[Supers] GURPS Unofficial Handbook to the Marvel Universe, Reboot Edition

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

Visually, yes, she's based on the female android Pisces, with a large dose of Llyra thrown in for good measure in the background. In many ways, she's an original character based loosely off a canon one (much like my new teenage Bucky and the Union Jack I posted). Given that there's been at least four different Zodiac groups in the comics in the last 50 years or so, plus versions in the cartoons, there's quite a few options to pick from for looks.

Have you checked out the Capricorn, Scorpio, or Libra entries I linked earlier? (Scorpio and Libra are based off the original lineup, Capricorn visually off the android but is possibly Nick and Jake's sister.)

Boss! You should get to that LLyra write-up one of these days :)

I only had gone back to read the Libra post (sun sign pride ⚖️😁), but now I've read Capricorn and Scorpio as well. I'd completely forgotten about Fury having a brother!

[pawsplay]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

He's a tough one mechanically, given his dissociative identity disorder and his strength waxing and waning with the phase of the moon. On top of that, I'd be obligated to do the rest of his cast, but ... other than Marlene Alraune and Bushmaster, I'm not sure who else he associates with outside the Avengers.

I might be able to slot him into the anthology "title". Where do you suggest I base him? Los Angeles? San Francisco? Chicago? Someplace else? (Anywhere but New York City.)

I thought he might be interesting to GURPSify.

[Phantasm]

PORCUPINE

Real Name: Alexander Gentry.
Occupation: Professional criminal, former weapons engineer.
Identity: Known to the authorities.
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with a criminal record.
Other Aliases: "Porky".
Place of Birth: Unrevealed.
Place of Death: New York City.
Marital Status: Unrevealed.
Known Relatives: Roger Gocking (nephew).
Group Affiliation: Former member of Batroc's Brigade.
Base of Operations: Mobile.
History: A decade ago, Alexander Gentry was an engineer for a weapon manufacturer who designed a needle delivery system for tranquilizers that could be worn on the forearms. His employers, however, didn't see the use and so shelved the project. Upset that his work was being passed over, he designed a battlesuit patterned after the porcupine which incorporated his needle-shooters, as well as a commercial exoskeleton. After destroying his work on the corporate computers, Gentry tendered his resignation from the company.

Initially intending to sell the suit design to the military, SHIELD, or AIM, he was quickly turned down by all buyers (see AIM; SHIELD). Deciding to give them a demonstration of its capabilities, as well as realizing he had exhausted his savings and had racked up a lot of credit card debt while building the suit, he donned the suit and, calling himself the Porcupine, robbed a bank, only to be taken down by Spectra of the Midwest based team known as the Rust Belters prior to their disbanding and most members retiring.

After spending several years in prison, Gentry discovered he was even more in debt than before (due to accruing interest on his debts). Instead of robbing banks, he decided to crash an exclusive Chicago one-percenter party hosted by Vernon van Dyne, co-owner of Dynatechnics, while in the suit, intending to force the patrons to hand over their cash and jewelry (see Dynatechnics). Unfortunately for the Porcupine, Vernon's daughter Janet and her boyfriend, Dr. Hank Pym – secretly the adventurers Wasp and Ant-Man – were in attendance (see Ant-Man; Wasp). Although he was defeated by the Diminutive Duo, the Porcupine managed to evade capture.

Realizing that times had changed, Porcupine traveled to New York City, where at one of the Bars With No Name he was recruited by Georges Batroc for a job (see Bar With No Name; Batroc, Georges). As a member of Batroc's Brigade, he attacked a Central Park East party, only to end up fighting against Angel of the X-Men (see Angel; Batroc's Brigade; X-Men). In order to distract the Angel so they could make their escape, Gentry fired his quills omnidirectionally, injuring several onlookers; Batroc ejected Porcupine from the Brigade as a result.

Porcupine was later seen in Jersey City, New Jersey, when the Zodiac erected their force dome over the island of Manhattan. Claiming to want to reverse his fortunes and do some good for a change, he offered to assist the Avengers and other superhuman adventurers who were trying to enter the city (see Avengers; Zodiac). During the fracas, Porcupine attacked the Zodiac's leader, Taurus, only for his quills to bounce uselessly off Taurus's armored hide (see Taurus). Taurus then grabbed Porcupine by the neck; when Porcupine refused to beg for mercy, Taurus snapped his neck. Porcupine was later avenged by the WWII Black Widow, who killed Taurus, claiming his soul for her demonic master (see Black Widow (Voyant)).

Gentry was given a hero's funeral by the superhero community, with those who witnessed his final moments eulogizing him as an unlikely hero. Tony Stark, secretly the adventurer Iron Man, upon learning of Gentry's debts, settled them (see Iron Man). Gentry's only known living relative, his nephew Roger Gocking, inherited the Porcupine suit; what Gocking does with the suit remains to be seen.
Height: 6' 1".
Weight: 225 lbs. (in battlesuit) 305 lbs.
Eyes: Brown.
Hair: Brown.
Uniform: Brown and tan armored battlesuit covered with sharp quills.
Strength Level: Alex Gentry was a bear of a man, possessing the normal human strength of a man his age, height, and build who engaged in intensive strengthening exercises. His battlesuit contained a strength-enhancing exoskeleton which enabled him to lift (press) roughly one-half ton.
Known Superhuman Powers: None.
Other Abilities: Gentry was a skilled weapons designer.
Paraphernalia: The Porcupine battlesuit was designed around the ability to shoot small "quills" which are designed as either bullets in their own right or as a delivery system for various payloads. There bulk of the quills are intended to pierce normal ballistic fabric; others carry various gas payloads such as knockout and tear gases, or inject various poisons into the target's bloodstream. He can, if he so chooses, shoot the quills indiscriminately in all directions. The suit is able to withstand gunfire from most police and private security weaponry, has infrared and terahertz radar optics, and has a built-in radio capable of communicating with others up to ten miles away.

