tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11115093277878209532024-03-12T21:47:17.369-04:00Lions in Sidecarsskalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-11869721142922292942020-05-16T14:43:00.004-04:002021-06-08T14:32:09.488-04:00Best and Worst of the Complete Marvel Reading Order #6<h2>
Best and Worst of the Complete Marvel Reading Order #6</h2>
<h3>
Best - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=711">981: Thor (1966) #160</a></h3>
<div>
Also <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=712">982: Thor (1966) #161</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/thor/v1/160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/thor/v1/160.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Honestly, there is only one thing I need to say about this short arc. Ego vs. Galactus...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-umZjzOWFawI/XsAkvnEKThI/AAAAAAAAPHc/VUz6PyG3A1cc3TtoslLPo_tx5S80WJZ1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/thor160-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1093" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-umZjzOWFawI/XsAkvnEKThI/AAAAAAAAPHc/VUz6PyG3A1cc3TtoslLPo_tx5S80WJZ1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/thor160-19.jpg" width="436" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e0p9s5Odg4o/XsAjeR9_V3I/AAAAAAAAPHQ/-1fuKhSTN5gAnBbGMTOn7UHHHvrADbLqACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/thor160-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1090" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e0p9s5Odg4o/XsAjeR9_V3I/AAAAAAAAPHQ/-1fuKhSTN5gAnBbGMTOn7UHHHvrADbLqACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/thor160-21.jpg" width="434" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
'nuff said.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ok, not really, because there is so much more to this. This is the first time you really see the catastrophic cost of Galactus' appetite. We see a whole civilization made homeless by the World Devourer, the Wanderers, driven nearly insane by their sorrow and desperation. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VE7qejQ-HL4/XsAmdvhWviI/AAAAAAAAPHo/ocKx8nkz9vQ6uLQlniwvqJ3kNV4l5E0pwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/thor160-25.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1600" height="338" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VE7qejQ-HL4/XsAmdvhWviI/AAAAAAAAPHo/ocKx8nkz9vQ6uLQlniwvqJ3kNV4l5E0pwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/thor160-25.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
They are really fun, and in the end Ego gives them sanctuary on his own surface. They should have been a cool continuing thing in Marvel.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
But we don't hear from them again until 1981, when John Byrne comes along and in a throw away panel is like "oh, yeah, Ego ate them all after Thor left. Psych!" Uggh, John Byrne. He only has excellent or horrible ideas, and sometimes its hard to tell which predominates.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Worst - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=573">755: Daredevil (1964) #41</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/daredevil/v1/041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/daredevil/v1/041.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So, the phrase "The Death of Mike Murdock" is one I longed to read by this point. Seriously, Mike Murdock...he had to die. Cue the Dixie Chicks...Goodbye Mike Murdock.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Gw7gNf_9njs/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gw7gNf_9njs?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
(Man I love that song)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In case you didn't know, "Mike Murdock" was this inane alter-ego of Matt Murdock's, allegedly his brother, that he came up with because...honestly, I have no idea. I've repressed the memory. But by this point everyone thinks that "Mike Murdock" is actually Daredevil because people in Daredevil comics are dolts in 1968. It was a horrible idea, and finally they were correcting it.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
But trust Roy Thomas to screw up what should have been a celebratory moment. First of all, there is the "Unholy Three", the Ani-Men, unimaginatively named Ape-Man, Bird-Man and Cat-Man. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l5jJFpggI3o/XsAs8RQ9OfI/AAAAAAAAPH0/IcrwedEcaK8qglyXfI4cw8fSQDnLWP0mgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/DAREDEVIL%2B041%2B012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1096" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l5jJFpggI3o/XsAs8RQ9OfI/AAAAAAAAPH0/IcrwedEcaK8qglyXfI4cw8fSQDnLWP0mgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/DAREDEVIL%2B041%2B012.jpg" width="273" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here we see them having a hard time kidnapping Foggy Nelson. Masters of Evil they are not. Masters of Vaguely Unsettling, maybe. Are they the worst Marvel villains ever? Not even close, but they are certainly in the most boring top 20.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And we also have the Exterminator. Who is the Exterminator, you ask?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jr4Ie9G7jcA/XsAteJ22NhI/AAAAAAAAPH8/KrIeitbVQroh4QF4eFpy38ahbhyKJZxFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/DAREDEVIL%2B041%2B013.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1245" height="267" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jr4Ie9G7jcA/XsAteJ22NhI/AAAAAAAAPH8/KrIeitbVQroh4QF4eFpy38ahbhyKJZxFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DAREDEVIL%2B041%2B013.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That's right, you get it. Nobody cares who the Exterminator is. He is simply a placeholder taking up the "Villain" space in the vague script outline Lee handed Colan while both were facing the deadline for printing this story while hungover from martinis the night before.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So we have Daredevil fighting who cares villains to get rid of a who cares plot idea. Whatevs, Marvel. I guess you met the printing deadline.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Best - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=792">997: Fantastic Four (1961) #91</a></h3>
<div>
Also <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=818">998: Fantastic Four (1961) #92</a> and <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=827">999: Fantastic Four (1961) #93</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/fantastic_four/v1/091.jpg" width="213" /><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/fantastic_four/v1/092.jpg" width="213" /><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/fantastic_four/v1/093.jpg" width="213" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So, let's get this out of the way first. It seems impossible that Stan Lee wrote this without at least subconsciously remembering the Star Trek original series episode <a href="https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/A_Piece_of_the_Action_(episode)">"A Piece of the Action"</a>. You know the one...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/images/3/30/Kirk_in_control_of_the_mob.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090226040219&path-prefix=en" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="800" height="238" src="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/memoryalpha/images/3/30/Kirk_in_control_of_the_mob.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090226040219&path-prefix=en" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
This three issue arc has an identical premise; an alien world where the locals emulate American gangster movies. However, in this case, Ben Grimm = Captain Kirk, Skrulls = Aliens. If that doesn't make you say "you have my attention", I fear you have no soul.<br />
<br />
The first issue is the only that is truly 5 stars, but the whole arc is such great fun. It has little touches of brilliance, like this sequence of Ben struggling and failing against the gangster Skrull's Neuro-Ray...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RcmYdfAH2Ak/XsAeSkMCPAI/AAAAAAAAPGc/dH6T3nMaRlwWn6Tg7ZqeqkPb5Q9RoUdBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/FF091_09.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="927" height="177" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RcmYdfAH2Ak/XsAeSkMCPAI/AAAAAAAAPGc/dH6T3nMaRlwWn6Tg7ZqeqkPb5Q9RoUdBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/FF091_09.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
and also great new characters, like Torgo!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HxnIJd56y6s/XsAgRM0mp8I/AAAAAAAAPGo/lIule-Xf8UE6rE1CpCRp51MwSfNbvjWIACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/FF091_28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HxnIJd56y6s/XsAgRM0mp8I/AAAAAAAAPGo/lIule-Xf8UE6rE1CpCRp51MwSfNbvjWIACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/FF091_28.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
and wonderfully goofy bits, like this Skrull biplane vs. Skrull Model T truck bit...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AWRAI6POs9M/XsAhfT9cwVI/AAAAAAAAPG0/0wa_vWIYqYsOtEWSzvMYDp5nloHazN5LwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/FF091_19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AWRAI6POs9M/XsAhfT9cwVI/AAAAAAAAPG0/0wa_vWIYqYsOtEWSzvMYDp5nloHazN5LwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/FF091_19.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HGW3f_WyzoM/XsAhh2fp9II/AAAAAAAAPG4/gtrrO_Z2rKUPsqCmSbTOVTb4M9oz4hx2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/FF091_20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HGW3f_WyzoM/XsAhh2fp9II/AAAAAAAAPG4/gtrrO_Z2rKUPsqCmSbTOVTb4M9oz4hx2gCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/FF091_20.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The basic plot-line is essentially "Gladiator with Skrulls in it" with the rest of the FF trying to figure out where Ben has been kidnapped to. Its not rocket science, but Kirby is at the top of his game. The down side in the 2nd two issues is that the coloring seems off, dank and muddy. There is no colorist credited, so maybe Kirby was trying to do everything? Also, even I have limits to goofiness, apparently...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MshPXB0xV3A/XsAitFo_sII/AAAAAAAAPHI/TQRajdzrE6wN40nTXbLSJw901ndLuoDrACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/FF092_07.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="925" height="183" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MshPXB0xV3A/XsAitFo_sII/AAAAAAAAPHI/TQRajdzrE6wN40nTXbLSJw901ndLuoDrACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/FF092_07.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I just feel sorry for that poor guy. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Worst - 896: Not Brand Echh (1967) #12 [F Story]</h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/not_brand_ech/012f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="239" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/not_brand_ech/012f.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
You know how <i>Mad </i>magazine is supposed to be funny, but really is just boring and inane? Well, <i>Not Brand Echh</i> made <i>Mad</i> look like it was written by Terry Pratchett and P.G. Wodehouse in a rare time-travelling pairing of sparkling wit.<br />
<br />
I would never have read it if it weren't for the fact that some clever dick at Marvel decided it would be fun to have Hawkeye reading the magazine's parody of the Avengers ("The Revengers"...get it? Get it? *nudge* "The Revengers"?) inside the context of the actual Avengers. So this little bit of annoying meta-fiction ends up in the Order due to the arcane inclusion criteria.<br />
<br />
So, rather than subject you to any element of this awful farce, I give you this wonderful page of advertisements from 1968. This is perhaps the most "super-hero comic book" page I have ever seen, because it captures the essence of reading comic-books back then more than the actual story and art ever could.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2zh77kUfLDk/XsAyxxVbwiI/AAAAAAAAPII/tvueCJmC-oIFoBZ5Y3b2kxv7YXjIm0brQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Not%2BBrand%2BEchh%2B12-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="989" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2zh77kUfLDk/XsAyxxVbwiI/AAAAAAAAPII/tvueCJmC-oIFoBZ5Y3b2kxv7YXjIm0brQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Not%2BBrand%2BEchh%2B12-15.jpg" width="423" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I mean, holy crap, what a crazy bunch of stuff. How many homes were destroyed by that "New Ram Jet Engine Burns Gasoline" ad? How many budding neo-Nazis got their very first Iron Cross from the "Famous German Medals" ad? What the hell is pictured in that "Ugly Blackheads Out in Seconds" ad? Can it even be legal? How many nerds looked at the "Hercules Wrist Band" and thought "this...this is what I need to make my way in a dangerous world. This is how I will prove my worth to the girls and the bullies in my school. Nothing will stop me with these super-cool wrist bands!" Which, actually, is a line from an Aquabats song, come to think of it... </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DJHn5tSZzoE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DJHn5tSZzoE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-40828576152380057402020-04-12T16:01:00.005-04:002021-06-08T14:32:20.334-04:00Best and Worst of the Complete Marvel Reading Order #5<h2>
Best and Worst of the Complete Marvel Reading Order #5</h2>
<h3>
Best - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=1975">901: Fantastic Four Annual (1961) #6</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/fantastic_four/annual/006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/fantastic_four/annual/006.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
Let me get the one problem with this story out of the way; Sue Richards doesn't appear enough in it. Of course, she is literally in labor for most of it, so that's not that surprising.<br />
<br />
But that really is the only problem. Otherwise, this is Lee/Kirby Fantastic Four perfected. The story is packed full of emotion, excitement and drama. Annihilus makes his first appearance as the primary antagonist...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--T0hl4EhbJo/XpNaQPT26FI/AAAAAAAAO_w/dS6zEH-QLiY9mF3ZZrFP82kMpRvKjVe8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/annihilus.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="577" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--T0hl4EhbJo/XpNaQPT26FI/AAAAAAAAO_w/dS6zEH-QLiY9mF3ZZrFP82kMpRvKjVe8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/annihilus.png" width="397" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
But the real drama arises because the guys of the FF have to find some kind of cure for Sue and baby, before the cosmic energy that infuses her kills them both. It has pages like this...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--mFZt0dzI54/XpNcMy7dpnI/AAAAAAAAPAE/pGNZExhESVYATWvIUZOwA8vUpipv_eNWgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ff1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="589" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--mFZt0dzI54/XpNcMy7dpnI/AAAAAAAAPAE/pGNZExhESVYATWvIUZOwA8vUpipv_eNWgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/ff1.png" width="433" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And that's just a taste, Kirby outdoes himself drawing action in this, page after page of thrills. And also, this...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mRi5ajEt8Yo/XpNcvM4VgzI/AAAAAAAAPAQ/3aCdcYJ3Thc72voSkEC28aAivGrtYyb-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ff2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1205" height="466" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mRi5ajEt8Yo/XpNcvM4VgzI/AAAAAAAAPAQ/3aCdcYJ3Thc72voSkEC28aAivGrtYyb-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/ff2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
51 years later, and I think that is still in the top 10 2 page splashes in the history of super-hero comics. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thankfully, *half century old spoiler alert*, they are successful in their quest...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fugWZ-GfrFQ/XpNdptusNQI/AAAAAAAAPAY/PnM86Yj1mcsxY-vPjbA427m5nIlFkNVxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ff3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="869" data-original-width="573" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fugWZ-GfrFQ/XpNdptusNQI/AAAAAAAAPAY/PnM86Yj1mcsxY-vPjbA427m5nIlFkNVxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/ff3.png" width="263" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RXGW4w2bGeE/XpNdtY67MKI/AAAAAAAAPAc/X5lUpJlnPfcv1msF3WmtS-ETmjcyflWSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ff4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="585" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RXGW4w2bGeE/XpNdtY67MKI/AAAAAAAAPAc/X5lUpJlnPfcv1msF3WmtS-ETmjcyflWSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/ff4.png" width="271" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I could go on and on about this one, I love it so much. I literally choke up in places, it is so powerful for me. If you only ever read one comic book printed between 1960 and 1970, I highly suggest it is this one. </div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Worst - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=649">900: Captain Marvel (1968) #6</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/captain_marvel/v1/006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/captain_marvel/v1/006.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Captain Marvel has only been going for 6 issues, and already it is meandering and repetitive. There is supposed to be this tension between Mar-vell's status as a Kree agent, and his growing relationships with humanity, but really its just dull. If Mar-vell's boss, Yon-Rogg, had been portrayed as someone actually competent, just alien and uncaring about humanity, then maybe it would have worked, but he is just portrayed as a petty tyrant, which in turn makes the Kree Empire itself seem petty. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
But the worst sin here is how poor Carol Danvers, in only her seventh appearance, is handled...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XiiD4eTJBec/XpNhmWM7prI/AAAAAAAAPAs/jiw9w6bXX_4kPtcqo83Tc2fd2K6pOxshACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cm1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XiiD4eTJBec/XpNhmWM7prI/AAAAAAAAPAs/jiw9w6bXX_4kPtcqo83Tc2fd2K6pOxshACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/cm1.png" width="185" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Seriously, did they just make Carol say "eeeek"? Say what you want about retcons in general, but the transition over time of Carol Danvers from relatively meek damsel in distress to the bad-ass you see in the recent film and current comics is one of the best retcons Marvel ever did. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As I mentioned earlier on the Avengers, Don Heck is also a big problem here. I mean, consider this page...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjnYFMx-y3E/XpNiZggyycI/AAAAAAAAPA0/1appIEhqXeE4GNW2ImPc1gY2-kqpbkzUACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cm2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="597" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjnYFMx-y3E/XpNiZggyycI/AAAAAAAAPA0/1appIEhqXeE4GNW2ImPc1gY2-kqpbkzUACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/cm2.png" width="270" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Its just...goofy? Think about how well Kirby would have drawn the same action. Look at how the figures in the lower right are not reacting in the slightest to what should be a terrifying sight. Big letters spelling BAWHOOM! and CRRRACKK! are not enough to make this page exciting. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Many boring comics have been published by Marvel but its the distance between the potential it has versus the actual execution that puts this into the Worst.</div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Best - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=678">926: Doctor Strange (1968) #176</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/doctor_strange/v1/176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/doctor_strange/v1/176.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
Remember all that disrespect I gave Gene Colan in that last few posts? Well, here is where I don't take it back, but give it some nuance. I think Gene Colan was good when two factors were present. First he had to be interested in the subject matter. He likes gloomy and gothic, he likes showing off weird panel shapes, he likes drawing characters and their expressions. Second, he needs a good inker.<br />
<br />
All those factors come together in this Doctor Strange story. I mean, compare this page...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gD4AVsOqMEc/XpNp21Rh1zI/AAAAAAAAPBA/6yqCrDYed68DjNoMbZFo-zVJD6O5FUgYACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ds1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="589" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gD4AVsOqMEc/XpNp21Rh1zI/AAAAAAAAPBA/6yqCrDYed68DjNoMbZFo-zVJD6O5FUgYACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/ds1.png" width="425" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
To that action art from Daredevil in my other posts. Its hard to believe its even the same artist. With Daredevil it was like he was absent mindedly doodling to fill page space. Here he has put real thought and attention to detail into depicting the story. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Or consider this page:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g7UCQnjHvMo/XpNryee4hBI/AAAAAAAAPBM/naJ59ZzlkUE-eaPFHz15pFC8iW1G6OE-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ds2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="591" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g7UCQnjHvMo/XpNryee4hBI/AAAAAAAAPBM/naJ59ZzlkUE-eaPFHz15pFC8iW1G6OE-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/ds2.png" width="430" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had complained earlier that Colan couldn't be bothered to fill in the panels, but here that is not a problem at all. Each panel is fully executed, a little irregularly shaped window into the world of the story. (I wonder how much of this was actually filled in by Tom Palmer at the inking stage?)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The plot in this story is perfectly fine, the Sons of Satanish interesting and dangerous as villains, and Cleo (albeit in damsel-in-distress mode) is fun as an alien sorceress lots in NYC. But its really Colan and Palmer on the art that elevate this story to 5 stars.</div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Worst - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=680">931: Incredible Hulk (1962) #105</a>; <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=681">932: Incredible Hulk (1962) #106</a>; <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=687">933: Incredible Hulk (1962) #107</a>; <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=688">934: Incredible Hulk (1962) #108</a> </h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/incredible_hulk/v1/105.jpg" width="213" /><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/incredible_hulk/v1/106.jpg" width="213" /><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/incredible_hulk/v1/107.jpg" width="213" /><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/incredible_hulk/v1/108.jpg" width="213" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
This four story run of Incredible Hulk, all of them 1 star duds, is worth commenting on as a group, because they demonstrate the main problem with Hulk in these early stories; if you never let him stop fighting, never let him stop running, you eventually run out of interesting things to say and start spinning your wheels. <br />
<br />
It doesn't help that the art is awful. Look at the figures in this panel from #107...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ppK55e-yuWo/XpNwMB09NvI/AAAAAAAAPBY/TKLbPJ9g7ko2hp6slcvmwqDiLXyvPqEGACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/hulk1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="593" height="391" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ppK55e-yuWo/XpNwMB09NvI/AAAAAAAAPBY/TKLbPJ9g7ko2hp6slcvmwqDiLXyvPqEGACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/hulk1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
