Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-30-2008, 02:23 PM   #11
blacksmith
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Default Re: Challenge: Non-US Patriotic Supers

I have long thought of having Britania, the female british water based super.
blacksmith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2008, 02:46 PM   #12
smurf
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Bristol
Default Re: Challenge: Non-US Patriotic Supers

I don't get it, surely a patriot believes in a stereotype of the nation. Patriots have to hold on to what is 'good' and brush the bad bits under the carpet to keep their idealism?

I thought the Super Britain would be counter posed to it's government on several issues at anytime during his/her life, coupled with a few jingoist turns.

In essence already done in a Dan Dare parody.

It's an impression that you want us to write a non cliched cliche?
smurf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2008, 05:15 PM   #13
Figleaf23
Banned
 
Figleaf23's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Default Re: Challenge: Non-US Patriotic Supers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shrale
...How about a combination hero who takes the best from two somewhat similar cultures that are in close proximity ?
Yes! Regional/multicultural heroes! Heroes based on Caribean archetypes active in England. A Japanese/Polynesian hero. A Mexican/American hero based in Chile. A Polish hero employed by the German police......
Figleaf23 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2008, 05:26 PM   #14
Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2
 
Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: The deep dark haunted woods
Default Re: Challenge: Non-US Patriotic Supers

You want to avoid stereotypes? I think you should avoid negative, external stereotypes. A national super-hero is a stereotype - a positive stereotype held by the people of the nation.

Exapmle: Captain America - the perfect stereotype that a mid-20th-century American held about their heroes. Blond, blue-eyed, square-jawed, athletic, intelligent, commanding. In fact, getting away from that stereotype was a major problem - many Golden-Age and early Silver-Age superteams, with all those muscular blond males, looked like recruiting posters for the Waffen SS!

What do the people of the nation consider heroic? A French National Hero would embody all the things that the French consider best in themselves - elegant, refined, courageous, skilled. A Latin American National Hero would be the embodiment of a hidalgo's honor and machismo. A Hero from one of the less-well-off parts of the world might be aggressive and forceful. An Australian National Hero would be more likely to be clever and skilled with weapons. And we see in Anime the type of National Hero that Japan would produce - strong, skilled, with an even blend of ancient strengths and modern firepower, with a powerful Sense of Duty.

Find what the Nationm thinks is best about themselves, and the Hero will emerge, the embodiment of those traits.
Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2008, 07:02 PM   #15
Bruno
 
Bruno's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Canada
Default Re: Challenge: Non-US Patriotic Supers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2
Find what the Nationm thinks is best about themselves, and the Hero will emerge, the embodiment of those traits.
Ow. Being a nation with a very fuzzy national identity, and which defines itself by not being various other nations really hurts when you try this exercise.

I'm a Canadian. Tomorrow is our national holiday. Yet here I am, trying not to descend into self-parody. It's tough when your nation doesn't have a strong self image.
__________________
All about Size Modifier; Unified Hit Location Table
A Wiki for my F2F Group
A neglected GURPS blog
Bruno is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2008, 07:20 PM   #16
Gold & Appel Inc
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: One Mile Up
Default Re: Challenge: Non-US Patriotic Supers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
Ow. Being a nation with a very fuzzy national identity, and which defines itself by not being various other nations really hurts when you try this exercise.

I'm a Canadian. Tomorrow is our national holiday. Yet here I am, trying not to descend into self-parody. It's tough when your nation doesn't have a strong self image.
You can relax now. ;)
Gold & Appel Inc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2008, 07:46 PM   #17
RyanW
 
RyanW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Southeast NC
Default Re: Challenge: Non-US Patriotic Supers

Canada is a tough one. My first instinct would be maybe a First Nations sort of theme, perhaps someone of mixed heritage that has unlocked the ancient powers of their ancestors. I think an animal theme to those powers would work well, being especially careful to avoid making him the bastard child of Apache Chief and Manimal.
__________________
RyanW
- Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats.
RyanW is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2008, 08:07 PM   #18
Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2
 
Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: The deep dark haunted woods
Default Re: Challenge: Non-US Patriotic Supers

Quote:
Originally Posted by RyanW
Canada is a tough one. My first instinct would be maybe a First Nations sort of theme, perhaps someone of mixed heritage that has unlocked the ancient powers of their ancestors. I think an animal theme to those powers would work well, being especially careful to avoid making him the bastard child of Apache Chief and Manimal.
Supernatural? Why not self-achievement? That's part of Canada. Or scientific origins. Alien origin is good, too (Canada is as much an immigrant nation as America).

And I always distrusted this "discovering ancient powers" schtick. If there were ancient races and civilizations with all these nifty supernatural powers, then why did they all die out?!? A culture that can create superbeings can certainly survive an invasion of unhygenic Europeans.
Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2008, 08:15 PM   #19
RyanW
 
RyanW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Southeast NC
Default Re: Challenge: Non-US Patriotic Supers

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mysterious Dark Lord v3.2
And I always distrusted this "discovering ancient powers" schtick. If there were ancient races and civilizations with all these nifty supernatural powers, then why did they all die out?!? A culture that can create superbeings can certainly survive an invasion of unhygenic Europeans.
A nation that can create one superbeing in seven generations, maybe not. :)

On the other hand, there is the possibility that his father is First Nation, and his mother's family comes from Ireland or Wales or Salisbury Plain (or whatever mystic place you care to name). The two created a synergy and reawakened both lost traditions.

That would also bring in the idea of a "nation of many nations."
__________________
RyanW
- Actually one normal sized guy in three tiny trenchcoats.

Last edited by RyanW; 06-30-2008 at 08:35 PM.
RyanW is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2008, 08:19 PM   #20
jason taylor
 
jason taylor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Default Re: Challenge: Non-US Patriotic Supers

A Japanese Hero would be a glorified Samurai.

Britain already has one. Arthur's ghost comes back to life regularly to fight evil.

France's hero would be Charlemagne. He also comes back to life to fight injustice.

In fact practically every two-bit warlord in Europe seems to do that. So we have fewer problems.



We already have Thor for Norway.

Russia's Superhero is an enlarged peasant. He drinks vodka from man-sized mugs, has a long beard, has a soft spot for children, is fanatical about Holy Mother Russia, and throws ice at evil villains. I can see him now.

Switzerland's superhero is a bit harder. Superbanker?

Germany is a bit difficult. For some reason I can't think about Germany without thinking about Ruitania, Heidi, or Nazis. The last wouldn't do and the first two are awkward. Perhaps it can be Frederick Barborossa.

Italy. The notion of an Italian superhero just seems funny for some reason. But if he is a Roman that might do.

Israel-Israel's Superhero is a scholarly rabbi until he changes his costume. He is a supersoldier built by a secret project of the Mossad. He devotes his life to making the desert bloom and rescueing Jews from all over the world. Oh, finish it off, the thing writes itself.

Poland's superhero is a Knight that fell at Vienna but was caught in a time warp and transformed. He rides about on his horse with his lance rescueing the innocent.

Now many of those are stereotypes. But I found the exercise amusing. And the idea of using dead warlords that according to legend come back to life is a common one and a good source.

Heres one that might do. Suppose every nation had a guardian spirit or fairy? Or simply go through the saints list and have the National Superhero be that nation's Saint.
__________________
"The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison
jason taylor is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
supers

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:45 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.