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We've had write-ups for several villains and heroes. Here's equal time for the mooks:

Dr. Zin’s Replicant Troopers

Source: Jonny’s Golden Quest, Hanna-Barbera Productions, 1993

Aging scientist and super criminal Dr. Zin created an army of replicants to act as soldiers at his Peruvian jungle hideout – either because human help was hard to find or because he’d come to mistrust the loyalties of his fellow men. These strange bipedal creatures resembled skeletal lizards, always hunched slightly forward. Despite their animalistic looks, the clones possessed human intelligence and were competent to perform espionage and guard duties. They were typically equipped with bulging green night vision goggles and belt-mounted energy pistols (the holsters were their only clothing). Additional gadgets, such as radios or technical readouts, were sometimes built into the goggles, leaving their hands free for combat. They could speak (sort of) in hissing voices.

The replicants were only so-so shots, which is why they usually attacked in groups. The agile reptilians were more effective as burglars, second-storey men and kidnappers; they were excellent climbers and adept at keeping out of sight. Other than their inability to blend into a crowd, their chief limitation was an imperfection in the cloning process which caused them to suddenly dissolve into green goo at unpredictable moments. Outnumbered adventurers might suddenly find the odds evened when several of their scaly opponents ran out of time simultaneously. On the other hand, troopers never seemed to melt while performing thefts or grappling with heroes. They usually dissolved only when the good guys were about to question them.

STR (3D6) 10-11

CON (1D6+6) 9-10

SIZ (2D6+4) 11

INT (2D6+6) 13

POW (3D6) 10-11

DEX (2D6+9) 16

Move: 10

Hit Points: 11

Damage Bonus: +0

Armor: 2 scales

Attacks: Brawl 35%, 1D3+DB; Grapple 40%, 1D3+DB; Energy Pistol 45%, 2D10+2

Skills: Climb 80%, Dodge 62%, Fine Manipulation 45%, Hide 70%, Jump 55%, Listen 35%, Spot 35%, Stealth 70%

Notes: Replicant Troopers are intended as pulp action cannon fodder. Individuals are competent enough to give a solo adventurer a good tussle but not tough enough to overcome two or three heroes.

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You could find a lot of stuff for martial-arts-inspited supers in Rumiko Takahashi's popular manga Ranma 1/2. It features a group of martial artists powerful enough to be superheroes, but who spend all their time fighting each other over various romantic and personal rivalries. This comes up because Ryoga, one of the protagonist's chief rivals (I wouldn't call Ranma a hero per se, although he will reluctantly do heroic things when circumstances call for it), is extremely strong and uses na "bamboo" umbrella that must weigh at least a hundred pounds -- one-handed. He later learns techniques that let him break down stone walls and similar obstacles by hitting them in just the right place.

Were they to ever set aside their differences and work together, they would be a formidable team.

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Dragon Lines + BGB Super Powers = anime mayhem! ;D

Two inspirations for kung-fu superheroes:

Raven Kabuto, the Golden-Eyed Beast

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104583/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1

Think "Batman vs. Lex Luthor in medieval Japan," and

Ninja Scroll

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107692/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1

in which our heroic martial artist must battle what can only be described as a Justice League level team of super villains.

Both films have epic fights, truly creepy villain character designs and powers, lots of stuff to steal for a campaign. Unfortunately, they both also have disturbing rape scenes, nudity, and graphic violence. Definitely hard R-rated stuff. Lock the children in their rooms before you put either of these in your DVD player.

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Physics and Super Heroes don't mix.

Figuring out if Kryptonians can actually leap tall buildings in a single bound under conventional physics does help understand a) whether it's super-strength or something more and B) just how rubbery your physics has to be. For a more "realistic" example, consider the full-body cyborg Motoko Kusanagi from the Ghost in the Shell franchise. Canonically her metal body is denser than water; although she has the dimensions of an average woman, I've seen her weight estimated at 300 lbs or more. She can't leap upward very far, but she jumps off tall buildings a lot. At some point I'll have to work out how much momentum her legs would have to absorb not to turn her squishy human brain into jelly, and how much damage she does to roofs in the process. Also, in Stand Alone Complex she jumps upward, does a quadruple spin, and lands on her feet, just to show off; how much strength and control would that take?

A physics-ignoring super powers system is in this thread.

