Susano Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 SUPERMAN (Clark Kent) Val CHA Cost Roll Notes 35 STR 25 16- Lift: 3600 kg; 7d6 HTH Damage 20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7 / DCV: 7 28 CON 36 15- 13 BODY 6 12- 13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12- 13 EGO 6 12- ECV: 4 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 10 COM 0 11- 25 PD 18 Total: 25 PD (20 rPD) 20 ED 14 Total: 20 ED (20 rED) 4 SPD 10 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 12 REC -2 56 END 0 45 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 156 Movement: Running: 26" / 52" Superleap: 50" / 100" Swimming: 2" / 4" Cost Powers & Skills 20 Nothing Less Than A Bursting Shell Can Penetrate His Skin: Damage Resistance (20 PD/20 ED) 43 Superhuman Speed Multipower: 43 Point Pool 8 m 1) Faster Then An Express Train: Running +20" (26" Total), END 5 9 m 2) Hurdle A Twenty-Story Building: Leaping +43" (50" Total), END 10 Perks: 1 Fringe Benefit: Press Pass Skills: 3 Acrobatics 13- 3 Acting 13- 3 AK: Home City 12- 0 Climbing 8- 0 Concealment 8- 0 Conversation 8- 0 Deduction 8- 1 KS: Politics 8- 0 Language: English (native) 0 Paramedic 8- 2 PS: Photographer 11- 2 PS: Reporter 11- 0 Shadowing 8- 0 Stealth 8- 0 TF: Small Motorized Ground Vehicles 94 Total Powers & Skills Cost 250 Total Character Cost 150+ Disadvantages 15 DNPC: Lois, reporter for the Daily Star (Normal) 11- 15 Psychological Limitation: Dedicated To Helping Those In Need (VS, M) 10 Psychological Limitation: Tendancy Toward Using Strong-Arm Tactics (C, M) 15 Social Limitation: Secret ID (Clark Kent, reporter for the Daily Star) (F, M) 45 Experience and 'Mystery Disadvantages' 250 Total Disadvantage Points Background/History: Superman's background can be summed up best by the first page of his appearance in Action Comics No. 1: "As a distant planet was destroyed by old age, a scientist placed his infant son within a hastily devised space-ship, launching it toward Earth! "When the vehicle landed on Earth, a passing motorist, discovering the sleeping babe within, turned the child over to an orphanage." As one can easily see, Superman's original origin is very sketchy. Krypton is unnamed, there is no mention of Jor-El (Superman's father), and Ma and Pa Kent don't even exist. In his secret identity of Clark Kent, he does work as a newspaper reporter, but it is the Daily Star, not the Daily Planet. The first issue does introduce Lois (no last name), but the editor is just "Chief," with no mention of Perry White. Much of the more recognizable elements of the Superman myth (Jimmie Olsen, Lois Lane, Kryptonite) will be created over the next few months. By late 1939, Superman had become the top-selling comic book on the market, with better than 1,000,000 issues sold per month! Personality/Motivation: "Early, Clark Kent decided he must turn his titanic strength into channels that would benefit mankind. And so was created... SUPERMAN! Champion of the oppressed, the physical marvel who has sworn to devote his existance to helping those in need!" As yet, Superman does not stand for "Truth, Justice and the American Way!". His first appearance presents him a simple strong-arm hero, who rights wrongs simple by virtue of his great physical prowess. The more modern Superman, with his tight code of conduct (such as a total abhorrence for killing) is only barely recognizable within the framework of the first Superman story. This Superman resolves a wife-beating by tossing around the abusive husband (and threatening him with an even worse beating), shattering the car of a pack of gangsters, and taking an uncommunicative Washington lobbyist along a terrifying rooftop tour of the Capitol to force him to talk. Not quite what most people consider "heroic" actions, at least in the mold of the modern Superman. Quote: So you're one of these silent men, eh? We'll see, whether you'll talk! Powers/Tactics: One again we turn to Action Comics No. 1: "When maturity was reached, he discovered he could easily: Leap 1/8th of a mile; hurdle a twenty-story building... raise tremendous weights... run faster than an express train... and that nothing less than a bursting shell could penetrate his skin!" It has been pointed out that Superman powers are very similar to the powers displayed by the hero of Philip Wylie's book Gladiator. In many ways he is also similar to Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars, who was able to leap great distances and display great feats of strength thanks to his Earth-born muscles. Superman is pretty typical for a HERO System brick, in fact, he might seem a bit weak. Later, as his popularity grew, so did Superman's powers, probably reaching the height of absurdity during the late 50's and early 60's, when he pulled such stunts as blowing out a star with his "super-breath." Appearance: Tall, broad-shouldered, short black hair; Superman's physical appearance has not changed much since his initial appearance. His distinctive spit curl will come later, right now, Superman looks to slick his hair back when acting in costume. It is Superman's costume that has undergone the more obvious changes. It's a blue bodystocking with red trunks and a yellow belt, but the "big red S" is missing. nstead, we have a yellow shield-shaped symbol with the vauge suggestion of an "S" indicated. Superman's red boots are missing as well, instead he has strips of cloth wrapped around his low legs, resembling the leggings worn by the Norse or the straps of Roman sandles. (Superman created Jerome Siegel and Joe Shuster. Superman ©1965-2002 DC Comics, Inc. Character sheet created by Michael Surbrook) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 Interesting. A few more interesting points to add here... Superman's origin was sketchy and changed a lot over the years. The Daily Star became the Daily Planet because the two most common names for newspapers back then were either the Daily Star and the Examiner. Thus, DC couldn't sell strips of Superman to any paper named the Examiner, because their competitors would be called the "Daily Star." Though his abilities have never really been strictly defined, a 35 STR seems a bit low for the original Man of Steel. In his first issue, he held an entire bursting dam together while it was breaking apart so Lois could get to safety. I'm no engineer, but I think that'd take more than 3.2 tons of lifting power. Otherwise, I'd say this was dead on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ndreare Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 What are your sources I would like to learn more about old heroes. I watched the show on dicovery (don't lagh I like discovery) but it was to short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted October 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 Originally posted by Supreme Though his abilities have never really been strictly defined, a 35 STR seems a bit low for the original Man of Steel. In his first issue, he held an entire bursting dam together while it was breaking apart so Lois could get to safety. I'm no engineer, but I think that'd take more than 3.2 tons of lifting power. Otherwise, I'd say this was