Manga Man
Manga Man is a net.villain created by Craig Thomas Judd. See also Manga Man Gold and the Power Manga | |
Alter Ego: | None |
Aliases: | Manga Man White, Manga Man Black |
Primary Writer: | None |
Status: | Active net.villain |
Usability: | Not Reserved |
History
Manga Man was one of the first foes of the Legion of Net.Heroes, appearing at the very beginning of the Cosmic Plot Device Caper – for what force can oppose the sheer creative power of comic books but the sheer creative power of manga!? He teamed up with Doctor Killfile as part of a complex (and confusing!) plan to destroy the LNH, but was sidelined by the sheer chaos of the event.
He spent much of the 90s obsessing over making Panta his cat-bride in Tales of the LNH, though he often took time out to defend the integrity of manga as an art form, and to this end, empowered the Power Manga. When Panta was retconned out of existence, he drifted out of sight for a time.
By the time of the 2005 cascade Just Imagine Saxon Brenton's RACCies!, it seemed that, due to the influence of Panta, the Unlikely Aliens, and other heroes, he had retired from net.villainy and was a law-abiding businessman helping to bring manga over to the US. However, it was revealed that there were actually several Manga Men running around, each seemingly unaware of the others – the main three being Manga Man White, Manga Man Black, and Manga Man Gold.
In Just Imagine Saxon Brenton vs. Andrew Perron in the Return of the RACCies!, it came out that Manga Man White and Black were branches off a common timeline. White had moved past his villainous days and grown as a person, but Black had had his timeline edited – by Gold, also known as the Golden Age Manga Man – to remove the events that convinced him to leave villainy.
After Just Imagine Saxon Brenton's RACCies!, only Manga Man Black was left. Continuing on the path of bad-guy-ness, he was known simply as Manga Man from that point forward.
But Panta's influence was still there. Manga Man became obsessed with recreating the catgirl who he had only vague memories of. This culminated in the transformation of Tara Shreds into Ripping Dancer. He had her spy on the LNH and seduce Fearless Leader. It was eventually revealed that he was working with Hex Luthor, as the Beige Bishop of the HexFire Club. The HexFire Club exposed Ripping Dancer's secret to the press. Manga Man was disappointed by this, since he was hoping that Ripping Dancer would eventually defeat him and give him the villainous comeuppance he still craved.
Naturally, she eventually defeated him. Indeed, she almost killed him before being stopped by Fearless Leader. He escaped across Usenet, but ended up trapped – in alt.sex.prudish.prudish.prudes!
Personality
Intense. Has a deep emotional investment in the things he cares about, often to the point of mania (and megalomania). Prone to dramatic speeches, leaping into and out if giant robots at the drop of a hat, crashing thru walls, etc.
Holds a deep desire to be at the receiving end of a narrative arc where the proud, sexy hero defeats him utterly; expresses this desire in ways which are often pretty messed up.
Powers and Abilities
Internewsgroup travel, flight, manga-style weapons and power armor. Has occasionally shown the ability to cause things to be more manga-esque.
Manga Man ran the vast Otaku Empire in rec.arts.manga before Panta brought it down, and still has connections and resources he can draw on there.
Appearance
Slightly shorter than your average comic-book hero, with a blacker-than-black plated bodysuit and loud green hair that mysteriously droops over one eye.
Appearances
- Cosmic Plot Device Caper
- The Comics Connection
- What If Kid Kirby Had Died During the Comics Connection?
- Electrocutioner's Song
- LNH Comics Presents #18 (Looniverse Adrift! Part 6)
- LNH Triple Play #2 (Looniverse Adrift! Part 8)
- Tales of the LNH #280-285
- LNH Comics Presents #30 (Culinary Disasters Part 2)
- Unlikely Aliens #16-18
- Just Imagine Saxon Brenton's RACCies! #1-5, 8, 11, 14, 18-21 (counting all the Manga Men)
- Legion of Net.Heroes Volume 2 #14
- Beige Countdown #7
- Beige Midnight #1, 4