The coolest crime-fighting ducks ever!
It all started over a decade ago with just a boy, a pencil, a sheet of paper, and a lot of time to kill during a school lesson. That’s when I created “The Mystery Ducks”. I was in fifth grade then, and the beautiful combo of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ducktales, and Darkwing Duck inspired me to go out on my own and create a new fighting foursome. While beyond cheesy, the Mystery Ducks were highly successful, appearing in over 70 comic strips during the 1992-1993 school year. However, as time passed, and I found some better ways to use my class time, the Mystery Ducks faded off into the sunset.
Ten years later in 2002, it all started again with just a man, a pencil, a sheet of paper, and a lot of time to kill during Biochemistry class. That’s when I decided to bring back the Mystery Ducks and see if they could make a comeback in the new millennium. Of course, I had a little better grasp on what it takes to make a cartoon work than I did at the age of ten, so some modifications were in need. First off, the name had to go. There was absolutely nothing mysterious about the Mystery Ducks, and so in trying to walk the thin line between cheesiness and respectability, I’ve come up with the Mega Mallards. Second, the characters needed a serious overhaul. In all there were six major ducks. The four original heroes, the villain, and a fifth hero added later on. I’ve managed to conserve four of the characters in some form and added a fifth. Unfortunately, Leonardo Duckvinchi, with his bow and paint brush arrows and Identity Crisis, with his “Incredible Hulk” complex, didn’t quite make the cut. But maybe I can squeeze them in some minor role down the road. Also, they needed a new look. It was time to lose the Ninja Turtle bandana’s and go for an original costume. They also needed more of a theme. So I decided to make each one specialized with a different “element”. Then there came the problem of finding some good names. I could have easily come up with some pretty less innovative names like “Pyro” for the fire duck, but I wanted something that would be a little more unusual. The Ninja Turtles were really unique in that they used famous artists for their names. And so I followed their great example and looked to the past to find some good names. I did manage to find some pretty decent ones when I researched Norse Mythology. Being a descendant of the Norwegians, I found a good way to get the ducks some quality titles as well as show my love for the motherland.
Below are the names and descriptions of the ducks I’ve finished thus far:
Tyr: The original leader of the Mystery Ducks, Spike Attack, has been completely made-over into this razor-sharp fighting machine. Tyr gets his strength from the power of Metal, which accounts for the spikes protruding from his body:
Loki: Originally known as Flame Thrower, this duck was introduced further into the series as the fifth Mystery Duck. Of all the returning characters, Loki’s changed the least. Things like flames coming from the head manage to look just as cool now as they did ten years ago.
Thor: Another original member, Lightning Rod, has also had a major overhaul. Once the brains of the group, Thor now takes on a role as the dare-devil member of the Mega Mallards. The ladies love the energy he brings whenever he’s around them, which is often.
Njord: With two of the original five members unable to really pull their weight, it was time to literally go back to the drawing board and create a new hero. My thoughts of adding a “water” character left me wondering if I could make him fit in with the others. Well it turns out that Njord was this character that really defined the style of the ducks. After outfitting him with his suit, a pattern was established that the other ducks would soon follow.
Odin: What good is a super-hero team without a classic villain? “Shadow Duck” caused lots of chaos for the Mystery Ducks, and now he’s ready to do it all over again. Odin begins as an ally to the Mega Mallards, but his powers which force him to live in constant darkness eventually turn him evil as he seeks to make everyone suffer along with him.
Chiron TL-34: This is the new version of “Robo Duck”, the most powerful enemy the Mystery Ducks ever faced. And by the looks of this latest incarnation, the Mega Mallards will have their hands full when they take him on once again.
X-Cutioner: One of the oldest enemies of the Mystery Ducks, the Executioner returns. And like pretty much every other duck that’s lasted for ten years, he’s been completely redone. X-Cutioner is a duck from 200 years in the past who was brought to the present through a time portal. The result is one confused, and therefore ticked off behemoth toting a battle axe designed specifically for removing heads. Have fun dealing with this guy Mega Mallards!
Primus: Don’t be fooled by his lack of size, this duck is one of the greatest threats the world has ever faced. Primus, the redone “Brain Duck” starts out as an ally to the Mega Mallards. He’s the designer of their suits and one of their biggest supports as they battle evil. But once he’s involved in a freak accident that causes his brain to grow until it can no longer be contained in his skull, Primus goes insane and is determined to unleash an army of evil upon the world. While his physical strength is lacking, his mental powers are strong enough to fight the Mega Mallards simply by thinking.
The Jackal: There is no duck more skilled with weaponry than The Jackal. A ruthless assassin from Europe, The Jackal has been called upon to kill several government leaders. The Mega Mallards will have to pull out all their stops to face this stealthy, cold-blooded killer.
Witch Ducktor: I know it’s a cheesy name, but give a fifth grader credit for thinking it up. And while the concept of a duck that rides a broom and wears a stethoscope had to be scrapped, the name is sticking. The Witch Ducktor now looks like a witch doctor, and he’s very eager to unleash some evil spells on the Mega Mallards.