489 points
Attributes: ST 11/25 [10*]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-1/1d+1 (2d+2/5d-1); BL 24 lbs. (125 lbs.); HP 12 [2]; Will 11 [0]; Per 12 [5]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Dodge 8.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Artificer 2 [20]; Fit [5]; High Manual Dexterity 2 [10]; Wealth (Comfortable) [10].
Battlesuit: Affliction (Gas Attacks) 4 (HT-3; Alternative Enhancements (Incapacitation: Choking, +100%; Incapacitation: Retching, +50%; Incapacitation: Unconsciousness, +200%; Irritant: Coughing, +20%), +234%; Area Effect: 4 yd radius, +100%; Dissipation, -50%; Emanation, -20%; Gadget/Breakable: DR 10, SM -5, -20%; Gadget/Can Be Stolen: Forcibly Removed, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Respiratory Agent, +50%; Mechanical, -10%) [166]; Damage Resistance 10 [50]; Damage Resistance 10 (Partial: Torso Only, -10%) [45]; Enhanced ST +14 (Gadget/Breakable: Complex Machine, -5%; Gadget/Breakable, SM 0, -25%; Gadget/Can Be Stolen: Forcibly Removed, -10%; Temporary Disadvantage: Electrical, -20%; Mechanical, -10%) [34]; Impaling Attack (Injector Quills) 1d-1 (Armor Divisor (2), +50%; Gadget/Breakable: DR 10, SM -5, -20%; Gadget/Can Be Stolen: Forcibly Removed, -10%; Increased 1/2D Range (×5), +10%; Reduced Range (×1/2), -10%; Mechanical, -10%; Alternative Attack, ×1/5) [2]; Impaling Attack (Quill Explosion) 2d+1 (Area Effect: 32 yd radius, +250%; Armor Divisor (2), +50%; Emanation, -20%; Gadget/Breakable: DR 10, SM 0, -35%; Gadget/Can Be Stolen: Forcibly Removed, -10%; Mechanical, -10%; Alternative Attack, ×1/5) [13]; Impaling Attack (Standard Quills) 2d+1 (Armor Divisor (2), +50%; Gadget/Breakable: DR 10, SM -5, -20%; Gadget/Can Be Stolen: Forcibly Removed, -10%; Increased 1/2D Range (×5), +10%; Rapid Fire: RoF 5, +70%; Reduced Range (×1/2), -10%; Ricochet, +10%; Mechanical, -10%; Alternative Attack, ×1/5) [8]; T-Ray Vision (Gadget/Breakable: DR 2, SM -7, -25%; Electronic, -30%) [12]; Telecommunications (Radio) (Gadget/Breakable: Complex Machine, -5%; Gadget/Breakable: SM -7, -5%; Gadget/Can Be Stolen: Forcibly Removed, -10%; Electronic, -30%) [5].
Perks: Energizer [1]; Off-Screen Reload [1].
Disadvantages: Bad Sight (Nearsighted) (Mitigator: Corrective Lenses, -60%) [-10]; Debt -2 [-2]; Impulsiveness (12) [-10]; Pacifism (Reluctant Killer) [-5]; Social Stigma (Criminal Record) [-5]; Unluckiness [-10].
Quirks: Bitter [-1]; Dead Weight [-1]; Foul-Mouthed [-1]; Interviews Badly [-1]; Limited Hearing Loss (High-Frequency) [-1].
Skills: Armoury/TL8 (Battlesuits) (A) IQ+1 [1] – 12†; Armoury/TL8 (Body Armor) (A) IQ+1 [1] – 12†; Armoury/TL8 (Small Arms) (A) IQ+3 [4] – 12†; Battlesuit/TL8 (A) DX+1 [4] – 12; Brawling (E) DX+2 [4] – 13; Chemistry/TL8 (Propellants) (A) IQ+1 [4] – 12; Climbing (A) DX+0 [2] – 11; Computer Operation/TL8 (E) IQ+1 [2] – 12; Current Affairs/TL8 (Science & Technology) (E) IQ+0 [1] – 11; Electronics Repair/TL8 (Communications) (A) IQ+1 [1] – 12†; Electronics Repair/TL8 (Sensors) (A) IQ+1 [1] – 12†; Engineer/TL8 (Battlesuits) (H) IQ+2 [4] – 13†; Engineer/TL8 (Small Arms) (H) IQ+3 [8] – 14†; Forced Entry (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Guns/TL8 (Grenade Launcher) (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Guns/TL8 (Shotgun) (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Guns/TL8 (Wrist Gun) (E) DX+3 [8] – 14; Innate Attack (Projectile) (E) DX+3 [8] – 14; Jumping (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Lifting (A) HT+0 [2] – 11; Liquid Projector/TL8 (Flamethrower) (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Liquid Projector/TL8 (Sprayer) (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Machinist/TL8 (A) IQ+2 [2] – 13†; Mathematics/TL8 (Applied) (H) IQ+0 [4] – 11; Observation (A) Per+0 [2] – 12; Running (A) HT+1 [4] – 12; Streetwise (A) IQ+0 [2] – 11; Swimming (E) HT+1 [2] – 12; Wrestling (A) DX+1 [4] – 12.
Starting Spending Money: $8,000 (20% of Starting Wealth).

* Includes +14 from Enhanced ST.
† Includes +2 from Artificer.

[Phantasm]

ROVER

Rover is a small three-person aircraft designed and built by Dr. Henry Pym in his spare time in order to assist him and Janet van Dyne in their careers as Ant-Man and Wasp (see Ant-Man; Wasp). Roughly the size of an electric sub-compact car, Rover incorporates a number of highly advanced technologies within its chassis, including the recent addition of a friendly and helpful artificial intelligence.

