Wearing the Cape: Team-Ups & Crossovers
Eee! I’m so excited! So Wearing the Cape is one of my favorite superhero novel series. I’ve mentioned it before, usually when a new volume comes out, and guess what?
<—— Hmm. One of those gals looks familiar.
A while ago, Marion G. Harmon, the author of WtC (and as it turns out, reader of Grrl Power) contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in co-writing a cross over story with him. Naturally I said yes, even though I’ve never really written much in the way of prose before. The basic premise of the book is, as the “Team-Ups & Crossovers” subtitle suggests, Astra (the WtC protagonist) goes tumbling across dimensions and bumps into various other realities including a few people you might recognize if you’re a voracious consumer of all things superhero. Now keep in mind, the chapter in the Grrl-verse is just one section of the book, but this is a canon story for Sydney and co. It takes place just a bit in the future of the comic. Sydney is a private, but there’s nothing that spoils anything between then and now. Here’s a link to the kindle version. The paperback will be available in the coming weeks.
I mostly wrote Sydney’s sections and Marion mostly wrote Astra’s, but there was a lot of back and forth and editing and I think it came out really good. (Though you can safely assume any dip in the quality of the prose is one of my sections. :)
Please feel free to comment on the book here, especially Sydney’s adventure with Astra. Remember, you can put spoiler tags over text by putting [spoiler] stuff you want to spoil [/spoiler] in your comment. Don’t forget the “/” on the closing tag or it won’t work properly.
SuperheroThey're super, thanks for asking!
Meatspace ComicSeriously these are awesome. Check 'em out!
Not UpdatingNo longer updating or only updates sporadically, but definitely worth reading.
SeriouslySeriously you guys. If you like Grrl Power the check these out.
"Mature"Mature subject matter and occasionally something explicit but usually safe. Can't guarantee the ads are safe though.
Dongs Ahoy!Full frontal and backal. Lots of skin, sex on some or all pages, explicit or otherwise.
I just ordered “Bite Me: Big Easy Nights”, and Wearing the Cape 4 though 6. I ordered preowned copies of 1-3 to make certain that I liked the series, I liked it enough to order the rest direct from Amazon so that the author would get the sales money.
Why thank you!
You are quite welcome. I received them late Saturday, and I’ve already finished “Bite Me: Big Easy Nights”. I enjoyed it, but I did notice continuity errors with what had happened with Artemis in “Supervillians, Inc.”.
Really? I’d like to know what they are! (Seriously; a second edition might have a serious edit.)
And now I’ve finished reading all of them. Curse my fast reading speed!! Now I’ll have to wait for you to write more. I’d ask you to please hurry, while giving you a Look with Big Pleading Puppy Dog Eyes, but I don’t want anything to interfere with the superb quality of your story telling.
I actually saw only one continuity error between “Supervillains, Inc.” and “Bite Me: Big Easy Nights”, but it’s a doozy. The distinct impression I got from the conversations between Hope/Astra and Jackie/Artemis towards the end of “Supervillains, Inc.” was that Jackie was alive again before she moved down to New Orleans to live with her grandmother. But part of the entire plot of BM: BEN (and that acronym looks just so Wrong) is that Jackie is still undead! If that is so, it’s going to take a heck of a rewrite (probably in “Supervillains, Inc.”) to fix.
Hmm. Since Bite Me: Big Easy Nights takes place between Wearing the Cape and Villains Inc., and Jacky “returns to life” in the course of Villains Inc., I’d like to know what lines give that impression! Seriously.
I think it’s just an impression caused by reading in publication order instead of internal chronology order. Wasn’t “Bite Me” written third?
That is probably it. Also, I read all of the Wearing the Cape books in a relatively short amount of time. That might have caused me to misremember.
WOG: Bite Me is chronologically the second book, although it came out third and isn’t part of the main series lineup.
Marion, I don’t know if you still check out this link, but I just want you to know that, thanks to Sidney’s crossover, I’ve read (and enjoyed) the entire WtC series and all the audiobooks that are out to date. Looking forward to more. Also, more Jackie!
Just now listening to the audiobook, having caught up to this point. Very adjusting. I loved the Midsummer Nights Dream pastiche too, but I was there for The Mighty Halo.
I read the story and loved it, now having read books 1-3 and 6 (more to come as money frees itself). Sidney’s opening gambit is both entertaining and appropriate, and the story has the right mix of feel for the WTC books and Grrl Power. All in all a great read and a worthy story to recommend in the new year!
