I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Appendix IV

Appendix IV

Dawn Magazine Profiles in Heroism

Author’s Notes

• Dawn is the People of the Crimsonstreak universe. The magazine’s tagline is “on the edge of what’s new.” The mag serves up a variety of content, but definitely has a soft spot for superheroes. This appendix focuses on short profiles for several key heroes.

• Note in Colonel Chaos’ bio that one exploit is called Operation Save Christmas (1985). The implication, of course, is that Christmas often has to be saved, and that Chaos was involved in the 1985 mission.

• Chaos’ birthplace is listed as Webster, Indiana. It’s a small town just “up the road” from my hometown of Williamsburg, Indiana, in Wayne County. Again, that’s on the eastern side of Indiana near the Ohio state line.

• The book takes place in 2010, which technically makes Colonel Chaos 64 years old (the book takes place in the spring, thus Chaos hasn’t had his 65th birthday yet). Miss Lightspeed was born a year later, and would’ve been 63 years old if she hadn’t died in 2000 (her birthday is in May, so she wouldn’t have celebrated her 64th birthday yet). They’re older than you’d expect, but their superpowers have slowed down the aging process. They look, I would say, 20 to 25 years younger than they actually are.

• The Trial of Demonspawn is a scenario I created to show that members of the Heroic Legion don’t agree on everything. Like any other organization, the group has disagreements. In this case, the heroes Samson Knight and Great Alexander felt the villain Demonspawn should’ve died for his crimes. Chaos, a reformed villain himself, took a different stance.

• Miss Lightspeed was born Karen Jo Watson in Fountain City, Indiana. This is a town in Wayne County and the location of Northeastern High School, home of the Knights. I’m a proud graduate of the class of 1999. Chris also attended NHS.

• Earlham College is in Richmond, Indiana, located in—you guessed it—Wayne County. Earlham is a liberal arts college sometimes called the “Harvard of the Midwest.” The school’s mascot is the Quakers. Earlham is a respected institution, although it sometimes seems out of place in traditional, Midwestern Richmond.

• In early drafts of this bio, Miss Lightspeed was a more passive hero who didn’t do much with her powers in her early days. This bio changes that to make her a stronger character.

• Chris’ mom was a trailblazer, becoming the first female granted membership into the Heroic Legion, which had been more of a club for the boys.

• Miss Lightspeed is truly concerned about the plight of developing nations and committed to world peace. She doesn’t always follow established U.S. diplomatic protocols, something that rankles top U.S. leaders.

• The Crusading Comet’s profile is, admittedly, fairly bland. There simply isn’t much to write about him; he’s done a tremendous job of covering his tracks.

• Crimsonstreak’s profile breaks little new ground; we already know plenty about this character. The one little nugget gleaned from the piece is that Crimsonstreak and the Indiana State Police had a formal partnership.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The Clermont Institution for the Criminally Insane:
Serving evil-doers and those in need since 1972

Author's Notes

• The entire book started with the simple concept of a superhero being locked away with a bunch of villains. That’s where the idea for I, Crimsonstreak began. I wanted to start the novel with a situation that defied explanation; how would a superhero end up being imprisoned as a bad guy? I tried to take it a step further by making his father responsible for his bad fortune.

• Crimsonstreak remarks here that he’s not sure how much time has passed. In early drafts of the book, it’s implied that he was imprisoned in Clermont for as few as four months and as many as six months. Once my editor and I started digging into the worldbuilding, I realized that six months was too short a time for everything that happened while Chris was in captivity to occur. We mention the rise of the New World Common Wealth, an alien invasion, a global reorganization… that certainly could not all have happened in the span of six months. Three years is probably even stretching it, but it’s definitely easier to believe.

• The “Clermont Institution for the Criminally Insane” is 100% fake. I suppose you could argue that it’s a stand-in for Arkham Asylum; the parallel is certainly there and I avoided using “asylum” in the name of the facility to avoid that association. Yet, Arkham is so associated with supervillain psychos that it’s nearly unavoidable to consider it a reference point, subconsciously or not.

• The “Clermont” name itself is inspired by Clermont, Indiana. It’s a small town west of Indianapolis and home of Lucas Oil Raceway Park (formerly O’Reilly Raceway Park; formerly Indianapolis Raceway Park). I’ve only been to Clermont once during a going away party for a colleague. I’ve always liked the name, so I included it in the book.

• The straitjacket is important for a couple of reasons. First, it’s something that constricts Chris’ movements (I will use “Chris” and “Crimsonstreak” interchangeably throughout the commentary, so my apologies for that). This is a super-speedster, actually the super-speedster, and he doesn’t enjoy being unable to use his powers. Secondly, the straitjacket serves as an (embarrassingly obvious) symbol of Chris’ imprisonment. He can’t escape his predicament until he sheds the straitjacket. Thirdly, I like the mental visual of this hero in the loony bin like a common criminal.

• Colonel Chaos (William Fairborne) and Miss Lightspeed (Karen Fairborne) share some traits with my parents, although the characters are not based on them. For instance, my father is not a guy with genius-level engineering intellect (he’s got a genius-level head for baseball, however). Miss Lightspeed has my mother’s strength and no-nonsense attitude. Both are loving and involved in their son’s life, which reflects some Adams family history.

• The thing I wanted to convey is that Crimsonstreak considers himself a disappointment. He hides behind a quick-witted, confident persona, but deep down, he feels he pales in comparison to his parents. Colonel Chaos and Miss Lightspeed could both fly and possessed super-strength. Chris inherited neither of those traits. He didn’t inherit his father’s insanely deep intellect, either. He has his mother’s speed (his speed actually surpasses Miss Lightspeed’s), but feels like he got the short end of the stick in the genetic pool.

• Crimsonstreak is a slightly damaged hero, but not quite in the way someone like Batman or the Punisher is damaged. Bruce Wayne lost his parents at a young age and vowed revenge on the criminal element; the Punisher saw his family mutilated and swore to get even. Crimsonstreak was a college freshman when he watched his mother die in a very public way on television. That event cast a shadow over what is supposed to be a young man’s heyday. Instead of going to parties and figuring out life, he distanced himself from friends and watched his relationship with his father disintegrate.

• The scene with the “accountant from The Untouchables” tells us a little about a bombing in Williamsburg, Indiana. This is, in fact, my hometown, a little barely-there dot on the map in Wayne County, Indiana, near the Indiana/Ohio State line. The closest cities are Richmond, Indiana, and Dayton, Ohio. I wanted Crimsonstreak to have a modest Midwestern background, so I stuck him in my hometown. This does not reflect my desire to wipe Williamsburg off the map.

• I think the line “Sure am glad Dad was there to vouch for me” speaks volumes about Chris’ issues with his father.

• The villainous Zeus Caesar was a character I always had a very clear picture of. He’s an all-powerful, god-like supervillain who’s pretty much off his rocker. I mean, who starts “conquering America” by taking over Nebraska and Iowa? I’ll have more on Caesar later.

• Chapter 1 ends with the line “But the world needs a hero.” Chris is in a desperate situation. He’s tried to escape more than a dozen times, but is still stuck in the Clermont Institution for the Criminally Insane. Since we’re seeing this whole world through his eyes, this line reminds us that he’s not giving up just yet.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 17

Chapter 17

If You Rebuild It, They Will (Maybe) Forgive You

Author’s Notes

• The chapter title is a play on “The Voice” from Field of Dreams. The line is often misquoted as “if you build it, they will come,” although the actual line is, “if you build it, he will come.”

• I have a clear idea for a sequel. Some minor setup for a second Crimsonstreak adventure is involved here. Not all the Clermont escapees were willing to fight in the final battle. Some of them did what villains do best: live to fight another day. They’ll need to be rounded up.

• The paper route flashback is a modified slice of Adams family history. I had a paper route for several years, but when I wanted to play high school baseball, I had to give it up. Unlike Chris, I was only a two-year varsity letter winner.

• Chris muses about some of the logistical problems of reestablishing the United States of America. They’re very real, from bringing back Congress to getting businesses to change their letterheads. It’s a subtle observation, but the point is that the New World Common Wealth had a huge ripple effect from the top (government) to the bottom (small business).

• Colonel Chaos didn’t establish the New World Common Wealth (Evil Chaos did that), but the NWCW was his brainchild. He feels duty-bound to set things right. His imprisonment and the subsequent battle have changed his perspective.

• I tend to be an upbeat guy, so I wanted the ending to reflect a certain hopefulness. Yet, we still have some unresolved issues. What do we do with Evil Chaos? The Clermont escapees? At the same time, I didn’t want a complete return to the status quo. Just having Miss Lightspeed “fixed” would’ve been a lazy way out; it would’ve wrapped things up too neatly.

• Zeus Caesar stored the memories of those he killed, including Miss Lightspeed. Through some quirk of science fictional junk science, their collision during the final battle sent Miss Lightspeed’s memories surging into Evil Miss Lightspeed. Thus, the Karen Fairborne who now exists is an amalgamation of the two, with the “good” persona overtaking the “bad” one for now. This part of the ending may not be a particularly happy one.

