Wildguard (comics)
Encyclopedia
WildGuard is a comic book
series about a "made-for-TV" superhero
team. The series was created, written and drawn by Todd Nauck
and published by Image Comics
. Nauck initially published the characters in 1993, in ashcan comics he published while sending out submissions. After making a name for himself working on Young Justice
for DC Comics
his earlier creation was picked up for publication in 2003
. The set of miniseries
and one-shots chronicles the exploits of the superhero team, the initial miniseries, WildGuard: Casting Call, introduced the characters to readers bringing the team together in an American Idol
-style program. Fans actually got to vote a fifth member onto the team, bringing in more than 8,000 online votes.
The first six issues were later collected in Trade paperback.
Ignacia (Jodie Hastings)
Red Rover (Del Mendoza)
Freezerburn (Max Armstrong)
Lily Hammer
Snapback (Ellis Newburn)
Cordelia Hardman
Wannabe
Toughlon
Ultra Mega Super Five
Power Play
with a web campaign forum in which fans would discuss their picks and try to sway the voting. Fans could view pictures, description of powers and back-stories for 46 characters in order to cast their votes. In 2003, WildGuard issue 1 was sold internationally, with the first issue sold out. It was covered by articles in TV Guide, Wizard Magazine, and the OC Register, and various respected online sites of the industry such as Newsarama, Pulse, and the Fourth Rail.
WildGuard has also been popularized in theme songs by bands Kendall, Michael Miller Crusade, and Swivel.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series about a "made-for-TV" superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
team. The series was created, written and drawn by Todd Nauck
Todd Nauck
Todd Nauck is an American comic book artist and writer. Nauck is most notable for his work on Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Young Justice and his own creation, Wildguard.-Career:...
and published by Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
. Nauck initially published the characters in 1993, in ashcan comics he published while sending out submissions. After making a name for himself working on Young Justice
Young Justice
Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team first appeared in Young Justice: The Secret , before graduating to their ongoing monthly series...
for DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
his earlier creation was picked up for publication in 2003
2003 in comics
-January:* January 2: Kid Colt artist Jack Keller dies at age 80.- April :* Action Comics #800: Double-sized anniversary issue, "A Hero's Journey," by Joe Kelly, Pascual Ferry, and Duncan Rouleau...
. The set of miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
and one-shots chronicles the exploits of the superhero team, the initial miniseries, WildGuard: Casting Call, introduced the characters to readers bringing the team together in an American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
-style program. Fans actually got to vote a fifth member onto the team, bringing in more than 8,000 online votes.
The first six issues were later collected in Trade paperback.
The team
Four (Teri Vaughn)- Leader of the team and co-executive producerExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
of the WildGuard TV series. Teri began her career as a child superstar under the name Four-Power Girl. She later became a teen sitcom/pop musicPop musicPop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
star under the name Four-Teen. As she entered early adulthood and a movie career, Teri took on the name Four. Four is so named due to having four distinct superpowers:- Metal: She can transform her body into an unusual and incredibly strong metal called Kervinium.
- Mist: Her gaseous form enables her to travel great distances.
- Fire: She can fire destructive blasts of energy in a starburst pattern.
- Force: She can release force bolts from her mind.
Ignacia (Jodie Hastings)
- Gifted with the power of pyrokinesisPyrokinesisPyrokinesis, derived from the Greek words and , was the name coined by horror novelist Stephen King for the ability to create or to control fire with the mind that he gave to the protagonist Charlie McGee in Firestarter...
, Ignacia dropped out of community college to attend the WildGuard auditions. Originally operating under the name "Fire Chick", she changed it at the auditions when she learned there was once a villainess by that name. In the web-strips, she has a huge fan following, possibly the hugest out of anyone else on the team.
