Intro:
I am working on a creative project – a serial in 25-50 parts – that will debut here at Ordinary Times probably some time later this year. While I have a good idea for most of the central characters and such, I could use some help with some of the expanded universe stuff. The ultimate goal is to create the dynamics of a rich superhero universe. Every now and again, I stumble on some creative block for character names or I want an outside opinion for some reason or another. I plan to draw heavily on superheroes that exist in the public domain, most of which were created before our copyright laws became so insane. But some of them have names that I cannot use (like Daredevil) or whose name I strongly dislike (like Red Rube).
First Thing:
The first such problem is that while I have a lot of characters and names for individual heroes, there are very few for team names. Which are kind of important, because the various teams are a building block of the whole thing. So throw at me the best superhero team names you’re willing to let me use. Almost all of the stories involve American heroes (the legalities of superheroism make operating across national borders difficult), though most of the teams are actually regional. There are basically two tiers of teams, a A-List and a B-List so to speak (the protagonist of the story straddles the two). So regional elements to names are quite welcome, though so are things that purport to be national (even if they really aren’t). Really, you can completely ignore the regions if that doesn’t help at all. I just put it there if it gives you any ideas.
The regions break down as according to the above maps. States in black are complicated. Multiple A-Teams or B-Teams claim New York, Maryland, Florida, New Jersey, and Missouri, and no team is allowed to operate in Wisconsin or Montana. States in white are uncontested among the B-Teams. Lighter shades mean that they don’t actually have any heroes that operate there, but claim it in their jurisdiction anyway. There is a C-Team that operates on the west coast (Washington, Oregon, and California), a C-Team in Alaska, and a C-Team in Hawaii. The west coast one may get mentioned, but the other two won’t.
I think I may already have names for the midwestern A-Team (violet) and the mountain western B-Team (blue), so those probably aren’t the ones to start with.
(Update/clarification: There are four A-Teams and six B-Teams. The lighter variants are a part of the darker variant’s terrain. So, for instance, New Mexico is considered Texas A-team’s footprint, they just don’t have any members there. But if something big happens, it’ll be on Texas A-Team and Colorado B-Team to deal with it. The same applies to the northeast, which is tied to the midwest for its A-Team. Unfortunately, the colors here aren’t always easy to tell apart. With the exception of New England, though, all extra-terrain is adjacent to the team’s presence. The midwestern A-Team actually has someone in New York, it’s just that New York is black because the South-Atlantic team also has someone there, which is why it’s contested. /update)
Artist:
I will be looking for some art work to attach to this thing. If you are someone with art talent, and the interest and ability to draw people in and out of costumes, let me know. No sequential art would be necessary. I’ll be writing more on this later.
The Basic Story:
Though this story involves a superhero universe, it’s not really a superhero story. I mean, it doesn’t tell the heroic tales of big fights of good and evil (or good and good, for that matter). It tells the story of a recently-retired hero reflecting back on his long career (dating back to the 50’s), his interactions over the years, what it was like to be a hero, what it’s like to not be a hero anymore. It’ll try to walk a fine line between being for comic book fans and for being people who aren’t comic book fans. Mostly, I want it to be about remembering a life no longer lived, and coming to terms with the fact that it’s over.
Northwest B-team:
The Seattle SuperSapiensReport
Do A-teams that keep losing to the bad guys get relegated to being B-teams?
Anyway, the B-team that includes Texas and Mississippi are the Southern Avengers. The one with Virginia are the Southern Gentlemen or just the Gentleman). The A-team with Texas are the Rocketeers. One of the New England teams are the Yankees; the other are Live Free or Die. Or maybe the Men of Granite. The upper midwest B-team are the Woebegones.Report
The Northeastern B-Team is hereforth known as the Fighting Yanks (because using Yankees was a really good idea, and it can be an homage to this guy).
Not gonna do anything Avengers because of Marvel (except insofar as I might use this guy though even there I am thinking of renaming him). I’ve been pondering “Southern Battalion” for the south-central B-Team.Report
And you’re not all that far off with regard to promotion/relegation. B-Teamers often get promoted to fill vacancies. Occasionally A-Teamers get bumped down for one reason or another (including the story’s narrator, in fact). Usually vacancies occur due to death, “death”*, or retirement, though.
* – No morbidity leave. Your spot may not be there upon your return.Report
B-Teams Orange: “The Great Prairie League” pops out at me.
“Dixie Misfits” could be used for B-Team Yellow or Red, though it sounds more like a derogatory nick-name a corresponding A-Team gave them.Report
I think Prairie League is a-go. I might see if I can fit Misfits in somewhere as a derogatory nickname.Report
What do you think of “The Dixie Six”? It offers up such creative insults as Dixie Hicks and Dixie Pricks, too.
(All this “Dixie” talk makes me wonder which side this team would support at Central High School, Little Rock, Arkansas, September 25, 1957.)Report
How the southern teams respond to the Civil Rights movement is actually one of the things I hope to explore. Specifically, the south-central B-Team (red) actually goes from being one of the top teams to becoming a B-team due to defections caused by bad blood over the issue. It’s why there’s not a singular southern A-Team.
Dixie Six is great. I am going to have to try to find a place for that one. Maybe the original name of the South-Central B-team.Report
The west coast A-team should be The Peacekeepers, what with the Pacific Ocean and all.Report
“Cascadian Crusaders.”Report
I’m going to suggest Tthe Hatfields and McCoys for the KY/WV-A team.Report
x equals the number of members
A-Teams:
Red: Pac-(X)
Blue: Big (X+2)
Green: Atlantic Coast Heroes
Purple: Big (X-4)
B-Teams:
Blue: Mountain West Heroes
Orange: Big Sky Heroes
Red: Heroes USA
Yellow: American Athletic Heroes
Green: Mid-American Heroes
Purple: Colonian Athletic HeroesReport
Hehe, though I think under that paradigm Big Sky Heroes should be Missouri Valley Heroes.Report
Alliteration seems to be the key here:
Heartland Heroes
Cascadian Crusaders
Defenders of Dixie
The Southern Stars
Sunset SquadronReport
Heartlanders is under consideration for A-Blue.Report
No team is allowed to operate in Wisconsin or Montana.
Intriguing. For the same reason, or for two different ones?Report
Well, with regard to Wisconsin, I’m sure it has something to do with the Packers.Report
Actually, it’s Bud Selig suspending all of them for various methods of performance enhancement.Report
Mostly different reasons.Report
I think a good name for the Red A-Team would be the Hollywood Heroes or Hollywood Stars. They could have roles in movies too.Report