• Deep down, Chris knows this new Miss Lightspeed isn’t really his mother, but he’s willing to take a deep breath following his ordeal.

• A thematic footnote is the idea of a “superhero aristocracy”; that people with powers are better than those who don’t have any and should rule those who are inferior. I imagine this would be a very real conflict if superpowered beings existed. X-Men tends to play up this theme in the conflict between Professor X and Magneto.

• So what do you do with Colonel Chaos 2? As Chris notes, there’s no clear solution. Send him back to his own universe, and he can come right back. On the other hand, he’s too crafty to stay imprisoned for long.

• “Transformative quantum signature transference” sounds like pure technobabble, but did you know that one out of every 130,000 Americans suffers from it? That’s from the U.S. Department of Fake Statistics.

• The Crusading Comet emerges from Clermont with some major injuries. I’m concerned that arm of his may never fully heal, leaving Warren IV to take up the mantle of the Crusading Comet for good. That may be a hint.

• Chris mentions that Morty and Warren played major roles in saving the world “without powers.” This is a very different tune from the one he sang earlier in the book, when he implied Warren wasn’t a “real” hero because he didn’t have powers.

• A thematic thread throughout the book is the power of choice. Colonel Chaos chose to try to bring his wife back and distance himself from his son. Chris chose to leave the Crusading Comet behind during their escape from Clermont. Morty chose to sacrifice himself because he had one more lesson to teach Warren.

• “Warren Kensington—both of them—gives me the same businesslike nod” recalls an earlier line from the book: “They’re all named Warren Kensington.”

• For better or worse, Crimsonstreak views Warren as the little brother he never had. This probably means they’ll continue to bicker and fuss while Chris remains overprotective of the young Crusading Comet.

• “There’s no magic superhero intuition, no instant solution for everything. When we manage to save the day, it’s usually thanks to sheer determination and a lot of luck.” This line says a lot about Chris and superheroes in general. They may not always know what to do in a given situation, but they’re going to try to save the day.

• In the original draft of the book, there was a more overt reference to the presence of the character who eventually became Stoner Cheetah. It took too much of the focus away from Chris, so I changed it.

• “Running. Always running. Not today” is a twist on the familiar phrase used throughout the book. Here it serves to let us know we’re finished…for now.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 4

Chapter 4

A (Potentially Dangerous) Case of the Munchies

Author’s Notes

• Crimsonstreak’s references are starting to pick up now that he’s out of the drudgery of the Clermont Institution for the Criminally Insane. He loves his pop culture, but gives us a little history riff on “Give ‘em Hell Harry” to start the chapter.

• The relationship presented here about food and our hero’s abilities is only implied. We have a few scenes where he’s eating something very quickly or having a snack. It doesn’t reach Brad Pitt in Ocean’s 11 levels, but it’s something to watch.

• The crack about “roughing it” is a reference to a very old family joke. One time, my brother came home to visit from college with a couple of his friends. I was probably 16 or 17 at the time. His buddies were going on a camping trip, but talked about how they were staying in air-conditioned RV’s with satellite TV and all the amenities. I told them they were a couple of real “throwbacks,” and the story remains part of family lore.

• The Human Compass is mentioned exactly once in the book. As our hero says, there isn’t much use for the guy. I’m sure he tries hard, though.

• Ah, the infamous talking cheetah. I have to laugh at this part of the book because this is completely ridiculous. I fully admit this. My wife kept telling me this was the part of the book where she stopped reading because the character was just too absurd. When I submitted the book to Candlemark & Gleam, the cheetah character also gave the editor pause in its original incarnation, which was sort of a “magical native” trope. Looking back, it was a terrible idea, but my editor had a suggestion: make the character a stoner. Thus, Stoner Cheetah was born. I think he’s a lot more fun to write in this persona. A little stereotypical, perhaps, but I like the guy.

• Don MacClean’s “sweet perfume.” In “American Pie,” it could refer to tear gas, the music of the Beatles, or reefer. I’m going with reefer.

• Stoner Cheetah throws in quite a few references of his own: Bono, the Technicolor Dreamcoat, the Ten Commandments. I think he channels a little old-school Keanu Reeves at points.

• Chris’ escape is fairly straightforward. Under the guidance of his transforming man-cheetah, he takes a dive into the waters below. He’s injured, though, and it’s slowing him down. Frustrated, he takes a break and gets some cheap calories from Stoner Cheetah’s Cheeto stock.

• The Clermont Enforcers aren’t very bright, but they don’t really have to be. Even when inmates escape, a force-field keeps them from going very far. Chris encounters three escaped villains who simply died, and nobody bothered to check into it. This scene was inspired by a brief bit from an episode of G.I. Joe called “Worlds Without End” where three Joes encounter their own corpses. Wait…what? Yeah, that actually happened in a kid’s show.

• Crimsonstreak’s tangent-prone mind has a field day with the force-field. First, he’s doing a Wile E. Coyote. Then, he’s in a York Peppermint Patty commercial. Before we can take a breath, he’s quoting the theme to the superhero TV show The Greatest American Hero. An aside: I always thought this was a Lionel Richie song, but it’s Joey Scarbury. Believe it or not, the official title of the song is “The Greatest American Hero (Believe it or Not).”

• Oh, sweet irony. I set out to write a book about a hero who isn’t based in New York…and he ends up in New York. A “few” superheroes have made the Big Apple their home, including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the Punisher, Iron Man, Luke Cage, Daredevil, the Avengers, and…oh holy hell, the entire effin’ Marvel Universe. Batman (Gotham City) and Superman (Metropolis) both patrol NYC analogues.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My Only Escape is Escaping

Author's Notes

• We’ve met Crimsonstreak, we’ve learned a little bit about his predicament, and now it’s time to spring him. We could have tooled around the Clermont Institution for the Criminally Insane for a bit longer, but I think we’ve established the character and need to let him roam free.

• I think my novel will get some comparisons to Austin Grossman’s Soon I Will Be Invincible, which also starts out with the protagonist in prison. It, too, is a first-person comic book novel. No one will believe this, but I didn’t read Soon I Will Be Invincible until the summer of 2011. This came after my book was accepted for publication. It had always been on my “to read” list, but I didn’t get around to it until then. It's a pretty enjoyable read and I urge everyone to check it out.

• I like ongoing jokes. My friends find it annoying that, years later, I still dredge up the same stupid jokes about Neil Diamond and Star Wars (shocking to many of my friends, there isn’t a single Neil Diamond reference in I, Crimsonstreak). One of Chris’ quirks in the book is that he refuses to refer to his crimefighting outfit as anything but a uniform. He hates it when people refer to super-suits as “costumes.” This is something that remains consistent throughout the novel.

• In the original draft of the book, it was actually Infrared who traveled with Crimsonstreak during his escape. However, it became clear that Infrared ended up being kind of a Biggs Darklighter-type character. He’s only in the book for a brief scene and then you’re supposed to “grieve” over his (apparent) death. It worked okay, but when I talked it over with my beta reader Mike, we came to the conclusion that the Crusading Comet would be a better fit for this role. True, we don’t know much about the Comet at this point in the book, but this act of leaving him behind is a thread woven throughout the rest of the adventure. It also sets up ready-made tension between Crimsonstreak, Mortimer P. Willoughby, and Warren Kensington IV when they all meet shortly.

• Crimsonstreak isn’t perfect, but he is a hero. Every instinct cries out to “never leave another man behind.” Yet, he’s not going to escape Clermont if he has to carry the Crusading Comet with him. The Comet knows this, even though Chris doesn’t want to admit it. Crimsonstreak reluctantly accepts that he must leave the Comet behind because someone has to save the world.

• He has to choose “freedom or friendship.” This theme of making the hard choice is found repeatedly in several situations where our protagonist must decide what constitutes “doing the right thing.” Sometimes the lines get blurred.

• Crimsonstreak’s thoughts about his inferiority come to light in this chapter to reinforce his internal disappointment. “Mom could fly,” he thinks wistfully. “So can Dad,” he recalls with bitterness. “I got nothin’,” he admits. We all have self doubts, even superheroes. Especially superheroes. Even though his powers are extraordinary to us, they're ordinary to him. This realization grounds the hero.

• The chapter ends with a phrase that’s repeated a few times throughout the novel: “Running. Always running.” This is a literal “always running” in that Crimsonstreak is a super-speedster who’s constantly on the go. It also has a deeper meaning, however. In some ways, Chris has run away from some of his own problems. His relationship with his father, for instance, is something he ran away from. Down the road, we learn that his relationship with Jaci went down the same road. He’s really never come to terms with his mother’s death and has been “running” to the rescue ever since. I tried to pack a lot of meaning into those few words.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Will the Real Colonel Chaos Please Stand Up?

Author’s Notes

• The title of this chapter was almost “The Final Countdown.” Ladies and gentlemen…Europe!

• Chris paraphrases Princess Leia with the line, “It’s not going to take them long to figure out where we went.”