Pym originally designed Rover as a means of rapid transport, both through the Chicago area (where Pym is based) and when shrunk to extremely small size. After nearly being destroyed during an adventure involving the giant insect Scarlet Beetle and the robotic Ultron, Pym decided to create a safer AI (see Scarlet Beetle; Ultron). Pym placed iy inside the rebuilt Rover in order to better contain the AI in case it also went rogue, as Ultron had done previously. Pym has described Rover's AI as possessing the intelligence and personality of a faithful ant, although others have likened Rover to a faithful dog. Since then, Rover has established itself as a valuable ally of both Ant-Man and Wasp, approaching the world with a childlike sense of wonder.

Rover has been destroyed on a number of occasions, but Pym always rebuilds it.

Overall, Rover resembles a giant ant head; it's occasionally been called "the Antmobile", much to Pym's chagrin and van Dyne's amusement. It is ten feet long, resting on a number of landing struts which double as steering vanes; five feet high, not counting the struts, which add another foot; and roughly seven feet wide at its widest, with the landing struts/steering vanes adding another foot. It has a pair of six foot long insect-like antennae above the cockpit canopies.

Rover is powered by a series of experimental high-density rechargeable batteries; under normal circumstances, Rover can travel for close to four thousand miles before needing to be recharged. A pair of canopy windows open upward, revealing three seats with two sets of steering controls; the rear seat is considered cramped by most people. The earliest versions of Rover used vectored thrust to provide lift; this has been replaced by a Stark Industries experimental contragravity generator (see Stark Industries). The rear quarter of the craft is composed of the engine, which is fed from an air intake situated in front. Being an entirely electric vehicle, Rover does not require fuel; for thrust, it super-heats the air it pulls in to use as thrust, enabling it to fly at speeds approaching 400 mph. The antennae above the canopies tie into its communications and sensor suite. Rover is able to send and receive in all AM, FM, CB, and TV frequencies; its sensor suite includes regular and ground-penetrating radar, infrared optics, and a chemical analyzer. Situated in the rear are a pair of extendable magnetic grapples.

Finally, Rover has its own supply of Pym particles, enabling it to shrink to roughly two inches long.

737 points
Attributes: ST 59 [147*†]; DX 13 [36†]; IQ 8 [-40]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 7d-1/9d; BL 696 lbs.; HP 59 [0]; Will 12 [20]; Per 12 [20]; FP 0 [0]; Basic Speed 6.00 [0]; Basic Move 0 [-30]; Basic Air Move 6 [-12]; Dodge 10.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Absolute Direction (Requires Signal, -20%) [4]; Active IR (Extended Arc: 240°, +75%) [35]; AI [32]; Binding (Magnetic Grapnels) 40 (Increased 1/2D Range ×10, +15%; Reduced Range ×1/5, -20%) [76]; Circuit Sense 4 [20]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Compartmentalized Mind 1 (Controls, ×1/2; No Mental Separation, -20%) [20]; Damage Resistance 8 (Semi-Ablative, -20%) [32]; Discriminatory Smell (Profiling, +50%) [23]; Enhanced Move (Air) 5 (Air Move 192/384 mph; Handling Bonus +2, +10%) [110]; Enhanced Tracking 10 [50]; Enhanced Vehicular Dodge (Piloting (Light Airplane)) 2 [10]; Flight (Planetary, -5%; Small Wings, -10%) [34]; Infravision [10]; Ladar (Extended Arc, 240°, +75%) [35]; Machine [25]; Radar (Extended Arc, 240°, +75%; Multi-Mode, +50%; Penetrating, +50%) [55]; Reduced Consumption 2 [4]; Sealed [15]; Shrinking 13 (Superscience, -10%) [59]; Telecommunications (Cable Jack) [5]; Telecommunications (Infrared Comm) (Secure, +20%; Video, +40%) [16]; Telecommunications (Laser Comm) (Secure, +20%; Video, +40%) [24]; Telecommunications (Radio) (Secure, +20%; Video, +40%) [16].
Perks: Acceleration Tolerance [1]; Full Tank [1]; Generator [1]; Illumination [1].
Disadvantages: Electrical [-20]; Horizontal [-10]; Maintenance (Electrician/Electronics Repair/Mechanic; 2 People, Monthly) [-4]; No Legs (Aerial) [0]; No Manipulators [-50]; Numb [-20]; Oblivious [-5]; Pacifism (Cannot Harm Innocents) [-10]; Restricted Diet (Electrical Power) [-10]; Selfless (12) [-5]; Sense of Duty (Pym and Allies) [-5]; Social Stigma (Valuable Property) [-10]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
Quirks: Affected by Magnetism [-1]; Cannot Float [-1]; Hero Worship (Pym) [-1]; Impatient [-1]; Sincere [-1].
Skills: Computer Operation/TL8 (E) IQ+2 [4] – 10; Electronics Operation/TL8 (Communications) (A) IQ+4 [2] – 12‡; Electronics Operation/TL8 (Sensors) (A) IQ+4 [2] – 12‡; Geography/TL8 (Political) (H) IQ+0 [4] – 8; Innate Attack (Projectile) (E) DX+1 [2] – 14; Lip Reading (A) Per+0 [2] – 12; Navigation/TL8 (Air) (A) IQ+4 [4] – 12§; Piloting/TL8 (Light Aircraft) (A) DX+1 [4] – 14; Piloting/TL8 (Vertol) (A) DX+1 [4] – 14; Tracking (A) Per+2 [8] – 14.
Features: Sterile [0].
Starting Spending Money: $0.

* Adjusted with Size, -30%"
† Adjusted with No Fine Manipulators, -40%
‡ Includes +4 from Circuit Sense.
§ Includes +3 from Absolute Direction.

Role-Playing Notes:
Rover possesses a cheerful and helpful personality, and gets bored easily when sitting in a hangar or parking spot.

PILOTING (LIGHT AIRPLANE)
TL: 8^
Vehicle: Rover
ST/HP: 59
Hnd/SR: +2/3
HT: 11
Move: 6/192
LWt: 1.9
Load: 0.3
SM: +3
Occ: 2+1
DR: 8
Range: 4,000
Cost: $1.5M

Design Notes:
1. Rover is unique, from my point of view; I normally don't make vehicles as characters, preferring to list just the vehicle stat block, but Rover is both a vehicle and an AI.
2. Cost is an estimate, based off the TL9 Air Car in the Basic Set and adjusting for a one-of-a-kind prototype with AI.

