[Supers] GURPS Unofficial Handbook to the Marvel Universe, Reboot Edition

[Otaku]

Might have another idea for you, Phantasm. Though mostly, I just realized something about one of my favorite mutant characters back in the day, and both the story and practical uses for him that were missed. So, if you'll indulge me (and if not, feel free to just skip this post), I'm talking about Jamie Madrox, the Multiple Man, during the 90s when the X-titles x-ploded.* And... I don't really have anyplace better to discuss it. XP

Why wasn't Multiple Man on every X-team?

Due to his power set, it was iffy whether or not Jamie could overwhelm his opponents through just using his Dupes. He was a more or less athletic-but-normal human outside of his Duplication powers. Besides himself, he could only duplicate his costume and some clothing... not other equipment like a weapon. So... him being spread a bit thin across multiple teams? Not really dropping his effectiveness.

Yes, during the timeframe in question, you've got multiple telepaths and ultra-tech equipment to keep the X-teams in touch with each other, but by this point Jamie and his Dupes were in constant telepathic contact with each other. As long as Jamie's teammates didn't hate him, he'd be a common social connection for all the teams, besides an information relay. Going with the early 90s X-books, you could split Jamie and his 39 Dupes up between a "home" team (at the mansion, with Xavier), both X-Men teams (Blue and Gold Strike Forces), Excalibur, X-Factor, X-Force, and maybe even have Jamie tag along with Wolverine in Logan's solo book.

The real-world reason why is it gives you a constant pseudo-crossover, and excuse to discuss events happening on one of the other books. Though it would make oversights, where stories contradicted each other, more painful, it also provided an in-story reason for the kind of coordination a line-wide editor is supposed to bring to a family of books.

Now, even assuming this would have been a stupid idea for the real-world X-Men titles... well, I thought it might be a good use for the character even in your setting. I know you've changed some stuff about Multiple Man for it, so a similar idea might not work out as well. For example, while I initially wondered how - using my hypothetical 90s example - he'd fit in with teams like Excalibur and X-Force, I thought that Jamie was close in age to the New Mutants. I'm most familiar with Jamie from 90s X-Factor, where he seemed similar in age to Wolfsbane...

*I do not apologize for the terrible pun! X-cept I don't think this kind of wordplay counts as "puns"...