Pro,
re: Drake Marshall, you are partially right, in the sense that you build from some aspect of the character that NotWedge created (the commercials, the public face of the company), and that I think stretched the boundaries of the HR Universe too much. But, in a dozens writers created Universe, it is simply impossible not to have clashing interpretations of what's-going-around.
re: Agent Turner, try to find in the oldest pages of this forum the Gooz-and-myself written "Euro and Turner: soaring above madness" semi-solo story. It's not long, but I still think it was the most fun thing I have partecipated to after the Malvana's song-Triarchy War crossover. And it explain a lot about Euro and Turner.
re: Raptor, no, even if he has changed hero name (Thunderbird) it will be the same character. Once freed for Ladnikia, I decided to give him the things many writers (YOU, especially
) gave him "uncharacteristically". Wings on the back, so to have arms free, and a big fucking mace (a "real" mace from Chinese mythology, that creates lighting like Mjolnir). But he is the same as before.
About the kids (and the "wife"), the reason is to set definitely a difference between Vanguard Europe and Vanguard "classic".
While VE are professionals, who gathers just for the missions, are payed for what they do, and are a well organised association, V classic is the "club" of adventurer that was in Gooz and others minds when they traveled to La Perdita, when the idea of the company of "merc" was not yet born.
The people of V classic are just friends that enjoys each oter for the past life they had, that love mystery and adventure and delve with that for passion, while having private lives and "real" jobs. But it the sense of family, compared to focused professionalism, the difference between the two Vanguards. MBL and TOMB, if you want.
