Outcasts Forever: Issue #1 - Red America

[Kevin Perrine]

Mr. IMMORTAL (aka: Mr. I, aka. Craig Hollis, aka "Craigers")

Mr. IMMORTAL (aka: Mr. I, aka. Craig Hollis, aka "Craigers")

the limo was only feet away from the jet as it came to a stop. Outside the limousine was a sharply dressed man in a grey pin strip suit and two stunningly beautiful female assistants, sharply dressed in red blouses and grey pin skirts.

“Mr. Hollis!” the man called out as Craig was walking down the ramp of the jet. “Mr. Hollis, my name is Bartholomew Kingman, and I have been assigned as your temporary liaison until you can appoint one."

Craig's eyes opened wide to "the big city", sure it was only the airport but heck he was coming from Wisconsin... Taking a deeeeep breath in, enough to raise his chest out fully, Craig slapped both hands on his chest taking it all in... slowly angling his head down toward Kingman and with a twinkel in his eye....
"Ahhh New York, New York... the town SO nice, they named it TWICE!!"
Craig didn't think anything about how much of a tourist he seemed... he'd have to concern himself with that sometime soon, because it was looking like he just hit the big leagues!
"why thank you sew much Mr. Kingman, I can't say I've ever been needing a liaison much don'tcha know... but if that's what all the big boys have, you'll be just peachy Bart... may I call you Bart?
Say, does Captain America have his own liason?"
Craig asked, trying not to look too inquisitive about the Living Legend...

"These are my assistants, Ms. April, and Ms. June,"

he said as nodded to the two women.

"Ahh, ... 'I love, I love, I love - my calander girls' ...."
he sing-talked as he tipped an imaginary hat at the ladies... Craig has a way with the ladies, he's a great guy - just ask him...

"We need to hurry to the Mansion as your first meeting is scheduled in a matter of minutes . . . and you need to decide how public an entrance you want to make. I’ve also got several endorsement deals to discuss with you . . . oh, by the way, congratulations on your promotion.”

thinking as he started to duck his head into the limo, he thought
heck yeah - it's aboat time I started living it up Avenrger style! ....looking at Bartholomew through the open car doors, then quickly snapping back up to look over the limo with hand atop...
"I can see it now - 'MR. IMMORTAL' up on the banner along with the new team. maybe a red carpet event, we could invite Madonna and Justin Timberlake, maybe Michael Jordan! Paris and Tara Reid would come!! say, Bart - would horns be too much?..."
Craig's head started to fill with ideas of the Grammy's, the Oscars, the MTV Awards... Joan Rivers on the carpet... he'd probably be on E! or at least the little scrollbar on CNN!! It was too exciting!
and Craig flopped himself into the limo... not knowing what to ask for and knowing less what to expect!

One of the assistants opened the back door of the limo, and beckoned you inside. In a somewhat sultry voice, the assistance added, “Mr. I, I just loved your work in the Great Lakes . . . I watched you every week.

turning a shade of pinkish-red, and pulling on his collar...
"ah-geeeze, miss umm April(?) I wuz just trying to do the right thing... and keep my team alive... yessirree I'd DIE for the Avengers..."
as a tear wells up in his eye... then glancing at the young lady (to make sure she was watching) Craig cups his chin in his fingers - his best impression of the "Thinker", looking off into space with a sense of honor, rememberance and pride....

"in fact I HAVE .... twice already."

 

[Kevin Perrine]

sorry...

 

[Kevin Perrine]

soooooo sorry for the multiple copies...
it's so slow on the system today I didn't think my origin posted.

-kev-

 

[Arani Korden]

Once again, the question was at the forefront of Flint's mind. Regarding Vision with a confused look, he asked outright, "Look, buddy, I dunno what I'm doing here. And everyone keeps talking 'bout the 'Avengers.' Just who the hell're these 'Avengers?'"

"At the moment, we are." Hank visibly relaxed as he shifted into Lecture Mode. "Earth's -" he caught himself. "This Earth's mightiest heroes, who fight the good fight and do surprisingly little avenging, all things considered. The fact that you don't know that makes me suspect that we've gotten our timelines crossed somewhere along the way. I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of us had differences in our personal histories as well. I believe the traditional test is to ask who won the World Series, but I'm not sure if the Vision follows baseball."

 

[Keia]

Mr. Immortal

"why thank you sew much Mr. Kingman, I can't say I've ever been needing a liaison much don'tcha know... but if that's what all the big boys have, you'll be just peachy Bart... may I call you Bart?”

