[Matt Helm]

I struck the match and let it flicker in the breeze at my hip. I know they noticed because it got awful quiet.

Slowly moving the match up to my cigarette I chuckled a bit to break the silence. Then holding the match under my chin with the flame illuminating my face from beneath, I quietly whispered, "Boo".

"Ugh, look who pooped by," stated the Griff with a snarl.

I shook out the matched and walked into the center of their little circle. Some key members of the C3G gang were standing on my left and some old friends and new rookies were on my right. They had apparently started up some new project that ruffled some feathers in the C3G hen house.

"Mr. Helm," said the Bat, "It's actually good to see you. I was beginning to think that either senility or even the Grim Reaper had finally caught up with you."

"Well Bats," I said, "Senility had set in so long ago that I think the rest of the world has already caught up with me. And as far as the Grim Reaper goes, I thought you knew that he's afraid of me."

"You're such an egomaniac Helm," piped in Griffin, "What crap do we need to hear from your mouth now?"

I walked over to Griff, pulled my gun from my waistband before he could blink, and then handed it to him butt first. He was confused and after staring at my hand for a moment, he pulled his eyes back up to my face.

I smiled as the switchblade in my other hand sliced his belt in two and his trousers fell around his ankles.

Shocked, he suddenly bent in front of me to grab at the falling pants. It was too easy just to grab the back of his shirt collar and tug down toward me so that his head hit my left knee on the way down.

"Damn," he muttered with growl and from one knee pointed my gun at me and pulled the trigger.

Click... nothing.

"Hm, that's twice with the surprised look my boy," I said, "And you wonder why I never let you graduate from the Helmian School."

I took the gun away from him and walked across their little West Side Story reunion. Loading the gun as I walked, I stopped in front of the book nerd they called Ollie and handed him the loaded revolver.

"Thanks I think, Mr. Helm", he questioned, "But what do I do..."

"No need to say any more my friend," I answered, "If they didn't get your point by now, the only thing these grunts will understand is a point made with lead."

Turning to the group with the book nerd at my side, I shook my head and spoke to the lot of them.

"I can't believe what I'm reading in this thread. The egos, the labels, the sensitivity is all bordering on funny. Why can't folks start a new customs project in the Superhero section? Why would it automatically be seen as competition to any other project? Why would anybody care if it was? Why can't people participate in both? Why can't other people exclusively pick one over the other and be thought none the less for it?"

"I mean, if you can't see the difference between this project and the other one that keeps being mentioned, than you probably have a serious case of delusion regarding whichever project that you favor"

"I'm not going to rehash the differences but I will hold up a few flash cards:

- Flying Symbol
- Secret Identities for the sake of multiple personalities donning the same pair of pajamas
- Extensive use of marker based abilities
- Mulitiple characters who need two cards in the guise of a Treasure Glyph that they start with
- Event Heroes

Just look at those tid bits for a second and I sure hope that this project here stays completely away form those mechanics with the slight chance of a very rare marker based power... eventually... maybe... way down the road."

"And why do cards that do not go down this road have to be considered 'Basic Game' or 'Designed for Kids'? Why do some of us here feel the need to label this project as if it is not as mature or god forbid, 'more official' than the other project?"

"Maybe in the eyes of some folks, less complex mechanics that can be taught to kids easily enough is more family friendly for the game that they love to play with their families. It doesn't mean that it is a kid's game. It just means that it fits their taste better. But I guess that it may bruise some egos to suggest that there are folks out there who may like their gaming to fit a different mold than what the other project provides."

"Now I certainly don't want anyone to think I'm trashing anything and I'm not picking sides. I'm conveniently an independent custom card creator who helps out when he can but will likely only play games in his own HelmAverse than use cards in either project. But from my vantage point, there is a clear distinction between these projects and it is as plain as the bump swelling on Griffin's forehead right now."

"And I didn't even mention the fact that the other group designs together from the ground up to fit their self proclaimed NEW gaming universe while this one just searches for individually designed cards to see if they fit in with the official 10 cards.... sorry C3G'ers but there are only 10 "official" cards.""

"So I hope we can all get along here before I have to really bloody up my hands. Mac doesn't like to call in clean up crews."

"Anyone interested in both projects should be able to dabble in both without experiencing any conflicts. But if your inner superhero custom self finds it difficult to do so, I see no reason why you couldn't just play in the sandbox of your choosing."

"Or, be like me and use both boxes like a kitten does simply because you know it gets under everybody's skin."

I was the only one laughing. I flicked the cigarette toward my old buddy Balantai and gave him a smile.

"You done good kid," I said.

"You really think so," he stated, "I never intended to start up this kind of tension."

"You wanted life to rise again in the public superhero custom threads, didn't you? I'd say this is alive and well. Mission accomplished buddy."

We both smiled again and I slowly walked away. I heard Griffin laugh behind me.

"What?" I heard him say in the distance, "I can't help it, he cracks me up."