Pendragon

Codename: Pendragon /VAN01 Real Name: Paul Drake Service History: Orphaned at an early age and raised on a deprived council estate in South London, Drake entered military service after finishing secondary school. He achieved high grades, but choose not to pursue an academic career. Drafted into 1 PARA as part of the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG). Deployed in conflict zones around the globe, displaying sound judgement and a killer instinct quickly had him noticed by his superior officers. From there, Drake was headhunted and recruited into the SAS. After a successful two-year tour in Burma, Drake’s application for the SoldierPLUS program was accepted and he was put forward for Meta-Gene enhancement. Drake took the opportunity, enabling him to further prove himself an immeasurable asset to this country and her people. Powers/Abilities: Physical enhancement - Boosted reflexes and agility. Subject’s increased stamina and strength enable to him to operate at a high level of physical stress for extended periods. Able to press twice his body weight. Meta-Gene therapy has toughened the subject’s skin, enabling him to take sustained damage with reduced effects. Measured reaction time is approximately twice as fast as the average field agent. Talents: Drake has many years in the field operating as a special forces solider on a variety of missions with varied objectives. It is this experience that enables him to effectively command the Vanguard in the field. His judgement and instinct have served the team well, time and again.  Trained in a variety of small arms with extensive knowledge of ‘black’ weapons. Drake has also exhaustive first hand knowledge of most military vehicles in service today. Additional Notes: Paul Drake is a natural leader and field tactician. Extremely cool under fire. He lacks any real sense of humour, thinking only of the job in hand. He carries a sword and shield when in the public role of Pendragon, although these are props, Drake requested that they be fit for purpose should they ever need to be used. It is this attitude that exemplifies him perfectly

Comics: 27
Recent Appearance: V11 – Pg02
First Appearance: V01 Pg07

Kingsword

Real Name: Danny Holifield Service History: Holifield is a career superhero. Spotted at a young age by this department, he was taken in and given years of tuition and education in order for him to take the mantle of this country’s most powerful metahuman. Upon reaching the age of 18, he was put through the immensely strenuous ordeal of an AlphaONE enhancement. Due to the massive cost and drain on resources, Holifield is the only AlphaONE level superhuman this country can afford. That said, he is our most valuable asset, enabling us to counter a wide variety of attacks launched at us, or our allies. Powers/Abilities: AlphaONE enhancement. Nearly every wealth nation on the planet has their own AlphaONE metahuman, and Holifield is ours. Super human strength, stamina and speed backed up by the ability to fly up to speeds of Mach1. Alongside this, Holifield has a super dense body, which enables him to suffer attacks that would easily kill an ordinary man. Holifield also possesses telescopic vision, enabling him to see objects many miles away with precise clarity. Talents: Holifield’s training by this department was/is exhaustive. Everything from geology to politics has be condensed and taught to Holifield. There is very little that Holifield does not possess at least a passing knowledge of. Additional Notes: Danny Holifield is one of the nicest men you’ll ever meet. The man is fiercely loyal and almost completely selfless. Holifield has been a godsend to this country… we could not have wished for a better recipient of the AlphaOne enchantment. The only (minor) downside is that Holifield’s social skills are a little underdeveloped. He was considered for team leadership, but Drake’s many years of service commanding teams in military operations won out. The two men are good friends who value each other’s opinions and insights regarding the team’s course of action.

