LNH/REPOST: LNH Comics Presents #303: Infinite Leadership Crisis Part 268

[Andrew Perron]

On Thu, 26 Dec 2013 02:51:03 +0000 (UTC), Scott Eiler wrote:

> On 12/24/2013 1:45 AM, Andrew Perron wrote:
>> (Okay, so I just realized I messed up my calculations on both which issue
>> it would be and which day of April it would be. Fixing!)
> 
> Did you also intend this to be an ancient horror of Christmas for the 
> High Concept Challenge?  It sure felt like it.

Ah! Yes! YET ANOTHER THING I FORGOT. I poated this at almost five in the
morning @.@

>> April 268th, 2007.
> 
> Have there been 267 other Infinite Leadership Crisis stories, or did you 
> skip to the holiday issue?

Aha! There haven't been that many, but there have been a bunch:

http://www.lnhq.info/wiki/List%20of%20Infinite%20Leadership%20Crisis%20Stories

>> The comfortable mountain shuddered tectonically and collapsed in a great
>> eruption of yawning young man. Casey von Aluminumfoil rose, scratching
>> himself under the arm and peering blearily out the window. Yep - the chill
>> of early spring was still in place. This *would* be Christmas Eve, if April
>> hadn't been going for eight and a half times its normal length.
> 
> Ah.  I've developed a liking for Casey von Aluminumfoil (ever since I 
> wrote him myself).

He's pretty dang great. <3

>> "DUN DUN DUNNNNN!"
>>
>> "...thank you, Sing-Along Lass," said Casey. S-AL bowed and left the room.
> 
> Nice gag.

Why thank you. <3 LNHy!

>> "Actually, right at the moment there's seven hundred and twenty-seven.
>> Every archetype, you see, that exists in the minds of children, from Pere
>> Noel to Sinterklaas. And that's the problem."
> 
> Nice concept.  (But I always figured it was one Santa with multiple 
> bodies.  That explains all the mall Santas too.)

I figured this left it most open for future stories.

>> Santa nodded, a heavy sadness settling around his shoulders. "The children
>> for whom Santa means bitterness, means pulling the belt even tighter, means
>> that your mother won't let you see your father or your father resents you
>> for having to spend money on presents that you didn't even want. The
>> bringer of stress and fear and pain. Edgar Sorrow."
> 
> Nice menace.

Thanks! I wanted to get some real emotional heft in here.

>> "But it doesn't work the same way in April. And his power has been growing,
>> building, seeking release as it does every year. We began a ritual at
>> midnight on the International Date Line to hold him back, but it won't hold
>> forever. Casey..." Santa leaned over the desk, hand clenched. "We have to
>> stop him!"
> 
> Hmm.  If the children and the Santas and Edgar Sorrow all know it's 
> Christmas, we have to come up with a reason why Christmas is 
> substantially different in April.  Ever since before they called it 
> Christmas, Christmas has always been about turning back the darkness.  I 
> doubt April would be any better for Edgar Sorrow in that regard.  Still, 
> maybe equinox gives him equality...

Hmmmmmm. I had an explanation for this, but I see that I never actually put
it in. Basically, the power/negative emotions he relies on have still been
building up over time and need to be unleashed.

>> "I've only heard the name in whispers," said Trevor Blount, the Shoeceror,
>> tapping his chin thoughtfully with a pointy elf boot. "Bad juju - able to
>> channel the worst of not just your past, but everyone's who's ever believed
>> in Santa."
> 
> Did you just make up the Shoeceror?

Nope! He comes from an Easily-Discovered Man arc, #28-30. Collect the whole
set!

>> A misty humanoid form began to coalesce, legs fading into view within the
>> boots. Then with a dramatic WHUMPH, he was there - a sickly-pale wizened
>> figure in a ragged coat and a moldy gray-brown beard, eyes burning like
>> fireplace embers. With a ravenous howl he began to devour the spoiled food.
> 
> In my continuum, he's a bit fatter but we call this villain Uncle Scott. 
>   8{D>

Great Scott!

>> Casey brought his hand down, and the music stopped. He raised it, and
>> another song began. 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' - the original
>> Judy Garland version. With a big grin, he turned back to his audience. "Now
>> we need *your* help! Everybody, sing along!"
> 
> My, he *is* a retro hero, isn't he?  But I suppose any Christmas song 
> will do.  And it helps when the whole family knows it.

I think he's actually a pretty modern hero - deeper, personal
characterization but without the focus on angst!

> Nice holiday story!

Why thankyew!

Andrew "NO .SIG MAN" "Juan" Perron, glad to help!