Edited by fmitchell
minor corrections, split part of post into a new thread

Frank

"Welcome to the hottest and fastest-growing hobby of, er, 1977." -- The Laundry RPG
 
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The TV version of The Tick sort of addressed physics. Mr. Blue and Bulky cracked or broke every building he landed on as he raced across the rooftops in search of adventure. And when he plummeted off a building and tried to catch himself on a convenient flagpole, it snapped off in his hands like a toothpick. He ultimately landed feet-first in the pavement, sinking up to his chest, in front of a startled Arthur. "Don't worry, citizen. I'm a superhero. I'm built for this sort of thing." ;D

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Dragon Lines + BGB Super Powers = anime mayhem!

One of my wet dreams is combining Dragon Lines with BRP Mecha. I realize it may seem an odd mix to anyone who hasn't seen the Giant Robot OAVs from the '90s, that combined characters from various manga by Yokoyama Mitsuteru, specifically the eponymous robotic manga as well as his adaptations of the chinese Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Water Margin:

SPOILER: this is the series' finale

Edited by MatteoN
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I loved the Giant Robo series, which I have on VHS. Or rather, I love the first few episodes; the ending was too bleak for me. Lots of high-flying action featuring surprisingly fragile superheroes. They could dish out loads of pyrotechnic mayhem but could be killed by bullet or sword just like anyone else. Definitely using BRP's damage system if not its power suite.

No, I don't think combining martial arts action with giant robots is strange at all. Giant Robo did it. Power Rangers did it. Pacific Rim had robot pilots do martial arts maneuvers while driving their vehicles. After all, you can't keep your super robot in your back pocket. It's housed in a hangar miles away, undergoing extensive maintenance and refueling, and the player-characters still have to hold the bad guys at bay -- with or without their high-tech toys.

Edit: I hadn't seen the clip you posted. My version ends with most of the heroes apparently dead, Giant Robo impounded, and the heroine in charge of protecting the young protagonist seemingly giving in to the Dark Side. I'll have to see if I can locate this.

Edited by seneschal
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Caesar Romero? Jack Nicholson? Mark Hamill? Heath Ledger?

No, no, no! It's Basil Rathbone.

The Joker 1940

Source: The Batman Chronicles, Volume One, DC Publications, 2005; The Batman Chronicles, Volume Two, DC Publications, 2006

Quote: (As he shoots a rival) “I won’t even waste the usual Joker venom on you, Brute, but give you something you can understand! Lead!”

Batman’s archenemy The Joker has been through many incarnations since he first appeared a quarter century ago, going from grim to silly to humorous and terrifying at the same time. His iconic look has meanwhile stayed pretty much the same: a tall, thin, pale-faced man with green hair and a purple suit, overcoat, and broad-brimmed hat. He was supposedly inspired by Conrad Veidt’s portrayal of Gwynplaine in the 1928 film The Man Who Laughs, but the actor The Joker really resembled in his initial outing was Basil “Sherlock Holmes” Rathbone, particularly in profile.

There was nothing funny about The Joker during his early confrontations with the Dynamic Duo. This was no giggling prankster thief armed with magic shop gimmicks. The Joker was a cunning jewel thief, extortioner, assassin and master of disguise whose weapon of choice was a slow-acting poison – delivered by gas gun or by dart – that caused the faces of victims to contort into ghastly, exaggerated grins. The “joke” was that he had quietly committed his crimes in advance before announcing them by breaking in on radio broadcasts. Wealthy men surrounded by vigilant policemen died anyway because they had been poisoned before they ever knew they were in danger. The fact that The Joker was usually grim and brooding made his broad smile all the more chilling. Another thing that made him scary was that – despite being labeled a madman by Batman – The Joker was perfectly sane. He had no origin story, no excuses, was just supremely evil. When captured he was hauled off to prison rather than the insane asylum.

He was a crack shot and a dangerous hand-to-hand combatant who worked strictly alone. Freed from prison by gangsters who hoped he would lead them to success, The Joker expressed his gratitude by immobilizing his rescuers with paralytic gas (he didn’t always kill). He later, in one of his aliases, assembled a gang to perform a robbery then showed up at the scene as himself to steal the swag from his own henchmen. The Harlequin of Hate also seemed to have a charmed life, surviving being stabbed in the heart, immolated in a burning castle, and knocked over a ship’s rail into the sea while in mid-ocean. The Joker’s grisly “deaths” were usually the result of his own actions, failed attempts to harm Batman. His lust for gems also inevitably brought him into conflict with the Cat, a female burglar and thief with similar tastes who hadn’t yet begun wearing feline-themed masks and costumes.