I thought Dave did a great job communicating Halo’s “insanity”, something a bit harder to do with just words.
Just finished book 6 and it’s funny of all the weird things and different perspectives and styles the thing that threw me most was switching to 3rd person for the Grrl Power part :)
Marion any plans for audio book versions? I have a friend I’d love to share WtC with but with his eyesight he barely reads for fun.
Working on an audiobook for Wearing the Cape now. Frankly, I’d love to see Grrl power novelized and produced as an audiobook as well.
I have listened to the whole Wearing the Cape series on Audible 2or 3 times. With John Conroe, you are one of my favorite superhero novel authors. And thank you for turning me on to the amazing writing in Velveteen and the endless amusement of Grrlpower and David Barrack! The visuals of Grrlpower are so powerful and Sydney’s adventures and thought processes are so erratic, well, your team up with Barrack was fun, but didn’t really capture the Ka-BOOM of webcomic. Who am I kidding? If GP got an audio version, I would totally go for it. Keep up the great work, guys!
I wish I had known you wanted an audio book for GP… My daughter her boyfriend, another of her friends, and I. would read this over skype using different voices. I had at one time recorded a session with a bunch of pages. but it unfortunately ended up in the trash when my last PC blew up. we had read everything up to the boss fight outside the diner. and I had the first page up to her interview recorded… man I wish I knew i would have sent it. my daughter used to work at a net cafe in California she would cosplay as halo and spinneret serving customers. Next time i talk to her Ill see if she wants to “Get the band back together” and re record this for you.
That’s too bad. PC suicides are always tragic. And I’d love to hear your recording.
That’s pretty amazing. I’d love to have heard your radio drama version of the comic if it had survived.
It was a blast to do, but at this point her boyfriend is no longer that.. she is now working more than not and I have no Idea where her other friend went. But if you want to get a group together and have some fun reading out loud I definitely recommend it Ill join up to if you want me to. If i manage to do that again with others ill record it and Email or at least post that i have it to Email to you.
The season ending cliffhanger would probably be Hope’s face to face encounter with the Tea Time Terrorist.
That’s more of a mid season cliffhanger.
The season finale would be the Whitter Base Attack.
…. with Astra’s super enhanced vision showing something not light flickering and fading away in Atlas.
… and when she looks at her own hand something is flickering and fading there too.
….Cue end theme. Roll credits.
…. And THAT’s a cliffhanger!!
Finally finished it :) had lots of other books to finish so oops <_<
Either way I really liked it. Hopefully hints from the crossover are in the next novel like seeing the choker from ARCHON in Astra's room back at the dome :)
Also looking forward to the RPG coming out. Wonder what Sydney would be classified as in Wearing the Cape terms. A merlin maybe? I mean the orbs are freaky deaky magic stuff sorta.
Sydney defies classification.
Magus…You posted ^ nearly a year ago but I’d also like to see Astra’s Dome/Dorm room!
Her trophies from Metrocon, her action figures, the PowerWeek with her on the cover, AND her extra-reality souvenirs, especially Maxima Pony!
(Unless ER material should be kept in containment enclosures, just to be safe.)
Maybe you can talk Dave into drawing up a 1 panel comic of the Dome/ YS common room/ Astra’s room etc for a promo, if your usual cover artist doesn’t do that kind of thing. I honestly think the series would so benefit from occasional art, maybe 2-3 panels at the back or a small piece between chapters, since the genre really is SUCH a graphically inclined thing. I’d love to see even sketch versions of all the main Capes in the series, Supers and Villains, even humans like the Bees, the Cerberus soldiers, Diez and Angel, Platoon etc. The little glimpses on the covers just aren’t enough for me!
There is a strong possibility that 2020 will be the year WtC is finally made into a graphic novel, so your itch for art may be scratched “soon.” As for Dave, I’d love to see him do some WtC art–but I don’t want to do anything that will slow down the ongoing production of Grrl Power!
Hmm… Considering that the crossover is Canon in Grrl Power- this means that, eventually, the comic will reach that point, and Dave shall HAVE to comic-out the entire convention!
↑ THIS❗ ↑
Is it just me or did pixel pack on a few hundred pounds to show off her claws? Well you know what they say about taking photos at low angles.
