zakueins

Re: Evil, Evil Campaign Concept... Because you're keeping it from all coming apart. You're the blokes that clean up everything before Mulder&Scully make it to the site.

Since I can't get my wish of having Warren Ellis whapped in the back of the head with a guitar, I decided to play with this concept for fun. Imagine there is a Wide Conspiracy. That THEY are always making things happen. Now, imagine THEY are doing it...for the right reasons. Yes, THEY killed Kennedy in Dallas, but if they didn't, the eventual coup'de'etat by Hoover to get rid of the Mob/Russian-controlled Kennedys would have torn the nation apart. Yes, THEY suppressed the carburator that ran on water. Because the contamination it generated made MTBE look like Evian. Yes, THEY hid the Roswell landings and dealt with anyone that got close to the truth...because if they hadn't, we wouldn't be getting new technology from the Greys. To fight the oncoming menacing monsters that are going to exterminate us if they think we're being helped from the outside. Yes, THEY are dumping anti-psionic drugs in the food supply. If too many psions awaken without training, the results would be...messy. Players would be working for THEM...and realize soon enough that things are happening for the right reasons.

Re: Batman Begins Batman Begins was a tight film. It worked, it kept the genre perfect, it made sure that Batman was a Very Talented Man and used his skills of fear to the utmost. Everybody was perfectly cast. Chrstian Bale is Batman. Morgan Freedman might be a tad too old to be Lucius Fox, but pretty good. Now, the only question is...who will they get to play the Joker? I'm holding out Brenden Frasure.

Re: Your "2005" Pet Gaming Projects Well....if you're willing to take about the same concept, check out David Drakes "The Reaches", which covers about the same thing-mankind coming back to the stars after the crash of human civilization. No mutants, but interesting stuff.

Re: Your "2005" Pet Gaming Projects Actually.... I'm trying to decide between two projects-a superhero universe and one where magic reappeared in 1938, and just kept growing more and more powerful (not superheroic, just magic as if it were a science/force of nature and what comes from it...)

So, who's going, when are there going to be games, and how much money for new Hero stuff?

Re: Could your Champions character beat... I don't think any PC I've made so far could take him on, unless it was with teamwork. Tho, Ghost Sniper would keep punching Quantum Bullets through (no magical defenses on the Cap) until he went down. Keannu Reeves would go full martial arts-using the "Hmm, Upgrades" skill to get his DEX higher as to strike first, set up combo attacks, and keep pounding. Either that, or get to range, deflect the shield, and rely upon lots and lots and lots of guns. The Hammer isn't anywhere near there yet-give him some more experience, possibly. Esp. if the Captian tries to use his shield as a defense, he's working on an NND that makes such tactics...poorly chosen (NND, defense is not having hard or metal armor). Taking on Captain America should either be a defining experience or a desperate affair, and these stats prove it.

Re: The One (Loong Story) I'm making the presumption that he knows the "moves"-i.e. the Manuvers, and he's got some of the basics of what's behind the Art in the first place.

Re: The One (Loong Story) Revised to include his most recent film Constantine, and some other weird stuff. This is built for the Advent universe (gotta get the notes together and publish it...), for players in Champions!, I'd add quite a few Hunteds. DEMON, the Demonologist, VIPER, and Takophanes the Undyling Lord come to mind....