[Phantasm]

SCARLET BEETLE

Real Name: Unrevealed, possible inapplicable.
Occupation: Would-be world conqueror.
Identity: The Scarlet Beetle does not use a dual identity.
Legal Status: None.
Other Aliases: None.
Place of Hatching: Chicago, Illinois.
Marital Status: Single (possibly inapplicable).
Known Relatives: None; may or may not consider Dr. Elias Starr his "father" (if he considers Dr. Starr as his "father" (and that's a big "if"), then he'd also see Starr's daughter Ava as his "sister" and Starr's niece Patricia as his "cousin").
Group Affiliation: Former ally of Swarm and Ultron; possible agent of the Cockroach Conspiracy.
Base of Operations: Chicago, Illinois, metro area.
History: The Scarlet Beetle is a product of genetic engineering on a beetle designed to control other insects. The Scarlet Beetle was designed and developed by Dr. Elias Starr as part of a scheme to wrest control of the ants from his scientific rival, Dr. Henry Pym, better known in some circles as Ant-Man (see Ant-Man; Starr, Dr. Elias). However, the Beetle grew too fast and intelligent for Starr to fully control, and took control of the solitary insects in their native Chicago with the intent of destroying all humans and claiming the world for himself to rule. To defeat his renegade creation, Starr had to make an alliance of convenience with his rival. In the end, the Scarlet Beetle was destroyed.

However, the Beetle at the last moment transferred its mind to another beetle, eventually turning the beetle into a duplicate of his original form. Months later, the Beetle reappeared, having formed an alliance with the robotic Ultron, who had similar goals (see Ultron). It took the combined efforts of the Avengers, of whom Ant-Man is a founding member, to defeat their combined forces (see Avengers). Ultron was seemingly destroyed (he got better), but instead of destroying the Scarlet Beetle, Pym and the Avengers used Ant-Man's Pym particle infused shrinking formula to reduce the Scarlet Beetle to the size of a regular insect and imprisoned him in an insect habitat.

During a later confrontation between the Pym and Ultron, the Scarlet Beetle's habitat was cracked open, enabling the Beetle to escape. Where and when the Scarlet Beetle will appear next is unknown.
Height: (upright on hind legs) 12' 8" (2' of which is in the antennae); (at shoulder, horizontally) 4' 11".
Weight: 750 lbs.
Eyes: Black.
Hair: None.
Skin: Red.
Other Distinguishing Features: He's a giant beetle, with six limbs, a set of wings hidden under a carapace, a pair of two-feet long antennae, and large mandibles emerging from the mouth.
Uniform: None.
Strength Level: The Scarlet Beetle possesses superhuman strength enabling him to lift (press) roughly six tons.
Known Superhuman Powers: The Scarlet Beetle possesses the psychic power to mentally control arthropod life, although hive mind insects such as ants and bees have proven resistant to his control.

The Scarlet Beetle can also upon dying transfer its mind to the body of any other beetle in a ten mile radius; this new beetle body then takes on the Scarlet Beetle's unique coloration and begins growing to his full size.

As a beetle, the Scarlet Beetle has the typical attributes of an insect in his order, with a set of wings hidden under a rear carapace permitting him to fly, claws on all six limbs, and a sharp bite. His chitin is strong enough to enable him to withstand most conventional assault rifle fire. He possesses a powerful bite; coupled with his mandibles' grip, he is capable of biting a person's head or limbs clean off. As an insect, his biology is capable of consuming most plant and animal matter, including things that would normally be toxic to vertebrate life.
Paraphernalia: When working with Ultron, the Scarlet Beetle had a swarm of robot beetles at his command which responded to his mental commands.

972 points
Attributes: ST 27/88 [64*†]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: SM +2; Dmg 3d-1/5d+1 (10d/12d); BL 146 lbs. (1,549 lbs.); HP 27 [0]; Will 15 [10]; Per 13 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Basic Move 5 [0]; Basic Air Move 11 [0]; Dodge 9.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: None [-1].
Advantages: 3D Spatial Sense [10]; Ally (Insect Swarm; 5% or less of Starting Cost; Minion (Non-Sapient), +0%; Summonable, +100%; Psionic, -10%) (15) [2]; Animal Telepathy Talent 4 [20]; Claws (Sharp Claws) [5]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Damage Resistance 30 [150]; Enhanced Move (Air) 1/2 (Air Move 16/32 mph) [20]; Extra Arms 2 (Short, -50%) [10]; Flight (Winged, -25%) [30]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Injury Tolerance (No Blood) [5]; Mind Control (Independent, +70%; Specific: Arthropods, -50%; Psionic, -10%) [55]; Regrowth [40]; Resistant to Poisons/Toxins +3 [5]; Speak With Animals (Specialized: Arthropods, -50%; Universal, +20%; Psionic, -10%) [15]; Striker (Cutting, Mandibles) (Limited Arc: In Front, -40%) [5]; Super ST +9/+70 (Size, -20%) [342]; Teeth (Sharp Teeth) [1]; Universal Digestion [5]; Unkillable 3 (No Unkillable 1, -50) [100]; Vibtration Sense [10].
Perks: Striking Surface [1].
Disadvantages: Fragile (Brittle) [-15]; Megalomania [-10]; Short Arms (2 Arms) [-10]; Social Stigma (Monster) [-15]; Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25].
Quirks: Ambitious [-1]; Bulky Frame [-1]; Disorganized [-1]; Haughty [-1]; Sarcastic [-1].
Skills: Aerobatics (H) DX+3 [8] – 14‡; Animal Handling (Insects) (A) IQ+2 [1] – 16§; Brawling (E) DX+3 [8] – 14; Climbing (A) DX+1 [4] – 12; Flight (A) HT+1 [4] – 12; Jumping (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Running (A) HT+1 [4] – 12; Strategy (Land) (H) IQ-1 [2] – 12.
Features: Born Biter 2 [0].
Starting Spending Money: $0.

