The Islands

The Angels

Good Guys

Bad Guys

Supporting Cast

Spoilers

Since the Cast page doesn't change as much as the comic does, it's fair to say that a good bit of the information on this page could be considered "spoiler" information. Still, there are some interesting details. And some people like spoilers. And since our story is scripted out for about forty months at the moment, there's a lot of spoiler information. So we came up with this method. (Thanks to wonder web whiz Thom Katt.)

Information that Steve and I consider to be "spoiler" is going to be blacked out. What exactly is that? Well... it's hard to define. We're focusing mainly on important, storyline/plot/character revealing information. Be warned: There is a good bit of information that is not marked as spoiler that some readers might consider such. If you want the entire story to unfold in the comic, then don't read this page. Otherwise, just trust us and enjoy. Oh, a number of characters don't appear for a good long while. And there are other characters that will be added later who actually appear before some of the ones listed here.

And before you ask - and a lot of you will - Captain Celeste will not be making a significant appearance until 2010 unless the comic's popularity goes through the roof and we increase the number of comics we post each week. (And, hey... it could happen!)

Now... If you want to read the Spoiler Information, you can view the text beneath by simply clicking and dragging your mouse over it. Here's a sample:

This is Spoiler Information.

As the story unfolds, we'll reveal more spoiler information. And we'll add more spoiler information.

AND FINALLY: The images you see here were early sketches, done long before Battle Angel came on board as our Ink & Paint chief. So Steve and I would like to extend a very special, "Thank you!" to Isabel Marks for her wonderful job of coloring. If you're not reading Isabel and Terrence's comics Namir Deiter, You Say It First and Spare Parts, you're missing out on a lot!

The Islands

Our story takes place on the island of St.Thomas,which is one of the three islands, along with St. Croix and St. John,  that make up the U.S. Virgin Islands, which make up the northern end of the arc of  islands known as the Lesser Antilles, which with the Greater Antilles Islands constitute the bulk of the habitable islands in the Caribbean. Of all these islands, the Angel is based out of St. Thomas currently because it is the most active of the island. St. Croix, about 25 miles south, has roughly the same population as St. Thomas; each with about 50,000 inhabitants. But St. Thomas also has a daily influx of thousands of tourists from cruise ships. St. John, only five miles off the east side of St. Thomas, has a much smaller population - around 5,000 - and only one small town. The first adventure, which goes for about 18 -24 months, takes place almost entirely on the island of St. Thomas. Future stories will take place on multiple islands. (And multiple centuries.)

To see a proper map with scale, distance, longitude and latitude, and the British Virgin Islands to the east, click here.

The Angels

In the early 1700’s, the ageless, all-powerful entity known as the Carib Angel pulls a worthless, dying pirate from the harbor of Charlotte Amalie and grants him new life, new powers, and new purpose. Accepting and grateful of this change, he lived a life – and eventually surrendered it – guarding the tribes and peoples of the Virgin Islands. The mantle of Angel was then taken up by his children, who were also gifted with special – though different – abilities. It was the first passing of a parent to a child, to continue unbroken for nearly 300 years, to the present day. Some would die in battle. Others quietly after a long life. There could be several Angels at once, or just one. But the line of the Angel has never been interrupted.

Carlita

Twelve generations after the first Angel, Carlita continues the mission. Her mother, Constance, also an Angel, had died while saving ships caught in a hurricane, causing the mantle of Angel to fall on Carlita at the age of seven.

More powerful than most of the Angels before her, Carlita has the ability of flight; a rare gift. She can also, by staring into their eyes, compel people to do a harmless, unpredictable, and frequently humorous, activity to apprehend criminals without violence.

Carlita’s most powerful ability, however, is control over gravity. The most powerful gravity lines come from the Earth, but Carlita can also see and manipulate gravity from the Sun, moon, and even other planets and stars. This control can be used to increase, decrease, suspend or even reverse gravity from multiple sources. With this gift, Carlita can make weapons suddenly weigh a ton, literally. She can lift people, cars, boats - virtually any object - into the air. (Her ability to fly is a separate gift, and is not a byproduct of her gravity power.) She becomes “bullet proof” by using gravity to pull bullets away from her and into a harmless direction. Few can match the sheer force of this ability, and to date, no-one can overcome it.

