Once Upon a Geek » role-playing http://onceuponageek.com A blog for The Irredeemable Shag ... A place for all things geek, focusing primarily on superheroes & science fiction. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:45:38 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Mayfairstivus – Be Part of the Legend http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/10/mayfairstivus8/ http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/10/mayfairstivus8/#comments Fri, 10 Dec 2010 11:45:46 +0000 Shag http://onceuponageek.com/?p=4666 Today concludes my coverage of Mayfairstivus, the celebration of Mayfair Games’ DC Heroes Role-Playing Game! What a crossover it’s been!  Over 60 posts across 19 different blogs!  Unbelievable!  Just goes to show how much excitement this game system can generate.  I apologize for missing the past two days here;  a lack of sleep and real-world stress finally caught up with me.

Mayfair DC Heroes RPG Box Set 1985 First Edition - art by George Perez

HOP ABOARD THE MAYFAIRSTIVUS EXPRESS

Below is a complete list of all the blog entries in the Mayfairstivus crossover.  Be sure to check out these fantastic posts!  If any further posts are published, I’ll update this list.

  • Hawkman! – HAWKMAN: BEING CARTER HALL

Mayfair DC Heroes RPG Box Set 1989 Second Edition

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks again to Mayfairstivus mastermind Frank Lee Delano (of the blogs: Martian Manhunter: Idol-Head of Diabolu, Justice League Detroit, Power of the Atom, Diana Prince: Wonder Woman, DC Bloodlines, and …nurgh…)!  Not only did Frank come up with the idea, he provided most of the card scans and coordinated this entire monstrosity!   Let’s also give a nod to Tom Hartley.  Tom was the unintentional catalyst for this event by selling his second edition DC Heroes RPG box set to Frank.  Another special thank you to Walter from the Booster Gold themed blog, BOOSTERIFFIC.  Walter sent me the Photoshop template used to create the neat shadows around the Mayfair character cards.  Finally, a tremendous thank you to all the bloggers involved in this crossover event.  I appreciate the time you took to develop your posts.  Each entry was excellent and fun to read.  THANK YOU!

Mayfair DC Heroes RPG 1993 Third Edition

IN THE DAYS BEFORE MAYFAIRSTIVUS

Before Mayfairstivus was even a glimmer in Frank’s eye, there were a few sites carrying the torch for the Mayfair RPG system.  Check out these previously published Mayfair-related posts/websites.  They are definitely worth your time!

That about does it.  Thanks again to all the participating bloggers and thanks to you for reading!  If you want to see more Mayfair-related posts in the future, let me know in the comments!

]]> http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/10/mayfairstivus8/feed/ 3 Mayfairstivus Day 7 – Starman (Will Payton) http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/07/mayfairstivus7/ http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/07/mayfairstivus7/#comments Tue, 07 Dec 2010 11:45:10 +0000 Shag http://onceuponageek.com/?p=4656 Welcome back for the seventh day of Mayfairstivus, the nine day celebration of Mayfair Games’ DC Heroes Role-Playing Game! Today we’ll be looking at the 1989 character card for Starman (Will Payton)!

The Will Payton Starman series holds a special place in my heart.  While the Jack Knight Starman was the best-written, Will Payton’s adventures were the most fun.  Will Payton was an upbeat, straightforward superhero that came along during a time when most superheroes were dark and gritty.  Personally I was reading lots of these darker superhero comics, along with nearly all of DC’s mature readers proto-Vertigo books (i.e. Sandman, Doom Patrol, Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, Animal Man, Shade the Changing Man, etc).  Reading these types of titles was seriously starting to affect me.  I found all the “extreme” superheroes and mind-trippin’ proto-Vertigo books were weighing heavily on my shoulders.  While I was interested in the books I was reading, I wasn’t necessarily having fun anymore.  When I stumbled across Starman #26 in 1990 it was like a breath of fresh air!  Here was a superhero that was big on action and fun!  This book rejuvenated my love for superhero comics!  I immediately picked up all the back issues and stayed with the series until the end.  Whenever I feel bogged down by too much drama in my monthly comics, I remind myself to seek out fun books like Starman.

