Whispering Jack
Context
This character is an original creation. We often call these “homemades” or “homebrewed” – think home cooking or craft beer.
Many of these characters were created to take part in tabletop role-playing game sessions. Others were invented as a creative writing exercise, often as part of a community event.
This specific character was created as part of a community event to flesh out characters created by Malibu Comics readers. These characters were never used in Ultraverse comics, and only their name and appearance were ever given.
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Background
- Real Name: Devon Jacob Donavon, Jr..
- Marital Status: Single.
- Known Relatives: Jacob Donald Donavon (grandfather).
- Group Affiliation: (formerly) San Francisco P.D..
- Base Of Operations: O’Malley’s Irish Tavern, San Francisco, California.
- Height: 6’1” Weight: 200 lb. Age: 26
- Eyes: Blue Hair: Red
Powers and Abilities
Whispering Jack has no superhuman powers. But he is highly skilled in a number of areas, particularly investigation, law, journalism, and the martial arts.
His most unique abilities, however, are his capacity to move virtually unseen and unheard like a ghost through the city he makes his home. The source of thus talent is as yet unrevealed.
History
Whispering Jack began his career as a San Francisco PD detective ; no big deal. He was not exceptional in any way, did his job, put in his time, and was waiting for retirement between cases, performing adequately.
Then in the middle of an innocuous investigation, he discovered evidence that the San Francisco PD was colluding with the CIA. They were housing a known serial killer, the Dancer, who was also a government assassin, in San Francisco.
The CIA was willing to overlook his “peccadilloes”, and was putting pressure on the SFPD to do the same, but “Jake” Donavon was not willing to do so.
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The hunt
He doggedly pursued Dancer in spite of CIA and SFPD interference. He eventually caught up with him in a dockside warehouse where he discovered the secret of Dancer’s power; he sacrificed his victims in bloody rituals to gain semi-mystic powers which made him such an effective assassin.
Donavon battled him to a draw, but Dancer escaped, leaving Donavon with a throat wound that left him mostly mute.
Forced into an early retirement, Donavon found he couldn’t stop thinking about Dancer. He was furious that such a person would be used by our government, and that his murders would be overlooked as long as he performed for them. Donavon began his search for Dancer all over again, but this time cautiously, with an eye towards circumventing his strange mystical abilities.
He studied under many teachers to prepare for the coming conflict with Dancer, even seeking out Gotham’s legendary Dark Knight. It seems to be during this period that he learned much of what he knows about the martial arts, mysticism, and his uncanny powers of stealth.
Eventually, with help from Oracle and his ex-IRA friend, Abe O’Malley, he found Dancer in New Orleans, and battled him there, mystic to mystic. He killed Dancer as punishment for his crimes.
Whispers
Returning to ’Frisco, Donavon realized that he now had a way to bring justice in a way he never had as a cop. With O’Malley’s help, he devised the identity of Whispering Jack (The name given him by the SF Chronicle ), and operates out of the basement of O’Malleys’ Tavern.
He supports himself by freelancing at the Chronicle, writing for the crime beat, and devotes full-time work at night to Whispering Jack, SF’s dark defender.
Description
See Ultraverse Illo for Whispering Jack.
Devlin Donavon is usually seen in somber clothes, jeans and button-down shirts with the sleeves rolled up, with a leather bomber jacket. He is a large, well-built man with reddish hair, Irish blue eyes, and a mustache and goatee. Although not a practicing Catholic, he always wears a Saint Christopher’s medal around his neck.
Since he prefers to keep WJ and himself separate, Donavon has trained himself not to speak when he is not “in costume”, so that most people believe he really is mute.
Personality
Whispering Jack is a people’s hero; he sees himself as a protector, not an avenger of wrongs. However, unlike his sometime-mentor the Batman, Jack is seems more willing to dole out brutal violence as a first response.
He gives no warnings, does not try to intimidate; he takes down criminals like he would a mad dog, quick and hard. His victims often require medical treatment before they can be arrested.
Aside from Dancer, he has not killed anyone, but the SFPD search for him as they believe it is only a matter of time before he does.
Donavon, oddly enough, covering the crime beat for the SF Chronicle, finds himself as the number-one authority on Whispering Jack.
Quotes
(Whispering) “ You’ll pay for that, you bastard…”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Whispering Jack
A 900 Point Character
| Dex: 07 | Str: 04 | Bod: 05 | Motivation: Seeking Justice |
| Int: 06 | Wil: 05 | Min: 07 | Occupation: Ex-Policeman, Part-time writer, full-time vigilante |
| Inf: 05 | Aur: 04 | Spi: 07 | Resources {or Wealth}: 004 |
| Init: 022 | HP: 060 |
Skills:
Acrobatics*: 07, Charisma (Interrogation, Intimidation)*: 05, Detective (Clue Analysis, Counterfeit Recognition, Identification Systems, Law, Police Procedures)*: 06, Martial Artist/Focus of Will: 08, Medicine (First Aid)*: 06, Military Science (Camouflage, Cartography, Cryptography, Danger Recognition, Demolition)*: 06, Thief (Escape Artist, Forgery, Locks and Safes, Pickpocketing, Security Systems)*: 07, Thief (Concealment, Stealth): 11, Vehicles (Land Vehicles): 05, Weaponry (Firearms, Melee Weapons, Missile Weapons)*: 07, Occultist (Identify Artifact, Mentor, Occult Knowledge): 06
Advantages:
Area Knowledge: City [San Francisco], Confidant [Abe O’Malley], Headquarters: Expansive [O’Malley’s Tavern], Intensive Training, Iron Nerves, Language (American Sign Language), Lightning Reflexes, Credentials: Media, Popularity: Local Hero, Sharp Eye.
Connections:
Oracle (Low), Batman (Low), Omni-Connection.
Drawbacks:
Mistrust, Serious Physical Restriction (Mute: Cannot Speak Above a Whisper), Secret Identity.
Equipment:
Having no experience with the kind of super-equipment used by today’s heroes, Whispering Jack makes only occasional use of equipment; and then it is off-the-rack stuff that can be purchased anywhere: shuriken, caltrops, climbing gear, a big black Harley motorcycle, etc. None of it would be considered paid for with Hero Points, however.
Source of Character: Based on drawing and name from the Ultraverse character creation competition, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, G.I. Joe Comics and Cartoons, and plot threads from Sovereign Seven (DC Comics).