• In the air with his father, Chris reminds us momentarily that superheroes can still feel awed from time to time. Flight is a compelling thing, especially when you can’t do it on your own.

• So how did two Colonel Chaoses come to exist? Is the “evil” Chaos a clone? Our hero’s father has some explaining to do.

• Constrained by the limits of cloning, robotics, genetics, and common sense, Colonel Chaos started thinking outside the box. The I, Crimsonstreak universe operates on the theory of a multiverse; that infinite possibilities exist in infinite universes. Chaos was so obsessed with getting his wife back that he “stole” a version of her from a different parallel reality.

• “I’ve read a lot of comic books” isn’t necessarily true for this author, but I have seen a lot of comic book movies and read a few too many superhero novels.

• This is an immutable law of fiction: you can’t have a parallel reality without mentioning a goatee. Star Trek fans will recognize this as a reference to the classic episode “Mirror, Mirror.”

• I nearly worked myself into a corner on resolving who was behind Chris’ imprisonment. I rewrote that scene dozens of times before getting it to a point where it made sense. Sometimes you think you have something figured out, and then realize that it doesn’t make as much sense as you thought it did.

• Chris’ father did indeed send him to Clermont. He thought the explosion caused by Chaos 2 was a manifestation of Chris’ growing superpowers. Once he realized that Chaos 2 had transported himself to his own reality, Colonel Chaos erased all records relating to Chris’ whereabouts. Yeah, my brain is exploding, too.

• Colonel Chaos 2 is a bad guy. There’s no doubt about that. However, there are signs that his mental instability followed the death of his own son, Christopher Matthew Fairborne. In effect, both Chaoses have faced family tragedies that sent them spiraling into grief. Neither recovered. Another parallel: the loss of Miss Lightspeed forced Chaos 1 to pluck a version of his wife from an alternate reality; Chaos 2 crossed into another reality after his wife disappeared.

• The discussion about the NWCW and its intentions has a similar dichotomy to the discussion about the depowering technology from Chapter 13. Governments are what people make of them; they can be good or they can be bad.

• Typically, the closer Crimsonstreak and Imperator Chris are in proximity, the stronger mutual reaction they share. However, Crimsonstreak feels a painful sensation from Clermont, which means something very bad has happened.

• Both Colonel Chaos and the Crusading Comet are pretty smart, yet neither could solve the one-way nature of the Comet Accelerator. Note that Chaos was able to get past the power limitations.

• A secret research facility off the coast of Florida. Sure. Whatever. You know, I had rock tumbler as a kid. Neat toy.

• Why Warren would ever complain about flying coach is beyond me. I’m glad Chris calls him out for it.

• Hmm. Could Zeus Caesar be out and about?

• This chapter is a little heavy on expository dialogue, but the characters needed a minute to take a breath and figure out their next move. We’re now ready for the big showdown.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Here We Go Again on Our Own

Author’s Notes

• The chapter title is a misquote of a Whitesnake song. The real lyric, of course, is “Here I go again on my own.”

• Crimsonstreak spent a little more time at Chaopolis South than you’d expect. Several days, actually. This is a quick, sudden turnaround in Imperator Chris’ behavior. He wasn’t evil after all, just needing a little guidance from Morty and Jaci to whip him into shape. They opened his eyes to what Colonel Chaos and the NWCW were doing to the world. It seems quick, yes, but Imperator Chris had been so sheltered from the rest of the world.

• Imperator Chris is ill-tempered and mean because that’s what he was bred to be. The branding and locator tag speak to his father’s controlling ways.

• One major difference between Crimsonstreak and Imperator Chris is their musculature. Imperator Chris is still a speedster, but he’s much more “ripped” than Chris. The Imperator’s build is more NFL, whereas Crimsonstreak’s build is more Olympic sprinter.

• Chris still isn’t sure what to make of Imperator Chris. The most obvious explanation is that he’s a clone. Our hero is a little stubborn here, unwilling to admit what’s obvious to everyone else.

• “Bizzaro-World Me” dovetails nicely as both a Superman reference and a Seinfeld reference.

• Originally, Morty sat on the sidelines during the final chapters, running operations from Jaci’s apartment in Chaopolis South. It certainly worked, but ended up making for a deus ex machina ending and squandering Warren’s character arc. Chris, ever protective of Jaci, instead assigns the venerable butler to accompany Jaci and his doppelganger. By the way, I love the word doppelganger.

• Another quick flashback to Franklin College. Cline Hall is a residence hall there. It’s split so that boys are on one side (Hoover Hall) and girls live in Cline. The romantic encounter there is purely fictional.

• Warren’s “Parcheesi” line gives us a hint that he’s not all that thrilled with the sudden defection of Imperator Chris.

• Warren is strong, especially for a teen growing into his body. He admits the armor is heavy, but has little trouble with it. Chris, on the other hand, struggles with the suit’s weight.

• Some of the tension between Chris and Warren has subsided. The teenager is finally accepting that Chris had to leave his father behind during the escape at Clermont. He gives explicit permission for Chris to do the same with him should they encounter a similar situation.

• “The New World Common Wealth has now become so ridiculous I want to save Scarlet DashBoy.” This is a callback to an earlier chapter when Chris effectively says he wouldn’t save Dashboy if given the chance. He didn’t really mean it, of course, but the current situation is forcing his hand.

• So how did Scarlet Dashboy end up in Chaopolis? That’s left up to the reader. Perhaps he escaped during the Clermont jailbreak. Perhaps Chaos had him shipped to Chaopolis to serve as an example. Dashboy kind of reminds me of Squeak Scolari from Baseketball.

• Chris tries to turn the abandonment of Dashboy into a “teaching moment,” but Warren’s not letting it happen. The tension between the duo hasn’t completely dissipated.

• “I think the Fairbornes have been getting enough press lately.” So, um, Warren, do you think it’s the best idea to give up your secret identity to prove a point?

• At some point, the Crusading Comet shared his idea for the Comet Accelerator with Colonel Chaos. Chris and Warren get that familiar feeling of being displaced, although this time Chris is reminded of Gene Wilder from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

• The tech for this Comet Accelerator isn’t quite as advanced, and both Chris and Warren lose the contents of their stomachs.

• Another flashback provides insight on how determined Colonel Chaos was to bring back Miss Lightspeed. Lookalikes, clones, memory implantation cycles…the man was so lost that he’d try anything. I think the line “Your mother and I. We were a team” is particularly jarring for Chris, who thought he and his dad were a team. With his father beyond reason, Chris leaves.

• The flashback about Miss Lightspeed’s funeral gives us another look at Chris’ views on religion. It’s an intangible thing to him, but his mother always believed in a higher power, a belief she passed on to her son. Chaos, a man of science, probably has a different view. This is another downer of a scene, and a difficult one to write as well.

• Another Colonel Chaos? What devilry is this?

• “Special” Enforcer Jenkins captures our heroes. Of course.

• Warren talks about “the Santa Prisca story.” Can’t you just imagine the Crusading Comet telling his son bedtime stories about his great adventures? It’s worth mentioning that the Comet has such high standards for competency that he would taunt his son for getting caught.

• Santa Prisca is a comic book reference, by the way. It’s the prison where Bane stayed during the Batman Knightfall storyline. No backs broken in this book, however.

• Don’t Stand Too Close to a Naked Man is a reference to Tim Allen’s book. Remember that time when Tim Allen had the #1 movie (The Santa Clause), TV show (Home Improvement), and book? No, me neither.

• In an earlier draft of the book, Warren had Spongebob Squarepants boxers and the characters sang the TV show theme song. Occasionally, I do realize that my ideas are stupid.

• So Crimsonstreak designed his uniform to prevent chafing. That’s probably a little TMI.

• The line about taupe being soothing is a reference to Ocean’s 11.

• The “You’ve got me. I’m not a clone” speech is a riff on the awesome “Maximus Decimus Meridius” line from Gladiator.

• Warren and Chris use some teamwork to escape from the clutches of Special Enforcer Jenkins. Now it’s off to the cloning vats to see what’s up with the second Colonel Chaos.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Appendix III

Appendix III

History of the Crusading Comet

Author’s Notes

• The Crusading Comet character has a rich and interesting history. His presence throughout several decades allowed me to show the evolution of the character.

• The original version of the Comet is reminiscent of “The Shadow” or other pulp heroes. The fedora and trench coat are dead giveaways for this. It’s interesting to note that Warren Kensington Sr. didn’t start patrolling as the Comet until he was in his late thirties.

• The article concerning the Comet’s first adventure originally included some more lurid details regarding the men and their intentions for the victim. However, those kind of details were out of place given the journalistic style of the era.

• The police department isn’t very happy with the Crusading Comet because he’s doing their job for them. The chief basically makes the Comet “public enemy number one” when he criticizes the masked avenger’s war on crime.

• Chief O’Hara, by the way, is a callback to the Adam West Batman series.

• In many superhero stories, the vigilante has a sympathetic friend inside the department. The most famous pairing is Batman and Commissioner Gordon. For the Crusading Comet, it’s Lieutenant Bill Hale.

