Relocating the Marvel Universe — Part 26 — Maine

Maine is an out-of-the-way place to be sure. You don’t accidentally wind up in Maine, or even go there on the way to someplace, you actually have to want to go there.

Anyway, here’s the line up for …

MAINE

BANGOR (Paladin)

Paladin has his mercenary HQ in Bangor, Maine. He’s based there, sure, but most of his paying missions take him abroad and around the U.S. While he’s home though, he acts as that town’s defender, where he experiences a lot of general weirdness — ghost-infused cars, vampire takeovers, unstoppable rabid dogs, spirit clowns seem to pop up all the time in Maine, and the state’s go-to guy is the Paladin. Sure, beyond Maine, he puts on a public face of the gallavanting mercenary, but for his “town,” he acts as a regular down-to-earth hero, and Bangor (and the whole state) is often glad to have him.
Notes: Just in case you don’t get my subtle humor here, but I’m implying that all that Stephen King-type stuff actually happens in the M.U. version of Maine, and I set the Paladin against it. Paladin’s a great character. He should be applied liberally to the M.U.

PORTLAND/NOVA SCOTIA/NORTH ATLANTIC (Fantastic Force)

Though the team of heroes known as the Fantastic Force were once based in California*, the revitalization of the Fantastic Four and the de-aging of Franklin Richards broke up the team. Half of the heroes on the team went their separate ways — Richards back to his family, and Vibraxis returned to Wakanda. But Huntara, a warrior woman from the future, and Devlor, an Inhuman who could transform into an apelike creature, eventually came back together. Shunning a more traditional superhero spotlight, they retreated to Portland, Maine, were they developed their skills.

But despite their best efforts, Vibraxis wasn’t interested in rejoining, and Richards was far too busy with the F.F. Soldiering on, the two-person Fantastic Force forged ahead with their plans, and staked out a wide patrol area that includes much of the Bay of Maine and the North Atlantic shipping lanes. There they fought many dangers, helped thwart disasters, did much good,and even had a few appearances in Discovery Channel reality fishing shows. Still, their biggest victories were those with the least witnesses, and their efforts were largely unnoticed.
But wait! One person did notice: Ace news-hound Ethan Edwards of the Portland Planet. It was a good thing too, since Edwards was more than just a mild-mannered reporter. Secretly, he was the last son of a dying world** and gifted with powers greater than any human. Raised in rural Iowa, Edwards’s adoptive parents transformed him into a caring man, who learned that having such great power meant he had great responsibilities. With such a solid foundation, he seemed destined to be Maine’s*** premier superhero, but for one reason or another, his costumed persona, Virtue, has remained just as unnoticed as the Fantastic Force has. Edwards realized that he needed help with his heroing, and that he and the Fantastic Force should join together to defend the North Atlantic. 
Presenting the idea to Huntara and Devlor, the three got into a tremendous battle**** because each jumped to the wrong conclusion. Still, the brawl proved to be suprisingly theraputic, and they ultimately decided to work together as they protect their little corner of the world. 
Sadly, even with a reporter on their team, they’re still generally ignored by residents of Maine, Nova Scotia and even Atlantis.
But they keep trying, and gosh darn it, if they try hard enough, it just might work.

* Remember, the F.F. got moved to California.

** Not really. He’s actually a skrull, but a nice one.
***He liked the scenery better in Maine.
**** Even Huntara and Devlor were hitting one another, and they were already friends. What are comic books coming to?