Although he was a fierce fighter, the Joker preferred to avoid confrontation with his victims by incapacitating or killing them first. He’d then scoop up the loot without opposition and flee. The Joker often examined his potential victims and their premises in advance by employing one of his many disguises. He also used disguises to get close to his targets and to prepare the crime scene in advance. First and foremost a poisoner, he delivered his trademark venom by a variety of means: darts, coated playing cards, gas capsules, gas guns, rigged telephone receivers, and chemically treated phonograph records. But he didn’t feel the need to slay everyone in his path; the Joker was sadistic but his crimes were about the jewels, not the thrill of killing for its own sake. In addition to his gas and dart guns, the Joker carried a pair of regular automatic pistols and a knife as backup weapons. He sometimes also had a chemical explosive hidden on his person to aid in his escapes. He didn’t carry a sword, but given the opportunity (such as at the aforementioned burning castle) he could fence like, well, Basil Rathbone.

The Joker’s chief weakness was his need to be recognized for his cleverness. With his disguise and burglary skills, he could have quietly stolen the jewels he desired and their disappearance would have remained a mystery. Instead, he felt compelled to announce his crimes by breaking into radio broadcasts, to take credit by leaving behind a joker playing card, to challenge the authorities with taunting messages.

Joker trivia:

Batman, who had been shot by crooks several times during his early adventures, had begun wearing a bulletproof vest beneath his costume by the time of his second battle with the Joker. Good thing, too, because the Harlequin of Hate peppered the Caped Crusader with large caliber fire.

The Joker developed his distinctive laugh during his fourth confrontation with Batman. His mocking guffaws were recorded on the record he used to poison the district attorney who had sent him to prison. He also cackled while pawing the gems he’d stolen from his own minions.

Batman didn’t receive an origin story until a year after his adventures had been in publication. The Joker had to wait 48 years for one, in the 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke, but even that version never became official.

STR 15

CON 14

SIZ 16

INT 18

POW 17

DEX 13

APP 11

Move: 10

Hit Points: 15 (30 CON+SIZ)

Damage Bonus: +1D4

Armor: None

Attacks: Brawl 62%, 1D3+DB; Grapple 62%, 1D3+DB; Pistol 67%, 1D10+2; Dart Gun 53%, 1D6 plus poison; Gas Guns 53%, 6D6; Knife 52%, 1D3+1+DB; Sword 42%, 1D8+DB

Skills: Appraise 42%, Bargain 32%, Climb 40%, Disguise 60%, Dodge 53%, Drive 47%, Fast Talk 32%, Fine Manipulation 52%, Hide 37%, Jump 52%, Martial Arts (Boxing) 28%, Martial Arts (Fencing) 28%, Martial Arts (Jiu Jitsu) 28%, Parry 42%, Perform (Acting) 52%, Perform (Mimicry) 52%, Projection 53%, Science (Chemistry) 48%, Science (Toxicology) 48%, Stealth 37%

Powers:

Poison Darts – Energy Projection, one level (kinetic), 1D6, limit 6 uses per day, costs 1 power point per use (6)

Gas Gun – Gas Projection, 8 levels, 6D6 vs. target’s CON, four-meter radius, limit 6 uses per day, costs 18 power points per use (20)

Regeneration, 5 levels, heal 5 points of damage at the end of each combat round, costs 1 power point per hit point healed (15)

Super Skill – 6 levels, +20% each to Disguise, Fine Manipulation, Acting, Mimicry, Chemistry, Toxicology (12)

Unarmed Combat – 2 levels, +4 to Brawl and Grapple damage; +4 Armor to unarmed parry; -10% vs. single attack per combat round; +10% to Brawl or Grapple skill (40)

Extra Energy – +160 power points (16)

Failings: Hunted by Police (+2), Show-Off (+2)

Notes: The Joker had 105 power points based on unmodified characteristics plus 4 for Failings, total 109. He had 500 skill points plus 180 personal skill points based on INT, total 680.

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Hmmm, no character sheets yet, but ...

http://www.wildcardsonline.com/origins.html

http://www.mutantsandmasterminds.com/super-vision/000579.php

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/06/2-from-game-to-book-or-the-birth-of-a-shared-world

Um, so if it was inspired by a Superworld campaign, why did GURPS and then Mutants and Masterminds get dibs when it came time to cycle Wild Cards back into RPG territory? X( (Yes, I know. It's a rhetorical question.)

