Hey there folks. Well, y'all seemed to really like that picture I did of that pokemon girl with LeiLani, so I guess I should take that to mean that some of you are interested as to what I'm doing. If you clicked this journal to find out about Masked Avenger, scroll to the bottom.

Well, a while back, I started toying with the idea of creating a game based around an old roleplay I did called "The Genus Fighting League". It was essentially a smash-up of pro wrestling, MMA, and an olympic theme, where anthros would duke it out with larger than life characters and larger than life venues and stakes.

Well, while I was considering how I could turn that into a possible Patreon campaign, I took another look at the idea, and realized that I was only putting one foot into the water with the idea.

Why use regular anthros when there's a whole slew of creatures that are already known for sport fighting?

The fanbase for Pokemon is enormous, and it made more sense to make the featured fighters a 'special' species that seem to be built for competition. In the past, I've been very resistant to using copyrighted characters, but after some thought, I realized that as long as I'm drastically changing them from their original concept, I don't have to worry too much about stepping on toes, especially if I don't come right out and say that the 'special' species are Pokemon. I can refer to them as 'extra-species'.

So, that was the revelation. I'd change the main cast to Pokemon, but still keep the regular anthros in the mix.

Here's the concept:

The world's biggest form of entertainment is sport fighting, and there is no greater stage than the Genus Battle League. Millions around the world watch as 'extra species' athletes battle with their amazing abilities for supremacy. Fighters become more than just superstars, they become legends.
Not everyone is cut out to make it in the League, however, and with so many 'extra species' trying to make it in, something had to be done to ensure that only the best fighters in the world would appear on the battlefield.
Enter the Battle League Academy.
Fighters of legal age (19) who qualify for enrollment spend three years training and learning. The Oak Foundation, owners of the Battle League, encourages fighters to not just be athletes, but good ambassadors of the sport.
Not that the Oak Foundation is doing it out of generosity, of course.
The goings-on in the various Battle Academies around the world are widely publicized, and in some cases, prove to be more popular than actual Battle League tournaments because of the younger, hungrier fighters.
And like in all college sports, the Oak Foundation doesn't have to pay Academy students a cent during their education while they make truckloads of cash in merchandise. The academy splits its students up into representational gyms, much like the 'houses' in Hogwarts. This keeps a healthy spirit of competition alive.
On the subject of evolution, the characters will not shift form to their evolved states permanently. Like Dragon Ball Z, characters will be able to, at will, change form once they unlock their potential at the sacrifice of stamina and will suffer great exhaustion upon returning to their base state.

Normal anthros appear as trainers and instructors, because despite all the gifts and abilities Pokemon possess, they can't rely exclusively on their abilities. They need practical, foundational training as well. Every Pokemon fighter in the League knows at least one martial art to a mastery level and is an elite athlete in their own right. Actual Battle League fights have a round system in place, and the Academy supplies coaches that rotate every match to get fighters used to the constantly changing landscape of the League.

The Story

The story will follow seven friends as they make their way through the Battle Academy. It will very much have an 'underdog' focus. None of the protagonist Pokemon characters will be 'signature' or well-known. They'll be going up against very recognizable Pokemon, however. The casting will be fairly unusual as well; the majority of the protagonists are going to be female, with only one token male character in the group.
It is NOT, however, going to be a 'harem' story. I'm merely reversing the typical casting in a scenario like this, where it's a bunch of guys with one token female character to round out the cast. The sole male lead, however, will admittedly be identifiable for guys to be ABLE to fantasize about self-insertion into the group.
There will be other male side-characters, but for the most part, there will be only one male in the central cast. Romantic relationships will be explored, but between the main cast? I'm going to resist that idea HEAVILY. I think it would be far more interesting to see the main cast develop relationships outside their own circle. Athletes don't have to date other athletes exclusively, after all.
Heck, Ailani is a major foodie. I can totally see her falling for a guy who's a good cook ;3
As kind of a social experiment, I want to see how readers react to seeing female characters in the spotlight WITHOUT them being treated like you typically see female characters. This isn't a 'girl power' story, it's just a story about some friends, most of which happen to be female. The girls will get beaten up during their matches--sometimes badly--but rather than focus on how 'strong and independent' it makes them for getting back up, they will be treated the same as a male character in the same situation. Rather than the tired old trope of 'I'm hurt but still sexy with tears lining my eyes but I won't give up', you'll see the girls grit their teeth, stand back up, strike a pose and make a snappy remark. These are professional fighters who just happen to be female.

Maturity level

The general theme of the comic is going to be one suitable to young adults. There will be some darker story elements, but at its heart, it will remain a sports/college/coming of age/believe in yourself story, so while it will get dramatic in places, it will mostly be a fun, actiony time with a heavy emphasis on character relations and development. The friendship of the main 7 is going to be the primary focus. There will be plenty of teasing nudity and adult situations, but explicit sex will not be seen by regular viewers. I haven't quite worked out the Patreon idea to its fullest yet, but I have it in my head that only Patreons will be able to view 'bonus' pages that reveal in great detail what goes on behind closed doors.

Special appearances

Because of the nature of this project, there will be PLENTY of opportunities for special appearances and cameos. Leilani is already a lock as a recurring character. Others will be possible too. In particular, corner coaches, due to the fact they rotate, will be a prime opportunity to show guests having a chance to give one of the characters advice and encouragement.

I think I already have a decent cast in mind as far as Pokemon are concerned. Characters will need development, of course, but all this should be coming together very soon; it's a story concept I'm VERY comfortable with and I don't think it's a secret that I love martial arts and pro wrestling has long been a guilty pleasure of mine. While I know very little about Pokemon, I'm definitely enjoying researching it, even if I don't have the time to actually play any of the games. Hey, that's what Let's Plays are for though, right?
I'm planning on having a few test pages done soon.

Unfortunately, it looks like getting 2 Masked Avenger pics done a month was a bit too ambitious. Brim getting sick and my week one jitters certainly didn't help. I feel like I'm more on my game now, but I think I'm going to stick to ONE Masked Avenger pic until I get a little more confident. I'll get the first Masked Avenger done as soon as I can.