Like all previous Angels, however, she also has a unique weakness that comes with her abilities. When Carlita is airborne, the sight of a hit or thrown ball overwhelms her, driving out all thought except chasing it until she has her hands on it.

Like the majority of the people on St. Thomas, Carlita is of mixed nationalities, being of Carib, African, and Dutch descent. She is dark-skinned, with African features accented by her Carib blood. Her light blue eyes are the only hint of her Dutch ancestry. Carlita wears her Angel mantle proudly and with joy. She has an upbeat personality and has the complete trust of the people of St. Thomas who know who she is and guard her identity from tourists and off-islanders.

As the Angel, Carlita has supreme confidence in herself and her control over her abilities. That does not mean she is without doubts or troubles. She is a guardian, not a superhero. She knows the day will come when she will kill in order to protect her people. While the islanders trust her judgment completely, Carlita herself has moments of stabbing doubt. She also discovers there are off-islanders similar to her in that they have abilities. Though showing up only rarely, each one is a unique threat that must be carefully dealt with to avoid harm to her people while keeping knowledge of her existence from the outside world.

Francis

Carlita’s younger brother and only sibling. Despite being just eleven years old, Francis takes care of Carlita nearly as much as she takes care of him. While Carlita provides the finances needed to keep their small apartment and buy necessaries, Francis has the maturity to clean, cook, and tend to the daily chores.

Francis is also the Angel, and gifted with Angel abilities. He has the ability to bring planes of energy into existence that he can then manipulate and even see through. To create these planes he needs to draw them first. He can “draw them into existence” using any medium, but carries a drawing pad at all times to facilitate the process.

Francis also has the ability to teleport, himself and others, but each use is accompanied by a lapse in memory. Though the lapse is very short now, each teleport seems to lengthen the lapse. They’re not sure at this point, but Carlita and Francis fear this could be his “weakness”, which means the problem will not get better and may actually worsen.

Other Angels

There have been more than fifty angels during the twelve generations since the Carib Angel chose the pirate Rupert to be the first in his line. Every child born to an Angel is also an Angel, though only the oldest surviving child passes the heritage to the next generation. What they are and when they appear varies greatly, but each and every Angel is gifted with extraordinary abilities. Each and every Angel also has a weakness. The how and why of each ability and weakness is unknown to all but the Carib Angel. Of the twelve generations, Carlita is arguably the most powerful Angel.

Eleven Angels have died in the line of duty, including Carlita and Francis' mother, Constance.

Since the Carib Angel occasionally takes Carlita to the past for missions, other Angels will appear in the strip from time to time. And there is always the possibility that the Carib Angel will bring a future Angel to Carlita's present. As they do, their bios and pictures will appear on the site.

The first ancestor Angel to show up will be Amanda, the eldest child of the original Angel, Rupert. Like Carlita, Amanda has the gift of flight. She can also control fire in all its forms. Her weakness? Amanda cannot remain awake after sunset. She and Carlita will become close friends. (At least, as close as two people separated by 250 years can be.)

The Carib Angel

The creator and source of each Angel’s abilities, the Carib Angel has been in existence for unknown eons. The counterbalance to the Life Slayer, it was the Carib Angel who began the Angel line in the early 1700s, with Rupert being the first Angel. Starting from the late 1700s, the Carib Angel began the practice of transporting the current Angel into the past, to assist that era’s Angel. At times the Carib Angel will restrict the transported Angel’s powers – even altering them if it deems necessary.

The Carib Angel is the guardian of life for the Caribbean, but views life as a balance, countered by death. The Carib Angel is formless, but occasionally takes on an animal form – parrot or fox are the two most common forms – and rarely a vague humanoid shape, male or female.

If it decides it is needed, the Carib Angel will take over an Angel's body and essence to pronounce judgment upon someone.

