Ambriel Valentine a.k.a. Guardian Angel – First Appearance Issue #1 – Ambriel has a force that protects her from any harm. Whenever in danger Ambriel’s force protects her, sometimes just removing her from danger, sometimes acting against whatever put her in danger. Living a life with no chance of danger has led Ambriel to be easily bored and very adventurous, as seen in her first major appearance in issue #5.[1] In issue #14 Harold Nelson suppresses her powers for half an hour, which causes her to become ill since her body had never worked up its immune system. Once Dr. Newby manages to find her the force is back and will not let Dr. Newby pierce her skin to give her any kind of treatment. This leads to her death in issue #16. Vern who is a healer in the Rainmaker Program brings her back to life in issue #17.
Angela “Angie” Khang – First Appearance Issue #7 – Angie has similar ability to Hershel Clay, though in her teenage mind she’s more concerned about “pimping” a shuttle, then making it full efficient and safe to travel in. She made her own power glove which houses screwdrivers and a torch for wielding among other things. Her inventions sometimes have “gaps” in their makeup, which her power appears to “fill in” allowing the devices to only work while she’s using them. Her dad owns a junkyard which she uses to get spare parts, and she likes to put Honda logos on things she “fixes.” She may be a parody of Forge.
Bernard Brenner – First Appearance Issue #0 – Bernard is blue and muscularly built. He his powers are similar to his father Bryce Brenner, though he does not appear to be able to change back into a normal human[2]. Bernard has started living in the PS238 dormitories, his roommate is Zodon. His father is based on Bruce Banner – The Hulk.
Dillon Hunter a.k.a. USA Patriot Act – First Appearance Issue #6 – Dillon is on of the two cannidates that will one day replace Freedom Fighter, PS238 universes’ version of Captain America. Each of the two political parties is grooming a student to eventually become a super hero who promotes their party. Dillon is the Republican sponsored student. He rides a motor cycle and has disks with stars on them to throw.
Eddie DelFausto a.k.a. The Flea – First Appearance The Best of Dork Storm 2004 given away at Free Comic Book Day 2004 – Eddie is the son of Tarantella and The Mantis. He has the power to stick to walls, communicate with insects and jump long distances. He has two antenna and a blue and gray suit with red eyes. The Flea is a quick witted, fast talker similar to Spider-Man.
Franklin – First Appearance Issue #1 – Franklin can run fast. He has not been a major character but is often seen around the school. His super costume is red and yellow like the Flash.
Jared – First Appearance Issue #0 – Jared is a powerful telepath that was controlling his parents until they came to PS238 and were given the Psi-Block Virus to protect them from their son. He is based on the character Anthony Fremont from the episode of the Twilight Zone It’s a Good Life[3]. He has not been seen since Issue #0.
Jenny Wilson a.k.a. American Eagle – First Appearance Issue #6 – Jenny is the other student who is being backed by political party, she is the Democratic student. Jenny has a wings and may be a reference to the Falcon.
Julie Howard a.k.a. 84 – First Appearance Issue #2 – Julie is what you might call a common super powered individual. She has the ability of flight, super strength, super speed and invulnerability. These powers are known as the big four, and she is the 84th metahuman to only have these abilities. Being a successful superhero requires more than just having powers, and it seems that people with only generic super abilities have a harder time making a name for themselves in the business. She wears a very generic costume and has her first major appearance in issue #18. She may be a reference to the first appearance of the Legion of Super-Heroes, where superboy is initially refused admittance because he is too normal.
Kevin Kramer a.k.a. Emerald Gauntlet – First Appearance Issue #1 – Kevin is the son of the original Emerald Gauntlet, when he was born his father’s gauntlet created a duplicate for his son. Kevin is the know-it-all who is usually wrong, for example he was convinced that Ron Peterson did not need air, sleep or food because he was an alien.[4] His father was given his gauntlet by aliens,[5] he is similar to the Green Lantern.
Malphast – First Appearance Issue #0 – On first sight Malphast’s parents appear to be a male angel and a female demon though they claim to be agents of order and chaos, as opposed to good and evil. Though Malphast appears in the back round starting in issue #0 his origin is not told until issue #6. In issue #11 there is a story where he becomes a main character and in issue #24 he goes on a mission with Cecil to rescue Tyler. He has a very large red cape similar to Spawn and his origin is similar to the Genesis entity in Preacher.
Mo-ron “Ron” Peterson a.k.a. Captain Clarinet – First Appearance Issue #1 – Ron has all the powers of his father Atlas who is based on Superman. He has black hair and wears a purple and red suit. Ron was afraid of flying because he might hit a plane, but got over that fear at the end of Issue #1. In issue #20 we find out that Ron’s parents are getting divorced. Ron blames himself for his parents getting divorced because they argue about Ron becoming a superhero when he grows up.
