Virginian Comics (1983: Doomsday)

The Virginian Comics company is the premiere comics publisher of the entire Southeastern region of the former United States. Its comics are commonly the only luxury enjoyed by citystates in the region. It has gained quite a bit of popularity, and has gained readers outside of the region (though it is difficult to get the comics out of the region). The comany has distinguished itself by its tendancy to invent new characters instead of reusing old ones, although there are still a few "classic" characters that are used. Despite the (mostly) original roster of heroes and Villians they still enjoy relatively high sales in Virginia and the rest of the Dixie Alliance.

Creation
The Virginian Comics Company was created on May 4th, 2009 by Alexander "Lex" Kent shortly after the Virginian government relaxed its control of the economy. He had a roster of both surviving Marvel and DC comics empoyees, as well as rookies. To preserve paper, they used (and still use) recycled paper. Though the comics were shipped by normal Virginian postal worker in the developed part of the country, they have to resort to a more "Pony Express" system to get the comics to the less developed parts of the country and the other nations that subscribe to them. They have gained readers in quite a few nations outside of the region as well. The comics are published with an old printing press found in an old abandoned newspaper office in East Virginia.

Characters
This discribes the pantheon of heroes and Villians created and used by the Virginian Comics company.

Anti-Heroes

 * Deathshead (original)- Immortal sociopath and former Nazi Scientist Sophia Heinrike Strasse. Commanded a concentration camp during WWII, in which she used the "undesirables" as guinea pigs in painful, and commonly deadly, experiments. She escaped Germany before she could be tried for her numerous crimes against humanity. She founded the Wehrwolves, a neo-Nazi organization that has evolved into the largest crime syndicate still existing in the world. Despite her numeous faults, she is extremely loyal to her adopted brother, the Red Baron and has fought crime on his side on numerous occasions, and the Wehrwolves have provided information to the Baron on just as many occasions. She also has powers like the Red Baron, though she mostly prefers using only one of them; a form of mind control she uses to get her way. Her weapons of choice are a pair of enormous pistols she built herself.
 * Red Skull (pre-Doomsday)- Johann Schmidt was able to escape Doomsday thanks to the assets of HYDRA, and the assistance of the Wehrwolves. He has been forced, albeit reluctantly, into a more heroic role after Steve Rogers, the former Captain America, became the villainous Grand Director.
 * Ghost Rider (pre-Doomsday)-Johnny Blaze had easily survived the events of Doomsday in his Ghost Rider form. Now being needed more then ever in the lawless, post-apocalyptic wasteland of the United States, he deals his own brand of justice to the corrupt bandits and raiders who would harm the weak. Consumed by his never ending battle with both humans and demons alike, Johnny Blaze has been spending more and more time in his Ghost Rider form, which could lead to his personality disappearing altogether, leaving only the vengeful demon in its place.
 * Magneto (pre-Doomsday)- Being on Asteroid M in lower Earth orbit during the attacks, Magneto, together with his Brotherhood of Mutants, survived through the nuclear apocalypse. Both amused by humanities decimation, as well as appalled that his one time friend Charles Xavier perished in the attacks, Magneto had grudgingly decided to delay his plans of mutant domination, trying to help all of humanity in the process. This did not sit well with the rest of the Brotherhood, however, as Quicksilver, Magneto's son, led a faction bent on total world domination. Surviving an attempt on his own life, Magneto has traveled to a secluded part of the North Pole, where he has discovered Superman's Fortress of Solitude. Finding the name quite fitting, Magneto has gone into self-induced exile. Reappearing during the events of Ultimate Crisis, what role will Magneto play? That of a hero, or a villain?
 * Namor the Sub-Mariner (pre-Doomsday)- Namor survived Doomsday without much trouble, as he was in Atlantis at the time. He was not surprised by the surface dwellers cataclysmic nuclear exchange, as he had always considered them a violent breed. He left them to their own faith for many years, trying to not cause any atention to Atlantis. However, through the manipulation of Dr. Doom in the late ninties, Namor launched an invasion of the surface world, starting with the ANZ Commonwealth. After a desperate struggle, he was close to achieving a final triumph until Alan Scott revealed that Doom had in fact manipulated him into launching an attack. Enraged, Namor halted the invasion and vowed revenge on Doom. He has not been seen since.
 * Venom (original)-

