City of Heroes-- The Animated Series! (A What If Supposition)

Going to have to make this quicker than I'd like since I have to head off to work in a few minutes, but I wanted to get the ball rolling to see what everyone came up with while I was gone.

What if the COX franchise really took off after the Going Rogue Expansion to the extent that there was interest in an Animated Series based on the game? What would you want to see in it? Any suggestions on who you would want to be the voice actor? Animation style?

As for me, I've got a few brief ideas:

Animation: Timmverse style. There's just something about that style of animation that really appeals to me in terms of a super hero show. Maybe it's because I've seen so much of it already ...

Content: If I were in charge, I would do the show similar to how JLU was set up. Most of the episodes would focus on the Freedom Phalanx and Recluse and his lieutenants, but I'd also do episodes focusing on other heroes and villains ... say an episode featuring Penny and the Clockwork King or an episode centered on the Adventures of Wretch and the Sidekick Villains ...

Overarching themes: I'd set up an arc for Ms. Liberty. At the beginning of the series, she would start out being the wholesome Goody Two-Shoes she seems to be when you first meet her after going through the Outbreak tutorial. The series would start right after the Rikti War with her just starting to stepping out of Statesman's shadow. Throughout the first season, she would face hard choices that would lead her down a path darker than her grandfather likes. The end of the first season would see her founding Longbow.

I would want to do spotlight/flashback episodes on the main characters showing how they came to be the heroes and villains they are today:

Citadel and Luminary would show us something of life for the non-organics of Paragon City. An ongoing theme would be showing how Lumi is much more accepted by people than Citadel and is something of a party girl. She'd face some setbacks along the way because of her desire to be "human", but she would also succeed in making Citadel somewhat less stuffy ...

Oh, and there would be an episode centering around the friendship/rivalry of Recluse and Statesman flashing back throughout their whole history. It would reveal that there's one day a year where they do NOT strike out at each other and come together in peace to talk about times gone by and toast to long gone friends and family ...

I have more ideas, but I want to hear what the rest of you think too ... So share already!

Given their differences, I would doubt that Statesman and Recluse would ever just sit and chat, but in that vein, a scenario where they are combating the 'larger threat' (Perhaps Tyrant, Rikti, or Hamidon) together and make it apparant that they know each other so well even after all these years I imagine a back to back style where they fight around each other in some masterfully choreographed sequence, which would end with Statesman saying something akin "it wasn't so bad fighting together again, yadda yadda" to which Recluse replies "You're still an idiot."

I'd surely love to see this happen.

((Graveyard meetings, you say? ... /e hmmm))

Recluse snarled, his eyes glowing a bright, menacing red from under his helmet. "You stole her from me, Marcus." The villain almost spat the words out, his proto-steel clad spider arms spreading out from behind him. "And now you seek to deny me paying tribute to my dear, departed sister, on her very day of birth?"

"Tribute?!" Statesman spluttered, pulling off the long overcoat he was wearing, revealing sensible, if slightly old fashioned trousers and a light blue shirt with tie. "How many times has it been, Stefan? How many times have you stood against us, our child, and even our granddaughter!" The veteran hero eyed the gravestone of Monica Cole, nee Richter. If they were to come to blows, as they had done countless times in the past, protecting the resting place of his dear departed came first.

"My own kin, turned against me by you. So prim, so proper... and such a coward." Lord Recluse flexed his hands, balling them into fists repeatedly as he taunted. "Were the roles reversed, were science allowed to flow unimpeeded here as it does in the Isle-"

"With scant regard for the sancity of life?"

"With scant regard for those who do not matter. The weak. The feeble. Those who through experimentation and through advancement, their deaths could aid the strong. The worthy. Monica could have been saved. But she chose you. And look at her now." With a wave of his hand, he extended his arm towards the headstone.

"Enough of your games!" Statesman bellowed, surging forth as his feet took off the ground, ploughing straight into his nemesis, as he propelled them through the air, laying blow after blow with his free hand into his former brother in arms, in law. The other clenching the armour Recluse hid behind.