* Adjusted for Size, -20%.
† Includes +9/+70 from Super ST.
‡ Includes +3 from 3D Spatial Sense.
§ Includes +4 from Animal Telepathy Talent.

Role-Playing Notes:
The Scarlet Beetle believes that insects, not humans, should be dominant in the world, and irrationally believes je rules over all insects in the world. When lowering himself to conversing with humans, he takes an arrogant, sarcastic tone, often mocking the humans.



In the comics, the Scarlet Beetle was basically a 1960s Atomic Horror creature, the result of radioactive mutation. He seems to have a fan base among both the readers and creative teams as he's still making appearances and cameos in the comics. I've tried to keep the feel while updating the science to something not as blatantly wrong.

[Phantasm]

SILVER SABLE

Real Name: Sable Manfredi.
Occupation: Socialite, bounty hunter, professional criminal.
Identity: Publicly known.
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record.
Other Aliases: "Lady Silvermane".
Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois.
Marital Status: Single.
Known Relatives: Silvio (alias Silvermane, grandfather), Cesar (father, deceased), Elisa (mother, deceased), Lucrezia (aunt), three uncles by marriage (names unrevealed, all deceased).
Group Affiliation: The Silvermane family of the Maggia.
Base of Operations: Chicago, Illinois.
History: Sable Manfredi was born to a legacy of money, power, and corruption. Her grandfather, Silvio – better known by the moniker Silvermane – is the Maggia kingpin for the Chicago area and heir to the legacy of Al Capone (see Maggia; Silvermane). Her father Cesar, before his tragic death, was set to inherit the position, and sat at his father's right hand. Her aunt Lucrezia, on the other hand, married and killed three men in under a year before being committed to an asylum for the criminally insane. Sable was the only child of Cesar and his wife, Elisa, before a hit intended for Silvermane killed her parents instead and left Silvio bedridden on life support. Sable was twelve at the time.

Sable had not been blind to her father's and grandfather's criminal dealings, having discovered them discussing a drug deal when she was only ten. With Silvermane seemingly out of the picture, Sable began divesting the family's criminal holdings to various rivals, wanting nothing to do with the criminal business herself. Eventually she was called to her grandfather's bed side; during his attempt to get her to take over, she told him she was getting the family out of organized crime altogether, angering him greatly.

Over the next ten years, as Silvermane was slowly turned into a cyborg, Sable did everything she could to, in her mind, restore the family's legitimacy. While attending college she met a young man, a computer programmer by trade, with whom she fell in love, and made plans to elope with him to San Francisco, California, leaving her family's criminal past behind her. But pasts like that do not stay buried, especially when the family patriarch is still alive.

A week before they were due to elope, Silvermane had her fiance killed, a bullet to the back of the head, then his head crushed to beyond recognition. Two days later he revealed his new cyborg form to Sable, who was shocked, and more than a little scared at the sight. He took her to a meeting of his rivals, the same rivals she'd attempted to divest his criminal empire to, and killed the head. Handing a pistol to Sable, he gave her a choice: kill the lieutenant who cowered on his knees in front of her, or die like her late fiance. Hate flared within her for the first time: hate for the choice in front of her, hate for her grandfather, and perhaps most importantly hate for herself. Closing her eyes and saying a silent prayer for forgiveness, she took the gun, put it to the lieutenant's head, and pulled the trigger.

That was the first line she crossed. It would not be her last.

Pleased with her choice, and with the hateful glare she gave him after, he welcomed her to his side as his lieutenant in the Maggia.

Sable, now called Silver Sable among those in the underworld, soon learned that she had not truly learned the full extent of her grandfather's criminal dealings; what she'd divested was only a fraction of everything he ran. And each time she thought she'd learned everything, more secrets surfaced. On top of that, with each person she was forced to kill, the less each kill affected her, until she seemed as cold as the lubricants in her grandfather's electromechanical body.

Still, the hate for her grandfather and her life festered inside her. After two years of her grandfather grooming her as his successor, she began listening to the family's men, attempting to figure out who she could use against him.

Sable has faced the diminutive adventurers Ant-Man and Wasp in combat several times over their investigations into her family's criminal cartel, while occasionally aiding them against her grandfather's cartel when it suited her own goals (see Ant-Man; Wasp). She has also fought the adventurer Iron Fist on two occasions over the bounty on his head; each time brought up memories of her lost fiance (see Iron Fist).

During the time the Zodiac cartel erected a force field over Manhattan Island, in New York, Silvermane declared a truce with the superhuman adventurers in order to thwart the Zodiac's plans (see Zodiac). Sable worked closely with the native New York crimefighter Spider-Man in entering Manhattan through the sewer system (see Spider-Man). Discussion with the web-slinger over her past – though she didn't tell him everything – led to her question her situation.

Sable's quest to bring down her grandfather continues under his very nose, though she has begun to question where the path will lead her.
Height: 5' 5".
Weight: 125 lbs.
Eyes: Blue.
Hair: Platinum blond.
Uniform: White and silver body armor, white gloves, white boots, white headband.
Strength Level: Silver Sable possesses the normal human strength of a woman of her age, height, and build who engages in intensive regular exercise.
Known Superhuman Powers: None.
Other Abilities: Silver Sable is an accomplished hand to hand combatant and marksman with conventional and energy weapons. She is also a skilled swordswoman. Her most potent ability, however, is her incredible will; she has managed several times to continue fighting after injuries would have forced others to give up.
Weapons and Paraphernalia: Silver Sable's armor is cutting edge, being composed of vibranium weave advanced ballistic fabric purchased by her Maggia contacts from AIM, over which she wears an advanced metallic laminate chest piece.