How is it that in a completely drawn medium those figures being thrown from the vehicle by the Hulk still look like stunt men doing very poorly planned and executed wire work in a very cheap Hong Kong film from 1981? Its a problem throughout this section of Hulk, as neither Marie Severin nor Herb Trimpe seem to be able to get anything right in terms of believable character motion. I mean...what the heck is going on here?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8jyYaR8Q5oY/XpNxACTO9OI/AAAAAAAAPBg/ooqkzk9yokEQOAWvEHNty-nbUmR3hyMVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/hulk2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="383" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8jyYaR8Q5oY/XpNxACTO9OI/AAAAAAAAPBg/ooqkzk9yokEQOAWvEHNty-nbUmR3hyMVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/hulk2.png" width="368" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I can't tell if the Hulk is fighting the pink guy (whose name is, for reasons I simply cannot be bothered to go into, Missing Link) or if they are doing some particularly acrobatic Lindy Hop steps...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.lindycircle.com/history/lindy_hop/frankie_manning_and_ann_johnson_1941.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="147" src="https://www.lindycircle.com/history/lindy_hop/frankie_manning_and_ann_johnson_1941.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Oh, and the Mandarin shows up, so that we can make sure we get some racial stereotypes covered as well. Why does the Mandarin show up? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I just re-read it and I really can't figure it out. The plot of the Incredible Hulk at this point is like it was created by one of those only barely trained machine learning algorithms instead of actual human beings.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-53394411309398914072020-04-01T21:05:00.002-04:002020-04-01T21:05:36.175-04:00<h2>
Best and Worst of the Complete Marvel Reading Order #4</h2>
<h3>
Best - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=488">683: Tales of Suspense (1959) #94 [B Story]</a></h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/tales_of_suspense/v1/094b.jpg" width="212" />
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NC7uvmlD3Sk/XoUnnEM8uiI/AAAAAAAAO8A/BmzLmM303_YNbX_Q7ppqNs-oJRt4EEanwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/suspense94.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="583" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NC7uvmlD3Sk/XoUnnEM8uiI/AAAAAAAAO8A/BmzLmM303_YNbX_Q7ppqNs-oJRt4EEanwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/suspense94.png" width="288" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I'm honestly not sure what more can be said...except...<br />
<br />
MODOK!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--uW_TDMK4TE/XoUn37lutFI/AAAAAAAAO8I/LVDA1gpiSSIsOElX32HEubOMEKPeRHKowCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/suspense942.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="585" height="490" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--uW_TDMK4TE/XoUn37lutFI/AAAAAAAAO8I/LVDA1gpiSSIsOElX32HEubOMEKPeRHKowCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/suspense942.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Oh how I love MODOK. He is simultaneously ludicrous and disturbing, a weird mix of body horror and slapstick. <br />
<br />
The lead in stories to this in ToS 92 and 93 are four stars each, so its a great story arc overall. AIM as an organization was introduced a few years earlier, but this arc is where they become the classic crime science gang we all know and hate. Also Agent 13 (aka Sharon Carter) is cool, if a bit damsel in distress-y. <br />
<br />
But mostly...MODOK. Between Ego the Living Planet and MODOK Lee and Kirby were exploring the limits of super-villain ideas and then pushing them out, I think further than had ever been pushed.. <br />
<h3>
Worst - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=450">626: Tales of Suspense (1959) #91 [A Story]</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/tales_of_suspense/v1/091a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/tales_of_suspense/v1/091a.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I have an incredibly high tolerance for comic book science, but if Stephen Hawking had ever read the first and second pages of this Iron Man story, I think his IQ would have dropped so far that cosmology would have suffered beyond repair. In other words, don't read this story, cosmologists! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKAReeh7fSQ/XoUr1iIuPxI/AAAAAAAAO8U/DM8X9u8jVJALmXNBeaa3UrYhcPG2H4MFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/suspense91.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="573" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EKAReeh7fSQ/XoUr1iIuPxI/AAAAAAAAO8U/DM8X9u8jVJALmXNBeaa3UrYhcPG2H4MFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/suspense91.png" width="459" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Not only that, but we go immediately from the bad science description to a racially stereotyped propagandist's Cuba for...reasons? I guess they got tired of monstrous strong men being from New York and decided they could earn brownie points with the comics code by making him Cuban and making Castro look like an oaf? </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Also, remember in that last post where I said Gene Colan had a hard time with action? Yeah, still has that problem.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TT04AeYUJBk/XoUtReCgRJI/AAAAAAAAO8g/JvxXIZA2Op4mHRaXBVpgdLDjXpEQSwYiACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/suspense91.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="581" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TT04AeYUJBk/XoUtReCgRJI/AAAAAAAAO8g/JvxXIZA2Op4mHRaXBVpgdLDjXpEQSwYiACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/suspense91.png" width="432" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
At least he is filling in the panels a bit. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That pretty much sums up early Iron Man; bad science and stupid propaganda and weak action.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Best -<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=546">776: Captain America (1968) #100</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/captain_america/v1/100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/captain_america/v1/100.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ignore the Avengers in the background, this story is all about Captain America, the Black Panther, and Agent 13 (aka Sharon Carter). And of the three, Cap is the least impressive!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
First, Agent 13. Remember above where I said she was a bit "damsel-in-distress-y". Well, not this story... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_E6VsnV4Vo/XoUwC0oCIFI/AAAAAAAAO8s/hAGxRSmUwQ48BSDCjsnRqzVd_DzdImi9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cap1001.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="291" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J_E6VsnV4Vo/XoUwC0oCIFI/AAAAAAAAO8s/hAGxRSmUwQ48BSDCjsnRqzVd_DzdImi9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cap1001.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
For example...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fw4Nt2aqJK4/XoUwinGpgAI/AAAAAAAAO80/cJA3_lCOdYMbjzOipqGdDf7-zU45MiaogCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cap1002.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="289" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fw4Nt2aqJK4/XoUwinGpgAI/AAAAAAAAO80/cJA3_lCOdYMbjzOipqGdDf7-zU45MiaogCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cap1002.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
What's really in the briefcase, Agent 13? Oh, yeah, a FLAMETHROWER!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uv4vvdyqq6A/XoUw0OY98KI/AAAAAAAAO88/XSEns7Hz1bweemGIlFJOLFTQzkkjTQk8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cap1003.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="575" data-original-width="573" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uv4vvdyqq6A/XoUw0OY98KI/AAAAAAAAO88/XSEns7Hz1bweemGIlFJOLFTQzkkjTQk8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/cap1003.png" width="397" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Flamethrower briefcase, that's just the way S.H.I.E.L.D. rolls, Zemo. Agent 13 gets to be what you want her to be in this one; super-competent badass spy. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
And, of course, T'Challa, the Black Panther...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GMc4wMqLZ7A/XoUyBI8YKcI/AAAAAAAAO9I/yJL2tRxN3W44aWJUcQSEdX-WhYBQUxh-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cap1004.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="289" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GMc4wMqLZ7A/XoUyBI8YKcI/AAAAAAAAO9I/yJL2tRxN3W44aWJUcQSEdX-WhYBQUxh-gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/cap1004.png" width="232" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
This story started two issues earlier in Tales of Suspense #98, and throughout the whole story there is never any doubt in the mind of the reader that the Panther is Captain America's equal. They have different strengths, of course, but after the expected "super-hero meet cute" of a brief fight in #98 they immediately fall into an easy partnership built on mutual respect and shared virtue. This panel is a great example...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cAdjAqSPfe8/XoUyygiLpAI/AAAAAAAAO9Q/JIDP3dYdy1cXqa9eXEONehDvSJ5Zr88cACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cap1004.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="573" height="317" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cAdjAqSPfe8/XoUyygiLpAI/AAAAAAAAO9Q/JIDP3dYdy1cXqa9eXEONehDvSJ5Zr88cACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/cap1004.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Cap and T'Challa trade off taking the lead throughout the story, each one maximizing their strengths. Its a cool dynamic, and it really makes the story. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One publication note: this title actually continues on from Tales of Suspense, which ended at #99, dropping Iron Man. There was a single Iron Man/Sub-Mariner issue, that completed the Tales of Suspense and Tales to Astonish titles, and then all of Captain America, Iron-Man, Sub-Mariner, and the Hulk had their own books. Which leads me to... </div>
<h3>
Worst - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=490">687: Tales to Astonish (1958) #95 [A Story]</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/tales_to_astonish/v1/095a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/tales_to_astonish/v1/095a.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Oh, Dorma, I'm really worried about you...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--v17NZXtrVI/XoU0MkZgxaI/AAAAAAAAO9c/VW8bUqllqVg0lIMa-_uMmeyw55L2tLn1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/astonish.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="805" data-original-width="585" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--v17NZXtrVI/XoU0MkZgxaI/AAAAAAAAO9c/VW8bUqllqVg0lIMa-_uMmeyw55L2tLn1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/astonish.png" width="464" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Dorma, the love interest for Namor in these early stories, is a good character. I find her interesting. But her love for the paranoid monster that is Namor is simply inexplicable. He isn't noble, he is arrogant. He isn't powerful, he is brutal. With a better writer, this would be Shakespearean tragedy in the making. With Roy Thomas and Bill Everett, it's just painful. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Speaking of Bill Everett, he could actually do good work. On Doctor Strange he does great things. But here, with a character he is well known for, he is flat and uninspired. For example, look a this page:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vpxLp3KOjAQ/XoU1jhYuvzI/AAAAAAAAO9o/4viPCWOm4WoDkkpUXAy_SMlwQdubdIcOgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/astonish1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="595" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vpxLp3KOjAQ/XoU1jhYuvzI/AAAAAAAAO9o/4viPCWOm4WoDkkpUXAy_SMlwQdubdIcOgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/astonish1.png" width="278" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I could care less what is happening on that page. Characters are moving around, and there are a lot of words, but not one spark of creativity. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That being said, I think this story demonstrates a very important element of Marvel comics, especially ones this early. Marvel comics have always been, first and foremost, a <i>product</i>. As a product, they need to be created on time and delivered on time. Regularity was far, far more important than creativity. I read somewhere, I can't find it now, that one reason so many comics in the '70s and '80s were written by Bill Mantlo (who will show up in the Worst, just wait and see) was because he was absolutely the Rock of Gibraltar in terms of reliability. He NEVER was late on a script, ever. And, you know what, I respect him for that. It might not be a virtue in a comic writer I would care about as a reader, but reliability and punctuality are virtues nonetheless, and I can see how they would be the most important virtues if I were a comics publisher.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So I think this story is just a case where a tight deadline on the script and the art meant that neither Roy Thomas nor Bill Everett were bringing their A game (which was usually at best a C+ game anyway, let's be honest). They needed to fill pages, and they did it. The book got printed on time and shipped to all the drug stores, newstands and barber shops of America. That's what mattered. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Oh, and also...the Plunderer is just the worst. He is an excellent example of a super-villain who is simply not a super-villain. You can put a cape on him and goofy white tights...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILm2Dgvahvs/XoU4wiConRI/AAAAAAAAO90/iXnz1Bt_nl4EyY7gJ0PWvhmiDFEBYYzMACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/astonish2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="291" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ILm2Dgvahvs/XoU4wiConRI/AAAAAAAAO90/iXnz1Bt_nl4EyY7gJ0PWvhmiDFEBYYzMACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/astonish2.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
But in the end he is just this rich guy who is a pirate. Super-villains don't need to have super-powers, I mean, look at the Joker! But they need a personality and some kind of schtick with staying power. The Plunderer is just a schmo. </div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-51278020743805427802020-03-27T22:36:00.002-04:002020-03-31T11:55:15.562-04:00<h2>
Best and the Worst of the Complete Marvel Reading Order # 3</h2>
<h3>
The Best - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=439">596: Fantastic Four (1961) #61</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/fantastic_four/v1/061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/fantastic_four/v1/061.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Time to talk about my love affair with Benjamin Grimm, aka the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing. I'm going to get biblical about it, albeit in a way that will likely make any theologians among you cringe.<br />
<br />
Matthew 21:28-31 (World English Bible)<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
28 But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’ 29 He answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind, and went. 30 He came to the second, and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I’m going, sir,’ but he didn’t go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”<br />
They said to him, “The first.”<br />
Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into God’s Kingdom before you. </blockquote>
Ben Grimm is the first son. He complains and gripes and talks about how much he hates the job. And yet, when the chips are down and the world is facing mortal peril, Ben Grimm is the guy who straps a nuclear bomb to his back and climbs literally into the mouth of the monster to save the day. He sees what needs to be done, and he does it. He always has your back, even when he thinks its a bad idea, but he'll make sure to tell you what a bad idea it is. He PAYS for his heroism, in blood and cracked hide and shattered emotional health and moral injury and mockery, but he does it anyway. That's why he is my favorite.<br />
<br />
In this issue both Lee and Kirby in their respective ways nail the Thing. Lee, give him classic dialogue, like these few panels...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MqXYjk6i8vE/XnlzWX00dkI/AAAAAAAAO4Q/NDU9F5pNj8EgBxmIFi8H4hZaq3yASy-BACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ff611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="597" height="592" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MqXYjk6i8vE/XnlzWX00dkI/AAAAAAAAO4Q/NDU9F5pNj8EgBxmIFi8H4hZaq3yASy-BACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/ff611.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
"Dontcha even get a a coffee break in the blasted super-heroin' business??" See what I mean, the first son.<br />
<br />
But Kirby and Lee nail ALL the characters in this one. They have really hit their stride. They've done some good stuff so far, but counting FF Annual #1 in 1967 and 1968 they made five 5 star stories. This story builds in a clear progression, the amount of danger facing them from Sandman as well as some out of control technology just increasing, each one of them having their moments of triumph and setback trying to get control of the situation. The last five pages of this story are still some of the most thrilling pages in the Order; that sounds like hyperbole, but seriously...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MOgB-u2RMrg/Xnl1yEHSKpI/AAAAAAAAO4c/83ak0kUs1sg8QF-Tr19HKKsvNm2nlxOaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ff612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="891" data-original-width="621" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MOgB-u2RMrg/Xnl1yEHSKpI/AAAAAAAAO4c/83ak0kUs1sg8QF-Tr19HKKsvNm2nlxOaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/ff612.jpg" width="446" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Look at all that wreckage hitting Johnny in the face. Look at all that green kirby krackle. "KLASH!" But the ending clinches it, as Reed is forced to enter the Negative Zone without any safety measures...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BdXzrpeaocw/Xnl21npjylI/AAAAAAAAO4k/cBb-Hg3bcnwYMFTJf5mqOGeikVpscOuJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ff613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="597" height="587" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BdXzrpeaocw/Xnl21npjylI/AAAAAAAAO4k/cBb-Hg3bcnwYMFTJf5mqOGeikVpscOuJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/ff613.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That last panel...the Thing is meant to be made of stone, but Kirby makes him so wonderfully expressive. This is a truly thrilling story. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Worst - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=355&tab=6">529: X-Men (1963) #22</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/x_men/v1/022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/x_men/v1/022.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The combination of both Plantman and Porcupine make this one of the worst stories in this period. That pair of pestilential pinheads pierces my peace of mind.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
But this is really just a single example of the general dreary mess that is early X-Men. Everything is flat; characters, art, drama, plot, dialogue. Flat as a plank. Look at this...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C52R0Elfg6o/XnmCsAf7pFI/AAAAAAAAO48/-CnYY-RVmRkV7vG7P17MywOBWBugIzYOACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/x-men22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="573" height="604" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C52R0Elfg6o/XnmCsAf7pFI/AAAAAAAAO48/-CnYY-RVmRkV7vG7P17MywOBWBugIzYOACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/x-men22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That's what passes for "action" in early X-Men. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Best - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=462">617: Strange Tales (1951) #157 [A Story]</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This time it isn't Doctor Strange...its Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Jim Steranko has taken over both the writing and art at this point, and wow, does he pack in great stuff! Baron Strucker! Hydra Island! The SATAN CLAW! The Hallucination Cube! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Some many great pages in this, its hard to narrow it down without making a mockery of "fair use" copyright provisions, but consider this page...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6xuua3blw9U/Xnl5KlQGR1I/AAAAAAAAO4w/WmRjcFXh6fsxwmiyU7aB1AJVVIzEWQr4QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ff613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="593" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6xuua3blw9U/Xnl5KlQGR1I/AAAAAAAAO4w/WmRjcFXh6fsxwmiyU7aB1AJVVIzEWQr4QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/ff613.jpg" width="434" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
*MIND BLOWN*</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Steranko wrote 19 Nick Fury stories for Marvel by my count. This is the high point. His art gets better as the stories go on after this, but the stories get more muddled and confusing. Its all good, of those 19 none are less than 3 stars, and nine are 4 stars. This is the only one I gave 5 stars, though. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Worst - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=435&tab=6">594: Daredevil (1964) #26</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/daredevil/v1/026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/daredevil/v1/026.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here is the thing about Gene Colan. He was not a bad artist. When he was doing the things he was good at, he was really good. For example, look at this panel...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w15p0THNpfs/XnmDd-hWbMI/AAAAAAAAO5E/0XEiL3hGHfIPEggyntdnfJKhMZ1TtbXLACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/daredevil261.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="592" height="473" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w15p0THNpfs/XnmDd-hWbMI/AAAAAAAAO5E/0XEiL3hGHfIPEggyntdnfJKhMZ1TtbXLACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/daredevil261.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
(Digression: Set aside for a moment the sickly grey skin tone of the prosecutor, that's not Gene Colan's fault. In fact, its not until 1968 or so that African Americans have a consistently non-zombie healthy looking skin tone. See this page: <a href="http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/sgrais/comics_color.htm">http://facweb.cs.depaul.edu/sgrais/comics_color.htm</a> for an interesting discussion of early comics coloring.)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That's a pretty great panel! The facial expressions, the directions of each character's gaze, the panel tells you what is happening in the scene before you even read the words. Gene Colan is great at this kind of thing, I bet he did some fantastic romance comics and court-room dramas. But then, they make him do action...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eBgsADuOmz0/XnmFosoCHKI/AAAAAAAAO5Q/i8SWyRHriGYmBvpKTa5FnpQezPp8RzjsACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/daredevil262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="603" height="476" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eBgsADuOmz0/XnmFosoCHKI/AAAAAAAAO5Q/i8SWyRHriGYmBvpKTa5FnpQezPp8RzjsACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/daredevil262.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Colan can't even be assed to fill in the backgrounds, and he fills half the page with Daredevil just swinging around. That's typical. He just doesn't seem to care to tell a story in the action bits.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
