It's nearly here. Season 2 of NBC's Heroes begins this Tuesday, Sept. 24.

While I know that Gearlog is a gadget blog, we've already discussed what laptops the Heroes would own. But I'm going to get a little more fanboy-y for the weekend.

The Heroes are comic-book characters without comic-book names. I haven't seen this done elsewhere, so let's do it here: I'll give you my suggestions for what the characters should be called, and you give me yours. (And if this has been done elsewhere, point it out!) Now come on inside and let's get cracking!

Let's start with the biggies. (I'm including those who we think may have died - in comic books, you just never know!)

Sylar: Everybody's favorite supervillain, who absorbs powers from eating brains: The Parasite.

Peter Petrelli: The driven young man who also absorbs powers from nearby Heroes. He truly seems to be a step beyond the normal Hero, so let's call him: MetaMan.

Claire Bennet: Claire always seems to be jumping into flaming boxcars, falling off towers, or getting skewered with various objects. I'm pretty sure Claire herself is referred to as this during the series, so let's stick with it: Miracle Girl.

Hiro Nakamura: This Japanese hero bends space and time, but also has a link to the samurai clans of feudal Japan. This is a tricky one, not the least of which because it seems that this should have a properly Japanese bent. Suggestions are welcome.

Niki Sanders/Jessica Sanders: One's a devoted mom, the other a superpowered stripper with an attitude to match. I'm not sure this works on all levels, but here's my vote: Alter Ego. (Alternates: Mirror Maid (hokey), Ms. Hyde)

Micah Sanders: The son of Niki/Jessica Sanders and D.L. Hawkins, Micah's gift is an aptitude for electronics the likes of which haven't been seen since Michael Miller. We need something that communicates "young" (or "short") and "electronics": Bit, maybe? (It's a shame Micah wasn't a girl; "Daughterboard" might work well here.)

Mr. Linderman: a shady crime boss with a talent for healing. Would it be too far-fetched to imply that while he can heal, the price is usually exorbitant? Some possibilities here, although they're both a bit off: The Vampire, Dr. Faustus. (The latter at least juxtaposes the idea of a doctor, who heals, with the old "deal with the devil" motif.)

D.L. Hawkins: this ex-con has the ability to walk through walls. Lots of possibilities: The Escapist, Phase or Phase Shift, even something as 1950's-ish as The Black Phantom. Cynics might also suggest The Two-Dimensional Man as a criticism of the writing here.

Isaac Mendez, the precog artist. A visionary painter... Hm. Future Imperfect sounds like the title of a Isaac-focused novel, not the name of a character. We may end up with something appropriate but uninspired, such as The Prophet or The Visionary.

Claude Raines, the invisible man. Calling him just that seems a little obvious. I like Incognito.

Nathan Petrelli: A Congressman with the power of flight, who may or may not end up as President. I have to go with a patriotic bird image: The Eagle.

Ted Sprague: the master of radioactivity, or is he?: Isotope is my suggestion, especially with the assumption that the Isotope is unstable. Or Half-Life, although that has other connotations in the geek world.

Matt Parkman: the mind-reading cop. The Probe? Very The Shadow-like, Parkman's abilities are. It's a shame that "Miranda" is a woman's name, for the "right to remain silent" is useless around Parkman. Actually, you know what? Let's go with Miranda. Yeah, it's sort of hokey, but Parkman's character is sort of a big galoot anyway. Having his character constantly explain his heroic name seems consistent with his character.

The Haitian: this anonymous (for now) agent has the ability to dampen powers as well as wipe minds clean. My vote's for The Void, as it suggests a black hole of emptiness, which goes well with the powers and silent, powerful aura the man exudes.

Candice Wilmer: the aide to Claire Bennet's father, Candice has the ability to project realties onto others, convincing them that what she wants them to see and experience is reality. I think a theme of hypnosis works here: Miss Mesmer, maybe?

Hana "Samantha" Gitelman: this character exists mainly in the graphics novels created as a side project to the show, but Hana does show up in the "Five Years Gone" episode showing an alternate future. Hana's talent is wireless data transmission: Echelon? Amplitude? Carrier Wave? This one is harder than it looks, it seems. (Wireless Woman seems like it would be dreamed up by Motorola's marketing department.)

Meredith Gordon: Claire's mother, and a firestarter. Fire powers are pretty common in comics. In fact, one of the Heroes graphic novels suggests this name: Hell's Angel.

Mohinder Suresh: Although a man with no obvious powers, Mohinder is the Professor X of the Heroes world. This seems to be a pretty easy one: Shiva, known as the Hindu god of destruction, or transformation. That seems to be as good an explanation as any for his effect on the Heroes world.

I think my suggestions are pretty good, but they're not perfect. And we still need a good one for Hiro!

(Interested in chatting more about Heroes? Check out the official NBC bulletin boards and wiki. And don't forget live blog with series creator Tim Kring on Sept. 24!)