The Good Guys

Without proper guidance and relationships, any Angel would be unable to function. Unlike superheroes, who must keep their identity secret from all but very few people - if any - the entire native population of the US Virgin Islands know who the Angel is. So do a number of "off-islanders" who've been told, usually by the Angel herself/himself. They protect and watch over the Angel, and what they lack in power they make up in number and devotion.

Big Marie

In many ways the firmest anchor in Carlita’s and Francis’ lives, Big Marie has been involved in three generations of Angels. As a little girl, Big Marie was babysat by Carlita’s great-aunt Rebecca. As a young lady, Big Marie in turn babysat an infant Constance (Carlita’s mother) and became Constance’s close friend. After Constance married and had her own children, she turned to Big Marie to take care of them whenever her husband was at sea and she needed to perform as the Angel.

Now, with the death of both Constance and her husband, Big Marie has become the foster parent of Carlita and Francis. Called “Momma” by the kids, Big Marie raised them with love and care. Her firmness and discipline is blanketed by a warm layer of happiness and quickly expressed love. Though “her kids” are the islands most powerful beings, with responsibilities that would stagger anyone else, Big Marie has brought them up correctly, letting them be children, not pampering them, but showing them the love of a real parent. The kids don’t live with her now, Carlita having taken an apartment across from the street of Big Marie’s own little place, but she is involved with their lives every day.

Big Marie is large, buxom, gregarious, cheerful woman of dark complexion who owns a colorful market cart from which she sells trinkets and knick-knacks to tourists to support herself and the kids. The bright colored clothing and straightforward way she addresses people are not an act: Big Marie loves who she is, what life has brought her, and what she is doing with it. She has no “powers”, but seems to know just about everything and everyone on the island. She is loved by all. “If you have a problem with Big Marie,” is the common sentiment, “you’re the one with the problem.”

Lt. Eric Lewis

A sergeant in the Virgin Islands Police Department at the time of Constance’s death, Eric was the person to whom the seven year old Carlita offered her role as the new Angel. An exceptional police officer, Eric made sergeant at the age of twenty-two and lieutenant at the age of twenty-nine. He was Constance’s closest contact in the VIPD and is now Carlita’s. (Though everyone in the VIPD and Fire Department are friendly with her.)

When Constance died, Eric took over training Carlita in crime fighting. Under his tutelage, Carlita learned the ins and outs of spotting, chasing and apprehending criminals, basic detective techniques, and weapons combat. Because of his training and persistence in keeping Carlita focused, Carlita became an officer of the VIPD at the age of fifteen.

Eric Lewis is a fit man of thirty-two, dark complexion, and sports a trim beard and moustache. Bright, cheerful, but able to become serious in a heartbeat, he handles every case that comes his way in full stride, whether it be booking a petty thief or arresting a would-be “super criminal” who accidentally glued his jetpack to himself. He works at the VIPD substation in downtown Charlotte Amalie, the most common station that Carlita goes to. Unmarried, he seems to always be on duty. Is he a potential love interest for Carlita? Only time will tell.

The Bad Guys

We hate 'em. And we love to hate 'em. Face it, without the Bad Guys, the Angel would only be around to control the weather, and how fun is that? (Answer: Not.)

There are several levels of Bad Guys in the strip. Some are social bad guys; the rival kids and meddling teachers who don't pose any real danger but can be a real pain in an Angel's patoot.

Then there are the standard issue bad guys; the ones who rob banks, mug tourists, and don't file their taxes. (Carlita will probably not be going after that non-tax filers.) Since even the bad guys who are native to the Virgin Islands know about Carlita, some come up with clever ways to foil her. And some come up with really stupid ways.

Then there are the super powered foes. Though fairly rare, these can prove to be very difficult, since they are combating Carlita at her level, and they don't fight fair.

Finally, there is the worst sort of villain; the one with purpose and power. These are the agents of the Life Slayer, the eternal counterbalance to the Carib Angel. Led by Johann Van Bastelaer for over two centuries, this is the dark, dark side of the story. It is normally an undercurrent to the storylines, but when it does move to the forefront, you'll see a much more serious side of the comic comes out.

