Project Blackfire
is a webcomic series that started its current incarnation on May 7, 2016. It is created by Lord Arik.
The story follows a group of supervillains that start an independent, criminal mercenary organization called The Blackfire Company. Under the leadership of Dark Flame, a former biochemist turned bank robber, they take on contracts within the criminal underworld. The series explores questions about morality and humanity, focusing on how traumatic events in the protagonists' lives led them to where they are and drawing a distinction between people and their actions.
The protagonists in this series could be very well be labeled as anti-villains (Anti-Villain) as they pursue selfish gains, power, and money but clearly have an underlying humanity. Their methods and approach mostly fall into Grey-and-Gray Morality. Their leader, Dark Flame, is very much a proponent of Pragmatic Villainy.
Project Blackfire provides examples of:
- Anti-Villain: The protagonists pursue villainous goals through pragmatic means and have their own moral codes they adhere to.
- Badass Longcoat: Dark Flame is almost always seen wearing his long, black trenchcoat (which likes to flare dramatically.)
- Dark and Troubled Past: Dark Flame had an abusive father and suffers from emotionally triggered episodes which he utilizes a tranquilizing serum to keep at bay.
- Grey-and-Gray Morality: Many of the characters, especially the protagonists, are not clearly good or clearly evil and exhibit conflicting behaviors and beliefs.
- Pragmatic Villainy: Dark Flame is a proponent of this.
- The Big Guy: Dark Flame's right hand man, Blizzor, is 8'5", 865 lbs, and stubbornly loyal.
- Villain Protagonist: The protagonists in this series are supervillains. Although they are sympathetic, their actions aren't justified, even if we, as readers, understand why they act as they do.
- Sympathetic P.O.V.: We are made to understand and sympathize with the main characters despite what they do, through receiving their perspective and through the use of flashbacks to traumatic events that shaped their paths.
