SAN JOSE, Calif. -- A three-game trip to the West Coast is nothing for "The Sabre," who has traveled the world and been deeply affected by the different cultures he's experienced. Well, according to the NHL and comic book legend Stan Lee, anyway.
The league and Lee announced a partnership in October in which the creator of Spider-Man would make heroes based on all 30 teams. The character based on the Sabres was unveiled Wednesday night, the fifth in a daily run that will lead up to the All-Star Game at the end of the month.
According to the release: " 'The Sabre' spent his pre-super hero life as a scientist specializing in hydro-engineering. He's a man of deep thought, choosing to devote his life to green technology and its applications. His scientific endeavors have allowed him to travel the world and he has been deeply affected by the different cultures he's experienced. The government has tried to make him a liaison, but he's turned them down preferring to travel the world on his own dime and staying under the radar. He's a noble intellectual who would rather outthink his opponent than beat him to smithereens.
"As a superhero, The Sabre was the product of a hydroelectric experiment gone awry. As a result his body is totally comprised of water. He uses a specially designed hydro-suit that allows him to control his physical appearance although mostly he chooses a human form. He has the ability to be liquid, solid or in a gaseous (vapor), state, depending on what's needed for the situation."
The league said development for each character came in discussions with each NHL club, so the creators could get a feel for how to incorporate the team and town into each individual superhero.
"This is really a fresh, new, original approach to superheroes, based on the local NHL team," Lee said. "When you think about it, the names of these teams, they sound like super characters. They're inspiring. In doing the National Hockey League Guardians, I just wanted characters that people would enjoy reading about."
---John Vogl