Grrr ... after additional searching, no Superworld write-ups for said Bicycle deck. R.R. Martin and Co.'s Superworld character sheets are probably lost to history.

Edited by seneschal
Looked around some more
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As previously mentioned, I've been reading some 1940s comics lately. I find it interesting that both Bruce "Batman" Wayne and Steve "Captain America" Rogers have kid sidekicks who can beat up 2-4 adults all by themselves (unless the plot demands otherwise). Both smoke pipes for relaxation during their downtime -- in front of their young charges with no concern for the perils of second-hand smoke (as if battling crazy adult criminals isn't dangerous enough!). Both fight gangsters, saboteurs, and weird robed guys dressed like Gothic monsters. Both occasionally leave their sidekicks at home only to have the kid come to their rescue. A good stiff uppercut beats anything -- bullets, monsters, giant war machines.

There are many differences, of course. Batman occasionally gets shot (carrying that shield is a good idea, Cap). Captain America is a lowly private in his civilian identity, constantly in trouble with his sergeant for not completing his Army base chores because he was AWOL, off saving the world somewhere. Batman contents himself with selling war bonds at home and catching the occasional spy. Captain America managed to sneak into occupied Europe and beat up Adolf Hitler himself (after, with Bucky's help, defeating the entire German army!). Batman has a small fleet of personal vehicles and gadgets. Cap relies solely on his shield and has to catch a ride with the military or hire a cab to get around.

Also fun are the side features printed with Captain America: Tuk the Cave Boy, attempting to reach the (still above water) Atlantean empire with the aid of faithful adult companions. Sort of Dino Boy meets Tarzan, with Tuk secretly being a royal heir. And Hurricane, son of Thor, last of the Greek (?) gods -- an underdressed speedster who can cause storms and hurl lightning bolts. No consistent civilian identity, but he always calls himself Mike or Michael Something. He can temporarily loan his super speed powers to other people and things by giving them magic silver wings. Oh, and his consistent foe is his cousin, Satan. Yeah, red suit, horns, etc. Satan's schemes usually involved killing a whole lot of people. Hurricane stopped his current plot, often slaying all the bad guys in the process -- which sorta helped old horn head along anyway if you think about it.

The Flash beat Hurricane into print by one month and had the better (or at least more modest) costume.

Edited by seneschal
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No wonder there was a kraken in Clash of the Titans!

Yeah, somebody didn't read their Bullfinch's Mythology closely enough. ;D Originally Hurricane had little wings on his headband similar to the ones Captain America had on his cowl. But they disappeared without explanation by Issue 4.

I also find it interesting that, contrary to the recent Captain America movie (which I liked), the Red Skull originally was an American traitor, a wealthy industrialist hoping to get a plum job once the Reich was established in the U.S. The titular skull was a mask, and the villain mailed little red Day of the Dead skulls to folks he planned to assassinate. He wore a brownish jumpsuit with a white swastika on its front and was just as crazy and ruthless as the movie version.

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I also find it interesting that, contrary to the recent Captain America movie (which I liked), the Red Skull originally was an American traitor, a wealthy industrialist hoping to get a plum job once the Reich was established in the U.S. The titular skull was a mask, and the villain mailed little red Day of the Dead skulls to folks he planned to assassinate. He wore a brownish jumpsuit with a white swastika on its front and was just as crazy and ruthless as the movie version.

That is debatable. While the George Maxon Red Skull did appear first, in March 1941, the Johann Schmidt Red Skull appeared only a few months later (Oct. 1941) and denounced the other Red Skull as a fake. So by the continuity of the comics world, the Johann Schmidt Red Skull is still the "original" one. Even if he didn't appear in the comics first.

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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That is debatable. While the George Maxon Red Skull did appear first, in March 1941, the Johann Schmidt Red Skull appeared only a few months later (Oct. 1941) and denounced the other Red Skull as a fake. So by the continuity of the comics world, the Johann Schmidt Red Skull is still the "original" one. Even if he didn't appear in the comics first.

But it's the Red Skull talking. Are you sure you can believe him? ;)

Comics continuity aside, I think it was yet another writer's ploy to bring the character back from "death." As previously mentioned, the Joker was "killed" two or three times during Batman's second year of publication, starting with the villain's second appearance. The Red Skull (or at least the George Maxon version) "died" from an accidental injection of his own poison at the end of his first outing, and his unmasked body is clearly shown being examined (and presumably being prepared to be hauled off to the morgue) by G-men. In his second appearance, however, he is shown shaking off the effects of the drug on the floor of the (now apparently deserted) crime scene and is still wearing his Red Skull mask. We never see his real face again.

