The Book of Liberty Belle (Jesse Chambers)

[Viegon]

The Book of Liberty Belle (Jesse Chambers)

C3G DC WAVE 25
JUSTICE SOCIETY

Comic PDF

Mini PDF

The figure used for this unit is a Heroclix figure from the Crisis set.
Its model number and name are #010 / Liberty Belle.​

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Character Bio - Jessica Chambers, daughter of the two Golden Age heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle, started her superhero career by following her father’s footsteps and becoming Jesse Quick. Later, after her father’s death and the subsequent loss of her superspeed, Jesse became the official business manager for the Justice Society of America, where she met and fell in love with Rick Tyler, the second Hourman. After reconciling with her mother, whom she had been estranged from for years, Jesse found she could also tap into her mother’s powers, and doing so she became the new Liberty Belle.
_________________________________________________________________

-Rulings and Clarifications-

• N/A

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-Combinations and Synergies-

Incoming Synergy:

• As a Jesse Chambers that is a Protégé, Liberty Belle may be drafted into an army with Jesse Quick, due to Jesse Quick's Metagenes special power, and be boosted by that special power.
• As a Jesse Chambers with the Bonds of Marriage special power, Liberty Belle may be activated by Hourman with his Bonds of Marriage special power.
• As a Metahuman, Liberty Belle has these Metahuman Synergies.
• As a Protégé, Liberty Belle has these Protégé Synergies.
• As a figure with the Super Strength special power, Liberty Belle has these Super Strength Synergies.

Outgoing Synergy:

• With her Society Fortitude special power, Liberty Belle and and Mystery Men and Protégés adjacent to Liberty Belle may add to their attack and defense dice. Current Mystery Men and Protégés.
• Liberty Belle may use her Bonds of Marriage special power to activate Hourman.

Immunities, Benefits, and Weaknesses:

• As a figure with the Super Strength special power, Liberty Belle interacts differently with these special powers.

_________________________________________________________________

-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-

• Justice Society Faction Strategy

-Heroscapers Community Contributions-

• Initial playtest: Viegon
• Second playtest: Viegon (including Rick)
• Third playtest: Viegon (including Rick + updated Bonds of Marriage)
• Fourth playtest: Aggressive Sock
• Fifth playtest: bsbush7690
• Sixth playtest: TrollBrute
• Seventh playtest: IAmBatman
• Eighth playtest: Asterius
• Ninth playtest: Viegon
• Art: Comic, Figure, Background
• Art by japes
• Jesse Chambers created by Len Strazewski and Mike Parobeck
• Jesse Chambers as Liberty Belle introduced by Geoff Johns and Dale Eaglesham
• Comic art by Alex Ross

 

[Viegon]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

NAME = LIBERTY BELLE
SECRET IDENTITY = JESSE CHAMBERS

SPECIES = METAHUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = PROTÉGÉ
PERSONALITY = CONFIDENT

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 4

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 5
DEFENSE = 5

POINTS = 190

SOCIETY FORTITUDE
If Liberty Belle is adjacent to at least 1 Mystery Man or Protégé Hero you control, Liberty Belle and all Mystery Men and Protégés you control adjacent to her roll 1 additional attack and defense die.

BONDS OF MARRIAGE
After revealing an Order Marker on this card and taking a turn with Liberty Belle, you may immediately take a turn with a Rick Tyler figure you control that has this special power, and you may not take any additional turns with other figures you control. During this turn, that Rick Tyler figure can attack only while adjacent to Liberty Belle.

ENHANCED DURABILITY
When Liberty Belle is attacked with a normal attack, the most wounds she can receive from that attack is one.

SUPER STRENGTH


ORIGINAL DESIGN:

Spoiler Alert!

NAME = LIBERTY BELLE
SECRET IDENTITY = JESSICA CHAMBERS

SPECIES = METAHUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = PROTEGE
PERSONALITY = CONFIDENT

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 5

MOVE = 5
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 5
DEFENSE = 5

POINTS = ???

SOCIETY FORTITUDE
If Liberty Belle is adjacent to at least 1 Mystery Man or Protege Hero you control, Liberty Belle and all figures you control adjacent to her roll 1 additional Attack and Defense die.

MARRIED DUO
After revealing an Order Marker on this card and taking a turn with Liberty Belle, if you control a Rick Tyler figure adjacent to Liberty Belle, you may immediately attack with that Rick Tyler’s normal attack.

ENHANCED DURABILITY
When Liberty Belle is attacked with a normal attack, the most wounds she can receive from that attack is one.

