The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

[Kal'El Wayne]

I was reading the 'What makes you like Pulp' thread. I got to thinking about how Pulp, because it lets you do anything, is a lot like a flavour to add to a thing, rather than a thing itself. So my post read:

 

"I love pulp because in pulp, you can do anything, or at least a low level equivalent. Literally every character is Batman, or rather, the Shadow. If magic exists, then the pulp version of Dr. Strange only had to study for one year. Admittedly, his magic spells and rituals are weaker but he faces weaker foes, so it evens out. Tony Stark is the same as he normally is, except that he wears a rocket pack, scanner helmet, blaster gloves and a forcefield belt instead of a full suit of electronic armour. Professor X is just a normal human but he studied with a Korean zen master for a year. The Hulk is just some home chemistry lab experiment gone wrong. And so on."

 

So now I wanna try a Pulp Marvel campaign. I probably won't run it, I'm just interested, what will you guy's come up with?

[Kal'El Wayne]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

For Example:

In Marvel Pulp, there was no race to build the Atom Bomb (although mad scientists are more than happy to invent one). There was, instead, a race to build the first prototype Super-Soldier. The Nazis started it, with their 'genetic experiments', trying to make the 'Aryan Master Race', and the American government stole their notes to work on it themselves.

 

One of the group, Dr Bruce Banner, showed promise. An eccentric genius, he developed a serum that he thought would allow a person to transform themselves into a physically superior being. Being a highly ethical man, he refused to test it on anyone else. Unfortunately the formula proved unstable, producing maddening levels of adrenaline in the subject whenever they were transformed. The transformation is triggered by adrenaline, and can only be stopped by calming the subject down.

 

Blah, blah, blah, other superheroes who could have been subjects of various attempts at supersoldiers.

 

Dr. Banner later perfected his serum, in the process of attempting to cure himself. Unfortunately, the perfected serum neither affects his blood, nor cures his previous serum. And since the government already had their perfect soldier, someone based on the now infamous 'Incredible Hulk' would just be bad publicity. So his new serum is put into storage. However, his cousin, Jennifer Walters, was the first female lawyer in America. And she was working on getting a major mafia Don sent to prison, so he had her gunned down. The only way to save her life was with an emergency transfusion from the nearest viable donor. But Dr Banner didn't want to pass on his curse with his blood. So he used a vial of the perfected 'Hulk' serum to make her immune to the imperfect prototype. She pulled through, thanks in part to the serum, and she so the petite Jennifer Walters became the mighty She-Hulk.

[bubba smith]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

good howe aout a pulp SPIDER-MAN?

[Kal'El Wayne]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Well, I do want other people's ideas, too!

But I do think, instead of web-fluid, he'd have invented a kind of grappling line and claw set up built into his gloves.

[bubba smith]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Well, I do want other people's ideas, too!

But I do think, instead of web-fluid, he'd have invented a kind of grappling line and claw set up built into his gloves.

point taken

[wyldspirit]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Green Latern is just a character who found the ancient ring of Allakazham while exploring ancient ruins. The human torch is an inventer of a remarkable fluid that burns on top of skin for hours without causing damage to the wearer. The Thing was once a navel pilot that crashed on a mysterious island and contracted a strang fungal growth that transformed his body into a hulking mass of protective plant material resembling an orange rock like substance.

[austenandrews]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Decades ago, a scientific demonstration of radio-activity went wrong, bathing the audience in strange rays. Children born to the audience members exhibit strange abilities - one lad can stun or even kill a man with a glance from his naked eyes; another has an ugly, gorilla-like physique; a third has a freakishly low body temperature and with effort can drop it below freezing; a fourth has uncanny acrobatic talent and leaps through the air with the greatest of ease; while a young girl has the ability to move small objects with a thought. They are gathered by Professor Xavier, one of two surviving scientists who had organized the demonstration. Xavier, who has a talent for hypnosis, trains the youngsters against the machinations of the other surviving scientist, who has developed electric gloves that emit powerful magnetic fields.

[bubba smith]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

young daniel rand an amateur boxer lived near chinatown whe he rescued a pair of children from a racist with an axe as a reward the childrens uncle taught daniel chinese boxing including a punnch were he hand became like unto a thing of iron allowing danny to ironicall live up to his boxing nickname IRON FIST

[Zane_Marlowe]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

let's not forget a certain Captain America, whose valor in the Great War helped lead allied forces to victory. Alas, for his disappearance in a strange billowing cloud of weaponized vapors whilst battling his nemesis (The Scarlett Skull) on a great precipice overlooking an alpine lake. He was the first to gain the full benefit of the special formula discovered by an old patent medicine salesman whose patriotism burned as brightly as the deeds of his first and only patient. (Sadly, he was the victim of his own success when would be customers rushed forward on seeing Mr. Rogers's remarkable transformation before their very eyes; Dr. E.R. Skine's formula for Vita-Juice died with him when he accidentally backed into the road and was run down by one of those newfangled horseless carriages Henry Ford built.)

