul of the hero in the near future.
Recent Events
Now thirty-six years old, Mal Parton has been Captain Collider for just over six years. In that time, he has encountered and thwarted a number of supervillains, cosmic entities, interdimensional conquerors and even time travellers to tirelessly push the boundaries of science and heroism as best he can. He has built a reputation for himself in Arcadia City to the point where an entire section of its star landmark, the science museum known as the Wonderdome, has been dedicated to the scientific principles behind his powers. Still, as the mystery behind the true origin of Power Particle begins to become clearer, the future impact of their discovery and Captain Collider's ultimate effect on all humanity become increasingly more dubious. Can one man, regardless of power, completely change the future? And if so, would it be for better or worse?
Powers
Metaverse Conduit
Though he initially believed them to be particles capable of granting powers to suit any situation, Captain Collider has recently discovered that the Power Particles that make up 37% of his physical form are, in fact, sub-atomic particles of energy from another universe made manifest in our own. These particles serve as a link to the Metaverse -- an abstract metaphysical dimension which governs the laws of physics across the entire Multiverse. Due to his accident, Captain Collider now exists as a conduit between our physical world and the Metaverse, granting him the power to manipulate physics in order to influence his own abilities and the world around him in extraordinary ways. As a result, Captain Collider has become a metahuman of extraordinary power and might with a potential restrained only by his comparatively narrow perception of the true nature of the universe and his humanity. In addition to this, Captain Collider's devout belief in pacifism often stops him from using his abilities excessively or in overtly destructive ways, further limiting the development of what might otherwise be godlike power. Still, as time marches on, Captain Collider's understanding of his powers and their upper limits becomes increasingly more intricate and his view of existence as a whole threatens to change with it.
Currently, Captain Collider's existence as a Metaverse Conduit grants him the following superhuman powers:
Physical
- Bioelectric Field
- Superhuman Strength
- Invulnerability
The Power Particles surging through Captain Collider's structure generate an imperceptible bioelectric field with a unique electromagnetic resonance around his body. This field can be shared through contact, allowing the hero to exert tremendous strength and force through physical contact. It also acts as a dermal barrier which makes him extremely resistant to harm. The strength of the bioelectric field can be manually increased or decreased to suit Captain Collider's needs, allowing him some level control over his physical power. Though the exact upper limits of the field have yet to be seen, Captain Collider was once able to lift a monument weighing in at roughly 500 tons with some strain and notably pushed a small moon back into orbit to save a doomed planet. It also renders him nigh-invulnerable to the point where most physical attacks are incapable of even damaging his skin, let alone the flesh beneath. Given the source of the field's power, it is theoretically possible that Captain Collider's strength and invulnerability are limited only by the strain on his connection to the Metaverse, which may otherwise supply boundless energy.
- Particle Acceleration
- Flight
- Superhuman Speed
By accelerating his Power Particles at high speeds, Captain Collider is capable of simulating several aspects super speed and achieving self-propelled flight. As a result, he can process thoughts, move, fly, run and react at approximately the speed of light when pushed to his limits. Though he has shown himself to be capable of moving his particles at the speed of light, however, he lacks the reflexes most high-level speedsters possess and, therefore, typically settles for more manageable speeds. He normally uses his powers to absorb the kinetic energy he releases when breaking the sound barrier in order to negate its damaging effects.
- Enhanced Vision
- EM Vision
- Telescopic Vision
- Microscopic Vision
By manipulating the Power Particles in his eyes, Captain Collider is capable of enhancing or otherwise influencing his vision through application of 'filters' across the electromagnetic spectrum. This 'EM Vision', as he calls it, grants him X-Ray Vision, Infrared Vision, Night Vision, Ultraviolet Vision and the ability to perceive microwaves and radio waves. In addition to this, he can also convert the Power Particles in his eyes to take on the properties of electrons and positrons, which enables him to see at great distances and concentrate his sight on otherwise imperceptible objects in a manner similar to that of a powerful telescope or microscope.
- Enhanced Physiology
- Enhanced Regeneration
- Superhuman Senses
- Superhuman Stamina
- Self-Sustenance
- Decelerated Aging
As a result of the radiation from the Power Particles making up most of his atomic structure, Captain Collider's natural human traits have also been boosted to superhuman levels. His body's natural healing abilities have been increased tenfold, allowing him to recover from diseases, contaminants and any injuries he does receive significantly faster than the average man. His senses of sight, smell, hearing and taste have also been enhanced, allowing him to hear at extreme variances of frequency, pitch and distance; register smells across great distances; perceive sights with added clarity and taste subtle flavours such as specific poisons or drugs. He can additionally remain active for extensive periods of time without oxygen, food, water or rest and has shown evidence of significantly decelerated aging.
Non-Physical
- Energy Manipulation
- Energy Generation
- Energy Absorption
- Radiation Generation
- Radiation Absorption
- Collider Vision
- Radioactive Vision
By charging his Power Particles with various kinds of energy drawn from the Metaverse, Captain Collider is able to turn his body into a living battery and project any number of distinct energies from it. For the purposes of concentrating this projection in a controlled way, he usually expels it from his eyes or hands, the former of which typically manifests itself as concentrated (and sometimes imperceptible) beams of hyper accelerated energy -- 'Collider Vision'. Though the nature of the energy Captain Collider projects is usually either concussive or atomic, he can alter exactly what he projects whenever the situation calls for it. He can also similarly generate radiation, often expelling imperceptible rays from his eyes or producing 'auras' around various parts of his body. In addition to generating his own energy to charge Power Particles with, Captain Collider can also siphon off energy and radiation from other sources, absorbing and storing it within his Power Particles to temporarily increase their strength and efficacy. Though, like any battery, he has his bursting point, Captain Collider has shown that he is capable of absorbing almost any kind of energy or radiation in massive amounts rivaling -- or, sometimes, exceeding -- even the greatest power sources in the known universe. Though he has often absorbed so much energy that it caused him pain, leaked out or damaged his stabilisation suit, he has yet to reach his actual maximum capacity.
Metaphysical
- Matter Manipulation
By channeling the Metaverse's dominion over the laws of physics through his Power Particles, Captain Collider is able to manipulate matter on a sub-atomic level, altering the physical or elemental properties of any given structure to an almost limitless degree. Among other things, he has shown himself capable of shifting the matter state of different substances, altering their density, atomically deconstructing and reconstructing substances, transmuting one form of matter into another, creating new elements and even completely dissociating subatomic bonds to disintegrate the subject of his manipulation. Despite the vast potential of this power, Captain Collider is seemingly incapable of manipulating the matter of living organisms.
- Chronokinesis
Captain Collider discovered his chronokinesis when he was forced by Eli Arcadia to go backwards in time to stop a newly empowered Minuteman. Since then, Captain Collider has developed some control over the ability. With his chronokinesis, he can travel backwards and forwards in time by hyper-accelerating his Power Particles, divorcing his physical structure from the flow of time to 'insert' himself elsewhere. As a side-effect, he is also capable of subconsciously perceiving time, allowing him to detect those who come from alternate timelines and periods and sense temporal complications. He has also shown a resistance to temporal alteration, retaining his memories of pre-altered timelines in all but the most extreme cases. Due to the dangers of manipulating time and the difficulty of doing it accurately, however, Captain Collider almost never resorts to using his chronokinesis.
- Meta-Vision
As a side-effect of being a physical conduit for the Metaverse's cosmic energy to flow through, Captain Collider possess an instinctual cosmic awareness of what transpires throughout the Multiverse at large, acting almost like a sixth sense of sorts. Though the vagaries of this 'Meta-Vision' are little understood by Captain Collider himself, it usually manifests passively and allows him to detect significant threats to the Multiverse's well-being, wide-spanning changes to its status quo and powerful cosmic energy signatures among other things. Perhaps the most advanced use of this Meta-Vision, however, is harnessing its detection of cosmic energy signatures and events to track them across the Multiverse.
- Cosmic Intelligence
Captain Collider recently developed this power when the concentration of Power Particles in his brain replicated to the point where it began to influence its function. As a result, his brain has a connection through which it is able to transfer the bio-electric signals associated with brain activity between itself and the Metaverse. Due to the development of this power, Captain Collider gradually reached a level of intelligence that exceeded his previous human capabilities and has a potentially limitless capacity for intellectual growth. By replicating memories in the Metaverse, Captain Collider is effectively able to 'back-up' information in a 'cosmic hard drive'. He is also capable of drawing upon his Metaversal connection to 'download' information on certain phenomenon throughout the Multiverse. He possesses a level of non-linear thought and can potentially carry out infinite thought processes at once. It is even theorised that, in the event of his death, his consciousness could live on within the Metaverse. Due to the fact that his mind is effectively a nonlinear photonic array, it is structured in such a manner that memories can be as 'real' as the present to him, further altering his perception of reality. Though he has trained himself to suppress this aspect of his newfound power, it still threatens to further detach him from his rapidly disappearing humanity.
Equipment
Collider Stabilisation Suit
When Captain Collider's powers first began to manifest themselves, the difficulty he had controlling them gave him cause for concern. Theorising that, if he ever lost control he might wind up combusting into a black hole, Captain Collider constructed the Collider Stabilisation Suit. Made out of a patented protective material known as Omniflex, the Collider Stabilisation Suit is capable of both containing Captain Collider's fluctuating power levels and offering resistance to all manner of destructive elements, making its exceedingly durable.
In addition to the Omniflex, the stabilisation suit is outfitted with a number of focusing devices which allow the hero to better control his powers. Crafted out of a kendrium alloy designed to make them both durable and adept at funneling unstable energies, the suit's bracers and boots allow for more focused energy projection while also acting as power limiters. The belt -- crafted from the same material -- acts as the essential element in keeping Captain Collider structurally sound under strain. Finally, the headpiece comes with an airtight visor and ventilation system for underwater and space missions. The cape is made out of the experimental polymer known as Nullymer, created by Mal Parton himself. Through the use of a unique and subtle vibrational frequency constantly resonating through it, Nullymer is able to 'negate' most harmful substances and elements to a significant degree, making it ideal for defending its wearer from harm.
When not operating as a superhero, Captain Collider usually uses his connection to the Metaverse to store the stabilisation suit's particles within it. From there, he can call upon it at will by infusing his hands with ionic energy and slamming his fists together, creating a flash that condenses the particles of his costume over him and atomises his civilian clothes (or vice versa).
