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Updating Ethnic Superfriends


winterhawk

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Inspired by Enforcer's post:

 

http://herogame.dans.cust.servlets.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2315

 

I have decided to use Apache Chief, Black Vulcan, Samurai and El Dorado as templates for some characters, with an XP bonus to the player who guesses who I based them off of.

 

The set up for these characters: All are mutants and were once heroes, but for one reason or another, have joined the equivalent of my campaign's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. What I have so far:

 

Black Vulcan is now Master AC (thank you Hermit for another great character suggestion), Hip Hop master of electricity. He's pretty much set.

 

The character based on Samurai is a martial artist who can transmute his body into the five basic Eastern elements (air, water, fire, wood & metal) for various effects.

 

I'm toying with the idea that the Apache Chief character having molecular control of his body (Growth, DI, Shrinking, Desolid, etc), but am open to suggestion.

 

What I need:

 

1) A new name for the Samurai character.

 

2) A new name for the Apache Chief character. I am toying with something like Ghost Mountain to represent his desolid/growth nature, but am open to suggestion.

 

3) El Dorado: A new name and power set. In the cartoons, he could read minds, create illusions and teleport by enveloping himself in his cape. I'm thinking mentalist.

 

As always, thanks in advance to the learned panel for the suggestions!

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Re: Updating Ethnic Superfriends

 

Originally posted by winterhawk

Black Vulcan is now Master AC (thank you Hermit for another great character suggestion), Hip Hop master of electricity. He's pretty much set.

 

Ah shucks, you're welcome.

 

1) A new name for the Samurai character.

 

It may not quite fit, but you could call him "Five Rings"

 

2) A new name for the Apache Chief character. I am toying with something like Ghost Mountain to represent his desolid/growth nature, but am open to suggestion.

 

I like Ghost Mountain, another might be

Brother Mountain

 

3) El Dorado: A new name and power set. In the cartoons, he could read minds, create illusions and teleport by enveloping himself in his cape. I'm thinking mentalist.

 

Well, if you wanted to move him up to Mexico, you could call him something like "Smoke Jaguar" or "Jaguar's Shadow" and go with an Aztec motiff.

 

EDIT: OOpps, the Aztec stuff already got mentioned in the old thread, better give credit where credit is due :)

 

 

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Re: Re: Updating Ethnic Superfriends

 

Originally posted by Hermit

It may not quite fit, but you could call him "Five Rings"

Maybe because the elements in the 'Book of 5 rings' were Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Void, which were possibly the 5 elements in Japan, as distict from the 5 mentioned before which were, I believe Chinese. Not all Asian countries use the same 'mystic traditions'.

Of course this means if you want to be accurite the Samuri type will have to have the Japanese elements as 'forms'. Then again, as far as this type of 'sterotypical charaterisation' is concerned, "Asians is Asians".

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Re: Re: Re: Updating Ethnic Superfriends

 

Originally posted by Karma

Then again, as far as this type of 'sterotypical charaterisation' is concerned, "Asians is Asians".

 

I hope you're not putting words in anyone's mouth. Neither I, nor Winterhawk said any such thing. That's exactly why I said it might not be a good fit.

 

Though, If by that you meant the old Superfriends show had that problem ,I totally agree. I think that was one thing Winterhawk was trying to avoid though.

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Originally posted by ShinDangaioh

Rima was in at least one of the SuperFriends episodes.

 

 

I do wonder why Green Arrow was never in any of the shows. The trick arrows were a natural. Especially the boxing glove arrow.

 

He was in one of the "Wendy & Marvin Era" episodes. The one where the scientist was going to shrink every person on Earth to a few inches tall in order to increase the available natural resources.

Wendy and Marvin called him for help after the Superfriends had all been shrunken. Unfortunately, they overlooked the fact that the villain was using radio as the carrier wave to transmit his shrinking effect.

He answered the distress call and ZAP.

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Updating Ethnic Superfriends

 

Originally posted by Hermit

Though, If by that you meant the old Superfriends show had that problem, I totally agree. I think that was one thing Winterhawk was trying to avoid though.

That's what I meant.

However, I still think any attempt to create 'ethnically based heroes' is walking a fine line. I just hope Winterhawk doesn't cross it.

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Updating Ethnic Superfriends

 

Originally posted by Karma

That's what I meant.

However, I still think any attempt to create 'ethnically based heroes' is walking a fine line. I just hope Winterhawk doesn't cross it.

 

Wow, this thread totally got off track...I'm creating an African American EB, a Native American Growth Brick, a Japanese Metamorph and a Latino Mentalist. They are homages to some of my fondest childhood heroes. Funny thing, when I watched Superfriends in my youth, I never even noticed they were multicultural...they were just superheroes. This whole thread was just to get input on character creation. I thought it would be cute to throw these guys at my players, then at the end go "OK, for an extra XP, who did I base these guys on?" I've done the same thing with the JLA, the Avengers and even a team from another campaign.

 

End of Rant, back to topic.

 

I came up with what I hope is an anime/manga sounding name for the Samurai based character...I'm going to go with Element Warrior 5.

 

Still stuck on El Dorado...since he was the least prominent or utilized of these guys.

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Updating Ethnic Superfriends

 

Originally posted by Karma

That's what I meant.

However, I still think any attempt to create 'ethnically based heroes' is walking a fine line. I just hope Winterhawk doesn't cross it.

 

Why, because he could ruin the poetry and pride that was "Black Vulcan"?

 

alright, that was petty.

 

But, if I might ask, why is it a fine line to make an ethnically based superhero?

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Updating Ethnic Superfriends

 

Originally posted by winterhawk

Still stuck on El Dorado...

I actually kinda liked Hermit's "Smoke Jaguar"

 

other suggestions, all lifted from the glossary of a book "A War of Witches"

...tonal, one of the aspects of the Aztec soul that gave the spark of life, fate and luck.

...yollo, the aspect of the soul equated with the heart, life, movement

...ecahuil (Eca-will), the "Shadow", the cool dark part of the soul

...nagual, associated with the animal alter ego, often paired with the ecahuil fir a three part soul: (tonal/yollo/ecahuil-nagual)

 

Cool thread with some very nice ideas. I like the bonus XP idea :D

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How about Spirit Mountain, Ghost Giant (gotta love that alliteration), Talltree, Longwalker, Cloudtoucher, for the Native American? I like the last one as it incorporates the ideas of height and insubstantiality.

 

For your South American, wasn't there some Aztec god whose emblem was an obsidian mirror? I think he looked like a jaguar or ocelote and it might be what Hermit had in mind.

 

This suggests Black/Dark/Obsidian Mirror (last one slightly too long, I think), or incorporating Hermit's thinking, Smoke (or Smoking) Mirror. I think the dark mirror theme could fit in with his powers, as you've described them. Just don't give him a Glaswegian accent!

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Originally posted by Hermit

Okay, maybe it's just the fact I came up with the name that's biasing me... but Master A.C. looks cool :)

 

Hmm think the tongue on Element Warrior 5's shirt should be more serpentine/demony, but that's a small quibble.

 

Master AC is a modified John Henry Irons from Superman Animated...I agree on the tongue...and its supposed to be a Japanese styled full body tattoo

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Originally posted by JmOz

You forgot one, was only in one episode I beleive (maybe 2), some forgetable female tarzan type

 

You're not thinking of the Growth villain from the LoD, are you? I can't remember her name, but she ran around in leopard skins and always tangled w/ the Chief because they had more or less the same powerset.

 

-T

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