DC HEROES ROLE-PLAYING GAME – SECOND EDITION – 1989

Will Payton Starman from 1989 Mayfair DC Heroes Role-Playing Game

Will Payton Starman from 1989 Mayfair DC Heroes Role-Playing Game

As I mentioned, my first issue of Starman was #26.  This was the debut of Starman’s new costume.  Maybe it’s because I started reading Starman when he was wearing a different costume, but for whatever reason I’ve never cared for the costume shown above.  The colors always make me think of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  In fact, I preferred the newer costume so much, at some point I re-drew the card front and used my own sketch below in place of the card above.  Clearly my own personal Mayfair DC Heroes stats would not include the Skill “Artist”.

Will Payton Starman from 1989 Mayfair DC Heroes Role-Playing Game

MAYFAIRSTIVUS

Don’t forget, the Mayfairstivus celebration continues at the following blogs!  Be sure to check them out throughout the Mayfairstivus celebration (Dec. 1-9).

Come back tomorrow when we look at some of my favorite modules and sourcebooks from the Mayfair DC Heroes RPG!

]]> http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/07/mayfairstivus7/feed/ 8 Mayfairstivus Day 6 – Animal Man http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/06/mayfairstivus6/ http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/06/mayfairstivus6/#comments Mon, 06 Dec 2010 11:45:38 +0000 Shag http://onceuponageek.com/?p=4649 Welcome back for the sixth day of Mayfairstivus, the nine day celebration of Mayfair Games’ DC Heroes Role-Playing Game! We took a break on Saturday and Sunday, but we’re back today for more Mayfairstivus holiday fun!  Today we’ll be looking at the 1989 character card for Animal Man!

I don’t talk about him much here, but I really dig Animal Man.  If you’re not familiar with the character, he’s a somewhat regular guy, married with kids, and gets caught up in nutso adventures.  His secret identity is Buddy Baker, and most people end up calling him Buddy rather than Animal Man.  I’ve really enjoyed this character ever since I started reading his monthly series in 1989.  I would highly recommend the old Grant Morrison Animal Man series to anyone (trade paperbacks volume 1, volume 2, and volume 3).  It’s definitely one of Grant’s more subdued works.

Since Animal Man was headlining his own series in 1989, he merited one of these super-cool character cards in the DC Heroes RPG.  Below you’ll find Animal Man’s … y’know what, let’s just call him Buddy … Below you’ll find Buddy’s character card (front and back) included in the 1989 edition of the DC Heroes RPG.

DC HEROES ROLE-PLAYING GAME – SECOND EDITION – 1989

Animal Man from 1989 Mayfair DC Heroes Role-Playing Game

Animal Man from 1989 Mayfair DC Heroes Role-Playing Game

Even if you don’t know anything about the game, you can tell from his powers that he wasn’t an overly powerful character.  Sure he could gain the proportional strength of an ant (meaning he could lift objects over his head weighing more than 20 times his own weight) or fly like an eagle, but he wasn’t the typical over-the-top powerhouse that era was known for.

The card art is actually pretty good on this one.  While I’d rather of had Brian Bolland (cover artist for the early Animal Man issues), this card art is certainly an improvement over the regular series artist Chas Truog.

Just thinking about Buddy has got me anxious to go back and re-read those Grant Morrison issues.  So good!

MAYFAIRSTIVUS

Don’t forget, the Mayfairstivus celebration continues at the following blogs!  Be sure to check them out throughout the Mayfairstivus celebration (Dec. 1-9).  I’d like to send a quick thank you to Walter from the BOO$TERRIFIC blog!  He provided me with a Photoshop template that adds a nice shadow effect on the scanned cards.  Thanks Walter!   Additionally, a huge thanks to Frank Lee Delano (of the blogs: Martian Manhunter: Idol-Head of Diabolu, Justice League Detroit, Atom: Power of the Atom, Wonder Woman: Diana Prince, DC Bloodlines, and …nurgh…) who not only masterminded the crossover, he also provided most of the card scans!  Thanks, Frank!

