WARNING! UNMARKED SPOILERS ABOUND!
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Protagonists
Fall Barros
Fall Barros
A 22-year-old newbie monster hunter whose ultimate aim is to seek out and kill the Hierophant, who killed her parents. To that aim, she teams up with experienced hunter David Shimizu, and they set out.
- Action Girl: She may be new to the monster hunting business, but she killed a dragon on her first day.
- Alien Blood: After her powers start to assert themselves, her blood turns charcoal grey and viscous. It's angel blood, since the Harbinger is essentially a Celestial in human form.
- Anti Anti Christ: When the Hierophant tells her she's destined to destroy the world, she retorts that she refuses to do so.
- Apocalypse Maiden: She's the current Harbinger, which is the true reason for her golden eyes and supernatural powers. Her death will trigger a major natural disaster.
- Batter Up!: Kills a dragon with a championship-winning baseball bat. She keeps the bat afterwards, and has used it in a few situations.
- Bullet Catch: She saves Lady Rue's life by doing this when Agent Porter tries to kill her, in the first overt use of her Harbinger powers.
- Eye Colour Change: Her eyes were originally brown, but turned gold when the Hierophant changed her. Except not — she's actually the current Harbinger and was born with them. Atlas altered her memories and last family photo so she forgot she always had them.
- Glowing Eyes of Doom: Her golden eyes are always slightly glowing. However, when she begins to discover her Harbinger powers, the glow becomes much more pronounced, particularly when she catches a bullet Agent Porter fires.
- Healing Factor: As part of her superhuman abilities. Fall doesn't know she has one until it increases in strength at the beginning of the Sugar Fen arc, when she wakes up at the motel and uses the bathroom, only to discover that her ear piercings have closed when she tries to put in her earrings. She then takes off the bandages from the injuries she received at Broughton Hall to discover they've completely healed.
- Our Angels Are Different: As the Harbinger, she is a Celestial, effectively an angel with the Eldritch Abomination traits dialed up. Their purpose is to end the world once its life force begins to run out.
- Supernatural Gold Eyes: Like all the Harbingers, she has glowing golden eyes to signify her status as such.
- Super-Reflexes: Part of her superpowers, and how she performs a Bullet Catch when Agent Porter tries to kill Lady Rue.
- Super-Strength: Another part of the Hierophant's "gift". Or, rather, her Harbinger powers.
- Sword and Gun: She's been seen wielding a sawed-off shotgun and a kukri at the same time while fighting.
- Touched by Vorlons: The Hierophant did something to her when he came back and killed her parents for revenge. Whatever it is, it gives her several superhuman abilities, and makes her immune to being controlled by Sympathetic Magic. However, it turns out to be a subversion. She is the current Harbinger, and was born with those powers. Atlas altered her memories so she thought her unusual abilities and eyes were the Hierophant's doing.
- Tragic Keepsake: She has a silver necklace with an eye symbol on it that used to belong to her mother. Since her house burned down the night the Hierophant attacked, it's one of the only things she has left of them. However this, too, is a subversion. The necklace is actually a surveillance device from Atlas, combining magic and technology, that they gave her because as the Harbinger she is invisible to scrying. They also edited her memories and last family photo to make her think her mother owned it so she would keep it. The symbol engraved on it is one related to the Harbinger. Fall only learned what it really was when Reggie destroyed it.
- Witness Protection: Spent ten years in it after her parents were killed, and was forced to wear coloured contacts the whole time to hide her unusual eyes.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Her involvement in Operation Marathon leads Chairman Gold to decide that Atlas has learned everything they can from her, so he orders her killed so they can start over with the next Harbinger. However, Fall isn't that easy to kill...
David Shimizu
David Shimizu
A veteran hunter in his forties who recently retired to the town of Titanfolly, Arizona. He changed his mind and teamed up with Fall after she stopped a Loony Fan of his who had summoned a monster to try and force him out of retirement.
- An Arm and a Leg: Loses a hand as a result of the assault on the Heirophant's lair.
- Badass Normal: Has no known supernatural powers, but is a highly skilled veteran monster hunter.
- Disappeared Dad: He has an eighteen-year-old son he's never met, conceived when he was early in his hunting career. He does send him money from time to time.
- Famed In-Story: He's been hunting for long enough that he has some fame, enough to acquire at least one Loony Fan.
- More Dakka: One of his preferred methods when fighting monsters. He owns at least one machine gun and an assault rifle.
- Red Baron: He is professionally known as the Verdant Hunter, because he likes to use plants for warding materials.
