PILGRIMSFALK for STALWART '85!

 Here's one of my original heroes from my "Shockwave" Universe, written up in my favorite superhero RPG to write things up in: Dr. Mike Desing's STALWART '85!  The game is super-rad, and you can buy it here: Stalwart '85 on DrivethruRPG!  You can also avail yourself of a cornucopia of resources for the game at Mike's blog right here: The Splintered Realm blog! Mike has been making awesome games for a long time, and all of them are more than worth your time, folks!

Okay, without further ado, behold the character sheet and HeroForge picture for: Pilgrimsfalk!

(I tried to make the sheet informative enough to stand on its own without dumping a bunch of expository paragraphs about here up here)

Blue Moon Rises Again: Diversions #21!

 Okay...back to some COMICS on this blog, eh?

The newest issue of "Diversions" from Blue Moon Comics is available in Digital Format, and since I am a member of Blue Moon's Ko-Fi Fan Group, I received my copy a little while ago, and I'll also receive a print copy as soon as that's available, since I contribute at the required level for that sort of perk.

Now, if I received it a while ago...why haven't I posted about it yet?

Well, a trip to Iceland happened, and then a case of the plane crud from the trip home from Iceland happened. Also: I do what I want.

However, the time has come to post about the latest issue of the flagship title from my longtime favorite TRULY "independent" comic book publisher.

Short version: this issue was great!  For the long version, scroll down past this awesome cover by Dana Black..after you savor its coolness, of course:

 

As you may have guessed, the opening tale in this issue is written and drawn by Mr. Black himself, and it is a 19 page rollicking epic of action and creativity.  Yes, very much the same terms could be used to describe his "Night Spider" story from Diversions #19, but this story has several key differences from that effort, too.

First of all, unlike the cover above, the story itself is delivered in black and white. This is a deliberate creative choice, of course, and one that adds to the tone of the story. Dana Black is proving to be a very thoughtful and purposeful auteur in my opinion, and he does it all without losing the sense of FUN that should come along with reading a superhero comic book story.

The choice of coloring evokes the 1940s era of the tale, and even borrows iconography from the classic "news reels" of that era. Furthermore, the story of protagonist US Flag's adventure is realted directly to the reader by Flag's sidekick "Liberty Lad," who was deemed "too young to go on this particular mission."

And what a story it is! Without spoiling much, you are treated to secret experiments in a secluded Nazi fortress, Monsters of the experimental, mysterious, and cursed nature, as well as a bittersweet ending that simply begs for a follow-up, while leaving you perfectly satisfied at the same time.

It's a banger, and uses its generous 19-page allotment extremely well. Dana Black has a been a favorite "under the radar" artist for years, and now he's becoming one of my favorite all around storytellers in comics. Recalibrate that radar, people!

Oh, and right before this story, we get a "U.S. Flag" pin-up by Blue Moon artist extraordinaire JW Erwin (and founder Lloyd Smith on colors) that has a soupcon of classic Mignola flavor in the mix, just to kick things off.

I need this pin-up to be made available as a Blue Moon Comics T-Shirt.  Ahem.

Okay, moving on!  Because there IS a second story in this issue. It's an anthology series, after all!

"Mercury: The Hero Falls" is a 7-page tale that has a long history with the "OG" incarnation of Blue Moon Comics, and it is presented here in color for the first time, with the promise of a direct follow-up on the not-too-distant (right?) horizon.

It's a story that's been done before, especially since the late-1980s "post Watchmen" days, but it's done really well here, and it had me fully invested in what's to happen next by the end of its brief but satisfying read-through. 

Basically, an old-school "Silver Age" style hero, Mercury, finds himself facing a harsher, more violent breed of criminal...and heroes to match. You'll find no spoilers here, but as I said, you may have "heard this one before," but you'll want to see where Lloyd and company take this one next.

As an aside: Mr. Smith casually creates an entire superhero "universe" in these 7 pages, too. And he does it not by backing up a dump truck of exposition, but by implying details organically in the script and the action itself.  This is the real stuff, kids.

So, there you have it: yet another kick-ass issue of Diversions!

What's next for this crew? Well, I hope Lloyd won't mind if I post his excellent "Blue Moon Madness" news page from the end of this issue right here so you can have a look for yourself:

 

Again, I am NOT interested in this blog turning into anyone's "unofficial press outlet" as some folks seemed to think my old "Max Reads Comics" blog would be for them, but I can unreservedly say that I think LOTS more people should get on the Blue Moon Comics train. Buy the books, join the Ko-Fi, whatever works for ya.

Later!

-Max

The Elemental Archetype (Draft) for S3 Lite!

 Keeping with the theme of "reading rules for games I'll never actually get to play," here's a new Archetype for a really cool superhero game that I found on itch.io!

The game in question is "The Simple Super System - Lite Edition" or "S3 Lite," or, moving forward in this post, "S3L."

