Protagonists in the Iconic Comics Shared Universe.
Black Hops and Spec Hops
Black Hops is an elite military unit consisting of preternaturally powerful animals and their human handlers, partners, and owners. They take on special operations missions for the American government; their jobs range from derailing a nuclear launch to extracting a defecting soldier from a literal fortress. Spec Hops is similar, but it goes on missions that Black Hops members might have moral objections to undertaking.
For the human members of Spec Hops, see the Iconic Comics Antagonists folders for Vicki Kaminski / Vermillion Masquerade and Kanina Lovacova / Hare Trigger.
A hare which was irradiated when American troops dropped a nuclear warhead on Hiroshima. USA GI subsequently developed a wide array of powers, including enhanced intelligence, optical camouflage, and an ability to talk to other animals. He was adopted by an American soldier and has served multiple generations of owners / partners as one of America's most powerful warriors. He left Black Hops for a time and relaxed on a ranch with his latest owner, Penelope Freling, but has recently returned to the field.
- The Ageless: He stopped aging after he was irradiated.
- Cutlass Between the Teeth: He can fight by gripping an edged weapon's hilt in his mouth and then going to slit throats or stab enemies.
- Killer Rabbit: He is a literal hare who can slaughter trained mercenaries and soldiers by himself.
A cyborg tortoise with an armory of weapons hidden in his shell. He's a crucial part of Black Hops.
- Walking Armory: His gimmick. He has a huge arsenal of weapons ranging from blades to machine guns and rocket launchers hidden in his shell, and those weapons can either be activated by his animal companions or by his cybernetics.
- Weaponized Animal: He has been augmented with various weapons to make him a deadly combatant.
An irascible otter who was irradiated in the Fukushima nuclear disaster. He's antisocial and doesn't get along well with others, but he's still a very capable fighter and he always protects his Black Hops teammates.
- Blood Knight: Unlike the other animals, he displays glee when he has the chance to slaughter his foes.
One of the military's best war dogs, and Millius's partner. He joined Black Hops along with Millius.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: He was able to identify a jihadist ambush and protect Millius from being blown up by it.
A tanuki-like Black Hops operative who uses explosives. He is a cryptid and a raccoon-dog.
- Tanuki: He has the appearances of one and is named after one.
A jackalope who was mutated, along with many other rabbits, during nuclear tests in Nevada. He is probably the last jackalope left after Kanina Lovacova hunted down the others and slaughtered them to make a fur coat. Unlike the other animal companions, he's part of Spec Ops, a team which takes on jobs that Black Hops may have moral qualms with.
- Last of His Kind: He's considered likely to be the very last jackalope.
A cryptid which looks like a devil and is based in New Jersey. He was born to a human mother but was then abandoned due to his freakish appearance. After being rescued from Cryptiq, he joined Spec Hops.
- Meaningful Name: Pitchfork has a traditionally demonic appearance and calls himself 'Pitchfork,' a tool which the Devil is often depicted as using.
USA GI's first military partner.
- Morality Pet: Ironically, he serves as one to USA GI, comforting the rabbit and helping him not fall into nihilistic despair. Cal does this by explaining how he lost loved ones in war too just as USA GI lost his original owner, and then arguing that the two of them can fight to protect their remaining loved ones. USA GI backs off of his temper tantrum and agrees to help the good guys win the war.
USA GI's third and current partner, and the youngest of Cal's three grandchildren.
- Car Fu: She does this accidentally, luring a chupacabra into the path of a speeding truck and killing it.
- Fiery Redhead: She's a redhead, and she can get frustrated and loud if she finds people acting inappropriately on missions.
- Friendly Sniper: She primarily fights with a rifle and does her share of sniping, but she's very personable as long as she isn't trying to kill you.
An American soldier who is invited to join Black Hops on the basis of his bond with his dog Commando-G.
- Eyepatch of Power: After Mimic shoots out his eye, he gets an eyepatch which he can use to shoot lasers.
The agent who reluctantly recruited Commando-G and Millius to Black Hops.
- Heroic Sacrifice: He died saving Commando-G's life.
- Taking the Bullet: He took a bullet meant for Commando-G.
The agent who took over acting as Black Hops's liaison after West died.
- Mission Control: He broadly functions like this, giving out missions to the team after he becomes their liaison.
Kamen Corps
The Kamen Corps is a set of girls who obtained superpowers from being struck by irradiated cosmic debris (or, in one case, being in close proximity to irradiated debris for long periods of time). Together they battle various villains with evil plans for the world.
- By the Power of Grayskull!: The Kamen Corps use their own individual catchphrases when they activate their powers.
- Domino Mask: A standard for all of the Kamen Corps, except for Kamen Victory, who has a visor.