- Retired Badass: He starts the comic having retired from hunting. Obviously, this doesn't last.
Atlas Foundation
In General
The Atlas Foundation is a powerful international organization devoted to combatting hostile supernatural forces.
- Ancient Conspiracy: The reveal about the Harbingers suggests that Atlas is just the most modern incarnation of secret groups that have tracked down and killed them for centuries, as part of trying to ward off the apocalypse.
- Creature-Hunter Organization: Their primary purpose.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: It becomes clear that Atlas is determined to save the world. And they are willing to use drastic means at times.
- Would Hurt a Child: They and their predecessors have been killing Harbingers for a very long time, usually when they are children.
Alex Ivanova
Agent Alex Ivanova
Alex Ivanova is one of Atlas' top agents, a Russian woman with an affinity for knives and a surprising connection to the Harbingers.
- Badass Normal: Has no known supernatural powers, and is not a wizard.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Alex's older brother Mikhail was the previous Harbinger, and when Atlas tracked him down he and Alex somehow escaped and wound up living in hiding in a remote cabin in the woods for several years. When Alex was 12, she tried to steal a car and got shot by the Soviet government personnel who owned it as she escaped, leading Mihkail to bring her to the hospital. This led to Atlas tracking them down. Mikhail was killed by the Chairwoman of Atlas, resulting in his own death, but he used his powers to take her away from the destructive earthquake he became. She was taken in by Atlas sometime afterwards.
- Locked into Strangeness: She originally had red hair, but it was bleached white after the Hierophant grabbed her by the head during his attack on the California Institute of Paranatural Studies.
- Replacement Goldfish: In a downplayed example, the reveal that her brother was the previous Harbinger explains why she clearly cares about Fall.
Reggie
Reginald, aka Reggie
Reggie is a golem created by the British to serve as a weapon in World War I. After the war, he came to work for Atlas.
- Anti-Magic: He's a Hungering Golem, which means he eats magic. He can use this in battle.
- Badass Longcoat: Usually seen wearing a trenchcoat.
- Defector from Decadence: The Sugar Fen arc makes it clear he was unhappy with Atlas for a long time, and at the end he quits, radioing in a report that he and Agent Porter were dead/dying.
- Faking the Dead: He leaves Atlas by radioing in a report that Agent Porter was dead, and he was nearly so. Atlas is later seen holding a memorial service. (Porter, for the record, was dragged off by Granny Slough to a Fate Worse than Death.)
- Golem: A Hungering Golem, to be specific.
- Good Old Fisticuffs: His primary fighting style.
- Mythology Gag: His Parallel Dementia counterpart was a robot. Here, he clarifies that robots are fictional."Ah — I am a golem. Robots are a thing of fiction."
- Scarf of Asskicking: He usually wears a striped scarf with his hat and trenchcoat.
- Will Not Tell a Lie: He can lie, but his body cracks if he does, so he usually avoids it.
Osric Hult
Agent Osric Hult
An Atlas agent set to watch Fall during her last stint in witness protection, who dated her roommate to keep up his cover.
- Power Tattoo: He's a wizard, and his arms are covered in these.
Ian Porter
Agent Ian Porter
A veteran Atlas agent who was partnered with Reginald. He held the opinion that the Chairman should have ordered Fall killed as had been traditional for Harbingers in the past.
- Asshole Victim: Few people, both in-universe and out of it, were particularly heartbroken to see him get dragged off by fairies.
- '70s Hair: Sports this in some flashbacks set in 1973.
- Depleted Phlebotinum Shells: He had a clip of bullets made of the special material that Harbingers are vulnerable to. He intended to use them on Fall, but never got the chance.
- Fate Worse than Death: After Lady Rue calls in the favour Granny Slough owes her, he is taken away and imprisoned in her stronghold, where he has to listen to her sing the theme song of Phineus Vintner's favourite cartoon. And can't smoke.
- Jerkass: Has a generally unpleasant demeanour.
Gold
Chairman Gold
The current head of Atlas.
Unnamed Chairwoman
Chairwoman of Atlas
This woman was Gold's predecessor as the leader of Atlas. She died in 1973 killing the Harbinger Mikhail Ivanov.
King George
King George
An old golem who mentored Reggie during the First World War, and later came to work for Atlas.
Anne
Anne
A Hungering Golem who works for Atlas.
Hunters
In General
- Who You Gonna Call?: They fight and kill monsters for rewards.