Heroes

 * Red Baron (original) - Immortal WWI flying Ace Manfred von Richtofen. Helps keep the peace in Prussia, though he has been seen everywhere from the Americas to Japan. His plane is just as indestructible as the man flying it. He has superpowers simmilar to those of the Teen Titans member Raven, and it has been revealed that he is, in fact, her grandfather.
 * Captain Canada(original)-James Howlett, better known in pre-Doomsday times as Wolverine, was not present in Westchester as the bombs fell, due to a heated argument with Jean Grey days prior to the attacks. Broken by the loss of his fellow X-Men, James left the wasteland of the United States and moved to what was left of Canada, opting to live a simple life there. Years later he was contacted by the Canadian government, who wished to restart the Alpha Flight. Bored by the simple life of a farmer, the savage Wolverine became Captain Canada, becoming a symbol of the Canadian way of life.
 * Screaming Eagle(original) - John Binford Poole was a soldier in the 101st who was experimented on by members of a secret communist sleeper cell known as the Red Faction in order to create super soldiers for an eventual takeover of the Virginian Republic. He was left for dead but found by a rural family and nursed back to health. Once healthy he discovered the experiments left him with the ability to grow and retract a pair of wings allowing flight, as well as a supersonic scream. He returned to the 101st with word of the Red Faction and their plans, as well as his newfound powers. The military immediately classified anything connected to him and equipped him with state of the art body armor and weapons. He was given the codename Screaming Eagle and became the 101st frontline defender against the plans of the Red Faction.
 * Blitzkrieg (pre-Doomsday)
 * The Judge (original) - John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He was summoned by black magic spell to punish the bandits and criminals who had overrun the United States of America. His body had long since decomposed, making him a living skeleton. This makes him agile and impervious to any sort of physical harm. His long black judge's robe and gloves are to muffle the clicking sound of his walking. His black "faceless" mask and long judge wig are to disguise his lack of flesh.
 * Dracula (original) - Vlad "The Impaler" Ţepeș was the infamous vampiric ruler of Wallachia, a principality in former Romania. Was reborn after Doomsday, becoming one of Transylvania's greatest heroes.
 * Kal-El(pre-Doomsday)- Once one of the greatest heroes of the world, Kal-El has left the mantel of Superman, as he was unable to stop the events of Doomsday, being off-world during the event. Heartbroken by the loss of Lois Lane, as well as many of his fellow heroes, he lives a quiet life as a farmer in the Australian Outback.
 * Wonder Woman (pre-Doomsday)- Having survived Doomsday on Paradise Island, Princess Diana of the Amazons quickly set out to help humanity in its darkest hour. Finding most of her friends dead, Diana had Paradise Island closed of from the rest of the world two years after Doomsday. She has rarely ventured off the island ever since and most of the world now regards her and the Amazons as nothing more than a myth.
 * Batman (pre-Doomsday)- Andrei Kyznetsov, a prominent Siberian businessman has adopted the the identity of the Caped Crusader. His parents were killed in a terrorist attack by the Muslim Liberation Army while he was just a boy, and he has vowed to make sure no other child suffers the same fate. He has been sighted in the Vriginian Republic numerous times.
 * Elite Guard (original)- Organization consisting of the remains of SHIELD. Lead by Nick Fury, who survived Doomsday by being on the SHIELD Helicarrier at the time. Defends the Virginian Republic from the Red Faction and the Grand Director. Ironically this commonly means allying with the Red Skull, Sophia Strasse and their respective organizations. NOTE: This organization is not to be confused with the real-life Elite Guard, an branch of the 101st whose sole purpose is bodyguard duty.

Green Lantern Corps
As the two brother universes merged, their two respective multiverses started to crumble. Thus the bearer of the Starheart, the original Green Lantern of Earth-Two, Alan Scott, found himself in a desolate world. He would later learn that the year was 1983 and that a nuclear war had occured. He set out to find Hal Jordan and the other Green Lanterns, but all three had perished helping their fellow man. Alan took all three rings and set off in search of a place he would be needed. He found Superman, distraught after the destruction of the JLA and he accompanied him to Australia. While in Australia, the Guardians of the Galaxy contacted Alan, entrusting him to choose three new Green Lanterns, as they trusted his decision. By 2005, Alan Scott had chosen all three new bearers of the ring and now works together with them and the ANZC government to protect the country, as well as the world:
 * Alan Scott (pre-Doomsday)- The original Golden Age Green Lantern, Alan was transported through time and space from his world's 1940's into the newly created Amalgam Universe's 1983. As of yet, he is the only person aware of the fact that this universe is in fact a merger of two distinct timelines. He has chosen to lead the Green Lantern Corps, defending the ANZC and former U.S. territories.
 * Joshua Nez (original)- An Alaskan Native with a strong sense of duty, he was one of the three chosen by Alan Scott to take up the Green Lantern mantel. He is his second in command and is in charge of looking after former United States territories in the Pacific, as well as Alaska
 * Chloe Wrigley (original)- An Australian national, the first human woman to be a Green Lantern. She is in charge of looking after Australia and Papua New Guinea.
 * Aperahama Brake (original)- A Maori New Zealander who was chosen by Alan Scott to protect New Zealand and surrounding areas. He is the newest and youngest member of the team.