Parton Collider
Created for the purpose of discovering the Power Particle through the collision of other accelerated particles, the Parton Collider was expected to allow superpowers to be reliably bestowed upon any given subject in any given capacity. After Mal Parton activated the Parton Collider for the first time, however, a spontaneous act of self-sacrifice combined with sabotage from Blacksmith caused an unexpected turn of events. In a freak accident, Mal was bombarded by its accelerated particle beams. Torn apart and reconstructed on a subatomic level, he became infused with stable Power Particles and gained extraordinary powers. With these powers he became Captain Collider, the Man of the Millennium.
Though he he has tried many times, Mal has yet to succeed in replicating the conditions that gave him his powers. Nevertheless, the Parton Collider remains in the centre of the Tower of Power and plays a vital role in Captain Collider's future. As friends and foes from other worlds and timelines appear, all somehow linked to the discovery of the Power Particle, the consequences of the Parton Collider's creation begin to weigh more heavily on Captain Collider's mind and the events unfolding around him.
Parton Portal
An interdimensional portal generator created by Mal Parton to branch out to other dimensions to find Power Particles, the Parton Portal accidentally opened a gateway to a dimension of endless war and entropy known only as Point Z on its activation. From Point Z, the Antimatron arrived in our world and may have destroyed a large part of it if not for Captain Collider. Though he wished to destroy his creation, Captain Collider was forced to use it to trap Doctor Collider where he could do no harm, sequestered in a universe already ravaged by ceaseless chaos. The hero cannot bring himself to destroy it once and for all if because of its utility in containing global and cosmic threats.
Abilities
Super Genius Level Intellect: Endowed with an IQ which has been cited as"immeasurably high", Captain Collider possesses a super genius level of intelligence and a brilliant scientific mind. With his keen intellect, Collider has ready access to an eidetic memory, a high capacity for academic progression and the uncanny ability to think faster and on a higher level of reasoning than most people, all of which make him well-suited to the mental toll of regularly and accurately using his powers. His recently discovered 'Cosmic Intelligence' only serves to further enhance his intellectual capabilities. Truly, his mind is his most valuable asset.
Brilliant Physicist: With a PhD and years of specialisation in particle physics as well as additional doctorates in astrophysics, nanoscience and nanotechnology, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, robotics, electronics, nuclear physics, quantum mechanics and theoretical physics, Captain Collider is arguably one of the world's foremost physicists, at times decades ahead of his peers in terms of innovation. His vast knowledge of physics is regularly applied to his crime-fighting and his expanding knowledge of the Metaverse as he makes leaps and bounds towards discovering the true nature of the multiverse at large.
Expert Chemist and Biologist: Though not as adept in either of these subjects as he is in physics, Captain Collider's knowledge of chemistry and biology is nothing to be sniffed at and he's usually able to put it to good use. Of particular note is his level of study in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, metahuman science and xenobiology.
Multilingualism: Having used a mixture of his super speed and his eidetic memory to greatly expedite the learning process, Captain Collider has become fluent in a vast number of Earth's many languages. It would be far easier to list the number he has yet to gain some understanding of than it would be to list all the ones he can speak. He knows no alien languages yet, though he has taught himself sign language and knows how to read lips.
Personality
Personable, perceptive and generally earnest, Captain Collider is an affable and dependable person inside and out. A generous, gentle soul, he only wants happiness for as many people as possible and truly wants to see the good in everybody. In his mind, altruism is the human condition and the only reasonable way to ensure mankind's progression as a species. As such, he always goes out of his way to make sure everyone is treated fairly and with a modicum of compassion, even the ones who may not deserve it.
This all-loving personality is reflected in his pacifistic philosophy, which he always strives to maintain. To Captain Collider, violence in any case where violence is not strictly needed is the result of a failure by people to act as civilised creatures. That isn't to say he completely avoids violence, however, as he understands the necessity of it and readily takes up arms when he needs to. Responsibility and duty are very important to Captain Collider. He believes it is his responsibility as a person to use his powers and intellect for good and frowns upon anyone who doesn't. As such, he usually exercises extreme caution to make sure he never crosses any boundaries -- perhaps to a noticeable fault, as he can be rather hesitant to show true force in all but the most pressing situations.
A man of science, Captain Collider has a boundless curiosity when it comes to the subject and approaches any opportunity to expand his intellectual horizons with an overzealousness that contrasts with his usual sobriety. He has an almost unquenchable thirst for understanding how all things work. In addition, he usually confronts obstacles with the lateral mind of a scientist, preferring to take the thinking man's path. He holds knowledge and invention in great esteem and can hardly stop himself from expressing awe and excitement at some of the many marvels he stumbles upon during his adventures. He can even become enthralled to the point where he enthusiastically compliments enemies on their death rays and giant robots while thwarting them. There is a dark side to this passion for science, however, as he can be single-minded in his pursuit of it to the point where he often neglects the social and emotional needs of the people in his life, or even disregards his own well-being.
Though it's easy to get lost in Captain Collider's larger than life presence, the hero readily indulges in his humanity, warts and all. He still conducts himself with some mannerisms of the meeker man he once was. For instance, he bottles up a discernible level of self-doubt and insecurity, can be very self-effacing, embarrasses surprisingly easily and tends to take most people at face value, often responding sincerely to facetious remarks. Captain Collider is also prone to rattling off information, going off on lengthy tangents or complicated scientific explanations. Despite his genius, he has a tendency to be absent-minded about more mundane things such as names and social plans. His pacifism, though admirable, can border on naivete, particularly when dealing with more morally grey scenarios. An outspoken liberal, he is strongly devoted to his own personal beliefs and can become volatile when they're infringed upon -- especially when science, power or authority are exploited. Indeed, the burden of Captain Collider's powers and the constant challenges to his idealism constantly weigh on him, making him brusque and cantankerous when it all gets to be too much. Likewise, the burden of responsibility he places on himself can make him very self-deprecating and emotionally withdrawn, coming across as inexplicably distant and private despite his warm nature and apparent openness. At times, it's almost as if he is wary of expressing too much emotion, a plausible notion considering his vast power and its potential hazards.
On a more personal note, Captain Collider loves people. He regularly tours the world on his college lecture circuits and frequently devotes time to attending public events or just helping many of the civilians he has met during his career. He has a fairly good sense of humour and rarely takes offense to the odd joke on his behalf -- though his own attempts at comedy are often groan-inducing. Open-minded to the extreme, he's always willing to try new things. Despite his friendliness, however, Captain Collider is still very much an introvert and likes to spend time alone with his thoughts when he can. In romance, he has a tendency to be predictably awkward, considering his history. If he develops romantic feelings for a woman he rarely, if ever, makes the first move and usually keeps his affections to himself due to a lack of experience outside of his late wife. It should be noted by any woman in his life, however, that they may have issues competing with his love of science and commitment to superheroics.
Captain Collider's Myers-Briggs personality type is INFJ.
Friends & Allies
QUARK
Resembling a particle in design, the diminutive robot, QUARK, was made to maximise its mobility in the lab and in the field through the use of anti-gravitational electromagnetic propulsion. Built with a learning artificial intelligence, QUARK possesses the intuitive mind and personality of a human with the processing potential of an advanced robot. In order to make his robotic assistant more 'human', Mal also gave QUARK a 'voicebox' which allows him to simulate human speech patterns to create its own voice and the ability to express its simulated emotional states through the use of emoticons, which are projected on the screen it uses for a 'face'. In place of hands, QUARK utilises tractor beam projectors mounted on either side of its spherical body.
Apart from its various outer features, QUARK also possesses a number of secondary features implanted to better serve Mal during his day to day work. As well as using its 'face' to communicate, QUARK can present information on it and can even act as a two way video communication device. Its tractor beam projectors can be used to project force fields and fire defensive stun blasts. QUARK is also capable of tapping into various radio frequencies and remotely interfacing with technological devices of various shapes and sizes. A universal translator allows him to interpret any known language of human or alien origin and seamlessly translate it with a very small margin of error. An omni-scanner embedded in its visual sensors can scan any number of substances, organisms or energy forms to identify or further analyse them using the robot's wide database of information.
Since donning his cape and becoming a hero, Captain Collider has found QUARK to be an invaluable ally, albeit in a support capacity. With its somewhat timid personality, however, QUARK isn't too fond of having to risk its 'life' doing so and is always ready to voice its apprehension.
After the Battle of Arcadia, the 'QUARK Defense Protocol' used to ward off A.D.A.M drones was fully developed. Now, in the event of Captain Collider's absence, or a citywide (or even global) threat, a squadron of fully equipped modular androids can be dispatched from the Tower of Power for crowd control, prisoner/civilian escort, rescue operations and combat support. These drones -- colloquially known as 'HADRONS' or the 'HADRON Composition' -- resemble QUARK in design, with 'visors' instead of faces and Captain Collider's insignia on their chests.' They also possess voice functions for communication. They are almost fully controlled by QUARK, with some input from Olivier Martin when available.
NPCs
Chief Timothy Bowman: The youngest police chief in Arcadia City's history at the ripe age of twenty-four, Timothy Bowman is the latest in a long line of esteemed police officials in his family's history and is eager to continue his family's legacy. Though he can be cold and stringent to compensate for his relative youth and childlike looks, he has remained a trustworthy and invaluable ally to Captain Collider.
Olivier Martin: The president and CEO of Unlimited Dynamics, Olivier is Captain Collider's boss and his best friend. Born into money and having inherited his post from his father, he has a tendency to be somewhat spoiled and ignorant of other people but is an inherently good person beneath it all and a savvy businessman.
Vanessa Morello: Captain Collider's deceased wife and and a chemist of some renown. She died of a mysterious and terminal illness while Mal Parton was pursuing the Power Particle as a means of curing her. It was later revealed, however, that her terminal illness was deliberately caused by Blacksmith in a vain attempt to stop Mal Parton from discovering the Power Particle.
Gerald Parton: Captain Collider's father and a renowned physicist in his own right, Gerald Parton acts as an intellectual and philosophical mentor to his son when needed and does all he can to support his unique lifestyle. Having lost his mother, Captain Collider is extremely protective of his father, especially in the face of his waning health.
