SW10/MV/WWW: Powernaut 1944: Power Stars starring the Diabolical Devilman!

[Scott Eiler]

There's a fine line between heroic and diabolical, and someone's got to 
walk it...  Here he is!  Thank you, Wil, for this chance to produce a 
classic mini-adventure of the Diabolical Devilman.

http://www.eilertech.com/stories/powernaut/1944.htm#10

The Diabolical Devilman comes from Super Wizard From Space comics by Wil 
Alambre, and appears by kind permission.  When Powernaut 1944 first 
recruited guest stars, Wil and I discussed an appearance, but Wil's 
character had some work to do first.  Now he's been released for use in 
guest appearances, so here we go!

Of course, having this Devil-creature (or even *any* Devil-creature) in 
the Powernaut's storyline is going to be a continuity headache - 
especially since the storyline already *has* a Devil, waaay in the 
background. But that's part of the fun.

• Naturally, the Powernaut's guest stars are visiting him in fractal 
time. So, later generations may not know they ever existed. His guests 
from the Legion of Net.Heroes have gone back home, and taken their 
history with them - along with a copy of the Forgotten Vigilante's. The 
Diabolical Devilman is always free to do likewise. But he could always 
stay...

• The Powernaut and his allies know of a single Devil, which divides its 
body parts amongst its faithful to avoid being summoned. The Super 
Wizard has *five* Devils, each for a different level of Hell(s). The 
Diabolical Devilman rules the top level, and interacts with Earth's 
universe subtly but frequently. One level below him, the Super Devil 
rules; this Devil is more powerful, and takes some interest in the upper 
universe as well. Any reference to the Powernaut's Devil could be either 
of these two, depending on circumstance. And the activity of *two* 
Devils explains a lot about Diabolical Devilman comics.

• As of 2012 most of the Powernaut's Devil has gone to bedevil the 
Legion of Net.Heroes.  This is probably a job for the Super Devil.  That 
leaves quite a vacancy for the Diabolical Devilman.

• By 2010, the Powernaut's Devil had a collection of former boy heroes 
from World War 2 - including Stonewater Smith! The story which describes 
this was Stonewater's first published appearance; he and the other boy 
heroes were basically throwaway characters. 
(http://www.eilertech.com/stories/2010/predecessors.htm) But after that 
story, Stonewater stayed on; he's mentioned in the "Cauldron" story 
which ends 2010. He made the big time with his first Powernaut story in 
1962.

• ... anyway, now we have a Devil appearing alongside boy heroes in 
1944! On the one hand, this is vaguely disturbing. On the other hand, 
there's a story to tell! It'll be hard to continue this current episode 
of the Power Stars now that the Devilman has had his word - at least 
concerning Europe. But Powernaut 1944 might some day have a sequel 
episode: Boy Brigade!



-- 
(signed) Scott Eiler  8{D> -------- http://www.eilertech.com/ ---------

When you *are* the leader... whatever goes wrong... whether you did it
or not... *you* are held responsible. - Barack Obama

I know. - Archie Andrews

- from Archie #617, March 2011, scripted by Alex Simmons.