#8 Miranda Glynnis
In the world of Elhi,everyone knows 3 things about Mermaids.
1.Because they don’t have souls,Mermaids,and Mermen,cannot die.
2.If you possess a Mermaid’s comb,she must do your bidding.
3.Whatever name she gives you is a false one.Land dwellers CANNOT pronounce a mermaids true name.
70 years ago the mermaid known as Miranda Waverly,had her comb stolen by Herminia Ingraham,owner of Ingraham’s Traveling Oddities,and was forced to perform in her show.She spent night after night sitting in a murky tank,and flirting with whatever rube happened to tap on the glass.After 7 years of this the show pulled into the city of Purgatory,nestled at the base of the Tarrasque  Mountains and split into 3 parts by the Alighieri river.It was supposed to be a 2 week stay,but a fire at the theater ended the life of Herminia and the days of her traveling show.As the rubble was cleared Miranda stayed at the site,searching desperately for her comb,for without it she can’t return to the sea.She never found it,nor has she discovered it’s whereabouts in the decades since.
Miranda’s skin is pale like Mother of Pearl,and she has deep blue eyes,and hair that,like the ocean itself goes from light blue green to stygian black as it cascades down her back.Her tail is bands of blue and purple and ends in bright blue fins with black tips.She has adjusted to life on land,though she must spend one day per week completely submerged in salt water to maintain her health. The local population of RiverFolk have unofficially adopted her as one of their own,though some of the Nixies still snub her.
#7 Red Killmaster,Freelance Secret Agent
Red was hired by bored Trillionaire Percival Gaylord Foggybottom to be his bodyguard.While traveling in France, Red thwarted an attempt to steal the Eiffel Tower,and replace it with a copy made of licorice,by killing everyone involved in horribly violent ways.Inspired by this and wanting to “give back” to the world Percival started his own spy agency to “protect” the innocent.This protection usually involves dropping Red in,having him rip the front of the troublemaker’s head off,and punching them directly in the brain while their children watch and cry.He then deflowers all the “innocents” he can before collapsing in a drunken coma until the next mission.
#6 Kihalo The Dealer of Secrets
Kihalo is an goddess worshiped in the world of Elhi.Long ago during the First Age she discovered the true name of  Dorosyn,god of Chaos, and bargained it away to his daughter Eris in exchange for the knowledge of her heart’s desire.She used this to leverage the ways of Creation from the Wise One Turyn and traded that to Mungul,The First God of the Orcs, so that he could have a race in his own image.What Mungul traded to her has been lost to the ages though radical theologians point out that Kihalo’s daughter Yethrin appears in the world not long after this deal is struck.This is usually met with derision,and the occasional fist from followers of Kihalo and Mungul.
Kihalo trades in information.She doesn’t care how trivial it seems,or useless it is to her,she knows someone will pay dearly for it.Kihalo trades fairly,always taking from supplicants a secret that is just as important as the one she gives.She also doesn’t care what is done with the information,whether it leads the person into redemption or dooms an entire civilization to ruin.In the end it all leads to new secrets for her to trade.
#5 Hi-Q
Marisol Concepcion Ito was born at Wedge Donovan Hospital at  Torii Station base in Japan.Doctors at the hospital were conducting research into creating a super-soldier through injections of an experimental compound,and selected the newborn Marisol for testing.Years later she developed incredible mental faculties that have allowed her to become one of the most brilliant scientists in history at the age of 25. Just over a month ago she discovered that she had been part of the control group.Her nickname Hi-Q comes from her naturally high intelligence and love of  the Haiku form of poetry.(A hobby she learned from her grandmother.)
#4 Max Action
Max Action is an android creation of Hi-Q the super-scientist.To the world at large Max is a line of toys,that are promoted on a weekly cartoon show,but the truth is far weirder.Hi-Q built Max with Adapto-Gel Technology.By outfitting Max with the right “accessories” Hi-Q can send him into any situation,or against any foe,and expect him to win.Max’s skin tone is grey,and he wears a black body suit in his basic mode.By placing special hats  or hair on the brass colored sensors on his head Hi-Q alters his programming and clothing allowing Max to be anything from a Cowboy to a secret agent.Max has a communicator in his left wrist,and through the eyepieces in the back of his head allow others to see what he does,or view playback of scenes he’s recorded.Sales of the Max Action merchandise keep Hi-Q in research money.
#3 Attila Gorilla
Attila Gorilla is a science experiment gone wrong.Created by the misguided,but technically good, scientist Hi-Q he has all the fighting skills and strategic abilities of History’s greatest conquerors.His efforts to bring the world under his control are only stopped by Max Action.
#2 MachineHead
The original MachineHead was actually an old cowboy action figure I had as a kid.His head was removed by the lawnmower and I wedged a part from a G.I. Joe jet into the hole where his head went.This version is named Colton Park,and he lost his head to a shotgun while raiding a drug den.Doctors were able to save his body and science was able to replace his head with a cybernetic prosthesis
#1 Candito Libre
Candito Libre is a wrestler in the U.C.C.W.(Unlimited Class Championship Wrestling) and an old foe of Wolf Ryan.His finishing move is El Chimichanga del Muerte.The dog is named Pepe.
2011 Challenger:Travis Surber
I’m Travis Surber,Creator of the webcomic Hainted Holler which updates 5 days a week,and follows Southern Geeks in a Redneck town.I was attracted to the Challenge because I’m constantly drawing or writing down strange little characters and ideas.Since I started the webcomic a lot of these ideas have made their way into various strips,but more than a few still rattle around in my head.For me this is a chance to give them physical form while stretching my abilities as a self-taught cartoonist.My style tends to be loose and cartoony,but I’m going to be trying out some new ideas,giving people a first look at NEW characters for the strip,and just random general silliness.
And as if maintaining a M-F webcomic and the challenge wasn’t enough,my first child was born recently as well,so extra challenge as well.
Webcomic:Â http://www.haintedholler.com/
DeviantArt:Â http://hainted.deviantart.com/
#30Characters Chatter…