That's bad enough. But Daredevil is also just a mess. No one has any idea what to do with him. They keep throwing stupid villains at him, each one dumber than the next. I mean, you would think Stilt Man would be the bottom of the barrel, but you haven't even gotten to the Masked Marauder and the Plunderer yet. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Add that insult to the injury that this is during the period when inexplicably they decided that Matt Murdock should periodically don the guise of his fictional brother Mike Murdock and act like a total idiot in the most annoying fashion for pages on end, and you have the morass that is early Daredevil. </div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-36318432220496561222020-03-23T19:46:00.001-04:002020-04-01T17:04:30.236-04:00<h2>
Best and Worst of the Complete Marvel Reading Order #2</h2>
<h3>
The Best - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=306">435: Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #33</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/amazing_spider-man/v1/033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/amazing_spider-man/v1/033.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It seems fitting that the first full length story to get 5 stars is in "Amazing Spider-Man". This story has all the stuff that is good about early Marvel in it. First, Marvel isn't afraid to put its characters in what feels like serious mortal danger. I mean, sure, super-heroes face dangerous stuff all the time, but Lee and Ditko make you feel it. Spidey is straining to his limits, fighting exhaustion, on the ropes and near the edge of endurance. For example, this iconic sequence...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jJDH9Ylq3DM/XneckBNIITI/AAAAAAAAO2s/kQryAE8_P4kiqMbhh3JRuA6vAkDkcsAGQCEwYBhgL/s1600/ASM331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="595" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jJDH9Ylq3DM/XneckBNIITI/AAAAAAAAO2s/kQryAE8_P4kiqMbhh3JRuA6vAkDkcsAGQCEwYBhgL/s640/ASM331.jpg" width="435" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This was the template for a scene in "Spider-Man: Homecoming". I think an important touch to this sequence is the way the water keeps falling right on Spidey's head the whole time. Its this extra piece of misery thrown in, but it also ties the whole page together visually, the vertical lines of the falling water guiding your eye down the page and giving you a kind of ruler to measure the distance Spidey has pushed up the wreckage on his back. That kind of visual story telling is what I love the most about comic books, its not just the words and its not just the art its the marriage of the two in harmony which creates something far more than the sum of its parts.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Another iconic set of panels from this story...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8p0vmV_c0Aw/Xned5bkQzsI/AAAAAAAAO24/x4SjZEXITaUbPBAtaBPCbXsSU2HyFWO1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ASM332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="579" height="310" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8p0vmV_c0Aw/Xned5bkQzsI/AAAAAAAAO24/x4SjZEXITaUbPBAtaBPCbXsSU2HyFWO1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/ASM332.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Peter has triumphed, he has saved Aunt May through water, wreckage, and a platoon of Doctor Octopus's henchman. He has succeeded through physical prowess and also through his own intelligence; its his insight that ensures the cure of Aunt May will succeed. And you can see it in his hunched shoulders, his bowed head as he walks from the hospital, how close he was to failure. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Another thing this story demonstrates is just how much story they packed in to a typical Marvel book back then. Wow! This one book would take 4 or 5 to cover in just 1990, let alone today. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On the down side, oh man, Stan Lee liked to talk...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cjw12DhiIq8/Xnefo9W5fnI/AAAAAAAAO3E/U59230e0dSowm2ePb_KKv2eW5P1pBXliwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ASM333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="575" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cjw12DhiIq8/Xnefo9W5fnI/AAAAAAAAO3E/U59230e0dSowm2ePb_KKv2eW5P1pBXliwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/ASM333.jpg" width="397" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Ignore the information content in those panels and just soak in the the volume of words. This early in the Order this still has some charm. But by the time we get into the late '60s, there come moments where I feel like yelling at the creators "come on guys, show me, don't tell me!" Lee is not even the worst culprit along these lines. Trust me, just wait until we get to Gerry Conway...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Worst - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=270&tab=6">367: Avengers (1963) #18</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/avengers/v1/018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/avengers/v1/018.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
Early Avengers until 1968 or so is mediocre. A lot of iconic villains are introduced, and its not without its charms, but it suffers from two elements. First, the insistence in having all of the male characters act like testosterone fueled jerks most of the time. I mean, even Captain America comes across as an ass, and don't get me started on Hawkeye. The second is that Don Heck is just...not great. He is serviceable, I suspect he was reliable in delivering pages on time, but he has no spark to him. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But this story is the worst of the worst. A racist piece of anti-communist propaganda masquerading poorly as a super-hero story. I'm going to only put one piece of art from it here, because honestly much of it is just too offensive to copy over...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-moNHKjdD4RQ/Xnek4rVdGwI/AAAAAAAAO3Q/PUhV24H5AE4M1iFUAReuJoE69w0s3yU0ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/avengers18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="294" data-original-width="574" height="204" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-moNHKjdD4RQ/Xnek4rVdGwI/AAAAAAAAO3Q/PUhV24H5AE4M1iFUAReuJoE69w0s3yU0ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/avengers18.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
That's pretty much everything you need to know about this story. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Also, I'm nearly certain that the Marvel Digital Unlimited version has been recolored, so the Asian characters do not have the original sickly yellow complexions. But I could be wrong about that. Its awful, 'nuff said.</div>
<h3>
The Best - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=374">544: Thor (1966) #133 [A Story]</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/thor/v1/133a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/thor/v1/133a.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you ever wondered "hmmm, who is this Jack Kirby of whom people speak, and why is he a thing, look no further than Thor #133. Lee and Kirby are creating everything that is the Marvel cosmic sensibility in this comic from whole cloth. I feel confident in saying there was nothing like THIS in a comic before...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gw_Wq7N_Sgw/Xnemqo3TkCI/AAAAAAAAO3c/fMaJ5QetYaIB0Gmw4-fsVjJldHQjLmc1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/thor1331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1173" height="485" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gw_Wq7N_Sgw/Xnemqo3TkCI/AAAAAAAAO3c/fMaJ5QetYaIB0Gmw4-fsVjJldHQjLmc1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/thor1331.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I don't know, maybe something like Legion of Superheroes might have had stuff like this in the early '60s? I suspect not. This is where Jack Kirby always excelled to my mind. He was a fine artist for character studies and conversations, but he was in his element when throwing mind-blowing weirdness at you. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This whole story brings so many fun science-fiction elements into play. Thor started out as a weird hybrid right from the first story, where he fights off the Stone Men from Saturn. But this just shove in more. Ego the Living Planet, with his every changing landscape and his anti-bodies. The Recorder, an android reconnaissance device. Its this mix of myth and space opera that is a defining feature of the Marvel Universe. The fact that Norse gods trod the spaceways with interstellar empires, and that cosmic beings like Silver Surfer are plagued by Satannic stand-ins like Mephisto. It all just goes into a blender and comes out as a tasty cosmic smoothie.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And there are pages like this...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SOOB6YKzVa0/Xneox43ppBI/AAAAAAAAO3o/Tft8GdXAC_M9eRDJQ7ZnNDQ4UjTG4I2CgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/thor1332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="871" data-original-width="601" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SOOB6YKzVa0/Xneox43ppBI/AAAAAAAAO3o/Tft8GdXAC_M9eRDJQ7ZnNDQ4UjTG4I2CgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/thor1332.jpg" width="440" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm over 12,000 stories into the Order, and that is still in my top 5 full page panels. It is only marred by that weird yellow narration box in the corner. What was the point of that? Like I said above, Stan Lee liked to talk. Walt Simonson later did an excellent homage to this page on the cover of Thor #340...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/a/ae/Thor_Vol_1_340.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/340?cb=20191227025718" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="340" height="320" src="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/a/ae/Thor_Vol_1_340.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/340?cb=20191227025718" width="206" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
Its stories like this that keep me reading the Order.</div>
<h3>
The Worst - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=4271&tab=6">534: Tales of Suspense (1959) #83 [B Story]</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/tales_of_suspense/v1/083b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/tales_of_suspense/v1/083b.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Enter, the Tumbler!"</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V-pEE4it_1I/Xneqa_8g2pI/AAAAAAAAO30/9-A8EoFr00Q6tCPzXiBcpKKxVT0lT8nqQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/talesofsuspense831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="593" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V-pEE4it_1I/Xneqa_8g2pI/AAAAAAAAO30/9-A8EoFr00Q6tCPzXiBcpKKxVT0lT8nqQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/talesofsuspense831.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Picture the scene. It is Stan Lee's office in Manhattan, about 4 PM, late August or early September 1966. Stan is putting on his coat and hat about to leave as Jack Kirby enters...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Kirby: "Hey Stan, where is the script for the November Captain America story in Tales of Suspense? I've been waiting for it."</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Lee: "Jack, I can't be bothered with that right now, I've got to get a martini in me as soon as possible. Just spin the wheel and do the whole 'Marvel Method' thing, would you?" Lee rushes out.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Kirby turns to the Wheel. It's like the thing on "Wheel of Fortune", except around the edges are just random super-villain names. He spins it, it clicks around and around, and then eventually comes to rest.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Kirby: "The Tumbler. God*&#^$&*#. I wonder if DC is hiring."</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The true insult of this story is not that the Tumbler is a dumb character. Its that only 7 issues earlier than this, they ALREADY introduced Batroc the Leaper. Sorry, Batroc ze Leapair. Batroc has the whole "acrobatic villain" thing nailed down, right? Batroc is my boi, yo. Ain't nobody comes in on Batroc's turf, is what I am saying. Sorry, Tumbler, but the position has been filled.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-16228504517032360042020-03-22T12:45:00.001-04:002020-03-31T11:55:37.405-04:00<h2>
Best and Worst of the Complete Marvel Reading Order #1</h2>
<div>
<br />
<br />
The first post in what may (if it keeps my attention) continue into the future. I'm going to post about the 5 star stories I've found in the Order, and also 1 star stories that are roughly contemporaneous to them. I'm not going to talk about ALL the 1 star stories because, good grief, there are so many of them. </div>
<h3>
The Best - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=16207">#72: Strange Tales (1951) #110 [C Story]</a></h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/strange_tales/v1/110c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="239" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/strange_tales/v1/110c.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The very first Doctor Strange story!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xuOmSIQhVzk/XnZzrh24HGI/AAAAAAAAO1o/HnwcMqrpAdsBRRy9tXm-uuOOJSXNCU6kACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="631" height="358" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xuOmSIQhVzk/XnZzrh24HGI/AAAAAAAAO1o/HnwcMqrpAdsBRRy9tXm-uuOOJSXNCU6kACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Untitled4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I admit that on its own merits its maybe 4 stars. Ditko is great in it, but he clearly is treating the character mostly as a standard "man of mystery" character, not the Sorcerer Supreme. Also, as you can see in that panel above, for some reason Doctor Strange never has his eyes open. Of course he doesn't need his eyes...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpm3fg3Uu3o/XnZx9XskdZI/AAAAAAAAO1c/IWdpTzej3KY7rC-iuMihMpw-GnUqheWkACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="283" data-original-width="195" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpm3fg3Uu3o/XnZx9XskdZI/AAAAAAAAO1c/IWdpTzej3KY7rC-iuMihMpw-GnUqheWkACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled3.jpg" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So it gets 5 stars mostly from giddy excitement about what is to come.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As an aside, you will find if this series continues that I truly love the Trapster, aka "Don't Call Me Paste-Pot Pete". That's why the Human Torch story in this particular Strange Tales got more than 1 star. But, one issue later...</div>
<h3>
The Worst - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=67">77: Strange Tales (1951) #111 [A Story]</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/strange_tales/v1/111a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/strange_tales/v1/111a.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This is a stand-in for all the Human Torch stories in Strange Tales, although this one is particularly egregious. That dialogue you see on the cover is pretty typical of the inanity one finds within. Here is another example...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0w66mTvIkP8/XnZv_28_awI/AAAAAAAAO1I/L4tM1go6lHUyLBZraGDiC1zdJgQkl2WbQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="554" height="393" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0w66mTvIkP8/XnZv_28_awI/AAAAAAAAO1I/L4tM1go6lHUyLBZraGDiC1zdJgQkl2WbQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Untitled.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
"You are blazing like an inferno, but it affects me not at all!" Sure, whatever Asbestos Man, weird sentence structure dude. Also, Sue Storm is awesome, and I love a beehive as much as the next person, but, really...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b3gU3Rax__E/XnZw4ZVzQTI/AAAAAAAAO1Q/he4YVL24lnQjqG5xAth8wkqdMnQ_E18cQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="155" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b3gU3Rax__E/XnZw4ZVzQTI/AAAAAAAAO1Q/he4YVL24lnQjqG5xAth8wkqdMnQ_E18cQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled2.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
...that's just not the best look for her.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There is also this attempt to make it suburban by locating it in Glenville, Long Island. I think maybe Stan Lee was hoping Johnny Storm could be a kind of suburban teen icon, sort of Archie with super-powers? Except Johnny Storm is just a jerk, much more Reggie than Archie.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
All these Human Torch stories in Strange Tales were awful, there is just no sugar-sugar-coating it. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h3>
The Best - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=16220">115: Strange Tales (1951) #115 [B Story]</a></h3>
<h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/strange_tales/v1/115b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/strange_tales/v1/115b.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">
The Origin of Doctor Strange...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-22N69Srry_4/XnZ30Rgt85I/AAAAAAAAO10/lVZbtm9X53wNeFU2GDmFVx-64Y2CB_LmACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="571" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-22N69Srry_4/XnZ30Rgt85I/AAAAAAAAO10/lVZbtm9X53wNeFU2GDmFVx-64Y2CB_LmACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Untitled5.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">
Was there really "an avalanche of requests"? Who knows? But I'm glad anyway. This story shows off many of Ditko's strengths. For example, they way he depicts Strange's journey from arrogance to desperation in his face...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ORjaIQxHvI/XnZ7yKGMbmI/AAAAAAAAO2A/UyxCfgAWV9Y3COh0USRPXopUaT8i-ie1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="181" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ORjaIQxHvI/XnZ7yKGMbmI/AAAAAAAAO2A/UyxCfgAWV9Y3COh0USRPXopUaT8i-ie1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled6.jpg" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6JrVaKykP8/XnZ7zpal3fI/AAAAAAAAO2E/N7SlifaCf505pEfRuWzIbFgZXXHL4MjEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="184" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y6JrVaKykP8/XnZ7zpal3fI/AAAAAAAAO2E/N7SlifaCf505pEfRuWzIbFgZXXHL4MjEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled8.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">
Like the very first Strange story in the last post, this one is really 4 stars on its own merits, it gets a +1 star boost from it being such an iconic and historic story. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">
Its not as Orientalist as it could be but, yeah, its got some Orientalism in it. </div>
</h3>
<h3 style="clear: both;">
The Worst - <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/detail.php?idvalue=88">102: Tales to Astonish (1958) #48</a></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/tales_to_astonish/v1/048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/images/issues/tales_to_astonish/v1/048.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
There is so much bad, sexist writing of woman characters in Marvel comics, we might as well get started with it.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ktJkE1yiHPo/XnZ_4uCHQLI/AAAAAAAAO2U/gNkjfmU66qYBpgr32XR3RLtDxt5hHMyeACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="573" height="317" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ktJkE1yiHPo/XnZ_4uCHQLI/AAAAAAAAO2U/gNkjfmU66qYBpgr32XR3RLtDxt5hHMyeACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Untitled8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Eventually Janet Van Dyne aka the Wasp gets cool. But back here in 1963, oh boy... "I'd rather think about all the glamourous males working there!" That's typical of how she is portrayed, ditzy, vain, man-crazy, whose sole purpose is to allow Hank Pym to show how rational and manly he is. Its awful. So many woman characters are treated in this fashion, it really only goes away in the late '80s, at which point it is replaced by the "powerful woman" who is "sexy" and has legs twice as long as her torso plus head and who always looks as if she is posing for some kind of avant garde Vogue magazine photo shoot. But we'll get there, plenty of time for this sexist trope to settle in and get comfortable before we switch to a different sexist trope.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
In and of itself that's 2 star stuff, it so common its easy to get used to it. To get to 1 star we also need the Porcupine...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h4CD4rmeea8/XnaA5X9bMZI/AAAAAAAAO2c/txHudpyDvqIVFQ_qC7krNIQWk8Ga_ctvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Untitled9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="567" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h4CD4rmeea8/XnaA5X9bMZI/AAAAAAAAO2c/txHudpyDvqIVFQ_qC7krNIQWk8Ga_ctvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Untitled9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
In the long history of goofy Marvel super-villains, this first version of the Porcupine has to be one of the goofiest. That suit! It looks like someone has made a coat from the fur of one of those Hungarian sheep dogs that have dreadlocks...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Komondor_delvin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="672" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Komondor_delvin.jpg" width="301" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
The suit has a random collection of capabilities, like liquid cement and smoke clouds and tear gas, but seems to be devoid of the one trait that porcupines actually have; sharp points. Its nonsensical, and not in any good way.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Sexist writing plus stupid super-villain is a consistent recipe for 1 star stories in Marvel in the '60s and '70s.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-40875011471201519722020-03-21T15:11:00.000-04:002020-03-31T11:55:53.851-04:00My experience reading all the Marvel Comics OR how 1993 was nearly the death of meI haven't posted anything to this blog in a long time. But its still here, and its a useful venue to share longform thoughts that don't fit into a Facebook post that I create while in social isolation, so...<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
My Experience (so far) reading all the Marvel Comics<br />OR<br />How 1993 was nearly the death of me</h2>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Some of you may not know this, but back in April 2013 I found the <a href="http://cmro.travis-starnes.com/">Complete Marvel Reading Order</a>. That seemed like a fun thing, so I started in on it, with Fantastic Four #1 from 1961. Since then, through a subscription to Marvel Digital Unlimited (a GREAT value, by the way, for anyone interested in reading old comics on the cheap) and some dark internet magic where necessary, I've now read over 12,000 stories. I've read nearly every Marvel super-hero comic from 1961 to mid-1994. <br />
<br />
Because I am a data geek at heart, I want to share with you some things I've come across in the process. But here is the bottom line:<b> </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>1993 was the worst.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>Important note:</i> I'm going to complain a lot in this article. Because lets face it, a lot of Marvel comics have been awful, and I have read nearly all of them prior to 1994. But as my friend Mark pointed out to me, "Hey, nobody is MAKING you do this." This is my voluntary obsession; take my complaints in that spirit. In the end, even with the sunk cost fallacy, this has been and continues to be a tremendous source of joy in my life. Someday I'll be able to say "by a reasonable definition, I've read every Marvel super-hero comic ever made"; that makes me a die-hard FOOM, true believer!</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
About the Order</h3>
<div>