SUPER STRENGTH

 

[Viegon]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

The only change here from the write-up I posted in the JSA faction thread is the power name for Married Duo (formerly Husband and Wife), which I’m not even sold on (anyone got suggestions?). It’s a pretty simple design but I think it captures the character well and sets up some nice synergy for the JSA.

Some thoughts:
1) Like I said in Hourman’s thread, we need to make a final decision on which class we want to use for the younger JSAers.
2) Do we want to leave it open so that anyone can get boosted by Society Fortitude as long as she’s next to another JSAer (which is how it works now)? Or should it be double-restricted (so JSAers trigger it and only JSAers receive the boost)?
3) Does Enhanced Durability fit her best, or do we want to switch it to one of the other simple defensive powers (Tough, Invulnerability, Impenetrable Skin, etc.)? I think Enhanced Durability is my favorite, but I’d be okay with any of them.

OTHER COMIC ART:

Spoiler Alert!

BACKGROUND ART:

Spoiler Alert!

Having the actual Liberty Bell in the background seems like the natural choice to me, but I’m having trouble finding good pics. Here’s the best I found with a google search:

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

Might need to call in @Spidey'tilIDie but I believe for most of her time as Liberty Belle, she also has her father's super speed.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

Oh, also, I believe she can fly?

 

[johnny139]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

Yeah, from what I understand she's got speed + power at this stage. I feel her Secret Identity should be "Jesse Chambers," as well.

I'm thinking that her boost should be limited to the JSA classes but it's not a strong opinion.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

+1 on Jesse Chambers.

 

[Viegon]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

Might need to call in @Spidey'tilIDie but I believe for most of her time as Liberty Belle, she also has her father's super speed.

I've read the comics at this stage and done some recent research, and while she does have both powers for awhile, there is also a decent sized period where she doesn't have her super speed (she gave it to Wally or something like that). My intent is to design this one with only her Liberty Belle powers, then later design a Jesse Quick that would allow you to also draft Liberty Belle to combine her powers (thus getting three different periods of the character in only two designs).

Oh, also, I believe she can fly?

Only while she has her super speed. For the period I'm capturing she couldn't fly.

I feel her Secret Identity should be "Jesse Chambers," as well.

Yeah, I kept flip-flopping between going with Jesse or Jessica; but if people prefer Jesse I'm totally fine with that.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

But she only ever had all of the powers in her Liberty Belle period, not in her Jesse Quick period, so wouldn't it make more sense for the Liberty Belle design to be the one that let you use all of the powers?

 

[Viegon]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

But she only ever had all of the powers in her Liberty Belle period, not in her Jesse Quick period, so wouldn't it make more sense for the Liberty Belle design to be the one that let you use all of the powers?

Well, for one, that's incorrect, because not that long after regaining her super speed (and being at the point of having both power-sets) she switched back to using the name Jesse Quick. Also she already has three powers and I really don't want to see any of them dropped.

 

[TrollBrute]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

I would drop her attack by one. With Hourman adjacent, you'll get two attacks, both with +1.

I also like Jesse Chambers and I'm cool with Protege as the JSA class, but you already knew that.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

But she only ever had all of the powers in her Liberty Belle period, not in her Jesse Quick period, so wouldn't it make more sense for the Liberty Belle design to be the one that let you use all of the powers?

Well, for one, that's incorrect, because not that long after regaining her super speed (and being at the point of having both power-sets) she switched back to using the name Jesse Quick. Also she already has three powers and I really don't want to see any of them dropped.

You wouldn't have to give her any more powers, just Move 9 and Flying.

How long was she back to the name Jesse Quick? I only remember her switching back very, very briefly during Blackest Night.

 

[Viegon]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

You wouldn't have to give her any more powers, just Move 9 and Flying.

Personally, a DC speedster without the Superspeed or Speed Force special power would be weird and a theme fail.

Also, I didn't mean a Jesse Quick design that had Liberty Belle's strength built in, I meant a Jesse Quick design that also had a power like this:

You may draft one other Jesse Chambers figure that is not a [insert class]. Place the other Jesse Chambers figure on this card. While there is a different Jesse Chambers figure on this card, Jesse Quick adds # to her Attack and Defense numbers and gains the Super Strength special power. When defending against a normal attack with Jesse Quick while there is a different Jesse Chambers figure on this card, the most wounds she can receive from that attack is one.​

This way, you could play Liberty Belle by herself, you could play Jesse Quick by herself, or you could spend the points on both of them and get a combined version. Three different designs in two.

How long was she back to the name Jesse Quick? I only remember her switching back very, very briefly during Blackest Night.

I could be wrong, but I was pretty certain she's continued going as Jesse Quick since Blackest Night.

