#14 Future Cops

Universe/Storyline: The Band

Universe details: In the isolated city of Crescent where these characters live, superpowers spring from close encounters with death. Only people born in the city can gain these powers, and since this is a relatively new settlement, the first generation of people born there are just starting to show signs of super-fication. This means mostly kids and teens. Of the teens, Camille, Max, Amelia, Walter, and Rin decide to team up and form a band. They take it upon themselves to help other kids who are just getting powers/dealing with death. Eventually, when The Band realizes that everyone deserves to be informed about the city’s unique predicament, they try to reach every kid in the city at once by putting on a live concert.

“Future Cop” is a slang term used by young people in Crescent to describe a member of the city’s police force.  The expression comes from the futuristic helmets they wear (an homage of mine to Daft Punk; music plays a critical role in this story). Most citizens of Crescent are unaware that the Future Cops are actually robots.

The Band is united in the belief that the law cannot be executed properly without a little human morality and heart behind it, so they generally hate the Future Cops. Camille and Max in particular take immense pleasure in destroying them (Camille only when necessary, Max whenever he feels like it). However, the origin of the seemingly endless wave of replacement cops remains unknown. They are thought to be programmed by the city government, an elusive group that only appears in news broadcasts rather than in person.

The Future Cops are made to appear human, so they wear uniforms that cover their entire bodies and speak in voices that sound like they could be human.

While they don’t exactly have superpowers, they have advantages only robots have: their bodies are sturdier and stronger than humans’, they can communicate with each other wirelessly across the city,  and they don’t feel anything emotional or physical. Often they are equipped with gadgets like telescoping batons, guns that fire diamond netting or knockout gas, etc. The Future Cops are brutal and determined but they never use lethal force.

Mostly, the Future Cops are there so that there can be awesome fights (whoo!) without anyone getting seriously hurt (boo!), because what good is super strength if you don’t have something to beat up and not feel guilty about?

Category: 2011, Superhero