- Elemental Hair Colors: As part of their transformations, their hair colors change to match their powers: Kamen America (lightning) is blonde, Kamen Comet (fire) has bright red hair, and Kamen Ramen (water) has blue hair.
- Henshin Hero: All of the girls (except Kamen Victory, who relies on Powered Armor) have to activate their powers to use them.
- Hour of Power: The chimeration powers have a three-hour time limit per 24-hour period, although it is possible to extend this limit by exposing themselves to their native element. It becomes a major plot point during the climax of Volume 3, when the Kamen Corps reach their limits shortly after Vermillion Masquerade attacks Area 51, forcing them to retreat.
- Leotard of Power: The standard attire for the Kamen Corps until the final battle with Vermillion Masquerade at the end of Volume 4, when they trade them in for Minidresses of Power.
- Shout-Out: The transformation catchphrases used by Carly, Mishia, and Kimiko are all derived from lyrics to American patriotic songs: "Fateful Lightning" for Kamen America comes from "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", "Red Glare" for Kamen Comet is from "The Star-Spangled Banner", and "Shining Sea" for Kamen Ramen is from "America the Beautiful".
- Similarly, the weapons used by the Kamen Corps to defeat the Otomoton (Swift Sword, Watch Fire, Evening Dew, and Burnished Steel) are also named after lyrics to "Battle Hymn of the Republic".
- Transformation Sequence: Carly, Misha, and Kimiko all have one when they activate their powers, which is Hand Waved as a "stage magic trick" that Carly learned and taught the others. Sylvia gains one when she unveils her Mark III Victory Armor in Volume 8.
Carly was an ordinary girl who just wanted to design clothes and serve her country. She got her chance when, after performing in a USO show for troops abroad, she was struck by irradiated space debris and given incredible powers. At first her agent Lansky tried to exploit her to bring in some merchandising dollars, but she eventually sacked him, and now she uses her skills to stand up to various villains that appeared in the wake of the space probe crash. The Fighting Fashionista, the Patriotic Paladin, Carly Vanders is Kamen America — and she'll defend her friends, her family, and her nation with everything she has.
When she isn't being a hero, Carly spends her time designing and selling her own fashion line "Visions by Vanders."
- All-American Face: She's a superhero with a patriotic name and costume.
- Be Yourself: Carly resisted massive pressure from both her teacher and her agent to compromise her ideals, and instead stayed true to herself. Her strength of character is one of the factors that makes her such a powerful hero.
- Boobs-and-Butt Pose: Her default pose after her Transformation Sequence.
- Captain Patriotic: She was originally prevented by her PR agents from using "America" in her name to avoid politicizing herself. As such, when she decides to strike out on her own her natural patriotism wins out.
- Cleavage Window: All of Kamen America's outfits have star-shaped ones.
- Expy: She's a parody of Carol Danvers, from her name as well as her former alias of "Warhen" (a play on Warbird). Her costume is also meant to be a more patriotic version of Carol's Captain Marvel outfit.
- Embarrassing Nickname: Lansky originally gave her the superhero name "Warhen," largely for marketability reasons. She thought the name was stupid and renamed her hero identity "Kamen America" as soon as she fired him.
- Fiery Redhead: She is naturally red-haired and is quickly irritated, especially in the early volumes when Niro or Sylvia were involved.
- Flying Brick: Carly has many of the requisite powers, including flight, an energy projection attack (her lightning blasts), and the ability to take hits and keep on fighting.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: Happens to her during the the Zenerengers Saga when she attempts to expose the fact the group and their benefactor were thbones behind the Otomoton attacks in a ploy to push their climate change agenda. She is very quickly slandered and declared a lunatic conspiracy theoriest for several volumes until the villains' plan was exposed.
- Ms. Fanservice: She wears form-fitting costumes that leave much of her skin exposed, and many panels are framed to show off her curves.
- Primary-Color Champion: Kamen America's outfits are red, white, and blue, with yellow trim.
- Real Women Don't Wear Dresses: As a girl, she was pushed towards sports since her teachers claimed it was "progressive" even though her real interests lie in fashion.
- Shock and Awe: Carly can shoot lightning thanks to the powers she got from the irradiated space debris.
- Wearing a Flag on Your Head: What else would you expect from a character named Kamen America?
- Whole Costume Reference: Her outfit is a clear reference to Carol Danver's Ms. Marvel outfit: a Leotard of Power with a sash tied around the waist, thigh-high boots, opera gloves, and a domino mask. The main difference is Kamen America's outfit is red, white, and blue as opposed to Carol's black one.