I would drop her attack by one. With Hourman adjacent, you'll get two attacks, both with +1.

Yeah, but 4 base attack feels low thematically. Plus, it's only attack bonding so keeping them together is going to be hard.

 

[johnny139]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

You wouldn't have to give her any more powers, just Move 9 and Flying.

Personally, a DC speedster without the Superspeed or Speed Force special power would be weird and a theme fail.

Also, I didn't mean a Jesse Quick design that had Liberty Belle's strength built in, I meant a Jesse Quick design that also had a power like this:

You may draft one other Jesse Chambers figure that is not a [insert class]. Place the other Jesse Chambers figure on this card. While there is a different Jesse Chambers figure on this card, Jesse Quick adds # to her Attack and Defense numbers and gains the Super Strength special power. When defending against a normal attack with Jesse Quick while there is a different Jesse Chambers figure on this card, the most wounds she can receive from that attack is one.​

This way, you could play Liberty Belle by herself, you could play Jesse Quick by herself, or you could spend the points on both of them and get a combined version. Three different designs in two.

I like that. Assuming there's comic precedence for there being three different power sets, I can roll with that.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

You wouldn't have to give her any more powers, just Move 9 and Flying.

Personally, a DC speedster without the Superspeed or Speed Force special power would be weird and a theme fail.

Also, I didn't mean a Jesse Quick design that had Liberty Belle's strength built in, I meant a Jesse Quick design that also had a power like this:

You may draft one other Jesse Chambers figure that is not a [insert class]. Place the other Jesse Chambers figure on this card. While there is a different Jesse Chambers figure on this card, Jesse Quick adds # to her Attack and Defense numbers and gains the Super Strength special power. When defending against a normal attack with Jesse Quick while there is a different Jesse Chambers figure on this card, the most wounds she can receive from that attack is one.​

This way, you could play Liberty Belle by herself, you could play Jesse Quick by herself, or you could spend the points on both of them and get a combined version. Three different designs in two.

Innovative, so I like it, but it's going to be a design challenge for sure!

One problem, I'm thinking, is that if the other Jesse Quick doesn't gain the rest of the special powers here, it's going to be really hard to justify the cost of combining the two.

Most of a unit's cost comes from their life and their special powers. Here, you'll have 5 Life, a defensive boosting power, a bonding power, and a defensive power for her that you're essentially throwing away, while paying the cost for them. Is the attack and defense boost going to be that powerful to justify the cost?

Let's say the design in the OP costs, say, 210 points and you make another version of Jesse with Super Speed that costs, say, 170 points. Is she going to be worth 380 points because she goes up, say, 2 in her attack and defense and gains Super Strength? Because (unless she has offensive or defensive powers that really gain from more attack or defense) that's more like a 50 point bump most of the time.

It's a cool idea, but it might be worth thinking through both designs fully before getting too far with this one, or it might not work the way you want it to.

Edit: I missed the Magical Defense like part of that. It's helpful for sure. So long as she was still married to and working with her husband at that point in her career, I think the solution is just to let her use all the powers from both cards, then roll with the rest as planned.

 

[Spidey'tilIDie]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

OK, here's what I recall (up until New 52, I read all of JSA since its re-inception right after Grant Morrison's JLA took off.) Jesse originally was just a speedster following in her father's footsteps, although she alone had the power to fly. Later, after some issues with Wally wanting her to be the Flash and her not feeling up to it, she lost her ability to move at superhuman speeds (just like Wally did at one time.) She then visited her mother and discovered that she also inherited her powers (this was around the time the JSA was re-forming.) Shortly after they rechartered, she realized she still had both sets of powers. Most of her time in the JSA (spanning several years and more or less a hundred issues), she had both of their powers. Briefly, when asked to join Dick Grayson's Justice League (written by famed Starman writer, James Robinson), she re-claimed the mantle of Jesse Quick with both sets of powers. After Robinson's run on Justice League (17 issues featuring her), she went back to the JSA and Liberty Belle.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

Sounds like she was just Jesse Quick for a significant period, Liberty Belle with only Super Strength for a very limited period, than both Liberty Belle and Jesse Quick with both sets of powers for significant stretches. Thanks for the insight, Spidey! My concern was that the time period represented here was extremely niche, but I'm OK with it, because the innovative design approach Viegon's going for is interesting enough to make the journey worth taking, IMO. (I just wish I could have a Liberty Belle version that encompasses everything rather than a Jesse Quick one).

 

[Viegon]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

Innovative, so I like it, but it's going to be a design challenge for sure!

One problem, I'm thinking, is that if the other Jesse Quick doesn't gain the rest of the special powers here, it's going to be really hard to justify the cost of combining the two.

