The One, True Son of Krypton

[massey]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

Superman is just a niche though. A spot in the food chain, an Apex Predator. I look at Superman like any real Editor or World creator does in the comic industry. As part of the bigger picture that everything else is scaled against one way or another. Of course The folks that cling to the idea that Superman HAS to BE this or that one specific build, regardless of history or evolution, aren't looking at it it the same way I am. They're focused a lot smaller, their favorite tree as opposed to the forest. My Superman, following the way the industry looks at him, is the keystone in an arch. Not just a specific rock, and like that keystone, it has a job and meaning that goes beyond being must a specific rock. That's been the successful view of an industry that's kept Superman, and others like him, around for closing in on a century. When you cage that idea down to the ultimate in specifics, you end up with something more like Savage Dragon, and far removed from the ideal that is Superman.

 

~Rex

 

No one has been arguing that Superman must be one specific build. Nobody. We have said that no, Doc Savage isn't Superman. You are arguing, I don't even know what you're arguing.

[Greywind]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

No, there's just been a lot of "that's not Superman!" going around, when it would have been a lot easier and a lot quieter if those people said "that's not Superman to me".

[RexMundi]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

No one has been arguing that Superman must be one specific build. Nobody. We have said that no' date=' Doc Savage isn't Superman. You are arguing, I don't even know what you're arguing.[/quote']

 

Not arguing at all. Post came up that laid out an explanation that wasn't in context to the way I look at the issue. I simply clarified my position. If folks choose to remain glued to their talking point, which has close to nothing in common with mine and still try and take a shot, more power to them.

 

Either way, when folks ask me to build Superman, the scale is a key factor for me. Which era, which medium, which genre? That sort of thing Determines the build, and so long as the relative scale of the rest of the continuity fits and scales correctly, then it's all good in my book.

 

If I find time I'll post a few builds along that line of thought. Got to get back to the Chromate pile though.

 

~Rex

[Lord Liaden]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

There are many fictional world settings -- not just those of the comic books -- which feature their own version of "Superman." That is, if you define Superman as being not just the matchless physical champion, but the embodiment of the virtues that their creator extolls. In Robert E. Howard's Hyborian Age, in which barbarism was held up as the natural state of humanity, Conan is the barbarian's barbarian: stronger, quicker, tougher, and more ruthless than anyone else, but with his own rough code of honor, and a nature foreign to the corrupting evil of civilization. On Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom, a harsh planet where the honorable warrior is respected above all, John Carter is the swashbuckler without peer, but also a true gentleman of Virginia (circa late-Nineteenth Century): true to his word, chivalrous to women, treating friend and foe alike with the respect they deserve.

[massey]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

There are many fictional world settings -- not just those of the comic books -- which feature their own version of "Superman." That is' date=' if you define Superman as being not just the matchless physical champion, but the embodiment of the virtues that their creator extolls. In Robert E. Howard's Hyborian Age, in which barbarism was held up as the natural state of humanity, Conan is the barbarian's barbarian: stronger, quicker, tougher, and more ruthless than anyone else, but with his own rough code of honor, and a nature foreign to the corrupting evil of civilization. On Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom, a harsh planet where the honorable warrior is respected above all, John Carter is the swashbuckler without peer, but also a true gentleman of Virginia (circa late-Nineteenth Century): true to his word, chivalrous to women, treating friend and foe alike with the respect they deserve.[/quote']

 

Do any of those count as a Son of Krypton? Besides John Carter's underperforming at the box office, I mean.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

Well, John Carter is a Son of Earth, which on Mars made him an alien with strength and agility far greater than any native. Some have suggested he might have been another inspiration in the gestalt that spawned Superman.

 

I guess what I'm getting at is that, if it's legitimate to look at earlier incarnations of Superman as the basis for a character design, it's also worthwhile to look at characters who filled the same "niche" (as RexMundi calls it) in their own eras, who may have contributed to Superman's ultimate concept. Heck, Joe Shuster claimed that Superman was all the strong men of history he had ever heard of rolled into one, and you can see elements of many mythic archetypes in Supes's background, including Hercules, Samson, Siegfried, Beowulf, Gilgamesh... and all of them filled that same niche in their cultures.

 

I don't think you can really grasp who and what Superman is today, if you don't consider where he comes from.

[RexMundi]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

Well, John Carter is a Son of Earth, which on Mars made him an alien with strength and agility far greater than any native. Some have suggested he might have been another inspiration in the gestalt that spawned Superman.