Re: The One (Loong Story) Keannu Reeves Player: Val Char Cost 50 STR 40 30 DEX 60 40 CON 60 24 BODY 28 18 INT 8 18 EGO 16 35 PRE 10 20 COM 5 11/21 PD 1 11/21 ED 3 7 SPD 30 24 REC 12 80 END 0 69 STUN 0 8" RUN42" SWIM0105" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 277 Cost Power END 7 True Divine/Infernal Form: Detect A Class Of Things 13- (Unusual Group), Sense 0 208 "Guns, Lots Of Guns": Variable Power Pool (Gadget Pool), 130 base + 78 control cost, No Skill Roll Required (+1), Powers Can Be Changed As A Zero-Phase Action (+1) (325 Active Points); Limited Class Of Powers Available Limited (Only "Real World" Items (i.e. no super-gadgets); -1/2); all slots OIF (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4), Conditional Power Can Only "Conceal" Weapons Appopriate To Locations Within The Clothing (-1/4) 22 "Operator, Load Me A Program": Variable Power Pool (Mimicry Pool), 20 base + 2 control cost, (30 Active Points); VPP Powers Can Be Changed Only In Given Circumstance (-1/2); all slots Extra Time (Extra Segment, Character May Take No Other Actions, Delayed Phase, -1), Conditional Power (Can Only Be Used For Skills, Perks, and Clarsentience of Public Locations Only) (-1), OAF (Focus (Any Avalable Cell Phone); -1), Incantations (-1/4) 12 Built-In Anti-Virals: Power Defense (10 points), Hardened (+1/4) (12 Active Points) 0 39 "Do You Think That's Air That You're Breathing?": Life Support (Immunity All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Immunity All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing) 0 14 Tough Skin: Damage Resistance (11 PD/11 ED), Hardened (+1/4) (14 Active Points) 0 24 Spider Silk Body Armor: Armor (10 PD/10 ED) (30 Active Points); Activation Roll 15- (-1/4) 0 6 Nifty Sunglasses: Sight Group Flash Defense (10 points), Hardened (+1/4) (12 Active Points); OAF (-1) 0 90 "You're Telling Me I Can Dodge Bullets?": (Total: 90 Active Cost, 90 Real Cost) Missile Deflection (Any Ranged Attack) (Real Cost: 20) plus +35 with Missile Deflection (Real Cost: 70) 0 15 Internal Mental Firewalls: Mental Defense (15 points total), Hardened (+1/4) (15 Active Points) 0 12 Seen It Before (And Wasn't Impressed Then): +15 PRE (15 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only To Resist PRE Rolls; -1/4) 88 "He Is The One": Multipower, 110-point reserve, (110 Active Points); all slots Gestures (-1/4) 5u 1) "Hm, Upgrades": Aid Dex 11d6 (110 Active Points); Self Only (-1/2), Requires A KS: Analyze Skill Roll (-1/2), Gestures (-1/4) 0 9u 2) "He's Doing His Superman Thing": Flight 41", x4 Noncombat, Combat Acceleration/Deceleration (+1/4) (109 Active Points); Gestures (-1/4) 11 8u 3) "Now, We're Even": Healing 8d6, Can Heal Limbs, Resurrection (105 Active Points); Gestures (-1/4) 10 9u 4) "What If He Makes It?" "Nobody Makes Their First Jump.": Leaping +95" (105" forward, 52 1/2" upward) (Accurate, x8 Noncombat) (110 Active Points); Gestures (-1/4) 11 9u 5) "Okay, You Have Some Skill": Force Wall (23 PD/16 ED; 6" long and 2" tall) (110 Active Points); Gestures (-1/4) 11 5u 6) "No, Something's Wrong": Mind Control 12d6+1, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Armor Piercing x1 (+1/2) (108 Active Points); Limited Class Of Minds Only Vs. Machines (-1), Gestures (-1/4) 4 141 "The Name is John Constantine, Asshole": Variable Power Pool (Magic Pool), 100 base + 41 control cost, all slots Personal Immunity (+1/4) (162 Active Points); all slots Gestures (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4) Powers Cost: 723 Cost Martial Arts Maneuver 4 Choke Hold: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 2d6 NND 4 