You always know the right thing to say.
FYI, everyone. Due to unforeseen circumstances (I clicked the wrong icon), the Wearing the Cape: The Roleplaying Game campaign launched last night on Kickstarter. If you want to see what’s going on, just go to Kickstarter and search for Wearing the Cape. Exciting times.
Actually what I’m wondering is if we’ll see Astra in the Grrl Power comic? Having the Grrl Power folks show up in the Wearing the Cape book was awesome but will we ever see that great scene at the comic convention immortalized in the comic? Would totally love to see that. Course seeing Max going up against her doppelganger would be worth the price of admission all by itself.
Dave Barrack has already answered that question. It is unlikely he could do it due to the volume of work it represents (not even accounting when it would be drawn, since the cross-over happens several months from the current events).
I’m afraid that Astra/Halo crossover fans will need to be happy with Wearing the Cape: The Archon Files. With the Kickstarter campaign successfully ended yesterday, I’ve started work on, among other things, the list of Arc-SWAT members who will be fully statted out with the rules.
Well, I kinda figured that would be the case, but you can’t blame a guy for asking. On the other hand the Kickstarter has really got my interest. My gaming group hasn’t played a superhero game for close to ten years now and this has got them thinking it’s time to switch from DnD. Can’t wait for it to publish.
The best we can hope for is watching Sydney and Friends watching the new TV series.
(Because to them, Astra is fictional!)
MST3k reference here.
(Their version is more Astra-centric than Hope’s ‘The Sentinels’)
Is there any chance that we will ever see any of Astra’s universe jumps (that wouldn’t result In copyright infringement) that weren’t in the Team Ups and Crossovers book?
Or at least more information on them? There was one that the only description was that it was weird. In what way or to what degree weird we don’t know. I think there was one that no mention of it was made at all (the 3rd)?
You never know. Frankly, I’d love to do another team-up between Halo an Astra. So many stories, so little time…
*wags tail happily*
Of course… Halo would have to visit Astra in a subsequent crossover.
She would literally *BE* in TVLand!
If Halo were to visit Astra…
would the Truesight orb allow her to see Shelly?
She’s only metaphysically with Hope…magic users see her.
The orb saw through Dabbler’s magical glamour…
Not seeing the magic? Seeing how things actually are?
Shelly isn’t actually anywhere.
Also…
as a fan of the show, she knows stuff about the Sentnels that isn’t public.
No she wouldn’t be able to see Shelly. She’s projected straight into Hope’s mind. There’s nothing cloaked or altered in the real world.
Upon re-reading “Ronan Games”, it appears as though Dr. Cornelius preceives Shell just as Astra does. This implies (not familiar enough with the form of magic he uses to say demonstrates) that she’s a sort of quantum-ghost in actuality and simply “haunts” Hope.
In Villains Inc Dr Cornelius explains that Shell is Metaphysically with Hope.
Also, Ozma can see Shell using her Seeing Specs (which also allow her to hear her???).
The Truesight Orb shows things as they are.
The Ozian eyewear shows the unseen.
Probably Sydney shouldn’t try using both at once.
But we know she would, if given the opportunity.
Love this series of books!
MGH/DaveB: Astra and Halo should fight. (Thor voice: That’s what heroes do.)
Have Astra try to pull one of The Orbs beyond Halo’s limit. Pew Pew.
(Immovable Object vs Irresistible Force. You know you want to see it.)
We’ve seen stationary orbs stop Sydney in her tracks.
We’ve seen Maxima fall on her butt when The Orbs resisted being moved. Caught her off balance.
No super has actually yanked on them. We haven’t even seen anyone else touch them.
To protect Sydney, The Orbs wouldn’t allow her to be pulled through a brick wall.
Immovable object wins!
Astra could probably overpower the Energy Tentacle but might get pummelled by the Orbs Halo isn’t holding. Ouch!
Astra vs Halo: Stalemate, but Halo wins on points.
I had to ask the author because the ‘Castle’ TV series reference went over my head.
(I haven’t followed that series.)
Which makes Sydney’s ‘TVLand’ theory at least partially correct and somewhat ironic.
So, where can I get one of those Maxima MLP? Asking for a friend.
I want one, too. And I’m not asking for a friend.
Didn’t get around to purchasing ebook until recently.
Now that Hope is back home, do her extra-reality souvieneers
have any special attributes?