The <a href="https://cmro.travis-starnes.com/">Complete Marvel Reading Order</a> (the Order, from here on out) is the result of a tremendous amount of labor on the part of Travis Starnes and others to put all of the comics Marvel has published into a <i>reading </i>order. That is, you are not reading them as they were published, but in an order that makes narrative sense. If there was a six story arc in Incredible Hulk, for example, you would read those six Hulk books in order one after the other. Big cross title events, like Secret Wars or Civil War, are put into the order in a way that you can read it all as one big story all at once. Obviously this is not always easy to do, there are many moments in Marvel history (especially with all the mutant books) where there is just no way to make sense of things. Circa 1990 or so, for example, Wolverine is clearly able to be in multiple locations simultaneously, he is in so many books. But for the most part, Travis and Fragsel and many others do a great job of organizing the whole thing so that as much as possible it makes sense. Its like reading one very, VERY long continuing graphic novel. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
One notable aspect of this is that the Order treats the story as the unit of measurement, not the book. So, if you have an annual with four stories in it, that will be four separate entries in the Order. The reason for this is that in reading order, those stories might not be connected at all. The main story might be part of a larger story-line (e.g. Atlantis Attacks) and the pieces of that story-line will all appear together in order.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Obviously, decisions have to be made as to what counts as "in" and what counts as "out". When I started reading things, the Order was only one order, what is now called the "Main" or "Marvel 616" order. But since that time, they have added in both more concise Core and Essential orders (for those who don't want to read those Transformers UK stories that had Death's Head in them, for example) and Expanded Orders (for those who really want to track down those Portuguese Spider-Man reprints with extra material that wasn't in the original). The Main 616 order does not include things like: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Western books, like "Kid Colt", the old West "Ghost Rider", or "Rawhide Kid", even though many of those characters did make appearances in super-hero comics and are clearly in the same 616 universe. </li>
<li>WW2 books, such as "Howling Commandos" and "Invaders".</li>
<li>Conan and similar titles</li>
<li>Star Comics, thank god, even though these characters actually do appear in some later Marvel titles in very different form. </li>
<li>Romance and similar comics (e.g. "Patsy Walker")</li>
<li>Golden/Silver age comics whose characters were later integrated into the 616 universe. The Order starts with FF #1.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
The website also has the major advantage of being able to track things; what you have read, what you have missed, etc. It also has the capability for you to rate the stories. This is why I can tell you with complete confidence...<br />
<br />
<b>1993 is the worst.</b><br />
<h3>
What I have Read and What I have Missed</h3>
</div>
<div>
As of this writing, I have read 12,152 stories in the Order. This covers all of 1961 to 1993, and a chunk of 1994. I have only had to skip over 23 stories:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>12 Marvel UK stories from the 1970s through to early 1990s. These just can't be had for love or money as far as I can tell.</li>
<li>3 short pieces that are hiding inside larger trade paperbacks</li>
<li>2 single page pieces hiding inside other comics</li>
<li>Pro Action Magazine (1994) #2 (its an NFL tie-in seriously don't ask I'm sure it is awful)</li>
<li>A weird 5 issue series that was packaged with Drake Snack Cakes. I told you it was the "Complete" order, right?</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
That's pretty good, I think. You wouldn't believe some of the obscure stuff I have found and read. Like comics published for the US government as anti-drug or anti-bullying pamphlets, or made for companies as advertisements. Or, Lord give me strength, Howard the Duck strips from Crazy Magazine.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
My reading rate has spiked and fallen over the years since 2013. I've gone as high as 10-20 stories a day, and then gone periods where I wasn't able or willing to read anything at all. At the moment, my reading rate is such that it will take me 28 years to "catch up" and be reading currently published comic books, but that is directly related to...1993 being the worst. I actually think it will take me only another 7 years or so.</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Phases of Enjoyment and Depression</h3>
<div>
The Order has a 5 star rating system, with a minimum of 1 star. I've interpreted this as follows: 5 stars = incredible, the best of the best; 4 stars = really good, memorable; 3 stars = at least enjoyable, but not memorable in any way; 2 stars = mediocre, unimpressive, meh; 1 star = hated it, it was awful.<br />
<br />
Now some charts!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wLk_nbM_wb8/XmvKiEpxnrI/AAAAAAAAOy4/90Xx0s0oG788c5pea3C776VWNE6XUwqYQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Number%2Bof%2BStories%2Bby%2BRating%2Band%2BMonth%2Bof%2BPublication.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1000" height="395" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wLk_nbM_wb8/XmvKiEpxnrI/AAAAAAAAOy4/90Xx0s0oG788c5pea3C776VWNE6XUwqYQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Number%2Bof%2BStories%2Bby%2BRating%2Band%2BMonth%2Bof%2BPublication.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
That chart shows the number of stories per publication month (the <i>cover date</i>, this is important, see below), broken down by the number of stars I gave each story. At this scale the number of 5 star stories is very difficult to see, they are sort of sprinkled on the top. The majority of stories throughout the Order have been either 2 or 3 stars. I've marked three historical transitions that greatly changed the average story output per month...<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Mid '70s increase - from an average of about 12-13 stories prior to 1972 by 1975 Marvel had ramped up to at least 25 a month. This was mostly by adding new titles in a stream of introductions and cancellations, with few having any real life-span. </li>
<li>Marvel Comics Presents - this started publication in Fall 1988. On a biweekly schedule at four stories per book, in and of itself this was adding 8-12 stories to the total every month and represents about a sixth of the total volume of stories from 1989 through 1992.</li>
<li>1993 - did I mention it was the worst? Quantity over quality became the rule at Marvel in 1993. You can read an interesting first-hand account of what it was like to be in the comic book business at this time here: <a href="https://www.milehighcomics.com/tales/cbg37.html">Mile High Comics Blog</a>. </li>
</ul>
<div>
There are also two spikes that seem worthy of comment:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>In 1979 and 1980, Hulk Comics UK began publication. This was a black and white news print title published weekly (in the way many UK comics such as 2000 AD were published) that contained new stories, not just reprints of American stuff. It included new Hulk, Nick Fury, Black Knight, and Captain Britain storylines. Since it was weekly, at up to four new stories per book, it adds in a lot of volume. But the stories themselves are heavily serialized, no more than 5 pages per.</li>
<li>In November and December 1989 you can see clearly the effect of using cover date instead of release date in this chart, as Marvel attempted to sort out the radical differences that had crept in between these values. This is described well here: <a href="https://www.cbr.com/marvel-comics-cover-dates-1989-november-december/">CBR article</a>.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Other spikes are mostly related to annual publication windows (annuals might add 4 or 5 stories per book) or periods where a number of normal titles were printing two stories per for a while (e.g. Captain America and Thor in the late '80s).</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here is another chart!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-npd1OgYKhU0/XmvONffWRXI/AAAAAAAAOzE/uVl6LUOUadkj0tF-Fh2wou4M8kbNBUiwACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Exponential%2BMoving%2BAverage%2Bof%2BStar%2BRatings%2Bby%2BOrder%2BNumber%2B%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1000" height="395" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-npd1OgYKhU0/XmvONffWRXI/AAAAAAAAOzE/uVl6LUOUadkj0tF-Fh2wou4M8kbNBUiwACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Exponential%2BMoving%2BAverage%2Bof%2BStar%2BRatings%2Bby%2BOrder%2BNumber%2B%25281%2529.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
That chart shows the exponential moving average of the number of stars I gave each story across the Order as I read it. As you can see, the average stays within the bounds of 2 and 3 stars. This is not surprising, the vast majority of stories are 2 or 3 stars. This chart also shows the year of each story in grey, this lets you see how the reading order causes stories to overlap as they are placed into narrative order, not publication order. From this chart, you can see that the mean rating across time was roughly 2.5 stars per story...until you get past story 10,000. You guessed it, that's when 1993 starts hitting the Order (the 2nd from the top grey patch, 1994 is right on the line at the top of the chart). It also shows how many more comics were published late in the period. The first third of the Order that I read goes from 1961 to mid 1980 (~20 years), the second third from 1980 to 1990 (~10 years) and the last third is only 1990 to 1994 (~4 years).<br />
<br />
However, this chart doesn't really express the true <i>experience </i>of reading the Order. It treats all stories as equal, but that's not really the case. Stories that I give 2 or 3 stars to are...fine. They don't stop me reading, but they don't keep me coming back for more. The experience of reading is dictated by 4 and 5 star stories on the good side and 1 star stories on the bad side. Therefore, I came up with something I call my Reading Enjoyment Measure (REM). This is simply a running count across the order, +1 if I read a 4 or 5 star story, -1 if I read a 1 star story.<br />
<br />
Here is the chart!<br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iT65l6VD48c/XmvS3kt59uI/AAAAAAAAOzQ/EmTJWHXMdBAqW5yWr2qC5IwtyYMmJBWpQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Reading%2BEnjoyment%2BMeasure%2B%2528REM%2529%2Bby%2BNumber.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1000" height="393" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iT65l6VD48c/XmvS3kt59uI/AAAAAAAAOzQ/EmTJWHXMdBAqW5yWr2qC5IwtyYMmJBWpQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Reading%2BEnjoyment%2BMeasure%2B%2528REM%2529%2Bby%2BNumber.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
In this chart, what matters is not the overall level but the slope of the line. A flat slope indicates that the rate of reading good and bad issues is roughly the same. An upward slope indicates that the good is outweighing the bad. A downward slope the opposite.<br />
<br />
Here you can see at a glance my experience in the Order. I think there are there are six clear periods in this experience:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><i>The Classical Period:</i> this is roughly from 1961 to 1975. This is where Marvel is figuring stuff out. It includes all the classic Lee/Kirby and Lee/Ditko work (e.g. Thor, FF, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange), some really fantastic comic books, but it also includes a lot of drek (early Daredevil, Tomb of Dracula, etc.) Overall, the average quality is consistent. </li>
<li><i>The Disco Era:</i> I love disco! But clearly the high life of mid-late '70s NYC was taking its toll on Marvel. The number of stories increased and the quality took a nose dive. This is also the era of the licensed titles, which were universally dreadful: Godzilla, Human Fly, Shogun Warriors, etc. This period ends roughly in 1981.</li>
<li>High School Glory Days: I call this period that name because this is corresponds exactly with when I was in high school, and to some extent explains my love for Marvel Comics and its characters. This increase in quality is almost entirely attributable to three authors: Chris Claremont, Frank Miller, and Alan Moore. All of them wrote some of their best work for Marvel during this period. Claremont is the largest influence, as he was not only writing X-Men and New Mutants but also issues of Spider-Woman, Marvel Team-Up, Iron Fist, etc. Frank Miller is primarily responsible for Daredevil, but there are some other things in there you might not remember (like Doctor Strange!). Alan Moore wrote very little for Marvel, and I didn't have access to it at the time, but during this period he and Alan Davis wrote what is still one of the best serialized super-hero stories ever, their long run of Captain Britain that extended through several black and white Marvel UK titles. I cannot recommend this highly enough. It has a large effect on this period because the arc was broken down into smaller chunks of ~10 pages each and published frequently, so it represents a larger proportion of stories than might be expected.</li>
<li>Status Quo: this is the 1985 or so to 1990. This was when I was really buying a lot of comics. Quality is consistent, good mixed in with the bad. Not particularly memorable.</li>
<li>The 1991 surprise: with a bit of 1990 and 1992 thrown in. I really did not expect this, but 1991 was one of the best years so far in Marvel. This is driven primarily by some new American writers, like Peter David on Incredible Hulk, but also by an influx of more British writers and artists, like Abnett and Lanning on the Punisher (?!). Titles I barely remember were actually really good: Silver Surfer, Quasar, Foolkiller (probably the best thing Steve Gerber ever wrote). The real stand out here, though, is the first volume of Knights of Pendragon, which I think is probably the best comic you have never heard of.</li>
<li>1993 - what did I tell you? It was awful. So many 1 star stories with no pay off. A lot of this is due to Tom De Falco, I think, finally giving up on trying to make Marvel Comics Presents actually worth reading; there are stretches in the Order where it is just 1 star MCP story after another, sometimes 20 or 30 stories long. This is when I stopped buying comics; I think this was related to quality and ever-increasing cover price, but I also must admit it was tied to the increasing effect of Magic: the Gathering on my pocket book.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
The Worst</h3>
<div>
Now the really interesting stuff. I did a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_average">Bayesian Average </a>score for the various titles to figure which ones I liked the most and which the least. In a nutshell, a Bayesian average (which is really a misleading name, but whatever) adjusts an mean value with some prior expectation. That is, you start with the assumption that all titles are the same and then add the actual data in. In this case, I've used what I will call the "Secret Wars" prior: 12 stories of 2.5 stars each. This means that shorter titles with fewer stories have to be much better than than longer titles with more stories, because they are all starting from the same place. With really long titles (e.g. Amazing Spider-Man), the Bayesian average and the actual average are very close to the same value.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Without further ado, here are the 20 worst titles in the Order, by my estimation (first value is the Bayesian average stars, second is the true average stars:</div>
<br />
<div>
<ol>
<li>Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham (1985) 1.4/1.0 - thanks a lot, Spider-Verse</li>
<li>Marvel Tales (1964) 1.4/1.2 - this is actually just more Peter Porker, oh my stars its awful</li>
<li>Speedball (1988) 1.6/1.0 - the nadir of Steve Ditko</li>
<li>Shogun Warriors (1979) 1.6/1.1 - licensed crap from the late '70s</li>
<li>Tower of Shadows (1969) 1.7/1.1 - horror anthology title full of crap, I honestly can't say why it is even in the Order as much as it is. Maybe because the narrator character was later retconned to be Caretaker from the later Ghost Rider series?</li>
<li>Crazy Magazine (1973) 1.7/1.0 - all Howard the Duck pieces, a page or two each. Ugh.</li>
<li>Super Spider-Man and Captain Britain (1977) 1.7/1.1 - Non-Alan Moore/Alan Davis Captain Britain, serialized in dreary volume.</li>
<li>Godzilla (1977) 1.7/1.3 - poor Godzilla and Dum-Dum Dugan deserved better</li>
<li>US 1 (1983) 1.8/1.0 - "Hey trucking was popular, lets make a comic about it a couple of years too late!"</li>
<li>Human Fly (1977) 1.8/1.3 - this was<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rojatt"> a real guy</a>. I can't say whether he deserved better, but his comic was the pits.</li>
<li>Howard the Duck (1979) 1.8/1.2 - I simply cannot understand why anyone would consider this title to be worthy of attention. I mean, ok, I get it, Gerber was trying to break boundaries and all that. But he was doing it in a ham-fisted, poorly written, and frequently misogynistic manner. </li>
<li>Transformers UK (1984) 1.8/1.3 - the only reason this is in the Order is because Death's Head is in it. Its just as bad as you think it is.</li>
<li>NFL Superpro (1991) 1.8/1.1 - arrrrrggggggghhhhhh</li>
<li>Spider-Man Annual UK (1980) 1.8/1.2 - original Spider-Man material, seemingly written on cocktail napkins down at the pub then sent to the printers</li>
<li>Saga of Crystar (1983) 1.8/1.1 - failed toy marketing as comic book</li>
<li>Chamber of Darkness (1969) 1.8/1.2 - another crappy horror anthology right on the edge of the grey area as to what counts as in the Order or not. </li>
<li>Micronauts (1984) 1.8/1.5 - this is the 2nd series, not the first. The art is atrocious.</li>
<li>Ghost Rider (1973) 1.9/1.8 - the first of the modern series, with Johnny Blaze. Its awful, but it did give us <a href="https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Orb_(Mercenary)_(Earth-616)">the Orb</a>, one of my guilty pleasure super-villains, so that's one thing in its favor.</li>
<li>Team America (1982) 1.9/1.3 - more toy marketing as comic-books</li>
<li>Nightstalkers (1992) 1.9/1.5 - "wait, DC is making edgy comics, we need to make edgy comics quick, make with the edge..." is not a good reason to make a comic book.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
The Best</h3>
</div>
</div>
<div>
After all my complaining above, you might be thinking "is Hans a closet masochist? why is he doing this to himself?" Well here is the answer, the 20 best titles in the Order so far (Bayesian average/true average)...</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>The Knights of Pendragon (1990) 3.7/4.6 - seriously, this is the best thing you have probably never read. The art was excellent, the story intriguing and scary, the integration with the rest of the Marvel universe pretty seamless.</li>
<li>Doctor Strange (1974) 3.5/3.6 - the 3rd Doctor Strange title. Some of the best artists at Marvel worked on this title from 1974 to 1987: Frank Brunner, Steve Leialoha, Paul Smith, Marshall Rogers, Michael Golden, etc.</li>
<li>The Daredevils (1983) 3.4/4.0 - this is one of two Marvel UK titles where the Moore/Davis Captain Marvel stories first appeared. As I've already mentioned, some of the best super-hero work ever created.</li>
<li>Master of Kung Fu (1974) 3.4/3.5 - I'd call Master of Kung Fu a guilty pleasure, except I do not feel guilty about it at all. MoKF is simply one of the best spy thriller comics I have ever read. Its connected to the Marvel universe, yes, but ultimately it does its own thing. Doug Moench was not the most consistent of writers but he excels at every turn on MoKF, and of course there is the distinctive and eye-catching art by Paul Gulacy for much of the run, and later by Gene Day (who died far too young). Where these artists excelled was in their story telling, not in their individual illustrations. The action sequences in MoKF are universally inventive and intriguing, spilling outside the borders, transitioning back and forth, framed in fascinating ways.</li>
<li>Uncanny X-Men (1981) 3.3/3.3 - Due to vagaries of publication names, this title only starts in 1981, and therefore doesn't even include some of the classic Claremont X-men stories, including the entirety of the Dark Phoenix story line. Those stories are stuck in X-Men (1963) and therefore get averaged in with all of the awful early X-Men stories pre-Giant-Size X-Men #1 in 1975. However, this title is not just Claremont; in fact just before he left he was clearly in a rut. Uncanny X-Men is just one of the most consistently good titles so far. It has its low points, but its reliable in producing a four star story at least once every few months.</li>
<li>Excalibur (1988) 3.3/3.4 - if this was limited to only Alan Davis's period as artist, it would be further up the list. But because it includes all the stuff (much of it not great) that Alan Davis didn't work on, it ends up here, still in 6th place. Like Uncanny X-Men, Excalibur is a reliably solid book almost regardless of who is doing it.</li>
<li>The Mighty World of Marvel (1984) 3.3/3.6 - the other place the Moore/Davis Captain Britain stories first appeared.</li>
<li>The Spectacular Spider-Man (1988) 3.2/3.3 - the most reliable of the Spider-Man books. Mostly down to J. M. DeMatteis as writer for such a long time. Another example of a title that regularly delivers 4 star stories.</li>
<li>Foolkiller (1990) 3.2/4.0 - a complete surprise to me. I barely remember this coming out. But Steve Gerber really does do interesting things in this. I don't agree with his politics, I'm not sure the message is remotely wholesome, and there is certainly some overlap with and desire to emulate "Watchmen". But really, 10 stories all at 4 stars each is an achievement.</li>
<li>New Mutants (1983) 3.1/3.2 - my first comics love. If I could exclude the Rob Liefeld work at the end of this title, it would be much higher on the list, that's like a big ugly footless spider-legged anchor weighing it down.</li>
<li>Hellstorm: Prince of Lies (1993) 3.1/3.6 - based entirely on the strength of Warren Ellis's creepy gruesome weirdness. Another surprise to me.</li>
<li>Iron Fist (1975) 3.1/3.6 - one of my favorite characters, but also one of Chris Claremont and John Byrne's earliest collaborations. Only 15 stories but packs a lot of enjoyment in there.</li>
<li>Captain Britain (1985) 3.1/3.4 - this is the continuation of Moore and Davis's work on Captain Britain, but with writing picked up by Jamie Delano. Still very very good.</li>
<li>Wolverine (1988) 3.1/3.2 - I was a bit surprised to see this, because overall it is not the most memorable title. But I think it gets here because is so rarely bad. Given how rotten so much of the Order is, you can get into the top 20 list essentially by never having a 1 star story. (This is the later sole book, not the four issue Miller limited series. That barely misses the cut because it was only 4 issues so the Bayesian average penalizes it.)</li>
<li>Silver Surfer (1987) - 3.1/3.1 - this one was a big surprise to me. Consistent fun so far, rarely a dud story. I'm not sure I had even heard of Ron Marz as a writer before this title, but he is quite good at the cosmic Marvel.</li>
<li>Marvels (1994) 3.1/4.8 - we have finally gotten low enough that 4 issue limited series can start showing up if they were REALLY good, like almost all 5 stars. Marvels was that, its a brilliant retelling of early Marvel universe history, with Alex Ross showing off what has since become an inimitable style.</li>
<li>The Adventures of Captain America (1991) 3.1/4.8 - another mini-series 3 out of 4 issues at 5 stars. Kevin Maguire, oh how I have always loved you. The only DC title I was ever really into was his work on Justice League. Sadly, this is one of the very few things he has ever done for Marvel. (Also, this completely violates the general rule of the Order of not including WW2 stories. I have no idea why that is.)</li>
<li>Daredevil: The Man Without Fear (1993) 3.1/4.4 - Frank Miller has his down moments, but this isn't one of them. Not quite as good a re-telling of an origin story as Batman: Year One, but almost.</li>
<li>Fantastic Four (1961) 3.0/3.1 - at 349 stories included in this rating, this is by far the longest running title to make this list.