Comics: 20
Recent Appearance: V10 – Pg22
First Appearance: V06 Cover

Woden

Real Name/Aliases: Steve Duncan / Stevie-D / Woden Service History: Duncan was born in Glasgow and was raised by a large extended family in various locations in and around Scotland. It is believed that he was home schooled, but has shown little interest in academic pursuits. He was known to Police in and around Glasgow as being a troublemaker, getting into fights and committing low-level crimes. He was destined to serve a prison term as he spiralled into a chasm of violence and crime. It was at this point that he seems to have had a massive turn around in his life, finding a druidic religion. He headed South to the capital, to join the Vanguard in order to serve the country. Again, what caused this huge turn of direction has yet to be discovered or completely disclosed by Duncan. Powers/Abilities: Duncan has the ability, in his own words, to commune with ‘the Earth’- from summoning a small, localised earthquake to calling forth an ensnaring mass of vines or call nearby wildlife to his aid. He also seems to be able to invest part of his consciousness into a plant/tree/animal and find out what it has seen or witnessed. A strange ability, to say the least. Even stranger to witness, when he has a one sided conversation with a plant about the day’s weather. Talents: Duncan’s druidic garb hides his real nature. Someone who spent their life growing up on one of the hardest and most rundown estates in Glasgow. He is tough, streetwise and seems to possess a keen insight into human nature. A brutal combatant who will do whatever it takes to win Additional Notes: Duncan is a hot-headed and conflicted man. To him, every problem can be solved with force. Being that he can summon the very Earth itself to attack his foes, that’s a lot of force to contend with. Duncan’s powers remain a mystery to us. He talks of being chosen as ‘Hern’s Son’, presumably referring to ‘Hern The Hunter’, a mythological being of English folklore. It would be easy to dismiss this as nonsense but for the awesome power he wields. Although he presents himself as a druid, he in no way abstains from any pleasure he wishes to indulge, namely heavy drinking. His motives are on why he serves with the Vanguard are clear however. He will do all he can in his power to protect these lands and the people who dwell on them. A jolly sort of fellow, should he take a shine to you. I’d recommend staying out of his way should you ever get on his bad side though!!

Comics: 17
Recent Appearance: V09 – Pg28
First Appearance: V01 Pg07

Godiva

Real Name:

Janine Riggs

Service History:

Riggs was a Police firearms officer with several years’ service behind her, before her genetic make-up was found to be suitable for genetic enhancement. She was approached by representatives of this office with a Meta Gene  enhancement offer, which she accepted. Riggs has served within the Vanguard for several years now.

Powers/Abilities:

PSI enhancement - Riggs is able to take control of the mind of individuals and observe their actions, but not their thoughts, which has been dubbed ‘Boarding’ by the department. Should she wish, she can push the host’s consciousness to the side and take full control of the host body. The host suffers no ill effect from this other than a temporary disorientation for several hours after the ordeal. The subject must be in line of sight to attempt this. Once ‘on board’ a subject, she can effectively jump from one host to another. Should the host be KO’d or killed, Riggs returns back to her own body. As well as this, Riggs has demonstrated the ability to send a ‘psychic thought’. This is a simple command or message that the recipient will hear in their mind as if Riggs had just whispered it into their ear.

Talents:

Riggs years as a firearms officer in the MET has given her a ‘sixth-sense’ regarding conflict. Her instinct for trouble and sniffing out a lie borders on the uncanny. Trained in a variety of weapons, Riggs has an ability to adapt to new weaponry quickly. She is also an excellent unarmed combatant.

Additional Notes:

It was unknown at the time, but it has now come to light that the Genetic enhancement procedure carries with it a small chance to make the recipient infertile. Unfortunately, the enhancement did make Riggs sterile. This devastated her and she subsequently split from her long time life partner. Riggs now spends any down time she has with her sister’s family, spending her wage on the children. She is fiercely family orientated and empathic to the plight of others. Her empathy in regards to the effect of her actions on the civilian population is her greatest strength, and her greatest weakness. Unfortunately, it can sometimes cause her to hesitate when she should act.

Comics: 17
Recent Appearance: V10 – Pg22
First Appearance: V01 Pg07

MaXtreme

Comics: 16
Recent Appearance: V09 – Pg34
First Appearance: V08 – Pg11

Gradlon

Comics: 16
Recent Appearance: V10 – Pg22
First Appearance: V02 Pg06

Hollow Man/Men

The Hollow men are an elite fighting unit.

