CLM: The Pride

Today’s Crime Lords are another recent, and terribly clever addition to the comic book landscape. It all started when writer Brian K Vaughn began to wonder why all of the superheroes in the United States were situated on the East Coast. There had to be some reason why both heroes and villains stayed away from Los Angeles in droves, so Vaughn decided to make one up.

Enter The Pride.

Who are The Pride? Well, they’re the greatest criminal masterminds you, and the superhuman community, have never heard of. A group of twelve diverse and dangerous individuals, they secretly controlled the greater Los Angeles area for over a decade!

• Geoffrey and Catherine Wilder: Criminal masterminds.
• Dale and Stacey Yorkes: Time-travelers.
• Frank and Leslie Dean: Space alien arms dealers.
• Victor and Janet Stein: Mad scientists.
• Gene and Alice Hayes: Evil mutants. Not that all mutants are evil. Let’s not stereotype here.
• Robert and Tina Minoru: Dark wizards who dress like ninjas.

Their ultimate goal was world domination, but to do that would require patience. You see, The Pride were serving masters of their own: the extradimensional demi-gods known as The Gibborim. The Gibborim provided The Pride immense power and resources, but each year a human sacrifice was required. It was through these sacrifices, known as the Rite of Thunder, The Gibborim would someday have enough power to destroy mankind, save for the six individuals who they felt had served them best.

For seventeen years The Pride dutifully took an innocent life as part of the sacrifice, and maintained control over the West Coast. Unfortunately on that seventeenth year their own children had discovered The Prides’ dark secret. These children, now known as the Runaways, eventually saved the world by stopping both their parents and The Gibborim from completing their plants. During a final confrontation with their children, The members of The Pride were destroyed.

Aside from the sheer awesomeness of the Runaways comic book, The Pride deserve a place in the VS. System because of what a diverse group they are. While I don’t expect a full team affiliation, I think they would be a great fit with the existing Crime Lords. Much like HYDRA and Red Skull will represent a second face to the Crime Lords affiliation, The Pride would be a perfect fit for a third focus, the long-awaited Crime Lords alternate win condition! Plus, if you put in The Pride you can justify finding room for the Runaways…. and that’s pretty much the greatest thing ever.

Think about it, UDE.