Angelique DeVille

Carlita’s high school “arch nemesis”. Though not a real threat – she has no powers or truly evil motives – Angelique provides endless grief to Carlita at a personal level. Called “their little angel” by her parents, Angelique cannot stand that while she is very popular at school, with many friends, she is not Carlita, the real Angel. To Angelique, Carlita’s popularity hasn’t been “earned”, but is instead a by-product of her role as the Angel.

Knowing that as her guardian, Carlita would never uses her powers against her, Angelique constantly goads, irritates, mocks and antagonizes Carlita, hoping to push her to the point that Carlita will lash out, thus bringing her down to Angelique’s level. Angelique also resents that despite her dislike of Carlita, her island upbringing has also instilled respect for Carlita as the Angel, and Angelique would never give away the Angel's secret or betray her.

Angelique is a tall, slender, beautiful young lady of dark complexion. A Senior, she has immense popularity among the jocks and fashion crowd, though she is avoided and ignored by the majority of the student body. (She likes it that way since they’re beneath her.) Though her family is well-to-do, her parents do not have her snobbishness and wish she and Carlita could just “get along”.

As for Carlita, while she maintains her composure when confronted by Angelique, she has broken down and cried when coming home, burdened by the knowledge that Angelique’s hatred of her is due only to Carlita’s calling as an Angel. She occasionally attempts to befriend her, but always fails, sometimes with embarrassing results, other times humorous, and other times heartbreaking.

Professor Jeffrey Hornbeck

Carlita’s mathematics teacher, Mr. Hornbeck is slightly more “dangerous” than Angelique. Since he is new to St. Thomas, he is unaware of Carlita’s role as the Angel. What he is aware of is that the students – as well as his fellow teachers – are protecting a secret and not sharing it with him. While he initially finds this merely annoying, the sense of being “left out” eventually spurs him to find out what knowledge is being denied him. He explores many avenues, frequently returning to the legend of the Angel. He repeatedly abandons it, though, since it’s clear no-one else believes in the legend. He is becoming increasingly suspicious that Carlita is somehow involved with the secret, but can’t determine whether she is the object of the secret or just a more active participant in keeping it from him.

Hailing from southern California, Jeffrey Hornbeck is a short, stout, white man. Though he looks fat, he is in actuality quite fit. Balding, and sporting a beard and glasses, he seems the stereotype of a life-long nerd. But although he has nerd-like intelligence, he also shows sensitivity to others. Despite his constant, and sometimes hilariously extreme, endeavors to discover “the secret”, he has a good soul, and is listed as an antagonist only because of his goal to discover the Angel.

Carlita likes Mr. Hornbeck as a teacher. She is torn between telling him the secret or not, but realizes he is still new to the island and may not be able to handle such a revelation. (Most “transplants” to St. Thomas are only entrusted with the secret after five or more years of living there.) What concerns Carlita the most is that Mr. Hornbeck’s constant prying and investigation may inadvertently reveal Carlita to other off-islanders.

Captain Celeste

A more “worthy” enemy of Carlita is Celeste, a self-styled pirate who is very good and very effective in what she does. Committing piracy in and around the Virgin Islands, Celeste has the uncanny ability of both striking the right ships for pirating, then disappearing without a trace. Carlita is sometimes successful in foiling Celeste’s attempts, but is never able to capture her. The two duel frequently, one never quite getting the better of the other. Though they are far from being friends, each grudgingly respects the other. Carlita can foil some of Celeste’s best plans, while Celeste can always manage to slip away from Carlita; sometimes with treasure, sometimes not. What Carlita doesn’t know is she is not the first Angel that Celeste has dealt with.

Celeste operates within the romanticized code of the pirate, looking for treasure and glory. Though her actions are certainly illegal and dangerous, Celeste does not believe in causing people undue harm, and certainly will not kill for profit. Her ship is a colorful blend of new and ancient. She affects the trappings of a pirate as well, wearing a black head bandana, and wielding a cutlass which she brandishes but never uses against people directly unless forced.