FF obviously has its ups and downs, but its still an all-time favorite. Admittedly, I never get enough of "it's clobberin' time!"</li>
<li>Doctor Strange (1968) 3.0/3.5 - this was only 14 stories long, pretty much the tail end of what had been Strange Tales. Story-wise, its fine, Roy Thomas is pretty solid at this point. Its the art by Colan, Palmer, and Atkins that makes it. I'm not normally a Gene Colan fan, but his panel layouts in this book are just wild. All kinds of crooked, angled borders between panels and linked action arcing across and up or down the page.</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Conclusion and the Future</h3>
</div>
<div>
That's the Order so far. I'm past 1993, and 1994 seems to be looking up. The volume of stories drops precipitously in 1995 with the end of MCP and the beginnings of Marvel's bankruptcy troubles. I'm in for the long haul. I may update all this when I hit 15,000 stories or so.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While social isolation continues, I think I will try to make a series of the best and the worst of the Order. I had done this periodically on G+ before it died, it seems time to resurrect that series. We'll see. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I hope you enjoyed this. Ask me any questions, I love talking about comics.</div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-45162209761907327372014-08-19T00:00:00.000-04:002014-08-25T12:00:33.942-04:00Fate Convention Games - Some ThoughtsI was able to play four different variations on Fate at #gencon2014 and I enjoyed myself. The experience, however, has crystallized some strong opinions on my part about convention games of Fate (although some of these apply more generally). For your amusement, here are my thoughts...<br />
<ul>
<li>Spend less than 15 minutes in setting creation. Yes, setting creation is fun, <b>if you are going to use it to it's fullest over multiple sessions</b>. But in a convention game, no matter how cool you think your particular setting creation variation is for Fate, it is just getting in the way. </li>
<li>Spend less than 15 minutes on character creation. This means a number of things. For example, have the players fill out just the first column of the pyramid, and let them do the rest in play. Or just come up with the High Concept and Trouble aspects, and fill out the rest in play. </li>
<li>Stunts are for the most part too complicated to come up with in a convention game of Fate Core. They don't seem like it, I know, but they are. Especially for players who are inexperience with Fate. Fate Accelerated can get away with it, because the Approaches take less time than skills, and there is no "Use Skill A in place of Skill B" option.</li>
<li>Extras are beyond the pale for creation in a convention game. If your Fate variation makes extensive use of Extras, then you really need to bring pre-gens to the table. </li>
<li>Coming up with this stuff (Aspects, which skills to pick, etc.) is <b>hard work</b> for some players, especially people new to Fate. Some people just need to time to come up with character concepts, aspects, etc., that they are interested in and will enjoy, and making them do it quickly is a recipe for frustration and embarrassment. You think you are providing a fun experience for those players, but you really aren't.</li>
<li>Pre-Gens are your friend. Really they are and you should be using them. Especially if your Fate version has some complicated extras, or a lot of setting specific stuff, pre-gens are actually much better at demonstrating how cool your setting is. It's easy as pie to come up with customizable pre-gens for Fate, just fill in the High Concept and Trouble, the first Skill column, and give them three stunts. People are playing much quicker, and can still make their characters their own.</li>
<li>Do not spend more than 15 minutes going over rules. </li>
<li>That being said, make sure you hit the following explicitly: Invoking Aspects for a +2 or a reroll (and don't forget the reroll!); Compelling Aspects to earn Fate Points (and don't forget to mention self-compels); How to roll the dice and add a skill value; the four action types, and the four outcomes, briefly, but then say that you will explain these in more detail as we play; mention Stress boxes and consequences in passing, but don't bother explaining in detail until someone has actually been attacked. That should not take more than 15 minutes is you are purposeful and business-like about it.</li>
<li>Make sure you have a clear cheat sheet for rules handy, and constantly refer people to it during the game. If your variation has any particular extras that are important, make sure the cheat sheet describes them.</li>
<li>If your setting is in any way not immediately obvious, have at least a one page handout that describes it's major selling points. </li>
<li>Make sure you explain, explicitly, on the first few actions of players, what they are doing. Say the type of the action out loud ("sounds like you are trying to Create an Advantage, there, that means you are going to create an aspect, or discover one, here is how we do that..."), when the result is figured, say the outcome out loud ("ok, you have a tie on that Create Advantage, that means you don't get an aspect, but you do get a boost"). Use the actual words in the rulebook, and use them consistently.</li>
<li>Demonstrate by example! Have your GM characters roll a Create Advantage as their first action. Compel a situation aspect on a player as early as possible. Invite a compel on a GM character aspect at the earliest opportunity. Examples in play, explicitly explained, are much better than any amount of rules explanation before play starts.</li>
<li>If you are not actually role-playing within 40 minutes of the start of the convention game, you are pissing off players. Really and truly, regardless of how much fun you think they are having, they aren't. At least half of them are just angry that they are still talking about rules stuff and creating characters. 40 minutes is probably still too long.</li>
<li>For crying out loud, <b>make sure everybody gets the damn spotlight </b>every once in a while!<b> </b>Jumpin' Jehoshaphat, it makes me so frikkin' angry when I see a player sitting across from me in a convention game and it has been at least 15 minutes since the GM has last asked them what they are doing, or given them a chance for some input. This is GM'ing 101, my friends, it's an entry-level skill. If you are worried that you can't keep track, literally play the whole game as one big conflict, going around and around and taking turns, because that is much better than leaving a player out in the cold. </li>
</ul>
<div>
EDIT: added from comments - here is a rule of thumb for how much time setting and character creation can and should take in any game: no more than 1/8th of the time that will be spent playing. 4 hour game? No more than 30 minutes. Four session game? No more than 1/2 session. 8 session game? Use a whole session. Obviously, one session is probably enough for any game, but I could see a long term game of something like Fantasy Hero/Champions needing even more time (although it probably isn't spent in the session).</div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-5594468040881809382014-08-05T16:34:00.003-04:002014-08-25T12:00:46.753-04:00Born to Be Wild!Benjamin Baugh's post <a href="https://plus.google.com/110260442588453077337/posts/4yG25Z6yj6C">about "TNMT and other strangeness" as his oldest RPG</a> prompts me to go ahead an post a link to some rules I have been working on. He asks for a "retroclone". Pretty sure this doesn't count, and it's more about "Road Hogs" than TMNT, but it might be of interest to him or anyone else, so here it is.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7jppmC2fsDfNXhqQWF6T21BTGc/edit?usp=sharing">Born to Be Wild! - a Fate-based game of beast-folk driving in cars in a post-apocalyptic wasteland blowing s&$# up</a><br />
<br />
Some Points of interest:<br />
<ul>
<li>Two dimensional approaches (Things you Do, and Ways you do them) (Page 15)</li>
<li>The idea of Rides, and the idea that <b>If you Lose Your Ride, You have lost the Game (Page 29)</b></li>
<li>Vehicle combat rules, because of course (not much different from what I have already posted on this blog)</li>
<li>The start of a "Your Wasteland" section (Page 35)</li>
</ul>
Other than that, mostly standard Fate Core/FAE stuff repurposed and currently cluttered with Fate Core/FAE SRD reference because there are a few minor alterations to the basic mechanics, and I wanted to have the capacity to make more changes as the design progresses. If I continue to work on it, I will flesh out the "Your Wasteland" section. Also, I would want to amp up the Wastemaster versus Beast-Folk vibe of the thing, make it more actively a GM vs. Player game, because I think that is a place Fate games haven't really gone. Can they go there? I don't know, but it would be interesting to see if they could. <br />
<br />
Enjoy! skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-26192831369805112222014-07-28T14:41:00.001-04:002019-11-06T09:46:27.937-05:00Everyone at the table should be a candy machineMy first rant post! It's pretty weak as rants go, but it's preachy, dogmatic, directed at something that annoys me, most of the people who read it will think it is self-evident, and it makes me seem oh so much better than everyone else. So, a rant, woohoo!<br />
<br />
Let's talk about candy. Candy is the affirmation, the laughter, the attention, that people playing a role-playing game give to each other. When you say something cool, and someone laughs or gasps, that's candy. When you describe your character being awesome, and people are raptly listening to you, that's candy. If you are playing a role-playing game, you almost certainly want candy. Otherwise I'm not sure why you are playing.<br />
<br />
The GM can and should be a candy machine. Piles and piles of stuff have been written as advice to GM's, and a lot of it is about how to give out candy to players. That's fine. But the GM is not the ONLY candy machine. When I GM and...<br />
<ul>
<li>...someone is talking and all the other players are not paying attention, those other players are treating me as the ONLY candy machine, and it makes me mad. </li>
<li>...a player only ever talks to me, describes everything to me instead of to the other players, even when that player's character is interacting with another player character, that player is treating me as the ONLY candy machine, or worse, the only candy machine whose candy he cares for. That makes me mad.</li>
</ul>
The fact is that <b>everyone at the table should be a candy machine! </b>Everyone should be handing out the candy of joy to their fellow players, not just the GM.<br />
<br />
You want to be a candy machine, right? When I play, I know I want to be. So let us all join together and vow to be the candy machines we would want others to be for us. It's the candy machine corollary to the golden rule. Here are 6 concrete steps you and I can take to give our fellow players some candy.<br />
<ol>
<li>When we are describing what our character's are doing, we consciously look towards the non-GM players; they are our audience, not the GM.</li>
<li>If our character is interacting with another player character, we look at that player during the interaction, not the GM. They are our candy machine, and we are theirs.</li>
<li>When someone else is talking, we freaking look at them, be quiet and listen. This is like the minimal candy; it's the Starburst fruit chew of candy.</li>
<li>We put our rule book on the floor under the table. If we have to look at it, we always put it back under the table. We cannot give candy while reading a rulebook.</li>
<li>We put the *&$#^ smart phone away, at least three meters out of our reach to physically avoid temptation. Tablets too, unless we are using them as rulebooks, in which case see point 4. Trying to interact with someone who is looking at a phone is like anti-candy, it's like stinky asparagus (and if you reply that you like asparagus, I'm sorry, but you are just wrong).</li>
<li>We pick the person in our group who we least want to give candy to. We give them some candy at least once per session.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<b>Be the candy machine.</b></div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-74762025771110835422014-07-11T15:41:00.000-04:002014-07-14T12:02:48.137-04:00Dark Salvation - The Purple Dimension<br />
Been awhile since I posted any Dark Salvation material. Here is a dimension my players never actually arrived at, but it is fun in it's obscurity. I'm particular proud of the Slaves of Aggamon; dangerous via being pitiful. For reference, here is the <a href="http://skalchemist.blogspot.ca/2014/02/dark-salvation-what-if-event-for-marvel.html">initial post on Dark Salvation</a>. This explains the Techno-Demonic Virus (TDV). Dark Salvation related posts can be found through the <a href="http://skalchemist.blogspot.ca/search/label/Dark%20Salvation">Dark Salvation</a> label. <br />
<h2>
The Purple Dimension</h2>
Ruled by the demon Aggamon, the Purple Dimension has "immense purplish mountain ranges [that] jut majestically from vast plum-colored plains" and "surreal geological formations". <a href="http://www.marvunapp.com/ohotmu/appendixes/mdapp.htm">[1]</a> It is also the source of Purple Gems, immensely powerful sources of magical energy coveted by many powerful beings.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iEjFyi1L7yI/U8A6djuzQcI/AAAAAAAAA9w/3AtaHc5CfIw/s1600/ST119+-+Purple+Dimension.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iEjFyi1L7yI/U8A6djuzQcI/AAAAAAAAA9w/3AtaHc5CfIw/s1600/ST119+-+Purple+Dimension.jpg" height="193" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Purple Dimension is only vaguely purple, and not a vacation spot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i style="font-family: inherit;">Distinctions:</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Twisted and Tunnelled, Barren, Shadowy</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Border:</i> D12 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Gateway: </i>Through a Purple Gem</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hooks pointing towards the Purple Dimension</span></h3>
<ul>
<li>The heroes need a power source capable of powering a cure for the TDV. A purple gem will fill the bill.</li>
<li>Aggamon's business demons contact the heroes with a deal of some sort, to protect him from the TDV. </li>
<li>The heroes find a purple gem infected with the TDV, and it exhibits strange properties. Aggamon is the expert in such things.</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Action in the Purple Dimension</h3>
<div>
<ul>
<li>The heroes arrive and see the typical slave driving behaviour that goes on there all the time. Will they take steps to protect the slaves.</li>
<li>Aggamon's Demolisher Beam really is immensely powerful, and he really can't resist trying it out on anyone who shows up, just for fun.</li>
<li>The slaves are being infected with the TDV, and therefore are revolting against Aggamon. A cure may return them to enslavement.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>
Hooks out of the Purple Dimension</h3>
<ul>
<li>The heroes get their Purple Gem, but they'll need something to channel the power. Maybe some Uru metal?</li>
<li>Aggamon makes a deal with the heroes, and sends them through secret inter-dimensional tunnels to the dimension the TDV seems to be coming from. Perhaps Sominus? Niffleheim?</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Denizens</h3>
<table><tbody style="background-color: #a60b00; color: white;">
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Aggamon</b></span></td><td rowspan="5"><a href="http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100501003815/marveldatabase/images/f/f2/Aggamon_(Earth-616).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left;"><img border="0" src="http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100501003815/marveldatabase/images/f/f2/Aggamon_(Earth-616).jpg" height="320" width="155" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Affiliations:</i> Large Scale 3D8</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Distinctions: </i>Infernal Businessman, Greedy, Haughty</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Power Set:</i> <b>Lord of the Purple Dimension</b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Demolisher Beam D12, Superhuman Stamina D10, Sorcery Mastery D10, Enhanced Strength D8, Enhanced Senses D8, Enhanced Durability D8, Psychic Resistance D8, Mystic Resistance D8</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Area Attack. Add a D6 for each extra target and keep one extra effect die for each extra target.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Adaptable. You may add more than one power from Lord of the Purple Dimension to a roll. Step back each die for every die beyond the first added.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: “None can withstand the Demolisher Beam!”. Activate an Opportunity generated in a reaction against an action that includes Demolisher Beam. Opponent takes physical stress equal to the die that caused the Opportunity. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: The Extend to Sorcery. When you add Sorcery Mastery to any action pool, you may only create assets or complications as your effect, unless the pool also contains Demolisher Beam.</span></li>
</ul>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Specialities: </i>Menace Master D10, Business Master D10, Mystic Master D10, Psych Expert D8</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table><tbody style="background-color: #a60b00; color: white;">
<tr><td><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Slaves of Aggamon</b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Affiliations: </i>Mob 5D6</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Distinctions: </i>Pitiful, No Other Choice</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Power Set: </i><b>Desperation and Despair</b></span><b> </b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Improvised Weaponry D6, Wailing and Moaning D8, Get in the Way D8</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Gruesome Conditions. When using Wailing and Moaning to do emotional stress, add a D6 and step up the Effect die. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Area Attack. Add a D6 for each extra target and keep one extra effect die for each extra target.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Slaves, not Free. Whenever Slaves of Aggamon are dealt physical stress, afflicted by a complication that might cause pain or anguish, or dealt emotional or mental stress that magnify their suffering, the hero taking the action takes emotional stress equivalent to the effect die being dealth.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: Brief Rebellion. Add a D6 or step up the lowest die in the Doom Pool to make any Desperation and Despair power a Complication for Aggamon. Spend a die equal to the Complication to remove the Complication and recover the power.</span></li>
</ul>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Specialities: </i>Psych Expert D8</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table><tbody style="background-color: #a60b00; color: white;">
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Aggamon's Guards</b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Affiliations:</i> Mob 4D8</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Distinctions:</i> Without Mercy, Afraid of Aggamon's Wrath</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Power Set:</i> Demonic Guards</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Whips and Chains D8, Enhanced Durability D8, Enhanced Senses D8</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Masters of Restraint. When using Whips and Chains to create complications, add a D6 and step up the Effect die. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Area Attack. Add a D6 for each extra target and keep one extra effect die for each extra target.</span></li>
</ul>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Specialities: </i>Menace Expert D8, Combat Expert D8</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-84607555695150036802014-07-11T11:30:00.000-04:002014-07-11T16:22:07.417-04:00Dungeon World moves as fortune tellingHaven't written here in a while. I have lots of potential posts, but the energy has subsided. Not surprising. But I do have something I want to pontificate on today, Dungeon World moves. Let's use Hack and Slash as the example. Remember that the trigger for Hack and Slash is "when you attack an enemy in melee".<br />
<br />
Over at a <a href="https://plus.google.com/107157015667650731541/posts/RsbfTDEbDbk">post on the Dungeon World Tavern on Google+</a>, a poster talks about how he has had trouble figuring out how to model granularity in the difficulty of fights. To summarize his concern, he feels that he cannot judge fine gradations in relative skill between opponents. This is related to the advice given in the Dungeon World Guide on page 18. If you are going up to an enormous giant, what you are doing with that giant doesn't count as "melee" for the purpose of the trigger. Nor does stabbing some poor schlub of a drunken city guard in the back. But what about conscript city guards versus normal city guards versus elite city guards? The poster is concerned that the game gives him no, or at least very cryptic and difficult to use, tools to demonstrate these gradations. <br />
<br />
I really hadn't felt this problem in my limited experience. But after thinking about why that is, I realized that since the first time I played Dungeon World, I have been treating Moves as fortune telling, not as modelling any process. Here is what I mean.<br />
<br />
Your Fighter (the player character) is going up against some city guards and their leader. As the GM, I think the guard leader is a better fighter than your Fighter. But in a very really sense in Dungeon World, I <b>have no idea </b>if this is actually true. There is no metric (such as Qualities in Fate Core) to make this determination. Whether this is true or not is contingent on the results of your Hack and Slash (and Defy Danger, and whatever else) Moves, and has a big whack of random chance involved in it. <br />
<br />
Therefore, when we play out the fight, the mechanic is forcing us to follow the Agenda <i><b>"Play to find out what happens"</b></i>. If you roll a lot of 6's, I guess that guard leader really was a better fighter than you. If you roll a lot of 10's, guess I was wrong. The Move is not a model of some action and how difficult it is, the Move is a checking of the fates, like consulting the I Ching. Granularity just doesn't exist. You figure out the real skill difference between the fictional participants after the fact, as a consequence of the Moves, not before hand. <br />
<br />
This is a different model of role-playing rules than almost every other game most of us have ever played. This goes to what <a href="http://walkingmind.evilhat.com/2014/05/10/dungeon-world-mappers-part-1/">Rob Donughue said in this other blog post</a>: Dungeon World may be best if treated "as a diceless game that happens to have dice". The only game I can think of that explicitly treats the dice mechanic as a kind of fortune telling rather than modelling some kind of process is <a href="http://rpggeek.com/rpg/3114/four-colors-al-fresco">Four Colors Al Fresco</a>, where dice rolls are interpreted as literally consulting the astrological influences on a particular situation. But Dungeon World is doing the same thing stealthily.<br />
<br />
