Not an actual comic but on the principle of ‘fuck you guys’ and ‘make art’ here’s some stuff from the debut of our Marvel game. It’s my universe, my world and will reflect my influences and I may start dicking with the rules a bit as time goes on because my preferences are for the less shiny end of the superhero spectrum (Zenith, Wanted, Planetary, The Authority, The Boys and so on).
This game is a semi-open game I’m running on Google Hangouts at the moment (Sundays, 8pm UK time).
The game opens in late January 2013 and since Dec 21 2012 people with ‘abilities’ have been turning up. A large multinational corporation, the ‘Free Group’ has been trying to run down the people with these abilities to recruit them. The head (figurehead) and founder of the company is a comics obsessive, Sir Wallace Maitland, a sort of combination of Richard Branson, Alan Sugar and Sergey Brin.
The Free Group is a sprawling, international company with heavy investment in IT, mass transit, alternative fuels, green technologies, media, internet, computing and information manipulation and gathering. Maitland is abusing his access to locate people with powers and bring them into the Free Group fold. Maitland, like a lot of billionaires, seems to be worried about his legacy and a leaving the world a better place – now that he has more money than he knows what to do with.
Gathering his first group of ‘subjects’ at the Free Tower in Canada Square, London. At the conclusion of the meeting they emerged to discover that the building had been attacked by a cult in service to a guru called ‘Samsara’. Both Maitland and Samsara seem to have taken inspiration from the 2012 cycle but Samsara resented that the world had not ended and blamed progressives like Maitland for not hastening the end. The ‘heroes’ put paid to the hostage situation without losing any hostages to Samsara and his cult and he is now imprisoned, awaiting trial.
The story of heroes is exploding, but shielded by Maitland’s money and power their identities have been kept quiet – for now. It’s only a matter of time but with the Free Group’s PR department at work they may be off to a good start.
Sir Wallace Maitland – ‘Free’ Group Boss & Mastermind
Solo: d10, Buddy d6, Group d8
Distinctions: Brilliant Genius, Affable Chap, Rich & Famous
Powers: Billionaire With a Heart of Gold
Throw Money at it d12, Attack Lawyers d12
SFX: Spend any die from the Doom Pool to keep extra effect and total dice from the above.
Limit: PR Disaster – Shut Down ‘Throw Money at it’ to step up a doom die or add a D6 to the Doom Pool – Or for a Plot Point.
Business Master d10
Science Expert d8
Tech Expert d8
Samsara – The Circle
Solo: D4, Buddy D6, Group D8
Distinctions: Mesmerising, Fanatical
Powers: Cult Leader
Brainwashing: d10, Fire them Up d8
SFX: Inspiring presence, ‘Fire them Up’ asset lasts a scene for all his minions.
Covert Expert d8
Crime Expert d8
Psych Master d10
Cult Goons
Solo: D4, Buddy d6/D6, Team d8/d8/d8
Combat Rookie d6
Guns d6
Suicide Bomb d8
Postmortem Studios 