dead on. I based this work on his first appearence, in which he lifts a sedan over this head and slams it into the rock (a panel duplicated many times over in other comics). The write-up is taken directly from material printed in the Smithsonian book of comic book comics, which reprinted his first appearence. Thus, it is obvious his powers changed quickly, as you say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vondy Posted October 24, 2003 Report Share Posted October 24, 2003 "As strong as the scenario needs me to be!" +100 Strength, No Figured Characteristics (-1/2), Only For Feats Of Strength (-1), No Conscious Control (-2): 22 Points Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlHazred Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 I'd like to point out that much of the Superman mythology had been created, but Siegel and Shuster had to shrink it down to sell it to a paper. Online you can see the historic first strip as published; you can find the "Original Superman" strip as well, which already has many of the elements of the myth, with intriguing differences (frinstance, in the origin strip, the people of Krypton are fantastically endowed because they "represent the human race at its ultimate peak of perfect development", not because of some weird comic book physics explanation involving the color of the sun). Based on that strip, I think you can include many of the later disads as specific mystery disadvantages. In all, an excellent writeup, and one I use for Superman in my Vigilance League campaign (currently in March of 1939). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Cross Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Superman Personally,I've always thought your version of Superman was rather underpowered.I'd personally double his STR to 70,as I seem to recall he lifted a circus elephant one-handed in one of the Superman Archives. Furthermore,unlike his inspiration,Hugo Danner,Superman has always been resistant to diseases & poisons,so some Life Support is necessary.Hovever, Superman doesn't travel into space for some years yet,so a 1939 version should only have Extended Breathing,not Self-Contained Breathing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Cross Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Superman's Swimming I also remember that Superman could swim at superhuman speeds,so perhaps an additional slot in his Multipower for Swimming should be considered. I also remember that when Superman started out,he could alter his facial features by using his superhuman control over his facial muscles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Cross Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Superman (1939) Superman was revealed to be immune to disease during the "Purple Plague" storyline.Of all the people who were exposed to the first victim,he was the only one who survived.His immunity to poison was shown when an evil arms merchant,trying to kill him exposed both himself and Superman to a deadly new gas.The villain died,but Superman was unharmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Cross Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Sorry,I Forgot To Ask Errr....Susano,when are you going to finish updating your website??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted October 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Allow me to explain about about this version of Superman. 1st -- He was meant to be 250 points, no more, no less. So I built his as true to his 1st issue as I could, without going over 250. 2nd -- He was based solely off os his 1st issue. Thus, his STR total is taken from his ability to lift a car over his head, his defenses from the line about a bursting shell, and so on. I realize that he rapidly outstripped this write-up, even in his early days... and we won't mention what he eventually turned into (A what? 2- to 3000-point nightmare plus???). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted October 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Re: Sorry,I Forgot To Ask Originally posted by Southern Cross Errr....Susano,when are you going to finish updating your website??? When I get the time. Contrary to appearences, I don't devote 110% of my waking hours to HERO Games adaptions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WhammeWhamme Posted October 25, 2003 Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Re: Re: Sorry,I Forgot To Ask Originally posted by Susano When I get the time. Contrary to appearences, I don't devote 110% of my waking hours to HERO Games adaptions. What!?! HOW DARE YOU! If you don't, how did you ever get your site up in the first place...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted October 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2003 Re: Re: Re: Sorry,I Forgot To Ask Originally posted by WhammeWhamme What!?! HOW DARE YOU! If you don't, how did you ever get your site up in the first place...? Lots of dead time at the help desk... And, y'know, I just updated the site with some material... like some new art in the art gallery, some updated (4th to 5th) adaptions, and some reader contributions (hint.. hint...). So I am working on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigil Posted October 28, 2003 Report Share Posted October 28, 2003 Superman circa 1939 Hey There, I thought your Superman write up was pretty convincing and balanced but I do feel that his STR should have been more in the 45 -50 range. At 35 it may have been very difficult for him to lift the car, especially if you factor in the Golden Age Champions convention of moving stuff like cars one level up the chart to account for steel construction. I seem to recall somwwhere that in Superman's origin it says that he grew up on Krypton, which had a gravity which was much higher than Earth's (JUpiter-like or so, which accounts for his abilities) and that Krypton was never destroyed. Does anyone else recall this origin? Thanks, Vigil I tried to check out your website but couldn't find it. Could you post a link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted October 28, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2003 Re: Superman circa 1939 Originally posted by Vigil Hey There, I thought your Superman write up was pretty convincing and balanced but I do feel that his STR should have been more in the 45 -50 range. At 35 it may have been very difficult for him to lift the car, especially if you factor in the Golden Age Champions convention of moving stuff like cars one level up the chart to account for steel construction. Yeah... the trick is trying to squeeze in another 5 points of STR. I'll give it a look. I seem to recall somwwhere that in Superman's origin it says that he grew up on Krypton, which had a gravity which was much higher than Earth's (JUpiter-like or so, which accounts for his abilities) and that Krypton was never destroyed. Does anyone else recall this origin? That's the original comic origin (IIRC). I tried to check out your website but couldn't find it. Could you post a link? See my .sig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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