You can find the game here: Simple Super System Lite on itch.io!

And you can watch a video about the game by its creator here: S3L on YouTube!

Now, given the "simple" nature of this game, the "Archetypes" provided in the rulebook don't cover EVERY type of superhero you could ever want to play, but the rules for creating your own archetype/character are pretty wide open.

So, I decided to try my hand at creating an "Elemental" Archetype, given that you can't really pick a "Human Torch" or "Iceman" or "Storm" out of the Archetypes in the book.

Now, I'm no game designer, and this system is perhaps a little TOO "open" for the likes of me to be dabbling in, but here's my first draft:

The "Flexible" Descriptor of The main Elemental Control power is inspired by the Sorcerer Archetype (a Third Party addition to the game, also on itch.io). It's there to allow for all the various ways a player can get creative with the power, going as crazy as the GM will let them. 

A hero with Light Control could, for example, create illusions, or even multiple holographic duplicates of themselves, etc.

Speaking of "Light" Control, the various "Elements" a hero could control might include that. or also Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Weather, Darkness, Magnetism, etc.  "Elemental" is used here in the comic-book-catch-all sense, including "energies" as well as "elements."

Anyway, I'm gonna share this post with the game's creator and see how badly I've missed the mark!

Later,

-Max

Big Bang Adventures #34

 Hey, long time no post about comics, eh? And for those who may have followed me in "the before times," long time since I've posted about the publisher we're about to focus on today. There's a reason for that, it has a name, and it's the name of a jerk that I hope this publisher breaks its ties with at some point. Until then, I'll just read and post about stuff that doesn't feature his name in the credits.

ANYWAY, I have been making an effort to catch back up with the "Big Bang Adventures" series, and today, I read the latest issue, #34. Check out the cover below:

If you couldn't tell, Big Bang is a "retro" style publisher, and they have been since the 1990s. They have a scattered publishing history, one you can catch up with best on their own website at https://bigbangcomics.com/. (Click on the pinned "Spotlight on Big Bang" post for a free, super-detailed PDF of their history)

In short, Big Bang head honcho Gary Carlson spearheaded the Megaton title, where future Image Comics luminaries like Erik Larsen and Rob Liefeld got their starts, and soon after forever becoming the "Godfather of Image Comics," Carlson (and creative partner Chris Ecker) switched his focus to creating a line of loving pastiche-flavored characters under the banner of "Big Bang Comics."

Ultiman, Man of the Atom, seen above on the latest DC-Archives-Homaging cover of Big Banf Adventures, is the line's "Superman," but he is no mere Clark Kent clone.

You can learn all about what makes this character different from his obvious inspiration by reading this issue all by itself, as Carlson and company tend to adhere to the tenet of "every issue is someone's first" more often than not.

This particular issue features one "new" story, featuring Ultiman early on in his career, facing a super-powered bank robber while also trying to show his little hooligan of a younger brother a good time in the city. The villain's name is "Carbonite," which I thought might put Carlson in Lucasfilm's sights until the story itself taught me that carbonite was the name of an explosive used in the coal mining industry back in the day. Seems Lucas "borrowed" that word along with so many other things in the creation of his "totally original saga," eh?

Anyway, I appreciated the welcome surprise of this issue helping me shake off some of my own "nerdy tunnel vision" when it comes to the origins of things.  As for the story itself, it's a quick, crazy affair, with some of the hand-waviest pseudo-science you're likely to exposed to (until the next story in this issue) and the focus set squarely on fun.  

There's plenty of "on-screen" characterization delivered through the dialogue and during the action, too, so by the time you finish this brief opening tale you feel adequately initiated into Ultiman's world, while also being left curious enough to know more. That's comic book craft at work, folks!

The second story in this issue has a spotty history similar to the publisher itself, having an unfinished debut in the early 2000s, a finished but black-and-white publication in 2017, and finally, a complete and fully colored presentation in this very issue of Big Bang Adventures.

But don't worry, that's all spelled out in deeper but concisely written detail in some text pieces in the issue itself! There's also an illustrated profile on Carl Kelly, Ultiman's younger brother, and some excellent pin-up pieces in the back of the issue, too.

Okay, back to that second story: "Ultiman of the Atom" is a VERY Silver-Age-Styled tale, both in art and in storytelling, and it showcases what the Big Bang is best at; something I call "Era Emulation."

Make no mistake, this issue is very heavily weighted to the Silver Age side of that Emulation Spectrum, and Big Bang is very much a "retro" imprint, but if you dig into their offerings, you'll find them very capable of producing stories in the fashion of comics from the 1940s through, yes, even the 1990s at times! And all that without a "wink at the reader" or an ounce of self-deprecating snark. Big Bang tends to harbor an earnest appreciation of the best elements of the medium from anywhere within that 50 year perioid.