The Reserves
An ANZC backup team, which has 30 members with superpowers. Consisting solely of men and women who were administered Pym particles, the Giant Men and Women work as a relief group and help for the Green Lanterns if they ever needed it. Unlike the Green Lanterns, they are prohibited from leaving ANZC sovereign territory and associate territory by international law.

Winter Guard
The Winter Guard is an amalgamation of past Soviet superheroes groups. It was organized after the events that occured on Doomsday. It is a continuation of the Soviet Super-Soldiers team.
 * Winter Soldier(pre-Doomsday)-Having been sent to Siberia during the events of Doomsday, Alexi Shostakov, the then current Red Guardian was caught in the nuclear blast over Novosibirsk. Clinging to life, he survived the events of Doomsday, loosing his arm and earning a distinctive scar on his face in the process. He, alongside Mikhail Ursus, was the only member of the former team to have survived and was the driving force to its renewal. Having been given an advanced prosthetic arm, he leads the team, coordinating their service from Krasnoyarsk, rarely venturing in the field himself.
 * Red Guardian(original)- Anton Shostakov, the son of the Winter Soldier, was the perfect candidate for the next Red Guardian. From birth, Anton was trained in the newly reestablished Red Room, being one of its finest graduates. He has also received extensive military training from his father. He is the public face of the team, being a symbol of the USSR's steady renewal.
 * Ursa Major(pre-Doomsday)- Mikhail Ursus was one of the original members of the Soviet Super-Soldier team and after receiving an invitation to join the new team, he readily accepted. Possessing the strength and the likeness of a bear when transformed, he is truly a force to be reckoned with. He is also a mutant rights activist in Siberia. Through his activism, the mutant community in Siberia has slowly started to become a vocal supporter of the government that once tried to enslave them.
 * Darkstar II(pre-Doomsday)-As the former Darkstar, Laynia Petrovna, was killed during Doomsday. Reena Stancioff, one of the best female recruits of the Siberian army, was choosen to possess the darkstar gem, replicating the powers of the original Darkstar. Although frightened by its awesome power, Reena has slowly come to terms with her newfound powers, alleviating crisis after crisis.
 * Radioactive Man(original)- Having witnessed the awesome power of the atom at a very young age, Chen Lu, a Manchurian refugee, decided to dedicate his life to curing radation sickness, as well as being an adamant advocate of arms reduction. One day, after assuming he had reached a breakthrough in his work, an accident in his research caused the doctor to radiate extreme amounts of radiation, as well as the ability to absorb and manipulate high levels of radiation for a number of purposes and effects. Thinking the government would be able to ultimately help him control his powers, Lu readily joined the Winter Guard.
 * Hammer & Sickle (original) - Valentina Slatkin is a mutant with the ability to manipulate the weather. Admiring Ursa Major for his mutant activism, she readily enlisted into the army, receiving basic training and serving for eight months until her powers were discovered by intelligence agents of the USSR. Seeing that her powers could be useful in the upcoming announcement of the new Siberian superhuman team, she was given the moniker Hammer & Sickle and handed over to Ivan Vanko for further enhancements. These enhancements would include a belt with which she could enhance her own powers and gave her the ability to fly, as well as a hammer and sickle with which she could induce other energy based attacks and would serve as conduits for the weather. It is rumored that they also have transdimensional abilities, as she was seen being able to teleport. Arguably the greates asset of the Winter Guard, at times being called the "Siberian Thor".
 * Whiplash(original) - Ivan Vanko, the son of Anton Vanko, a famous Soviet scientist, came to Siberia together with his father when he was sent to a gulag for trying to escape to the West. As faith would have it, Doomsday happened soon thereafter, and the Siberian leadership would have to come to Anton for help. From that point on, young Ivan would learn and work alongside his father, working on projects from jet designs to the Crimson Dynamo units and the Punishment Corps suits. After his father died due to a heart attack two years ago, Ivan designed a suit of armor more advanced than the Crimson Dynamo units and designed two energy whips to go along with it and gave himself the moniker Whiplash. He was promptly inducted into the official team of the USSR, although he has worked on covert missions as well with the Widow and The Killer, mostly as tech support.