• Note how the Comet’s tech appears both advanced and crude at the same time during his early adventures.

• Writing journal entries from Morty’s perspective was a blast.

• In Morty’s first entry, he expresses concerns for Warren Kensington’s state of mind and wonders about his willingness to train Warren Jr. to take up the mantle of the Comet. Morty believes the Comet is a product of madness; that his master could find a better way to contribute to the world. At the same time, he is the loyal servant who doggedly protects his master’s identity and helps the man’s son become the next Crusading Comet.

• It was important for me to show that the Comets had different personalities. Warren Sr. was completely dedicated to his job, but he was a novice. Warren Jr. is brash, an untamed bronco and a loose cannon.

• Morty’s journal tells us what “really” happened to the elder Kensington while the newspaper article shows us that Morty and Warren Jr. are masterful spin doctors. Bravo, gentlemen.

• When the second Crusading Comet appears in public, people don’t know what to think. The original Comet was the strong, silent type. Suddenly, the Comet’s out in public in a flashy new uniform and interacting with the public after avoiding the spotlight for several years. People note the change, but they don’t understand the reason behind it.

• Bill Hale, by the way, has been promoted to Captain.

• A random wire story informs us that Warren Jr. exacted his revenge on “The Fixer.”

• We take a very major jump from 1975 to 1992. The death of Warren Jr. isn’t even mentioned. According to the Crusading Comet timeline, Warren Jr. died in 1986, pushing Warren III into duty at the age of nineteen.

• The very first Morty journal entry I wrote detailed the wild & swingin’ Valentine’s Day featuring Warren III. We learn the current Comet is a ladies’ man with an adventurous streak. He’s more of a Bruce Wayne/Tony Stark billionaire type, someone much
  flashier than his predecessors.

• Morty genuinely adores Warren III’s love interest, Katie. He hopes a small part of her remains with the family. Indeed it does; she’s the mother of Warren IV.

• Dawn Magazine strikes again, this time with a short featurette on the Kensington family’s swanky butler, Mortimer P. Willoughby.

• Morty’s final journal entries reflect the development of the New World Common Wealth. It gives us a different view on the rise of Colonel Chaos’ government and the many questions surrounding the wisdom of giving so much power to one man. Morty remains steadfast in his opposition to Chaos, and even expresses disgust at the Crusading Comet and the Heroic Legion for supporting him. Thus, he’s planting the seeds of an underground movement to oppose Chaos.

• Morty is a strong character. His role as a butler allows him to stay in the background while remaining an active part of the resistance.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Appendix II

Appendix II

The New World Common Wealth Era

Author’s Notes

• We’ve gotten a decent sense of what led to the New World Common Wealth, but I thought it would add value to the book by expanding on it a little bit. We get to see the rise of the NWCW through some newspaper articles.

• Colonel Chaos 2 has trouble getting the New World Common Wealth off the ground. His first move is announcing the return of Miss Lightspeed, a popular hero whose death stunned the world. He explains that an advance in medical technology allowed her to be brought back.

• The Heroic Legion basically plays the role of Joseph Kennedy in the rise of Colonel Chaos to power. They appease Chaos by throwing their support behind him, giving him much more legitimacy than he deserves.

• Samson Knight, Great Alexander, and the Amazing Merrick all have larger parts in the proposed sequel to I, Crimsonstreak.

• I think I speak for everyone when I say Gabriel Sewell can go to hell. He’s the Scarlet DashBoy of politicians.

• A brief article mentions Chris Fairborne’s return to the world. Of course, this is a clone of our hero. It may not even be the Imperator Chris from the book. We know that Chaos had dozens of Chris Fairborne clones and lamented their “imperfections.” Note that Chris is the first to utter the famous phrase, “Enemies of the Common Wealth must die!”

• I play some fake political games here. The “coalition of the wise” is a play on the “coalition of the willing” from the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Chaos’ ascension to power mirrors that of Hitler.

• By the time the West Coast is destroyed, Chaos has managed to get more countries to buy into his idea for the NWCW. There are still some holdouts, however, and not even all of the U.S. is on board.

• If you read between the lines, Colonel Chaos 2 allowed the Kiltechs to destroy the West Coast (and Jaci confirms this in the book). The sacrifice of a few to save many (and consolidate his power) is worth it to Chaos. Not everyone along the West Coast died, of course, but much of the land remained uninhabitable.

• The tone of the newspaper articles is also starting to shift. Whereas they started out as fairly neutral, you get the sense that the media is starting to rally behind Colonel Chaos. We’re not to Fox Chaopolis News levels yet, but we’re getting closer.

• By September 19, 2008, the American Times is replaced by Fox Chaopolis News. Chaos outlines his plans for “regions” and the Enforcers who will guard them. No one can stop him now.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Appendix I

Appendix I

Chaos Family History

Author’s Notes

• This appendix covers the history of Crimsonstreak’s family. Now that I think about it, I probably should’ve titled this section “Fairborne Family History” or “Crimsonstreak Family History.” Oh well.

• Why so many appendices? That’s an interesting question. My interesting answer? I’m not sure. I just started writing newspaper articles one day after the main narrative was complete. By the time I was finished, I had nearly 20,000 words of extra material. I’m the kind of guy who likes the special features on DVDs, so this extra material is along the same lines.

• I really tried to avoid having a lot of moments in the book in which events are explained. Certain things about characters are implied or referenced without being explained over several paragraphs. The supplemental material gave me a chance to delve deeper into the history of the Crimsonstreak universe.

• One of the limitations of the first person narrative is that you’re stuck with that singular perspective. Chris only knows what Chris knows; any additional information he has must come from other characters. These newspaper articles and magazine features provide an opportunity to fill in some of the blanks. They’re not essential to the book, so readers who aren’t interested won’t really miss out on anything.

• A lot of the “reporters” used in the supplemental features are friends of mine. There are a couple glaring omissions, but I couldn’t mention everyone.

• The first two articles detail a crisis involving Colonel Chaos during his criminal heyday. His most famous plot involved taking over the United Nations Building in New York and threatening to start a nuclear war unless he got billions in ransom money. Miss Lightspeed is the one who ended up thwarting the plot, which made the Bill Fairborne/Karen Fairborne relationship even more unlikely.

• Richard Nixon remains president in 1970, and the U.S. and Soviets are still embroiled in the Cold War. Even though superheroes exist, many important events still play out as they did in “real” history.

• At the conclusion of the article in which Miss Lightspeed saves the day, President Nixon says, “it is heartening to know there are men who will stand up and oppose tyranny in its most basic form.” It’s a political jab at Miss Lightspeed, who actually took the initiative to stop Colonel Chaos.

• Five years after the UN ransom plot, Chaos declares himself “reformed” and goes to the Richmond State Hospital. He is eventually released and marries Miss Lightspeed, who had been responsible for guarding him.

• The line doesn’t really make sense, but “punch was served” is a long-running joke from my old TV station. Sometimes we’re given stories that have absolutely no information whatsoever. I was once assigned to write a 20-second story about some maritime event in Florida that had great video but no information. I BSed my way through it, but nearly included the line “punch was served” to end the story. I guess you had to be there.

• In fine newspaper reporter fashion, the writer of the Sinister Santa article sort of screws up the lead. It was, in fact, one of the season’s hottest toys that nearly derailed the holiday season. Sinister Santa planted bombs in Cabbage Patch Dolls, the hot toy of the mid-80s.

• Santa Claus, Indiana, is a real place. It’s several hours south of Indianapolis in Spencer County. Santa Claus’ claim to fame is a theme park and water park called Holiday World.

• ShadowSmith’s plot is based on a favorite G.I. Joe episode in which Cobra creates a “pyramid of darkness” that blankets the world. ShadowSmith’s hood is also a nod to Cobra Commander.

• G.E.N.E.R.A.T.E. is a parody of SPECTRE from the James Bond movies.

• I studied journalism in college and spent nearly nine years writing/producing TV news at a Fox affiliate. My latent knowledge of AP Style came in handy during the supplemental materials, and I use a modified version of AP Style for the newspaper articles. Hat tip to Professor Jerry Miller for making me study AP Style in college.

• During the 1995-1996 NFL season, the Indianapolis Colts made an improbable run through the playoffs, culminating in a dramatic game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Colts lost after their Hail Mary pass fell to the turf, but the memory is one of my favorites as a teenager. That team turned me into a Colts fan, and I’ve never stopped loving Jim Harbaugh. The article about the Super Bowl disruption in Tempe, Arizona, is part of my still-in-progress effort to “get over” the Colts’ loss. Kordell Stewart can suck it. The dude stepped out of bounds and nobody saw it.

• Do the Observers seem familiar? They should to comic fans. Observers = Watchmen. I came up with silly analogues for all the Watchmen characters. Let’s match ‘em up: Splotch/Rorschach; Hombre Azul/Dr. Manhattan; Jokey Jokemaker/The Comedian; Osiris/Ozymandias; Jen Saturn/Sally Jupiter; Midnight Wren/Nite Owl.