Comics: 12
Recent Appearance: V09 – Pg36
First Appearance: V08 – Pg26

MaXia

Comics: 12
Recent Appearance: V09 – Pg34
First Appearance: V07 - Pg10

Spitfire

Real Name: Luke Ridley Service History: Ridley came to us in the most unusual of circumstances. His mother was an astronaut serving on the Goliath space platform conducting various experiments into Geothermic radiation. Upon returning to Earth, she married her long-term partner and was soon pregnant with Luke. Luke’s powers began to manifest upon an early age. Our scientists believe his mother was exposed to a yet unknown energy source, which has altered her genetics, gifting Luke with meta human abilities. Research continues to find out exactly how this has happened.  Powers/Abilities: Altered Human - Luke’s powers appear to be growing with each passing year. At the time of writing, he has developed the ability to fly at a low level at approx 150 MPH. As well as this, he is also able to generate orbs of white-hot plasma in the palms of his hands and cast, at high speed towards a desired target. This power alone is shocking to witness. I have seen him blast one of these orbs though a 3ft thick steel plate with ease. I dread to imagine the damage a human being would suffer from being hit by one of these. Talents: Luke has been training with this department since he was in his teens. In a group of five other potential candidates, he shone through in final tests, earning his place on the team. He has shunned conventional weaponry, as his own abilities can be utilised far more destructively if necessary. A bright, enthusiastic lad with a great future ahead of him should he prove his worth in action. Additional Notes: Luke was hand picked out a several would-be candidates. He has scored highly in all academic and field tests so far. As of now, he is considered ready for deployment by the department. However, Luke is an untested commodity in a ‘live’ situation. He will be initiated into the Vanguard in their next field mission.

Comics: 11
Recent Appearance: V09 – Pg37
First Appearance: V02 Pg04

Die-Blood

Die-Blood was born and raised in a crime ridden Favela in Brazil. The only way out for him was to either take up a life of crime, as many of his fellows did, or play football, which was as revered as a religion within the local community. He excelled at the former, but ultimately used the later as a means to escape the crushing grind of his birth place. He played as semi-professional footballer before he was recruited into Team Xtreme and given Metagene therapy by Meta-Dyne inc.. Although arrogant, narcissist and utterly without scruples, he has blossomed under MaXtreme's guidance, becoming a dependable team player and a savage fighter. Die-Blood has the ability to regenerate lost/damaged tissue as well as being armed with telescopic blades which can 'pop' out of the back of his hands on command. Heightened senses as well as augmented strength and stamina make him a formidable opponent,

Comics: 11
Recent Appearance: V09 – Pg24
First Appearance: V08 – Pg10

X-Bow

Comics: 10
Recent Appearance: V09 – Pg30
First Appearance: V08 – Pg10

Eric Cates

Cates served in the same SAS team as both Neil Thade and Paul (Pendragon) Drake. All three men were put forward for Metahuman conditioning, but unfortunately Eric was deemed unsuitable for the process due to a hereditary condition. He was hand picked to head up and recruit the Vanguard support team, which he leads to this day. Cates is an excellent marksman and dedicated soldier.

Comics: 10
Recent Appearance: V09 – Pg39
First Appearance: V02 Pg04

Ophelia

Real Name: Fay Malik Service History: Malik is one of our own. An MI5 agent who was recruited straight out of university. Malik spent several years in various locations, operating undercover in and against terrorist and insurgent groups around the globe. It was observed that Malik was almost obsessively career driven and it was decided that see should be put forward for genetic enhancement testing. The results came back positive and Malik was subsequently enhanced and redeployed back into the field as an MI5 agent. It was shortly after that our Government started the Vanguard project, which caused her to be recalled from active duty to serve in the team. The decision has never sat well with Malik, but she continues to give as much focus to the role as she did when she was in the field for us. Powers/Abilities: PSI enhancement - Telekinesis. Malik possesses the ability to move objects at will, without the application of physical force. Malik usually channels this ability through use of her arms, but this is merely a psychological nuance. She can lift approximately several tons using her power, although this takes a lot of concentration. It has been observed that Malik has used her Telekinesis to grapple/pull apart would be assailants with little to no effort. As well as this, she can extend a TK field around her for a limited period, enabling her defend herself and/or others against incoming attacks. Talents: Malik is a seasoned MI5 agent with a multitutude of skills and talents relevant to her role. Intelligence, counter-intelligence, disguise, subterfuge and surveillance among many others. As well as this, she is an expert marksman and hand-to-hand combatant. Additional Notes: Malik has a ‘glass half empty’ attitude. Slightly paranoid, believing those around her may turn on her at a moments notice. This is more than likely due to her years of service as an undercover agent in various terrorist/criminal gangs. Due to this, she is not the greatest of team players, often breaking away from the Vanguard during conflict to exploit a weakness of an enemy without orders. Conflict between her and Drake (see Pendragon /VAN01) is the often result of such action. It is hard to argue this point with her, as her methods have saved the team on many occasions.