"Left me for dead did they? Didn't the fools realize I could survive my own medicine? Ho! Ho! This time the Red Skull will show no mercy!"

I think the Skull's dual origin was an unexploited opportunity for Captain America and Bucky:

"Why do you obey this traitor, you idiots? He's not even a son of the Fatherland but an American spy, captured on his first mission and sent back out as a double agent. Johann Schmidt doesn't exist. Prove whether or not I'm lying. Have him take off his mask!"

No matter which Skull we're dealing with, he's suddenly in trouble with his henchmen and any German military personnel that happen to be nearby. >:>

Edited by seneschal
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Secret Wars had some cool bits and humorous character interactions. Like a soap opera, it kept me hooked issue after issue. In the end, though, it was less than the sum of its parts -- too many characters to give each sufficient attention and too many pointless battles. A smaller cast and more focused storyline would have served it better.

But it was meant to sell the toy line, so the whole point is to include as many popular heroes and villains as possible! Besides, stories like Secret Wars aren't read for character development, they're all about "Lookit Ultron's blast deflected by Cyclops' blast! Woohoo!"

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Some posters have indicated they really like the Hanna-Barbera superheroes. Here's a favorite:

Birdman

Source: Birdman and the Galaxy Trio, Hanna-Barbera Productions, 1967-1969

Quote: “Come, Avenger. Biiiiiiiirdman!”

Hanna-Barbera introduced television’s first animated super hero, Space Ghost, in 1966. Birdman debuted the following year, attempting to repeat Space Ghost’s success. Like most Hanna-Barbera heroes, Ray Randall didn’t get much of an origin story or exposition. Whether he kept his identity a secret is unclear, since he never went about in civilian guise. He possessed natural and functional blue wings and had somehow gained the blessing of the ancient Egyptian sun god, Ra, which meant he could fire beams of solar energy from his fists and create protective force fields. The latter usually took the form of a glowing red shield on his left arm. Using his powers depleted them, which made fighting at night or in other situations devoid of sunlight dicey for the hero because he couldn’t easily recharge (although he usually found a way to pull it off).

Wearing an orange leotard with black, red, and yellow highlights, Randall operated as Birdman from Bird Lair, located in the heart of an extinct volcano in some remote but undisclosed region. Most of his adventures were assigned to him by Inter-Nation Security representative Falcon 7. Birdman battled evildoers around the globe, but many of his exploits occurred in or near Central City, U.S.A. He was opposed by a shadowy criminal organization known as F.E.A.R. (the acronym was never explained), headed by the sinister Number One, as well as by about 30 lesser villains-of-the-week. Assisting him were Avenger, a mastiff-sized purple golden eagle strong enough to haul his unconscious master to safety, and occasionally Birdboy, a young amnesiac Birdman had rescued from a shipwreck.

Birdman’s power suite supposedly also included super strength, but he almost never made use of it. He blasted apart the doors of villainous headquarters with his energy beams instead of bashing them open, threw rare punches (which knocked his opponents down but not out), and never lifted anything heavier than a person in need of rescue. The only indication that he might be capable of more was that Birdboy, upon having his powers recharged by his mentor, was able shrug off a chain that bound him.

On the other hand, Birdman was amazingly durable even without his solar shields. He survived numerous falls that should have been fatal, was merely stunned after being whacked on the head by a caveman’s stone axe, and was not blown to pieces by a wide assortment of missiles, shells and energy beams that were powerful enough to knock him from the sky.

STR 16

CON 12

SIZ 14

INT 13

POW 11

DEX 16

APP 14

Move: 10 plus Flight

Hit Points: 13 (26 CON+SIZ)

Damage Bonus: +1D4

Armor: 8 AP (kinetic) plus solar shield

Attacks: Brawl 55%, 1D3+DB; Grapple 55%, 1D3+DB; Solar Blast 67%, 3D6 heat + 2D6 light

Skills: Bargain 40%, Dodge 67%, Fast Talk 40%, Fly 64%, Insight 40%, Jump 60%, Knowledge (Law) 40%, Knowledge (Criminal Community) 40%, Language (English) 65%, Martial Arts (Boxing) 36%, Navigate 45%, Perform (Oratory) 40%, Persuade 50%, Projection 67%, Research 55%, Shield 45%, Status 50%, Technical Skill (Computer Use) 36%