Yeah, since I posted the power I've been thinking about it and this has been my main concern. I do think it's workable though, it'll just be tough.

So long as she was still married to and working with her husband at that point in her career, I think the solution is just to let her use all the powers from both cards, then roll with the rest as planned.

I contemplated it, but I wasn't certain if Jesse Quick should be getting Society Fortitude or not. It would be a cleaner approach.

OK, here's what I recall (up until New 52, I read all of JSA since its re-inception right after Grant Morrison's JLA took off.) Jesse originally was just a speedster following in her father's footsteps, although she alone had the power to fly. Later, after some issues with Wally wanting her to be the Flash and her not feeling up to it, she lost her ability to move at superhuman speeds (just like Wally did at one time.) She then visited her mother and discovered that she also inherited her powers (this was around the time the JSA was re-forming.) Shortly after they rechartered, she realized she still had both sets of powers. Most of her time in the JSA (spanning several years and more or less a hundred issues), she had both of their powers. Briefly, when asked to join Dick Grayson's Justice League (written by famed Starman writer, James Robinson), she re-claimed the mantle of Jesse Quick with both sets of powers. After Robinson's run on Justice League (17 issues featuring her), she went back to the JSA and Liberty Belle.

This is how I remember it, though I thought the two sections I have in red lasted longer then you say. But it's been awhile so I could certainly be misremembering.

My concern was that the time period represented here was extremely niche, but I'm OK with it, because the innovative design approach Viegon's going for is interesting enough to make the journey worth taking, IMO. (I just wish I could have a Liberty Belle version that encompasses everything rather than a Jesse Quick one).

Yeah, it would be a little better, thematically, if Liberty Belle had the combining power, but like I said I'd hate to drop any of the ones she has right now.

In the interest of making sure we're thinking this through before we move on with Liberty Belle, here's a rough write-up for Jesse Quick:

NAME = JESSE QUICK
SECRET IDENTITY = JESSE CHAMBERS

SPECIES = METAHUMAN
UNIQUENESS = UNIQUE HERO
CLASS = TITAN
PERSONALITY = CONFIDENT

SIZE/HEIGHT = MEDIUM 5

LIFE = 4

MOVE = 10
RANGE = 1
ATTACK = 3
DEFENSE = 3

POINTS = ???

COMBINED POWERS (needs a better name)
You may draft one other Jesse Chambers figure that is a Protege. Place the other Jesse Chambers figure on this card. While there is a different Jesse Chambers figure on this card, Jesse Quick adds 1 to her Life, Attack, and Defense numbers and may use any special powers on the other Jesse Chambers' card in addition to her own. If any of its special powers refer to that figure, they refer to Jesse Quick instead.

3x2(9yZ)4A
Jesse Quick may move through all figures, never takes leaving engagement attacks, and does not have to stop her movement when entering water spaces. Immediately after moving with Jesse Quick, you may choose 1 figure Jesse Quick moved through this turn and roll an unblockable attack die against it.

SPEED DODGE 2
When Jesse Quick defends against an attack, and you roll at least one blank, Jesse Quick takes no damage and may immediately move up to 2 spaces.

FLYING

I was going to bump her attack and defense to 5, but 5 defense + Speed Dodge + Enhanced Durability would be too much. I swapped out generic Super Speed for a slightly different power so I could work in her father's formula. Thoughts?

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

Maybe Metagenes or Generational Powers for the first power name?

I'd drop her Move to 9 or maybe even 8. She's not quite on the same speed level as Flash, and move 10 plus Flying is way faster than him, even with his extra 4 move after moving.

Is it thematic for her to harm things when she runs through them like Flash does? Or was the theme there that she shares space with them and sneaks in a sucker punch?

My biggest concern currently is that the combined Jesse Quick is going to cost more and be more powerful than Flash, and even with all of her powers I don't think that's thematic. I think to make this work you have to keep her very basic and low powered when the other Jesse isn't in the picture.

Also, I don't think it's thematic at all for her to be a Titan when she has the combined powers.

 

[johnny139]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

I agree - I think if we're going in that direction, both units should be in the cheap side (~100 points).

 

[Viegon]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

Maybe Metagenes or Generational Powers for the first power name?

Ooh, nice suggestions, I like them both.

I'd drop her Move to 9 or maybe even 8. She's not quite on the same speed level as Flash, and move 10 plus Flying is way faster than him, even with his extra 4 move after moving.

Well, the Flash's have 12 move plus the extra 4, which would allow them to go 6 spaces more than her, but if you really think 10 is too high for her I'd be fine with dropping it some.