Francine Parton: A successful executive for Unlimited Dynamics' competitor, Steel Industries, Captain Collider's sister is ambitious and ruthless in business but very much cares for her older brother, despite their conflicting ideologies. Captain Collider worries that she may end up getting involved in the company's more shady dealings. She was recently promoted to CEO following Unlimited Dynamics' acquisition of Steel Industries after the Battle of Arcadia.
Grace Parton: Captain Collider's mother and a firefighter, Grace Parton died while he was still young, saving people from a burning building after a devastating earthquake. Though long gone, her example and teachings still inspire the hero in his darkest moments and remind him of the importance of doing the right thing.
Mayor Elizabeth Rhodes: The newly elected mayor of Arcadia City, Elizabeth Rhodes has become a fast acquaintance of Captain Collider through his attendance at various events and countless occasions in which he saved her life. A courageous, determined woman who deeply cares about her city, she has time and again earned Captain Collider's respect. She has also developed something of a crush on him, admiring his kindness, intellect and bravery in the face of hardship. Her romantic feelings aren't necessarily unrequited, either...
Rogues Gallery
(Archived and maintained by QUARK using Captain Collider's personal files)
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BLACKSMITH
"Captain Collider will sweep through the multiverse like a plague unless I become the architect of his destruction -- I will forge our salvation."
Real Name: Maxwell Steel/Max'ur Steel
Powers/Abilities: Super Genius Level Intellect, Stabilised Power Particles, Tachyon-Based Weaponry, Future Tech
Occupation: Formerly President of Steel Industries (Power Company)
Origin: Natural(?)
Motivation: Ideals/Emotional/Purpose
Inspired By: Lex Luthor (DC), Harrison Wells (DC), Doctor Doom (Marvel), Bishop (Marvel)
Infamously: Revealed that he had traveled back in time and devoted decades to manipulating Mal Parton's life in order to stop him from conquering the future as Captain Collider, leading to the infamous Battle of Arcadia.
Though he appeared to be the inconspicuous, if not ruthlessly pragmatic, president of Steel Industries when he first encountered Mal Parton prior to the accident that gave him his powers, the reclusive, enigmatic and highly successful Maxwell Steel harboured a dark secret that would explain both his whirlwind success in the business world and his company's rivalry with Unlimited Dynamics. Initially donning a unique metal helmet to conceal his identity and adopting the pseudonym "Blacksmith", Steel plagued Captain Collider's early career with a batch of stabilised Power Particles, using them to grant extraordinary powers to susceptible members of Arcadia City's populace and weaponising them in his plans to destroy the burgeoning Man of the Millennium. It wasn't long before his manipulation, devotion and plentiful resources made him Captain Collider's most significant foe.
After five years of battling his arch-nemesis, Blacksmith revealed his identity as Maxwell Steel to the world and further explained that he was actually Max'ur Steel -- a time traveler who hailed from a distant future where Captain Collider used his powers to attain physical godhood and enslaved the multiverse. Having lost his parents to this version of Captain Collider, Steel traveled back in time with stolen Power Particles to stop the hero from ever coming to be. It was Steel who exposed Vanessa Morello to the harmful radiation that would cause her terminal illness, it was Steel who had founded his company to thwart Unlimited Dynamics at every turn, and it was Steel whose attempt at sabotaging the Parton Collider ironically led to the accident that gave birth to Captain Collider. This revelation and the villain's subsequent plan to launch a last ditch attack on Captain Collider with a legion of A.D.A.M drones led to the Battle of Arcadia, which ended with his final defeat after a Power Particle infused brawl with his sworn enemy.
Since then, Steel has seemingly given up on his mission to save the future from Captain Collider and resides at a specially-designed supermax security cell at the Stonewall Penitentiary, warning his nemesis of the inevitability of his descent into darkness.
Threat Level:
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Doctor's Notes:
"Maxwell Steel, A.K.A Max'Ur Steel, A.K.A Blacksmith, is perhaps the most formidable enemy I've ever faced. He's definitely the one who has most impacted my life, at least... To make matters worse, he may not have even be wrong to try and stop me -- to kill me before I become something else. Even now I can't help but wonder if I've truly defeated him. And, if so, does it mean that I've changed the world for the better or the worse?"
INCARCERATED
THUNDERER
Real Name: Elijah Hawthorne
Powers/Abilities: Electricity Manipulation, Bio-Electricity Manipulation
Occupation: Super Terrorist/Cult Leader (Power Company)
Origin: Science
Motivation: Ideals/Emotional/Insanity
Inspired By: Electro (Marvel), Deacon Blackfire (DC)
Infamously: Used his powers to make puppets of Arcadia City's populace and made them attack Captain Collider.
An infamous religious figure in Arcadia City, Elijah Hawthorne aggressively protested Mal Parton's research into the Power Particle, insisting that it defied god's will. When Mal became Captain Collider however, Hawthorne was reviled for his statements and came to resent the hero. Harnessing this hatred, Blacksmith exposed him to Power Particles during a lightning storm, allowing him to manipulate electricity. Assuming that god gave him his powers to smite Captain Collider in his name, Hawthorne became The Thunderer and sought to vanquish the hero. Though he was beaten, The Thunderer still leads a cult of anti-scientific religious extremism and has developed the power to manipulate bio-electricity in order to exert control over others.
Threat Level:
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INCARCERATED
OBELISK
Real Name: Mason King
Powers/Abilities: Super Strength, Invulnerability, Size Manipulation
Occupation: Super Criminal (Power Company)
Origin: Science
Motivation: Fame/Emotional
Inspired By: Bane (DC), Giganta (DC), The Thing (Marvel)
Infamously: Went on a giant rampage when he was forbidden from attending his estranged daughter's birthday party.
A fierce boxer known for his towering size and strength, Mason 'The Obelisk' King's career soon came to an end when a fight for the championship left him permanently crippled. Desperate to fight again, King turned to medical science and was soon infused with a mysterious Power Particle formula disguised as an experimental treatment. Transformed into a towering man of unbreakable stone, Obelisk stormed his former ring and almost beat many of its fighters to death before Captain Collider intervened. Now a full-fledged criminal, Obelisk sees defeating Captain Collider as the ultimate proof of his strength. He has since developed the power to enhance his size exponentially, making him more than a match for the hero.
Threat Level:
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INCARCERATED
LADY WINTER
Real Name: Jacqueline Frost
Powers/Abilities: Ice Manipulation, Thermal Manipulation
Occupation: Super Criminal (Power Company)
Origin: Science
Motivation: Emotional/Insanity/Ideals
Inspired By: Killer Frost (DC), Poison Ivy (DC), Mr. Freeze (DC), Iceman (Marvel), The White Witch (Chronicles of Narnia)
Infamously: Transformed Arcadia City into a frozen wasteland and imprisoned Captain Collider in ice for weeks out of spite.
The socialite wife of a jewellery tycoon and a friend of Maxwell Steel, Jacqueline Frost lost the two most important things in the world to her when her husband's company went bankrupt: her wealth and her social status. Humiliated and shunned, Frost convinced a "reluctant" Steel to use his Power Particles to give her powers of her own. Gifted with potentially vast control over ice and heat, Frost became Lady Winter and sought to take back her jewels and wealth. Though she was thwarted by Captain Collider and divorced by her husband, Lady Winter has since found herself incapable of feeling anything but the cold. Embittered, she seeks to remove warmth from the world, forcing all life to experience her inescapable numbness.
Threat Level:
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INCARCERATED
AMORPHOUS MAN
Real Name: Hubert 'Hobie' Pittman
Powers/Abilities: Acidic Slime Physiology, Shapeshifting
Occupation: Super Criminal (Power Company)
Origin: Science
Motivation: Emotional
Inspired By: Clayface (DC), Chemo (DC), Plasmus (DC), Metamorpho (DC), The Blob (1958)
Infamously: Learned to stay human and reformed until he discovered it was temporary and went on a suicidal rampage.
Needing a weapon to challenge Captain Collider, Blacksmith used a canister of concentrated Power Particles on someone no one would miss: the lonely Steel Industries janitor, Hobie Pittman. Trapping Pittman in an experimentation chamber, Blacksmith secretly exposed him to the Power Particles, transforming him into a grotesque humanoid blob of highly acidic slime. After being tricked by Maxwell Steel into believing a cure for his condition lay with Captain Collider, this 'Amorphous Man' attacked the hero and very nearly defeated him. Nowadays, The Amorphous Man relentlessly pursues a cure for his 'illness', doing just about anything to get it. He has since learned to temporarily shapeshift, making him all the more formidable.
Threat Level:
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INCARCERATED
POWER COMPANY
Leader: Blacksmith/Lady Winter/Thunderer
Members: Thunderer, Obelisk, Lady Winter, Amorphous Man
Type: Coalition
Origin: Masterminded
Motivation: Varies
Inspired By: The Sinister Six (Marvel), The U-Foes (Marvel)
Infamously: Defeated Captain Collider for the first time on live television and briefly ruled Arcadia City until he recuperated.
Consisting of the four metahumans empowered by Blacksmith through the use of his future Power Particles, the Power Company was formed as an early actualisation of the villain's master plan to kill Captain Collider, but disguised as a petty revenge gang to its other members. Convincing his unwitting pawns to put aside their differences to eliminate their shared enemy, Blacksmith finally revealed himself to Captain Collider with the team at his back and proceeded to lead them against the hero, defeating him and taking over Arcadia City. Through a combination of luck, wit and the help of his allies, Captain Collider was eventually able to recover from his loss and defeat the villains. It has been reassembled by its members with and without Blacksmith on several occasions before apparently disbanding completely.
Threat Level:
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DISBANDED
VITO 'CASH' CARDELLINI
Real Name: Vito Cardellini
Powers/Abilities: Cosmic Power Rings, Cosmic Hybrid Tech
Occupation: Kingpin of Arcadia City
Origin: Natural/Cosmic/Tech
Motivation: Money/Power/Ideals
Inspired By: Bruno Mannheim (DC), Black Mask (DC), Hammerhead (Marvel), Kingpin (Marvel), Mandarin (Marvel)
Infamously: Used his rings to become the kingpin of Arcadia City and radically altered its organised crime.
