Speaking of readers, the letters page of this issue reveals that Fuzz-Ball and Raggedy Doll's creators ere reversed. I've gone back and fixed the appropriate case file.
Case 53: New Adventures of Superboy #47-48
Dial Holders: Chris and Vicki
Dial Type: Watch and Pendant Dials
Dialing: According to the letters page, the number of submissions made to DC varies greatly, month to month. Writer Bob Rozakis' favorite to date has been The Terrible Typist, but he was never able to convince Bridwell, Bender or Schwartz to use it. He further reveals that artist Howard Bender (who just "Dialed B for Baby" as of the issue's publication, belated congratulations) tweaks the designs to make them comics-ready; readers might send no drawings but only indications for what the costume and colors look like anyway.
Only Supervillains!
Created by: Todd Willis, of Bridgeport, AL
Costume: In yellow and khaki, Cableman's striped pants are a bit of a disaster, but probably go with the "cable" motif. The crescent moon on his belt is more of a mystery. He also wears a helmet with a face shield, and has a hole in the middle of each hand.
Powers: From those holes come an electrified metal cable he can use to entangle or whip.
Sighted: Part of the Master's supervillain army, he gets his cable snapped by Trouble Clef. He is eventually crushed by a giant woman falling on him.
Possibilities: Some poor schmuck who got cybernetically modified by an evil corporation so be could get beat down by B-listers (he's not worse than a member of Roxxon's Serpent Society, admit it). As a solo villain, he might work if they give him more to do. He has strange reflections in his face screen that might indicate an energy entity (à la Wildfire), perhaps a sentient form of TV programming created by radio signals. And he'll take over the world via your TV set.
Integration Quotient: 80% (a utility player with some potential)
Created by: Ian Ford, of San Diego, CA
Costume: Between the flared red collar and the V-necked blue-black shirt, there's something of the vampire in him. But that's a spider on his belt. His pants are red. He has long hair like a Harlequin romance hero. What else... what else... oh yeah, he has six muscled arms.
Powers: Spyderr has extra limbs the better to crush you with.
Sighted: Part of the Master's supervillain army, Cableman's cable accidentally shocks him insensate. He is eventually crushed by a giant woman falling on him.
Possibilities: I'd throw him in with some kind of Monster Squad Z-list villain team. He gets killed by Frankenstein Agent of SHADE within minutes.
Integration Quotient: 35% (he doesn't do enough to ace his audition)
Created by: Wade Crawford, of Caledonia, Ontario
Costume: An Elvira look, with bone white skin and a green and black leotard that matches her hair. The black stripes go up to almost form a boob window above her cleavage. She wears pixie boots, big green oval earrings, and twisted black circlets around her arms.
Powers: Serpentina can pull a face, extending a long, green, forked tongue that paralyzes her opponents if they look upon it. An echo of Medusa's petrification powers, it can work on her as well. She can also fly.
Sighted: Part of the Master's supervillain army, her powers are turned against her.
Possibilities: Another one for the Monster Squad? The problem with her power set is that it's 1) too powerful, and 2) has one basic solution you'd keep using over and over. She's a one-shot deal. It might be funny for her to be a statue in the heroes' trophy room forever after that one encounter though.
Integration Quotient: 15% (some powers just aren't viable for repeated play in superhero comics)
Created by: Chris Gabourie, of Kelowna, BC
Costume: A yellow unitard over which is drawn a metallic exoskeleton-like design. It's pretty generic, but also feels modern. He doesn't hide his good looks under a mask.
Powers: He fires a beam that turns into metal. This metal can cover a person or thing, or can be shaped into simple objects like mirrors or cages.
Sighted: Part of the Master's supervillain army, he gets his lights punched out by Trouble Clef after his powers accidentally take Serpentina out.
Possibilities: Another guy who works within a team, but not so much as a solo player. He basic look would have him part of a group of genetically-modified enforcers with similar, one-note abilities.
Integration Quotient: 20% (there's little depth there)
Created by: Howard Stangroom, of Redcar, Cleveland, England
Costume: All in shiny red, this raven-haired bombshell has a one piece that goes up her neck and becomes a mask, thigh-high boots that end in a diamond shape, and yellow starbursts on her torso, neck, boots and bracers.
Powers: Aurora fires what is probably electromagnetic energy that comes with a brilliant display of red light. The blasts look like they lick at their victims as if they were really part of a field that continually forms around her. She is immune to her own powers.
Sighted: Part of the Master's supervillain army, she almost defeats Trouble Clef and Venus until a third hero takes her out.
Possibilities: While the name could cause legal problems, they give Aurora enough personality here (smug cruelty, mostly) to make us think she could work as a viable C-list villain. Auroras, sun spot activity... we might imagine her throwing EM pulses around and cause real problems for technological heroes, and the science of it evokes an easy origin story.
Integration Quotient: 60% (viable if Marvel won't take you to court)
Next: The other half!
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