Is it thematic for her to harm things when she runs through them like Flash does? Or was the theme there that she shares space with them and sneaks in a sucker punch?

I don't know her as Jesse Quick that well, but I was aiming for the sneaky sucker punch theme. I figured she'd need more than a basic attack of 3 to be useful.

My biggest concern currently is that the combined Jesse Quick is going to cost more and be more powerful than Flash, and even with all of her powers I don't think that's thematic. I think to make this work you have to keep her very basic and low powered when the other Jesse isn't in the picture.

Eh, Jesse is obviously not faster then Wally or Barry, but she should at least be on their level if not higher once you consider her super strength and durability. I was aiming to get Jesse Quick in around 120 and Liberty Belle at roughly 180, which would mean the combined version would only be 20 points more than Wally. That seems reasonable to me.

Also, I don't think it's thematic at all for her to be a Titan when she has the combined powers.

Well, my aim for the design was that when she's played solo it represents her early career (during which she was a Titan for at least a chunk of the time), and when combined it represents her currently. Maybe have her class change when combined?

I agree - I think if we're going in that direction, both units should be in the cheap side (~100 points).

I agree for the most part, but I also don't want us designing two different versions of Jesse that are thematically weak or not interesting/useful.

 

[Spidey'tilIDie]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

OK, I really like the idea of combining them, but I'm not sure we are going about it in the best way. Liberty Belle could easily have all her powers represented in Stats or Icons, so I tend to think this would be a good place for the combining power. On the flip side, Jesse Quick was the guise she has spent more of her time as and consequently showed more different aspects of her personality. She ran her own Fortune 500 company, so she could re-use the money power (can't remember the name or mechanic right now) off of Black King and combine that with Speedster powers. Her Flying/ Movement number combo should be just a hair under Barry and Wally, but comparable to Bart and Jay.

As far as Belle version, I like the Defense idea, but I'd have her other two powers be the combine and a JSA leadership power. If anyone should Inspire the Justice Society of AMERICA, it should be someone named Liberty Belle.

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

I forgot that Flashes were at 12 move! I was thinking 10 for some reason. Yeah, in that case 10 should work for her.

I think if you're really wanting to do the combining power, I'd strive for simplicity on both cards outside of that. Otherwise, it'll be a really difficult balancing act. I might lose Speed Dodge as well, because I think once you start getting into stat boosting it becomes more difficult to cost and balance.

Edit: Thematically, based on how she was treated in the comics, an earlier version of Jesse Quick being somewhere in the low 100s would make sense, IMO.

 

[Viegon]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

OK, I really like the idea of combining them, but I'm not sure we are going about it in the best way. Liberty Belle could easily have all her powers represented in Stats or Icons, so I tend to think this would be a good place for the combining power.

Her actual abilities don't need much to represent them, but I definitely don't want to drop Society Fortitude or Married Duo here as they represent her personality. We could replace Enhanced Durability, but personally I liked Liberty Belle bringing that power into the combined version.

On the flip side, Jesse Quick was the guise she has spent more of her time as and consequently showed more different aspects of her personality. She ran her own Fortune 500 company, so she could re-use the money power (can't remember the name or mechanic right now) off of Black King and combine that with Speedster powers. Her Flying/ Movement number combo should be just a hair under Barry and Wally, but comparable to Bart and Jay.

Eh, if we were going to work in a money power like that (which I'm not even sure I care for on her, the feels comes off wrong), I don't see why it couldn't go on either of them. I thought she was still running the company as Liberty Belle, but even if she wasn't, she was the business manager for the JSA.

As far as Belle version, I like the Defense idea, but I'd have her other two powers be the combine and a JSA leadership power. If anyone should Inspire the Justice Society of AMERICA, it should be someone named Liberty Belle.

Not sure what you're suggesting here. Are you saying you'd do something different with Society Fortitude?

I think if you're really wanting to do the combining power, I'd strive for simplicity on both cards outside of that. Otherwise, it'll be a really difficult balancing act. I might lose Speed Dodge as well, because I think once you start getting into stat boosting it becomes more difficult to cost and balance.

Yeah, we'd probably be better off without Speed Dodge.

Edit: Thematically, based on how she was treated in the comics, an earlier version of Jesse Quick being somewhere in the low 100s would make sense, IMO.

That's what I was aiming for, I was hoping to have her come in just a little higher then the current Kid Flash design (he's at 110).

 

[IAmBatman]

Re: The Book of Liberty Belle (Jessica Chambers) - Design Ph

I'm on board with avoiding any financial power, and potentially cutting the defensive powers on each card while keeping the others in play.