Counterstrike: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, 12d6 Strike, Must Follow Block 5 Defensive Block: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +3 DCV, Block, Abort 5 Defensive Strike: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +3 DCV, 10d6 Strike 3 Defensive Throw: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +1 DCV, Block, Target Falls 5 Disarming Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab Weapon, 55 STR to take weapon away; Target Falls 4 Fast Strike: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +0 DCV, 12d6 Strike 5 Flying Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +4 DCV, Dodge All Attacks, Abort; FMove 5 Flying Grab: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 60 STR for holding on; FMove 3 Flying Tackle: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, -1 DCV, 10d6 +v/5 Strike; You Fall, Target Falls; FMove 5 Grappling Block: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +1 DCV, Grab One Limb, Block 3 Grappling Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, 12d6 Strike; Target Falls; Must Follow Grab 5 Joint Break: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -2 DCV, Grab One Limb; HKA 1d6 +1 , Disable 4 Joint Lock/Throw: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 1d6 NND ; Target Falls 4 Killing Strike: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, HKA 1d6 +1 3 Legsweep: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, -1 DCV, 11d6 Strike, Target Falls 4 Martial Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort 4 Martial Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; 60 STR to Disarm roll 4 Martial Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort 4 Martial Escape: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, 65 STR vs. Grabs 3 Martial Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 60 STR for holding on 4 Martial Strike: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, 12d6 Strike 3 Martial Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, 10d6 +v/5, Target Falls 4 Nerve Strike: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, 2d6 NND 5 Offensive Strike: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, 14d6 Strike 4 Reversal: var Phase, -1 OCV, -2 DCV, 65 STR to Escape; Grab Two Limbs 4 Sacrifice Disarm: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, -2 DCV, Disarm, 60 STR to Disarm roll 4 Sacrifice Lunge: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, -2 DCV, 10d6 +v/5; FMove 5 Sacrifice Strike: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, -2 DCV, 14d6 Strike 3 Sacrifice Throw: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +1 DCV, 10d6 Strike; You Fall, Target Falls 4 Shove: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, 65 STR to Shove 5 Takeaway: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab Weapon, 60 STR to take weapon away 3 Takedown: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +1 DCV, 10d6 Strike; Target Falls 4 Weapon Bind: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, Bind, 60 STR 4 Basic Shot: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, Range +2, Strike, +2 DC 3 Defensive Shot: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +2 DCV, Range +0, Strike 5 Distance Shot: 1+1 Phase, +0 OCV, -2 DCV, Range +6, Strike , +1 Segment 5 Far Shot: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, -1 DCV, Range +4, Strike 5 Offensive Ranged Disarm: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, -1 DCV, Range +2, Disarm, 10 STR 4 Offensive Shot: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Range +0, Strike, +4 DC 5 Offensive