Murphy – First Appearance Issue #0 – Murphy is a child version of Neil Gaiman’s Morpheus. He is prone to talking for long amounts of time about the complexities of the physical universe and has given himself the title “Prince of Daydreams”[6]. Murphy has a sister who does not attend PS238.
Poly Mekkis a.k.a. Polymer – First Appearance Issue #3 – Poly has stretching ability similar to Plastic Man though she finds it difficult to compress herself into a normal appearance. She looks elongated with a long neck and limbs because of this. Poly is seen in the back round of many issues but is usually not involved in the main story.
Prospero – First Appearance Issue #2 – Prospero is an alien who for reasons unknown was sent to PS238 as a kind of exchange student. He speaks an alien language that has yet to be translated, though he seems to understand English. He has technical abilities, and has formed a bond with Angie who seems to understand him somewhat. He has a popgun that shoots small ping pong balls, Herschel thinks that if he shoots you with one that means he likes you. He was named after Prospero since no one can understand him, or figure out his real name.[7]
Suzanne Finster a.k.a. Suzi Fusion – First Appearance Issue #0 – Suzi has nuclear powers similar to Captain Atom. She has red pigtails and large glasses, and is a bit childish for her age. Some of the children in Excelsior Public School have made fun of her for watching Blue’s Clues which caused her to go nuclear[8], showing she still has much to learn about power control and social interaction.
Tom Davidson – First Appearance Issue #7 – Tom has the ability to time travel. He uses this ability to do a history report with Zodon, Tyler and Suzi in Issue #7 about Mr. Extraordinary, the first documented superhuman. He makes an appearance in Issue #12 when his future self comes to show him the Castle Beyond Time and Space. The two Toms send Tyler on a mission to stop Zodon from time traveling. Afterwards he pays Tyler in comic books from the 70’s.
Tyler Marlocke a.k.a. Moonshadow – First Appearance Issue #3 – Tyler is unique because he is the only student of PS238 with absolutely no powers. He is the son of Uiltima and Sovereign Powers, who are two of the most powerful superheroes in the world. Tyler’s parents are in the Earth Defense League, and assume that Tyler will one-day exhibit superpowers like themselves. They have tried to coax his powers into manifesting by doing things like throwing him off buildings. Because of this and his parent’s insistence on his enrollment Tyler was put in PS238, partially to keep him safe from his parents. Tyler has shown that he at least possesses common sense and the ability to think on his feet. Principle Cranston has enlisted the help of The Revenant, a superhero similar to Batman, to assist Tyler in learning how to survive school, his parents and maybe crimefighting some day.[9] Tyler lives in the PS238 dorms, and has yet to be assigned a roommate. After Issue #3 Tyler became the main character of the series appearing in every issue since. In issue #6 he is elected student body president.[10]
Victor Mycroft Von Fogg – First Appearance Issue #3 – Victor is the son of the powerful supervillian Phillippe Von Fogg. He enrolled in PS238 after going through many private tutors. His father thinks that going to school at PS238 may help his son takeover the world some day. Victor has a rivalry with Zodon who also wants to take over the world.[11] Victor and his father are based on Doctor Doom. Phillippe Von Fogg is also based on Aaron Williams’ friend Phil Foglio.
Xavier Jordan – First Appearance Issue #0 – Xavier is young, only three or four, but he has incredible strength. He is the son of superheroes Black Titan and Battle Axe[12]. He has not been seen since Issue #0.
Zodon – First Appearance Issue #0 – Zodon is a future supervillian with super intelligence. He made a hover chair, which he constantly rides in, it even has a rinse cycle so he doesn’t have to leave it to bath. He is bald and has an oversized head. He has a tendancy to curse, and Herschel Clay installed a Barry Ween chip in his head that turns his swearing into random words, or on long rants into show tune numbers[13]. He has attempted to prey on Captain Clarinet’s fear of flying because he doesn’t want to grow up and regret missed opportunities.[14] He lives in the PS238 dormitories with Bernard.
Students in the Rainmaker Program[]
Hestia – First Appearance Issue #0 – Hestia is the living embodiment of the greek goddess of the hearth. She holds power over all relating to the home and family[15], and is powerful against those breaking the rules of hospitality. She is a parody of Thor.
Kathy – First Appearance Issue #8 – Kathy can repair and reconstruct objects, making them work like new in the case of machinery.