What is unknown to her victims, the authorities, and even Carlita is that Celeste is an actual pirate from the early 18th century. She discovered a blue sapphire in 1705 that gave her access to a time portal she can call up and control whenever she wishes. (She now carries the stone as a necklace.) Unlike the Carib Angel, who can only take others to the past and return them to the present, Celeste’s stone gives her the ability to move forward and back through time, taking her ship and crew with her. After exploring various time periods, Celeste chose to live in our present day. She bought a fast sloop, named it the HMS Horizon, modified it to better serve her purpose, and hired a crew of loyal ne’er-do-wells from the present day. She keeps a small villa on Tortola, of the British Virgin Isles, which she’s owned for 300 years. (Though Celeste is only in her mid-twenties.)

Somehow, Celeste became convinced (probably by watching too many cartoons) that present day animals are more intelligent than they were in the 1700s. She’s so convinced of this that she is frequently seen with a “side-kick” animal that she credits with far too much personality and intelligence. Her crew doesn’t have the heart to tell her they’re just dumb animals. Most of her pets don’t last very long, as she is sending them off on missions from which they never return.

Celeste is an athletic woman in her mid-twenties. Of indeterminate origin, she has a light brown complexion, green eyes and fiery red hair. She is left-handed, is proud of it, and it is a source of humor when attention is brought to it, through word or action. (Such as when they pirated a freighter and found among the cargo a large number of crates marked “left-handed supplies”.)

Historical Note: The character of Celeste is based on the actual female pirate, Anne Bonny, born around 1700 and sentenced to hang in 1720. Anne pleaded “her belly” (meaning she was pregnant), and the court stayed her hanging until after the baby was born. Although another female pirate with her, Mary Read, died of a fever in her fifth month of pregnancy, what happened to Anne is unknown. All that is known is she was not hanged.

Johann Van Bastelaer

A true enemy of Carlita, Johann also has a secret identity. A successful businessman who owns a massive fleet of ocean vessels, he is also the primary agent for the Life Slayer in Carlita’s time. On St. Thomas since the late 1700s, Johann has managed to maintain multiple identities for over two hundred years, immersing himself in St. Thomas’ history, altering it slightly to evil’s benefit, and studying each Angel as they served their people and island. Johann has personally killed two Angels, and is now hoping to kill Carlita, the Angel for which the Life Slayer has prepared him.

There are several levels of danger in Johann. His vast wealth allows him to easily act on his own goals while also carrying out the wishes of the Life Slayer. He is capable of “binding souls” of the newly dead and turning them into Non-Lifes. And he has intimate knowledge of the Angels while remaining hidden from them. Because of his extremely long life, he is deliberate in his actions and works through others to achieve victory. Though he reserves the right to kill Carlita for himself, Johann is content to manipulate events from the shadows, drawing the unknowing Carlita closer and closer to him and to her ultimate death. The only direct way he is “involving” himself with Carlita is that he is slowing trying to win her heart romantically, in order to more thoroughly destroy her when the moment arrives.

Johann is unaware that he is known by Benjamin Frost, who fought him fifty years prior in Europe, when Johann had used his then growing influence to begin taking over shipping companies and increasing his wealth through illegal gains. Benjamin does not know Johann’s true history, but realizes there is something of the supernatural about him. He’s chosen not to tell Carlita his suspicions for fear Carlita will face Johann ill prepared.

Johann looks to be an extremely fit man in his mid-thirties. Tall, with blond hair, blue eyes and sharp features, he has scarred neck from an incident in the mid-1800s and limps because of a poorly set broken right leg, which he received while killing an Angel. He does not use a cane, but will at times resign himself to a wheelchair. He dresses in business attire for the most part, but has no difficulty affecting casual wear. He always has a lapel pin of a fiery meteor, which, when touched, grants him super strength for short periods, as well as unrestricted movement. He can also use it to magically alter his appearance.

