How do I make this a golden age character?

[Witch Doctor]

I'm trying to create a character for a golden age campaign. I want to create a character like the Phantom who is clearly inspired by pulp heros like Dr. Savage and Indiana Jones. I need to be clear in my own mind as to the differences between Golden Age and Pulp heroes so I can be sure to create a character appropriate for the setting.
The rough sketch for the character that I have now is an archaeology professor who has discovered the location of a lost temple in India rumored to possess, what are essentially, weapons of mass destruction. He discovers that the Red Menace is looking for the same temple and he has to find it first.
He and his sister end up in a big battle at the temple against the Red Menace and a bullet is fired which goes through his sister, through a temple idol, and into him. He lays dying and the god in the temple idol takes over his body to chase out the villains. The god, when it finishes, restores his health (it actually grants him the physical fitness of an olymplic athlete) and, from this point on, takes an interest in him.
However, this god is actually ReeKee the Monkey God (who is a trickster deity) and his interest in the man fates him to "always live in interesting times". He is, now, a weirdness magnet with luck powers (in addition to being an olympic level athlete).
I need help to turn this into a Golden Age character.

[Doc Democracy]

What makes you think that this isn't a Golden Age hero?

Far as I can see it meets all the requirements. Lots of mythology and magic - no hard technology and an Olympic athelete.

The difference between a pulp character and a Golden Age superhero is often simply the level of power that you are talking about.

I don't think that you have anything to do but stat up what you have there.



Doc

[Koshka]

One question -- does the sister die, or did ReeKee patch her up as well?

I agree with Doc Democracy, the character sounds good as is. I might have Sis survive (or not get shot in the first place), unless you want some Batman edge to the character.

[Foxiekins]

One major difference between the pulps and golden age, though... Killing... The pulps were a lot more lethal... Just account for that, and go for a clear good/evil split, no moral quandries, and you've got golden age... Like Doc says, just stat that all up, and keep the pulp/golden difference in mind when you do... If the sister survives, would she be a DNPC, then...? Or is he going to be driven by her death...?

[Witch Doctor]

I wanted him to really, -really- hate guns.
And I thought a good way to do that was to have his sister die by getting shot.
I thought it was poetic to have her die in the same instant that he became the Avatar/kick-me doll of Reekee.

[Foxiekins]

I wanted him to really, -really- hate guns.
And I thought a good way to do that was to have his sister die by getting shot.
I thought it was poetic to have her die in the same instant that he became the Avatar/kick-me doll of Reekee.

Maybe he's haunted by her spirit...? A source of information, and something that makes sure he will never, ever forget...

The hating guns works... I would list the Disad as "Hates Guns and the Cowards that Use Them"...

[Doug McCrae]

Golden Age superheroes wear colourful circus costumes. Pulp heroes might dress a but funny but didn't have the distinctive superhero cut. Superheroes always have codenames, pulp heroes usually don't. If it ends in '-man' then it's a superhero - dead giveaway.

Hating guns is a bit modern Batman-y, don't you think?

[Supreme Serpent]

If this is for a game, make sure you and the GM are on the same page as to what "Golden Age" means, and what types of characters are desired. For some, it's Mr. Terrific. For others, it's the Shadow.

As for hating guns - may want to check on other characters/check with the GM about that. Especially if it's a "pulp" GA game, many other characters may use them. Even in "nice" GA campaigns, you might see PC's with gas guns, freeze rays, etc. and the GM might consider your hatred to extend to them. Check first rather than be surprised and disappointed later!

[bubba smith]

i agree with doc democracy your hero's good to go

[McCoy]

Golden Age superheroes wear colourful circus costumes. Pulp heroes might dress a but funny but didn't have the distinctive superhero cut. Superheroes always have codenames, pulp heroes usually don't. If it ends in '-man' then it's a superhero - dead giveaway.

Hating guns is a bit modern Batman-y, don't you think?

I would say Silver Age. Modern, everybody's got a BFG.

Only thing I wonder about in the origin is Red Menace. If this is a commie, again, more Silver Age than Golden. More about the villian please?

[Certified]

Just to reiterate the point, the Golden Age is filled with heroes who used guns and would kill. Keep in mind that there were a lot of war stories in this era and rarely is it wrong to plug a Nazi scumbag.

With regards to the background story I think it has a lot of good elements for a Golden Age character. You may want to check with the GM as to what the starting year of the campaign is going to be however. Although the first "Red Scare" cropped up in the late 1910's this is primarily a fear of Communism as a form of government. However, this point may be off base if as implied by another poster the Red Menace described in the story is an individual.

I really like the concept and look forward to seeing how he turns out.

[Clonus]

Just to reiterate the point, the Golden Age is filled with heroes who used guns and would kill. Keep in mind that there were a lot of war stories in this era and rarely is it wrong to plug a Nazi scumbag.

.

In fact, most Golden Age characters rarely used guns to kill people because, then as now, people were worried about the more imitatable forms of violence. That's not to say that they didn't pile up a substantial death toll especially during the war, but it tended to consist of things like blowing up a dam and flooding Tokyo, getting people to kill themselves ironically, or making their planes crash. You can also be misled by Golden Age covers, which would sometimes show Captain America operating a machine-gun, say, when nothing of the kind occurs inside. .

[Trebuchet]

Hating guns is a bit modern Batman-y, don't you think?

Batman used guns for like his first three issues; then lost them permanently. Since that would have been back in 1939, I don't think that qualifies as particularly modern.

[Clonus]

By 1940 they were making a big deal out of Batman's refusal to carry or kill people with guns.

http://sacomics.blogspot.com/2005/08...-and-guns.html

[JmOz]

Only thing I would change is the "Red Scare" should become Goose stepping Nazi's, a circus costume of some nature and you should be good

As for Bat's using a gun, he is seen carring it in a few (less than 6), but I know of only two stories where he actualy uses it, and it was to kill various monsters.

edit: Wow, some great stuff on that link there I never knew about