Shadow Team:
 * The Killer(original)-Vladimir Granitsky, whose codename is simply "The Killer", exhibited his unique abilities at a very young age. At the age of five, he managed to kill an eagle in mid-flight by witnessing a military sharpshooter do the same. After being sent to the military to test his abilities, it was revealed that Vladimir possessed photographic reflexes, being able to copy any humanly possible feat, just by witnessing it. From then on, having trained and surpassed the scores of the original Black Widow in the Red Room, as well as having received its version of the Super-Soldier serum, Vladimir has been a part of the Shadow Team of the USSR since 2006, going on black-ops assignments, together with the second Black Widow. He, alongside the Black Widow, possesses the same suit as the Punishment Corps, albeit more advanced and possessing a force field.


 * Black Widow II(original)-Yelena Chang, having been born to a Russian general and Chinese scientist, was part of the Red Room since a very early age. Having received the same training as her peers, Vladimir and Anton, she has been given the moniker of Black Widow, as she was able to equal the scores of Natasha Romanov, the original Black Widow. Assigned to black-ops missions together with The Killer in the Shadow Team. She, alongside The Killer, possesses the same suit as the Punishment Corps, albeit more advanced and possessing a force field.

Punishment Corps & Crimson Dynamo Corps
The Punishment Corps is a group of 100 individual soldiers, hand picked by the top military leaders of the Socialist Union who have been given special, ability enhancing suits. Although having no powers of their own, this elite group has enhanced speed, reflexes, strength and durability, all given by the suits themselves. They are prohibited from leaving the country by international law, although they have been on missions to Siberian allied countries. Every time a member of the group is KIA, another takes his or her place, leaving the number at one hundred. Ivan Vanko, known as Whiplash, is the principal scientist behind the performance-enhancing suits.

The Crimson Dynamo Corps is a group of twenty volunteers from the Siberian Army who were endowed with 20 suits made from the original Crimson Dynamo designs. Although bulky and using an antiquated design, these battle-tested suits have proven time and time again their excellent reliability. They are also prohibited from leaving the USSR, but are used actively in the war against the MLA. They were rebuilt using the technical knowledge of scientists Anton and Ivan Vanko.

Villians

 * Grand Director (original) - Steve Rogers, driven insane by the fall of the United States, is a psychopatic meglomaniacal villian who intends to impose the tyrannical rule of his "new United States" over the rest of the former country. Despite the grand boast of his kingdom being the sucessor to the old United States, it only amounts to a small fiefdom in the midwest. This version of the character is influenced by the Captain America foe of the same name, and both his appearance and his tyrannical rule over a small fiefdom are influenced by the Fantastic Four villian Doctor Doom. He is commonly used by the Virginian government to spread anti-CRUSA messages.
 * Vandal Savage (pre-Doomsday) - Vandal Savage was able to easily survive Doomsday due to his immortality. He has set up shop in the ANZC, after Superman relocated here following the collapse of the mainland United States.
 * Doctor Doom (pre-Doomsday) - The small country of Latveria managed to escape Doomsday unharmed, and Doom wased no time in seizing the territory of the surrounding countries. However, with the demise of the Fantastic Four following Doomsday, Doom has left Latveria only occasionally, as he is still trying to find a worthy adversary.
 * Gentleman Ghost
 * Maestro (original) - During the nuclear exchange Bruce Banner, better known as the Hulk, was able to survive Doomsday in his transformed form. Being at the heart of a nuclear explosion in Manhattan, the Hulk developed an incalculable level of power, perhaps rivaling those of the now missing Man of Steel. Coupled with a now active genius-level intellect, a persona named Maestro quickly came to the forefront. Building a base in the destroyed Manhattan cityscape, Maestro has been planning total world domination for over a quarter of a century. What agenda might this awesome threat have for the Earth? And who will be there to save us?
 * Darkseid (pre-Doomsday)
 * Ra's al Ghul (pre-Doomsday) - Though leader of the League of Assassins, an organization which shaped world events, Ra's al Ghul did not expect Doomsday would occur. Surviving in one of many Lazarus Pits, he continues to rebuild his organization, trying to once again shape global events, now unhindered by Batman and many of the old world heroes. It is suspected that he formed the Muslim Liberation Army, which acts little more as a front for his future plans. So far, most of his attacks were directed at the USSR, which has caught the attention of the Winter Guard.
 * Quicksilver (pre-Doomsday) - Having ousted his father for being "weak", Quicksilver now rules the Brotherhood of Mutants with an iron hand, being directly responsible for many terrorist attacks across the globe. Being fed up with the still ever present "flatscans", he plans his ultimate solution. Who will oppose the fastest man on Earth?
 * Dream Master (original) -
 * Owlman (pre-Doomsday) - Anton Kyznetsov, brother of the new Batman Andrei Kyznetsov. He too was inspired by Boris Mikhailov's assassination of his parents, but not quite in the way that young Andrei was. He became inspired to follow in Mikhailov's footsteps. He became the masked criminal Owlman, who has faced off against Batman numerous times since his introduction, and has been placed in Zakharov Asylum every time, though he has managed to escape in short order.
 * Clyde Harness (original) -