Red Rover (Del Mendoza)
- Red Rover possesses superhuman/canineCanineCanine may refer to:* Domestic dog* Animals belonging to the family Canidae, or the sub-family Caninae* Canine tooth* Ralph Canine, American soldier and government administrator* A character in Glenn Martin, DDS...
powers: enhanced strength, speed, agility, and senses. He also has an impressive intellectIntellectIntellect is a term used in studies of the human mind, and refers to the ability of the mind to come to correct conclusions about what is true or real, and about how to solve problems...
(it was Rover who gave Ignacia her new name, noting that it was Latin for "fiery one"). Much of his past is shrouded in mystery.
Freezerburn (Max Armstrong)
- Can generate and project ice and fire from his right and left arms, respectively.
Lily Hammer
- Lily Hammer has superhuman strength and endurance, as well as a degree of invulnerability. She uses a magic hammer as a weapon.
Snapback (Ellis Newburn)
- Snapback was once a member of the Tri-County Power Patrol (even serving as team leader for two of his four years on the team) back in his home state of TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
until his girlfriend, Shonda, urged him to audition for WildGuard. Snapback is capable of stretching his body to lengths of a maximum 300 feet. Or so he professes. It is rumored he is also capable of manipulating the elasticity of his body to form various shapes/objects.
Production team
Dandelion- Dandelion fought crimeCrimeCrime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
during the 70's and 80's until he retired under mysterious circumstances. Now he serves as co-executive producer and trainer of Wildguard. Dandelion has superhuman strength and is near-invulnerable.
Cordelia Hardman
- Four's agent and co-executive producer.
Other superheroes
The Human Shield- A soft-spoken and, until recently, illiterate hero who is completely invulnerable and can create forcefields. Since the Wildguard casting call, he has formed a close bond with fellow contestant Exploding Girl.
Wannabe
- An apparently nonpowered heroine who is in the hero business for the fame. Completely obsessed with being a superhero, with her ultimate goal involving a line of action figures.
Toughlon
- Temperamental, super strong and durable, and completely non-stick hero who attracts disdain from fellow contestants immediately.
Ultra Mega Super Five
- The premier superteam in the world of Wildguard. The Ultra Mega Super Five are held in high esteem by many for their long history of heroic deeds. At one time they tried to make the name reflect their roster. As people joined, quit, were killed, resurrected, got lost in or found their way back from other dimensions the Ultra Megas found keeping strict accuracy with their name simply too troublesome. They decided to go with their original name, The Ultra Mega Super Five regardless of the actual size of their team, which currently numbers six members. Some of their recent actions have shown a rather troubling arrogance and high-handed manner. This raises the possibility that The Ultra Megas have started to believe their own hype.
Power Play
- In a world where superheroes are regarded as just another breed of celebrity, it was inevitable that someone would have the idea of creating a metahuman boy band. Extremely popular despite charges by their critics that they were chosen just for their powers. The team's roster includes:
- Hardbody: The "suave one". Possesses super-strength.
- Heat Rave: The "wild and crazy one". Possesses flame powers.
- The Quickness: The "sensitive one." Possesses super-speed.
- Laser Wolf: The "edgy one." Possesses lupineLupineLupine may be one of several things:*Something that is like, or relating to, a wolf .*A variant spelling for lupin, a flowering plant.*Lu Pine Records, a record label in Detroit.*Lupine Games, a computer game company....
traits as well as the ability to fire lasers from his eyes
Reception
WildGuard began mainstream publication in 2003 with an online voting campaign where fans could pick who they wanted to make the team at the end of issue 6. It was also supported on the official WildGuard websiteWebsite
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
with a web campaign forum in which fans would discuss their picks and try to sway the voting. Fans could view pictures, description of powers and back-stories for 46 characters in order to cast their votes. In 2003, WildGuard issue 1 was sold internationally, with the first issue sold out. It was covered by articles in TV Guide, Wizard Magazine, and the OC Register, and various respected online sites of the industry such as Newsarama, Pulse, and the Fourth Rail.
WildGuard has also been popularized in theme songs by bands Kendall, Michael Miller Crusade, and Swivel.