Trip: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, -1 DCV, Range +0, Strike +v/5, Target Falls 4 Quick Shot: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, Range +0, Strike, +2 DC 4 Ranged Disarm: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, Range +0, Disarm, 65 STR 4 Trip: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Range +2, v/5, Target Falls Martial Arts Cost: 181 Cost Skill 9 Acting 19- 5 Accurate Sprayfire 3 Acrobatics 15- 3 Breakfall 15- 3 Climbing 15- 3 Combat Driving 15- 16 +2 with All Combat 10 +2 with DCV 5 Computer Programming 14- 5 Concealment 14- 5 Conversation 17- 3 Cryptography 13- 3 Deduction 13- 5 Fast Draw 16- 5 Disguise 14- 10 Defense Maneuver I-IV 5 High Society 17- 3 Interrogation 16- 4 Navigation (Astral, Dimensional, Land) 13- 5 Rapid Attack (Ranged) 5 Rapid Attack (HTH) 3 Security Systems 13- 3 Sleight Of Hand 15- 3 Stealth 15- 3 Systems Operation 13- 3 Teamwork 15- 21 WF: Beam Weapons, Common Martial Arts Melee Weapons, Common Melee Weapons, Common Missile Weapons, Emplaced Weapons, Energy Weapons, Small Arms, Energy Blades, Flamethrowers, General Purpose/Heavy Machine Guns, Grenade Launchers, Off Hand, Shoulder-Fired Weapons, Vehicle Weapons 10 Two-Weapon Fighting (HTH) 10 Two-Weapon Fighting (Ranged) 3 Jack of All Trades 5 1) PS: Acting (6 Active Points) 19- 3 2) PS: Exorcism (4 Active Points) 13- 2 3) PS: Guitarist (3 Active Points) 15- 3 Scholar 4 1) KS: Analyze Style (5 Active Points) 15- 5 2) KS: Every Martial Art Known To Man (6 Active Points) 15- 2 3) KS: Baseball (3 Active Points) 12- 2 4) KS: Cardovascular Medicine (3 Active Points) 12- 3 5) KS: Hollywood (4 Active Points) 14- 4 6) KS: Magic (5 Active Points) 14- 3 7) KS: Small-Unit Theory (4 Active Points) 14- 2 8) KS: Surgery (3 Active Points) 12- 2 9) KS: Zen (3 Active Points) 13- 3 Traveler 4 1) AK: Hell (5 Active Points) 14- 4 2) AK: Los Angleles (5 Active Points) 14- 4 3) CuK: The Infernal Hierarchy (5 Active Points) 14- 4 Language: Latin (idiomatic) 5 Gambling (Sports Betting, Poker) 14- Skills Cost: 238 Cost Perk 9 Contact (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact limited by identity, Good relationship with Contact), Organization Contact (x3) (9 Active Points) 8- 10 Money: Wealthy 2 Reputation (A large group) ; 11-, +1/+1d6 3 Contact (Contact has useful Skills or resources, Good relationship with Contact) 8- Perks Cost: 24 Cost Talent 3 Absolute Time Sense 9 Ambidexterity (Eliminate Off Hand Penalty entirely) 12 Danger Sense (self only, in combat, Function as a Sense, Intuitional) 13- 5 Eidetic Memory 3 Lightning Reflexes: +2 DEX to act first with All Actions 10 Follow-Through Attack Talents Cost: 42 Total Character Cost: 1485 Val Disadvantages 15 Social Limitation: Public ID (Keannu Reeves) (Frequently, Major) 15 Psychological Limitation: Honorable ("The Show Must Go On") (Common, Strong) 10 Reputation: Actor With Superhuman Powers, 11- 25 Hunted: "Holy Shit, It's An Agent!" 11- (As Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish) 20 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Electrical-Based Attacks (Common) 20 Psychological Limitation: Honest (Common, Total) 10 Reputation: THE Martial Artist To Beat, 11- 10 Hunted: The Press 14- (Less Pow, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching) 10 Social Limitation: Crusading Superhero (Frequently, Minor) 15 Enraged: When Friends Are Threatened (Uncommon), go 14-, recover 14- 25 Hunted: Legions of Hell 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish) Disadvantage Points: 175 Base Points: 200 Experience Required: 1110 Total Experience Available: 1110 Experience Unspent: 0