“But of course you can, sir,” Bartholomew said with a strong smile. “As for Captain America, I actually believe he recently fired his liaison . . . so if you could put in a good word . . . .”

"I can see it now - 'MR. IMMORTAL' up on the banner along with the new team. maybe a red carpet event, we could invite Madonna and Justin Timberlake, maybe Michael Jordan! Paris and Tara Reid would come!! say, Bart - would horns be too much?..."

“Well, sir,” Bartholomew commented, “You want to make a good impression, but you don’t want to take anything away from the stars . . . at least at the start. Your popularity rating could take a huge hit – you wouldn’t be in the majors very long like that. Remember what happened to that Dr. Druid guy?”

Craig remembered that story . . . he had seen it unfold just a few years before on their show. Dr. Druid had tried to take charge from the first day he made it to the big leagues . . . the others played nice, but it always seemed like Doc Druid took a pounding in the fights . . . before long others weren’t covering for him, super villains would find the way clear to the doc . . . especially that time Ms. Marvel side-stepped the Rhino and Dr. Druid just happened to be right behind her . . . Just a couple weeks ago they had a where are they now segment on Dr. Druid . . . Craig hadn't even bothered to remember what they said about him.

“Mr. Immortal, we haven’t much time to make a grand entrance to the Mansion,” Bartholomew explained. “The best angle would be the innocent rookie – it gets the best ratings if you can pull it off. We’ll see how the rating go from there and tailor your strategy.”

The limo slowed in front of the large iron gates that started the open of every show – he was in front of Avengers Mansion.

“Good luck, Mr. I,” one of the assistants said, “I just know you’ll knock ‘em dead.”

OOC: Mr. Immortal

 

[Radiant]

Binary

"At the moment, we are." Hank visibly relaxed as he shifted into Lecture Mode. "Earth's -" he caught himself. "This Earth's mightiest heroes, who fight the good fight and do surprisingly little avenging, all things considered. The fact that you don't know that makes me suspect that we've gotten our timelines crossed somewhere along the way. I wouldn't be surprised if the rest of us had differences in our personal histories as well. I believe the traditional test is to ask who won the World Series, but I'm not sure if the Vision follows baseball."

Well hi all. Nice to see you again hank, I was just visiting your fomer team. And you managed to confuse me in the five seconds I've heard you.

Carol gives the beast a hug and goes on to greet the rest of the team. Except for Captain America she had never worked with any of them but if they where good enough for him she had no intention of doubting them.

 

[Arani Korden]

Well hi all. Nice to see you again hank, I was just visiting your fomer team. And you managed to confuse me in the five seconds I've heard you.

"Carol! I thought you were still off being a space pirate! Welcome back to the big blue marble." Hank cheerfully returned the hug. "Sorry about the exposition; there's something unusual going on, and I was just theorizing aloud."

 

[Radiant]

"Carol! I thought you were still off being a space pirate! Welcome back to the big blue marble." Hank cheerfully returned the hug. "Sorry about the exposition; there's something unusual going on, and I was just theorizing aloud."

Even after all this time Carol is still surprised that Hank manages to control all his strength so well. From his looks you would have thought he'd crush her rips but instead she just feels as if she fell in her pillow.

"My that is sooo not true. The Starjammers are not space pirates. We're rightious rebells against a corrupt military government. It just happens that one of the sad parts of our existence is that we have to scare the crews of some innocent trader vessels while we take away resources from said government. Just ask Corsair."

She grins at him and blinks.

"So well, the guys name is Corsair and we did plunder ships. People are so fast to call you a pirate these days."

 

[Kevin Perrine]

Craig Hollis (getting into costume)

“As for Captain America, I actually believe he recently fired his liaison . . . so if you could put in a good word . . . .”

"good word?... w-w-wait a minute, aw-geeze I hadn't THOUGHT! You actually think that THE Captain America, Living Legend, Star-Spangled Avenger, Mr. Stars-n-Stripes will be on the team!!
aw-geeze, aw-man-o-man-o-man..."
Craig, obviously nervous at the thought of meeting a childhood hero, now worried that he'd be star struck.
comeon it's THE Captain America for gosh sake! o-man, uhhh... what would Cap do in this situation?!?! THINK - THINK - Darn you Craigers!! Mr. I thought to himself as the limo drew closer to the Downtown mansion...
why he'd... he'd MARSHAL ON Soldier! that's what he'd do.......
Craig couldn't wipe the silly grin off his face now, cripes - he had posters of Cap on his walls and action figures from that movie from the 70s...
Being from the Great Lakes area, Craig knew that they still compare Micheal Jordan to be the "Captain America" of Basketball... He was just the best in Mr. I's eyes. And that's how he'd managed to lead the GLA for these past years... asking "what would Cap do".

