psm

Re: Calling All Evil GMs

I'm sure there would be a few, billion dollar pharamceutical companies a little worried too. It would really cut into their profit margins if this character could heal everyone. It would make them obsolete. I would think that some of them might feel threatened.

Re: need another name

Hard Body

Stoneghost

I don't know about her, but I might steal these names.

Here are a few other suggestions.

Stone Fox

Moon Light (my favorite)

Soft Stone

Annie Anchor

Smoke Stone

Led Feather

Personality and the character's background would really help though.

Re: Robotics in the Marvel Universe

Honorable mentions (don't know if these people are still alive though):

Techno/Fixer

Ogre

Kang (good luck finding him)

Dr. Octopus (maybe)

Leader

Arnim Zola

Oranizations:

Wakanda scientists

AIM

Good call on Fabian Stankowicz and Roger Bochs.

Re: Power ideas for a concept character: Manatee

Combat abilities? You do realize its a manatee

I concur with Bloodstone. Give him the ability to trap weapons/ punches with his skin/blubber. Maybe add some wrestling moves. Have him contract/expand his blubber to escape holds and entaglements.

How about the mental ability to make people in his area relax and become non violent (or less so). Kinda like him supplanting their personalities with his. Its really not a combat ability but it could slow down his opponents (they attack less often or do less damage or something). This could be really effective if you combine it with some restraing moves. Basically, he would be holding down his opponent with him only halfheartdely trying to break free.

Also, to increase his combat effectiveness you might want to think about making him treat air like water. Basically he could swim through it. I know it makes no sense but it would be a cool visual. (I did this with a character who could swim through the earth)

Beyond that I really can't think of much. Maybe a sound blast or noxious breath.

Re: Name these characters

 

Third character:

 

The character is a former moto racer. after a accident, he has been rebuilt into a cyborg (speedster). His main power is to summon from a dimensional pocket a futuristic motorbike (think about the moto race in Tron)

How about:

LMX

Freestyle

Greased Lightning

Man-bike:nonp:

Or just use the name of the company that is going to sponsor him.

Re: Power ideas for a concept character: Manatee

The ability to attract motorboat blades

Maybe give the character underwater camouflage. Or a siren's song ability if you want to make him a little tougher.

Manatees are supposedly very curious too.

Re: Immunity: Magnetism

1) Desolidification, 0 End, Persistant (+1), Magnetics only (-2), IIF-Armor (-1/4).

That should make the character completely immune to magnetic attacks. I hope that is what you are looking for.

Re: For all of you who like cartoon network

Its very well done. However I don't get it.

The characters are so far from their original concepts and art styles that I don't understand why they are being used.

I think Bleedman would do better to use original characters.

Re: Players And the Strange things they do.

I think its a great idea. Can you imagine the master villian in the middle of his grand monologue suddenly crapping his pants.

Its one thing to be defeated buts its another to be humilated. The PC is going to get a very long list of villians that want to do more than kill him in a short time if he's not careful.

I just wouldn't allow the pc to use it too often as it would denigrate into a joke very quickly. But if its part of the characters personality I can't see why you would disallow it.

Re: Your Costume is always Clean.

In seriousness' date=' would you guys actually charge points for this ability?[/quote']

 

 

Well, it depends. If its a sfx not associated with an existing power then I would charge 1 point for it. Now, if its just a side effect of an existing power with no advantage then I wouldn't.

Re: Original Supervillain Groups -- Get Creative!

I've done the music thing...

Speaking of the music thing, if memory serve me right (which usually means I'm wrong) didn't Mark Gruenwald make a team of super powered humans all based on Jethro Tull songs. I believe they appeared in DP7. The only names I remember were Locomotive Breath and Aqualung. Does any body remember the rest? Or if I'm completely making this up.

Re: Change Environment vs Images (light only)

Oh and the way images lets you create positive PER rolls is just a glitch fix. IMO.

I agree with you on this one. I think this is one of those rare instances when Hero gets caught up with the sfx and not the mechanics. It appears since images use light (which I consider a sfx) that they are trying to use it to handle other light issues.

By the way thanks to everyone giving me some insight on the situation. Now, I more confused than before

Hello everybody. Okay, I'll make this quick. Does anybody know why the rules state that providing light is handled only by images and not by change environment? I can see why this would pertain to some situations but not all. Also, it mentions that Change Environment can only have a negative effect (it's especially emphasized in Sidekick). Why?

I should also mention that I'm going against the rules on this one. In my campaign lightbulbs/lamps are change environments and obviously have a positive effect (just not in game terms). I just wanted to see what everyones elses opinions are. Possibly getting a better insight on the power itself. Just don't expect me to change my opinion.