Therefore, I avoid any attempt to find or create granularity in difficulty. Instead, I accept that I am just as uncertain as my players are as to the exact capabilities of the NPC's, monsters, and threats I create. There really is a whole big grey area between enormous giants and drunken incompetent city guards, and the game doesn't want me to break it down into finer categories. "Play to find out what happens".<br />
<br />
EDIT: Spout Lore is an even better example. The trigger is "When you consult your accumulated knowledge about something". Now, like Hack and Slash, there are cases where the move would not trigger; cases where you actually have no accumulated knowledge (e.g. a Barbarian wondering about esoteric magic theory). But everyone else? The Move happens. If you are just a novice in magical theory, or an ancient master...roll the dice. Roll a 6? I guess that means there was a gap in your prodigious knowledge, ancient master!skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-59306719947577814512014-03-31T17:05:00.003-04:002014-04-01T16:46:46.076-04:00An idea for car chases and similar in Fate CoreIn response to a thread on Google Plus Fate Core community, try this on for size, somewhat stream of consciousness. Aspects are in quotations marks.<br />
<br />
There are these zones:<br />
<br />
<b>Nearly Lost Them</b><br />
<b>Following Me</b><br />
<b>Right On My Tail</b><br />
<b>Right Next to Me</b><br />
<b>Cutting Me Off</b><br />
<br />
All are presented from the perspective of the chased car. The chased car never moves. Instead, when the drivers of each car roll to move zones, they are always rolling to move the CHASE car, not the car being chased. There is no free zone movement, all zones have a "border" value of the Driving skill of the other driver, either as passive or active opposition.<br />
<br />
So, on the Chase Driver's action, he might roll to move from <b>Following Me</b> to <b>Right on My Tail</b>. On the Chased Driver's next action, he might roll to try to move the Chase Driver back to <b>Following Me</b>, or alternatively move the Chase Driver to <b>Right Next to Me</b>, to let him get a sideswipe in or have his friend open up with the "Massive Double-Barrelled Shotgun".<br />
<br />
This ends up being similar to a challenge between the two drivers, but also provides some description of the relationship between the two vehicles for actions by any other characters in the vehicles, and also to help frame the use of Aspects. "Big Ole 18 Wheeler" and "Sleek Small Sportscar" will be used very differently in the <b>Nearly Lost Them</b> versus <b>Cutting Me Off</b> zones. Finally, both determine the realm of other actions the Driver might take. When the Chase Car is in the <b>Following Me</b> zone, I may want to try to get some distance and move them back. Or, I might leave them where they are and instead roll Lore to try to navigate into some more favorable terrain for my vehicle, or roll Contacts to see if I have any friends in the area that I could ask for help.<br />
<br />
If you can move the Chase Car back from <b>Nearly Lost Them</b>, then you have gotten away. Vice versa, if they are <b>Cutting You Off</b>, their next roll might be to actually force you off the road, or make you stop.<br />
<br />
For an extra layer of complication, the GM could have a list of Scene Aspects that would get cycled or randomly chose each exchange in the Conflict. First exchange, the roads are "Tight and Windy", the next "Steep Grade", the next "Straight and smooth", the next "Massive Potholes". This gives the picture of cars travelling both compared to each other, and also in comparison to the surrounding terrain.<br />
<br />
For one further layer of complication, assume that if you are braking (e.g. losing speed) as part of the move you are trying to make, if you succeed with style you can move the chase car two zones. For example, if I am the chased car, and the chasing car is in the <b>Following Me</b> zone, I could roll to move that car all the way up to <b>Right Next to Me</b> with a success with style, since I am braking and losing speed to do so. As another example, if I am the chase car and I am the <b>Cutting Me Off</b> zone, I could move to <b>Right on My Tail</b> zone with a success with style if there is some advantage to doing so; getting out of the way of the chased cars "Front mounted machine guns", or putting my "Ram Plate" between the two of us for some cover.<br />
<br />
Finally, it would certainly possible for the roles in the chase to change completely, depending on intent. I could be the chasing car, and have pulled into the <b>Right Next to Me</b> zone, and then suddenly the chased car's "pop-up laser turrets" and "side facing flamethrowers" come out of their concealed receptacles, and I'm thinking this was a bad idea. Suddenly, me in their <b>Right Next to Me</b> zone becomes them in MY <b>Right Next to Me</b> zone. It's all about who is chasing and who is being chased.<br />
<br />
This could be fun. Or it could be way too much work.
<br />
<br />
EDIT: Credit where credit is due, the basic idea of moving the other guy instead of yourself is inspired by the system in <a href="http://www.agon-rpg.com/">Agon, by John Harper</a>. I highly recommend it.skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-14753135728329874072014-03-18T10:44:00.002-04:002014-03-24T12:17:18.874-04:00Spirit of the Garou: First PlayI had an opportunity to run <a href="http://skalchemist.blogspot.ca/2014/02/werewolf-in-my-fate-fate-in-my-werewolf.html">Spirit of the Garou</a> (click through for rules post), my love song to Werewolf: the Apocalypse written in Fate Core, on the weekend and it was very enjoyable. <br />
<br />
The scenario was set in a Sept at the very mouth of the Mississippi River in 1924. The player characters were part of a pack of that sept, and needed to find out what happened to some kinfolk rum-runners, who had disappeared. At some point I will post the pre-gen characters and some of the other stuff from the scenario.<br />
<h4>
Things that worked well..</h4>
Fate Core as a system just sings for Werewolf as a setting. Creating and using Aspects is like the thing you didn't realize was missing from White Wolf's system until you play a game with them, and then you can't understand how you ever lived without them.<br />
<br />
One of the reasons for that is that it greatly expands the non-tooth and claw options that Garou have in the game. It gives them a solidity and weight that in the classic World of Darkness (CWoD) ruleset was just not possible. As an example; there was a moment in the game where one of the players playing a Lupus Garou named Sandpiper, not the most combat ready of the characters, is trying to save her friend from a dangerous bane-possessed axe-wielding crazy person. She says "I want to try to grab the axe out of his hands and run away with it." I say "Cool! That sounds like a Brawn versus Brawn thing. Getting your teeth on it won't be that hard, getting it away from him is the tricky part." Moments later, and after laying some Fate points on the table and a bit of luck, Sandpiper has the nasty, Bane-soaked axe in her mouth, jumping into the murky waters of the bayou with the enraged crazy person with "Disarmed" as an aspect chasing after her. I then compel her on her "Connoisseur of Aroma" aspect; "That Axe smells grotesque, it's covered in years old blood and filth and is steeped in evil. There is no way you can keep that in your mouth, you have to spit it out." She takes the fate point, and now the battle is really on, since the axe is sitting there in shallow water. Would all of that have been possible in CWoD? Sure, I guess. But Fate just makes it so much easier, so natural. <br />
<br />
Another thing that Aspects make a major difference for are things like intimidation, enticement, etc. In other words, any mental or emotional attack or control type action or power. The power of compels and the utility of Well-Being (e.g. Mental Stress) as a venue for attack makes a big difference in the ease with which such things are handled. <br />
<br />
Rage and especially Gnosis as skills in the skill pyramid seemed to work pretty well.<br />
<br />
Gifts as stunts worked really well. They seemed more flexible and interesting than they were in original Werewolf: the Apocalypse (W:tA).<br />
<br />
The number and type of Aspects seemed just about right. <br />
<br />
The Totem aspect was interesting, because all of the characters share it. The pre-gens all had Coyote as a Totem, whose Ban Aspect was "Unwise Choices". It would be fun to compel that normally, but the fact that all of the PC's had it made them seem more unified. "Unwise Choices" was just who they were.<br />
<br />
The questions for the different Auspices to determine Renown gains seemed to work very well, although a few need some tweaking or clarification.<br />
<br />
The Form Modifiers seemed to work really well. There was rarely any question as to whether the bonus/penalty applied or not as everyone at the table seemed to have a good concept of the forms and what they would excel at versus what they would have trouble with, and where there were borderline cases the conversation was actually part of the fun.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Things that need work...</h4>
The Anger Stress track and Frenzy rules are just wrong, or at least not creating the effect I was hoping for. The idea is that Anger Stress should be something you are always worried about in a fight, it is constantly increasing and you have to manage it or Frenzy. In practice there just weren't enough ways to hand it out, and the mechanic of erasing Anger Stress to get a benefit of an extra action worked against the goal. One potential solution is to simply hand out a LOT more of it, for example, everyone takes one Anger Stress every exchange. I note that in the original W:tA rules, you only Frenzy when you get four successes on a Rage roll, and that Rage rolls are really not that common, which jibes with my memories of running the game that Frenzy was never really that big a threat. I would like it to be more of an issue in Spirit of the Garou. But I also don't want to have multiple currencies; Fate points should be enough. Already I have Anger Stress acting as an additional currency in the current rules. This all needs some thought.<br />
<br />
When I first created the Gifts, I removed the Rank requirement to learn them because it always bugged met that there was such a limited selection of gifts for starting characters. Also, as I was translating the Gifts into Fate Core, many of the higher ranked gifts just didn't seem that powerful, they were easily just stunts. However, there were a couple of Gifts on the pre-gens that were originally high rank gifts that were VERY powerful, and probably need to cost more refresh. Examples were Geas and the Living Wood. Part of the power shift is that for many of the Gifts that originally cost Gnosis I changed it to either a time limit (e.g. once per scene) or a Fate point. As Gnosis could be pretty hard to come by in W:tA, spending a Gnosis point was a pretty big cost. <br />
<br />
I really need to work on my Fate Core rules knowledge. I was caught out several times forgetting a few things that have changed since earlier versions. For example, did you know there are no free Compels on an Aspect you have created, only free invocations? Did you know that you don't get a boost on a Create Advantage roll, you get two free invocations? I didn't. Thanks to <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/109944743210261576876" target="_blank">+Marcus Morrisey</a> for having better rules Fate Core rules mojo than I.<br />
<h4>
Things that really didn't get tested...</h4>
<div>
There wasn't much spirit interaction in the session. Two of the pre-gens that were played had bound spirits, but they didn't really come up much. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Character creation hasn't been tested at all.</div>
<h4>
Overall</h4>
<div>
It was awesome! It was one of the most "werewolfy" sessions of Werewolf I have ever GM'ed, because Fate Core makes so much so much easier. Aspects were hitting the table like crazy until it was littered with index cards. No major flaws came up except for Anger Stress as noted above. I really think the basics of the rule set are solid. This has a lot more to do with the general brilliance of Fate Core and the general awesomeness of the Werewolf setting than any skill on my part.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-23873596485095826852014-02-28T08:55:00.000-05:002020-03-25T11:19:13.816-04:00Werewolf in my Fate? Fate in my Werewolf?So, I've been fiddling around with something. Call it a love song to Werewolf: the Apocalypse written in the language of Fate. It can be found here:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_D8gIlLqDWVmvfA2UL2lzhU9AFGg6rvI7UjaiiG08Nw/edit?usp=sharing">Spirit of the Garou</a><br />
<br />
I have comments turned on in the Google Doc, so feel free to comment on the rules. The majority of the page count are examples of things from the W:tA rulebook.<br />
<br />
EDIT: this was actually playtested in a number of sessions, and worked pretty well.<br />
<strike>It hasn't been playtested, but since I saw that Ryan Macklin and Dave Chalker were building a Mage: the Ascension Fate love song here: </strike><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ryanmacklin.com/2014/02/enter-the-paradigm-project/">Enter the Paradigm Project</a><br />
<br />
I thought now was a good time to post this. Enjoy!skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-85073890374519433022014-02-25T08:21:00.000-05:002014-02-25T08:21:56.287-05:00Dimensional Travel in Marvel Heroic RoleplayingIn the Dark Salvation Event I have been running, there is a lot of dimension hopping. So, it seemed worth having an extra mechanic for that. Because that's what you always need, right? An extra mechanic?<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Dimensional Borders and Gateways</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every Dimension has a Border value of at least two dice, that represents the difficult of getting in to the Dimension. A very difficult dimension to enter may have 2D12 or 3D12 as it's border value, while a pathetically easy one to enter my have 2D4. Most Dimensions have a Gateway, a "normal" (whatever that means in the context of dimensional travel") method of entering and exiting that dimension. The Gateway need not be a "physical" (again, whatever that means) doorway of some sort. It could be a state of mind, an object one needs to possess, a ritual to perform, etc. Some examples:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>The Dark Dimension</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Border: 3D12</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Gateway: The G'Uranthic Guardian<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/guranthic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/guranthic2.jpg" height="320" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you go to the trouble of having a dimension that is hard to get into, why would you make the doorway so obvious?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Muspelheim</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Border: 2D8</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Gateway: the Roots of Yggdrasil</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://static3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090429144521/marveldatabase/images/2/2f/Muspelheim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://static3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090429144521/marveldatabase/images/2/2f/Muspelheim.jpg" height="199" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the sort of all-inclusive resort spot you were hoping for.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Sominus</b><br />
Border: 2D4<br />
Gateway: Sin of any kind, the road to hell is wide<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/nightm6.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/nightm6.gif" height="310" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sominus needs labor-law reform in a big way.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="font-size: x-large;">Dimension Travel</b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The character arranging for the dimension travel rolls against the Doom Pool of the new dimension. If you are moving to a new Act as part of the dimension travel, that would be what the Doom Pool will be after the hop, otherwise it will be the current Doom Pool. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">You add the Border dice of the dimension to the Doom Pool for the roll. However, if you are already at the Gateway to that dimension, you do not. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This roll is an Asset creation roll. If you succeed, you can create an Asset that represents your successful arrival into the dimension. For example, "Just where we planned to arrive" or "Thog is surprised" or "Dimensional Currents are Smooth". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On a failure, it means you were not able to enter that dimension. </span>You will have to go somewhere else (usually a different dimension) and try from there, or somehow get to the Gateway if you were not there already. <span style="font-family: inherit;">However, the Watcher can choose to allow you to arrive in the dimension anyway. If the Watcher does this, the Watcher can use his/her Effect die against you <b>for free </b>to create a Complication, Asset, Stress, etc. </span><br />
<br />skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-63064472551221018232014-02-20T17:11:00.001-05:002014-02-21T09:55:22.397-05:00Marvel Heroic Roleplaying House Rule Suggestions<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;">I've played a lot of Marvel Heroic Roleplaying (MHP) now, both as a Player and as the Watcher. There are a few minor tweaks to the rules that I have found make things a little better, or at least clearer. Here they are...</span></span></h5>
<div>
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"><b>Mob Affiliation</b></span></div>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;">Any character with a Mob Affiliation is actually a group of "characters" that act together. It always uses it’s Mob affiliation. The most Stress the Mob can take is it’s Mob Affiliation die size; whenever the Stress exceeds that value, remove an Affiliation Die. For the purpose of Area Attack, you can treat a Mob as if it were a number of characters equal to it’s current Affiliation dice (although it probably represents many more individuals). Unlike normal characters, you can do multiple effect dice of the same type to a Mob (e.g. multiple physical stress effect dice). If that’s the last die, the Mob is taken out. A Mob is still capable of acting as long as the total “sides” of complications on it are less than or equal to the total “sides” of Affiliation dice it has left, but if the “sides” of it’s current affiliation drop below the “sides” of it’s complications, it is immediately taken out. For example, a 3D6 mob would have to have at least 18 “sides” of complications (for example, a D12 complication and a D6) to be completely taken out. However, if it already has a D12 complication, and then loses one Affiliation die, it would be taken out immediately.</span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><i>Mob Affiliation is really just Team Affiliation under a different name, but the bit about complications is the big difference. I've found that it is just not fun to let a mob be complicated out of the scene on a single D12+. This makes them tougher.</i></span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">Large Scale Affiliation</span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;">Any character with Large Scale Affiliation is a particularly powerful and dangerous individual. They always use their Large Scale Affiliation. Treat their Affiliation in the same way as Mob Affiliation EXCEPT that the dice cannot be targeted individually or by</span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;">Area Attack SFX. </span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><i>The idea of Large Scale Threats like Galactus having Buddy and Team affiliations of small die sizes and fewer dice has always been confusing and unecessary to me. This just clears that up. Note that Complications work differently here as well.</i></span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">Associated Mobs</span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;">Some characters have a multi-die power trait that has the phrase “Associated Mob” next to it. This trait represents a mob of followers for that character. They do not get a separate action, and do not affect the way the main character takes Stress or Complications. However, they can be targets of an Area Attack as if they were a separate mob, and can be assigned effect dice to reduce their numbers. To simplify matters in such cases, as long as the effect die is bigger than the die size of the power trait, it will remove one die from the trait; smaller dice have no effect and do not track stress and complications for them separately. Lost dice are recovered in a transition scene.</span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><i>This is really just a clarification of the rules found on such characters as Multiple Man and Doctor Doom in the later books.</i></span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">Area Attack SFX</span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;">The most D6’s you can add is 5, but you can still add extra effect dice beyond 5 if you are targeting a lot of characters. For example, if there is a 5D6 Mob and three normal characters in a scene and you targeted them all with Area Attack, you would only add 5D6, but you could use up to 8 Effect Dice. </span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><i>When you have multiple Mobs in a scene, Area Attack just gets silly very quickly in it's handling time. This just makes it clear there is a limit.</i></span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">XP for Resource</span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;">You may spend 5/10 XP to make a D6/D8 Resource last until the end of the event. If, for some reason, the resource becomes larger during an action scene, it resets to it's "Natural" level at the end of the scene.</span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">Watcher Stress-Changing</span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;">The Watcher may spend a doom die (any size) to change the type of stress being inflicted on a Watcher character.</span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><i>I'm betting a lot of Watcher's play with this rule anyway, but I can't find it anywhere. It clearly says Player Characters can do it.</i></span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">D12 Max</span></span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;">An effect die can never be treated as higher than a D12. You must first do a D12 (stress, complication), and then on a different action get at least a D4 to step it "past" D12. Therefore, it is not possible to "one-shot" someone out.</span></h5>
<h5 style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: basic, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px; font-weight: normal;"><i>When people have a lot of plot points, it is VERY easy to take a Watcher character, by getting multiples of 5 over their total and stepping up the effect die to D12+. I've seen it happen a lot. This rule slows this down ever so slightly.</i></span></span></h5>
<div>