• The Crossworld bank robbery spree article uses one of journalism’s favorite sources: the police report. This article is full of “police speak” and other stupid terms the media loves.

• The Dawn Magazine (it’s the People or Us Weekly of the Crimsonstreak universe) feature is actually a pretty lengthy piece. It runs about 2,900 words. The goal was to show how close Chris and his parents were. They seem somewhat normal until the son of a villain comes back for revenge. I really like this feature article.

• The article also allowed me to fill in more the Colonel Chaos/Miss Lightspeed love story. These are two powerful personalities who are drawn to each other, and Miss Lightspeed “saves” Colonel Chaos from his darker ways. The book hinges on their relationship and the powerful attraction between them.

• When Chris is interviewed, he has a Jim Harbaugh poster on his wall. I told you I never got over the Colts’ loss to the Steelers. Chris wonders if that Manning kid will be any good. I think that turned out okay. Harbaugh, by the way, was traded to the Baltimore Ravens following the 1997 season. The Colts ended up drafting Peyton Manning. He was pretty good.

• “A cream and crimson streak!” This line came a long, long, long time after I’d already named the hero Crimsonstreak. While writing this feature article, it dawned on me that I could do a little play on words with Crimsonstreak’s name and the Indiana Hoosiers’ colors. In the several first drafts of this article, “a cream and crimson streak” is nowhere to be found and Chris isn’t wearing an IU sweatshirt.

• The article about Miss Lightspeed’s death is an important piece. We don’t know much about Zeus Caesar’s plot, and this provides a little more insight.

• “Lightspeed Too Slow” is a subtle nod to Spaceballs.

• My father-in-law grew up in Iowa, so I decided to use it as a location in the book.

• Appendix I concludes with the article about Miss Lightspeed’s death, a fitting stopping point. If you think about it, the Fairborne family “ended” when she died, thus it’s an appropriate place to conclude the family history.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Getting a Boost and a Tale of Two Chrises

Author’s Notes

• Morty chides Chris about this relationship with Jaci and then proceeds to harangue him for a plan. I love the Chris-Morty-Warren dynamic so much! Those scenes were such a blast to write. In a way, Crimsonstreak has established a warped kind of surrogate family for himself with Morty, Warren, and Jaci.

• Warren makes a cutting remark about Chris; Chris responds by referencing “Xbox” and calling Warren “kid.” These are the people responsible for saving the world, folks. It doesn’t take long for Morty to launch into both of them.

• The flashback about Jaci’s time as the editor of the college newspaper echoes a real event in college. I used flashbacks quite a bit in this book. It’s due mostly to the limitations of writing in the first-person perspective. It’s hard to get a sense of a character without interactions. Employing flashbacks allowed me to show Chris’ interactions with important people in his life so readers can draw their own conclusions about what it all means.

• When I originally wrote I, Crimsonstreak, Chris Fairborne was me. He was a Mary Sue character who reflected a certain idealized version of myself. As the writing process progressed, Chris developed into his own character. He certainly shares some of my personal background, but we’re not the same guy anymore.

• I am an unabashed fan of Seinfeld. I could have entire conversations in nothing but Seinfeld-isms. I snuck a couple into the book, including “I am speechless. I am without speech.”

• ”Cogsworth.” Disney’s Beauty and the Beast gets a quick mention here.

• Jaci initially went along with the NWCW, but she’s been aiding the resistance for a bit now. She knew there was something wrong with Chris Fairborne (the imperator version) because he didn’t recognize her. Even though the Jaci/Chris relationship is strained, she couldn’t live with Chris ever being that cold toward her.

• Jaci’s probably a little too quick to accept Chris’ story, especially given the tension between the two characters. However, something about the other Chris didn’t quite “click” with her, so she’s going with her gut here.

• We learn a little bit more about the Kiltech Incursion here, including how Colonel Chaos “allowed” the West Coast to be destroyed. The supplemental materials show us that Chaos had trouble getting everyone to join the NWCW, but a cataclysmic event like that has a way of getting people to change their tune.

• Chris takes a cruel and unnecessary jab at Warren, even though he doesn’t necessarily realize it. Morty stands up for the kid, reminding our hero that they wouldn’t have escaped New Chaos City without Warren’s help. The kid, Morty points out, did it without superpowers.

• Chris takes a shower. Again. I think that’s three so far in the book? I almost cut this scene, but I liked the reference to the great Craig “Ironhead” Heyward. Plus, I got to use the word “loofah.” And now I must quote my brother: "Loofah for sissies!"

• The part where Chris gets boxers thrown in his face is reminiscent of a scene from The Naked Gun.

• The flashback involving the Grim Gang was fun to write. I like it when I can show that heroes’ powers are complementary. I included this to show that Colonel Chaos and his son kicked butt back in the day.

• The brief argument about “cream and crimson” and “maize and blue” references college sports. Cream and crimson, of course, represents Indiana University. Maize and blue represents the University of Michigan.

• Jaci’s brilliant plan to recall Imperator Chris abuses the NWCW’s own bureaucracy. I love making fun of things that make life inexplicably harder, and bureaucracies are absolutely ridiculous. I’m glad she was able to use this to her advantage.

• I love, love, love “Captain America and the Avengers” for the Sega Genesis. My brother and I used to play the heck out of that game. I was always Cap; he was always Iron Man. We could get through the game without losing a single life.

• ”My neck tingles, just slightly” clues us in that Crimsonstreak and Imperator Chris have some kind of link. It’s fleeting, but it exists. They’re connected.

• Crimsonstreak’s encounter with, er, himself gives us another interesting dynamic. Our hero has to interact with a version of himself that sees the world from a completely different perspective.

• A lot of references are crammed in here. There’s an allusion to Vernor Vinge’s A Fire Upon the Deep, a sci-fi classic. “Holy Lord” comes from the immortal Norm MacDonald classic Dirty Work. “Patrol pattern delta, go now” is from The Empire Strikes Back (in the movie it’s attack pattern delta).

• The chapter ends with Imperator Chris in custody as Crimsonstreak gets ready to head deep into the heart of Chaopolis to confront his father.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Chaopolis South: It’s Like Chaopolis, Only Southier

Author’s Notes

• Chaopolis South is located a little south of Chaopolis. In real life, it’s Greenwood, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis located in Johnson County. I lived in Greenwood for about two years and am still an Indy “southsider.”

• Going through the Comet Accelerator is a definite out-of-body experience. Several memories flash through Crimsonstreak's consciousness as he travels from New Chaos City to Chaopolis South. A couple memories reference previous adventures with his parents (King Nutcracker, the Observers). Some involve sports (the 1990 Reds sweep of the A’s in the World Series, the Colts winning Super Bowl XLI). Others are events in Crimsonstreak’s life (his mother’s death, high school graduation). One about Franklin College mentions Dr. Cramer, who is a real, living and breathing professor at Franklin College, which is a real liberal arts college.

• Mortimer and Warren IV have their own memories while going through the Comet Accelerator. Morty starts talking about the Land of Chocolate, a reference to a Simpsons episode. I’d like to say there’s some logic to this reference for Morty (such as watching The Simpsons was part of his Americanization), but I just liked the mental image of Morty taking a bite out of a lamppost. You can see the Simpsons clip here.

• Warren’s quirky reentry memory is inspired by Toy Story, which remains one of my all-time favorite movies. I figure the series would’ve been popular enough when Warren was growing up for this to make some sense.

• With the Sanctum Cometus “blown to hell” along with the Enforcers, most of the Comet’s supplies and gadgets in New Chaos City are toast. Morty mentions that the Comet always “has his bases covered,” meaning that there may be more than one Sanctum Cometus. Indeed, there is another, although it doesn’t appear in this book.

• The “cloud-computing” backup was a late addition to the book. Originally, this little passage included a discussion about Chris’ preference for the Microsoft Zune. Technology changes so quickly that the joke didn’t age well, so I pulled it out. That’s always the danger with attempting to do topical humor; it can get outdated very quickly. In fact, Microsoft recently announced it was killing off the Zune platform.

• I fudged the geography of Greenwood a little bit here. They probably haven’t been talking and walking long enough to make it from the downtown area to my old apartment building. No biggie.

• The discussion about “trends” in Indiana was something I noticed in high school. By the time something became a “craze” adopted in the Hoosier state, it seemed like the rest of the country was over it. Hard to say if that’s still true in the Twitter age (you’ll notice nary a mention of social networking in the book because the Twitter/Facebook explosion hadn’t quite caught hold when I was originally writing it).

• Central Indiana doesn’t have a mass transportation system. At least, not one that’s widely used. Everyone around the state drives. Tech like smartphones/iPads/Kindles didn’t catch on here immediately because most of us don’t ride a train or bus to work. That’s quite a bit different from the New York crowd, for instance. This is all anecdotal, of course, but I read a lot of tweets from people who are reading or tweeting during their morning/evening commute using mass transit systems. I don’t know if the Greater Indianapolis Area will ever have a dedicated mass transit system.