Marco Tousi
Marco Tousi
A hunter who's worked with David a few times. He has a history of addiction problems, and is engaged to the Stygian Medusa.
- Empowered Badass Normal: He survived several years as a perfectly mundane Hunter, although he was still somewhat inexperienced and weak compared to veterans like David. Then he learned blood magic and turned into a powerhouse able to take on entire undead hit squads with Teleport Spam and Portal Cuts.
- Blood Magic: Mah Yun taught him some, and he uses it during Operation Marathon.
- Thinking Up Portals: As his Blood Magic skills improve he gets really good at this, being able to open portals between any two locations marked with his blood.
Zero Hunter
Zero Hunter
A hunter who aided Fall and David during Operation Marathon because he, too, wanted something from Atlas' cargo.
Witches
In General
Magic users who fuel their powers with parts of their bodies, such as hair, blood and teeth.
Mah Yun
Mah Yun, the Stygian Medusa
A powerful witch who Fall first encountered when she was hired as backup by a dragon trying to kill her boss. She later offered her services to the Hierophant.
- Dark Action Girl
- Magic Hair: Her magic is fuelled by her hair.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: "Stygian Medusa" covers the Ancient Dead Languages and Religion sections perfectly.
Lady Rue
Ruth "Lady Rue" Vintner, the Blind Seer
A witch and seer who lived just outside Sugar Fen, Louisiana, with her son Phineus on her houseboat. She used to be involved in shadier stuff, and once had the Hierophant as a client, but gave that business up on becoming a mother.
- Blindfolded Vision: She wears a blindfold at all times, but has no problems getting around or piloting her boat.
- Blind Seer: To the point that this is her actual witch title. When witch magic is explained as using some part of a witch's body, hers is mentioned to be sight.
- Blood Magic: When she's using stronger magic, blood shows running out from under her blindfold.
- Faking the Dead: Goes into hiding with her son at the end of the Sugar Fen arc to make Atlas think they are dead.
- Mama Bear: Goes after Granny Slough when her son is abducted.
The Carnelian Raven
Yulius Cicero, the Carnelian Raven
- All There in the Script: His real name, Yulius Cicero, was revealed in concept art posted by the artist.
- Creepy Crows: He is accompanied by a flock of supernatural ravens that he can use to spy for him.
- The One Guy: Only male witch seen so far, if you don't count Marco.
- Only Known By His Nickname: His real name has not yet been stated in-comic.
The Ivory Stalker
The Ivory Stalker
- Artificial Limbs: She has a pair of creepy-looking white prosthetic legs.
- More Teeth than the Osmond Family: What she fuels her magic with.
- Mystical White Hair: To go with her white colour scheme.
- Only Known By Her Nickname: Her real name has not yet been revealed.
The Plutonian Flame
The Plutonian Flame
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: She says she has a company to run.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Responds to the reliquary heist going south (which was only partly Mah Yun's fault, most of the damage was caused by a four-way Gambit Pileup) by sending undead hitmen after Marco.
- Evil Is Deathly Cold: A cold body temp is kind of a given when you fuel your magic via your own body heat.
- Feed It with Fire: Getting blasted with dragon fire incinerates her clothing, but does no damage to her and in fact gives her a surplus of magical power (since she fuels her magic with her body heat).
- Only Known By Her Nickname: Her real name has not yet been revealed.
- Remote Body: Almost never appears in person, preferring to project a fire body that mimics her movements and voice. Is forced to appear in the flesh at Madame Blanc's auction, either because it was polite or because she couldn't project past her host's wards. Notably, she is able to fight skillfully with her projection and her flesh body simultaneously; while one dukes it out with Mah Yun, the other performs the exact same motions to fight Marco.
- Playing with Fire: As her name suggests, since she fuels her magic via her body heat.
Other Humans
Barros Family
Zach and Marina Barros
Lucinda Barros
Fall's cousin
Broughton Family
Hector Broughton is under "Ghosts", and Arthur Broughton is under "Harbingers"
Sage Broughton
Phineus Vintner
Harbingers
In General
- Apocalypse Maiden: When they die, they become destructive natural disasters such as floods, fires, plagues and earthquakes. They also have some unspecified connection to the Hierophant.
- Healing Factor: As Fall demonstrates, they possess this.
- Kryptonite Factor: They share the Celestials' vulnerability to weapons made of alchemically treated gold.
- Manchurian Agent: A variant. Harbingers are Celestials living regular mortal lives that act as tripwires of a sort. If the world is getting too old and weak to protect itself from invaders, the Harbinger's powers awaken and eventually call the Celestials to destroy the world and make room for a new one.