Re: PREDATORS -- What Do *You* Want To See? There has to be a Kaiser Souze-type Mastermind. The one that the Harbringer fears. Someone that will destroy you if he knows you're on his ass-and you'll never see him.

Re: Kill Bill Also.... The actress that played Go-Go also played one of the psychotic survivors in the orginal Battle Royale movie. So, she has some experience in playing whack-jobs....

Re: West Coast Sourcebook Miss San Francisco Player: Val Char Cost 60 STR 20 21 DEX 33 30 CON 40 30 BODY 40 20 INT 10 17 EGO 14 30 PRE 0 20 COM 5 12/22 PD 0 12/22 ED 6 5 SPD 19 18 REC 0 60 END 0 75 STUN 0 6" RUN02" SWIM012" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 187 Cost Power END 24 Armored Uniform: Armor (10 PD/10 ED) (30 Active Points); IIF (-1/4) 0 10 The City's Champion: Damage Resistance (12 PD/12 ED) (12 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only When Within San Francisco; -1/4) 0 12 The Will Of The City: Mental Damage Reduction, 25% (15 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only Within San Francisco; -1/4) 0 33 The Heartbeat Of The City: Clairsentience (Sight, Smell/Taste And Touch Groups, Danger Sense And Normal Hearing) (50 Active Points); Only When In Contact With The Ground (-1/4), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only Within Or Occuring Within San Francisco; -1/4) 5 12 The Sinews Of The City: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% (15 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only Within San Francisco; -1/4) 0 12 The Heart Of The City: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% (15 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only WIthin San Francisco; -1/4) 0 16 The Spirit Of The City: +20 PRE (20 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only When Within San Francisco; -1/4) 18 The Heart Of The City: +30 STR (30 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only When Within San Francisco; -1/4) (Modifiers affect Base Characteristic) 3 24 Beat Out The Flames: Dispel Fire 6d6, Area Of Effect (5" Cone; +1) (36 Active Points); Gestures (Requires both hands; -1/2) 4 5 Nifty Sunglasses!: Sight Group Flash Defense (10 points), Hardened (+1/4) (12 Active Points); OAF Fragile (-1 1/4) 0 45 The Wings Of The City: Flight 18", Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (45 Active Points) 2 34 The City's Heart: Healing BODY 2d6, Resurrection, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (60 Active Points); Self Only (-1/2), Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only When Within San Francisco; -1/4) 0 49 LS (Eating: Character only has to eat once per week; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Longevity: Immortal; Safe Environment: Zero Gravity; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing; Sleeping: Character does not sleep) 0 10 Luck 2d6 0 15 Missile Deflection (Bullets & Shrapnel) 0 5 Power Defense (5 points) 0 24 Walk The City: Teleportation 10", x2 Increased Mass, x4 Noncombat (30 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only Within San Francisco; -1/4) 3 16 Evil: Detect A Large Class Of Things 14- (Sight Group), Discriminatory 0 5 IR Perception (Sight Group) 0 5 Nightvision 0 Powers Cost: 374 Cost Martial Arts Maneuver 4 Choke Hold: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 2d6 NND 4 Martial Escape: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, 75 STR vs. Grabs 4 Reversal: var Phase, -1 OCV, -2 DCV, 75 STR to Escape; Grab Two Limbs 3 Martial Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, 12d6 +v/5, Target Falls 3 Sacrifice Throw: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +1 DCV, 12d6 Strike; You Fall, Target Falls 4 Crush: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, 16d6 Crush, Must Follow Grab 4 Martial Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort 4 Fast Strike: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +0 DCV, 14d6 Strike Martial Arts Cost: 30 Cost Skill 7 Acrobatics 15- 3 Acting 15- 3 Animal Handler 15- 3 Breakfall 13- 3 Bribery 15- 3 Bureaucratics 15- 15 +3 with HTH Combat 7 Computer Programming 15- 3 Conversation 15- 5 Defense Maneuver I-II 7 Disguise 15- 5 High Society 16- 12 AK: San Francisco 21- 12 CuK: San Francisco Cultural Scene 21- 12 KS: San Francisco History 21- 6 KS: Wrestling 15- 7 Lipreading 15- 15 Navigation 21- (19 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only Within San Francisco; -1/4) 3 Persuasion 15- 3 Seduction 15- 7 Sleight Of Hand 15- 7 Stealth 15- 3 Streetwise 15- 3 Teamwork 13- Skills Cost: 154 Cost Perk 3 Reputation: Very Good (A large group) 14-, +1/+1d6 5 Money: Well Off Perks Cost: 8 Cost Talent 16 Universal Translator 13- (20 Active Points); Conditional Power Power does not work in Uncommon Circumstances (Only if somone that speaks the language is in San Francisco; -1/4) 9 Ambidexterity (no Off Hand penalty) 3 Bump Of Direction 3 Absolute Time Sense 37 Danger Sense (general area, any danger) 15- 5 Eidetic Memory 3 Perfect Pitch Talents Cost: 76 Total Character Cost: 829 Val Disadvantages 10 Distinctive Features: Intricate And Facinating Tattoos (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 25 Hunted: DEMON 11- (Mo Pow, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish) 20 Hunted: Eurostar 11- (As Pow, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish) 15 Psychological Limitation: Believes That She Has Always Been Miss San Francisco (Uncommon, Total) 25 Social Limitation: Public ID (Very Frequently, Severe) 10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Kelvenite (Uncommon) 10 Vulnerability: 2 x BODY Kelvenite (Uncommon) 15 Reputation: The Personification of San Francisco, 14- 20 Psychological Limitation: Flaming, Flaunting Bisexual (Common, Total) Disadvantage Points: 150 Base Points: 200 Experience Required: 479 Total Experience Available: 479 Experience Unspent: 0

Re: Champs Worldwide: Whaddya want? There MUST be a sailor-suit team in Japan. If only for the reasons of tradition, humor, and fun.

