SuperOz

The problem is that there wasn't an option to look at David's entire run (which I don't break up mentally as they did on the list), as I consider the Grey Hulk story to have run from McFarlane through Purves and into Dale Keown's stint on the book. That's something like forty issues, I think, and just on that arc alone.

Simonson's run was very self-contained and the last 20 issues really detracted when it wasn't Walt drawing in his style, which was perfectly suited for Thor.


S.

A prequel or sequel....oy.

And you want to try and possibly remake one of the best-regarded films of its era by a director who was stylish and competent and coming off the back of Alien?

Regardless of what you personally think of the film, at least have some consideration for who made it and the general regard in which the work is held. It's generally considered to be a very good movie. By a lot of people. If that's the case, and you have these people with apparently no concept on how to approach it, then I really don't want to see this get off the ground.


S.

I'll remember that, Toast! Woot, 2000 posts!

And I've been 'Super Powered' for a bit....no idea what comes next.


S.

Oh lordy. Don't say that! I'll be here for years!


S.

Wow, I never ever thought this would happen.

I've been watching my post count creep up the last month or two and thought 'no way, I've written or responded that many times?' I must like this game or something!

Anyways, back to my regularly scheduled typing.



Go me!



S.

I'm going to paraphrase myself from the thread on delaying i20....

I'd vote for a delay, but this isn't really so much of an issue about pets or whatever, but it's the thrust of why the Incarnate System exists in the first place.

To me, pets that have powers are interchangeable things with animations that should be customisable.

Honestly, if the point of the Incarnate System is to achieve 'godly levels of power' or however the game or you as the player want to explain it, there's an expected level of customisation or signature ability display (and really, didn't this start with people saying 'hey, Statesman has that cool lightning power, how can we do that?') then why can't you as the player have some say in just how that manifests?

Currently as it stands, the way you spend your shards to get the Alpha power of your choice (and to be fair, you have a good range of choices) has a desired level of flexibility. You want Damage/Defense, you can specialise in that. Great.

It's fine that this continues into the Lore slot, but why tie a system that's obstensibly about customisation and mixing these Incarnate Abilities to something that is extremely visually specific? I don't want one of the biggest threats to Primal Earth's pets. That's like saying 'hey, well those Nazis over there? We need to stop them, so we'll use Nazis too.' If we're drawing on the power of the Well and that implies some degree of ability to use it, then let us have the choice of what we draw upon. I could care less about the mechanical/gameplay effects...they can be the same, and we know this from seeing the Mastermind pets.

Don't throw away customisation this late in the game to feed the beast that is the Praetorian storyline. There's stuff beyond Praetoria; let's have a stepping stone on that road not be so closely tied to it rather than be tied to the greater story, that of the road of the Incarnate.



S.

I had to go with the early Grey Hulk stuff by David and McFarlane. Both were making careers on a book that John Byrne had left hanging when he went to go reboot Superman, and I lost respect for Byrne as a result, because he's never really stuck with a project since.

But Peter David went way back to the roots of the character, made the Grey Hulk utterly unforgettable, and set up the resolution of his identities brilliantly (and I'd argue created the Hulk we have now that genuinely is integrated with Banner). McFarlane really got to soar on this book, and the Wolverine issue is a standout.

I dearly, dearly love the Simonson run on Thor, but it was far too short. It was and remains for me the single best take on Thor ever, because Simonson wasn't afraid to embrace Thor's mythology, very much as Greg Pak did with Hercules not so long ago. And his final line on the book ('So say we all!') is one of the most majestic and heroic in comics. And he did the daring, which was to do all splash pages in the final climactic battle with the World Serpent and use the original mythology brilliantly.

Almost a tie, but not.


S.

I'd vote for a delay, but this isn't really so much of an issue about pets or whatever, but it's the thrust of why the Incarnate System exists in the first place.

To me, pets that have powers are interchangeable things with animations that should be customisable.

Honestly, if the point of the Incarnate System is to achieve 'godly levels of power' or however the game or you as the player want to explain it, there's an expected level of customisation or signature ability display (and really, didn't this start with people saying 'hey, Statesman has that cool lightning power, how can we do that?') then why can't you as the player have some say in just how that manifests?

Currently as it stands, the way you spend your shards to get the Alpha power of your choice (and to be fair, you have a good range of choices) has a desired level of flexibility. You want Damage/Defense, you can specialise in that. Great.