Come back tomorrow when we look at the Starman (Will Payton) character card from the 1989 edition!

]]> http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/06/mayfairstivus6/feed/ 4 Mayfairstivus Day 3 – Doctor Fate http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/03/mayfairstivus3/ http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/03/mayfairstivus3/#comments Fri, 03 Dec 2010 11:45:30 +0000 Shag http://onceuponageek.com/?p=4627 Welcome back for the third day of Mayfairstivus, the nine day celebration of Mayfair Games’ DC Heroes Role-Playing Game! Today we’ll be looking at the 1989 character card for Doctor Fate!

If you are new to ONCE UPON A GEEK, then you may not know that I’m a tremendous Doctor Fate fan!  He’s one of my all-time favorite superheroes!  Therefore, I wasn’t going to miss this chance to feature the role-playing stats for the “Ankh-Bolt Adventurer”! ….  (yes, i just made up that nickname.  i have to say it’s brilliant and you should all start calling him that.  do this.)

The first two editions of Mayfair’s DC Heroes Role-playing Game came with collections of character cards which included statistics.  Doctor Fate wasn’t lucky enough to merit a character card in the first edition, but by the release of the second edition in 1989 he was headlining his own monthly comic.  Below you’ll find the Doctor Fate character card (front and back) included in the 1989 edition of the DC Heroes RPG.

DC HEROES ROLE-PLAYING GAME – SECOND EDITION – 1989

Doctor Fate from 1989 Mayfair DC Heroes Role-playing Game

Doctor Fate from 1989 Mayfair DC Heroes Role-playing Game

The statistics above represent the second incarnation of Doctor Fate.  At this point in time, the Ankh-Bolt Adventurer was a composite being created by Eric and Linda Strauss.  It’s a complicated tale.  When the story started, Eric was a young boy and Linda was his step-mother.  By the end, they were dead.  Their spirits were living on in other people’s bodies, they were married to one another, and they were raising a baby fated to usher in a new age for all mankind.  … Yeah, I know how it sounds.  Trust me, it was really good.

During the time when Mayfair had the license to DC Heroes, they published a few different versions of Doctor Fate’s statistics.  I considered posting them all here today, but decided just to focus in on the character card.  These cards really were one of my favorite aspects of the box sets.  I’ll be sure to include those other versions whenever I do a “Doctor Fate Week” here on ONCE UPON A GEEK.

The art on the card isn’t the greatest, but I’ve certainly seen worse.  It would have been nice if they’d had series artist Shawn McManus draw the card.  He did a fantastic Doctor Fate!

It’s worth noting that Doctor Fate’s “Sorcery” power is only rated at 20 points here.  This is one of the weakest incarnations of Doctor Fate.  The reason for this was that Eric and Linda were still learning the ropes as Doctor Fate, without the benefit of Nabu’s spirit within the helmet.  Just in case you are wondering, Nabu was still around.  He was inhabiting Kent Nelson’s animated corpse, and generally being a jerk to Eric and Linda.  …. Yeah, I know.  Trust me, it was really good.

MAYFAIRSTIVUS

Don’t forget, the Mayfairstivus celebration continues at the following blogs!  Be sure to check them out throughout the Mayfairstivus celebration (Dec. 1-9).  Also, I’d like to send a quick shout-out to Tom Hartley.  Tom inadvertently created the Mayfairstivus holiday by selling his second edition DC Heroes RPG box set to Frank Lee Delano (the mastermind behind the Mayfairstivus crossover event).  Thanks Tom!

We’re taking a break on Saturday and Sunday.  Our Mayfairstivus coverage will resume on Monday!  Come back then when we look at the Animal Man character card from the 1989 edition!