Re: Orson Scott Card To Write Ultimate Iron Man... He's been a playboy in the Ultimates...and, I wanted to tie in a "military" aspect that the original Iron Man background story had (he was a soldier/mercenary in Vietnam or such). And, it gives a good tie-in background for Jim Rhodes, Nick Fury, etc, etc...

Re: Orson Scott Card To Write Ultimate Iron Man... Iron Man was a part of the Ultimates. Now, he's getting his own book. Here's my idea for a better Iron Man back story.... Tony Stark had a very kind and loving mother, and a emotionally distant father (the father did love the mother very, very much). However, Mother suffered from some nasty, lingering disease when Tony was younger-and the worse it got, the more distant the boarding school Tony got shuffled off to every year. And, Tony's mind didn't help any-he was THE smartest kid there, and he got into college when he was 15. Tony's mom died when he was about 16, she did know how much her son loved her (he found out about the disease and came to her bedside before she died-his father had forbidden it) The day he graduated from college (MIT doctorate by the time he turned 21), he enlisted in the Marines-Dad wanted him to go right into company work. Tony became an officer (this is how he met Jim Rhodes-Jim was Tony's Gunny) and he became as much of a fighting soldier and hell-raiser as was possible during the Clinton Administration-even paying for supplimental equipment, ammo, and support for his troops out of his own pocket (his mother's will gave him a huge trust fund that was untouchable). Just as Tony was about to get onto the list for Commander, he resigned his commision-his father had died and somebody had to run Stark Enterprises. And, that only person was Tony-59% of the stock was in Tony's name and direct (no proxies) control. A year after he had gotten started working there-he had gotten ahold of his father's diary...and realized just how much his Dad had loved him and his mom. Tony was...driven. He could party all night, wake up the next morning and be rock-solid handling massive precision machinery. One of the things that facinated him was one of the Super Solider projects that happened early on-Stark Enterprises had been working on a suit of powered armor. The technology was there...and he worked on it. Mono-moniacally. Especially when he discovered that he had a brain tumor-identical to what his mother had-that would kill him one day without warning (have to consult with a doctor about a brain tumor that would leave someone functional-and kill without warning one day). The Mark I Iron Man was...tricky. And had a technician count slightly less than the Apollo missions every time the suit launched. Eventually, he got a pratical suit (Mark IV) and that's where we meet him in the Ultimates. Ultimate Iron Man is when we get to the Mark V suit and the whacky begins.

http://www.marvel.com/publishing/stories/showstory.htm?id=12 Great....issue after issue of Freudian Mormon angst. Yay.

Re: Why super tech never goes mainstream 1)It's for Ulitmate Iron Man, and the Iron Man suit has handled the Kree, but it's huge and bulky. Which is what the series of panels is to imply. 2)The stone axe is Dr. Smith's "visual aid" to clueless people that ask "why can't you just build something identical to what the (insert alien of the week here) made?" Sometimes, he takes swings at the clueless people.

Re: Why super tech never goes mainstream I'm trying to sell it to Marvel. E-mail them that you want to read Ultimate Iron Man now.

