Posted: 11 October 2022 at 10:23pm | IP Logged | 1
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Yep, it's been done before (and possibly to death!) but here's a version with a Hallowe'en twist. In this divergence, Erskine gives Steve the Super-Soldier formula, but, instead of transforming him, he reacts badly, dying in the laboratory. Erskine is baffled – the formula ought to have worked! The spy who killed Erskine in our world smirks at him in this one, shattered and guilt ridden as he looks at Steve’s corpse, trying to understand what went wrong, haunted by the realisation that his promised army of super-soldiers will never come to be. As Steve never becomes Captain America, Bucky Barnes never learns his secret, or become his sidekick. There are also no Invaders. The Human Torch fights Fifth Columnists on the homefront, alongside Toro. Namor refuses to ally with the surface men but does fight the Nazis on his own terms. In the UK, an unopposed Baron Blood turns both John Falsworth and Jacqueline Falsworth into vampires, and, gradually, other members of the British establishment are turned too. Initially, the Red Skull – let’s say it was him who was behind the Nazi science that let Baron Blood survive exposure to sunlight – is delighted. But it soon becomes apparent that Baron Blood isn’t content to serve the Nazis, but wants to subjugate ALL humanity. Like the British, the Nazis are also gradually turned. Refusing to be converted, the Red Skull instead detonates a huge bomb that destroys much of Berlin and kills many vampires – but there are still many, and it looks inevitable that humanity will eventually be overwhelmed. As in our world, Brian Falsworth has been fighting the Nazis in Germany as The Mighty Destroyer, having taken the prototype, or variant, of the super-soldier serum, which hasn't been fatal, like the later version. He isn’t caught in the bomb blast, but, fighting Baroness Blood, revealed to be Jacqueline, he’s overcomes and drained of his blood. However, after rising, Brian realises that he ISN’T one of the undead, but is still human. Bewildered, he manages to contact some of his Atlantean allies, and, after convincing him that he’s telling the truth, they contact the leaders of the human resistance. Taken to New York, Brian is greeted by Erskine. Realising that the prototype, or variant, super-soldier serum acted as a kind of vaccine to vampirism, Erskine excitedly redevelops his super-solder serum, theorising that its even greater potency might even be able to not just prevent people from becoming vampires, but actually turn them back into humans. Brian returns to Europe with Erskine – taken there by the Atlanteans, perhaps? – where, alongside the Human Torch, he manages to ambush and overcome Jacqueline, although both badly wound each other. Injected with the formula, Jacqueline reacts badly at first, and, fearing history is repeating itself, Erskine cries out for more blood. Brian is a suitable donor, but too near death to give blood – so the Human Torch offers his artificial blood instead. The combination of his artificial blood with the super-soldier serum works! Jacqueline becomes human – and, as she soon realises, super-human, gifted with super-speed. Erskine’s promise of an army of super-soldiers has been fulfilled, or even exceeded, granting super-powers rather than physical, but still human, perfection. There’s a new world war to fight, but humanity has hope again. A soldier puts a grateful hand on Erskine’s shoulder and thanks him for what he’s done – and we realise it’s Bucky Barnes, who never died, as he did in our world - well, once upon a time - but who will instead be one of the leaders of the anti-vampire resistance.
Edited by Steven Brake on 11 October 2022 at 10:29pm
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