It's fine that this continues into the Lore slot, but why tie a system that's obstensibly about customisation and mixing these Incarnate Abilities to something that is extremely visually specific? I don't want one of the biggest threats to Primal Earth's pets. That's like saying 'hey, well those Nazis over there? We need to stop them, so we'll use Nazis too.' If we're drawing on the power of the Well and that implies some degree of ability to use it, then let us have the choice of what we draw upon. I could care less about the mechanical/gameplay effects...they can be the same, and we know this from seeing the Mastermind pets.

Don't throw away customisation this late in the game to feed the beast that is the Praetorian storyline. There's stuff beyond Praetoria; let's have a stepping stone on that road not be so closely tied to it rather than be tied to the greater story, that of the road of the Incarnate.



S.

Man of La Munchies? That's your next CoH or written character, right? Reality chef contestant by day, human cuisinart by night?


S.

Peter Weller is officially awesome.


S.

I don't have a problem necessarily with Jones' approach (and for what it's worth, I agree with Troy's assessment that anyone willing to get out to help others is a superhero), but he does have a family to consider, and like it or not, he's the representative of this community.

He's also the singly most prepared to go out there and deal with a physical conflict I've seen (he's wearing trauma plates, some degree of armor and has his taser baton), but some thought should go into dealing with any organised crime, hero or not.

It's clear there's a difference in what some heroes think should be done and how they go about that; if Jones can do so (alone or with others) in a fashion that isn't going to get them killed or in serious jeapordy, then all power to him. But this is then an argument over organisation and seriously committing to this as a job and as a lifestyle.

This could be the point where the social activists and the crimefighters diverge and you see more concrete and genuine organisations spring up...which in my opinion the crimefighters should do particularly.



S.

Currently playing: Something that I have a lot of mixed feelings about; a homebrew Storyteller system set in of all things The Land as featured in the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. My GM is a diehard fan of the novels but thinks he'd like to see what other people than Covenant could do in the same setting. The problem so far is that he's telling the story pretty much verbatim, making us feel pretty redundant. Time will tell.

Currently Running: A Battlestar Galactica game (albeit with a background that's been altered to just put some doubts in the minds of the players) using the Decipher Games Star Trek system, and a Doctor Who game using the RPG of the same name. It's on hiatus 'between systems' and I have high hopes for it yet.

Owned: Wow...let me try....Marvel Super Heroes, Aberrant, DC Roleplaying Game (West End and Mayfair), Star Wars (West End and WotC), Judge Dredd (Games Workshop and WotC), Lord of the Rings, Conan, Battlestar Galactica, D&D 3.5/4.0....and others.


S.

Pa Kent.

He has the 'average Joe' thing down pat.


S.

Find out where everyone is going; MMO communities can travel, or you get the people who say goodbye to their beloved and never play another MMO.

Me personally, I'd go with a community I already knew to another game unless they too were quitting in which case I'd take a sabbatical (I've done this three times so far; once with WoW (never went back), once with Galaxies (never went back) and once here) and see if I didn't have other things taking my interests.

But I'd definitely want to see what the team here did next and do my best to stay in touch with my friends that I've made here.



S.

Oh no.

I am sad beyond words....I grew up with 'The Brig'. And Nick Courtney was a wonderful man at his convention appearances...if you ever get to watch the DVD of The Three Doctors, do watch the convention appearance on it. He's so funny and charming.

All the Whovians here salute you, Brigadier. Five rounds rapid.



S.

Got to pick up #2 today, Troy....an intriguing read, and I have a couple of theories as to whom the Dusk Devil might be...the one-page inserts again were fun....I did love Oktoberfist and the mention of Planeteam.

I have a friend who suffers from clinicial schizophrenia and so I find myself relating to TG from a very different perspective than you may've intended, but I am also fascinated by the phenomenon of the Real World Hero movement.

Did you have an opportunity to meet with a group of them or just individuals? I keep thinking of the practical concerns of such things, and I wonder how the authorities will react when the day comes a very wealthy person with resources decides this is something he wants to do.....


S.

Thanks for the replies, folks!

I was rather thinking that some upgrades to the 'torn' costume options we already have would be very nice....being one of those crazy roleplayer types, I like doing the costumes to represent the biggest of the baddest fights where you're all tore up afterwards.

I love the Doc Savage option and always thought that look was cool, if not outrightly iconic. Ah well...maybe if I just mention Noble Savage and Sexy Jay in my post, they may smile kindly on my (and now I see others) request.....


S.