Re: Why super tech never goes mainstream From the script to "Ultimate Iron Man" #2 (Petition Marvel Now!)-when Jim Rhodes ask Dr. Smith why they're having so many problems with building new Iron Man suits: (Table with a stone axe, the jawbone of the an antelope, and two big pieces of flint). DR SMITH: You want to know why we're behind? Using these, and only these, go build a laptop. Hell, I'll even throw in a CD-ROM with college-level chemistry and mechanical engineering texts in Croatian. We aren't just pushing the state of the art, we're bloody breaking it. (Slams his hand down on a Kree shield generator). DR SMITH: See this? We've been able to make it run for about eighteen hours before the batteries run out. (Hand on another device, a Stark-made shield generator-should be similar to the Kree one, but much bigger and bulkier). DR SMITH: This? Made this one myself-and it burns out in three hours of constant use, or if you ever turn the power off. We're like the Germans in World War II with their jet engines. Maybe, maybe we can get it to work, but the technology is so bleeding edge we're lucky we aren't losing fingers.

Re: I Have In My Hand A List... Except there's one little ittie, bittie problem with this.... McCarthy had the tendency of being right. The American government at the time HAD a huge problem with Communists, or at least people whom were way too snuggly with despots. Check out the Verona Files (google it, at least)-NSA and the Army had been breaking KGB codes for years, even when they were ordered to stop reading USSR radio signals (by Truman, whom said he "trusted Uncle Joe" (Joseph Stalin) and only became an anti-Communist when the Republicans used the issue to run very successfully on). For some better insights into the era, check out "The Redhunter" by William F. Buckley, or read the section in "Treason" by Ann Coulter talking about Verona, the HUAC, and McCarthy. (Here's a very modern parallel-imagine if we discovered that quite a bit of the State Department today, including senior-level policy makers, were on the payroll of al-Queda and Saddam Hussain, were still in covert contact with senior members of the organization, and were un-repentant in their innocence even after being caught. That's the scale we're talking about here.)

Re: The Kingpin, the Maggia and Intergang "Ever heard of Mr. Smith? "Scary thing...few days ago, I was doing some work for a guy. Told me to get stuff off a truck, load it on another truck, drive it to this warehouse and I'd get paid fifty large. No problem, I said, and was off. "Some costume freak had to have been tipped off, 'cause next thing I know, one of them's pounding on me, and I'm out like a light. Wake up in the hopsital, chained to the bed. Few days later, lawyer comes by to the rest of the guys but the new guy we put on for that job. 'I came by here at Mr. Smith's request,' he said, and the room could have had a pin dropped in it. 'He applauds your efforts to protect his property, and promises you that he will get you out soon, if you keep your mouths shut and say nothing to the police. All except for your friend, whom isn't here-and ran when the vigalante came by. He will be dealt with, be assured.' "Couple of days later? Witnesses recanted their statements, video tape of the whole thing vanished, and what's the costumes gonna do? Come by court and testify they put me in the hospital? Walked out with the judge making the DA apologize to us, piece of cake. Few days after that...phone call from the laywer saying I should read page twelve in the paper. "Got a paper...they found the guy that flaked. At least most of him..."

Re: The Kingpin, the Maggia and Intergang There could be no evil boss.... Or is there? Pyramid ran an article on "The Man" (check out the archives if you've got a subscription) in which The Man is merely a spirtual manefestation, via his unconsious worshippers whom think they are his "lieutenants". But, if you're going the Keyser Soze route... He has to soil Batman's undies. He KNOWS everything-or enough to scare your heros. You're close to busting one his lieutenants, you discover your DNPC works in his office as a very close source...one that'll get caught in the backwash if the lieutenant goes down. You can get the small-fry, but you discover that "The Man" lets them get busted because they screwed up so badly. You hear stories of what The Man did when somebody screwed him over badly-and you realize it might be anatomically possible to have your own head screwed up your ass-if your head is cut off in the first place... VIPER pays him a cut-because they don't dare go behind his back. The last time they did...wasn't pretty. Taking the Man down should be the highlight of a campaign, not just "we busted him last week, we have to bust him again."

Re: West Coast Sourcebook Ooooh, reactor accident....fun. I see a hero/villan origin!

Re: West Coast Sourcebook There used to be a whole Nike/Ajax site on Angel Island....VERY unoffically it's the storage location of Guardian-S1, the starship of the Bay Guardians....