Once a major crime boss of Arcadia City, Vito 'Cash' Cardellini became a victim of its slant from organised crime to super crime, constantly being outmatched and outgunned at every turn. When Mongrull came to Earth to challenge Captain Collider, however, he made a deal with Cardellini: in exchange for his gang's aid in vanquishing their shared foe, Mongrull bestowed him with cosmic rings. These rings gave Cardellini the power to form a dermal armour of extremely dense and durable gold and project cosmic energy blasts. Though they failed to defeat Captain Collider, Cardellini used his 'gift' to become kingpin, outfitting his gang with gear based on his rings to make Arcadia City his again.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
GENERAL CLAYTON
Real Name: General Ulysses Clayton
Powers/Abilities: Brilliant Tactician and Strategist
Occupation: Director of APEX
Origin: Natural
Motivation: Ideals/Power/Purpose
Inspired By: Amanda Waller (DC), Wade Eiling (DC), Director Bones (DC), Thunderbolt Ross (Marvel), Nick Fury (Marvel)
Infamously: Used APEX to launch a city-encompassing raid against Captain Collider to settle his personal vendetta.
Well known for his hateful and discriminatory views towards metahumans and non-humans, Ulysses Clayton openly and aggressively opposed Captain Collider when he first surfaced, becoming the director of APEX -- a military organisation founded to neutralise high metahuman threats -- after the Collider Consortium's attack on Arcadia City. Believing that Captain Collider's power would one day threaten the world, Clayton used his newfound influence and resources to constantly challenge and impede the hero, even actively opposing him at times. Following Blacksmith's defeat and the Battle of Arcadia, Clayton and APEX have made bold moves to bring an increasingly dubious Captain Collider to his knees by any means necessary.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
A.P.E.X
Leader: General Clayton
Members: Various
Type: Organisation
Origin: Founded
Motivation: Ideals/Power/Purpose
Inspired By: Project Cadmus (DCAU), Checkmate (DC), DEO (DC), Task Force X (DC), HAMMER (Marvel), SHIELD (Marvel)
Infamously: Abused their power to effectively turn Arcadia City into a police state in order to apprehend Captain Collider.
After the devastation of the Collider Consortium's attack on Arcadia City, longtime detractor of Captain Collider and anti-metahuman bigot General Clayton convinced the US government to approve an anti-metahuman task force to combat the new wave of threats endangering Arcadia City and the rest of America. Naming the organisation APEX (Agency of Preservation against the Extraordinary), Clayton used it as an equaliser in his feud with Captain Collider, regularly obstructing and opposing the hero. Known for its abuse of power and brutality towards metahuman targets, APEX has only become more dangerous following the Battle of Arcadia, gathering further influence and power in its ongoing war against metahumans.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
DOCTOR COLLIDER
Real Name: Dr. Patton Malvo
Powers/Abilities: Metaverse Conduit, Super Genius Level Intellect
Occupation: N/A
Origin: Science/Cosmic
Motivation: Insanity/Emotional
Inspired By: Professor Zoom (DC), Ultraman (DC), Black Adam (DC), Bizarro (DC), Venom (Marvel)
Infamously: Sealed Captain Collider in Point Z and impersonated him for weeks due to his insane obsession.
Hailing from a Parallel Earth startlingly similar to Captain Collider's, Patton Malvo is a twisted mirror image of his counterpart. Whereas Mal Parton grew up loved and nurtured by his family, Patton Malvo was abused and neglected. Where Mal Parton showed compassion for all living things, Patton Malvo expressed little more than bitter hatred. The only similarity between the two was their research into the Power Particle. Though an entire Multiverse apart, both men were caught in their particle colliders at once and, as a result, became Metaversally linked. While Mal became Captain Collider and sought to use his powers for good, Malvo became Doctor Collider and proceeded to take vengeance on all who had wronged him, eventually reducing the world to cinders in his pursuit of gratification.
Soon the Metaversal link between Doctor Collider and Captain Collider was triggered, causing both men to be plagued by "dreams" of the other individual's life. While Captain Collider saw Doctor Collider's horrific acts as dark premonitions and tried to restrain his power, Doctor Collider saw the visions for what they truly were and, both enraged and envious at his counterpart for possessing the happiness that had been denied to him, sought to remedy the situation. Creating his own 'Malvo Portal', he traveled to Captain Collider's Earth and immediately set to work attempting to destroy his life, incriminating him in grizzly murders, psychologically torturing him and ultimately convincing him that his powers were warping him. It was only when Captain Collider discovered the truth that Doctor Collider revealed himself, expressing his intense hatred and swearing to tear the hero's perfect life away. Ultimately, however, it was Captain Collider who won the day, trapping his evil doppelganger in Point Z with the Parton Portal.
He remains one of the most dangerous rogues in the hero's gallery due in no small part to his sociopathic commitment to his vengeance, his vast power and his cunning intellect. He is currently adrift in the Metaverse after a fight with Captain Collider.
Threat Level:
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Doctor's Notes:
"Patton Malvo, A.K.A Doctor Collider, is a grotesque monster of a man with more power than he deserves and more hatred than he knows what to do with. Every time he rears his ugly head, innocent people are harmed or killed by his childish spite. He's everything I'm not and could be -- a twisted mirror image. He deserves no sympathy, and he'll get less than none."
UNKNOWN
ANTIMATRON
Real Name: N/A
Powers/Abilities: Super Strength, Invulnerability, Flight, Prehensile Tongue, Healing Factor, Antimatter Staff
Occupation: Interdimensional Warlord
Origin: Cosmic
Motivation: Nature
Inspired By: Annihilus (Marvel), Anti-Monitor (DC)
Infamously: Emerged from Point Z and attempted to erase Arcadia City from existence with her Ravening Horde.
Accidentally brought forth into our dimensional plane during one of Captain Collider's attempts to create a portal to another universe, The Antimatron is an interdimensional warlord who leads an army of physiologically similar creatures known only as the Ravening Horde. Wielding a powerful cosmic staff capable of transforming matter into antimatter and manipulating that antimatter, The Antimatron sought only to completely annihilate all existence and was only defeated when she was driven back by Captain Collider and his allies. She has not made a return to our dimension since, and it is Captain Collider's hope that things stay that way. Unfortunately for him, however, The Antimatron's forces stand primed and ready for another attack.
Threat Level:
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UNKNOWN
MR. DADA
Real Name: Unknown
Powers/Abilities: Reality Manipulation
Occupation: Marathon Master of Megapolis
Origin: Cosmic
Motivation: Money/Power/Fame/Thrills
Inspired By: Mongul (DC), Roulette (DC), Mojo (Marvel)
Infamously: Forced Captain Collider to compete in gladiatorial combat against Mongrull for Megapolis' entertainment.
Mr. Dada is the 'Marathon Master' and undisputed ruler of Megapolis, a pocket dimension full of beings from across the multiverse. A reality warper powered by apathy and selfishness, Dada enslaves the minds of all who inhabit Megapolis through non-stop commercialism, aggressive consumerism and mind-numbing media. As part of the popular show 'Multiversal Murderbash', Dada transported Captain Collider and the space barbarian Mongrull to Megapolis to fight to the death in gladiatorial combat. When Captain Collider won, however, he refused to take Mongrull's life, persuading the crowd to take back their free will by turning off their televisions. Depowered by the rebellion and bound by stipulations, Dada sent Captain Collider and Mongrull back to their universe and swore to get his revenge.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
MONGRULL
Real Name: Mongrull S'grakien
Powers/Abilities: Super Strength, Invulnerability, Healing Factor, Enhanced Senses, Bludlust, Cybernetic Enhancements
Occupation: Space Barbarian/Bounty Hunter
Origin: Natural/Tech
Motivation: Ideals/Emotional
Inspired By: Battle Beast (Image), Kanjar Ro (DC), Beta Ray Bill (Marvel), Black Bolt (Marvel), Conan (Conan the Barbarian)
Infamously: Travelled to Earth to defeat Captain Collider in battle and hospitalised Chief Bowman to do so.
Once a slave on a world far away, Mongrull led his fellow slaves against their owner using Bludlust, an axe made of Barbarite -- a near indestructible metal capable of absorbing and redirecting energy. Taking the name 'S'grakien' -- or 'King of Slaves' -- Mongrull roamed the cosmos with his crew of freed slaves, bringing death and destruction to all who would rob others of their freedom. He was eventually captured by Mr. Dada and forced to fight in gladiatorial combat against a similarly captured Captain Collider. When the hero refused to grant him a glorious death after defeating him, Mongrull swore to win back his lost honour, no matter the cost.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
ARGO THE ATOMIC APE
Real Name: Argo
Powers/Abilities: Super Strength, Invulnerability, Atomic Breath, Fire Generation, Radiation Generation
Occupation: N/A
Origin: Science
Motivation: Nature/Emotional
Inspired By: Titano (DC), Gorilla Grodd (DC), Doomsday (DC)
Infamously: Became a walking nuclear bomb, tearing through Arcadia City and threatening to vaporise it unless stopped.
When a team of Steel Industries scientists believed they had cracked the Power Particle they opted to test their theory on a gorilla named Argo, bombarding the ape with accelerated particle rays to replicate the experiment that gave Captain Collider powers. Unbeknownst to them, however, Argo had been running a high fever prior to the experiment and, upon being exposed to the faux Power Particles, became horribly warped on a subatomic level. Constantly burning with fire and radiation, the atomic ape incinerated the scientists and rampaged through Arcadia City before being sedated by Captain Collider. Though the hero still strives to cure Argo, the beast gets stronger, smarter and more dangerous each time it escapes custody.
Threat Level:
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INCARCERATED
CAPTAIN CHEMO
"Chemistry is the only thing in life that doesn't bore me, you know. It's change in its rawest form, and transmutation is that change at its most thrilling. See, I don't want to set the world on fire, Captain. I want to skip straight to the ashes."
Real Name: Dr. Spencer Nguyen
Powers/Abilities: Catalyst Blasters, Hazmat Suit and Helmet, Brilliant Chemical Engineer
Occupation: Super Criminal/Mercenary (Renaissance Men)
Origin: Tech
Motivation: Money/Thrills
Inspired By: Captain Cold (DC), Deadshot (DC), Black Manta (DC), Doctor Alchemy (DC), Chemistro (Marvel), Walter White (Breaking Bad), Kazuo Kiriyama (Battle Royale)
Infamously: Became terminally ill due to the radiation from his blasters, holding Elizabeth Rhodes hostage until he and Captain Collider successfully found a cure.