All right, NOW I'll get back to the story! "Ultiman of the Atom" is a "Three Part Novel" featuring a scientific experiment that leads to the discovery of a microscopic world where everyone has powers like Ultiman's! Naturally, our hero ends up transported to this world, and quickly has encounters of the apocalyptic and romantic nature before everything concludes in a surprisingly tragic fashion for the classically flavored goings-on.

But again, if you look back on those Silver Age stories, they frequently featured stunningly "dark" events that are more or less "walked off" by the characters before their next adventure, and this story very much walks down that path.

So hey: if you've never heard of Big Bang Comics, go to their website and check them out.

When you're done with that, go to Indyplanet and buy their books in print or digital formats at this link:

Big Bang Adventures at IndyPlanet

Have fun,

-Max

Reading Rules for Games I'll Never Play

 Since my recent posts here have featured characters I've made for a roleplaying game, and the most recent book I've finished reading was a rulebook for a different roleplaying game ("Weird Heroes of Public Access"), I've been thinking about this habit of mine...

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading rules for RPGs, and making characters for them, but the last time I "actively" played one of these games was a short-lived online 1920s superhero adventure using the Cypher system. 

I ended up bailing on that to spend more time on the Weird Warriors Podcast that I co-created and still co-host with my long-suffering buddy Rich.

I guess actually playing RPGs is just too time consuming for me now, and has been for over a decade really. Playing "solo RPGs" holds no interest for me, either, so...why do I engage with this kind of material at all?

To be fair, even back when I had time to play and a regular group to do so with, I still acquired far more RPG material than I ever even intended to make "use" of, and I know I'm not alone in this.

And, I do occasionally enjoy the sheer act of reading a RPG rulebook, especially in the case the aforementioned WHPA (which I will link to at some point in this rambling post). 

That book in particular has very few "rules" in it to speak of, and is mostly a collection of quirky zine content establishing more of a "vibe" than anything else. 

Seriously, it's great. Here's a pic of the cover:

And a link to where you can buy it:
https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/products/weird-heroes-of-public-access?_pos=1&_psq=weird+&_ss=e&_v=1.0

So, yeah, I know it's "okay" to read RPG books and make characters for games that I KNOW I will never play, but I just don't know if it's something I should spend my time on....at 54, I'm starting to look at the clock on the wall, eh?

And yet, here I am blogging about whether or not I am wasting my time on a different leisure activity.  I mean, this is basically a diary, but still.

But hey: check out WHPA. It's a fun, interesting, brief, and truly creative read.

And let me know if you ever play it. It'd be nice to at least HEAR about one of these things being used for their intended purpose :)

"Killshot" for High-Five!

 Okay, I didn't set out to do this, but this new character for Jeff Moore's High Five RPG scratches an itch that I didn't know I had:

"What if Hawkeye and Black Widow hadn't become good guys?"

So, from the random creation system I came up with, came this villainous version of my second favorite Avenger (my number one is the Wasp)....check it out!

Dr. Sparks! for Jeff Moore's "High Five" RPG!

 As some of you may know, I'm a big fan of the RPG output of Mr. Jeff Moore, whose work and thoughts you can keep up with at https://comicbookheart.blogspot.com.

Jeff's most recent game is "High Five," a superhero game that, much like his "Hi-Lo Heroes" game before it, has totally captured my imagination.

In fact, I like both of those games so much that I kind of came up with a mash-up of the two, at least as far as "random character creation" goes.

I call it "High-Lo Five Heroes." I know. I'm so clever.

Anyway, the details of the mash-up are as follows:

• Take 5 playing cards from a standard deck, numbered, get this: 1 through Five.
• Shuffle the cards, place them down, and draw one at a time.
• Each numbered card is associated with a Grade for your Hero's Details:
• 1 = A
• 2 = B
• 3 = C
• 4 = D
• 5 = X
• Yes, the lower the card number, the higher the Grade.  Switch it the other way round if you want.
• Draw one card at a time, and assign the associated Grade to your Hero's Details in order:
• Attack
• Defense
• Move
• Craft
• Connection
• Based on your Hero's Level (though I would start most Random characters at Level 1), those Grades will set a Score for each of your Details.
• When it comes to generating random Flavors for your Details, this is where the Hi-Lo Heroes book really comes in!
• Attack Details:
• Roll a D6: 1-3 = Roll under Mundane Attacks, 4-6 = Roll under Fantastic Attacks
• Defense Details:
• 1-3 = Evasion Powers, 4-6 = Barrier Defense Powers
• Move Details:
• Roll under Movement Powers ( I may create a second Table for this, too)
• Craft Details:
• Roll 1-6 for Career Type, then 1-6 for Specific Career
• Connection Details:
• Roll 1-6 under Charges

Now, for any of those Details results, you are not strictly bound to the wording of the result in the Hi-Lo Heroes book.  These are just random prompts for your imagination.

Using this "system" of prompts, I created...Dr. Sparks!  Check him out!