Powers:

He’s Just That Tough – Armor 8 (kinetic) (8)

Solar Blast – Energy Projection, 5 levels, 3D6heat, 2D6 light, 5 power points per use (50)

Extra Energy -- +160 power points (16)

Mighty Blue Wings – Flight, 9 levels, enables Birdman to lift himself and another person of up to about 250 pounds, 9 power points to activate, costs one power point per turn (9)

Solar Shield – Force Field, 8 AP (heat, light, radiation), costs 1 power point per round plus 1 power point per energy deflected (24)

Failings: Full-time superhero ID (+5), Responsible to Inter-World Security (+3), Hunted by FEAR, large international criminal organization (+3)

Notes: Birdman had 96 power points based on his unmodified characteristics plus 11 for Failings, total 107. He had 500 skill points plus 130 personal skill points based on INT, total 630. Profession: Lawyer, based on the parody cartoon Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law. In the original series, Birdman had no profession other than crime-fighter.

I’d have liked to have added Absorption (heat, light, radiation), Protection (ditto), and perhaps some enhanced characteristics, but Birdman just didn’t have the build points to include them. I might have been able to squeeze out a few more build points with Power Modifiers on his abilities, but as written they don’t quite reflect the gradual (but non-lethal) weakening he experiences in the absence of sunlight. I also felt his defenses weren’t quite high enough. BRP’s ultra-specific rules on energy defense are unforgiving. On the other hand, he did get knocked about quite a bit during the cartoon series.

Avenger

Avenger, Birdman’s golden eagle sidekick, was truly an unusual bird: purple in color and easily as big as a mastiff or wolf (although presumably not as heavy since he sat on Birdman’s shoulder without knocking him over). He was strong enough to catch or carry away a disabled man, understood and obeyed spoken English instructions (but couldn’t speak), and could pull levers and untie knots with his talons. Avenger could be counted upon to rescue his master when the latter was imprisoned or incapacitated. He communicated with Birdman via a radio pendant placed about his neck.

STR 18

CON 13

SIZ 5

INT 9

POW 11

DEX 35

Move: 3/12 flying

Hit Points: 9 (18 CON+SIZ)

Damage Bonus: +0

Armor: 3 AP (thick feathers)

Attacks: Bite 30%, 1D6+DB; Claws 45%, 1D6-1/2DB

Skills: Dodge 70%, Fine Manipulation 30%, Language (English) 45%, Spot 70%, Track 50%

Notes: Avenger’s stats were based on the Wolf template with the exception of his DEX, which was based on the Hawk template. I guessed on SIZ; in dimensions he’s probably a SIZ 11 but his mass is much less than that would indicate. Avenger displays almost human cleverness, hence his 9 INT.

How about Blue Falcon and Space Ghost? That's a team-up I'm dying to see. Love that genre of super hero action.

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How about Blue Falcon and Space Ghost? That's a team-up I'm dying to see. Love that genre of super hero action.

BF has to put up with a sidekick who's "fearless, scare-less, a little too careless...." and probably more powerful than he is. To the point that he drew second billing in his own series.

If I were to update the characters for a modern adventure, I'd tone down that character's goofiness a little. He's still careless (although he would probably call it "care-free") and still tends to lose focus, but he would probably be better at controlling the various powers he possesses. He's not going to overwhelm anybody, and is nobody's combat monster, but some of the things he can do have the potential to be very useful to Blue Falcon. His useful gadgets would probably include access to both a first-aid kit and tools to be used in repairing himself (as a mechanical being he doesn't heal back damage naturally but must be repaired, usually by BF).

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But it's the Red Skull talking. Are you sure you can believe him? ;)

Vhat? Naught belief der Vedd Schull!

Comics continuity aside, I think it was yet another writer's ploy to bring the character back from "death." As previously mentioned, the Joker was "killed" two or three times during Batman's second year of publication, starting with the villain's second appearance. The Red Skull (or at least the George Maxon version) "died" from an accidental injection of his own poison at the end of his first outing, and his unmasked body is clearly shown being examined (and presumably being prepared to be hauled off to the morgue) by G-men. In his second appearance, however, he is shown shaking off the effects of the drug on the floor of the (now apparently deserted) crime scene and is still wearing his Red Skull mask. We never see his real face again.