[Pól Ruadh]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Peter Parker is a plucky photojournalist who, disgusted at the corruption he sees every day, creates the alter ego of a daring gentleman cat burglar called 'The Spider-Man'.

The Spider-Man uses his uncanny climbing ability, stealth and a super-fine silken cord he calls 'The Spider's Web' ostensibly to steal the ill-gotten gains of wicked businessmen, gangsters and corrupt city officials.

However, his main target isn't riches, but the information needed to prove their crimes.

I can see this character being somewhat similar to Frederick Davis' 'Moon Man' character.

 

Steve Rogers, All-American is a special agent for the United States Government given special authority to take the fight to America's enemies, especially, the diabolical Red Skull and his network of spies and saboteurs.

This one would have a kind of 'Operator #5' feel.

 

The Fantastic Four are a world famous team of explorers and adventurers founded by two old war buddies, scientist and inventor Reed Richards, and ace pilot and two-fisted rough-houser Ben Grimm. They are joined by Reed's fiancee, socialite Sue Storm and Sue's brother Johnny, a hot-headed race car driver and ace mechanic, whose short temper more than often gets him into trouble. Reed is usually called in to investigate baffling occurances and strange phenomena beyond the capabilities of other scientists. Ben, who comes along to handle any rough stuff that inevitably happens, with Sue and Johnny dogging their heels and often getting into trouble.

This is a standard 'Doc Savage'-type set-up, with a team of nonpowered but skilled adventurers investigating strange crimes and events.

[Peregrine]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

 

The Fantastic Four are a world famous team of explorers and adventurers founded by two old war buddies, scientist and inventor Reed Richards, and ace pilot and two-fisted rough-houser Ben Grimm. They are joined by Reed's fiancee, socialite Sue Storm and Sue's brother Johnny, a hot-headed race car driver and ace mechanic, whose short temper more than often gets him into trouble. Reed is usually called in to investigate baffling occurances and strange phenomena beyond the capabilities of other scientists. Ben, who comes along to handle any rough stuff that inevitably happens, with Sue and Johnny dogging their heels and often getting into trouble.

This is a standard 'Doc Savage'-type set-up, with a team of nonpowered but skilled adventurers investigating strange crimes and events.

 

Reed Richards as Doc Savage? Next you'd be doing a DC version of this and comparing Batman to The Shadow or Superman to Hugo Danner...

[Pól Ruadh]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Reed Richards as Doc Savage? Next you'd be doing a DC version of this and comparing Batman to The Shadow or Superman to Hugo Danner...

 

Did that ages ago...

I think Batman ended up as 'The Black Bat' and Superman ended up as Clark 'Doc' Steele, The Super-Man. Also, I did Superman as a Doc Savage type, with no superhuman abilities, but with the standard 'everything to the peak of human ability' dealie.

Of course, he is aided by his stalwart team of aides, Lois Lane, tough-as-nails girl reporter, Jimmy Olsen, daredevil crime photographer, "Bibbo" Bibbowski, former prizefighter who keeps an ear to the streets, and scientific advisor, Professor Hamilton.

 

I don't really see Reed as a 'Doc Savage' type, he's certainly got the brains, but it's Ben Grimm who brings the two-fisted action (not that the others are exactly pantywaists, if you get me) but the pulp FF are more like if Doc's Aides were a team without him.

Reed's more of a 'Craig Kennedy, Science Detective' Type, with Ben as the 'Dennis Dorgan, Two-fisted he-man adventurer' type.

[bubba smith]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Did that ages ago...

I think Batman ended up as 'The Black Bat' and Superman ended up as Clark 'Doc' Steele, The Super-Man. Also, I did Superman as a Doc Savage type, with no superhuman abilities, but with the standard 'everything to the peak of human ability' dealie.

Of course, he is aided by his stalwart team of aides, Lois Lane, tough-as-nails girl reporter, Jimmy Olsen, daredevil crime photographer, "Bibbo" Bibbowski, former prizefighter who keeps an ear to the streets, and scientific advisor, Professor Hamilton.

 

i think i read that post once

[Zane_Marlowe]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Actually, when Mark Waid started his run on FF back around ish 500, he wanted to get Reed back into a Doc Savage kind of mode.

[Peregrine]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Actually' date=' when Mark Waid started his run on FF back around ish 500, he wanted to get Reed back into a Doc Savage kind of mode.[/quote']

 

Well, I've always seen Richard Seaton (from E.E. "Doc" Smith's Skylark series) as the closer predecessor to Reed Richards. However, I have no issues with Reed moving more towards Doc Savage's precedent. I like polymaths, and I don't limit them to intellectual achievements.