Re: Wanted!

It must be either or. Either guns work and there are no costumes or guns don't work and there are.

Well, we've have hit the end of our conversation. I don't see why it has to be an either or situation especially with the silliness and lack of logic inherent in super hero genre. And no I'm not asking for an explanation either. I think it would be best to just admit that we won't see eye to eye on this. Until next time Trencher have a good one.

Re: Wanted!

But thing is' date=' if Killer can shoot them why have not anybody done so before? Why did superheroes and villains develop in a world where guns work? Sure Killer is really good and can kill a lot, but a couple of guys with Uzis could do the same. [/quote']

 

Because there would be no story. Thats why I'm having such a tough time with your logic. You can accept that superheroes/supervillians are okay. Yet you have problem accepting that they're not bulletproof. I don't understand why you can't just accept both those ideas? Honestly, if you can accept that Lois didn't know Clark Kent was Superman for 50 yrs this should be easy.

Re: Wanted!

Sorry, KA, I didn't see your post before I replied. You definitely summed up the problem Trencher and you are having with the story better than I did. I guess it simply boils down to expectations within a story/genre. You both are taken out of a story when it goes against the preconcieved notions of the genre. While, I have no particular problem with it. I guess we are two different types of readers.

On the other hand' date=' I haven't even read it, so I don't really care all that much about the work itself.[/quote']

 

The argument to end all arguments.

 

I just like having an intelligent conversation with someone, that makes me think about what my position is, and why I believe it.

 

Thanks,

 

KA.

 

No kidding. This definitely one of the better conversations I've had lately. To think it started on the 'Wanted' thread is mind boggling. Thank you both.

Re: Wanted!

But it should be plausible.

Plausiblity is very subjective. I find bullets killing people to be more plausible than less.

That is great but we are talking about genres here.

If you use the action hero element in a super villain story then you should make an effort to explain why the superhero genres elements don’t work any more. (The superhero element being that some villains and heroes like the Hulk for example can’t be shot)

This was like watching a bad action flick just that all the thugs who were gunned down were dressed like captain dork. Think of it as Die hard movie but everybody was dressed like Robin from the old Batman Tv series.

As for your take on genres I wholeheartedly disagree. Thats where the crux of our argument is coming from. You basically state that if a story goes against the conventions of a genre it needs to be explained properly. If it doesn't then the story fails.

I on the other believe the story overrides the genre. Just because a genre has certian conventions doesn't mean it needs to be slavishly followed. The logic of story is unto itself. It may borrow certain ideas but it doesn't need to consider them all. I consider it the writer's version of house rules:) I certianly wouldn't expect a fighter in every kung-fu movie to be able to use his abilities to run on water or fly through the air.

Re: Wanted!

But in a world where bullets do work, and none of the superheroes are bulletproof, it makes no sense that all the superheroes aren't dead already.

KA.

But it doesn't have to make sense. How many times have we seen some action hero run through a hail of bullets while killing everyone with one shot. The action hero is not bulletproof. He doesn't have to be. He's protected with writer fiat. It's story logic. Obviously, it doesn't jive with you. Hey, thats cool. If your suspension of belief isn't satisfied not much I can do to change your mind.

Plus no one ever said the heroes weren't bulletproof. We just said the villians weren't . (sorry, tried to add some levity and failed miserably)

Now, stop making me defend a book I thought was only okay.

Re: Wanted!

You could twist a few sheets of it into a sort of cord' date=' and strangle them...or shove it down their throat and choke them, or set fire to it or...[/quote']

 

Or read the latest "Cathy" from the comic strip section.

Re: Wanted!

However, in a world where there are no bulletproof superheroes, how would there be any superheroes at all?

 

I mean, did the regular criminals of this place never try shooting them?

 

As far as the "one special place", over the course of a career most superheroes have probably taken a bullet to every square inch of their body, it seems like someone would have lucked into it by now.

 

Sorry for the interruption, it just sounds a bit silly.

KA.

Its no more silly than a guy running around in a bat suit taking on guys with automatic weapons. Or a guy taking on an entire Nazi platoon with tanks carrying a shield. In all seriousness, most of the characters we read about would be dead. The comic genre is filled with silly things (sidekicks??). Its just certain conventions we accept more readily because we grew up with them or they are generally accepted. I don't see why this one in particular is giving so many people problems.

Re: Wanted!

It is because the whole supervillian thing kinda falls apart when you can just get shot.