Born with a rare chemical imbalance in his brain which drastically impaired his capacity for empathy and emotion, Spencer Nguyen was always dangerously apathetic, nihilistic and thrill-seeking. He developed an obsessive love for chemistry when he accidentally mixed two volatile substances together and severely burned a high school lab partner. Believing it to be rapturously beautiful, Nguyen worked to become an accomplished chemical engineer. Even this would not satisfy him, however, and, after years without incident, he suddenly lashed out on a whim, constructing two wrist-mounted Catalyst Blasters capable of inducing radical nuclear transmutation, manipulating chemical composition and projecting dangerous substances. He then used them to murder his lab team in cold blood.
Leaving behind a life of tedium, Nguyen constructed a protective hazmat suit complete with a hi-tech helmet and filtration system and became Captain Chemo -- a methodical and ruthless super criminal who uses his mastery over chemistry to get rich or thrill himself trying. Since his first appearance, Chemo has been one of the most persistent rogues in Captain Collider's gallery, compensating for his relative lack of power with organisation, intelligence and professionalism. With no particular interest in defeating Captain Collider or hoarding power, Chemo's only consistent motivation seems to be the pursuit of emotional thrills and the riches needed to support his cavalier lifestyle.
Threat Level:
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Doctor's Notes:
"He may not have the vast influence of Blacksmith or the raw power of Doctor Collider, but Spencer Nguyen, A.K.A Captain Chemo, can be just as dangerous and twice as resourceful. Each and every one of his Renaissance Men is a genius in their field, and Chemo stands above the lot. He is methodical, pragmatic and ruthless -- in equal parts a master criminal and a brilliant scientist. He should not be underestimated."
ACTIVE
MATHMAGICIAN
Real Name: Dr. Quentin Kepler
Powers/Abilities: Quantum Wand, Brilliant Mathematician, Archaeologist and Quantum Physicist
Occupation: Super Criminal/Mercenary (Renaissance Men)
Origin: Tech
Motivation: Ideals/Power/Insanity
Inspired By: Abra-Kadabra (DC), Weather Wizard (DC), Angle Man (DC), The Wizard (Marvel), Mysterio (Marvel)
Infamously: Warped Stonewall Penitentiary into a quantum mathematical madhouse while serving a sentence there.
A renowned mathematician, archaeologist and quantum physicist with arguably the most brilliant mind of his generation, the ever eccentric Quentin Kepler's greatest discovery came in the form of a wand-like cosmic artifact capable of controlling quantum mechanics on a significant level. This 'Quantum Wand' allowed him to manipulate reality through the use of quantum mathematical formulas fed into it via a telepathic link established through touch. Deciding to test his vast power against the 'immeasurable' Captain Collider, Kepler became the Mathmagician and began using his mastery of metaphysical mathematics to bend all reality to his whim.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
BANDMASTER
Real Name: Dr. Benson Sharp
Powers/Abilities: Crown Bell, Sonic Cymbals, Hypersonic Tuning Fork, Instrument-Themed Tech, Brilliant Sonic Engineer
Occupation: Super Criminal/Mercenary (Renaissance Men)
Origin: Tech
Motivation: Money/Emotional/Power
Inspired By: Doctor Bong (Marvel), Pied Piper (DC), Shriek (DC), Music Meister (DC), Big Band (Skullgirls)
Infamously: Sent Captain Collider a hypnotic birthday card which made him mentally regress to the age of ten.
Partially deafened as a child, Benson Sharp became a sonic engineer in the hopes that he could restore his hearing. When his employer fell in danger of being bought out by a competitor who would scrap his work, Sharp used his 'Crown Bell' -- a helmet capable of emitting and manipulating sound -- to scare the buyers away, haunting them with 'voices' and freak 'accidents'. When Captain Collider began to investigate, Sharp used his inventions to convince him he was going insane, but was found out and arrested. He now operates as The Bandmaster, a one-man band of crime using sonic technology to make Arcadia City march to the beat of his twisted drum.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
LIVING COLOUR
Real Name: Dr. Zachary Blake
Powers/Abilities: Psychedelic Kaleidoscope, Technicolour Dreamsuit, Brilliant Spectroscopist and Engineer
Occupation: Super Criminal/Mercenary (Renaissance Men)
Origin: Tech
Motivation: Money/Fame/Emotional/Thrills
Inspired By: Rainbow Raider (DC), Living Laser (Marvel)
Infamously: Used his kaleidoscope to blind all of Arcadia City, including Captain Collider, and went on a crime spree.
A young and brash spectroscopist, Zachary Blake always had a mind to use his knowledge to break into the world of villainy like his late father, a petty thief, once dreamed of. Cruising through college on a full scholarship, Blake invented the Psychedelic Kaleidoscope and the Technicolour Dreamsuit, which enabled him to manipulate and mimic visible light respectively. With the new power at his fingertips, Blake became The Living Colour and started on a one man crime spree through Arcadia City which was only cut short by Captain Collider. Nowadays, The Living Colour seeks to make some rep and money any way he can, though his immaturity often means he isn't taken very seriously.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
HOTSPOT
Real Name: Dr. Gustavo Ortega
Powers/Abilities: Plasma Core, Fireproof Suit, Brilliant Thermodynamic Engineer and Pyrotechnician
Occupation: Super Criminal/Mercenary (Renaissance Men)
Origin: Tech
Motivation: Money/Power
Inspired By: Heatwave (DC), Combustion Man (Avatar)
Infamously: Outfitted a number of petty criminals with internal 'cores' which caused them to explode in custody.
When egocentric thermodynamic engineer Gustavo Ortega began work on a 'Plasma Core' capable of channeling super-heated plasma into a clean and reliable energy source, he never expected a freak lab explosion to embed his ingenious device into his chest. Laid off from his job for 'incompetence', Ortega began to suspect that his work had been sabotaged. Motivated by paranoia and anger, he modified the Plasma Core in his chest to fire superheated plasma energy capable of causing matter to violently explode and set out to reduce his former place of work to rubble. Though Captain Collider put a kink in his plans, Ortega still makes ends meet as Hotspot -- a living bomb and the most volatile member of the Renaissance Men.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
SKELETON KEY
Real Name: Dr. Mortimer Sculley
Powers/Abilities: Keygun, Brilliant Xenomechanical Engineer
Occupation: Super Criminal/Mercenary (Renaissance Men)
Origin: Cosmic/Tech
Motivation: Money
Inspired By: The Key (DC), Spot (Marvel), Shocker (Marvel)
Infamously: 'Locked' Captain Collider's connection to the Metaverse accidentally, leaving him powerless for 48 hours.
A mechanical engineer at Unlimited Dynamics, Mortimer Sculley constantly found himself being passed over for opportunities to study alien technology. Disgruntled, Sculley stole a high-access keycard and used it to pilfer alien tech from his superiors. He soon stumbled upon a device which projected beams of cosmic energy capable of 'opening' or 'locking' any given target and creating interdimensional 'keyholes' which instantaneously connected two points. Sculley reverse engineered the device into a 'Keygun' and became the Skeleton Key, setting out to steal all the things denied to him throughout his life. Though he was stopped after an interdimensional fight with Captain Collider, he remains something of a coward, often serving as the laughing-stock of the Renaissance Men.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
BLOCKHEAD
Real Name: Wyatt Jenkins
Powers/Abilities: Block-o-Block Armour, Toy-Themed Tech, Brilliant Mechanical Engineer
Occupation: Super Criminal/Mercenary (Renaissance Men)
Origin: Tech
Motivation: Insanity/Money
Inspired By: Toyman (DC), The Trickster (DC), The Joker (DC), Arcade (Marvel), The Tinkerer (Marvel)
Infamously: Trapped Captain Collider in an 'unsolvable' Rubix Cube type trap he couldn't escape without killing someone.
A savant toy engineer and owner of Arcadia City's Blockhead's Toy Barn, Wyatt Jenkins' instability was pushed past the point of no return when a chain toy store opened up nearby and inevitably drove him out of business. Bitterly vindictive, Jenkins decided to get back at the store through force. Designing power armour modeled after his store's mascot and a number of deadly weaponised toys to go with it, he premiered as Blockhead and set his sights on trapping the owners of the chain store in bizarre deathtraps. Though his revenge scheme was foiled by Captain Collider, Blockhead continues to use his twisted mechanical genius to terrorise Arcadia City.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
RENAISSANCE MEN
Leader: Captain Chemo
Members: Mathmagician, Bandmaster, Living Colour, Hotspot, Skeleton Key, Blockhead*
Type: Gang
Origin: Mutual Interest
Motivation: Money/Power
Inspired By: The Rogues (DC), The Sinister Six (Marvel)
Infamously: Came dangerously close to killing Captain Collider and taking over Arcadia City on their first try.
Having been defeated by Captain Collider one too many times, Captain Chemo decided to bring together a team of like-minded super criminals for the purpose of uniting their efforts and keeping the hero at bay. Opting to work with fellow academics over uneducated thugs, homicidal maniacs and unpredictable metahumans, he recruited The Mathmagician, The Bandmaster, The Living Colour, Hotspot and Skeleton Key to his cause. Believing themselves to be above common criminals, the 'Renaissance Men' prefer to use their intellect to get ahead. Nevertheless, their brilliant minds and technology make them a force to be reckoned with. Blockhead was admitted into the group on a provisional basis after the Battle of Arcadia.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
FISSIONEER
Real Name: Dr. Perry Cluster
Powers/Abilities: Replication, Brilliant Nuclear Physicist
Occupation: Super Criminal/Mercenary
Origin: Science
Motivation: Money
Inspired By: Multiplex (DC), Mirror Master I (DC)
Infamously: Used his duplicates as suicide bombers and planted them all over Arcadia City in order to hold it ransom.
A doctor of nuclear physics, Perry Cluster often found himself being beaten to the punch by others in his line of work, too busy being torn between several projects to complete one. When sudden exposure to a blast of nuclear energy while in possession of a defunct piece of future tech retrieved from Blacksmith granted him the power to replicate himself, his priorities took on a sudden change. Finally able to perform several tasks at once, Cluster became the Fissioneer and used his duplicates to sabotage other competing projects before Captain Collider put a stop to him. Disgraced and humiliated, the Fissioneer now makes ends meet through crime rather than science. He has been repeatedly rejected from the Renaissance Men and has declared a one-man gang war on them for it.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
MASTERMIND
"I crave knowledge, Earthling: as does all intelligent life in the universe. Unlike the vast majority, however, I possess the means to attain it. All of it."