Carlita is aware of Johann Van Bastelaer only in a “common knowledge” way. She knows he owns a large and varied fleet of ships and leases them out to shipping companies, oil companies, the tourist industry, and single operators who work for him. And she’s becoming aware of the seemingly disproportionate number of times these ships are involved in activities dangerous to her people and island. Finally, he seems to be “around” more and more frequently, and is quite friendly with her. Perhaps more than friendly, since Carlita thinks Johann doesn’t know she is the Angel. Beyond that, Carlita has no idea that she is his ultimate target.

The Life Slayer

Known only to his servants, The Life Slayer is the eternal evil; the counter force to the Carib Angel. It was the Life Slayer who used its power millions of years prior to bring down the meteor that struck the Earth and destroyed the dinosaurs.

Stirred from an eons long slumber with the arrival of Columbus in 1494, the once defeated Life Slayer sees an opportunity to take advantage of the introduction of the European influence on the Carib and Arawak Indians. Creating Non-Life servants upon the return of the Dutch in the 1600s, the Life Slayer's increasing power is the reason the Carib Angel brings the Angel to the Virgin Islands, starting with Rupert in early 1700s.

Now, after 300 years, the hidden conflict between the Life Slayer and the Carib Angel is reaching a crossroads. To reach the next level of its quest to destroy all mankind, the Life Slayer must break the chains holding it to the Virgin Islands by destroying Carlita, the most powerful Angel yet.

The Life Slayer has no form or shape, nor does it take any, except rarely, and then as an animal.

Through time trips to the past – initiated by the Carib Angel to aid previous Angels – Carlita is slowly becoming aware of the Life Slayer’s existence.

The Supporting Cast

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The Useful, the Colorful, and the Stupid. The Mundane, the Curious, the As Yet Unknown and the Deadly. Pick just about any combination; sooner or later that type of supporting cast member will appear. Some will appear once, then fade into oblivion. Others are recurring. And perhaps a few will become more. Only time and storyline will tell.

Robert Dobbins & Gang

“Bobby Dobbie” is Carlita’s boss and owner of the St. Thomas Construction Company, where Carlita works. The crew; Jeff, Manny, Betts and Big Wally are the construction workers and are very easy with having the Angel as their office manager. Carlita can count on them for “extra” duties as she has need.

Benjamin Frost

Though not an Angel, Benjamin is also gifted with powers. A founder of the superhero group Freedom Squad decades earlier, he fought crime in America and Europe under the identity of The Icicle. Over seventy years old now, Benjamin retired and came to St. Thomas to verify the rumors of the Angel and offer his aid. He was successful in both endeavors, and now Carlita turns to him for encouragement and advice. He is a gentle soul, sometimes world-weary, but usually in good humor. When required, he can become a cold and formidable opponent, capable of abrupt and decisive action. He and Carlita are very close friends, but there is occasionally tension between them, as Carlita’s role as an absolute protector means she can and will kill if forced to, something Benjamin has never done.

Though a grandfatherly figure, Benjamin remains in good physical condition. He occasionally uses a cane, more as an affectation than an aid. His powers have not diminished, however. He is able to slow down the molecular vibration of any object within several hundred feet, causing a rapid drop in temperature. He uses this mostly with water and water vapor, creating ice into shapes he can control. He can also increase the vibrations slightly, enough to melt ice, but cannot raise temperatures above ambient.

Sir Hector of Covingdale

An Englishman who moved to St. Thomas twenty years ago, he is one of the “off-islanders” who knows Carlita is the Angel. (Carlita told him herself when she was nine.) A quiet eccentric, Hector owns a valuable villa up in the hills of St. Thomas, but contents himself to raising chickens and selling them at the Charlotte Amalie Market. There is probably something more to Sir Hector, but it won’t be revealed for some time.

A valuable and understanding judge who gives Carlita legal advice as needed.

Jan & Erika

Two of Carlita’s best friends, the three have been together since kindergarten. Now in high school, they’re still very tight and spend many afternoons together, studying and talking, heading to the beach, and walking the marketplace. They treat Carlita first and foremost as a friend and are not put off whatsoever by her status as Angel.

Drs. Grant & Rodriguez

Two of Carlita’s doctors, they’re the ones she turns to when in need of medical aid. (Which can be alarmingly frequent at times.) Dr. Grant is the one she uses most now. Dr. Rodriguez fixed Carlita up when she was a young girl, but recently moved his practice to St. Croix.