- No Body Left Behind: Their bodies transform into a natural disaster upon their death, so there's nothing left to bury.
- Our Angels Are Different: They're Celestials in human form.
- Reincarnation: There is only one at a time, because they reincarnate into the next one upon their death.
- Supernatural Gold Eyes: They all have slightly glowing gold-orange eyes.
Sarah
Sarah
A childhood friend of Karl Banks, the two worked as child labourers in the second half of the 1800s. She was killed at the age of eight, becoming a fire that killed everyone in the factory except for Karl.
Arthur Broughton
Arthur Broughton
The younger son of Hector Broughton. He spent the last years of his life being held prisoner by the insane Karl Banks in a secret room in Broughton Hall. Upon his death, he became a flood that heavily damaged the building.
Mikhail Ivanov
Mikhail Ivanov
The older brother of Alex Ivanova. He and his sister spent several years in hiding after Atlas attempted to kill him when Alex was a child, but he was discovered after he had to take Alex to the hospital when she was injured while stealing a car. His death, at the hands of the Chairwoman of Atlas, caused a destructive earthquake. It also led Gold, who became Chairman as a result, to swear to end the vicious cycle of the Harbingers once and for all.
- Big Brother Instinct: He will do anything to protect his younger sister, even if it means making Atlas aware of his location by taking her to hospital. The last thing he ever did was use his powers to take Alex away from the destructive earthquake he became upon death.
- Humanoid Abomination: By the time Atlas tracks him down again, he's so far advanced in his Harbinger abilities that he doesn't look quite right anymore. His eyes are solid gold, his skin looks strange, he covers most of his face with a scarf, and he can summon the same kind of angelic creature that there is a corpse of at the Hierophant's lair.
- Walking Spoiler: His existence has a major impact on both Alex and Fall's lives, especially because his death is what ultimately led Chairman Gold to keep Fall alive.
Ghosts
In General
Hector Broughton
Hector Broughton
The Visage
Karl Banks, né Berkowitz, aka The Visage
A doctor from Eastern Europe who became obsessed with the Harbingers after the death of his childhood friend Sarah. He eventually became a teacher at Broughton University to get close to the current Harbinger, Arthur Broughton, and kidnapped him and held him prisoner in a deranged attempt to "protect" him from the people who were trying to kill him. After his death, he became the insane ghost known as the Visage.
- The Extremist Was Right: His actions were reprehensible, but it turns out Banks was correct on all counts about his friend reincarnating and there being a conspiracy afoot to kill those reincarnations.
- Ghostly Gape: Has one as the Visage due to Hector Broughton killing him by stabbing him with a shovel.
- Mad Artist: He taught art and anatomy at Broughton University.
- Mad Doctor: Acquired a medical degree at some point.
- White Mask of Doom: Wore one both before and after his death.
Jones
Agent Jones
Various Monsters
Skinwalkers
Skinwalkers/Naalgloshii
Humanoid beings that wear the skins of other creatures.
- Immune to Bullets: While wearing their skins.
- Uncanny Valley: In-universe, they look wrong when disguised as humans.
Dragons
Dragons
- Disproportionate Retribution: If you steal from one, they will kill not only you, but your entire family.
Basilisks
Basilisks
- Taken for Granite: They can turn anything they see with their eye into stone.
- Weaksauce Weakness: They can only be killed by the first call of a rooster at dawn. Doing this is harder than it seems.
Other Supernatural Beings
The Hierophant
The Hierophant
An extremely powerful undead sorcerer who has an unknown connection to the Harbingers, and may be planning to bring about the end of the world. He killed Fall's parents when she was 12.
- Big Bad: Shaping up to be this.
- Dem Bones: He's basically a skeleton in a cloak.
- Lich: Explicitly referred to as such.
- Light Is Not Good: His favourite colour is yellow, he wears white and he lives under a house in the middle of a vast field of sunflowers.
- Spell My Name with a "The": He is known only as the Hierophant.
- Soul Jar: He has one, which appears to be a blackened heart in a jar in the possession of Atlas. Destroying it is the only way to make him killable for real.
- Straw Nihilist: His people tasked him with finding a way to stop the cycle of The End of the World as We Know It, but he eventually gave up and decided to try to end the Earth instead.
- Time Abyss: As an undead Famorian he is literally older than the (current incarnation of) Earth itself.
- Wicked Cultured: He's unfailingly polite and serves guests tea that he brewed himself.