Why? I could understand that if it was set in DC or Marvel. But being in its own universe it has its own logic. Honestly, I would have been more surprised the other way. The universe created in a more Iron Age (I hate that term) matter where death is common and no one is invulnerable from a well placed bullet.

And the Leaders plastic men are cool dammit!

Lol. Yes, they are. Now the bigger question is would cylander head Leader be able to beat cabbage head Leader.

Re: Wanted!

More spoiler alert!

 

Also I understand that he can kill the gimmick guys, but where are the bulletproof guys. The problem is that they are all gimmick guys. Where is this worlds Juggernaut, Zzaak, Hulk or even the Leaders plastic men? Sure he is good at shooting but if he can shoot someone then a swat sniper could do the same.

His power "the power to make anything into a weapon" is stupid, its a power we all have

There is nothing in this room I am sitting in right now that I could not turn into a weapon and kill someone with! Okay maybe yesterday’s newspaper but that’s it!

Even more spoiler alerts Seriously, stop reading right now.

First off, the ability to shoot the wings off of five flies is more than just being simply accurate. His ability to kill is superhuman. How it's superhuman is up to debate but really not the point of the story.

As for why there are no versions of Hulk, Zzaxx or any other hulk villians (Leader's plastic men ) is because it doesn't serve the story. I don't even know why you would ask this question. It's not the DC/Marvel universe. He's the ultimate killer and as such needs to kill his opponenst easily.

However, I personally didn't find Wanted all that great. To me it was a summer blockbuster movie. Big explosions, extreme situations but nothing too deep. Maybe because the acts committed were treated in such a blase way. Although, I did like two things about the story. One was the reverse of Spiderman's story. A coming of age story where the protagonist becomes a villian instead of a good guy. "With great power must come great irresponsibility.":) Seriously, did any one notice how his powers free him from any responsibility. That was cool. The other thing I liked was breaking the fourth wall towards the end. How the narrator was trying to pawn off that the world we live in is the one they created.

The other thing that I hated about the story was the visual references to movie stars. It took me out of the story when I would see Tommy Lee Jones. I don't mind art to have a realistic feel but to actually reference real people is kinda disjointing.

Re: 50's comic-book heroes

Supers had steadily declined since WW II. Seduction of the Innocent's big backlash was against crime and horror comics' date=' which then ruled the roost. In fact, the toning down of such comics, which put some of the more succesful publishers out of business (eg. EC) probably helped the Supers resurgence, in that they cleared the playing field by eliminating a lot of the popular genres the Supers then stepped in to replace.[/quote']

 

Damn, you beat me to it. If it wasn't for Wertham, superheroes would be a much smaller part of the comic industry. I'm not sure how much smaller but it would be alot different than the 80% it is now. I figure it would look alot more like the Manga market at least in terms of popularity and diversity. In alot of ways the publishers (using Wertham as an excuse) crippled the industry by forcing themselves to refrain from doing anything considered remotely adult. Its been 50's years since the comic code authority was brought into play and we are still feeling its effects. For better or worse we probably always will.

Re: Your Opinion Please - Four-Color Appropriate?

Thing was introduced in 1961' date=' Hulk in '62, when do you think the Siver Age was?[/quote']

 

The Silver Age began in 1956 with the first appearance of Barry Allen as the Flash in Showcase #4. (Do I win a no-prize?)

 

As for the Bronze Age it "technically" started with the Death of Gwen Stacy. So yeah, I guess the earyl Kirby and Lee stuff would be Silver Age. I always assumed the period started earlier.

Re: Your Opinion Please - Four-Color Appropriate?

Not quite. In reality, four color is a reference to the four basic colors used when printing comic books: cyan, magenta, yellow and black.

 

As used now in reference to comics it refers to a style of comic or character that is far elss "grim & gritty" than what has become popular in recent years. For the most part, your typical Silver Age superhero comic (particularly those published by DC) is a good example of "four color". (Comics from this era, unlike moderm comics, were printed using a four-color printing technique, which is where the association comes from).

 

Both the Hulk and the Thing are products of the Silver Age, but have a degree of angst inherent in their concept that puts them towards the far edge of what is generally considered to be "four color".

 

Fantastic Four - four color.

Thing by himself - maybe not.

Okay, now thats alot of information. But I'm pretty sure the majority of Marvel characters are products of the Bronze age. Specifically, the Hulk and Thing which are examples of the 'flawed hero'. Not that it matters much in the context of this thread. From rereading the thread 'four color' appears to cover both the Silver and Bronze ages. I was just trying to get some clarification which is difficult because ,honestly, there is very little separating any of the comic ages.