After WWF - The World's War of Frailty - on through and after WWU - The Worlds War of Unity - the 1930's through mid 1950's almost all Mysterious Men (a yesteryear catch-all for SPB's ranging from Archons to Sorcerers) were under the auspices of various authoritative factions; including governments, corporations, clandestine groups and numerous cultural, religious and historical orders.
However, near the mid 1950's the abundance and variety of SPB's caused many to cluster together for various endeavors, forming their own organizations for many means, from the most benevolent and benign to the most malevolent and opportunistic.
At the same time as the height of the Cold War détente, national use and proliferation of ICO's - Independent Clandestine Operator/Organizations - and their blatant and exploitative abuse of SPB's reached a fever pitch. So too did numerous bands of first, second and even third generation SPB's begin to proliferate and become publicly active.
At the same time as the height of the Cold War détente, national use and proliferation of ICO's - Independent Clandestine Operator/Organizations - and their blatant and exploitative abuse of SPB's reached a fever pitch. So too did numerous bands of first, second and even third generation SPB's begin to proliferate and become publicly active.
In different nations the responses were dependent on how their actions suited the politics of the moment, but in the US and many parts of the America's they were all branded as either criminals, dissidents or agents of foreign interests. It would be another 20 or so years before the invention of the 'terrorist' became the international catch-all.
Not all of these numerous and seemingly random 'bands' were completely comprised of 'spoiled citizen supers' either, as many either fulfilled the purposes of those with more access to privileged information, or they themselves were the recipients of - when not the subject of - privileged information themselves and were serving their own aims.
Not all of these numerous and seemingly random 'bands' were completely comprised of 'spoiled citizen supers' either, as many either fulfilled the purposes of those with more access to privileged information, or they themselves were the recipients of - when not the subject of - privileged information themselves and were serving their own aims.
This was seen as the most dangerous and was reflected in a massive shift in the media response. Nowhere was this attempt at socio-psychological manipulation as evident as in almost all forms of fiction, where the independently acting person with extranormal abilities was typified as selfish, evil or amoral.
This lead to a group of 2nd generation Supers (Government created meta soldiers), Nalibians (Interdimensional War Orphans), Cognisants (psychic refugees from corporate 'sponsorship') and 1st generation Moonbeams (Livingston-Memphis event Enhanciles) to form one of the more infamous of these groups, "A Proper Band of Villains" in an attempt to capitalize on and make light of their portrayal in the media. This also began a period of 'villain chic' in popular culture, reflecting the cultural status bestowed on the popular gangsters of yesteryear.
The member's of the Proper Band of Villains were simply trying to secure their freedom but instead became the poster-children for this counter-cultural revolution. Some groups of socially termed 'villains' held deeply unifying political beliefs regarding equality or at least legal recognition; however the overwhelming majority of these groups reflected a sense of 'outlaw reciprocity' for a society that feared and hated metahumans.
This lead to a group of 2nd generation Supers (Government created meta soldiers), Nalibians (Interdimensional War Orphans), Cognisants (psychic refugees from corporate 'sponsorship') and 1st generation Moonbeams (Livingston-Memphis event Enhanciles) to form one of the more infamous of these groups, "A Proper Band of Villains" in an attempt to capitalize on and make light of their portrayal in the media. This also began a period of 'villain chic' in popular culture, reflecting the cultural status bestowed on the popular gangsters of yesteryear.
The member's of the Proper Band of Villains were simply trying to secure their freedom but instead became the poster-children for this counter-cultural revolution. Some groups of socially termed 'villains' held deeply unifying political beliefs regarding equality or at least legal recognition; however the overwhelming majority of these groups reflected a sense of 'outlaw reciprocity' for a society that feared and hated metahumans.
Special profiles acting on their own, though it appears entirely logical
now, was then an alien concept. SPB's who were self-acting often met
with folly and tragedy and often wound up as servants to national and
private powers anyway. This too is true even unto today, as the popular perception of SPB's has shifted with the growing trend in modern PSC's - Private Security Conclaves - and PIF's - Private Intelligence Firms - to hire SPB's to perform publicly disreputable and/or deniable contracts.
Even during WWU, Mysterious Men were the agents of the respective nations and paymasters. So many years removed from the unifying conflicts of the war, a seemingly aimless band created a polarizing presence and - to some - an inspiration.
This was also the generation in which Atomics (Corporate Controlled Agents of Mass Destruction) were created, not just as answers to their more expensive Super counterparts, but also as a method of control over these random self motivated groups of SPB's. There is a popular belief that many of the test subjects for the Atomics were political dissidents and other 'potential national threats', the fact is that the successful Atomics were pressed psychologically and biologically into a service that few could understand.
Going into the early 1960's many post WWU meta-scientists that had not been able to hide out in South America found themselves in the service of their respective host-nations. No longer bound by the Super Soldier aegis of the war; they were freed by budget, morale, nationalistic fervor and emerging understandings in modern physics - things that they didn't have nearly as much access to during the run-up to the war.
This created the unseen mandate allowing them to have access not only to the upper echelons of the worlds powers, but their most top secret programs and the industrial resources to see any number of nightmare creations given life, or in some cases un-life.
This was also the generation in which Atomics (Corporate Controlled Agents of Mass Destruction) were created, not just as answers to their more expensive Super counterparts, but also as a method of control over these random self motivated groups of SPB's. There is a popular belief that many of the test subjects for the Atomics were political dissidents and other 'potential national threats', the fact is that the successful Atomics were pressed psychologically and biologically into a service that few could understand.
Going into the early 1960's many post WWU meta-scientists that had not been able to hide out in South America found themselves in the service of their respective host-nations. No longer bound by the Super Soldier aegis of the war; they were freed by budget, morale, nationalistic fervor and emerging understandings in modern physics - things that they didn't have nearly as much access to during the run-up to the war.
This created the unseen mandate allowing them to have access not only to the upper echelons of the worlds powers, but their most top secret programs and the industrial resources to see any number of nightmare creations given life, or in some cases un-life.
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