]]> http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/03/mayfairstivus3/feed/ 9 Mayfairstivus Day 2 – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Edition http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/02/mayfairstivus2/ http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/02/mayfairstivus2/#comments Thu, 02 Dec 2010 11:45:02 +0000 Shag http://onceuponageek.com/?p=4620 Welcome back for the second day of Mayfairstivus, the nine day celebration of Mayfair Games’ DC Heroes Role-Playing Game! Today we’ll be looking at all three editions of this RPG.

DC HEROES ROLE-PLAYING GAME – FIRST EDITION – 1985

The first edition of the DC Heroes Role-Playing Game was released in the summer of 1985.  Below you’ll find the gorgeous George Perez cover to the first edition box set.  The image echoes both Crisis on Infinite Earths and the Super Powers line.  And if you had any doubt how popular the New Teen Titans were back then, check out the call-out to them on the cover.

Mayfair DC Heroes Role-Playing Game Box Set 1985 First Edition - art by George Perez

Inside the box you found all of this cool stuff:

Mayfair DC Heroes Role-Playing Game Box Set 1985 First Edition

The first edition box set included:

  • “Read This First” booklet with quick start rules
  • Player’s Manual
  • Gamemaster’s Manual
  • Power & Skills book
  • Gamemaster’s Screen
  • A Teen Titans’ Module
  • 30 color character cards
  • 39 stand up color counters
  • 2 ten-sided dice

DC HEROES ROLE-PLAYING GAME – SECOND EDITION – 1989

The second edition of the DC Heroes Role-Playing Game was released in either late 1989 or early 1990.  While all the copyright information states 1989, I found some advertisements suggesting it was scheduled to be released in early 1990.  The second edition was a real improvement over the first with updated and expanded rules.  While I think the first edition was much “prettier”, I think this version was the most useful.   This is also the edition I played the longest, so I’m probably biased.  Below you’ll find the cover to the second edition box set.  While this cover is not as epic as George Perez’s first edition cover, there is a certain elegance and iconic appeal.

Mayfair DC Heroes Role-Playing Game Box Set 1989 Second Edition

Inside the box you found all of this:

Mayfair DC Heroes Role-Playing Game Box Set 1989 Second Edition

The second edition box set included:

  • “Read This First” booklet, with a Batman solitaire adventure
  • The Rules Manual
  • The Character Handbook
  • The Background/Roster Book – including game statistics for over 250 characters and featuring essays by Robert Greenberger, Jack Kirby, Robert Kanigher, Neil Gaiman, Dan Jurgens, and Roger Stern.
  • Full-length Justice League International module – Exposed!
  • Action Wheel
  • Full-color Gamemaster’s Screen
  • 75 illustrated characters cards – The cards in the image above are stored in nine-pocket card pages.  These pages were not included in the original set.  That’s just how I choose to store them.
  • 2 ten-sided dice

DC HEROES ROLE-PLAYING GAME – THIRD EDITION – 1993

The third edition of the DC Heroes Role-Playing Game was released in 1993.  Compared to previous editions, I’m not terribly familiar with this one.  By 1993 I’d moved on from superhero role-playing to Star Wars role-playing using the West End Games system (another of my all-time favorite RPGs).  For the third edition Mayfair opted to release a single softcover book, rather than another box set.  I’m not 100% sure, but I believe this may have been the last product Mayfair produced in the DC Heroes line.  One of the selling points of this book was the inclusion of Doomsday and the four “Supermen” from the then-current Reign of the Supermen storyline.  Due to the highly-reflective foil cover, the scan below didn’t come out very good.

Mayfair DC Heroes Role-Playing Game 1993 Third Edition

The party was pretty much over by 1993 for Mayfair Games and DC Comics joint venture.  We wouldn’t see another DC Comics role-playing game until 1999 when West End Games got the license.  Someday we’ll have to look at the West End Games edition.