Misha's family owned and ran Ningen, a Private Military Contractor organization, and Misha was trained in military skills since she was very young. After she was hit by space debris and obtained fire powers, she took the name "Meteor" and was sent into the field to take some missionaries hostage, but Carly talked her into letting them go. She later defected to America, joined Carly, and became the Kamen Corps's second member as Kamen Meteor.
- Blood Knight: Her first on-panel appearance as Kamen Comet has her explicitly telling the monster she is confronting that she is going to murder him, all while sporting a Slasher Smile.
- Cleavage Window: Her outfits have flame-shaped ones.
- Gun Nut: Despite of dislike of her mercenary work, Misha still professes a love of firearms and works in Siggy's gun store in her spare time.
- Hopeless Suitor: She is attracted to Siggy and flirts aggressively with him, but he's clearly in love with Carly, and eventually Misha realizes she doesn't have a chance.
- Playing with Fire: Misha's powers let her throw fireballs to devastate her opponents.
- Private Military Contractor: She was a soldier in one, though she defected relatively quickly after gaining her powers.
- Real Women Don't Wear Dresses: Similar to Kamen America, as a young girl she was pushed towards sports for her size despite her real interests being sewing. After gaining her powers she was pushed to become a soldier, which she hated.
- You Gotta Have Blue Hair: When her powers are activated, her normally black hair turns bright red.
Kimiko's family owned a huge ramen company, and Kimiko grew up in the lap of luxury thanks to the money brought in by the family business. She eventually decided she wanted to be a radiologist but couldn't pass the college entrance exams. After trying and failing dozens of times, she was struck by space debris and gained water powers. After seeing Carly saving people on television, she decided that Carly could help her overcome some of her own issues, and so she went to America and joined the Kamen Corps as Kamen Ramen.
- Asian Airhead: Kimiko is definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed, having repeatedly failed her college entrance exams.
- Cleavage Window: Her outfits have teardrop-shaped ones.
- Determinator: Her multiple failures have not deterred her from her dreams of becoming a radiologist.
- Genki Girl: She's easily the most excitable of the group.
- Goth: Based on her old bedroom, which is full of gothic decor such as skulls, Kimiko used to be a goth.
- Making a Splash: Kimiko has water powers.
- An Ice Person: Kamen Ramen can control the temperature of the water she manipulates, allowing her to use ice as well as liquid water.
- Rōnin: Kimiko repeatedly failed to get into college, preventing her from pursuing her dream of being a radiologist.
- You Gotta Have Blue Hair: When her powers are activated, her normally black hair turns a light shade of blue.
Sylvia grew up extremely wealthy thanks to her family's immensely successful business empire, but she had difficulty making friends and felt alone. Her closest companion was her father, but after he died from illness, she had to move on without him. Her wealth was never able to make her as loved or appreciated by her classmates as Carly and Sylvia developed a rivalry with her, resulting in her accepting a suit of power armor from Lansky and becoming a rival heroine named Kamen UN. Despite the best efforts of Lansky and his secret backer Vermillion Masquerade, however, Carly and Sylvia eventually reconciled. Sylvia then renamed herself Kamen Victory and fought alongside the rest of the Kamen Corps.
Unlike the rest of the Kamen Corps, Sylvia did not gain powers from being struck by radioactive space debris. However, the power armor that Lansky gave her incorporated Vermillion's mud, and Sylvia wore it for long enough that a small amount of the mud's radiation transferred to her as well. This gave her the ability to control similar suits of power armor that the government developed, and she used those suits to battle alongside her friends.
- Blade Below the Shoulder: All of her armors have extendable wrist-blades as her primary melee weapons.
- Friendless Background: A flashback in Volume 5 implies that she didn't have many friends growing up.
- Gamer Chick: Sylvia is an avid gamer, though she is embarrassed to admit it and lies to Kimiko about playing JRPGs after jokingly describing the Kamen Corps as "all tanks and no healer".
- Ms. Fanservice: Though normally the most conservatively dressed of the Kamen Corps, she is still very attractive and models Carly's summer clothing line at a fashion show in Las Vegas. Hilarity Ensues when the Otomotons attack the show and she has to run several blocks across downtown in a bikini to retrieve her Victory Armor from her hotel room.
- Powered Armor: Sylvia, having no inherent powers, uses these to fight.
- Privileged Rival: She was this to Carly. Carly was jealous of her wealth and apparently popularity, while Sylvia was jealous of how people seemed to like and respect Carly more than her.
For Vicki Kaminski, see the Vermillion Masquerade folder in Iconic Comics Antagonists.
Carly's best friend and crush since childhood. Siggy now works at his family's gun store, and he also serves as the official manager to the Kamen Corps.