"And miss your tantrums, that temper? Only when you die will they stop, Marcus!" Recluse hissed, his arachnoid arms darting down to clamp around the uncostumed hero. Statesman grunted in pain as the protosteel tips pierced through his attire, the pair soon slamming down onto the concerete driveway in the cemetary to tumble and roll down the path.

Kicking free, a powerful stroke of his arms carried Recluse skittering away to begin the face off once more. Statesman hauled himself up from the concrete, muscled flesh showing from the tears and rips in his shirt. The pair watched each other, waiting before colliding again with fierce, angry attacks.

Well done, Zortel!

But the reason I want a quiet meeting between Recluse and Statesman is to use it as an excuse to tell the whole origin of Statesman and Recluse and the Freedom Phalanx.

Statesman and Recluse's meeting would be the wraparound to the main story ... and the end would have Recluse's minions and the Freedom Phalanx showing up to fight with Recluse and Statesman stepping between them to put a stop to the fight ... for that day.

There are a couple of reasons why I would want to play a scene like this.

Depending on whether or not you accept the novels as canon, Stefan and Marcus weren't just foxhole buddies ... they literally grew up together. Stefan's father took Marcus and his brother (would make for an interesting story if we found out that Marcus's dead brother was either Tyrant or Reichsman in another reality) in when their parents died. I'd like to think some ties still linger though both Marcus and Stefan would deny it ...

(After all, doesn't the idea that Clark Kent and Lex Luthor were close friends at one point make the story of Luthor Vs. Superman so much more interesting?)

Aside from the familial connections, the fact remains that Recluse and Statesman are two of the last survivors of World War I. I've always thought that a neat scene would be Recluse and Statesman toasting to their fellow doughboys when the last American veteran of the War to End All Wars finally passes onto his great reward ...

I don't think it means by evil twin what you think it means though :P

I like psychics! Nay I love them!

Therefore I propose there be an episode showing Sister Psyche and Malaise's story - if Sister Psyche were to be a main character then I think people need to see the extent of her power and just how good she is. Battling Malaise and winning would be a good way to do this.

Context-wise, if it were to be set after the first Rikti War, then there could be a bit of back-story at the start followed by Malaise breaking free from Sister Psyche's care and running amok.

Just a thought.

I too really like the Timm JLU series. It allows you a huge cast, and so many interesting stories to tell, from the demi-gods to the street brawlers. The tone can range from comic to vicious.

With a series like this, you have to keep in mind:

1) People who know the universe already. The revelation that States and Recluse were once comrades won't be big news to us.
2) People who don't know the universe at all. So the story can't assume the viewer knows that States and Recluse were buddies.

Given CoH isn't a very famous IP in the superhero world, (shame, shame on you, Marketing! No champagne and hot tubs on the expense account, ever again!) you may have to play up #2.

"They say the City has a millions stories. Here's twenty-six of them..."

Quick cuts to startling/action packed scenes, one from each of the twenty six premiere episodes.

Ah, stuff the big guns. Aside from Sister Psyche laying into kids for imagining her naked, or appearing naked in the bath, I always prefered the 'less canon' approach of the Blue King comics. I know War Witch is now in the game, but she used to be just a paper character (and a badge).

So, keep the big characters for cameos and create a series which plays the game, so to speak. Start out with a fresh crew of new heroes and have them struggle to gain the experience they need to join the big guys. Probably not starting with level 1 or 2, but equally give them room to grow.

I understand what you guys are saying, but I think that if I were in charge of the franchise I'd want the "Faces of the game" (Manti, States, etc) to play a major role in the show so that when someone who catches the show decides they want to try the game they'd have an easier time finding the box.

And, too, I just find the original characters pretty interesting.

Well, just me, but I think if you call it City of Heroes: The Animated Series or similar, people will find the box.

From a marketting perspecitive, putting out a box specifically linked to the series, with the lead characters of the series on the cover (probably with the big boys and girls in the background) would solve that problem nicely. Put in some special items (costume pieces, temp powers, I dunno) as a link, you'd even sell it to the existing customers.