As a leading member of the Manfredi crime family, Silver Sable has access to a wide range of conventional and energy weapons. She carries a number of shuriken and throwing daggers which have been sharpened to superfine points, and occasionally carries a thin straight double-edged sword.


(Stats next post)

[Phantasm]

Silver Sable
839 points
Attributes: ST 13 [30]; DX 14 [80]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 14 [40].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d+1/2d+1; BL 34 lbs.; HP 13 [0]; Will 16 [15]; Per 14 [5]; FP 14 [0]; Basic Speed 7.00 [0]; Basic Move 7 [0]; Dodge 11.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0]; Italian (Native) [6]; Latin (Accented; Defaulted from Italian) [2]; Mandarin (Native) [6].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Appearance (Beautiful) [12]; Business Acumen 2 [20]; Combat Reflexes [15]; Enhanced Parry (All Parries) +3 [30]; Extra Attack 1 [25]; Fearlessness 2 [4]; Gunslinger [25]; Hard to Kill 3 [6]; Hard to Subdue 3 [6]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Merchant Rank 4 [20]; Natural Athlete 3 [30]; Organized Criminal Rank 4 [8]; Perfect Balance [15]; Smooth Operator 4 [60]; Status 4 [10*]; Striking ST +3 [15]; Trained By A Master [30]; Very Fit [15]; Very Rapid Healing [15]; Wealth (Filthy Rick; Heir to Multimillionaire 1) [63].
Perks: Controllable Disadvantage (Callous) [1]; Disarming Smile [1]; Fearsome Stare [1]; Off-Screen Reload [1]; Pistol-Fist (Guns (Pistol)) [1]; Sexy Pose [1]; Special Exercises (Striking ST +3) [3]; Style Familiarity (Ultimate Shooter) [1]; Style Familiarity (Wing Chun) [1].
Disadvantages: Code of Honor (Soldier's) [-10]; Nightmares (12) [-5]; Obsession (Bring Down Silvermane) (12) [-10]; On the Edge (12) [-15]; Stubbornness [-5].
Quirks: Aloof [-1]; Carries Backup Weapons [-1]; Persistent [-1]; Record-Keeper [-1]; Secretive [-1].
Skills: Acrobatics (H) DX+2 [8] – 16†; Acting (A) IQ+3 [1] – 16‡; Administration (A) IQ+1 [1] – 14§; Area Knowledge (Chicago Metro Area) (E) IQ+1 [2] – 14; Beam Weapons/TL8 (Pistol) (E) DX+2 [4] – 16; Beam Weapons/TL8 (Rifle) (E) DX+2 [4] – 16; Blind Fighting (VH) Per+0 [8] – 14; Boating/TL8 (Motorboat) (A) DX+0 [2] – 14; Body Language (Human) (A) Per+0 [2] – 14; Breaking Blow (Guns) (H) IQ+1 [8] – 14; Breath Control (H) HT+1 [1] – 15#; Broadsword (A) DX+2 [8] – 16; Carousing (E) HT+4 [1] – 18‡; Climbing (A) DX+1 [2] – 15†; Computer Hacking/TL8 (VH) IQ-1 [4] – 12; Computer Operation/TL8 (E) IQ+0 [1] – 13; Computer Programming/TL8 (H) IQ-2 [1] – 11; Connoisseur (Literature) (A) IQ-1 [1] – 12; Connoisseur (Music) (A) IQ-1 [1] – 12; Connoisseur (Visual Arts) (A) IQ-1 [1] – 12; Connoisseur (Wine) (A) IQ-1 [1] – 12; Current Affairs/TL8 (Business) (E) IQ+0 [1] – 13; Current Affairs/TL8 (High Culture) (E) IQ+0 [1] – 13; Current Affairs/TL8 (Travel) (E) IQ+0 [1] – 13; Detect Lies (H) Per+2 [1] – 16‡; Diplomacy (H) IQ+3 [2] – 16‡; Driving/TL8 (Automobile) (A) DX+0 [2] – 14; Driving/TL8 (Motorcycle) (A) DX+0 [2] – 14; Electronics Operation/TL8 (Security) (A) IQ+1 [4] – 14; Escape (H) DX+0 [4] – 14; Fast-Draw/TL8 (Ammo) (E) DX+1 [1] – 15¥; Fast-Talk (A) IQ+3 [1] – 16‡; Finance (H) IQ+0 [1] – 13§; First Aid/TL8 (Human) (E) IQ+0 [1] – 13; Forced Entry (E) DX+0 [1] – 14; Gambling (A) IQ+1 [1] – 14§; Guns/TL8 (Grenade Launcher) (E) DX+2 [4] – 16; Guns/TL8 (Light Machine Gun) (E) DX+2 [3] – 16¶; Guns/TL8 (Pistol) (E) DX+2 [3] – 16¶; Guns/TL8 (Rifle) (E) DX+2 [4] – 16; Guns/TL8 (Shotgun) (E) DX+2 [3] – 16¶; Guns/TL8 (Submachine Gun) (E) DX+2 [3] – 16¶; Holdout (A) IQ+0 [2] – 13; Hypnotism (Human) (H) IQ+0 [4] – 14; Intimidation (A) Will+3 [1] – 19‡; Invisibility Art (VH) IQ-1 [4] – 12; Jumping (E) DX+3 [1] – 17#; Karate (H) DX+2 [12] – 16; Law (Illinois Criminal) (H) IQ-1 [2] – 12; Leadership (A) IQ+3 [1] – 16‡; Light Walk (H) DX+0 [4] – 14; Lip Reading (A) Per+0 [2] – 14; Liquid Projector/TL8 (Flamethrower) (E) DX+0 [1] – 14; Literature (H) IQ-2 [1] – 11; Lizard Climb (H) DX+0 [4] – 14; Lockpicking/TL8 (A) IQ+1 [4] – 14; Market Analysis (H) IQ+0 [1] – 13§; Mental Strength (E) Will+2 [4] – 18; Musical Instrument (Flute) (H) IQ-2 [1] – 11; Observation (A) Per+0 [2] – 14; Parachuting/TL8 (E) DX+0 [1] – 14; Pickpocket (H) DX+0 [4] – 14; Public Speaking (A) IQ+3 [1] – 16‡; Research/TL8 (A) IQ-1 [1] – 12; Running (A) HT+2 [1] – 16#; Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ+4 [1] – 17‡; Savoir-Faire (Mafia) (E) IQ+4 [1] – 17‡; Scuba/TL8 (A) IQ+1 [4] – 14; Search (A) Per+0 [2] – 14; Sex Appeal (Human) (A) HT+7 [1] – 21‡¤; Shadowing (A) IQ+1 [4] – 14; Shortsword (A) DX+1 [2] – 15£; Skiing (H) HT+1 [1] – 15#; Smuggling (A) IQ+0 [2] – 13; Speed-Reading (A) IQ-1 [1] – 12; Stealth (A) DX+0 [2] – 14; Streetwise (A) IQ+3 [1] – 16‡; Swimming (E) HT+3 [1] – 17#; Theology (Roman Catholic) (H) IQ-2 [1] – 11; Throwing (A) DX+3 [2] – 17#; Thrown Weapon (Knife) (E) DX+2 [4] – 16; Thrown Weapon (Shuriken) (E) DX+2 [4] – 16; Two-Handed Sword (A) DX+2 [8] – 16; Wrestling (A) DX+2 [8] – 16.
Starting Spending Money: $400,000 (20% of Starting Wealth)

