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Apr 27, 2012 8:21:01 GMT -5
Post by gamedave on Apr 27, 2012 8:21:01 GMT -5
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Apr 29, 2012 13:26:04 GMT -5
Post by gamedave on Apr 29, 2012 13:26:04 GMT -5
THE FIVE WAVES
Although the concept of metahuman “culling” (see "Metahumans")has not been accepted outside of fringe circles, most researchers do agree on a rough classification of five waves of metahuman and costumed adventurer activity.
The “Zero Wave” (c. 1865-1889): Some researchers contend that there was a wave of metahuman activity, concentrated in the American West, prior to the commonly accepted First Wave. Although there were certainly a number of unusual and capable individuals active during this period, some of whom wore masks and even something resembling costumes, none are known to have had metahuman abilities. Debate on whether this period constitutes a true wave continues.
The First Wave (c. 1890-1918): The period roughly from the “closing” of the American West and the end of the 19th century leading up to the First World War saw the first relatively widespread appearance of what would now be considered super-heroes, such as the Magician I in Europe, Iron Ox in China, and American Eagle I in the United States. Most of the costumed adventurers of this period had no known powers, but others, such as Iron Ox, clearly did have abilities beyond those available to normal humans.
The Second Wave (c. 1919-1945): The inter-War period saw a dramatic spike in costumed adventurers, the so-called “mystery men”, particularly Chicago, Gray Harbor, New York, and Los Angeles in the United States. Although many mystery men, such as American Eagle II and III had no known powers, others such as the Wraith, did, and they made a far larger proportion of the costumed adventurers than did their First Wave metahuman counterparts.
The Third Wave (c. 1946-1973): Although the American Eagle IV and a few other costumed adventurers were active since early 1946, many consider the appearance of the Atomic Man in 1953 to be the proper beginning of this era; all agree that the Fall in 1973 marked its end. In the Third Wave, unlike the first two, the vast majority of both costumed heroes and villains were metahumans, rather than highly trained “normal” humans. Some of the most powerful known metahumans in recorded history were active in this wave, including the Atomic Man, Captain Wonder, and the Outsider.
The Fourth Wave (c. 1974-2000): In many ways, the Fourth Wave was like the Third Wave, only more so. After the decimation of the world’s metahuman community in the Fall, an even larger generation of metahuman heroes and villains quickly appeared. Interestingly, although each previous wave had seen large increases in both the numbers and power levels of metahumans over the preceding wave, the Fourth Wave mostly saw an increase in numbers, not power. Although there are Fourth Wave metahumans, such as Champion, who would number among the most powerful ever, the Atomic Man, Captain Wonder, and the Outsider, all Third Wave heroes, are probably still the most powerful ever.
The Fifth Wave (c. 2001-present): At 12:01 am, January 1st, 2001, individuals across the globe suddenly and spontaneously manifested metahuman abilities. Casting powerful doubt on the fringe “culling” theory, this mass appearance of metahumans had no corresponding disappearance of previously existing metahumans. Moreover, the increase in total numbers, although significant, was no where near that of earlier waves. The number of new metahumans appearing was actually less than the number of existing metahumans, in contrast to earlier waves, where the number of new metahumans greatly exceeded the numbers of the preceding wave. Moreover, the power level of the newly appearing metahumans seems to be, if anything, somewhat less than that of the Fourth Wave (with glaring exceptions, such as the Ascended). Some fringe researchers have speculated that the “culling” of the Fourth Wave was somehow aborted, and that resulted in a smaller and perhaps less powerful generation of metahumans. They also point to the contemporaneous disappearance of the American Eagle III as somehow being connected to these events.
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May 5, 2012 16:23:24 GMT -5
Post by gamedave on May 5, 2012 16:23:24 GMT -5
THE FOURTH REICH
A mixture of dried-up leftovers from Nazi Germany desperately clinging to life and angry young punks rebelling against their parents, the Fourth Reich would almost be a joke if it wasn’t such a vicious, evil organization. Although no where near as powerful or effective as CHIMAERA or the Techonocracy, the Fourth Reich has still managed to kill thousands of innocent people in its six decades of existence.
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