“Well, sir,” Bartholomew commented, “You want to make a good impression, but you don’t want to take anything away from the stars . . . at least at the start. Your popularity rating could take a huge hit – you wouldn’t be in the majors very long like that. Remember what happened to that Dr. Druid guy?”

"aw-geeze Bart, you don't think I got Doc Druid potential goin' do-ya?!! Girl's I ain't got lame-o vibes do I???"
Craig looked to the assisants then riffled through his bag pulling out his red/white/blue super suit...
Holding it up in front of them...

"yer right B ... I wanna stay in for the long haul, be a hall-of-famer someday. But I ought-not to think on that now... Everybody dreams of it, but I gotta play 'em one day at a time.... I just wanta give it my best shot and, Good Lord willing, things'll work out."
Craig had watched Bull Durham on the plane ride down... took some notes and had already started practicing his "press talk".

Just a couple weeks ago they had a where are they now segment on Dr. Druid . . . Craig hadn't even bothered to remember what they said about him.

"ughhhh, Doc Druid... geeze B, I sure don't wanna be a "Mort-o-the-Month" ... any advice? you've probably seen it all huh?"
as Craig started to find the head-hole in his body-suit...
"should I go with costume on.... or non-costume to show them that I trust'em, 'cause I do a'course... but is that to presumptious?..."
Craig sulked a bit in the limo dropping his costume into his lap.
"man... bein' an Avenger is tough work, I didn't hav-ta think this hard back with the GLA... geeze, I sure do miss those guys B. You girls, I think you'd like Big Bertha... Ashley's a model in real life ya-know..."
Craig tended to spout at the mouth when he was nervous....

“The best angle would be the innocent rookie – it gets the best ratings if you can pull it off. We’ll see how the rating go from there and tailor your strategy.”

"Right. good... that's 'kay... that's good... now... let me..."
as he turns to Miss April
"We gotta play 'em one day at a time."
"I'm just happy to be here and hope I can help the ballclub, err. Team."
"I just wanta give it my best shot and, Good Lord willing, things'll work out."

The limo slowed in front of the large iron gates that started the open of every show – he was in front of Avengers Mansion.
“Good luck, Mr. I,” one of the assistants said, “I just know you’ll knock ‘em dead.”

Graig - decided to go with the flair... he'd be more than willing to share the ol' secret ID as soon as he thought it was appropriate.
Pulling on his mask - it matted down his rusty red hair for a second then it all popped back into place sticking out of his headpiece like Conan O'Brien's hair.
Sitting way back he pulled on his boots and buckled up his belt, jamming his street clothes into his duffle bag he reached for the door handle ready to face the crowd...
ready to BECOME an Avenger...
"Mr. Immortal" had arrived in the big show!!
gosh, this sure is exciting, stay grounded, stay grounded he thought...
smiling in thanks to the girls and Bart he stepped out of the limo,
eyes shut at first spreading his arms with a big smile... opening them to see.........

 

[Nuke261]

Captain America

Captain America assured Flacon he would make introductions, if needed. "If any of the 'regulars' are here, I'm sure you'll be fine Sam. I know you've only been a Reservist but around here that really doesn't matter much."

Before Falcon could reply Captain America had reached out and opened both doors to the room, pushing them open as they entered. He immediately smiled a sincere smile at seeing the Beast and Vision, as well as the guy in a green shirt. "Vision, always good to see you around! Looks like we are going to have a pretty solid line-up!" He reached out to shake the Beast's hand as he spoke. "Hank, looking good as always. If we get lucky enough to get Hawkeye on the team you think you're up for a late night poker game?"

He caught sight of Falcon still standing in the doorway. "Guys, you know the Falcon, right? He seems a little gun shy about running with us full-time but I think he's proven to us all he's got the right stuff."

"Cap! Hey! Cripes, am I glad I finally know somebody around here!" With a slight pause, and a small chuckle, he continued, "What's with the wingtips? And the big red boots?"

Finally turning to acknowledge the last man in the room, Captain America tilted his head slightly at his comments. "Well, they're part of the uniform. Just like 50 stars and 13 stripes are part of the flag." He approached Sandman in what must have seemed like a cautious manner. In reality it was just buying him a few seconds more to take in the man before him. Once he stopped in front of him, he paused and then lifted his hand to shake. "Sandman, I presume. Glad to have you aboard. I hear reports from Spider-Man and Ben Grimm that you're doing an impressive job of atoning for your past sins."