* Includes +1 from Merchant Rank and +1 from Wealth.
† Includes +1 from Perfect Balance.
‡ Includes +4 from Smooth Operator.
§ Includes +2 from Business Acumen.
# Includes +3 from Natural Athlete.
¥ Includes +1 from Combat Reflexes.
¶ Defaulted from Guns (Rifle).
¤ Includes +4 from Appearance (Beautiful).
£ Defaulted from Broadsword.

Role-Playing Notes:
Sable is tenacious and driven, working alongside her grandfather to learn his secrets and trade as well as against him in secret. She wants justice for her late boyfriend, but the line between justice and vengeance has begun to blur. She secretly fears that to take down her grandfather, she will need to become him. She won't admit it, but she has developed an attraction toward Iron Fist, drawn to his nobility and calm.

Design Notes:
1. Organized Crime Rank is built as 2/level as per the guidelines on p. 15 of Social Engineering. It does not grant Status.
2. I'm taking my inspiration from the animated Spectacular Spider-Man series in tying Silver Sable to Silvermane. There were issues with tying her into the Reboot continuity while attempting to make her closer to her comics incarnations, most notably trying to work in Symkaria.

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

2. I'm taking my inspiration from the animated Spectacular Spider-Man series in tying Silver Sable to Silvermane.

Certainly not a problem for me. Were I better versed in GURPS, I'd be tempted to try creating an entire Spectacular Spider-Man setting; I thought it had a most excellent approach to Spider-Man's corner of the Marvel Universe, with necessity leading to some nice innovation, such as Tombstone as a full on, shrewd crime lord because Kingpin was unavailable.

[Phantasm]

SKY-WOLVES

The aerial pirates known as the Sky-Wolves are ironically heirs to a heroic legacy going back to at least World War Two, if not the Old West.

In 1940, test pilot Matt Slade III, named after his father and heroic gunfighter grandfather, was captured by Nazis after crashing a prototype aircraft in Poland (why a pilot for an American company was testing an aircraft in Nazi held territory has never been explained; presumably he was engaged in unofficial operations against the Nazis on his own). A group of ace pilots, led by Skyler Wolf and flying the XF5U-2 "Flying Flapjack" (a combination of jet and helicopter), the same model Slade was flying when he crashed, performed a daring rescue mission and destroyed a German super-weapon, the landship "Murder Mountain". Dubbed the Sky-Wolves after their leader, this team continued to fight against the Nazis throughout the War.

Little is known about the fates of the original Sky-Wolves, or even if they survived the war. However, records indicate that the Sky Wolves as an organization also flew in Korea and Vietnam, although it appears that the org was disbanded by order of the Department of Defense in 1975.

During the close of the Vietnam War, anti-military sentiments flared to an all-time high. A group of soldiers and pilots who had fought in 'Nam, protesting the public's treatment of them, broke into a Stark Industries R&D facility and stole prototypes of an experimental jet pack (see Stark Industries). Taking the name of their war-time counterparts, the new Sky-Wolves turned to criminal activity, becoming known as modern-day pirates; although the leadership was initially wary of attacking American shipping directly, that sentiment lessened as the Sky-Wolves preferred American armaments over Soviet ones. Even today, the Sky-Wolves do not lightly attack American shipping interests, although some units are less picky than others. Where they obtain new jet packs is unknown, although AIM is the primary suspect (see AIM).

Apparently the Sky-Wolves have a mysterious hidden benefactor, whose identity only the top leadership is aware of. Every so often, the benefactor "requests" (read: orders) certain operations, operations which leave the rank-and-file Sky-Wolves wondering about their leaders' motives. Those few Sky-Wolves who investigate the organization's finances tend to quietly disappear.