MAYFAIRSTIVUS

Don’t forget, the Mayfairstivus celebration continues at the following blogs!  Be sure to check them out throughout the Mayfairstivus celebration (Dec. 1-9).

Come back tomorrow when we look at the Doctor Fate character card from the 1989 edition!

]]> http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/02/mayfairstivus2/feed/ 4 Mayfairstivus Day 1 – DC Heroes RPG http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/01/mayfairstivus1/ http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/01/mayfairstivus1/#comments Wed, 01 Dec 2010 11:45:29 +0000 Shag http://onceuponageek.com/?p=4588 Welcome to the first day of Mayfairstivus!  This holiday event lasting nine days celebrates Mayfair Games’ DC Heroes Role-Playing Game! From 1985-1993 this was one of the premier superhero role-playing games!

Mayfair Games DC Heroes role-playing game editions

A holiday event in December lasting nine days?  Hmmm…  Okay, you caught us.  A few comic bloggers decided to use this year’s Hanukkah celebration as an excuse to post content from Mayfair’s long-running DC Heroes line.  There will be a few different blogs participating, so check the links below for more Mayfairstivus activities (with apologies to the Costanza family).   Many thanks go out to mastermind Frank Lee Delano (of the blogs: Martian Manhunter: Idol-Head of Diabolu, Justice League Detroit, Atom: Power of the Atom, Wonder Woman: Diana Prince, DC Bloodlines, and …nurgh…) for suggesting this celebration! Thanks, Frank!

DC Comics helped support the DC Heroes game system with house ads in their comic books.  Below you’ll find one of those early advertisements.  DC was clearly pulling out all the stops with this ad, leaning on the popularity of their Super Powers line, the New Teen Titans, and the Justice League of America.

Mayfair Games DC Heroes role-playing game advertisement

The first edition of Mayfair’s DC Heroes came out in the summer of 1985.  For me it was love at first sight!  A gorgeous George Perez cover!  Stats on my favorite characters!  A combat system based on both combatants skill level!  I recall spending hours and hours role-playing Batman adventures with my good friend Ravenface.  As the years went by I continued using the system.  When the second edition came out in 1989, I became a full-time addict.  I was part of a dedicated group of players by that point.  We role-played our own adventures weekly, saving the world with a pair of ten-sided dice.

Over the years I’ve picked up quite a few of the sourcebooks and modules. Click the image below to enlarge and see some of what I own.  Beneath the image is a complete list of products I own from Mayfair’s DC Heroes Role-Playing Game.

Mayfair Games DC Heroes role-playing game sourcebooks and modules

  • DC Heroes Role-Playing Game – 1st edition box set
  • Batman Sourcebook
  • The Belle Reve Sourcebook – Suicide Squad
  • The Doom Patrol Sourcebook/Moonshot module
  • Siege - Justice League of America module
  • All That Glitters - Booster Gold module
  • Project Prometheus -  For your own heroes module
  • Countdown to Armageddon – Superman module
  • The Doomsday Program – Brainiac module
  • Four Horsemen of Apokolips – Darkseid module
  • Night in Gotham – For your own heroes module
  • King of Crime – For your own heroes module
  • Don’t Ask – Ambush Bug module
  • When a Stranger Calls – Justice League International module
  • Eternity, Inc. – Infinity, Inc. module
  • An Element of Danger – Firestorm module
  • Who Watches the Watchmen? – Watchmen module
  • Dream Machine – Joker module
  • Rigged Results – New Teen Titans module
  • Lights, Camera… Kobra! – The Outsiders module
  • Blitzkrieg – Blackhawk module
  • DC Heroes: Justice League of America and Adversaries Metal Figure Set
  • DC Heroes: The New Teen Titans and Adversaries Metal Figure Set
  • DC Heroes Role-Playing Game Newsletter – 5 volumes of the quarterly newsletter
  • DC Heroes Role-Playing Game – 2nd edition box set
  • Justice League Sourcebook
  • The Apokolips Sourcebook
  • The Atlas of the DC Universe
  • The World at War Sourcebook
  • 2995: The Legion of Super-heroes Sourcebook
  • Who’s Who in the DC Universe Role-Playing Supplement #1
  • Who’s Who in the DC Universe Role-Playing Supplement #2
  • Who’s Who in the DC Universe Role-Playing Supplement #3
  • DC Heroes Role-Playing Game – 3rd edition softcover