"Left me for dead did they? Didn't the fools realize I could survive my own medicine? Ho! Ho! This time the Red Skull will show no mercy!"

I think the Skull's dual origin was an unexploited opportunity for Captain America and Bucky:

"Why do you obey this traitor, you idiots? He's not even a son of the Fatherland but an American spy, captured on his first mission and sent back out as a double agent. Johann Schmidt doesn't exist. Prove whether or not I'm lying. Have him take off his mask!"

No matter which Skull we're dealing with, he's suddenly in trouble with his henchmen and any German military personnel that happen to be nearby. >:>

I suspect the change came about because it was probably more politically correct at the time to have the Skull be a NAZI than the sort of industrialist who'd be producing armaments for the U.S. Military. It probably wouldn't have been looked on too favorably to remind people just how much money was being made by the big industrialist because of the war. It wasn't a good time to mention war profiteering- as the Maxim Skull would have been perfect for that.

Oh, and for the record, I accept the fact that there is a lot of opportunity to make money during a war, and that we did need those tanks, guns, ships and planes to stop the Axis, and that somebody had to get paid to do so. I'm just saying George Maxim might have been a bit uncomfortable for Timely to have around during the days of the war bonds drives.

Plus, let's face it - A NAZI is a better villain that a fat cat.

Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself.

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How about Blue Falcon and Space Ghost? That's a team-up I'm dying to see. Love that genre of super hero action.

Blue Falcon, a low-power Batman type detective with gadgets, would be pretty easy to model with BRP. Dynomutt, with his oddball assortment of powers, would be more challenging. Here's how I did it in Champions:

http://www.sysabend.org/champions/gnborh/text/Dynomutt.txt

Space Ghost presents a similar problem to that of Dynomutt in BRP, not least because BRP requires separate defenses against each and every kind of energy attack. It also doesn't give you the option to save build points by bundling powers together with a common explanation. Again, here's how I tackled it in Champions:

http://www.sysabend.org/champions/gnborh/text/Space_Ghost-ks.txt

Space Ghost is a favorite character of mine, too, but Birdman was a more straightforward build, so I did him first.

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Blue Falcon, a low-power Batman type detective with gadgets, would be pretty easy to model with BRP. Dynomutt, with his oddball assortment of powers, would be more challenging. Here's how I did it in Champions:

http://www.sysabend.org/champions/gnborh/text/Dynomutt.txt

Space Ghost presents a similar problem to that of Dynomutt in BRP, not least because BRP requires separate defenses against each and every kind of energy attack. It also doesn't give you the option to save build points by bundling powers together with a common explanation. Again, here's how I tackled it in Champions:

http://www.sysabend.org/champions/gnborh/text/Space_Ghost-ks.txt

Space Ghost is a favorite character of mine, too, but Birdman was a more straightforward build, so I did him first.

I'd love to see all three teamed up as the Titanic Trio or something in some exciting miniseries, but not if they modernize it to make it "grim'n'gritty." Love those characters as is and believe we need some lighthearted adventure.

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I'd love to see all three teamed up as the Titanic Trio or something in some exciting miniseries, but not if they modernize it to make it "grim'n'gritty." Love those characters as is and believe we need some lighthearted adventure.

Blue Falcon certainly lends himself to a comedy campaign -- heck, that's exactly what his series is: playing the straight-laced and eternally serious superhero against his silly sidekick and his bumbling efforts to "help" any way he can. But even without the robot dog, Blue Falcon's tendency to not get jokes and take everything going on around him with the utmost seriousness is comedy gold. Admittedly, his life actually is at stake, but some of the things he encounters are over-the-top absurd in ways he doesn't quite get. (His voice actor, Laugh-In veteran Gary Owens, was pitch-perfect for that kind of role -- IIRC he also played Space Ghost).

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IIRC, it may have been the Fawcett Comics Captain Marvel series of that period that introduced (or at least popularized) the supervillain as we know him today. Among Captain Marvel's wartime enemies was a super-powered German agent called, appropriately enough, Captain Nazi. He also had to square off against an arrogant semi-divine being who called himself, in mockery of Captain Marvel, "The World's Mightiest Immortal". Then again, his real nemesis was Professor Sivana, a prototypical comic book mad scientist who was the first to derisively dub him "The Big Red Cheese".

Captain Nazi was mainly an opponent of Captain Marvel Jr. In fact, he's the reason Jr. got his powers.

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