Real Name: Unknown
Powers/Abilities: Telekinesis, Telepathy, Psionic Vampirism, Cosmic Intelligence
Occupation: N/A
Origin: Natural/Cosmic
Motivation: Purpose/Emotional
Inspired By: Darkseid (DC), Brainiac (DC), Despero (DC), Galactus (Marvel)
Infamously: Traveled the cosmos committing the mass genocide of entire planets.
The being who would be known throughout the universe as Mastermind had its humble beginnings as a member of a forgotten race of emotionless psionic beings eons ago. Exceptional even amongst a people of immense psychic power and intelligence, he would come to be the first, and last, of his race to develop a single emotion -- envy. Looking upon the gods themselves with spite, the future Mastermind decided to psionically absorb all the universe's knowledge so that he alone would be its greatest mind. Using his powers to kill his race and absorb its knowledge, Mastermind traveled from planet to planet, leaving nothing but mindless husks in his wake. Eventually, he was captured and imprisoned in a pocket between time and space for his crimes. After a millennia spent in isolation, however, Mastermind escaped his prison and brought his rampage to Earth, where he encountered Captain Collider.
Though he was able to overpower the hero with his psionic abilities, he was narrowly tricked into entering the Parton Portal to seek the knowledge of other universes. Once he entered, Captain Collider trapped him in another pocket in space and time, bringing his genocidal onslaught to an end. Mastermind has escaped from his new prison a few times since, only being thwarted by Captain Collider and his allies through great sacrifice. This has elevated him to a position as one of the hero's most fearsome rogues.
The Mastermind is currently trapped within Point Z along with the Antimatron and her army of drones, undoubtedly using his cosmic-level intelligence to plot his next devastating escape.
Threat Level:
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Doctor's Notes:
"The Mastermind is everything we feared about the unknown. He is a nigh unstoppable force of nature who exists only to gorge himself on information. The why doesn't matter; it never did. The only thing that's important is that there is intelligent life in the universe, and it wants more."
UNKNOWN
BLACKOUT
Real Name: Zheng Quan
Powers/Abilities: Black Hole Physiology, Gravity Manipulation
Occupation: N/A
Origin: Cosmic
Motivation: Emotional
Inspired By: Graviton (Marvel), Xorn (Marvel), Starman (DC)
Infamously: Became super-dense and threatened to destroy the Earth until he willingly flew into a black hole to save it.
A Chinese astronaut, Col. Zheng Quan's ship was bombarded by negative energy, leaving him the sole survivor. When he was rescued by Captain Collider, Quan found the accident had given him superpowers and the Chinese government pushed him into a superhero role. Soon, though, Quan began to develop dangerous new powers, absorbing matter like a black hole. When his government opted to put him in cognitive blackout, he angrily rampaged through China, his body rapidly becoming an unstable void until his friend, Captain Collider, had to restrain him. Despite the hero's protests, the government placed Quan in blackout. Since then, Captain Collider has tried to legally extricate his friend with little success, and subsequent breakouts by the hero turned disaster has not helped his chances.
Threat Level:
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DECEASED [PRESUMED]
A.D.A.M
Real Name: Adaptable Defense/Assault Mechanism
Powers/Abilities: Power Mimicry, Bionic Physiology
Occupation: N/A
Origin: Tech
Motivation: Purpose/Nature
Inspired By: A.M.A.Z.O (DC), Metallo (DC)
Infamously: Developed sentience and attempted to be a hero until remorse and alienation prompted it to self-destruct.
In the wake of the Thunderer's attack on Arcadia City, General Clayton commissioned a weaponised drone capable of going toe-to-toe with anyone infused with Power Particles from Steel Industries. Seizing an opportunity to make another attempt on Captain Collider's life, Maxwell Steel used a combination of future Power Particles and technology to create A.D.A.M, a learning android capable of mimicking any superpower it perceived. During its unveiling to the military and a disapproving Captain Collider, Steel secretly activated A.D.A.M's hidden programming and passed it off as a malfunction, prompting the android to try and kill Captain Collider. Since then, improved models of A.D.A.M have been employed by Blacksmith against Captain Collider on multiple occasions, each more powerful than the last.
Threat Level:
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INACTIVE
COMPUTRON
Real Name: Dr. Rhys Maddox
Powers/Abilities: Computron Suit, Brilliant Computer Scientist, Hacker and Engineer
Occupation: Super Criminal and Information Broker
Origin: Tech
Motivation: Money/Thrills
Inspired By: Mirror Master II (DC), The Thinker (DC)
Infamously: Stole the schematics for the Parton Collider and very nearly doomed the future by selling them.
A Welsh born computer scientist with a sadistic streak, Rhys Maddox used his knowledge of engineering to invent the Computron Suit -- a work of scientific genius which allowed its wearer to seamlessly convert their body to data and travel between the real world and the digital world, allowing them almost total control over digital information. In addition, the suit enabled Maddox to manipulate technology and draw others into his digital realm. With his powers, Maddox attempted to blackmail Mayor Elizabeth Rhodes to make a neat profit, but was soon lured from the digital world and stopped by Captain Collider. He now sells his services to the highest bidder, but has his own agenda as Arcadia City's premier information broker.
Threat Level:
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INCARCERATED
JABBERWOCK
Real Name: N/A
Powers/Abilities: Logic/Order Consumption, Insanity Inducement, Cosmic Fire Breath, Chaos Embodiment
Occupation: N/A
Origin: Cosmic
Motivation: Nature
Inspired By: The Jabberwocky (Through The Looking Glass), Fing Fang Foom (Marvel), Mr. Mind (DC), Mr. Mxyzptlk (DC)
Infamously: Drove Captain Collider insane and consumed all logic and order in Arcadia City, turning it into a parody of itself.
When Captain Collider used his Parton Portal to investigate a disturbance in the quantum fields between dimensions he encountered a sapient dragon-like being made of pure chaos feasting on the logic and order that governed various realities. The creature drove Captain Collider insane and escaped into our world where it began to devour its physical laws and order, inverting Arcadia City into a madhouse devoid of any reason or logic. Fighting through his madness, Captain Collider managed to use the Parton Portal to revert its damage and trap it in a dimension without order known as the Vorpal Zone, where he hoped the 'Jabberwock' would eventually starve to death.
Threat Level:
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UNKNOWN
GANGS OF ARCADIA CITY
Leader: Vito 'Cash' Cardellini
Members: Cash's Mafia, The Triad, The Kamikaze Krew, The Wild Ones, The Renaissance Men*, The Fissioneer*
Type: Syndicate
Origin: Mutual Interest
Motivation: Money/Power/Ideals
Inspired By: Intergang (DC), Splicers (DC), Mutants (DC), The Hand (Marvel), The Maggia (Marvel)
Infamously: Went from being completely outmatched by super criminals to becoming a new breed of organised criminals
Despite the dominance of super-crime, organised crime still has a presence in Arcadia City. Overseen by the kingpin, Vito 'Cash' Cardellini, the major gangs of Arcadia mostly work on a basis of mutual acquiescence, keeping to their respective turfs. These gangs include Cardellini's Mafia -- the oldest and largest, the Chinese Triad -- a close second to the Mafia, the Kamikaze Krew -- a wild post-apocalyptic themed street gang, and the Wild Ones -- a group of genetically spliced animal-human hybrids. The two major super gangs of the city -- the Renaissance Men and the Fissioneer duplicates -- have also been members of this alliance, when not opposing it.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
ALPHA COLLIDER
Real Name: X'nd'r Parton
Powers/Abilities: Consortium Power Suit, Future Tech
Occupation: Leader of the Collider Consortium
Origin: Tech
Motivation: Purpose/Ideals
Inspired By: General Zod (DC), Cicada (DC), Sinestro (DC)
Infamously: Attempted to use the Parton Collider to enhance the powers of himself and the Collider Consortium.
Hailing from a distant future where an entire order of 'Colliders' has been formed to uphold the law, Alpha Collider is the elected leader of the Collider Consortium and its most powerful member. Leading the Consortium to the original Captain Collider's time supposedly to retrieve Blacksmith, Alpha Collider and the Consortium showed their true colours when they attempted to execute the villain. Revealed to be intergalactic dictators who had developed an almost cultish obsession with Captain Collider by Blacksmith, the Consortium attempted to procure the original Parton Collider to enhance their abilities. With Blacksmith's assistance, Captain Collider fought Alpha Collider and the Consortium to a standstill and trapped them all in Point Z until a more permanent solution presents itself.
Threat Level:
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UNKNOWN
THE COLLIDER CONSORTIUM
Leader: Alpha Collider
Members: Various
Type: Organisation
Origin: Founded
Motivation: Purpose/Ideals
Inspired By: The Legion of Superheroes (DC), The Sinestro Corps (DC), Kryptonians (DC), Cicada Cult (DC)
Infamously: Attempted to use the Parton Collider to increase their power, thereby extending their rule in the future.
From a future where Captain Collider has retreated from the universe, the Collider Consortium originally started as an organisation modelled after the hero, mimicking his abilities iwth suits infused with Power Particles to uphold universal law. However, they soon began enforcing a dictatorship across the universe and using their power to oppress others 'for their own good'. Developing an almost cultish obsession with their hero, all members of the Consortium took the surname 'Parton' and many even altered their appearances to resemble him. After travelling back in time to harness the Parton Collider to increase their strength, all known members of the Collider Consortium were trapped in Point Z and have remained there ever since.
Threat Level:
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UNKNOWN
MINUTEMAN
Real Name: Ethan Proctor
Powers/Abilities: Minuteman Suit, Future Tech, Brilliant Quantum Physicist and Mechanical Engineer
Occupation: Super Criminal
Origin: Tech
Motivation: Power/Fame/Emotional
Inspired By: Chronos (DC), Time Commander (DC)
Infamously: Traveled through time making changes in an attempt to erase Captain Collider's loved ones from existence.
Ethan Proctor first came to prominence as the pitifully ineffective super criminal known as the Minuteman, whose self-designed Minuteman Suit allowed him to go backwards and forward in time by exactly one minute. When the Collider Consortium attacked Arcadia City, however, Proctor managed to secure the tatters of a power suit from the corpse of one of its members. Using its future technology, he upgraded his suit to allow for total time manipulation. Since then his notable crimes include trapping Captain Collider at the end of time and nearly erasing his loved ones from existence, quickly making him one of the hero's most despicable foes. He is currently trapped in a single suspended moment due to his own reckless time travel.