- Badass Normal: Unlike the rest of the squad, he neither has superpowers nor advanced military technology such as powered armor. However, whenever he's thrown into battle, he shows that he can fight very effectively with his guns and his tactical skills.
- Car Fu: At one point he took out an enemy monster with a forklift.
Carly's loving parents.
- Good Parents: They love Carly dearly and supported her, comforting her when she was sad and helping her when she was weak.
Siggy's father.
- The Missionary: Barrett serves as a missionary. He was working in this capacity when Misha's team of Ningen soldiers captured him, instigating Carly's first mission as Kamen America.
Sylvia's father.
- Delicate and Sickly: Simon had a mysterious illness which made him weak and ultimately killed him.
Kimiko's father.
- Good Parents: He is endlessly supportive of Kimiko, no matter how many times she fails. He even got her a place of her own so she could study for her college exams more effectively.
A heroine who initially worked for Lansky before he fired her. Darlene is a cheerful girl who primarily fights by feeding snacks to her magical marmot Henshy.
- Genki Girl: She's very cheerful and enthusiastic.
A hero who worked for Lansky before being fired. Chad is attractive, flirtatious, and suave, and he fights with ice powers.
- An Ice Person: Chad fights by summoning and wielding ice.
Darlene's marmot. He can take different forms depending on what he eats.
- Logical Weakness: Because his powers are dependent on what he eats, if his normal snacks are unavailable and he has to eat whatever's lying around, his powers can become unpredictable. This causes problems when Darlene's normal snacks are thrown out when she tries to clear customs and she has to scrounge around for whatever she can find.
A superhero based out of Rhode Island.
- Flying Brick: She has the standard flight and Super-Strength powers.
A soldier with a magical uniform.
- Clothes Make the Superman: Her outfit gives her a variety of awesome powers.
A very powerful superhero.
- Flying Brick: She has all the requisite powers for this, including flight and super strength.
For Father Blatty, see his entry below in the 'Soulfinders' section.
The scientist at Area 51 who evaluated Carly after she was hit by the space debris. He later became both a sort of advisor to the Kamen Corps and their liaison with the government.
- Labcoat of Science and Medicine: He is generally seen wearing one of these.
A reporter.
- Intrepid Reporter: Unlike everyone else who was snowed by the Zenerrengers' press barrage, Karat kept her head and investigated them enough to identify three of them and identify major holes in one of their alleged backstories.
A large robot shaped like a cup of ramen. Kimiko took it into battle, only to find that it was somewhat tempermental
- "Second Law" My Ass!: While Kappa Kappu launched a strong initial attack during the Hoover Dam battle, it refused to fight further unless it was given ramen. When no ramen was forthcoming, it sat out the rest of the fight.
Soulfinders
The soulfinders are an organization of priests with military experience who combat demons. They are particularly focused on fighting Blackfire, a demon of supernatural knowledge.
A former soldier who lost a leg after being hit by an IED, Retter subsequently joined the priesthood and became an exorcist. He has repeatedly battled against demons, especially Blackfire and his minions.
- Badass Preacher: Like all soulfinders, he's one of these. He's a skilled soldier as well as an exorcist.
A leader of the soulfinders and a Vietnam veteran, Crane brings Retter into the soulfinder organization.
- Bald Head of Toughness: Crane is bald and also an extremely powerful warrior.
- Bald of Authority: The bald Crane is a leader of the soulfinders.
- Cool Old Guy: Crane is older than the rest of his team, but he's still able to fight and perform various amazing feats.
- Dark Secret: Crane is the 77th soulfinder and Retter is the 79th. A demoniac enemy reveals that Crane failed the 78th in some way. More details, however, have not been released.
A detective who has learned to seek Retter's help with cases that involve the occult.
- Occult Detective: Though he has no occult powers himself, he still winds up helping to solve occult cases alongside Retter and Crane.
The priest at Carly's church, and also a soulfinder.
- Cool Old Guy: He seems at first like he's just a nice, normal pastor, but then it turns out he fought alongside the elite soulfinders.
Crane's first apprentice soulfinder. He no longer seems to be around.
- Uncertain Doom: The demoniac Pauk indicates that something happened to this guy, and Crane certainly looks distraught when talking about it, but it's not clear what precisely went down.
A coroner.
- The Coroner: He has this job and fulfills the role, telling Retter and Chua about certain corpses and cases which pertain to their investigations.
An old friend of Crane's.
- Four-Star Badass: Crane indicates that General Falco is a very powerful ally.
- Manly Facial Hair: Falco has a thick beard and he's also a tough military general.
A soldier who winds up working with Retter, Crane, and Chua a few times.
- Mission Control: He winds up serving as this when dispatching Retter and co. to Shen Guo.