Lyle – First Appearance Issue #8 – Lyle’s power is complex, he has a way of seeing patterns that allow him to know things. This gives him close to omniscience, but there are so many patterns in the world that it’s painful for him to see them all. He spends a lot of time in a white room listening to music when his power becomes too much for him to handle. Lyle made a friendship with Harold Nelson who has the ability to suppress his powers, this allows Lyle to be normal for short periods of time which he thoroughly enjoys.
Marvin – First Appearance Issue #8 – Marvin has the power to make people fall asleep.
Orchid – First Appearance Issue #8 – Orchid can make plants grow. Her powers are similar to Poison Ivy.
Steve Newdeck – First Appearance Issue #8 – Steve has the ability to create music. His sonic powers are not powerful enough for use in combat though. He has a tendency to miss pronounce people’s names, once calling Marvin “Marcus,” and another time he called the Revenant “Remnant.”
Uther – First Appearance Issue #0 – Uther has the ability to turn any material editable. Upon making it he can choose the fat, vitamin, and caloric content of the object as well as the taste[16]. He prefers to turn completely unappetizing objects into food such as rocks, light bulbs and chalkboard erasers.
Vera – First Appearance Issue #8 – Vera can recall the past about anything she touches, or places she looks at.
Vern McIntire – First Appearance Issue #8 – Vern is a powerful healer. He has been schooled by Dr. Newby since his power is similar to hers, though he appears to be potentially much more powerful than her. In issue #17 he brings Ambriel back to life, showing he is a healer of “Messiah-Level” which had only been theorized until that point. Dr. Newby covered the whole event up to protect Vern.
Zachary – First Appearance Issue #8 – Zach has the power to dig. His ability to dig tunnels has helped out Hershel lay new wiring for the school. In Issue #16 he digs up a “pirate” ship to pay for a bus so the kids can get back to PS238.
Students in Excelsior Public School[]
Gord and Ed – First Appearance Issue #1 – Gord is a bully at Excelsior with Ed backing him up. The two of them have had several run-ins with children from PS238 including Zodon in issue #1[17] and both American Eagle and USA Patriot Act in issue #6. They become Charles henchmen after Charles realizes he has super powers, and end up getting locked in a building because of it. After being saved by one of the Dr. Positrons, they are interrogated by Cecil Holmes.
Cecil Holmes – First Appearance Issue #3 – Cecil attends Excelsior Public School located above PS238. Since the students at PS238 and Excelsior Public School share the same playground Cecil has noticed some odd behavior. After introducing himself to Tyler Marlocke he tells him that something strange is going on at their school. Tyler, who knows that they are just kids with superpowers convinces Cecil that the kids are alien, that he was put there to spy on the aliens by a government agency.[18] Tyler does this to keep PS238 secret and Herschel makes Cecil and Tyler badges for the fictional organization B.A.M. (the Bureau of Alien Monitoring).[19] In Issue #22 it turns out that the Revenant has given Cecil a shrink gun and assumed the position of Bureau Director. In Issue #24 Cecil goes with Malphast on a rescue mission after Tyler. The mission takes them through various dimensions which leaves Cecil highly mutated, though only on planes other than the material one. Once back in the real world Cecil is changed back to normal, though his trench coat retains its ability to sprout wings and allow him fly.
Charles Brigman – First Appearance Issue #9 – Charles is one of the school bullies at Excelsior. In Issue #11 Malphast challenges Charles to a game of Four Square in another realm. Over the course of the game entities of order and chaos are the referees of the game and it is exposed that Charles has the power to teleport. In issue #17 he uses his new found power to drop children into a local lake, he does this to Tyler several times because Tyler stood up to him once. In issue #19 Charles is taken into custody by the Praetorian Academy, another school for superpowered youth that may have dark intentions. He reappears in issue #23 and still has a hatred of Tyler.
Satori Deacon – First Appearance Issue #17 – Satori and her family moved from Pittsburgh. As it turns out Satori can see ghosts and talk to them. This power is quite a burden, as ghosts constantly want your help if they know you can see them. After almost being driven insane, a ghost who wore a costume similar to Ambriel told her where to send her dad’s resume so he could get a better paying job and she could get a new chance with a clean slate. While Ambriel was dead she found out Satori could see dead people and told Principle Cranston. Satori also saw that Vashti was wearing a costume, showing she has the ability to see through illusions as well as Herschel’s holograms. In addition to seeing ghosts she can let them posses her, which allows her to have their memories and in the case of former superheroes, their powers for as long as they posses her. She had a confrontation with Vern after he brought Ambriel back to life because she feels it was not right to do. She may be attending PS238 now.