• Meta-Route 65 is Interstate 65, a north-south interstate that runs right through Indianapolis. It goes nearly all the way to Chicago to the north and to Mobile, Alabama, to the south. Changing the name is just another way Chaos’ presence is felt in the world…and another way for something familiar to seem “wrong” to Chris.

• Fox Chaopolis News. Fox News Channel takes a lot of heat for its claim of “fair and balanced,” and rightfully so. You can just see how certain issues are presented on the channel to paint stories in a certain light. It was the perfect news service to employ for a skewed perspective on the world. Note the patently wrong claim that “800 unregistered supers died in the blast.” It’s the mouthpiece for the New World Common Wealth, and perhaps something that hits a little too close to home.

• The news isn’t the only skewed perspective. Our heroes encounter a “report unregistered supers” propaganda piece that blames two little kids for blowing up an entire town.

• The flashback with Chris’ dad shows us a different Colonel Chaos, one who isn’t trying to take over the world. You see a father-son moment and realize how much the death of Miss Lightspeed has changed the world. The subsequent running flashback also provides us another glimpse of this relationship.

• By now, Chris is starting to become world-weary. It’s as if his three years in captivity are suddenly catching up to him all at once. His resolve is strong, but he’s both mentally and physically fatigued.

• Jaci Graves is the bureau chief of Chaopolis South. She’s a former girlfriend of Chris, a girl he’s very fond of but pushed away following his mother’s death. We’re quickly caught up on the characters’ unconventional relationship via a few quick flashbacks.

• Jaci is a strong character; Chris mentions her strength several times throughout the book. I didn’t want a woman who was simply a damsel in distress; I wanted someone who could keep up with Chris and call him out on his own BS. She’s a great foil for him. Although the main characters in the novel are primarily men, I tried to fill it out with strong female characters. I realize they play mostly supporting roles, but their fingerprints are all over the book. My own life is filled with strong women, including my wife and my mother. These characters reflect that.

• Franklin College remains an important place in my life. Founded in 1834, FC is located in Franklin, Indiana. It’s south of Greenwood and offers programs ranging from journalism to education, biology, and business. I’m a proud FC grad (class of 2003) and mentioning the college in the book is my way of saying thanks.

• Yeah, I couldn’t resist a sports reference involving Peyton and Eli Manning.

• Crimsonstreak muses about an “alternate dimension.” He doesn’t realize it at the time, of course, but he’s just stumbled across a valuable piece of information. Too bad he doesn’t put it together.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Alfred Pennyworth + Smart Aleck = Mortimer Willoughby

Author’s Notes

• Mortimer P. Willoughby is so much fun to write. He’s a character who hasn’t changed much from the initial draft of the book. The most obvious comic book references are Batman’s Alfred Pennyworth and Iron Man’s Edwin Jarvis (the chapter title pays homage to Alfred, of course). When imagining Morty (a nickname Chris gives the butler, who loathes it), I think of Michael Gough, who portrayed Alfred in the non-Christopher Nolan Batman movies. The character was also played by Alan Napier (the Adam West TV series) and Michael Caine (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises).

• My work is usually fairly free of sexual innuendo. I get a kick out of it on occasion, but a lot of people do it a lot better than me so I tend to avoid it. However, our “prim and proper” butler takes a swipe at Chris’ prowess with the ladies, the implication being that he does “everything quickly.” Morty has an obvious disdain for our hero; it sets up a fun Jerry Seinfeld-Newman dynamic.

• “You have to stop your father. You have to let me go.” This is where the payoff begins for pairing Chris and the Crusading Comet together for their escape. Chris carries around so much guilt from that decision, even though it was one he absolutely had to make. Meeting Morty brings it all back, especially when the butler inquires about his master’s fate.

• In the original drafts of the book, Morty refers to both Warren Kensington III and Warren Kensington IV as “Master Warren.” This got confusing at times, so “Master Kensington” refers to the elder Warren and “Master Warren” refers to the younger one.

• Morty doesn’t completely trust Crimsonstreak, but he does concede that the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and return don’t add up. In essence, he’s willing to give Crimsonstreak the benefit of the doubt, even referring to him as “affable.” Morty hits Chris with a series of rapid-fire questions about the president’s death, an alien invasion, and the strange return of Miss Lightspeed. It’s a way to catch both Chris (and the reader) up on what has transpired during his incarceration.

• The licensing of superheroes is meant to be a comment on our Patriot Act. Comic fans will probably liken it to the Mutant Registration Act from X-Men or the Superpowers Registration Act from the Marvel Civil War event.

• “There’s one kid who I may not save the next time.” Oooooo…foreshadowing.

• “Whammy, blammy, wowie, zowie” is another obscure reference in a book full of them. This is from an SNL sketch called “Pranksters” featuring Christopher Walken.

• Chris gets into a bit of an info dump here regarding the Kiltechs, but it’s relatively painless. The last thing I wanted to do was have Morty there to answer a bunch of questions from Chris. I “fast-forwarded” through that conversation so Chris could provide a recap. Additionally, the “History of the New World Common Wealth” appendix provides more context for the Kiltech Incursion. It’s only mentioned in passing in the book, but I imagine there will be repercussions in the years to come from the invasion attempt.

• Ah, CLEANER. The Crusading Comet brands everything, which is supposed to be a comment on how comic book characters are overly merchandised these days. I’m not sure if it’s 100% effective, but I do enjoy coming up with the acronyms. The “Sanctum Cometus” is a riff on Dr. Strange’s “Sanctum Sanctorum.”

• The fact that the Crusading Comet’s uniforms are too large for Chris serves a dual purpose. First, it makes for a humorous exchange between Chris and Morty. Secondly, it gives us a better idea of Chris’ build. He’s muscular, but not your typical muscle-bound superhero. He’s built more like a swimmer or Olympic sprinter.

• “Must I explain everything? Of course I must” is a little meta comment from Morty. He has several roles in the book: mentor, rival, comedic relief, and expository character.

• The conclusion of this chapter gives us some further insight into Chris. He’s been a loner ever since his mother’s death. He’s pushed away friends and family members; Morty even mentions that Chris has missed several meetings of the Heroic Legion. Chris earlier voiced his disdain for sidekicks, but now he’s forced to admit he needs help. And “300-year-old” Mortimer P. Willoughby will have to suffice.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The Comet Accelerator (Yes, That’s Really What He Calls It)

Author’s Notes

• The title of Chapter 9 continues to show Crimsonstreak’s bemusement with the Crusading Comet’s naming conventions.

• Try as he may, Crimsonstreak just isn’t that intimidating. He’s not a night stalker like Batman or Daredevil. So when he tries to look angry, it tends not to work very well. He thinks he looks intimidating, but he doesn’t. Again, he reminds us, “I am Adam West.”

• In previous commentary, I mentioned that Crimsonstreak is meant to be a Midwestern superhero. His father has no love for either of the coasts, and established the New World Common Wealth’s headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. The idea that Indiana’s capital city would be the center of anything is an absurdity in and of itself.

• “Let’s just say it’s a little out of your league,” Warren says. He’s going after Crimsonstreak yet again and is in control of this tech-centric scene.

• “A few years ago, we couldn’t even get a Super Bowl” is actually anachronistic in this context. The city was awarded Super Bowl XLVI in 2008. The action in the book takes place in 2010, thus Chris would’ve been in prison when Indy was announced as a Super Bowl host. It’s possible he could’ve caught a mention of it on the TV at Clermont. It’s also very likely the Super Bowl announcement was never made thanks to the Kiltech Incursion, the death of the president, and Chaos’ rise to power. I kept the reference because I was proud Indy hosted a Super Bowl in real life. Now that the city survived (and earned raves for its host duties), I’m even prouder. It’s a hat tip to the Circle City.

• Morty and Warren mention a few things during the discussion about escaping New Chaos City. Energy seems to be scarce. I never directly state it in the book, the truth is that the New World Common Wealth government is using much of the world’s resources for its own purposes, leaving Joe Everyman out in the cold. Despite Chris’ supposition that his father appointed a bunch of tree huggers, the NWCW has no environmentally-conscious motives.

• In early drafts of the book, the Crusading Comet simply had a Dell. I started the book in 2007, when Dell was at the peak of its power. During final edits, we decided to turn it into Alienware customized by the Comet.

• The Comet Accelerator is the Comet’s attempt to solve a fundamental problem of non-superpowered heroes. Batman can’t be everywhere at once (not even Superman can), but the Comet wanted a way to quickly transport himself to a crime scene. He planned to build Comet Accelerator locations all around the city, but the power drain and operational logistics made it nearly impossible. The idea, however, speaks to the pragmatism of the hero.

• Morty and Warren discuss the biggest shortcoming of the Accelerator, which is basically that only one person can go through. Otherwise, the power drain is too much for the system to bear. This is all junk science explained away with a wink-wink, nudge-nudge. It does, however, provide extra tension regarding how the characters will escape when Enforcers come stormtroopering through the Sanctum Cometus.

• “CARDIAC: Because “workout room” simply isn’t enough.” Another Comet acronym. As I mentioned earlier in the commentary, I had a lot of fun with these.

