Hamstrung Ambrosia

Dropping By, Part 3

Ambrosia was one of the few female comic book characters I had tried to write. She was a pain in my balls. I failed her. She corrupted my rules and my firmest plans. She could foment wild desires in the most strong-willed characters. Or writers.

Rob had fun with these qualities. If an arch villain wanted to destroy a city, Ambrosia would convince him that the city wasn’t grand enough, that it needed to flourish first.

The villain would then work to develop and beautify the city as only an arch-villain can, through manipulation, intimidation and deceit. Ambrosia would flame that character’s lust for destructive rage and the willingness to defer vengeance.

The city would prospered extravagantly. Its devastation would be biblical. Ambrosia would then help the villain to recognize that the city was his creation, and to destroy the city was to destroy himself.

Rob wrote several ironic tales fueled by Ambrosia’s ability to co-op any character’s essential impulse. And what comic book character could stand the self-irony?

To my consternation, Rob had to write her stories and dialog. My efforts were too weak.

Buddy created Hamstrung to have Ambosia’s own desires co-opted, too. Buddy wanted Ambrosia to sleep with Hamstrung. He even drew several explicit panels to show what it would look like.

Buddy rebelled against Ambrosia’s reflective honorability. He liked the gory, self-sacrifice, old testament kind of honor.

To piss Buddy off, Rob wrote the story of Hamstrung’s creation. Ambrosia collected and distilled sweat from captured villains during their arch moments of rationalized anguish. That essential spirit was the source of Hamstrung’s super powers.

Hamstrung became another clever plot device. He’d adopt some alias, show up, and then undo any progress a main character had made either in ordering the world or in ordering his psyche. Hamstrung told great stories. He was literally tall, dark and handsome. All the characters were fated to adore him in spite of the existential storms he festered.

… continued

——

Dropping By

Part 3: Hamstrung Ambrosia
Part 2: Breakfast With Dad
Part 1: This Is Too Much