If you’ve ever role-played superhero games, then I’m sure you feel there was a “magical” system for you. One that sticks out in your memory as a fantastic game system. Mayfair is that system for me! It wasn’t the game mechanics that I loved, it was more about the products and accessories.

Be sure to check back here during the Mayfairstivus holiday for more on the RPG!  Also, the celebration continues at the following blogs!  Be sure to visit them throughout Mayfairstivus.

Finally, here are a few previously published Mayfair-related posts by friends worth checking out too!

Be sure to come back tomorrow when we look at the three different editions of the game!

]]> http://onceuponageek.com/2010/12/01/mayfairstivus1/feed/ 8 ACQUIRED: DC Adventures RPG – Hero’s Handbook http://onceuponageek.com/2010/09/20/acquired-dc-adventures-rpg-heros-handbook/ http://onceuponageek.com/2010/09/20/acquired-dc-adventures-rpg-heros-handbook/#comments Mon, 20 Sep 2010 10:45:04 +0000 Shag http://onceuponageek.com/?p=4191 I bought the new DC ADVENTURES: Hero’s Handbook RPG from Green Ronin Publishing!

DC Adventures Hero's Handbook Super-Hero Roleplaying in the DC Universe

Here is the description of the book from the Green Ronin online store:

Join the never-ending battle for truth and justice in the world’s greatest super-hero universe, using the world’s greatest super-hero roleplaying game! The DC ADVENTURES Hero’s Handbook is a complete super-hero RPG, based on the award-winning Mutants & Masterminds system. Take on the roles of legendary DC heroes like Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman, or create your own! Get started right away with a wide selection of hero archetypes, or build from scratch using a comprehensive creation system. The Hero’s Handbook provides everything you need for hours of adventure in the DC Universe, including all the rules of the game, an overview of the original comic- book setting, and details on major heroes and villains, complete with game information. It’s all presented in gorgeous full-color, with art by some of DC’s most famous illustrators. Experience super-hero adventure in the world that defined the genre: Become a hero of legend with the DC ADVENTURES Hero’s Handbook!

This is a really gorgeous book!  It’s 280 full-color pages packed with information and beautiful illustrations culled from years of DC comics.  For me this book is a melding of two great worlds – DC Comics and Mutants & Masterminds.  I’ve been an avid reader of DC Comics for over 25 years, and I roleplayed using the Mutants & Masterminds system for about three years and really enjoyed it.

I’ve only scratched the surface of this book, but I’m loving it!  Under the character statistics, I stumbled across something that gives me hope for DC.  The superheroes profiled are in their “iconic” form.  For example, Batman is the Bruce Wayne version because that is the “iconic” version of the character.   Well, Robin is presented as Tim Drake!  That gives me hope that DC is planning to eventually return Tim Drake to the Robin role.  This has been bothering me since Tim became Red Robin.  Tim Drake is the best Robin there ever was!  Give him back his name and costume, please!

/rant

Order your own copy from your local comic book shop!  If you want further information, check out the DC Adventures site over at mutantsandmasterminds.com.  Now I can’t wait for the next book, DC ADVENTURES Heroes & Villains, Vol. I.