<br /></div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-36360517565016280532014-02-20T10:52:00.002-05:002014-02-20T10:52:19.919-05:00Dark Salvation - the TDV Objective Tracker<span style="font-family: inherit;">In a previous post, I introduced the <a href="http://skalchemist.blogspot.ca/2014/02/dark-salvation-what-if-event-for-marvel.html">Dark Salvation</a> event. The key to this is...</span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Techno-Demonic Virus Objective Tracker</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x5h5DIkCI_U/Uv0zlOU_-CI/AAAAAAAAAmI/lFUU9zRfJhc/s1600/TDV+Objective.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O1jT6HjU_zQ/UwPXxe_SCOI/AAAAAAAAAoA/cwkAWPLIiBg/s1600/TDV+Tracker.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O1jT6HjU_zQ/UwPXxe_SCOI/AAAAAAAAAoA/cwkAWPLIiBg/s1600/TDV+Tracker.png" height="640" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can hear your gasps of awe, really I can.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Basic Operation</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Tracker works like this. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">There six Progress tracks on the Tracker: Scientific Understanding, Mystical Understanding, Synthesis!, Technical Details Determined, Occult Considerations Considered, Counter-measure Developed! Each Progress track works like a stress track on a character. If the stress on that track exceeds a D12, then the heroes have achieved that goal in the story. For example, if the Scientific Understanding track is completed, it means at least one of the heroes now understands all that is important, scientifically speaking, about the TDV. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The tracks must be completed in the Order shown, and all earlier tracks must be completed before moving on. So, to make Progress on Synthesis!, the heroes must have completed both of the tracks above it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Progress Rolls</b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once per Transition scene, any player, but only one player, MUST make a Progress roll against one of the tracks. This is instead of a recovery roll or creating a resource. That player chooses which track to roll against if there is more than one option available. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This roll is opposed by the Doom Pool of their current dimension, that is the dimension where the immediately preceding Action scene took place. This is true even if the transition scene involves moving to a new dimension. The other players may all assist in this roll by providing one relevant die trait from their own character sheets. This will often be a specialty, but could be a distinction or a power if it seems useful given the circumstances of the roll and what has just happened.</span><br />
<br />
<b>Stating Facts about the TDV</b><br />
If the roll is successful, the player should mark the progress on the Tracker. That player also should state one important fact that has been learned about the TDV, in accordance with the concept of that track. For example, on the Synthesis! track, the fact should have something to do with how the scientific and mystical elements of the TDV are or were combined. This can be anything the player wants it to be, although the player is encouraged to discuss the fact with their fellow players before deciding. <br />
<br />
If the roll fails, the Watcher states a fact about the TDV, but no progress is made. The heroes are treading water or have experience a setback, but at least they learned something that might lead them to the next piece of the puzzle.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Some guidelines on facts.<br />
<ul>
<li>The fact should, if at all possible, naturally lead to some next destination or activity for the heroes. "The TDV is constructed from dark matter" is a mediocre fact. "The TDV is constructed from dark matter generated at the Arcturus Skrull Research Facility" is a great one. You know where you are headed next.</li>
<li>The fact should naturally arise from what just happened in the story. Don't stretch for it, or try to link in something totally unrelated.</li>
<li>On the other hand, feel free to point the fact towards something of interest to you. Always wanted to roleplay in the Microverse? State a fact that brings the Microverse into the story, and you'll probably get your wish. </li>
<li>If the progress track that was rolled against is not yet complete, the fact should NOT resolve that track in any way. It should be a piece of the puzzle but not the final piece and should leave something unresolved.</li>
<li>If the progress track IS completed by that roll, then the fact should be the final piece of that particular puzzle pulling together all the previous facts into some kind of harmony.</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Write the facts down in the boxes on the right; Insights for the first half of the Tracker, Strategies for the second half, but you'll probably have to expand to the back of the page. In the second half of the Tracker, the facts might be less about knowledge and more about concrete actions the heroes have taken, for example "The sliver of the Crimson Gem of Cytorrak obtained from Hela will be a crucial component of the countermeasure".</span><br />
<br />
The final Synthesis! fact is very important. This should be a summary of all the previous information, putting together all the knowledge created so far, into one, holistic picture of what the TDV is all about. The final Counter-measure Developed! fact is even more critical; it should outline the actual strategy to bring about the end of the TDV's threat to the Marvel Universe.<br />
<br />
<b>The Finale</b><br />
Once that final fact is in place, the heroes now have a game plan and the Event is nearing the finale. Executing the plan may take one Action scene or twenty, depending on how complicated it is and who might be opposing it, and there may not be a guarantee of success, but the heroes now know what they need to do.<br />
<br />
<b>The Doom Pool</b><br />
In Dark Salvation, a new Act starts every time the players travel to a new dimension. As long as they stay in the same dimension, they are in the same Act. The initial value of the Doom Pool is determined by the status on the tracker. In the first phase, it is 4D6, in the second 4D8, and once a counter-measure has been developed, 4D10. If the Watcher is inclined to do so, he/she can track the value of the Doom Pool for a particular dimension, and reset the Doom Pool to that value if the instead of refreshing to the value on the tracker if the heroes return there. This is most relevant for the "real world" dimension, which the players are likely to pass through multiple times before the Event is over.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Notes for the Watcher</b><br />
Just to reiterate this point, <b>the player(s) decide on the facts</b>. Not you, or at least not unless they fail the Progress roll. As the Watcher, your job is NOT to figure out what the cause of the TDV is, or how to eradicate it. Your job is to respond to the players as they solve it, and to provide furious opposition to them in the process. You should be just as surprised as they are where the story leads because you are all creating it together in play. You'll know you are doing it right when the players state a fact, and your mind is blown by how that fact is totally unexpected and totally right, exactly the right piece of information to move the story on to the next scene.<br />
<br />
This can be tough, don't get me wrong. It will require a lot of improvisation on your part, even with all of the stuff I will posting here in future posts. That's why Dark Salvation is more of a toolkit for an Event than an event itself. Your players could literally end up going ANYWHERE in the Marvel Universe. So, a few pointers...<br />
<ul>
<li>Liberally throw plot hooks at your players that point in the direction of dimensions where you actually have prepared some opposition. Throw lots of these, not just one or two, in off hand remarks by other characters and mysterious omens delivered by Odin's ravens and coded transmissions from Kree spies and whatever else strikes your fancy. They'll pick up on some of them, maybe.</li>
<li>Prepare lots of stuff that won't, in the end, actually be used. Enjoy the process. </li>
<li>If you have a vision of something you do want to introduce, let your Doom Pool get nice and big, so that you can beat them on the Progress roll and introduce a tidbit of that vision.</li>
<li>While you'll mostly be reacting, occasionally you should sidetrack the players into something they didn't intend. Lots of powerful entities in the Marvel Universe know something is going on with the TDV, and sometimes they will be proactive in their interference with or assistance to the heroes. </li>
<li>Don't be afraid to admit to the players you've got nothing for them if they go where they want to go, at least until you have had a chance to prepare for it. Ask them to consider doing something else to close out this session, and you'll have more ready for the next. </li>
<li>If the players seem unsure where to go next, don't hesitate to throw some nastiness at them to get them moving in some direction, any direction. To paraphrase Raymond Chandler, when in doubt, have a team of Skrull Mystic Commandos come through the door with guns in their hands. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-20538887957177485252014-02-20T10:01:00.002-05:002014-02-20T10:01:44.140-05:00Dark Salvation - NiffleheimI'm going to be posting more stuff about how Dark Salvation is structured in the near future, but I thought I would jump to some actual characters, dimensions and stuff first. Some of this might not make sense at the moment, but it will. The characters here use my<a href="http://skalchemist.blogspot.ca/2014/02/marvel-heroic-roleplaying-house-rule.html"> Large Scale and Mob Affiliation house rules</a>.<br />
<h2>
Niffleheim</h2>
One of the Nine Realms, <a href="http://marvel.wikia.com/Niffleheim">Niffleheim</a> is the realm of the un-honored dead, a cold and forbidding land ruled by <a href="http://marvel.com/universe/Hela">Hela</a>, and guarded by <a href="http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/garmthor.htm">Garm</a>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090518025212/marveldatabase/images/1/11/Niffleheim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090518025212/marveldatabase/images/1/11/Niffleheim.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brrrrrrrrr!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i style="font-family: inherit;">Distinctions:</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Mists and Fogs, Rocks and Crags, Gloom and Doom</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Border:</i> 2D10 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Gateway: </i>Roots of Yggdrasil</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hooks pointing towards Niffleheim</span></h3>
<ul>
<li>There are rumours that the TDV might have started in Niffleheim.</li>
<li>A message from Hela herself, requesting assistance.</li>
<li>Warlock remembers visiting this place, and consuming a large dragon to save himself. Perhaps that is related to the TDV?</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Action in Niffleheim</h3>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Garm is under attack by TDV infected fire demons. Will he be grateful for help, or just try to eat the heroes.</li>
<li>Hela is trying to seal off a portal to some other dimension, but is having some serious trouble. Destabilizing the entire World Tree level trouble.</li>
<li>Hela herself has become infected with the TDV. That is a bad scene.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>
Hooks out of Niffleheim</h3>
<ul>
<li>Hela is willing to help the heroes in some fashion, but only if they perform some task for her.</li>
<li>The Undead TDV-infected Dragon, below, has clearly been affected by the magic and/or technology of some other dimension or group. Who and what?</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Denizens</h3>
<table>
<tbody style="background-color: #a60b00; color: white;">
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Hela</b></span></td>
<td rowspan="6"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.cineheroes.net/chuploads/2011/08/hela-thor-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="vertical-align: text-top;"><img border="0" src="http://www.cineheroes.net/chuploads/2011/08/hela-thor-2.jpg" height="320" width="169" /></a></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Affiliations:</i> Large Scale 2D12</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Distinctions: </i>Proud, Cold Beauty</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Power Set:</i> <b>Goddess of Death</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Touch of Death D12, Levitation D8, Mystical Bolts D10, Teleportation D12, Illusions D10, Mystic Resistance D10, Psychic Resistance D10, Curses D12</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Area Attack. Add a D6 for each extra target and keep one extra effect die for each extra target.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: “I am a Goddess!”. Double or step up any Goddess of Death power for one roll. If that roll fails, step down that power trait. Activate an Opportunity to recover. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: Cloak of Night. Add a D6 or step up lowest die in the Doom Pool to step down all Goddess of Death powers. Activate an Opportunity to recover.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: Curse of the Goddess. Curses can only be used to create complications.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: Astral Travel. Teleportation can only be used to travel between dimensions. </span></li>
</ul>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Power Set: </i><b>Descendant of Frost Giants</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Godlike Stamina D12, Godlike Durability D12, Superhuman Strength D10</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Regeneration. Spend a Doom Pool die to recover physical stress. </span></li>
</ul>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Specialities: </i>Menace Master D10, Combat Expert D8, Mystic Master D10, Covert Expert D8, Cosmic Expert D8, Medical Expert D8</span></td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />
<table><tbody style="background-color: #a60b00; color: white;">
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Garm, Guardian of Hel</b></span></td>
<td rowspan="5"><a href="http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120809183924/marveldatabase/images/f/f7/Gramm_(Earth-616).PNG" imageanchor="1" style="vertical-align: text-top;"><img border="0" src="http://static1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120809183924/marveldatabase/images/f/f7/Gramm_(Earth-616).PNG" height="320" width="182" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Affiliations:</i> Large Scale 3D10</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Distinctions:</i> Massive, Vigilant, Ferocious</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Power Set:</i> <b>Hell Hound</b></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Godlike Strength D12, Superhuman Durability D10, Superhuman Stamina D10, Godlike Sense of Smell D12, Massive Jaws and Teeth D12</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Regeneration. Spend a Doom Pool die to remove physical stress. Spend a D10 doom die to add an Affiliation, up to 5D.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Multipower. Use two or more powers from the Hell Hound Powerset, step down each one step for each extra power added.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Berserk. Add a die from the Doom Pool for any number of actions. Step it up every time it is used until it is a D12. You may only have one die at a time from the Doom Pool.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: Chained. On a successful Action or Reaction Roll, instead, fail that Action or Reaction. Add two Effect Dice to the Doom Pool.</span></li>
</ul>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Specialities:</i> Menace Master D10, Psych Expert D8, Combat Expert D8</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table>
<tbody style="background-color: #a60b00; color: white;">
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Undead TDV Infected Dragon</b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Affiliations: </i>Large Scale 3D10</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Distinctions: </i>Mindless, Once Majestic, One with the Pandemonicon</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Power Set: </i><b>Undead Dragon</b></span><b> </b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Godlike </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Strength D12, Superhuman Durability D10, Godlike Stamina D12, Sulfurous Breath D10, Psychic Resistance D12</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Regeneration. Spend a Doom Pool die to remove physical stress. Spend a D10 doom die to add an Affiliation die, up to 5D10. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Area Attack. Add a D6 for each extra target and keep one extra effect die for each extra target.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: Huge. Turn an Undead Dragon power into a complication to add a D6 or step up the lowest die in the doom pool. Activate an Opportunity to recover.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: Stupid. Undead Dragon creates opportunities on 1's and 2's, although only 1's are removed from consideration in the roll.</span></li>
</ul>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Power Set: </i><b>Techno-Demonic Form</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stretching D8, Growth D6, Extruded Weaponry D8, Techno-Demonic Conversion D8</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Recharge. Use an Effect Die from an Action or Reaction involving electrical or similar energy sources, or attacks causing physical stress against living creatures, to heal physical stress as long as the Techno-Demonic Conversion power is in the pool. Either step-back or completely remove the physical stress depending on the relative size of the effect die and the stress die.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Infection . Any dimensional creature stressed out physically by use of Techno-Demonic Conversion steps up the lowest die in the Doom Pool. This creature loses all physical stress and gains the Techno-Demonic Infection power-set.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: No Normal Recovery. The infected cannot recover physical stress normally.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: Exhausted. Shutdown any Techno-Organic Form power to gain 1 PP. Recover with a transition scene or by activating an opportunity.</span></li>
</ul>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Specialities: </i>Menace Expert D8, Combat Expert D8</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Note: </i>This is the dragon that Warlock "ate" in New Mutants Special Edition #1, should it matter.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table>
<tbody style="background-color: #a60b00; color: white;">
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Undifferentiated Lost Souls</b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Affiliations:</i> Mob 7D6</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Distinctions:</i> Hopeless, Jealous of the Living, Amorphous</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Power Set:</i> Create Horror</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Intangibility D10, Terrify and Oppress D10, Mystic Resistance D8</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Ghostly Form: Spend a doom die to ignore physical stress, trauma complications, or other effects unless they are mystical in nature.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: Phantoms. Earn 1 doom die or step up the lowest to change Intangibility into a complication. Activate an Opportunity to eliminate the complication. </span></li>
</ul>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Specialities: </i>Menace Expert D8, Covert Master D10</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table>
<tbody style="background-color: #a60b00; color: white;">
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Hopeful Lost Souls</b></span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Affiliations:</i> Mob 5D6</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Distinctions:</i> Desperate for a Second Chance, Jealous of the Living, Amorphous</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Power Set:</i> Create Horror</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Intangibility D10, Terrify and Oppress D10, Mystic Resistance D8</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Ghostly Form: Spend a plot point to ignore physical stress, trauma complications, or other effects unless they are mystical in nature.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: Phantoms. Earn 1 PP and change Intangibility into a complication. Activate a Watcher Opportunity to recover, or recover in a transition scene. </span></li>
</ul>
</td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Specialities: </i>Menace Expert D8, Covert Master D10</span></td></tr>
<tr><td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Note: </i>These are some Lost Souls that the player playing Beta-Ray Bill paid XP to make into allies.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-75192652610542920132014-02-18T18:11:00.001-05:002014-07-14T12:02:31.385-04:00Dark Salvation - a What if? Event for Marvel Heroic RoleplayingThis is the Event I have been running for a while now. Thanks to <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/101390250276512279522" target="_blank">+Kel McKay</a>, <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/112095073655795578594" target="_blank">+Chris Sisson</a>, <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/113850571702998965194" target="_blank">+Mikael Andersson</a>, and <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/115650114040350551751" target="_blank">+Derek Smyk</a> for playing in it and giving such great feedback and fodder for the imagination. I'll be posting bits of it over time; the Event is still ongoing. <br />
<br />
This post is an overview of the thing. In the future, you should be able to click on the "Dark Salvation" tag and see all the posts related to it.<br />
<br />
Dark Salvation related posts can be found through the <a href="http://skalchemist.blogspot.ca/search/label/Dark%20Salvation">Dark Salvation</a> label. They are also itemized in a list at the bottom of this post.<br />
<br />
<b>Dark Salvation - a What if? Event for Marvel Heroic Roleplaying</b><br />
<div>
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_155154169"></span><span id="goog_155154170"></span>"In every life there are moments when possibilities crystallize - after which nothing can ever be the same again! This life, for example...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://newmutants.wdfiles.com/local--files/warlock/Warlock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://newmutants.wdfiles.com/local--files/warlock/Warlock.jpg" height="320" width="196" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;">"A lost child in a very strange place makes a choice, to feed itself. But what if that choice had had very different consequences? What if forces were conspiring already, to make use of the raw materials this lost child, and his angry father, might provide? Who can say? Who can know what might have happened? I can..."</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://static3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131004001933/marveldatabase/images/9/9c/Uatu_(Earth-616)_Mighty_Avengers_Vol_3_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://static3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131004001933/marveldatabase/images/9/9c/Uatu_(Earth-616)_Mighty_Avengers_Vol_3_2.jpg" height="320" width="195" /></a></div>