Comics: 9
Recent Appearance: V10 – Pg22
First Appearance: V02 Cover

Neil Thade

Comics: 9
Recent Appearance: V08 – Pg26
First Appearance: V05 - Pg24

REVOK

Very little is know of the man would eventually become REVOK. What remains of his body has been fused with a sentient weapons platform of his own devising. He/it's temper seems to always be on the brink of flaring up and REVOK constantly has to keep himself in check. It has been guessed that his ill temperament has been linked to the fact REVOK appears to be in an almost constant level of varying pain. However, when he engages in violent action, it seems to vent this a little... which explains REVOK's relish for violence at the slightest provocation.

Comics: 5
Recent Appearance: V08 - Pg24
First Appearance: V07 - Pg29

Daedelus

Little to nothing is known of this individual.

Comics: 5
Recent Appearance: V10 – Pg22
First Appearance: V07 - Pg26

Lokust

Section Nine comms and tech expert. A born technopath. Out of the team, she has the least in terms of firepower to bring to bear, but her skills are invaluable during intel gathering missions.

Comics: 3
Recent Appearance: V07 Pg30
First Appearance: V05 - Pg24

Red-Eye

Red Eye is a member of Section Nine. She serves as a scout and recon unit for the team. Her bionic eye lets her use a range of vision based abilities, not limited to, but including telescopic, x-ray vision and being able to see in a vast spectrum of information which a normal human eye could not perceive. Red Eye served in the military for several years, before being injured in the line of duty. State of the art bionic surgery was able to fit her implant. After a several field tests, she was recruited my Neil Thade himself. Cold, bitter with little compassion for human life, she fitted into the unit quickly and has served faithfully ever since.

Comics: 3
Recent Appearance: V08 - Pg22
First Appearance: V07 - Pg29

John Hatcher

John Hatcher is the Government liaison for the Vanguard team. He entered the civil service in his early twenties, and after displaying a cool head under pressure, was promoted to the role he holds now. Hatcher is well liked by most of the Vanguard and serves the team well. He occasionally clashes with other Meta-Human departments, especially Section-Nine Chief, Alfred McPhaidon on his attitude towards their perceived under-use in the field.

Comics: 3
Recent Appearance: V09 – Pg37
First Appearance: V07 - Pg26

Justin Blakemore

Comics: 2
Recent Appearance: V08 - Pg27
First Appearance: V08 - Pg15

Alfred McPhaidon

Alfred McPhaidon was and is a career politician. Born into a wealthy and influential English family with Royal ties, he sailed through private schooling in Eaton before studying Politics at Cambridge. He has worked in and around Westminster since his late twenties. Alfred gained the coveted and influential position of Meta-Human Operations Commander. All Meta-Human departments report to and through him... and he answers only to the Prime Minister. He holds huge sway in halls of power, with many favours and allies at his disposal. A time when he angles for the position of Prime Minister cannot be far off.

Comics: 2
Recent Appearance: V08 - Pg19
First Appearance: V08 - Pg15

Kark

Kark is a member of Section Nine, working as a scout/recon unit. Has has the ability to blend, effectively becoming invisible, with the environment, as long as he stays motionless. Kark is a 'natural' metahuman and his abilities began to manifest as he reached puberty. He was brought up in squalid conditions under an abusive Mother. A lack of strong parental guidance lead to a life of crime. Kark is vicious sadist who seems to harbor a deep hatred of women.

Comics: 1
Only Appearance: V05 - Pg24

William K. Vaughan

Comics: 1
Only Appearance: V11 – Pg17