Take A Stand

For today's Black History Month supers post I thought I'd update my Meteor Man stats and talk about his continued adventures in the 616 after the film.

Issue #1 quickly recaps the movie. Then we learned that a part of the meteor that powered Jeff is in Arizona. He and his friend Mike (Eddie Griffin's character from the movie) head the facility it's been held. Jeff uses what remains of his powers to get in and evade security. The pair have been followed by an ominous main with nefarious goals. While all that's happening two new villains, the high tech Malefactor and the occult themed Ghost Strike, take out some Guardsmen in Washington DC to capture Simon Kane, the movie's villain, is being experimented on by an evil corporation, Skyyventures Inc. The issue ends with Mike getting shot and Jeff reaching the meteor. 

In Issue #2 Jeff saves Mike and while the pair seek to get back to DC they are attacked by Malefactor and Ghost Strike. We are introduced to Armand Skyy, CEO of Skyyventures Inc., who sends a newly repowered Simon to take out Meteor Man. In the confrontation between Meteor Man and Simon, Jeff seemingly kills the villain.

At the beginning of Issue #3 Jeff has vowed to never be Meteor Man again. Peter Parker and MJ are in DC, as MJ is part of a Meteor Man movie. Armand Skyy has a clanedestine meeting with a man named Solomon Mingh, who's contracted him to get Meteor Man. Jeff deals with how gang violence has affected his neighborhood, but does use his powers again until it spills over into filming. Jeff stops the gang, the DC Players. He and Spidey team up and end up taking on Malefactor and Ghost Strike. After a heart to heart with Spider-Man who tells him his secret "with great power comes great responsibility." In the end he decides he and the community needs Meteor Man.

Issue #4 sees Night Thrasher of the New Warriors make his way to DC after fighting some DC Players in NYC. He is tracking down their leader Third Power aka Solomon Mingh. Jeff finds his personal life in shambles, but after his talk with Spidey finds his resolve to protect his community reignited. Of course Meteor Man and Night Thrasher have an initial misunderstanding but team up to take down the Players and their benefactor.  The issue ends with Third Power, who can make two even stronger copies of himself, fighting the pair of heroes.

A lot happens in Issue #5. Night Thrasher kills Third Power (Jeff says his heart is barely beating but later a portion of a newspaper implies Meteor Man killed him). Simon Kane reappears in Arizona. We learn that Armand Skyy isn't from Earth (which has been hinted at). Skyy then sends Malefactor, Ghost Strike, and two knew villains (Warhammer and Exocet), Exocet has some sort of flight powers and Warhammer is Thor without the lightning. He also might be a Neo-Nazi. He has a stylized H and eagle tattoo. It's not like any fascist tat I've seen, but it looks similar to one. Meteor Man takes out some of the villains but the issue ends with his shocking realization that Simon is alive and ready for a fight.

Even more happens in Issue #6... Simon and Meteor Man team up to take on Warhammer and Exocet. The pair then continue their conflict with one another. Meteor Man berates Simon for the way he's hurt his community and people and just as Simon seems repentant he's taken out by Armand Skyy. Meteor Man seemingly gives Skyy the power he wants, but his body can't handle it and he explodes. In the aftermath, the new CEO and Skyyventers Inc. and Meteor Man come up with a deal. He doesn't expose the shady companies previous dealings if they help pay for rebuilding his neighborhood and fund programs. In the end Jefferson vows to his community that he will always be their Meteor Man.

While Meteor Man has not made any appearances since the series ended, the Golden Lords appeared in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #5.

The Meteor Man miniseries was fun. It wasn't epic, but as a continuation of the movie and way to add Meteor Man to the 616 it's great.  There's some fun moments and references to the movie. In Issue #3 for example a Meteor Man movie is being filmed and the director talks about how he should have got Snipes, Denzel, or Townsend (the star of the film). There are a few jokes like this that made me chuckle. Some of the humor fell a flat though. In Issue #1 Mike gets hit in the back of the head and makes a Rodney King joke. Something that had me chuckling is that Meteor Man was constantly getting his costume blown off. This didn't happen to Robert Townsend in the film, but I'm guessing that had something to do with him not having the superheroic physique of his comic book counterpart. Like the film the story also deals with gang violence and community and handles those respectfully.

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Code Name: Meteor Man

Real Name: Jefferson "Jeff" Reed

Pronouns: He/Him

Team Affiliation: - 

Medium, Humanoid (Human), Lawful Good

Armor Class: 16 (Natural)

HP: 135 (14d8+72)

Speed: 40 ft., fly 80 ft.

Challenge: 6 (2,300)

Str 20 (+5) Dex 16 (+3) Con 20 (+5) Int 16 (+3) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 14 (+2)

Saving Throws: Str +9, Con +9 

Skills: History +7, Insight +5, Perception +5

Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing

Senses: X-Ray Vision 120 ft., Passive Perception: 15

Languages: English, Dog

Powerful Build: Meteor Man can carry/lift twice the weight of a normal creature his size. Additionally, he uses his strength score to make Intimidation rolls in place of charisma and he can wield heavy weapons with one hand.

Temporary Absorption: Meteor Man can tough a book and gains the knowledge and skills associated for five rounds. He gains proficiency in the skills and/or tools contained within.

Super Hearing: Meteor Man's proficiency bonus is double on Perception hearing checks (becoming +8). He also has advantage on hearing based Perception rolls.

Actions

Multiattack: Meteor Man can make three slam attacks.

Healing Touch (Recharge 5-6): Meteor Man can touch a target and heal them 5 (1d8+1) hit points.

Laser Vision: Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d10) radiant damage.

Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

Super Breath: Meteor Man expels air the equivalent to a gust of wind. It is a line of strong wind 30 feet long and 10 feet wide. Each creature that in the line must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet away in the opposite direction.

Telekinesis: Meteor Man can attempt to move an object or person weighing up to 1000 lb. He can move the object 30 ft. If the object is being held or is an unwilling target, a DC 15 strength saving throw to resist.