Help building a pulp hero!

[tecnowraith]

Hey all, I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this but here it goes. I need help naming a character I a creating. This a pulp hero gadgeteer who created a teleport device that uses radio-waves. He does have other gadgets but the teleport is his major one. The setting is 1930's - 40's with a mix of Golden Age comics. I am usually god at names for my characters but for this I am drawing a complete blank. Thanks

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

What do you envision some of his main gadget schticks will be? That will probably be your inspiration point for a name.

For instance, the one of the last retro gadgeteers I designed used a lot of stuff based on the writings of Nicola Tesla- his AC power & death rays, his principle of mechanical resonance, etc.- but I couldn't make the PC an alternative history version of Tesla himself since he was an orangutan with artificially increased intelligence a la The Isaland of Doctor Moreau and countless other comic book super-apes.

So he became "Dr. Zeus".

Another had night vision goggles in an evil-looking helmet and a pneumatic exoskeleton/frame that increased his jumping ability- enter "Spring-Heeled Jack".

That all in mind, here's a list of key inventors involved in the creation of radio technology: http://inventors.about.com/od/rstartinventions/a/radio.htm

Looking at that list, I note that the scientist Maxwell who predicted the existence of radio waves is the same who came up with the thought experiment of Maxwell's Demon...that has potential!

 

[WayneLigon]

You can always rip off an actual Golden Age hero and call him 'Air-Wave'; in the comics, his grandson used a suit he developed to teleport along broadcast waves.

Or, 'The Frequency'. Limitation: he can only teleport with a radio nearby, and there needs to be one on the other end. In the time period, it's not a crippling limitation at all - every home and business will have at least one, and many cars. Should probably take some means of creating radio broadcasts as well. Maybe he announces his presence in an eerie manner over the crooks' radio before he appears - "...and that was Nat King Cole with 'Goin' to Town with Honey'. Now, listen live as The Frequency takes down the Waterfront Gang, for justice is ON THE AIR!"

 

[tecnowraith]

You can always rip off an actual Golden Age hero and call him 'Air-Wave'; in the comics, his grandson used a suit he developed to teleport along broadcast waves.

Or, 'The Frequency'. Limitation: he can only teleport with a radio nearby, and there needs to be one on the other end. In the time period, it's not a crippling limitation at all - every home and business will have at least one, and many cars. Should probably take some means of creating radio broadcasts as well. Maybe he announces his presence in an eerie manner over the crooks' radio before he appears - "...and that was Nat King Cole with 'Goin' to Town with Honey'. Now, listen live as The Frequency takes down the Waterfront Gang, for justice is ON THE AIR!"

Now that I like, taking the whole shadow show style to the next level in some way! My stepdad gave me the idea on the telepoting through the radio.

 

[tecnowraith]

How would either Doctor Spectrum or Doctor Photon sound as a pulp hero name?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

How would either Doctor Spectrum or Doctor Photon sound as a pulp hero name?

They fit the time period just fine, but not the "radio wave" schtick.

...Maybe he announces his presence in an eerie manner over the crooks' radio before he appears - "...and that was Nat King Cole with 'Goin' to Town with Honey'. Now, listen live as The Frequency takes down the Waterfront Gang, for justice is ON THE AIR!"

This is genius- DO IT!







PS: As an anachronistic pop-culture reference, you could probably work the phrase, "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" into your dialog...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Perhaps the PC's radio-wave teleport announcement begins with a bit of static and some eerie theremin music- like you'd get with a sci-fi radio serial- and his departure would likewise be accompanied by similar theremin themes.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Besides the excellent suggestion of "The Frequency", how about:

Airwave Avenger
Dr. Æther
Kilowatt Kid

You could also give him a name based on radio call signs, like Captain KAOS.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_signs_in_North_America

 

[WayneLigon]

Perhaps the PC's radio-wave teleport announcement begins with a bit of static and some eerie theremin music- like you'd get with a sci-fi radio serial- and his departure would likewise be accompanied by similar theremin themes.

[video=youtube_share;M1CydO3s2wY]http://youtu.be/M1CydO3s2wY[/video]

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Good one!

See also the themes to The Outer Limits or old sci-fi movies like Forbidden Planet.