[Pól Ruadh]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

i think i read that post once

You may well have. I used to post here years ago, and drifted away a bit... until that darn Lucha Hero thing dragged me back in!

 

Anyway, once started, I can't stop...

 

Janet Van Dyne was a carefree socialite until the day her father was framed by his business partners and ended up in jail. In order to avenge him, without bringing further shame on her family, she assumed the masked identity of the glamorous Wasp, wielding a specially constructed dart gun to incapacitate her enemies.

The Wasp is pursued by police forensic scientist, Hank Pym who is in love with Janet, but is unaware of her dual identity.

[bubba smith]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

You may well have. I used to post here years ago, and drifted away a bit... until that darn Lucha Hero thing dragged me back in!

 

Anyway, once started, I can't stop...

 

Janet Van Dyne was a carefree socialite until the day her father was framed by his business partners and ended up in jail. In order to avenge him, without bringing further shame on her family, she assumed the masked identity of the glamorous Wasp, wielding a specially constructed dart gun to incapacitate her enemies.

The Wasp is pursued by police forensic scientist, Hank Pym who is in love with Janet, but is unaware of her dual identity.

:thumbup:

[Pól Ruadh]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

I was thinking last night, The Fantastic Four would also world brilliantly as an Edgar Rice Burroughs, 'Doc' Smith, Flash Gordon-style dealie.

 

Scientist Reed Richards, Pilot Ben Grimm, Reed's fiancee Sue and her brother Johnny use an experimental rocket, but a cosmic storm transports them into the mysterious Negative Zone where the armoured tyrant, Doctor Doom rules supreme.

Maybe a bit too Flash Gordon-y, but it works a treat.

[bubba smith]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

I was thinking last night, The Fantastic Four would also world brilliantly as an Edgar Rice Burroughs, 'Doc' Smith, Flash Gordon-style dealie.

 

Scientist Reed Richards, Pilot Ben Grimm, Reed's fiancee Sue and her brother Johnny use an experimental rocket, but a cosmic storm transports them into the mysterious Negative Zone where the armoured tyrant, Doctor Doom rules supreme.

Maybe a bit too Flash Gordon-y, but it works a treat.

it most certaily does

[Peregrine]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

I was thinking last night, The Fantastic Four would also world brilliantly as an Edgar Rice Burroughs, 'Doc' Smith, Flash Gordon-style dealie.

 

Scientist Reed Richards, Pilot Ben Grimm, Reed's fiancee Sue and her brother Johnny use an experimental rocket, but a cosmic storm transports them into the mysterious Negative Zone where the armoured tyrant, Doctor Doom rules supreme.

Maybe a bit too Flash Gordon-y, but it works a treat.

 

And the reptonfa strikes...

[bubba smith]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

And the reptonfa strikes...

hey thats my line

no offense butwouldn't the repfalcon lands be more aprprpo tfor someone named pergerine ?

[Peregrine]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

hey thats my line

no offense butwouldn't the repfalcon lands be more aprprpo tfor someone named pergerine ?

 

Maybe "Repstrike!"?

 

Hm....

[bubba smith]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Maybe "Repstrike!"?

 

Hm....

yeah that works

[Pól Ruadh]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Thanks for the rep, fellers.

And, here's some more.

 

A former prizefighter unjustly imprisoned, stages a daring escape from jail and takes refuge in New York City's underworld. Now, desperate people who can't get anyone else to listen to them can contact the medical clinic of Dr.Noah Burstein and seek help from the two fisted man of mystery known on the streets as Luke Cage, 'The Trouble Man'.

 

Troubled by the plight of young people who turn to crime, reformer Charles Xavier gathers a group of young former criminals and trains them to use their gifts to help society. Together, Scott Summers, former lookout for a gang of bankrobbers until he lost an eye, Jean Grey, who used to work the carnival circuit with a bunko mentalist, Bobby Drake, apprentice to notorious diamond-thief, 'The Iceman', Warren Worthington III, a grifter who used his angelic looks to con his victims, and Henry P. McCoy, a former college football player who fell in with mobsters, work to solve and prevent the crimes they would've been committing if not for the Professor.

[Clonus]

Re: The Marvels That Men Do! (Marvel Comics Conversion to Pulp)

 

Bah, I say! Bah! For an actual campaign you need villains a lot more than you need heros.

 

For example the Red Skull. A pulp version of the Red Skull would be...exactly the same. Never mind.

 

Victor Von Doom on the other hand, would lack the bells and whistles of his armor. He'd just be a bad guy who wears a suit of bullet-resistant armor and has things like death rays mounted on airships. He'd probably be more dangerous though in a pre-World War II Europe, very possibly engaging in a real career of conquest until stopped.