Red Faction
A cell of communist terrorists who's aim is to spread communism across the survivor nations of the former United States and archenemies of Screaming Eagle and the 101st.
 * The Boss (original) - Mikhail Godunov, leader of the Red Faction, a class 10 intellect. He is a master strategist and charismatic leader, knowing when to show force or mercy for best effect. He is bent on corrupting the Virginian Republic towards communism.
 * The Chairman (original) - Xiao Shu ming, second in command of the Red Faction. A Chinese telepath and kung fu expert. His appearance is based on the former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
 * KGB (original) - The Red Faction's chief spy and assassin, name unknown, he posesses superhuman speed and agility and the ability to merge with shadows.
 * Bear (original) - Viktor Reshetniko, while usually dismissed as a brute, hides a cunning most of his enemies don't expect. The main muscle of the Red Faction, can shift his form into an 8 ft bear-human hybrid which posesses increased strength and durability.
 * Karla Marx (original) - Rebeka Ackermann, a german commando posessing a ruthless demeanor and superhuman senses and reflexes.
 * MiG (original) - Andrei Mishin, Red Faction technician and communication officer, posesses the power of flight.
 * Proletariat (original) - The rank and file soldiers of the Red Faction.

Amalgam Universe
Unlike American Comics or Omega Comics, Virginian Comics have, as of yet, published stories in a single universe and have not revived the Elseworlds branch of former DC Comics, nor have they created a Multiverse like Marvel Comics. The main premise of this single Universe is that, when Doomsday occured in 1983, both DC and Marvel heroes experienced the event at the same time, merging the two universes. This created a new history for both groups of surviving heroes, making them effectively forget their former pasts. This premise has intrigued comic book readers both in Virginia as well as the rest of the survivor states in the former United States and beyond.

Timeline
September 25th, 1983:Doomsday. The single, most defining event in human history, changing the world as we once knew it. Billions of people perished in the exchange, millions more later, due to the harsh reality of the life after. Heroes and villains perished alike. But life would not end here, as this would also mark a new beginning for the world; two worlds to be exact.

As Doomsday had not happened in a single universe, it happened in two, at the exact same time, bending reality, creating the world that we now know: the Amalgam Universe. Most surviving heroes did not know of the change that had occured. Although severely hurt by Doomsday, some heroes did manage to survive, which would bring upon a new dawn for the superhero community, more than twenty years later, as many new heroes, together with those left behind, formed new alliances and teams, willing to counter injustice wherever it may strike.

Current Series
Ongoing Series
 * The Killer & Black Widow (six-issue story arcs, January, 2010-Ongoing)
 * Screaming Eagle (May, 2009-Ongoing)
 * Alan Scott and the Amazing Green Lanterns (October, 2009-Ongoing)
 * Winter Guard (December 2009-Ongoing, six-issue story arcs)

Miniseries
 * Ultimate Crisis (#1-6, 2010)
 * The Bat strikes! (#1-6, 2010)

Previous Series
Miniseries
 * American Son (#1-4, 2009)
 * Hulk Reborn (#1-4, 2009)
 * What ever happened to the Man of Steel? (#1-6, 2010)
 * What ever happened to Wolverine? (#1-6, 2009)
 * What ever happened to the Master of Magnetism? (#1-6, 2009)
 * It came from Outer Space (#1-8, 2009-2010)