• ”There is that shortcut from the lounge to the conservatory” refers to the board game “Clue.” It’s always been a family favorite, so I thought I’d throw in a reference.

• Warren’s face reminds Crimsonstreak of the kids he saved from Nuclear Ned in the flashback. It’s just a little reminder that Warren still has a sense of youthfulness to him.

• It’s ironic that Chris, clearly the least technologically inclined of the trio, has the idea to put all three of our heroes through the Comet Accelerator. It’s a risky maneuver, to be sure, but there’s no way a 17-year-old kid, a butler, and a super-speedster can fight their way through several squads of Enforcers. It’s the only way out, and even Morty reluctantly accepts that.

• Did anyone really expect Morty to simply surrender? Chris should be ashamed of himself for even considering it! Of course the wily old butler has another great escape; he’s the consummate superhero assistant. We also see during the escape that Chris gets a little extra “juice” and manages to push back the Enforcers to buy the heroes enough time to escape.

• As Chapter 9 concludes, our heroes spiral into the unknown of the Comet Accelerator.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Crimsonstreak and Warren Kensington IV in… Road to Central Processing!

Author’s Notes

• The chapter title is a reference to the old Bob Hope/Bing Crosby Road to… movies. Some readers may associate the title with several Family Guy episodes. I assure you that Hope and Crosby did it well before Stewie and Brian.

• From the get-go here we can see that Chris and Warren aren’t getting along. Warren doesn’t trust our hero. Morty even (kind of) comes to Crimsonstreak’s defense here. Warren is extremely ticked off by Chris’ insistence on referring to him as a “kid.”

• The flashback to Chris’ teenage years paints us a picture of a relatively happy and duty-bound family. As a “kid” who hasn’t fully grown into his powers, Chris is banned from going on a mission with his parents. He knows how Warren feels because he’s been there before. That doesn’t mean he’s going to stop calling him “kid.”

• Metal Gear Solid remains one of my all-time favorite video games. The part where Psycho Mantis “reads” your memory card and takes control of your gamepad is one of the greatest moments in gaming. I spent an entire Christmas vacation playing through Metal Gear Solid on my Playstation.

• Central Processing is probably the scariest place on Earth. Bureaucracy! Oh, the humanity!

• As Warren creates the pass cards for Chris, Morty, and himself, we see a quick reversal of roles. When it comes to technology, Warren is king. Thus, he’s in control of this situation while Chris is forced to sit on the sidelines.

• “I am Adam West” is Chris’ own comment on his jittery nature. It equates him of a superhero on Adam West’s level. You could take it to mean Crimsonstreak always carries around some shark repellant. You’d think a guy who escaped from the Clermont Institution for the Criminally Insane would have a little more backbone, but he hasn’t been on a real mission for a long time. Cut him some slack.

• I like how Crimsonstreak is wary of how the mission is going according to plan. He mentions that things go exactly according to plan “about five-percent of the time.” The very fact that the plan is going according to plan is, paradoxically, not according to plan.

• In Indiana, we call our motor vehicle agency the “Bureau of Motor Vehicles” (abbreviated BMV). Other states have the “Department of Motor Vehicles” (abbreviated DMV).

• In a late draft of the book, instead of strutting around like “he owns the place,” Warren “sweats like there’s no tomorrow.” The latter was a vestigial reference to the nervous and whiny Warren from the early drafts. We’ve established his character with a little swagger, so the change keeps it consistent.

• Warren’s comment on the power grid of the New World Common Wealth gives us another indication that everything isn’t perfect. The power grid is rather unstable, although it’s entirely possible the Sanctum Cometus has something to do with that.

• ”But I, Crimsonstreak, am not fast enough.” Title plug!

• Crimsonstreak processes information quickly and survives thanks to his quick wits, but he’s thrown off-guard when the clerk recognizes him. Also, forgetting to put his helmet back on is a stupid thing to do, even if it’s a natural reaction given the situation. Again, our hero is not infallible. He makes mistakes.

• The clerk’s enthusiasm to see the “Son of Chaos” speaks to the cult-like awe Colonel Chaos has tried to cultivate. It’s amusing to see Warren forced to be the tagalong “Cal.”

• “Enemies of the Common Wealth must die” is the rallying cry of the New World Common Wealth. The phrase appears several times throughout the book, much to Chris’ chagrin.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Chaos Reigns and the Enforcer’s Porsche

Author’s Notes

• I’ve never been to New York City, something that will probably be completely obvious to anyone from the area who reads this book. I did a little research here and there to wrap my head around the city’s layout.

• Now “out and about,” Chris is confronted with a city devoid of people. It’s almost like the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse. New York is there, but it’s not New York. The implication here is that people are too scared to walk the streets and are holed up in their homes.

• “Certainly not Superman, not in these dark times.” Superman continues to be a hero who takes on a more hopeful outlook on America’s possibilities. This is a clue on how Chris sees the world in stark terms of right and wrong. Although he’s been thrown in prison by his own father and watched his mother die on national television, he retains a sense of hopefulness, even if buried.

• The encounter with the Enforcer here was originally just a run-of-the-mill, milquetoast henchman for the New World Common Wealth. In early drafts, Chris originally encountered Warren IV while hiding inside the Kensington penthouse. After meeting Warren, he was introduced to Morty. It worked, but Warren IV became a “ridealong” character who didn’t have much of a personality. Warren IV’s earliest incarnations suffered from “Whiny Skywalker Syndrome.”

• The Enforcer’s voice breaks, “Peter Brady-style” provides a hint that our Enforcer here may not be all that comfortable with what he’s doing. It also gives me a chance to reference The Brady Brunch, for better or worse. The reference likely sailed over the heads of younger readers.

• Oddly, Chapter 6 included “New Chaos City” in the title, but Morty never mentioned that particular change (how…Morty…of him). So when Chris sees the “NCC” badge, he’s not sure what to think. Chapter 7 provides our first mention in the narrative about the name change New York has undergone.

• Originally, Crimsonstreak said, “Don’t taze me, bro!” when confronted with the particle buster. I thought it was funny, but that reference became very dated. I changed it to a “boomstick” reference from Evil Dead. I thought the latter had the chance for broader appeal.

• “Wishing again that Crimsonspeed also came along with Crimsonstrength” reminds us again that Chris has his limitations.

• Crimsonstreak’s decision to kidnap an Enforcer in broad daylight isn’t prudent. It’s brash, borderline stupid. It reminds us that Chris isn’t perfect; he makes a few missteps from time to time.

• Chris has “kidnapped” Warren Kensington IV. It seems coincidental, but I like to think Warren and Morty were working behind-the-scenes to make this happen. It serves as a “loyalty test” for Crimsonstreak, and Warren is in no danger whatsoever. We don’t realize that until the “interrogation” concludes.

• Again, it’s worth mentioning that Warren wasn’t the original character kidnapped. It was initially a random Enforcer. Warren IV’s character arc wasn’t all that strong, so I placed him in the Enforcer Corps as an undercover operative. His father was pressed into Crusading Comet duty earlier than expected; Warren IV ends up going that route as well. He was originally a more trusting, “Crimsonstreak, show me the way” type of character. It didn’t work very well, so I redeveloped him to be more assertive. His teenage years have been stolen away by the rise of the NWCW much as Chris’ college years were stolen away after his mother’s death.

• “Of course his name is Warren Kensington. They’re all named Warren Kensington.” I’ve always gotten a kick out of that line.

• The dialogue reveals that Warren Kensington IV, a son of privilege and heir to the Crusading Comet mantle, isn’t too thrilled to be where he is. He’s 17 years old in the book, having been born in November 1992. The action in the novel takes place in 2010 if you do the math and cross-reference the ages through the supplemental appendices in the back.

• I really enjoyed changing Warren IV from a “gee whiz!” teenager to a more grizzled “veteran” pressed into duty. He carries a huge chip on his shoulder and provides a good complement (and parallel) for Chris. Both characters have a tendency to think they “know it all,” only to realize they don’t. The Chris-Warren-Morty dynamic becomes the heart of the book through the conclusion.

• My family, indeed, had a Buick Skylark. It was the car I drove in high school. A friend of mine once nicknamed it “Skylark One” after I became president of my high school chapter of the National Honor Society.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Take Me Down to New Chaos City, Where the Streets Are Clean and the Butlers Are British…

Author’s Notes

• I’m not a big Guns ‘n Roses fan, but the chapter title seemed extremely appropriate.

• When I think of superheroes, I think of bright spandex and capes in all colors of the rainbow. The drab armor of the Enforcers is anathema to this. As Crimsonstreak opines, they’ve pretty much ruined the best part of being a superhero.

• Scarlet DashBoy. What a sap. It’s not that the guy’s evil, it’s just that he’s unlikeable. He’s that person at the office who always talks too loudly on his/her phone. The guy in the theater who won’t shut up. The woman at the ballgame who’s in and out of her seat all game. Scarlet DashBoy is the pebble in your shoe. The lemon Starburst. You get the point.

