Dr. Kirby Loo

[Bud Gray]

I've seen mention of this person in some old 4th ed write-ups, but I've never seen any detailed information about his character. Who is this guy and are there any write-ups out there? Also, is he coming back in 5th ed?
Thanks.

[Supreme Serpent]

He'll be back right after Pythias Pomegranate and the Thugmaster. ;)

[BobGreenwade]

No official write-ups of him, at least so far. It's highly unlikely that he'll show up in the new universe, but you never know.

[CBikle]

Dr. Lirby Koo , Korean mastermind who was the force behind Green Dragon and the Geodesics, big on brainwashing and social manipulation.

There was a theory that the amnesiac, rocklike 4th edition villain, "Brick" ,
was really a mutated Dr. Lirby Koo.

I believe the character was also named after a classmate of one of the original Hero crew.

[Supreme Serpent]

I believe the character was also named after a classmate of one of the original Hero crew.


Huh. I always assumed it was some manner of "Lee/Kirby" tribute.

[Solomon]

No official write-ups of him, at least so far. It's highly unlikely that he'll show up in the new universe, but you never know.

But was he ever statted in earlier editions? I always assumed he was more of a recurring plot device for supervillain origins.

[Blue]

I just guessed he was a hunted from George MacDonald's campaign, whom they never got around to publishing back in the early editions, and whom Steve & Darren would have no attachment to.

[Kirby]

Huh. I always assumed it was some manner of "Lee/Kirby" tribute.
Yes, thank you. :D

[Lord Liaden]

I've seen references to Lirby Koo/ Kirby Loo in a number of Champions products over the years, in relation to other villains that he created or who worked for him. Having seen everything published for Champs through 4th Edition except for some magazine articles, I feel confident in saying that unless he was statted in one of those, he never has been.

[death tribble]

I asked for this over a decade ago when I spoke to the Hero crew then.
It was a possibility but it nevercame to light.

[Battlestaff]

Well, now comes the obvious question: Did anyone ever stat him out? And if not, what do YOU think he should look like?

[Blue]

Back in the day, yes. But that means I haven't used him since First Edition.

And back then I think he was more of an evil genius with tons of super villainous helpers. I didn't spend a lot of time on the creation. High INT, High EGO, but that's it.

[BobGreenwade]

But was he ever statted in earlier editions? I always assumed he was more of a recurring plot device for supervillain origins.As far as I'm aware, he never was. As you say, just a recurring plot device. There was some vague plan about finally statting him out toward the end of the ICE Age, but they (obviously) never came to fruition.

I'd love to hear from Steve whether he'll be existing in the new CU. My own hope is "He doesn't exist... yet."

[Lord Liaden]

Even if DoJ has the rights to the character name, I rather doubt that Steve would put him into the current CU. It already has a well-established "fiend of the Orient," Dr. Yin Wu, and I suspect that Steve would consider another one redundant.

In a past campaign I substituted Dr. Yin Wu for Dr. Lirby Koo for characters connected to the latter (the old Geodesics, El Muerto Obscuro from the BBB, Stormwatch from Day of the Destroyer, etc.). The parallels seemed close enough to work IMHO.

[Enforcer84]

But Koo was a Techie, where as Dr.Yin Wu is a magic user. It'd force changes on the characters created. Also, Wu is interested in destroying technology, ruling an ancient China. Koo seemed more concerned with making money and instituting social change (that he'd be ruler of...)

[Lord Liaden]

But Koo was a Techie, where as Dr.Yin Wu is a magic user. It'd force changes on the characters created. Also, Wu is interested in destroying technology, ruling an ancient China. Koo seemed more concerned with making money and instituting social change (that he'd be ruler of...)

Well, earlier references to Koo/Loo didn't actually specify that he was a techie. Let's look at other characters associated with Koo in the past: He didn't create the Geodesics, he found and recruited them. The "laboratory" of the Doctor's from which Brick emerged was never specified as being a scientific one; Yin Wu is adept in Chinese alchemy as well as sorcery. (Anyway, Brick's connection to Koo was eliminated in his 4E rewrite for VIPER.)