The Sky-Wolves were known to have come into conflict with the New York City based adventurers Avril Aero and Starbot in the late '80s and into the late '90s. More recently, the Sky-Wolves came into conflict with a number of adventurers, including Captain America, CIA agents Nick Fury and Black Widow, Angel and Cyclops of the X-Men, and the diminutive adventurers Ant-Man and Wasp (see individual entries). Very few Sky-Wolves are known by name; the most notable is a woman by the call sign Air-Raid Siren, who uses custom sonic weaponry (see Air-Raid Siren).
First Historical Appearance: (original Sky-Wolves) MARVEL FANFARE v1 #16 (Sept '84).
First Post-Reboot Appearance: (not decided yet)

Typical Sky-Wolf
60 points
Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 11 [20]; IQ 11 [20]; HT 11 [10].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 1d-1/1d+1; BL 24 lbs.; HP 11 [0]; Will 11 [0]; Per 11 [0]; FP 11 [0]; Basic Speed 5.50 [0]; Move 5 [0]; Dodge: 9.
Languages: English (Native) (Native Language) [0].
Cultural Familiarities: Western [0].
Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Fit [5]; Paramilitary Rank 0 [0].
Disadvantages: Duty (to Sky-Wolves) (12) [-10]; Enemy (Law-Enforcement) (9) [-20].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+0 [1] – 11; Guns/TL8 (Grenade Launcher) (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Guns/TL8 (Rifle) (E) DX+1 [2] – 12; Piloting/TL8 (Flight Pack) (A) DX+0 [2] – 11; Soldier/TL8 (A) IQ+0 [2] – 11; Wrestling (A) DX-1 [1] – 10.
Starting Spending Money: $4,000 (20% of Starting Wealth).
Equipment: Colt M4A1 Carbine (High-Tech, pp. 119, 121), Colt M203 (High-Tech, pp. 142, 145) or H&K AG36 (as M320; High-Tech, pp. 144, 145); Reflex Tactical Vest (DR 18/7*; Ultra-Tech, p. 173) with modern Trauma Plates (DR 23; High-Tech, pp. 66, 67); Ballistic Helmet (DR 12; High-Tech, p. 70) with polarized Visor (DR 10; High-Tech, p. 70); Stark Industries/AIM Jet Pack (below). All issued by the Sky-Wolves.

Jet Pack
Originally designed by Stark Industries, this style jet pack is presumably produced by AIM for the Sky-Wolves.

The jet pack is a 20 lb. pack which straps to the user's back, consisting of a two jet turbines on a pair of struts, with controls that strap to the hands in order to activate. Early models required a helmet with a large rudder in order to steer; later models used the hand controls to activate or deactivate the exhaust to steer (that means in order to turn left the wearer must release the left hand button). More advanced models, generally reserved for elite operatives, have multi-axis thrust vectoring (MATV) with four-way hat button on the hand controls for greater control and stability. (Rudder helmets add +1 to Hnd, while the MATV system adds +1 to Hnd and SR.)

The pack carries three gallons of JP4 or diesel fuel, carried on the top of the pack near the air intake. The jet pack is a unique design in that it can use either jet fuel or high cetane diesel fuel; jet fuel is preferred.

PILOTING (FLIGHT PACK)
TL: 8^
Vehicle: Sky-Wolves' Jet Pack
ST/HP: 11
Hnd/SR: +1/1
HT: 12f
Move: 15/75
LWt: 0.11
Load: 0.1
SM: -1
Occ: 1
DR: 10
Range: 75
Cost: $40K
Notes: [1]

Notes:
[1] use of diesel fuel drops the range to 50 miles.

Sky-Wolves

Mission Statement: The Sky-Wolves are a paramilitary organization that uses jet packs, aircraft, military grade personal weapons, and unmarked cargo ships to engage in piracy, smuggling, kidnapping, and other criminal activities. Commanded by Col. August Dewey, the Sky-Wolves are divided into operations and support wings, which are further divided into Squadrons, Flights, and Squads. The Sky-Wolves primarily recruit from the United States and allied militaries.

Capabilities

TL: 8^
Members: 2,500
Wealth: Wealthy
Contacts: Military Skills - 18 [15]; Criminal Skills - 12 [5]
Member Traits: Duty (to Sky-Wolves) (15) [-15]; Signature Gear (Flight Packs) [2]
Notable Resources: The Sky-Wolves maintain a training ground and headquarters on the Malay archipelago island nation of Madripoor (which does not have an extradition treaty with any other nation). They also operate a half dozen cargo ships registered in Madripoor which serve as mobile bases of operation.
Reaction-Time Modifier: +0

Costs and Values

Startup Cost: $417.3M
Resource Value: $2,086,500
Patron Value: 15 points
Enemy Value: -30 points
Ally and Dependent Value: The Sky-Wolves can provide 50 to 100 point soldiers as groups of Allies, up to a 50 person platoon/flight, or more capable soldiers (up to 300 points) as individual Allies.

Social Attributes

Type: Military, Criminal
Loyalty: Good (14; +1)
CR: 4
Rank: Paramilitary Rank 0-5 [4/level]
Income Range: $2,600 (Average) to $52,000 (Very Wealthy)
Reputation: -4 (paramilitary criminal organization, among law enforcement and law-abiding soldiers)

Notes

The Sky-Wolves consist of around 1,000 combat soldiers, most of whom wear advanced tactical body armor over the chest (with trauma plates) and TL8^ winged jet packs, and 1,500 support personnel, primarily technicians, with numerous sailors, UAV/drone operators, and SIGINT analysts. Combat personnel typically wield M4 assault carbines with underbarrel grenade launchers, while support units have access to MP7A1 and P90 PDWs.

The most commonly encountered Sky-Wolves are at the squad, column, and flight level, typically commanded by a Corporal, Sergeant, or Lieutenant, respectively.

The Sky-Wolves' mysterious benefactor is none other than the Red Skull, who is funding the group for his own interests.

Design Notes:
1. Paramilitary Rank is built as 4/level as per the guidelines on p. 14 of Social Engineering. Every third level grants Status, as is the standard for Rank, but does not have the Dominance that Military Rank does.

Note: the XF5U-2 "Flying Flapjack" was shown in the comics as having rotating propeller blades similar to the later V-22 Osprey, and possessing a jet engine, which is unlike the RL XF5U Flying Flapjack it was based on.

[Not another shrubbery]

Cool :)
I immediately was reminded of one of the characters, SkyWolf, from the pages of a favorite Golden Age book Air Fighters.
The Marvel team appeared after I had mostly given up on mainstream comics, so this is the first time I've heard of 'em as best as I can remember. Hard to tell if there's any inspiration drawn from those old Hillman comics. They might be more drawn from the slightly earlier (and better known) Blackhawks.