Illustrate

Illustrate has been stewing around in my head for a while now. Originally named Doodle, he's a psychic with the ability to manifest his drawings as 3D figures. Controllers have never been fun for me (mostly due to the fact that they don't hit their stride until later on and I don't have the willpower to stick with them that long), but with the recent 2XP weekend, I was able to push him to a level I was more comfortable with. He draws inspiration from the Quilt, Spider-Man, and CoX's own Malaise.

Like most kids living in Paragon City, Matt Freiman was always fascinated by the heroes that protected his home. Unlike most kids however, he was less interested in being a hero, and more interested in drawing heroes. He was always that kid that sat in the back of the classroom doodling in his notebook instead of listening.

Matt was never the best student, but he did okay. His teachers liked him, but none more so than his art teacher. She adored him and would constantly tell him that he should major in art. Thanks to her, Matt graduated from high school knowing exactly what he wanted to do. He applied to the University of Maryland and was accepted (mostly thanks to his high school art teacher's glowing recommendation).

Matt survived college for a total of 2 months before he decided that it just wasn't for him. He dropped out, much to the dismay of his professors, who had taken to using his abilities as a standard for the other students to try and achieve. Unlike his college professors, his high school art teacher took his dropping out as a sign of his true artist's soul, not able to be tied down.

Matt took the rest of the year off, rented a van, and explored the world. He traveled to art museums everywhere from Paris to China. Along the way, he learned about many different art styles. When questioned as to why he didn't just stay in school and learn the same stuff there, his answer was simple. The way he was doing it was on his terms, he could do, and learn, anything he wanted to. This was one of the happiest times of his life. Which made it even harder for him to stop and go home. The simple truth was, Matt was running out of money. He couldn't afford to live this lifestyle anymore, so he returned home.

Matt got a job at an art supplies shop in Talos Island. He worked as a cashier and an art teacher to pay the bills. It wasn't his dream job, but then again his dream job was to not have to work. He thought that he was doomed to work in Talos teaching kids how to draw for the rest of his life, but then something truly amazing happened.

Matt had always felt that art was not something that you could simply teach to people. He always explained to his classes that they would be doing a lot of stuff on their own, with him merely acting as a guide. There was one kid, however, that couldn't seem to get this idea into his head. He continually demanded that Matt teach him how to draw. Matt tried to get himself to calm down, but the kid wouldn't shut up. Finally Matt snapped. He turned around, ready to yell at the kid, when all of a sudden the drawing on the easel next to him hopped off the page. The drawing (which happened to be a self portrait of the artist) looked like it was thinking the same thing as Matt.

Matt was surprised. The kid was horrified. It looked as if the drawing was going to do away with the annoying kid right there, but then the door of the studio burst open and Matt lost concentration on the drawing and on the kid, and focused on his boss who had just entered.

It didn't take Matt's boss long to figure out what had happened. The kid's constant complaining had annoyed Matt to such an extent that his latent mutant gene was awakened. As it turned out, Matt was a powerful psychic who could manifest things like artwork as 3D figures. Matt's boss couldn't have another incident like this, and sure enough Matt was fired. There were no hard feelings though. Matt was glad to be free once again. Before he left, Matt's boss suggested that he consider becoming a hero.

He spent the next week mulling the idea over before slapping together a costume and registering as the hero, Illustrate. He wasn't very good at the hero thing at first, but he finally got the hang of it. With the help of a few of his favorite drawings, Matt has found a new joy in life: helping others.

Matt is a drifter. He goes with the flow, rather than against it. His idea of fun isn't going out to a movie, but rather going out and taking whatever opportunity comes along first. This personality helps Matt in many different situations. For example, a mistake in a drawing isn't a mistake, but rather a way to enhance, or re-envision the drawing. In battle, this ability is very useful. Matt is able to take whatever is thrown at him in stride and adapt to the situation, combining this with a powerful imagination and psychic powers, and Matt is a force to be reckoned with.

Matt is an amazingly powerful psychic. His abilities are focused on manifesting 2D pictures in a 3D, solid form. With this ability, he's only limited by his imagination and his skills as an artist. Matt is also able to form a bubble of protection around his allies using his mind. Matt's major setback is the fact that his powers require his complete concentration, which makes manifesting several drawings at the same time as he is protecting his allies very hard for him to do. In addition, Matt does not have many of the more traditional powers of a psychic. Matt is unable to read or control minds, and he has no telekinetic abilities.

One of his first drawings. This group was first created when Matt was 5. Matt annually updates the look of the Squad. He has also taken it upon himself to give the characters their own personalities and backstories. They are by far his favorite creation, but they are also the hardest for Matt to maintain in a corporeal form. The group is comprised of the following:

• Furnace: The leader of the group, Furnace is a hero with fire controlling abilities. Furnace was created as a hot-headed, and sometimes overeager leader, usually getting the group in over their heads.
• Triage: The healer of the group. Triage is able to heal her allies, while at the same time utilizing her martial arts training to fight her enemies. She is reluctant and unsure of herself.
• Sledge: The heavy-hitter of the group. Sledge is a giant of a man, with the strength to match. He's usually the voice of reason in the group.
  
  
  
  
  

Every Kheldian energy being retains the patterns of its past hosts, and can use these patterns to transform itself and its current host into an energy-based duplicate of that creature, gaining new abilities in the process. The Dark Nova form is patterned off a race called the Hulnanim that lived in the lightless depths of a gas giant planet. The Dark Nova form retains the ability to fly and to shape and project Dark Energy bolts of incredible power.

When Matt saw his first Kheldian, he was fascinated. He watched it fly through the air for several minutes before he whipped out his sketch pad and drew a quick sketch.

Matt had never intended to use this sketch in battle, but after working with several Kheldians and observing the effect that their presence had on the enemies, as well as noticing that his teammates were more cautious when faced with things such as Shadow Cyst Crystals, he knew that it would be a great help to him on the field. He refined his sketch, and now uses it in battle regularly.

Knowing virtually nothing about the powers a Kheldian possesses, Matt's drawing is little more than a fear tactic used to keep his enemies at bay while his more powerful drawings do the fighting.

Empowered the ancient magics and the Stone of Akhlumoset, the Ultimate fights for truth and justice!

The Ultimate is the powerhouse of Matt's arsenal. Matt created the Ultimate after watching heroes like Imperial and Grae Knight do battle. In drawing the Ultimate, Matt tried to make his costume as iconic as possible. In addition, he didn't give the Ultimate a secret identity because he thought that it would make him seem larger than life. The Ultimate is the easiest drawing for Matt to manifest in a physical form because there is only one of him and the concept of his powers is so definite.

The Ultimate has superhuman strength and can left well over 10 tons.
The Ultimate is empowered by the stone of Akhlumoset, an ancient artifact that grants the wearer the ability to fire powerful blasts of energy from their palms.

In addition, the Ultimate has the power of flight and near invincibility.

• NONE D:

• Matt always has a pencil and a sketchpad.
• Matt has a weak photographic memory.
• Matt is lactose intolerant, but he tries not to let it bother him.
• Matt's greatest fear is becoming colorblind.