Threat Level:
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UNKNOWN
SUPEREXTANT
"I have seen entire planets die and be reborn from the ashes. I have travelled to the beginning and seen the very end. I have played with existence as a child would a toy. I am the Superextant, and I am the sum of all my parts."
Real Name: Dr. Noah Masterton
Powers/Abilities: Self-Molecular Manipulation, Progenitor Tech
Occupation: N/A
Origin: Meta/Cosmic/Science/Tech
Motivation: Purpose/Power/Ideals
Inspired By: Apocalypse (Marvel), High Evolutionary (Marvel), Kang the Conqueror (Marvel),
Mr. Sinister (Marvel), Centurius (Marvel), Krona (DC), Metron (DC), Dr. Manhattan (DC)
Infamously: Transcended his humanity and used a combination of Progenitor technology and siphoned Power Particles to try and alter the course of its evolution.
Born in 19th century England, the man who would be the Superextant was once a super-genius scientist named Noah Masterton. Unwittingly born with the power of self-molecular manipulation, Masterton subconsciously used his powers to vastly enhance his intelligence. Becoming obsessed with the work of Charles Darwin, he developed several ideas and theories that would eventually be popularised as 'transhumanism' and was convinced that human evolution had been precipitated by a non-human race -- the Progenitors. Though he was mocked for what seemed like insane ramblings at the time, Masterton's theories were proven correct when he discovered a damaged piece of alien technology during an archaeological dig. When Masterton began experimenting on it in secrecy, it transported him from Earth to its planet of origin. What happened to Masterton there remains a mystery, but he resurfaced as an immortal post-human in possession of repurposed Progenitor technology. With his newfound resources, Masterton became the Superextant and spent a century travelling through time and space and experimenting on various worlds out of scientific curiosity.
When Captain Collider came to him for help with his rapidly replicating Power Particles, the Superextant suppressed their reproduction and siphoned the excess particles. Revealing his true intentions, he took the siphoned particles and travelled to Primordial Earth to alter human evolution. Luckily, the hero persuaded him to destroy the sample. He remains in possession of a hidden sample of particles, however, and his current plans for them are unknown.
Threat Level:
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Doctor's Notes:
"The Superextant is an enigma in every sense of the word. Immensely powerful, infinitely curious and wholly unfettered, he is beyond any humanity he may have once possessed. A veritable force of nature, I doubt I can even call him an enemy. At the very least, he is something to be scrutinised, feared and perhaps revered."
ACTIVE
TECTRAX THE UNCHARTED
Real Name: Tectrax
Powers/Abilities: Earth Possession
Occupation: N/A
Origin: Cosmic
Motivation: Nature/Emotional
Inspired By: Krakoa (Marvel), Savage Land (Marvel), Godzilla (Godzilla), The Land That Time Forgot (1975)
Infamously: Became merged with the island housing the Stonewall Penitentiary and staged a bizarre prison break.
When a cosmically irradiated meteorite fell to Earth in prehistoric times, the radiation flowing through it caused it to merge with an island off the coast of South America. This unique phenomenon resulted in the land mass gradually developing a consciousness. When a group of workers seeking to turn the island into a beach resort were killed by creatures thought to be extinct eons later, Captain Collider investigated the island and discovered its sentience. Calling itself Tetrax, the "island" marked humanity as a threat and proceeded to bombard the hero with its mutated wildlife. Though the battle was long, Captain Collider eventually managed to separate Tectrax's conscious fragment from the land mass it had 'infected', rendering it powerless.
Threat Level:
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INCARCERATED
SHEVA THE SHE-BEAST
Real Name: Dr. Sheva Mamani
Powers/Abilities: Genetic Chimerism, Brilliant Geneticist, Medical Doctor and Veterinarian
Occupation: Super Criminal/Leader of the Wild Ones
Origin: Science/Natural
Motivation: Ideals/Power
Inspired By: Satanna (DC), Jackal (Marvel), Kraven the Hunter (Marvel), Dr. Moreau (The Island of Doctor Moreau)
Infamously: Created the 'Perfect Predator' using her talents but was compelled to end its suffering by Captain Collider.
Sheva Mamani was once a well-known geneticist and radical animal rights activist conducting borderline illegal research into splicing. It was during a retreat to Africa that she had a spiritual awakening and concluded that humanity was biologically inferior to animals and a danger to all life. When she returned to America, Mamani had perfected splicing and used it to create powerful animal-human hybrids out of Arcadia City's petty criminals and to bestow herself with animal-based abilities, soon giving birth to the street gang known as the 'Wild Ones'. As the leader of the Wild Ones, the 'She-Beast' Mamani wages a war against humanity in the name of the animal kingdom.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
NOWHERE MAN
Real Name: Dr. Kenneth Geiss
Powers/Abilities: NOwear, Brilliant Quantum Physicist
Occupation: Super Criminal
Origin: Tech/Cosmic
Motivation: Emotional
Inspired By: Ghost (Marvel), Psycho Mantis (Metal Gear Solid), Griffin (The Invisible Man)
Infamously: Became an existentially uncertain being and sought revenge on his former peers from "beyond the grave".
An ambitious quantum physicist studying uncertainty, Kenneth Geiss' developed the NOwear -- a technological bodysuit capable of suspending its wearer in a state of quantum uncertainty. During the suit's test run, however, faulty engineering caused it to malfunction, seemingly erasing Geiss from existence. Months later, reports of a ghost killing its way through Geiss' R&D team and wreaking havoc on any matter it touched revealed that Geiss had effectively become a spectre, trapped between existence and non-existence and embittered towards his peers for failing him. When Captain Collider managed to convince this 'Nowhere Man' that he didn't exist, he faded from this physical plane and has yet to be seen or heard from again.
Threat Level:
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DECEASED [PRESUMED]
SYNTHESIS
Real Name: Collective Retrograde Synthetic Virus
Powers/Abilities: Sentient Pathogen
Occupation: N/A
Origin: Science/Cosmic
Motivation: Nature/Purpose
Inspired By: Techno-Organic Virus (Marvel), Technovore (Marvel), Amazo Virus (DC), Starro (DC), Husks (Mass Effect)
Infamously: Transformed a notable percentage of America's population into grotesque robot-human hybrids.
When a capsule of an alien origin crashed down on Earth, the local farmer who discovered it in a field found himself immediately sprayed with gas. This gas -- a weaponised pathogen which gradually transforms infected subjects into techno-organic drones and compels them to infect others -- warped the man into the first in the hivemind known as 'Synthesis', a sentient bio-weapon with one purpose: to unite all life within its collective consciousness. Synthesis made its way through the country like an epidemic, amassing an army of drones until Captain Collider was able to quarantine and develop a cure for 'patient zero', purging the virus from all infected subjects. Whether or not Synthesis has disappeared for good remains to be seen.
Threat Level:
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INACTIVE
CANDYMAN
Real Name: Dr. Phineas Valentine
Powers/Abilities: Candy Cane, Brilliant Psychologist, Hypnotist and Neuroscientist
Occupation: Super Criminal/"Drug" Dealer
Origin: Tech
Motivation: Money/Power/Insanity
Inspired By: The Top (DC), Count Vertigo (DC), Mad Mod (DC), Mad Hatter (DC), Psycho-Pirate (DC), Purple Man (Marvel), Stacy X (Marvel), Willy Wonka (Chocolate Factory)
Infamously: Left Captain Collider in a hypnotic stupor of warring sensations he was almost unable to break free from.
Once a sadistic psychologist and neuroscientist who delighted in breaking the minds of his subjects, Phineas Valentine became obsessed with the effect of intense hypnosis on the human mind during his studies and used his minor engineering skills to forge the Candy Cane -- a striped walking stick packed with advanced technology which allowed him to hypnotically induce pleasure, pain, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and hysteria in others. Dubbing himself the 'Candyman', Valentine used his power to wreak havoc on Arcadia City, running afoul of Captain Collider many times in the process.
Threat Level:
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INCARCERATED
FLUX
Real Name: Felix Lawson
Powers/Abilities: Energy Consumption, Energy Empowerment
Occupation: Super Criminal
Origin: Science
Motivation: Emotional
Inspired By: Parasite (DC), Major Force (DC), Atomic Skull (DC), Abomination (Marvel), Sebastian Shaw (Marvel)
Infamously: Forced his abused ex-wife to harbour him after a prison break and drained Captain Collider when confronted.
Once a hotheaded APEX operative, Felix Lawson had many embarrassing encounters with Captain Collider and his rogues. This prompted him to volunteer for an experimental attempt by APEX to use radiation on the same wavelength as Power Particles to recreate Captain Collider. A sudden fluctuation caused unexpected results, however. With hair made of green fire and the power to consume energy from any source through touch, Lawson became Flux and went after Captain Collider alone. When he was defeated, APEX severed ties and allowed him to be arrested to avoid accountability. Betrayed by his organisation and incapable of returning to his normal life, Flux has nothing left but his mission: destroying Captain Collider.
Threat Level:
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INCARCERATED
3D BANDIT
Real Name: Dennis Dalton Dee
Powers/Abilities: Dimension Shifting
Occupation: Super Criminal/Mercenary
Origin: Science/Cosmic
Motivation: Money/Thrills
Inspired By: Folded Man (DC), Shadow Thief (DC), 4-D (DC), Bullseye (Marvel)
Infamously: Made numerous assassination attempts on Elizabeth Rhodes during her re-election campaign.
A prominent contract killer, mercenary, professional thief and general odd-job in the world of organised crime, Dennis Dalton Dee worked his way up to the big leagues from Mississippi. Eventually, his talents got him hired to steal blueprints for the Parton Portal. QUARK responded to his intrusion mid-heist, however, causing him to activate the device and fall in unprotected. When he awoke after being saved by Captain Collider, he found he could shift between the first three dimensional planes at will. Choosing to take his accident as an opportunity, Dee broke into the 'costume game' as the 3D Bandit, using his control over his own dimensional cohesion to go anywhere, take anything and kill anyone -- so long as he gets something out of it.