 

I guess what I'm getting at is that, if it's legitimate to look at earlier incarnations of Superman as the basis for a character design, it's also worthwhile to look at characters who filled the same "niche" (as RexMundi calls it) in their own eras, who may have contributed to Superman's ultimate concept. Heck, Joe Shuster claimed that Superman was all the strong men of history he had ever heard of rolled into one, and you can see elements of many mythic archetypes in Supes's background, including Hercules, Samson, Siegfried, Beowulf, Gilgamesh... and all of them filled that same niche in their cultures.

 

I don't think you can really grasp who and what Superman is today, if you don't consider where he comes from.

 

Don't forget Moses.

 

~Rex

[massey]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

Don't forget Moses.

 

~Rex

 

Most flexible man in history. Tied his ass to a tree and walked 40 miles.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

Krypto the Superdog, The Last Dog of Krypton.

 

[Zen Archer]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Hyper-Man again".

 

Love the dog.

[massey]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

Krypto, The Last Dog of Krypton

 

 

He's 6'7" 220? Big dog.

 

[esampson]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

He's 6'7" 220? Big dog.

 

That's in dog inches.

[Greywind]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

Nose to tail.

[Hyper-Man]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

Don't make me post Streaky.

 

[Zen Archer]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

I won't.

 

Beppo, on the other hand...

[Hyper-Man]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

I won't.

 

Beppo, on the other hand...

 

If I ever model a monkey for HERO.....

 

[Lawnmower Boy]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

Don't make me post Streaky.

 

 

Streaky isn't from Krypton, you silly.

[Cassandra]

Re: The One, True Son of Krypton

 

Superman

 

Val Char Cost

50 STR 40 ["Super Strength"]

14 DEX 12

25 CON 30

12 BODY 4

13 INT 3

10 EGO 0

10 PRE 0

14 COM 2

20 PD 10

15 ED 10

5 SPD 26 ["Super Speed"]

15 REC 0

50 END 0

50 STUN 0

Total Characteristics Cost: 137 Points

 

Cost Skills

2 AK: Metropolis 11-

1 PS: Press Pass

2 PS: Reporter 11- ["Daily Planet Reporter"]

3 Rep: Superhero 14- ["The Man of Steel"]

Total Skills Cost: 8 Points

 

Cost Powers

15 Damage Resistance 20 rPD 10 rED ["Bulletproof"]

20 Mulitpower (30 Points) 2x END (-1/2)

2 u) EB 6d6 ["Heat Vision"]

2 u) Entangle 3d6 DEF 3 ["Freezing Vision"]

1 u) Transform: Instant Change [One Set of Clothes] ["Super Speed"]

2 u) Tunneling 6" DEF 6 ["Breaking Through Walls"]

8 ES: N-Ray Sight [Lead], Concentrate 1/2 DCV (-1/4) ["X-Ray Vision"]

9 ES: PER +1, Telescopic Hearing +2, Telescopic Sight +2 ["Super Senses"]

6 ES: RPT, Gestures (-1/4), IAF: Radio (-1/2) ["JLA Communicator"]

20 Flight 10", Variable Advantages (+1/2), [Megascale [1km], Underwater, or 1/2 END (-1/4)], OIHID (-1/4) ["Psychological Limitation from his Smallville Days]

11 LS: Extended Breathing [1 END/Minute], High Pressure, High Radiation, Intense Cold, Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum

7 PRE +10, OIF: Costume ["Superman!"]

Total Powers Cost: 105 Points

 

Total Cost: 250 Points

 

150+ Disadvantages

10 DNPC: Jimmy Olsen (Unaware Slightly Less Powerful [75+ Disadvantages]) 8-

5 DNPC: Lois Lane (Unware Slightly Less Powerful [75+ Disadvantates]) 8-

15 Hunted: Lex Luthor (As Powerful[150+ Disadvantages]/NCI) 8-

20 PsyL: Code of the Hero (Very Common/Strong) ["Wages A Never Ending Battle for Truth, Justice, And The American Way!"]

20 PsyL: Code Versus Killing (Common/Total)

10 SocL: Secret Identity [Kal-El/Clark Kent] (Occasionally/Major)

5 Suscept: Green Kryptonite Radiation, 1d6 STUN/Minute (Uncommon)

10 Vuln: Magic, 1 1/2x STUN (Common)(

5 Vuln: Red Solar Radiation, 1 1/2x STUN (Uncommon)

Total Disadvantages Cost: 250 Points

 

 

This is my current version of Superman. He's built on 5th Edition Rules, and is made for a Silver Age Campaign with 150+ Disadvantages. This version doesn't lose his powers when exposed to Green Kryptonite Radiation or Red Solar Radiation, but can be harmed by them. He's also Vulnerable to Magic.