Visitors another earth..
In the late 1990's, the US public was frustrated by the inadequacies of ordinary military forces and the lack of a professionalism among meta-human mercenaries in dealing with 'paranormal or otherwise exceptional circumstances.' Furthermore, even the government's ability to deal with conventional disasters was called into question after the 'Gotham Earthquake' and resulting 'No Man's Land' Fires of 1998. There was considerable pressure to form a government agency to deal with growing meta-human and other extraordinary problems. Consequently, one of the first acts by President Alexander 'Lex' Luthor was to establish a government-sanctioned team of meta-human professionals in 2001. The result were the
Human Defense Corps (aka H.D.C.; 'the Outsiders'). They are the finest meta-human task force on the planet...
Amazo Ivo Hamilton: Amazo Ivo Hamilton is the literal brainchild of Cadmus' finest scientific minds and paranormal investigators. In 1958, they uncovered an alien "birthing matrix" on the outskirts of Smallsville, Kansas dating from twenty years earlier. Subsequent investigations uncovered similar phenomena worldwide, including the remnants of an extra terrestrial and 'ring weapon' in 1971. Through utilization of other recently discovered Appelaxian technology and massive corporate investment (e.g. Wayne Enterprises; Kord Inc.), Professors Anthony Ivo and Emil Hamilton were able to grow a humanoid by 1980. Amazo is a 'organic android,' a constantly adapting super powered being with some of the most advanced weapons in the universe at her disposal. Amazo has been credited with having been instrumental in the United States' victories in the Middle East, in particular the Invasions of Kahndaq (2002), Iraq (2003), and Qurac (2004). But while highly devoted to her fathers and country, Amazo is a highly strong willed, intelligent and has developed a potentially dangerous attraction to the non-invulnerable...
Gabrielle Doe (aka Violet Harper): Violet Harper was a run of the mill career criminal, until she made one fatal error. Born in 1983, Violet led a typical existence as a working class teenager. This changed when she became addicted to various narcotics. She soon found herself unable to sustain her habit, and alienated herself from her family. At first she engaged in petty theft in order to survive. But this soon gave way to elaborate confidence tricks. it By 1997, she was already wanted for fraud in over 35 states, and her cocaine habit had intensified. By 1999, she was plotting an escape to Mexicali but while escaping police inadvertently killed an officer before her vehicle crashed. When she awoke in the hospital, she found she was not only recovering from severe injuries but was facing a possible life sentence. But she was offered one last chance of a pardon. The catch? She would allow herself to be mind-wiped, and become a host for an energy being developed by Project CADMUS...
Barr Aparo: A noted refugee and diplomat, Barr Aparo was an unlikely candidate for the H.D.C. Brion saw his country of Markovia implode into bloody civil war following the death of the royal family in 1983. In the ensuing power struggle, Barr manifested metahuman abilities when fighting against marxist rebels in 1986. The resulting surge of tectonic activity caused by his gravitational powers caused a massive earthquake. It has been theorized that this may have been a result of the anomaly of 1968, or perhaps the recently de-classified experiments conducted by Soviet Scientists such as Dr. Helga Jayce. In any event, Barr found himself auctioning off his 'services' to the United States government in exchange for foreign intervention into his nation.
Jefferson Pierce: As an olympic decathlete with a gold medal following the 1976 Olympic Games, Jefferson Pierce could have chosen to live in luxury for the rest of his life. But he chose to move back to the Metropolis region of New York City Instead, to become a High School Teacher. The violence he found in the infamous 'Suicide Slum' appalled him, to the extent that his latent meta-human abilities manifested themselves. Enraged but unwilling to work outside the law, Pierce registered himself as a metahuman and began working with local police. He soon managed to bring an end to the control of local syndicates such as the 100. By 2000, an unaged Pierce was offered a position as Secretary of Education by newly inaugurated President Lex Luthor. Pierce agreed, but by 2002 resigned to obtain a position in another upcoming government agency -- The Department of Metahuman Affairs. There, he quickly obtained a position as leader of the reputable H.D.C.
Hunter Zoloman: Hunter Zolomon had a troubled relationship with his parents, who rarely spoke to each other or to him. On the day Hunter was to leave for college, he came home to find the police laying siege to his house. His father was a serial killer who had killed six young girls, and when his mother told the police, his father was killed after refusing to give up. Hunter became obsessed with understanding the criminal mind to stop people like his father, studying psychology and criminology in college, then joining the F.B.I. by 1998. He quickly rose through the ranks, become a prime candidate for the newly acquired 'speed force' technology based upon Dr. Barry Allen's research. This was dubbed Project ZOOM, and had been in development secretly since 1963. Utilizing a exo-skeleton that generated a 'chronal distortion field', scientists were able to give Zoloman the ability to transverse time and space at what is apparently faster-than-light speed. He was promptly drafted into the H.D.C...
ZAN: His exact origin is disputed. But there are rumors. It is said by some that his actual name is Marvin White, and that he has been genetically modified as part of Project CADMUS. Others such as media mogul and noted conspiracy theorist Oliver Queen allege that he is an alien, working covertly with the US government. Whatever the case, since 1977 ZAN has been active as part of the US government's meta-human reserves. His powers allow him to transform into nearly any liquid or water-related form imaginable, and even influence the weather. This has been instrumental in alleviating multiple natural disasters, including the 'No Mans Land' fires of 1998 in New Jersey. His partner JAYNA, currently missing in action, is believed to be anything from fellow alleged-volunteer 'Wendy Harris' to his sister.
WYLDE: Michael Pelletier was an ordinary human being, until the incident of 1968. It was then that he began to experience what he dubbed the WYLDE, periodic transformations in both body and personality into a feral grizzly-like humanoid. Pelletier began to progressively manifest this ability more, until eventually the transformation became permanent. By 1994, in order to both survive and find a possible cure, he has offered his services to the United States government...