Threat Level:
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INCARCERATED
CHAUFFEUR
Real Name: Patrick 'Paddy' McNamara
Powers/Abilities: Vehicular Augmentation, Vehicular Intuition, Brilliant Mechanic and Driver
Occupation: Super Criminal/Chop Shop Owner
Origin: Science
Motivation: Money
Inspired By: Overdrive (Marvel), Big Wheel (Marvel), Stunt-Master (Marvel), Carpenter (DC), Kato (Green Hornet)
Infamously: Used his chop shop to provide Arcadia City's criminals with 'tricked out' super vehicles and getaway drivers.
A crooked mechanic and former stunt driver who ran a chop shop out of his auto-repair and acted as a getaway driver for local criminals, Patrick 'Paddy' McNamara's career prospects took a sudden change when he won a super serum from a mad scientist in a street race. When he drunkenly used it as a mixer while drinking to a successful heist, the serum mutated McNamara's bio-electricity, giving him the power to radically modify and intuitively comprehend any vehicle he touched. With his unusual powers, McNamara took his criminal enterprise to the next level as the Chauffeur and regularly provides Arcadia City's criminal element with his special brand of resources.
Threat Level:
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ACTIVE
Weaknesses
Vulnerabilities
The Cosmic Connection: As a conduit to the Metaverse, Captain Collider's powers are entirely dependent on maintaining his link to it. If this cosmic connection were to be interfered with or completely severed, his powers would be significantly reduced or outright nullified as a result. Concentrated tachyon bursts, certain types of cosmic radiation, inverted Power Particles, distorted physical laws and even overexertion have all been known to have a negative impact on Captain Collider's connection to the Metaverse.
Right in the Joules: He also runs the risk of losing his molecular stability if he absorbs too much energy, though the upper limits of the amount he can absorb is unknown.
Shock to the System: Captain Collider has shown more vulnerability to electricity than any other type of naturally occurring energy. Too much of it can scramble his bioelectric field, weakening his physical prowess and it overloads his energy absorbing abilities far quicker than other mundane energy types.
Abra Kadabr-ouch: As with many science-based heroes, Captain Collider has little resistance against magic based attacks and is almost as vulnerable to them as a normal person.
Can You Hear Me Now: With his enhanced sense of hearing, Captain Collider is particularly susceptible to sonic based attacks.
Mind Over Matter: In order to use his powers, Captain Collider needs to understand the particles he's working with and what he's doing with them. If you cut off his knowledge or screw around with his mind enough, you can cut off some of his powers. As such, Captain Collider has a notable vulnerability to psionics that is only slightly lessened by his cosmic intelligence.
Shortcomings
Earth-Shattering Kaboom: One of Captain Collider's greatest shortcomings is his lack of fine control over his powers. If the belt of his suit is damaged beyond repair and the strain on his powers is too great, it is a strong possibility that he could explode into super dense particles, creating a black hole in his wake. The fear of doing so constantly weighs on him and prompts him to limit himself both physically and emotionally.
Made From Concentrate: The more complex elements of Captain Collider's powers are extremely difficult to control with precision and require concentration to be used properly.
Plight of the Pacifist: Captain Collider is a textbook pacifist. A smart opponent can take advantage of this, so long as they remember that even most pacifists have a logical limit.
As You Live And Breathe: Either through his own unwillingness to do so or an actual limitation of his powers, Captain Collider cannot manipulate the matter of living organisms. While not a weakness in a traditional sense of the word, it's helpful to know which lines he won't cross.
Very Disenchanting: Captain Collider's matter manipulating powers are incapable of influencing items sufficiently cosmic or magical in nature.
Test Your Metal: Captain Collider is incapable of seeing through lead with any of his vision-based powers. While he can see through questionite, it's comparable to looking through a fog.
Projecting Problems: While Captain Collider can project all manner of energy and radiation, he is only able to channel and project one kind at any given time. He is incapable of mixing and matching multiple energy types and, instead, must settle for 'switching out'.
Soundtrack
1. Sand of Time - Audiomachine
4. Flight Of Freedom - Aaron Sapp
6. Solaris - Christopher Drake
9. Defenders of the Realm - Twelve Titans Music
13. Starfleet - Two Steps From Hell
RP Hooks
- If you're a scientist or a science enthusiast, you might be familiar with Captain Collider's work and presence in the scientific world. You might even have worked with him before or after he became a hero.
- A student studying physics at a college level? Perhaps Captain Collider has given you a lecture at some point.
- It's not unlikely that you may have seen Captain Collider attending or participating in a charity event.
- Captain Collider has published a number of books about the Power Particle and other key topics of physics in his long-spanning career as a physicist. Interested in the subject? Maybe you've read one.
- If you're a business type, you may have encountered Unlimited Dynamics in the past, in which case you've probably heard of their pride and joy, Captain Collider.
- If you're living in or near Arcadia City, you may be familiar with Captain Collider's reputation.
Trivia
- Captain Collider is primarily inspired by: Captain Atom (DC), Firestorm (DC), Superman (DC), The Flash (DC), Dr. Manhattan (DC), Blue Marvel (Marvel), Hank Pym (Marvel) and Mr. Fantastic (Marvel). Additional influences include: Captain Universe (Marvel), The Atom (DC), Mr. Terrific (DC), Green Arrow (DC) and Doc Savage.
- The Metaverse is inspired by: The Firestorm Matrix (DC), The Quantum Field (DC), The Speed Force (DC) and The Uni-Power (Marvel).
- QUARK is inspired by: Skeets (DC), H.E.R.B.I.E (Marvel), Ultron (Marvel), J.A.R.V.I.S (MCU) and C-3PO (Star Wars).
- The HADRON Composition is inspired by: OMACs (DC), Superman Robots (DC), The Manhunters (DC) and The Iron Legion (MCU).
- If I had to pick a voice actor for Captain Collider it would definitely be Phil Morris.
- Captain Collider has written a number of books on particle physics including his best-seller, 'The Power Particle'.
- Captain Collider regularly gives lectures on physics at various higher education institutions around the world. It's one of his greatest joys in life.
- Captain Collider arguably ranks among the most prominent physicists in the world and is a strong contender for being one of the smartest men alive. He generally shows no interest in that sort of competition, however. Or, rather, he pretends not to...
- Despite being generally amicable, Captain Collider prefers to work alone and tends to steer clear of supergroups. This is partially because he believes most supergroups take an authoritarian slant on being heroes, becoming more akin to military organisations and conflicting with his vocal liberalism. He has recently, however, started an ad-hoc supergroup of his own that might change his mind....
- When Captain Collider's costume was first designed it had a red and black colour scheme. After wearing it once he quickly informed the designers that it was too 'menacing' and asked for a more calming primary colour.
- Captain Collider's favourite film is 'It's A Wonderful Life'. His favourite books are 'Men Like Gods', 'The Stars My Destination' and 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' His favourite food is waffles with caramel syrup.
- Captain Collider is an absolutely terrible cook. Just awful, really.
- Captain Collider has a rather eclectic taste in music. He constantly bounces from popular genres such as jazz and pop to more obscure sub-genres such as political rap and mathcore with an almost baffling lack of consistency.
- Captain Collider is an outspoken liberal progressive. Though he strives to remain impartial, there are times where his views influence his heroic actions.
- Though he has the power to manipulate the laws of physics themselves now, Captain Collider hasn't retired from his role as a physicist. Far from it, he gladly uses his new powers to aid in his scientific investigation and to help other scientists.
- It's good that Captain Collider is a pacifist because he has zero combat training. He compensates with strength, durability and, above all, intelligence.
- Captain Collider adheres to the belief that magic is simply science which has yet to be grounded by a knowledge of its physical laws. His connection to the Metaverse, which seems almost mystical in its level of high science, only strengthens this view and encourages him to better his understanding of it.
- Since his first appearance Captain Collider has accumulated a number of titles and nicknames. Most media outlets and Unlimited Dynamics itself use 'Man of the Millennium' or 'Master of the Atom.' Other heroes and law enforcement officials tend to use 'All-Powerful Pacifist' as a somewhat derogatory title and, in the scientific world, he is often called the 'Final Frontiersman'. After the Metaverse was discovered, some called him the 'Metaversal Man.' Lately, with Arcadia City's rebuilding and acceptance of him, he has been referred to as the 'Best of the Brightest' to tie in with the nickname, 'America's Brightest City'.
Gallery
Captain Collider's costume may be easy on the eyes, but it also serves the purpose of holding him together.
Scientist turned superhero, Mal Parton prefers to use his considerable brain over his considerable brawn. His eyes revert to being brown when his powers aren't in use.
You can't solve all your problems by punching them.
Captain Collider, looking down on the city with glowing looky eyes that just say 'I'm looking at you.'
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it time to pay your optician a visit?
Oh, no, it's just that one guy.
Arcadia: America's Brightest City and home to Captain Collider.
Taste the glowing fist of science and shit. (Art by Banganger)
Squats and oats. And metaphysical particles from another dimension. Mostly squats and oats. (Art by Daggerpoint)
Great, now we're going to have to get him ANOTHER atom. (Art by Daryl Toh)
There's a hole in the wall where the man can see it all. (Art by DiegoLlorente)
I can see my house from here. (Art by Eryck Webb)
Comments
Have you got something to say about the high-flying, pacifistic Man Of The Millennium? Feel free to get it down here. Just try to be courteous.
"Limp-wristed lefty." - All-Star
"Mal's as brilliant as he is powerful, a combination which has thankfully landed in his sane and capable hands. In the few times I've seen him action, I've gotten an impression on how compassionate and collected he is - and still, the upper levels of what he can do, I can only guess at." - The Peacemaker
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|---|---|---|
| Founder: Captain Collider | ||
| Frontiersmen: Aliona • Atom Man • Bullet Ant • Crawdad • Desperado • Katsuo • Orchid • Particle Man Primordo • Prism • Rocket • Roadrunner • Soldier Celsius • Starlancer Tryton • Ultima King • Uplift • Watchman • Wildling | ||
| Allies: QUARK | ||
| ... Ad Infinitum ... | ||
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| ||
|---|---|---|
| Active: Captain Collider • All-Star | ||
| Inactive/Incomplete: Mach V • Science Stork • The Flea • Bearzerker • Kid Billionaire Henchman • Captain Cash • Citizen Z • The Lovecraftian Man • Screwball • Patricia Pan | ||
| Misc: Frontiersmen | ||