Could they be used to return to those worlds?
Not sure if using the Maxima Pony figurine would send you to the Grrl Power universe or send you to The Power Ponies.
Also…
In the next book, I’d like to hear the reaction of Astra’s team when they watch the video from the world in which they’re fictional. Are any of those actors in Hope’s world? “Look! It’s Patrick Stewart!”
I’m don’t know about anything Astra brought back with her, other than the snow globe (which will technically work at least once). I will say it was a fun movie night at the Dome.
Not that they’d have wishing powers, just that Ozma or Vulcan might be able to tell that they’re from beyond.
Good point. And they might be able to use them to open a gate back, if another crossover story is ever called for. . .
Will Dabbler’s enchanted credit card still work as advertised in Astra’s home fiction (Heinleinian terminology; ALL timelines are ‘fictions’, including this one), or if she goes on another walkabout (iirc, Astra is a bit more susceptible to further dimensional slippage)? Does the dual-mode Verne suit she got in Grimworld still have the ability to change color? Can it be tweaked to change to other colors/patterns? It’s not much of an ability, but it’s something.
The credit card is essentially Verne-tech super-science.
Dabbler was pretty sure the card would work pretty much anywhere.
The Grimworld suit is Vulcan-tech. We’ve seen another instance of it from the Bright Mirror universe (where Faith Chandler lived) in the “A Christmas Carol” short story. And Shell’s various Galatea shells have this tech to a greater or lesser extent as well.
What Hyperstrike said. There may be an interesting story in that credit card; my headcanon is that Astra didn’t turn that particular item over for study when she got home. . .
What do you MEAN you bought MONACO?
One card to rule them all, one card to buy them.
Heh.
To quote Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble.
Dada da dadadaaaaaa! CHARGE IT!
https://youtu.be/8rqNZAIQH4U
“I was trying to buy a used car. OK…CLASSIC used car.
A Dodge Monaco.”
I still want to know what happened to the Santa’s Elves made costume!
PleasePleasePlease have Halo visit the Astraverse!!!
From Sydney’s point of view she’d BE in TVLand!
“The camera is *here* for shots of Dispatch.
Hi David! Um… I hope I’m not out of line asking, but
has any ever said you look like Patton Oswalt?”
I can just imagine Hope sitting at home or wherever, and her “souvenir” ArcSWAT choker (sitting on a shelf with other memorabilia, probably next to Pony Maxima) suddenly waking up, only to hear Sydney plaintively going, “Hello? Hello? Can anybody read me…?”
I’d rather have a Sydney MLP. I figure mane and tail in her hair color, with appropriate bangs, glasses, and 7 colored spots on her flank…
Which type of pony?
Magic implies Unicorn.
Strength implies EarthPony.
Flying implies Pegasus.
With that reasoning, Maxima would imply Alicorn.
(My 1st choice for Maxima..EarthPony….also for Astra)
Hmmm, the cast page is broken. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Not broken, removed from access until maintenance can be performed on it. Which, given Dave’s backbreaking schedule is not likely to happen for some considerable time.
I actually enjoyed seeing Halo through Hope’s eyes and level of understanding. We see the bottled insanity that is Halo here in these pages but I think we tend to take it for granted as the story here is seen through Halo’s eyes mostly… In the Crossover we get to see Halo from Hope’s point of view and it gives a deeper look into how crazy she must seem to others. I’d love to see how Hope would deal with Shell, Shelly and Halo in the same room!
I love last panel Sciona’s face. Well done Dave! Definitely one of my faves so far (just behind about every second face Sydney makes :) ). There was a brief moment, where my mind screamed “protect!”.
Hm… I wonder I Vale is hinting that she made a deal she wasn’t super happy with at one point.
Oops!
Wrong thread, D!
WtC Teamups and Crossovers was my introduction to Grrl Power. I wouldn’t have known about it otherwise, but I’ve got to say I like the hijinks especially where Sydney is concerned. What I hadn’t guessed from the crossover story is how much mischief the rest of the team is capable of. :)
So having been a long time WtC reader (I have the first book when is was split into 2 parts on kindle and a signed special ed from Marion), just after Repercussions came out and got devoured, I was going through the list of characters/glossary in the back and saw Halo’s name again. So I went searching…first to Kindle where I came up blank. Then to Google where I found the actual webcomic. And then over a 4-5 day period power read the entire series cackling madly with laughter. I got a lot of strange looks from my wife. So now I’m a patreon supporter. Looking forward to reading more about the MIGHTY HALO and her team.
