Wild Cards

An alien virus transforms people into Aces (superheroes), Jokers ("monsters"), and in between.

Before his Game of Thrones fame, George R.R. Martin edited and contributed to a world where an alien virus (The Wild Card) released into the atmosphere gave some people incredible powers (Aces) and visibly marked others (Jokers). Set in 1980s New York, a who's who of fantasy and sci-fi authors write different characters one chapter at a time. For those who like the idea of a more grounded take on a superheroic world.