]]> http://onceuponageek.com/2010/09/20/acquired-dc-adventures-rpg-heros-handbook/feed/ 5 DC Adventures RPG – Coming Soon! http://onceuponageek.com/2010/06/22/dc-adventures-rpg/ http://onceuponageek.com/2010/06/22/dc-adventures-rpg/#comments Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:00:18 +0000 Shag http://onceuponageek.com/?p=3676 DC Adventures RPG from Green Ronin

Back on May 3rd, Green Ronin announced they’re working on a DC Comics roleplaying game based upon their Mutants & Masterminds system.  Here is a snippet from the press release:

Green Ronin Publishing announced today that it has signed a licensing agreement with DC Comics and will be releasing the DC ADVENTURES RPG book this August. The game is based on Green Ronin’s Mutants & Masterminds, the leading super-hero RPG in the tabletop gaming world.

“It is DC’s 75th anniversary this year and I’m delighted we can help celebrate it by bringing the DC Universe back to the roleplaying hobby,” said Green Ronin President Chris Pramas. “The team-up of the DCU and the creators behind Mutants & Masterminds will create an unstoppable force of great gaming!”

The DC ADVENTURES game will consist of four books, each done in full color and beautifully illustrated by top comic artists. The line launches in August with the DC ADVENTURES Hero’s Handbook. Following it will be Heroes & Villains, Volume 1 in the fall. Then 2011 will see the release of Heroes & Villains, Volume 2 and DC ADVENTURES: Universe.

Since then, Green Ronin has been running a Design Journal blog.  If you are interested in this game, this blog is definitely worth reading.  They’ve already revealed the Power Levels of the big heroes and villains (posted below just to cause some argument amongst the geeks).

Aquaman (12), Batman (12), Black Canary (10), Captain Marvel (15), Flash (12), Green Arrow (10), Green Lantern (14), Martian Manhunter (14), Nightwing (10), Plastic Man (11), Robin (8), Superman (15), Wonder Woman (15), and Zatanna (11)

Black Adam (16), Black Manta (10), Brainiac (13), Catwoman (10), Cheetah (12), Circe (14), Darkseid (16), Gorilla Grodd (12), The Joker (11), Lex Luthor (14), Prometheus (14), Sinestro (14), Solomon Grundy (14), Vandal Savage (13).

Additionally, they’ve published the stats for Green Lantern (Hal Jordan).  Click here to check out the Design Journal blog.

You can pre-order two of these books, Hero’s Handbook and Heroes & Villains vol 1, from most local comic book shops or Amazon.com.  Can’t wait to get this game in August!  Anyone else thinking about getting this game?

]]> http://onceuponageek.com/2010/06/22/dc-adventures-rpg/feed/ 7 Star Wars Resume – Role-playing Games http://onceuponageek.com/2010/04/22/star-wars-resume-role-playing-games/ http://onceuponageek.com/2010/04/22/star-wars-resume-role-playing-games/#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 09:30:28 +0000 Shag http://onceuponageek.com/?p=3197 Concluding my Star Wars Resume!  In 1992 a former classmate named Serv and I assembled a group of folks to try the West End Games Star Wars Roleplaying Game.  Serv and I didn’t really know each other that well at the time, we just both happened to share an interest in Star Wars and RPGs.  Little did we know, but that group would be the catalyst that would lead Serv and me to become college roommates and life-long friends.  Serv, Bob, Ed, Pat, and I had a blast with that group and we continue to stay in touch through THE UNIQUE GEEK.  I’ve been a part of a few other Star Wars RPG groups since then, each of them full of great players and classic moments.

The West End Games (WEG) system was released in 1987 during Star Wars‘ wilderness years.  After Return of the Jedi in 1983, Star Wars fanaticism began to cool off.  By 1987 Star Wars was positively old news, so the WEG game didn’t really make a big splash.  However, people began to take notice once the system was awarded the “Origins Award” for Best Roleplaying Rules of 1987.  Not only did the game contain a decent rules system, the books were chock-full of new Star Wars ideas and information.  In fact, it’s widely accepted that WEG established much of the groundwork of what later became the Star Wars Expanded Universe.  Lucasfilm considered their sourcebooks so authoritative that when Timothy Zahn was hired to write what became the Thrawn trilogy, he was sent a box of WEG Star Wars books and directed to base his novel on the background material presented within.  How’s that for an endorsement!  Once Star Wars popularity began to rise again in 1991, WEG was well-positioned to take advantage of the resurgence.  In 1994 WEG took to publishing its own original fiction in their quarterly Star Wars Adventure Journal, featuring stories from authors like Timothy Zahn, Michael A. Stackpole, Kevin J. Anderson, Barbara Hambly, and Kathy Tyers.  Sadly, WEG lost the Star Wars license to Wizards of the Coast around the release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

Below you’ll find all my Star Wars RPG books.  Click the image to enlarge.