Glad you enjoyed it! Hopefully everything made sense in that chapter without prior knowledge of the characters.
I got most of it, but have a much better understanding and appreciation after reading the comics.
The audible version is now available at https://www.audible.com/pd/Team-Ups-Crossovers-Audiobook/1515943666
Free with 30-day trial
$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
OR
Buy for $20.99
OK…. Audio books now $7.99 each without a subscription.
I picked up #5 and #7 recently.
I’ll get #4 soon and #8 when available.
There’s a minor discrepancy between the Kindle and Audible versions of Team-Ups and Crossovers.
When Astra is in the library she reads that the female supers in Halo’s world….
Kindle: conformed to the Greeks’ standards of beauty.
Audible: conformed to the Geeks’ standards of beauty.
Both are correct.
Hah!
Never have understood how people can stand getting their books via audio – but that’s mostly because I tend to read so much faster that constantly waiting for the next spoken line is torture….
I prefer to read, but audiobooks are great for multitasking, like if you have a long commute or spend all day drawing.
I have the audiobooks because it provides a bit of “background noise” when I’m n the phone.
And listening to it being read is very relaxing (almost like ASMR)…for me at least.
And because it’s audio, I can scratch back and forth through the book if I nod off and miss a favorite part.
Also, because I buy both the Kindle AND Audible editions, I can enable “Whispersync” and actually read along with the audio narration.
You can set the audible audio at an accelerated speed. If I am relistening to a story, I set the speed higher.
I now have (checks Kindle library) 12 books by Harmon including the novellas Omega Night and Wearing the Cape A Christmas Carol.
I think Mr. Harmon got his money’s worth from this crossover event.
OK I’m late to Grrl Power but I’ve been following WtC and Hope since the overpass fell on her that gave her the breakthrough. I’ve just listened to Team-Ups and crossovers and loved Halo, Dabbler, Harem, (Maxima is a little too uptight to suit me) But I finally had the time to go looking to see where the Grrls came from.
Greetings to my virtual friends around the world!
What? Hardly any comments from 2020? (Oh. Replies.)
Here’s hoping for a better 2021 !
Well, with The Archon Files being complete (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2141951291/wearing-the-cape-the-role-playing-game/posts/3171689) I think it’s getting better already. ^_^
Just finished listening to the book on Audible. Which I got because I wanted to really hear that crossover. I will now probably get the rest of the series.
Only question and it is a nerd one. Doesn’t one of Sydney’s orbs create oxygen or atmosphere? Back when she was training in the pool they discovered it. It just stuck in my mind when in the book she whole of having to drop and put up her shield to replenish her air supply.
The way Sydney act, I can just picture how she is drawn in previous chapters. Over the top and confusing everyone around her.
They were lucky no one was dressed as Galactus at the convention. But nice way to keep Maxima from ending the fight in like 2 minutes.
That fact wasn’t revealed in the comic until 2017, and the book came out in 2016.
What Dave said. Also, I loved both Sydney in this and the My Little Pony Maxima. I seriously want to see someone make one.
I’m fairly sure I saw a goldish ripoff pony toy in the dollar store. I’ll look again.
Take an official Rairity figure, mask off the mane and tail and eyes.
Spray paint gold.
Sharpie the cutie mark.
Taa daa!
Would like to see another crossover!
It would have to be a Reverse Crossover where The Mighty Halo visits the Astraverse.
Well…if it ever comes to a site I can buy from, I’ll consider it.
My e-book is a Kobo. ;)
Astra’s team ups got got both my husband and I to look up Halo and catch up on all her adventures. Good job!
i just wanted to thank you for this crossover – just today ive finally hit the crossover with the grrlpower verse and the journey there through the entire series has been a blast
the wearing the cape series is great so thanks for introducing me to it <3
and for anyone interested – they are also available as a fantastic series of audiobooks out there
Well the crossover is what got me to search out this site. Must say I’m really enjoying reading the comic. It’s not getting less funny as time goes on, which is really hard.
I’ve read the Wearing the Cape series about six times now, and have been letting my friends know about it too.
The cover illustration for ‘Team-ups and Cross-overs’ link is broken on the Grrl Power website.
It’s just under ‘Sydney’s first crossover’.