Rico Santiago

Perhaps Carlita’s most “credible” potential love interest, Rico is a vibrant, active young man who lives on the Virgin Island of St. Croix, 40 miles south of St. Thomas. He owns and operates a modest sized boat service out of the Butler Bay area, running errands, transport, tours, diving and fishing. Because of his open, friendly demeanor, people often mistake Rico as being far less than his is. He is an excellent seaman, having uncanny ability to read the moods of the sea. He handles his powerboat with extraordinary skill, rarely if ever making a mistake. He is a superlative fisherman and diver. Intelligent and quick, he is always aware of goings-on around St. Croix and the surrounding waters, which he in turn reports to the proper authorities and Carlita.

Though Rico is a valuable ally in fighting crime, Carlita visits him just as often for his company and relaxed view on life. Around Rico, Carlita finds herself at ease. Though they started as friends, things do seem to be drifting toward something more serious.

Rico is a strong, handsome Hispanic man in his early twenties. Almost always smiling, his black eyes seem to sparkle, and his black hair always has a glisten to it, due to his frequent diving. Though strong, he is light on his feet and can move very quickly if required. Usually dressed in clean but well-worn pants, sandals and sleeveless shirt, Rico has a tattoo of a bull on his right arm.

Fitzwilliam Mountbatten

The “Angel Constable” on the British Virgin Islands, Willy is the perfect example of why people need to live in the Caribbean for a number of years before being told of the Angel. Like Professor Hornbeck, Willy is new to the (British) Virgin Islands. Unlike the professor, Willy is aware of the Angel. Perhaps foolishly, the Tortola Police Department thought he could handle the knowledge. He couldn’t. To make up for the oversight, he was appointed the liaison for Carlita to work with whenever she’s called to the British Virgin Islands on Angel matters. Their relationship seems doomed to misunderstanding after misunderstanding, some vary amusing, others not so much.

Larry “The Whiner”

When Carlita was a first grader, Larry was a fifth grade bully. Through the school years, he continued being a bully, never learning from the lessons his teachers, fellow students and occasionally Carlita tried to teach him. Now a high school dropout and involved in the criminal society as a minor thug, “The Whiner” is a source of semi-reliable street information, that Carlita occasionally chases down and interrogates.

Nitro Nate

One of the more frequently recurring super villain wannabes, Nitro Nate is a native islander, so he is constantly trying to find his “niche” in the criminal underworld, coming up with outlandish schemes to defeat Carlita. They are all doomed to failure. Since the majority of his ideas involve fire and/or explosions, it’s a miracle he’s not really dangerous to the public or himself.

The non-Lifes

Of a far more dangerous caliber than Larry or Nitro Nate, non-Lifes are minions who have been enslaved by the Life Slayer to further its goals. Neither living nor dead, they could be anywhere, anyone. When destroyed, they disappear, changing to water when at sea, to sand when ashore, occasionally voicing their thanks. Though generally capable of only mundane tasks, there are some “higher” non-Lifes with more self-awareness. Johann Van Bastelaer uses many non-Lifes.

First Mate Frakes

Captain Celeste’s first mate, he is an utterly loyal, competent, quietly dangerous man. He will often act as the go between Carlita and Celeste on the rare occasions they get together for non-combat reasons and uneasy truces. He also quietly puts up with Celeste’s oddities, such as her insistence that her (frequently replaced) pets are smart. Frakes appears to be his only name. No one knows if it’s a first or last name.

Second Mate Kitty Donahue

Another of Celeste’s loyal crew, “Miss Kitty” is the techno-whiz behind Celeste’s shenanigans and chicanery. Alongside the Captain’s daring and Frakes’ cool head, Kitty’s genius use of computers and electronics create a constant problem for the authorities in general and Carlita in specific. “Miss Kitty” hails from Wisconsin – “Milwaukee, Wis-cahn-son, doncha know, you betcha.” - and has a mid-Western accent that jars sharply with her otherwise completely pirate image.

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