Star Wars RPG - West End Games and Wizards of the Coast

WEST END GAMES

  • Star Wars Roleplaying Game – First Edition
  • Star Wars Roleplaying Game – Second Edition
  • Star Wars Roleplaying Game – Second Edition – Revised and Expanded
  • Gamemaster Handbook
  • Gamemaster Screen – Second Edition
  • Gamemaster Screen – Second Edition – Revised
  • Star Wars Sourcebook – Second Edition
  • Movie Trilogy Sourcebook
  • Rebel Alliance Sourcebook – Second Edition
  • Imperial Sourcebook – Second Edition
  • Tales of the Jedi Companion
  • Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook
  • Heroes and Rogues
  • Galaxy Guide 4: Alien Races
  • Galaxy Guide 8: Scouts
  • Galaxy Guide 9: Fragments from the Rim
  • Galaxy Guide 10: Bounty Hunters
  • Galaxy Guide 11: Criminal Organizations
  • Rules of Engagement: Rebel Specforce Handbook
  • Platt’s Starport Guide
  • Pirates and Privateers
  • Fantastic Technology
  • Fantastic Technology: Droids
  • Fantastic Tech: Personal Gear
  • Cracken’s Rebel Field Guide
  • Wanted by Cracken
  • Wretched Hives of Scum and Villainy
  • Flashpoint! Brak Sector
  • Classic Adventures: Volume 2
  • Classic Adventures: Volume 3
  • DarkStryder Campaign Box Set
  • Adventure Journal Volume 1, Number 7
  • Adventure Journal Volume 1, Number 9
  • Adventure Journal Volume 1, Number 11

WIZARDS OF THE COAST

  • Star Wars Roleplaying Game
  • Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Saga Edition
  • Gamemaster Screen
  • Star Wars Gamer Magazine Numbers 1 – 5

NON-ROLEPLAYING BOOKS I FOUND USEFUL WHILE GAMING (not pictured)

  • Star Wars Encyclopedia
  • The New Essential Guide to Characters
  • The Essential Guide to Droids
  • The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
  • The Essential Chronology
  • The Empire Strikes Back Sketchbook

Such a great game!  Even if you don’t care about the RPG rules themselves, you can sit down and read these books for hours as they are so interesting and truly flesh out the Star Wars universe.

This is going to wrap-up my Star Wars Resume for now, but check back tomorrow for some really unique Star Wars comic art.

]]> http://onceuponageek.com/2010/04/22/star-wars-resume-role-playing-games/feed/ 8 Green Slime! Don’t Touch It! It is Certain Death! Look Out! It’s Dripping! http://onceuponageek.com/2010/03/15/green-slime-dont-touch-it-it-is-certain-death-look-out-its-dripping/ http://onceuponageek.com/2010/03/15/green-slime-dont-touch-it-it-is-certain-death-look-out-its-dripping/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:53 +0000 Shag http://onceuponageek.com/?p=2990 Here is a Dungeons & Dragons advertisement that ran in comic books in mid-1981.  The lack of color, amateur artwork, inconsistent lettering, and ridiculous scripting is appalling.  This ad is simply terrible.

With that said.. I LOVE IT!  This pathetic little ad inspired me to try roleplaying and seek out further comic adventures of these heroes.  Sometimes greatness comes from humble beginnings.  Click the image to enlarge.

Dungeons and Dragons comic book ad 1981

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