<span style="color: blue;">"for I am the Watcher!"</span><br />
<br />
Dark Salvation is an Event that focuses on the consequences of several things that were going on in the mid 1980's in Marvel comics, specifically:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://marvel.wikia.com/Warlock_(Technarch)_(Earth-616)">Warlock</a>'s visit to Asgard in New Mutant's Special Edition #1</li>
<li>the interaction of Magus and Limbo described around New Mutants #50</li>
<li>the invasion of Midgard by Surtur and the Fire Demons shown in Thor 351-353.</li>
</ul>
<br />
the basics of the plot could probably be moved to another time period, but the premise would probably not make as much sense outside the context of the three events mentioned above. Its an Event for people eager to delve into the more obscure and dark corners Marvel Universe, and at the same time to go all-out cosmic and Kirby-esque making connections between diverse dimensions, dimensional beings, space empires, evil masterminds, and whatever else might strike the players and Watcher's fancies.<br />
<br />
<b>Premise</b><br />
The premise is that the Techno Organic Virus that is part of Warlock (and his father Magus's) biology has somehow mutated into the Techno-Demonic Virus (TDV). This virus can infect dimensional beings of all varieties, but primarily demons, devils and all the other nasties that lurk in the dark corners of the Marvel Universe. This is it...<br />
<br />
<table>
<tbody style="background-color: #a60b00; color: white;">
<tr>
<td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Techno-Demonic Infection</b></span></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Distinctions: </i>Replace a Distinction on the creature with "One with the Pandemonicon".</span></td></tr>
<tr>
<td><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Power Set: </i> <b>Techno-Demonic Form</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stretching D8, Growth D6, Extruded Weaponry D8, Techno-Demonic Conversion D8</span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Recharge. Use an Effect Die from an Action or Reaction involving electrical or similar energy sources, or attacks causing physical stress against living creatures, to heal physical stress as long as the Techno-Demonic Conversion power is in the pool. Either step-back or completely remove the physical stress depending on the relative size of the effect die and the stress die.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">SFX: Infection. Any dimensional creature stressed out physically by use of Techno-Demonic Conversion steps up the lowest die in the Doom Pool. This creature loses all physical stress and gains the Techno-Demonic Infection power-set.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: No Normal Recovery. The infected cannot recover physical stress normally.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Limit: Exhausted. Shutdown any Techno-Organic Form power to gain 1 doom die/plot point. Recover with a transition scene or by activating an opportunity.</span></li>
</ul>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
Dimensional creatures infected with the TDV take on traits very similar to Warlock's Technarch species. They can shapeshift, stretch, grow, and shrink and have a similar, "Sienkiewiczian" quality. However, this is NOT the same virus; it has mutated, altered, or otherwise shifted in a fashion that makes all those infected with it part of some greater, mysterious force called the "Pandemonicon" (note the Distinction). Learning what the Pandemonicon is, and how to stop it, are the goals of playing the Event.<br />
<br />
<b>Characters</b><br />
<div>
The Event was originally played with the following as player characters:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Warlock</li>
<li>Beta-Ray Bill </li>
<li>Reed Richards (aka Mr. Fantastic) </li>
<li>Doctor Stephen Strange</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
It could probably be played with other characters except for Warlock, who is a necessity. However you will need at least one character to fill each of the roles of Richards and Strange. That is, you need a scientific and a mystical expert. You also need at least one character, preferably two, who can transport the group from dimension to dimension.<br />
<br />
<b>Plot</b><br />
The basic plot-line is that, after being introduced to the problem of the TDV, the heroes have to figure out how to stop it. To do this, they will wander across the Marvel Universe and it's many dimensions in three phases.<br />
<ol>
<li>Investigate, determine, and discover the origin of the infection, both scientific and mystical.</li>
<li>Invent, locate, and/or identify some counter-measure(s) to the infection, both technical and occult.</li>
<li>Implement this/these counter-measure(s).</li>
</ol>
<div>
There is no pre-determined plot beyond that, and there is no "secret" that the Watcher knows that the players are trying to find out about. The causes of the infection and the means to eliminate it are completely in the hands of the players, through the use of the TDV Objective Tracker, which will be described in another post very soon. There are no pre-set scenes, or particular events that are expected to happen. Rather, the Event is presented as a Toolkit for travel among the Dimensions and across the cosmos directed almost entirely by the players. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<b>Knowledge of the Marvel Universe</b><br />
<div>
While one or two players out of four with very little knowledge of the Marvel Universe would be just fine, this Event is really intended for players and Watcher who have a fairly deep knowledge of the cosmology and various dimensions of the Marvel Universe and its inhabitants. Both the players and the Watcher will be asked to come up with all kinds of creative stuff, so the more they know, the richer the library of detail they have to draw upon and the more they will be excited about the details others are bringing in. <br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<h3>
Dark Salvation related posts</h3>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://skalchemist.blogspot.ca/2014/02/dark-salvation-tdv-objective-tracker.html">The Techno-Demonic Virus Objective Tracer</a></li>
<li><a href="http://skalchemist.blogspot.ca/2014/02/dimensional-travel-in-marvel-heroic.html">Dimensional Travel in Marvel Heroic Roleplaying</a></li>
<li><a href="http://skalchemist.blogspot.ca/2014/02/dark-salvation-niffleheim.html">Dark Salvation: Niffleheim</a></li>
<li><a href="http://skalchemist.blogspot.ca/2014/07/dark-salvation-purple-dimension.html">Dark Salvation: the Purple Dimension</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<br />
<div>
</div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-79556944169955250502014-02-14T09:32:00.001-05:002023-05-26T11:33:19.069-04:00Weird Dust DevilsI wrote this probably 6 years ago, and it was playtested two or three times, and a lot of fun. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Weird Dust Devils</span></b><br />
<i>An explictly magical hack of Dust Devils.</i><br />
<i>Dust Devils was created by <a class="g-profile" href="https://plus.google.com/115076889633163096553" target="_blank">+Matt Snyder</a> is available through <a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/83481/Dust-Devils">DriveThruRPG</a>; you should really buy a copy, because it is fantastic.</i><br />
<br />
First of all, let’s be clear. The existing rules of Dust Devils are really all you need to bring a weird, supernatural, or magical feel to your game. The limits on the Dealer’s power in setting up situations, and the Narrator’s power in describing resolution, are really consensual limit, and thus as long as everyone at the table agrees that weird stuff is in bounds, it is.<br />
<br />
However, many people might wish to have a bit more system to help them integrate weirdness into a Dust Devil’s game. These rules are written to help those people out.<br />
<br />
<b>The Deck</b><br />
The first major change in Weird Dust Devils is the deck of cards used; WDD is played with a tarot deck, not a normal playing card deck. Don't tell me you are surprised this uses a tarot deck, what else would it use?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #990000;">Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died. - Steven Wright</span></blockquote>
<b>Characters</b><br />
As Dust Devils, except –<br />
<ul>
<li>The existing scores are associated with the Tarot suits in the following way: Heart (Cups), Guts (Wands), Eye (Coins) and Hand (Swords). </li>
<li>Characters have an extra Score called Power, and represents the characters overall familiarity with, capacity for, and resistance to, magical stuff. </li>
<li>Characters have 16 points to spend on scores, not 13. <i>NOTE: This isn’t quite right, because 13 is the perfect number for the other four scores. However, it seems to work in practice. Maybe just let people pick Power from 1-4, with some kind of trade off (ala the Devil)?</i></li>
<li>Any character with a non-Zero Power score must also have a Weird, a single phrase description of the way in which the character interacts with, uses, or avoids magic. Examples: "Voodoo Houngan", "Aztec Mummy", "Jesuit Exorcist", "God of War", etc.</li>
</ul>
<b>Conflict</b><br />
Conflict occurs as described in Ch 2 of Dust Devils Revenged, except as follows.<br />
<ol>
<li>Any player may choose to add in their Power to the two Scores selected by the Dealer as relevant to the current conflict, thus giving them more cards in the initial deal.</li>
<li>If a player uses their Power in a conflict, then they may only beat another hand with an Arcane hand. An Arcane hand is a hand where at least one of the five selected cards is a Trump. If they do not play an Arcane hand, then regardless of how good their hand is, they lose the conflict and their hand ranks lower than all other hands. In the event of two or more players in this situation, all are considered equal low hands. Note, if you draw a Straight Flush having used your Power, it's pretty clear evidence that the universe hates you.</li>
<li>If a player uses their Power in a conflict, then the Narrator MUST use that Character’s Weird in some way to describe the conflict’s resolution.</li>
<li>The harm caused by an Arcane hand is always distributed as desired by the player taking the Harm, regardless of the suits it contains.</li>
<li>Only harm from an Arcane hand can be applied to a character’s Power score.</li>
<li>The player who plays the LOWEST ranked card in their hand may, at their discretion, choose a Twist. They select from the available cards played in the conflict one card. The Narrator must use this card somehow in the narration of the conflict. It could be by using the name itself, some concept associated with the name, some element or aspect of the picture on the card, etc. There is no standard meaning to any card. Thus, the Twist is VERY dependent on the exact deck of cards you are using. Typically, this card will be a Trump, but in some decks all the cards may have evocative symbology that might be worth using.</li>
</ol>
<i>NOTE: The combination of points 1 and 4 means that, while using your Power will give you more cards, it also means that your opponent can spread the harm around more freely if they lose. This seems like a good trade off to me.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Hands</b><br />
<br />
<u>Definitions</u><br />
<ul>
<li>Trump – one of 21 cards, numbered 1 to 21, often called the Major Arcana in tarot decks designed for divinatory or occult purposes. </li>
<li>Non-Trumps – One of the 56 cards, ranked from Ace (A), then 2 to 10, then Page (P), Knight (N), Queen (Q), King (K), in four suits (Swords, Cups, Clubs, Coins), that are not Trumps.</li>
<li>Run - A set of three or more Trumps in numerical order; a set of two Trumps in order do NOT form a run. </li>
<li>Rank Order – All Trumps, rank above all non-Trumps. Among the Trumps, the higher number ranks above the lower. The suits of non-Trumps rank as follows, highest to lowest: Swords, Cups, Wands, Coins. Within a suit, non-Trumps are ordered, highest to lowest: A (high), K, Q, N, P, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A (low). </li>
</ul>
During conflict, the following are the possible hands that can be constructed, in order of precedence. The ones marked in blue are always Arcane hands; that is, they require Trumps. The ones marked in green are Mundane hands; that is, they cannot contain any Trumps. Other hands can be either Arcane or Mundane depending on the extra cards included in them. Note that hands of higher precedence can incorporate lower precedence hands; always consider a hand to be of the highest possible precedence it can be. This order of precedence is based on the probability of getting that hand with five randomly drawn cards.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US"><b>Hand</b></span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US"><b>Composition</b></span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US"><b>Tie-breaking
rule</b></span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US"><b>Harm</b></span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Ordered
Five</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Any
five Trumps in a run. </span></span></span>
</span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Highest
ranked Trump in hand.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">5</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Straight
Flush</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Any
five non-Trumps in sequence of rank order, all in the same suit.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Highest
ranked non-Trump in hand.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">5</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Four
of a Kind</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Any
four non-Trumps of the same rank, plus any other card.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Highest
ranked non-Trump of the four matched Plains.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">4</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Ordered
Four</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Any
four Trumps, in a run, plus any other card.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Highest
ranked Trump in the run.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">4</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Balanced
Three</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Any
three Trumps in a run, plus two Plains of the same rank.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Highest
ranked Trump in the run.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">4</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Full
House</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Any
three non-Trumps of the same rank, plus any two non-Trumps of a different
rank.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Highest
ranked non-Trump in the three matched non-Trumps.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">4</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Flush</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Any
five non-Trumps in the same suit.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Highest
ranked non-Trump in the hand, followed by second ranked, and so on,
with the Higher ranked Suit winning if all non-Trumps are of identical
rank.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">3</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Straight</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Any
five non-Trumps in sequence of rank order.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #38761d;">Highest
ranked non-Trump in the hand. Higher ranked Suit of highest ranked
non-Trump if they are identical.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">3</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Chaotic
Five</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Any
five Trumps that form no run.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Highest
ranked Trump in the hand.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">3</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Ordered
Three</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Any
three Trumps that form a run, plus two other cards.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">Highest
ranked Trump in the hand.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: blue;">2</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Three
of a Kind</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Any
three non-Trumps of the same rank, plus any two other cards.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Highest
ranked non-Trumps in the three of matched Plains.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">2</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Two
Pair</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Any
two non-Trumps of the same rank, plus any two non-Trumps of the same rank
different from the first set, plus any other card.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Highest
ranked non-Trump in the highest ranked pair, followed by highest
ranked non-Trump in the second pair, followed by the rank of the fifth
card.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">2</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #2b00fe;">Chaotic
Four</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #2b00fe;">Any
four Trumps that form no run, plus any one non-Trump.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #2b00fe;">Highest
ranked Trump.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #2b00fe;">2</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #2b00fe;">Chaotic
Three</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #2b00fe;">Any
three Trumps that form no run, plus any two non-Trumps.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #2b00fe;">Highest
ranked Trump.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US" style="color: #2b00fe;">1</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Pair</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Any
two non-Trumps of the same rank, plus three other cards.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Highest
ranked plain in the pair, followed by ranks of the remaining
cards.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">1</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">High
Card</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Any
hand that cannot be formed into a higher precedence hand.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">Highest
ranked card.</span></span></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 1); padding: 0cm;"><div align="JUSTIFY" style="orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span lang="en-US">1</span></span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Fool is always wild, and has no value of its own; it is neither Trump nor non-Trump in and of itself. The Wheel of Fortune is wild but can only count as another Trump, not as a non-Trump. In any case where a hand with a wild card is being compared to an otherwise identical hand without a wild card, the hand without the wild card wins. In any case where two hands are identical, and one has a Fool and the other a Wheel of Fortune, the hand with the Wheel of Fortune wins.<br />
<br />
<b>Tarot Decks</b><br />
Your basic <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rider-Waite_tarot_deck">Rider-Waite</a> deck from your local bookstore will do, but sort of sucks for a number of reasons for a Weird West theme: the imagery is off, the cards are difficult to read when in a hand, etc. You can probably do better if you are willing to shop around.<br />
The Tarot decks from Europe designed for actually playing games, instead of divination, would be very good for Weird Dust Devils. For example, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tarockkarten_in_der_Hand_eines_Spielers.jpg">this is a picture of some cards from an Austrian deck</a>. Also, I think any of these <a href="http://www.piatnik.com/produkte/index.php/68/at/de/spielekarten/standardkarten/tarock">Piatnik Tarock</a> decks would work. Be careful, though, some of these decks have different numbers of cards because they are designed for<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarot,_tarock_and_tarocchi_games"> very specific games</a>. The order of precedence, above, is based on a 78 card deck (21 Trumps, Fool, 56 non-Trump). You can certainly play with a different (usually smaller) deck with trumps, but this will make the order of precedence of the hands go squirrelly.<br />
The suits on Tarot decks can be all over the map, depending on exactly which deck you use. See <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suit_(cards)">Wikipedia's article on suits for more information</a>. Just make sure you clearly map your deck’s suits to the four Attributes (Heart, Guts, Hand, Eye) and you will be fine. <br />
There are some cool old school historical reproductions of decks from the 1800’s that seem to me to be a good match for a Weird West themed game, see…<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/spanish/">http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/spanish/</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/ancient-liguria-piedmont/">http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/ancient-liguria-piedmont/</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/tarot-of-the-master/">http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/tarot-of-the-master/</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
Here are some other decks that aren’t historical, but might be cool…<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/victoria-regina/">http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/victoria-regina/</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/victorian-romantic/">http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/victorian-romantic/</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/tarot-of-the-dead/">http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/tarot-of-the-dead/</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/santa-fe/">http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/santa-fe/</a></li>
</ul>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1111509327787820953.post-7127993073205401482014-02-13T13:27:00.002-05:002014-02-13T17:25:28.660-05:0030 years...<div style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-width: 99.9000015258789%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: inherit;">That's how long I've been playing role-playing games. 30 years. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181919;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181919;">I decided that there are probably a few things I have done over the years that others might find interesting. Also, I wouldn't mind just having a place to put everything. So, this is it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181919;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #181919;">We'll see how long it lasts...</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #181919; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
skalchemisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17724707843466498898noreply@blogger.com0