• This is one of the book’s first real flashbacks. I used this technique quite a bit for a few reasons. First, it puts us in the mindset of Chris before his capture and imprisonment at Clermont. These flashbacks give us another glimpse into his thought process and development. Secondly, these flashbacks help flesh out Crimsonstreak’s relationships without having Chris literally tell you about a character. What’s more interesting: having Chris tell you about his relationship with the Crusading Comet or having Chris show you their relationship?

• I like this flashback because it paints a picture of contrasting heroes. Chris is the super-powered one here, yet the Comet is clearly in control. For a time, I was going to make the Crusading Comet more of a Batman parody (almost like Die Fledermaus from The Tick), but I liked the idea of making him a true “pro.” He has little tolerance for Chris’ good humor and quirks, and is too focused on his mission. He still devolves into self-parody; note the mentions of “Comet time” and “Comet bombs.”

• The Crusading Comet gets a whole appendix in the book dedicated to his storied history. He’s a reliable superhero with a hint of tragedy to him. Both the original and the second Comets met unfortunate ends in their fight against crime. As a result, the Third Comet was pushed into the business in his teens. He gets maimed during Crimsonstreak’s escape, setting the table for history repeating itself by pressing the Fourth Comet into service. I like the idea of “legacy heroes” who aren’t necessarily a singular person; I always thought was a neat concept from The Phantom. I took that concept and applied it to the Crusading Comet.

• It’s pretty easy to guess who the mysterious pacifist leader is in the book. The fact that Chris hadn’t processed this yet speaks to his time in captivity and reminds us he isn’t quite as sharp as normal. The Comet even tells him, “you have to stop your father.” Crimsonstreak is in pure survival/escape mode at the time and doesn’t really think about it.

• Baseball plays an important part in my family. My father was my little league coach for several years and was usually the first base coach. In the flashback, Colonel Chaos is standing on third, but he’s giving the same sign my father used to give from first base when he wanted me to steal second. I like the parallel between the hooded visage of Chaos and the ballcap.

• You’ll notice the theme of propaganda and media manipulation appears frequently in the book. I studied journalism in college and worked in TV news for nearly nine years. It seems news media are easier and easier to “use” these days, with sycophantic reporters saying whatever it is leaders want them to say. When the watchdogs stop watching, society suffers.

• Escaping from prison should be improving things for Chris, but the situation’s actually getting inexplicably worse. Not only is he shocked to see his father in control of the world, but his dead mother has come back to life. Even more jarring, there’s another Chris Fairborne out there, a powerful incentive to investigate what in the world is going on.

• Comet pizza is probably overdoing the whole Comet branding thing. The point being made here is that the Crusading Comet is completely enmeshed in his own world.

• The flashback here is meant to foreshadow the tension between Morty and Chris. Mortimer doesn’t think too highly of Crimsonstreak, and it’s implied that the third Crusading Comet had his own doubts about the hero as well.

• Their reunion inside the Kensington penthouse doesn’t exactly put them on great terms. Morty first suggests Crimsonstreak is there to capture him. He then has the audacity to call Chris’ suit a “costume.” Oh yeah…things are gonna get ugly between these two.

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I, Crimsonstreak Commentary: Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Chaotic Family Reunion

Author’s Notes

• The chapter title indicates that we’ll be seeing Chris interact with his father very soon.

• Lugging Imperator Chris for just a few seconds has left Crimsonstreak fatigued. Again, this presents the idea that they are somehow linked. This may remind some people of Tomax and Xamot, the Crimson Guard Commanders from G.I. Joe, something I realized after the fact.

• I like how Warren taunts the Imperator about his uniform. Note how he refers to it as a costume. He also takes a not-so-subtle jab at superhero capes, which offends Imperator Chris.

• One interesting aspect of having Chris and his clone interact is that it gives Chris a chance to see himself in a different light. Could he have been pushed to that extreme under the right circumstances? On the other hand, you have Imperator Chris. Does the core of a person remain intact? Do genetics shape us? Are people inherently good or bad or do outside influences shape our personalities?

• I have soft spot for the Tom Clancy movie adaptations. Clear and Present Danger has some great action, but the president makes the film.

• ”Better go double-tight on the leg restraints.” This is a callback to Chris’ time at the Clermont Institution for the Criminally Insane. Had the guards gone “double-tight” on his restraints, he probably wouldn’t have been able to escape, and Chris wants to make sure the Imperator doesn’t get the same benefit.

• When Warren IV was a whiny, annoying teenager, the tussle between him and the Imperator didn’t pull much weight. In fact, it was suggested that the Imperator had actually tried to attack Warren, who wasn’t the aggressor. As Warren’s character became stronger, this scene needed to be rewritten. Warren’s wailing on the Imperator to avenge his father.

• Originally, Chris told Warren that this “isn’t Abu Ghraib." Readers would have immediately gotten the reference, but it became clear that I couldn’t use it. While the universe of I, Crimsonstreak mirrors our own history in many respects, some events never took place. The 21st century played out very differently in this world. No 9/11, no War on Iraq. Thus, no Abu Ghraib…which meant Chris wouldn’t have known what it was. Alternate history can get very tricky.

• I’m not like them. Chris is repulsed by what he sees and hears from his doppelganger. For a few seconds, he considers letting Warren teach Imperator Chris a lesson, but it’s not in his nature to allow that. He has no desire to go down the path that Imperator Chris and Colonel Chaos have traveled.

• Chris is preparing to go into the heart of the New World Common Wealth to confront his father, much as Luke Skywalker surrendered himself to Imperial forces to meet his father in Return of the Jedi. The parallel was strong enough that I referenced it. For better or worse, sometimes Chris sees the world like he sees movies. Since he’s a geek culture buff, situations often remind him of something from movies or TV.

• ”Bluetooth for your brain” is a device that allows Chris to learn a little bit more about the world. I could’ve conveyed some of these details through conversation, but I liked the idea of our hero getting information on the go.

• The bank building Chris refers to is the Chase Tower (formerly the Bank One Tower) in downtown Indianapolis. It’s still there…it’s just…the massive silver spire now dominates the downtown skyline.

• Lucas Oil Stadium is an absolute monstrosity in downtown Indianapolis. It’s gigantic. Huge. Indy folks often refer to it as “The House that Peyton Built,” a nod to the impact Peyton Manning has had on the city of Indianapolis and the Colts franchise. In real history, the groundbreaking on “Big Oil” took place in September 2005. It didn’t actually open until August 2008. Chris was imprisoned during the latter stages of construction, but he certainly knew the stadium was being built.

• The silver spire is, in fact, a remnant of the Kiltech Incursion. Colonel Chaos made it his homebase to remind people of the looming Kiltech threat and reinforce that he’s the one who drove them away. The “Roman” interior is a hint for the return of a certain supervillain down the road.

• SPOILER ALERT! DON’T READ UNLESS YOU’RE 100% YOU WANT TO KNOW!!! HIGHLIGHT TO READ: During the first encounter with Colonel Chaos, Chris believes he’s talking to his real father. The gray/white temples could be from the stress of running (or ruining) the world. Chris finds it hard to believe, however, that his father would ever actually strike him.

• The flashback with seven-year-old Chris is meant to show he was precocious as a kid. He remains rather precocious as an adult, actually. The brief scene also shows us a more patient Colonel Chaos. Patience doesn’t seem to be one of the High Imperator’s traits, so the scene also demonstrates the dissonance between the two characters.

• Anyone recognize the last name “Kapowski?” It comes from Saved by the Bell.

• My mother’s side of the family has a reunion every July. Those reunions, remarkably, are not “soul-sucking” experiences, but I get the idea that’s a fairly uncommon phenomenon.

• Again, I draw upon some events in my own life to give some extra texture to Chris’ memories as a kid. I rammed into my father’s Shop-Vac. I couldn’t stop my bike in time and ran into some trash cans. I did not, however, kick a soccer ball through the garage window. That was my brother.

• Breakfast at Denny’s rocks, just in case you didn’t know.

• Pulsating blue color? Where have we seen that before? Hmm…

• In the family flashback, Chris is watching an IU game with his Dad. I don’t recall that particular scene with Bob Knight actually playing out, but it’s close enough to reality to work.

• The flashback also shows that while Chris’ parents were loving, they also had other responsibilities. Miss Lightspeed was dedicated to making the world a better place and often went on diplomatic missions in hopes of settling tension-filled disputes between countries. Deep down, Chris understood and admired his mother for it, but he’s also a kid who needs his mom.

• For a brief moment, Chris wonders if the NWCW is really all that bad. After all, his mother is back. He hasn’t been able to see his mother in a decade. This would be a shock to anyone’s system. Chris also expresses regret for failing to see his parents enough while he was in college. Sometimes we don’t realize what we have until it’s gone.

• Something about Miss Lightspeed’s smile leaves Chris unnerved, and the spell of seeing his mother alive again is broken.

• Chris comments on the stupidly tight outfits worn by female superheroes. Miss Lightspeed didn’t roll like that.

• As the chapter ends, Chris decides to investigate the strange blue light coming from his father’s room.

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