Relocating the Marvel Universe — Part 12 — Alaska

ANCHORAGE (Moon Knight, Cyclops)

Moon Knight has set up shop in Anchorage, where he operates under the guidance of his god, Khonshu, who directs him to exact vengeance on evildoers. His activities aren’t limited to just working  in Alaska, but finds the climate tolerable and utiltizes the extended periods of darkness (which add to his power) to his best advantage when he is home. Moon Knight also has a secret temple hidden in a secret bunker just outside the city which houses his equipment, vehicles and holding cells.  His vigilante activities are visible enough that he is considered Alaska’s primary hero, even though local authorities have long sought to put an end to his “rampage” on Alaska’s citizens. At present, he is considered a criminal by the police, SHIELD and the FBI.
Notes: An Egyptian god in the arctic tundra? Sure that’s a little strange, but it also makes for some wild contrasts for the character.  You can’t deny that his “snowblind” regular uniform works perfectly in the Alaskan environments. Additionally, this isolation helps to further shield him from scrutiny by the authorities.

While he spends nearly all of his time with the X-Men, Cyclops has been known for some activity in Anchorage, where he maintains a vacation home. At most, Cyclops might spend a month or two in Alaska each year.
Notes: I always loved in the Claremont X-Men how Scott Summers would sometimes disappear from the team. He wouldn’t go on solo adventures. Instead, he went on soul-searching respites to his home country. Very little fighting, just Scott contemplating the mess his life was in. Of course if he had some sort of regular status in Anchorage, he’d definitely have some sort of adventures.

FAIRBANKS (Hellcat)

A reserve Avenger and a current Defender, Hellcat has been commissioned by the U.S. government to relocate to Alaska and serve as the state’s official hero. As such, she was moved to Fairbanks for it’s central location. While not exactly pleased to be in a frigid “wasteland” and set up in a tiny city, Hellcat does her best to address threats to the state. At present, her primary task is to reel in Moon Knight, though some have theorized that the “cat and mouse moon game” is really just an extended flirtation between the two.
Notes: My intention here is to set up a romance between the two, just like Catwoman and Batman have. Sure, they’re a copycats of better characters, but Marvel could do things with them that DC isn’t allowed to do.

BARROW (Cammi)

Elementary school student Cammi (one of the minor players in the “Annihilation” saga) has returned to her native state to continue her studies in the three Rs — reading, riting and rocketships! A master of vehicular control, she has been commissioned by the U.S. government to help them reverse engineer every captured interstellar craft the government possesses. In agreeing to work on the project, Cammi’s only requirement was to return home, so the feds simply built an installation up in Barrow where she could work. The installation is home to at least six different spacecraft models of Kree, Skrull, Shi’ar and Toad Man design, with additional ships being transported there each year. Since the facility is so valuable to the U.S., it is secured by a battalion of SHIELD operatives. Additionally, it gets regular visits from Ms. Marvel, who monitors alien activity in the U.S., and Razorback, another “I can drive anything” agent for the U.S. who resides in Arkansas.
Notes: Here’s another one of those characters I know very little about … but I love her premise! My proposal here would make for a great kids comic as Cammi learns about alien cultures. Sometimes she might fly to them. Other times they might come here. And other times, she would just be responding to threats across the globe. I picture it as a very “anime” type of book — mostly about the character with action thrown in for good measure.

JUNEAU (Silhouette)

Silhouette (boy do I hate spelling that word!) has left the New Warriors to reside in Juneau. With no ties to the area whatsoever, Sil came to Juneau for a fresh start after leaving her old team. The primary thing about Alaska that attracted her to the region was that its extended nights allowed her to maximize her shadow-based abilities. Beyond that, she’s always had a soft spot for assisting the poor and destitute, which she’s been able to find in the region’s fishing community. To help her in her new environment, Sil has modified her costume to further overcome her disability — adding the option to include skis and skates that work well with her crutches. Her costume alterations didn’t stop there either, as it’s been equipped with high-quality insulation and a land and water mini-survival pack. As anyone who knows Sil would expect, she would take to these changes like a duck to water, and now helps keep Juneau, nearby coastal waters and even a small swath of Canada safe for its residents.
Notes: Now back in my days of following the New Warriors, Sil was one of my favorite minor characters. The “polar gear” Sil might sound silly, but that’s exactly what she would do to maximize her usefullness. (And sure, I know Alaska isn’t blanketed in glaciers and snow 365 days a year, but it would be like going to Miami without a bathing suit.) Anyway, Sil’s efforts would certainly endear herself to the local population, and her teleportation ability would come in especially handy for island and ship hopping.

What’s “Relocating the Marvel Universe,” anyway? Well, check out the series hub, which includes a complete list of states here.