Dear readers, tonight with my is the supervillain Gary Karkofsky, also known as Merciless: The Supervillain without Mercy™.

Hes here to talk about super-powers, about heroes and villains, and about what separates them.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

Hello, I am Gary Karkofsky a.k.a Merciless the Supervillain without Mercy™. Yes, I know it’s redundant. I am the world’s first anti-villain and supervillain for the common good. I lie, cheat, and I still with my magic cloak but it’s all for the greater good. Well, at least mine. I live in a world full of heroes, villains, gods, and monsters but it’s all up for grabs if you’re willing to take it.

Did you have any favourite toys as a child? Any cherished memories?

I was born in New Angeles as the younger brother of Keith Karkofsky a.k.a Stingray the Underwater Assassin. Unfortunately, antiheroes gunned down my brother and I swore I’d avenge him. Then life happened and I completely forgot about that vow. It’s decades later and I’ve decided to give supervillainy a go again. My wife Mandy is less than pleased with my new career choice, especially since it brings me in contact with two of my exes. My henchwoman Cindy a.k.a Red Riding Hood and Gabrielle Anders a.k.a Ultragoddess the World’s Greatest Sueprheroine.

What do you do now?

To be a supervillain is to have great power and zero responsibility. I rob, cheat, lie, and steal in order to have as much fun as possible. It sure as hell beats my former job as a bank teller. However, I will say that I try not to hurt the regular people of the world. Unfortunately, that’s harder than it sounds since they seem to think my actions warrant sending cyborg mercenaries and killer robots after me. Other supervillains resent my robbing them as well.

What can you tell us about your latest adventure?

The first of my adventures is in THE RULES OF SUPERVILLAINY. It follows my quest to become a supervillain and trying to explain to my wife why it’s a good idea instead of the horrible one it turned out to be. My latest book, THE TOURNAMENT OF SUPERVILLAINY is five books later where I’m involuntarily recruited to serve on Earth’s side in an interdimensional fighting tournament. Yes, exactly like Mortal Kombat except I screw things up royally for my side. That book has crossover from my biographer C.T. Phipps’ other works I WAS A TEENAGE WEREDEER, AGENT G, and LUCIFER’S STAR.

What did you first think when you first got powers?

This is awesome! Seriously, anyone who would prefer to a Muggle (sorry Joan Rowling) in a superhero world is either kidding themselves or outright lying. For me, it was a transformation from one of the ants to the boot. Mind you, I have an unfortunate tendency to sympathize with said ants and have been drawn into helping them against my better judgement. Just don’t mistake me for a hero.

What was the scariest thing in your adventures?

It’s not the personal danger. I don’t mind throwing myself into the jaws of Death since I know her personally and she’s hot. No, unfortunately, it’s the realization that my desire to be a supervillain has consequences for the people I love. I made this decision without thinking it through and the blowback turns out to be a lot nastier than I could have imagined for some people I never thought would be affected. That resulted in a lot of unforeseen and even tragic events.

What is the worst thing about being a supervillain?

Same thing as above. Also, the Cloak that gives me my powers is sentient and tries to get me to help people.

Lame.

What is the best thing about it?

The freedom. Definitely the freedom.

Tell us a little about your friends.

I have my wife, my henchmen, and a magic cloak that won’t shut up. That’s a small step on my road to world domination but it’s a significant one. You have to take over the block before you take over the city and then the state before you set yourself on the country. Only then can you take over the world AND THEN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE.

Any romantic involvement?

I used to be quite the ladies’ man in college. I blame it on my inexhaustible knowledge of Dungeons and Dragons (as well as looking like a model). However, I’ve been in love three times in my life. One is with my wife Mandy, who used to be a henchwoman in college and is trying to deal with normal life. Second is my current henchwoman Cindy, who is better as my best friend. Third is Gabrielle, who was the one who got away. Well, not so much got away but flew away when she revealed she was Ultragoddess and couldn’t date me due to her enemies.

Worst breakup excuse ever.

I’m totally loyal to my wife but there’s a lot of history and memories there.

Whom (or what) do you really hate?

I am the villain! It’s just all the other villains like the Typewriter, Tom Terror, Zul-Barbas the Dimension Lord, and Psychoslinger don’t like me! I’ve also offended the Society of Superheroes for some reason. Maybe because I killed some overenthusiastic gunslinging “superheroes” with no regard for the lives of criminals.

What’s your favourite drink, colour, and relaxing pastime?

Merciless Cola (you can taste the evil), black, and MURDER! Oh and watching Crimetube videos of people playing video games.

What does the future hold for you?

Rulership of the world, mate! It’s the only thing that matters. Well, that and making them remake Star Wars and Game of Thrones. Those are on my list of evil deeds to perform.

Can you share a secret with us, which you’ve never told anyone else?

Nope! Then it wouldn’t be a secret.

C.T Phipps is a lifelong student of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. An avid tabletop gamer, he discovered this passion led him to write and turned him into a lifelong geek. His other works include Agent G, Cthulhu Armageddon, Esoterrorism, I Was A Teenaged Weredeer, Lucifer’s Star, Straight Outta Fangton, The Supervillainy Saga, and Wraith Knight.

You can find Merciless on the pages of The Supervillainy Saga.

Look out for mid-week SPFBO special interviews! Join us next week to hear from two adventurers from a universe where science and magic intermix by music. Please follow the site by email (bottom-right) to be notified when the next interview is posted.

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