El Muerto Obscuro and Green Dragon (when the origin of the latter involved Koo) were pure martial artists, and Stormwatch was a mystic martial artist; his fellow members of the "Iron Lords" (Firehand, Windstroke, and Stonedeath) sound very similar, and actually remind me of Yin Wu's "Four Sons of the Dragon."

We never really saw much description of Koo's longterm goals, other than that he did have the Geodesics commit robberies (that he wasn't personally involved in), and that he'd experimented with immortality (as had Dr. Yin Wu). Frankly, IMO there's very little to Koo's background as given that would obviate substituting Yin Wu for him.

(Sorry if that sounded a little defensive. One of my pet rationalizations is showing.) :o

[Enforcer84]

No, actually it sounds better than what I was remembering. And just as likely.

[SKJAM!]

When I was proposing an "Asian Enemies" book, back in the day, I made Lirby Koo the leader of the Corruption Empire (the Zen Team's Hunted.) High INT and EGO, loads of Science and Knowledge skills (including "alternative" sciences like Chinese Alchemy and Oriental Medicine), Inventor, and loads of Followers.

In the sentai tradition, he also had a "behold my true form" mode, with Growth, Flight, HKA, and a massive EB.

[steriaca]

Hear is my take on the Great Four Unwriten Champions Villians.

Dr. Kirby Loo: A more behind the sceens mastermind. A genous who dabbles in vareous science, he was also a feared martial artest of amazing skill, mastering not only traditinal Koriean martial arts, but Kung Fu, Karate, Kenjustu, and Ninjustu also. All and all, he was a tatical genous, who used extreme planing for his plots.

The Thugmaster: Acualy a VIPER Nest Leader. Not much of a threat, except that he is intelagent, can manipulate people easy, and knows some minor magical spells. Sourse: Flair (from Heroic Publishing).

Profesor Pyras Pomigranet (please forgive my mispeling of his first name): HE is the Evil Canadian Techkie From Canada. He defently has more smarts, and science skills than Dr. Loo. He specalised in creating supervilians with a transformation macheen. His former body was somehow destroyed, but his brain survived, and was transplanted in another body. Sourse: The original BBB (under examples of involved plots).

Madam Synn: A martial artest, she specalised in weapion creation, and was Icestar's most evil foe. In her real idenity of Cynthia Wu, she was Icestar's girlfriend (and pregnet one at that). Sourse: Icestar (from Heroic Publishing).

How many do you use?

[winterhawk]

When retconning my campaign when 5th edition hit, the nefarious Dr. Lirby Koo became a Silver Age 'Red Menace' mad scientist, creating both 'State Heroes' for the Iron Curtain and American supervillains 'in order to undermine the capitalist dogs from within!'.

[Kirby]

(please forgive my mispeling of his first name):
Just that misspelling? :nonp:


HE is the Evil Canadian Techkie From Canada.
As opposed to those evil Canadian "Techkies" from Norway? :snicker:

And now, back to your regular thread.

[steriaca]

As opposed to those evil Canadian "Techkies" from Norway? :snicker:


Great. So I don't have to explain that joke.

[Solomon]

(snip)
Profesor Pyras Pomigranet ... He specalised in creating supervilians with a transformation macheen.

The fiendish Ubermachine IIRC.

[Bud Gray]

Wow, Thanks for all the info guys. I wasn't sure if The fiendish Dr. Loo was just a plot device or not. I'm rewriting Los Asesinoes and wasn't sure what to do about the ninja's background. This actually helps a lot.

[steriaca]

Wow, Thanks for all the info guys. I wasn't sure if The fiendish Dr. Loo was just a plot device or not. I'm rewriting Los Asesinoes and wasn't sure what to do about the ninja's background. This actually helps a lot.

Acualy, he IS just a plot device (remember, his stats were never published), but I gues we all gave you enougth infomation and ideals on how to flesh him out to be something beyond just a name.

[Kirby]

Acualy, he IS just a plot device....
Or, from my gaming group: OIPD. Obvious Inaccessible Plot Device. :)