[SUPERS] My Unofficial Handbook to the DC Universe

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

One question: Is Stephanie Brown (Spoiler, the 4th Robin, the pre-"New 52" Batgirl) considered alive or dead at this time? If alive, will you be making stats for her? (The only hero she can rely on for aid is Robin, and he can count on her assistance as well).

As you can see, I do have spoiler listed as an Ally and Dependent of Robin. As for the Titans, I'll have to brush up a bit--I never read much titans or teen titans. They do exist in my continuity, though, in some form.

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

Also, Nightwing can count on assistance from any incarnation of the Titans*, but especially from Donna Troy (Troia, the original Wonder Girl), Wally West (Flash, the former Kid Flash), Koriand'r (Starfire), and Bette Kane (Flamebird); the first two have been counted as "best friends" of Dick's since he became Robin, Kori is a former lover of his from their New Teen Titans/New Titans days, and Flamebird got into the business to be near Dick when he was Robin (actually, that was a retcon due to Bette Kane originally being Betty Kane/Bat-Girl). These should count as Allies as well, and an Ally Group for whichever incarnation of the Titans is active.



* Titans incarnations: original Teen Titans, second Teen Titans, Titans West, New Teen Titans, New Titans, the time-traveling Team Titans, Arsenal's government-sponsored Titans, Atom's Teen Titans, the Titans, and the California-based Teen Titans. I have the feeling this is the era of either the Titans (original 5 plus some proteges) or the Cali-based Teen Titans.

Actually, can you recommend a couple of good trade paperbacks I can check out to get a handle on this corner of the U?

This goes for everyone. I'm well acquainted with the Bat-family (Bronze Age to present), Starman (the James Robinson books), Birds of Prey, Secret Six, Green Arrow, everything Vertigo (including Alan Moore's Swampthing and everything John Constantine), most of the major cross-over events after Infinity Crisis, and the whole of the Timmverse animated series (Batman the Animated Series, The Adventures of Batman and Robin, The Adventures of Superman, The Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, Young Justice).

That leaves big holes in my knowledge that I'd be happy to fill with recommendations from my peers in Geekdom.

[Culture20]

If you'd like to watch something, the Teen Titans anime series isn't bad. Don't watch the followup series, "Teen Titans Go"; it's terrible and intended as parody.

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by Culture20

If you'd like to watch something, the Teen Titans anime series isn't bad. Don't watch the followup series, "Teen Titans Go"; it's terrible and intended as parody.

Thanks, I will.

I'm also particularly weak on the Lanterns. I'm just not that interested--I skipped the Black Lantern saga, FREX. But they definitely have an important place in the DCU so I'd like to do them justice for this project.

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by Culture20

If you'd like to watch something, the Teen Titans anime series isn't bad. Don't watch the followup series, "Teen Titans Go"; it's terrible and intended as parody.

The Teen Titans series is 5/7 of the original New Teen Titans lineup, from the '80s: Robin/Dick Grayson (in Tim Drake's outfit), Starfire/Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran (sans the "bubble bod", as Terra once put it), Cyborg/Vic Stone, Raven, Changeling/Garfield Logan (called by his earlier/present name Beast Boy in the TV series; never understood why he went back to it, having hit 20 when he did so in the comics). The TV series is lacking Wonder Girl/Donna Troy and Kid Flash/Wally West; I'm not sure if they had cameos from later members Jericho/Joseph Wilson, Kole Weathers, or Lilith Clay (later called Omen in the comics; she was actually something of a returning character from the '70s Teen Titans lineup).

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by aesir23

Actually, can you recommend a couple of good trade paperbacks I can check out to get a handle on this corner of the U?

Two TPBs of interest: New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract, from the early '80s, and New Titans: Titans Hunt, from the early '90s. The two tales basically frame the classic New Teen Titans/New Titans era. Also, any TPB which has Baron Blood or Trigon is notable, though I don't have titles off-hand.

The Judas Contract is notable for including the issues of Dick Grayson transitioning from Robin to Nightwing. It's also notable for being the first appearance of Jericho, Slade's son Joseph, as well as detailing Terra's betrayal and death..

Note: the title "Titans Hunt" was used for storylines in two other Titans incarnations as well. I'd also recommend those as well; both were good reads. I just can't remember which incarnations they were used in. At least one of those incarnations featured the original Teen Titans in their grown-up identities (the story led into the series simply called The Titans, as I recall).

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by aesir23

Thanks, I will.

I'm also particularly weak on the Lanterns. I'm just not that interested--I skipped the Black Lantern saga, FREX. But they definitely have an important place in the DCU so I'd like to do them justice for this project.

I'd recommend watching the Green Lantern cartoon on Netflix. It only aired one season, but it's a good showing of the Green, Blue, and Red Lanterns, and the Star Sapphires.

It focuses on Hal Jordan, but includes Killowog, Guy Gardner, Sinestro, Ch'p, and Ganthet. It only mentions John Stewart (the GL from the animated JLA/JLU), and neglects Kyle Rayner completely. Sadly, it doesn't include the Sinestro Corps; I had a feeling they were saving that for a second season, should it have been picked up.


As for TPBs, I recommend The Sinestro Corps War, Agent Orange, and Rise of the Red Lanterns. Also, the climax of the Black Lantern Saga, as it showcases all of the Lantern Corps (and some interesting deputizing ... try and guess which rings Scarecrow and Lex Luthor end up with).

There was also a thread for the Green Lanterns a few months back; wouldn't be a bad place to start a search.

[chandley]

Originally Posted by aesir23

Not really--it's very different from Gizmo. In fact it pretty much does exactly what you want him to have fast gadgeteer for.

He can have up to 36 points in any Advantages built with gadget limitations at a time. He can use those as much and as often as he wants. When he wants to change those points around he needs to spend a day in the bat-cave tinkering.

So you could have him walking around with Infrared Vision contacts in his visor, a cloak that can stiffen into a glider, and a supply of exploding batarangs, no problem. He can use them as much as he wants.

But then, if he knows he's going up against White Martians, he can trade it all in for a wrist mounted flame thrower system.

Batman from the comics (especially comics he shares with empowered heroes like the JLA) probably has a lot more points in Modular Gadgets than this version, but I prefer my Bat-Family to be street-level heroes so I kept it toned down.

Oh I agree with the MA pool for all of that, its great. What I was petitioning for Fast Gadgeteer for was the more permanent kinds of mods he makes to equipment that isnt really a "Gadget limited Ability" in GURPS terms. Like the Batmobile or Batjet. Or if he has it in this build, that crime computer of his. All cutting to bleeding edge equipment that he has taken one step further and customized. You dont get the impression he spends months to years modding the Batmobile is all.

If it dont fit, it dont fit, just something to consider.

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by aesir23

Thanks, I will.

I'm also particularly weak on the Lanterns. I'm just not that interested--I skipped the Black Lantern saga, FREX. But they definitely have an important place in the DCU so I'd like to do them justice for this project.

If you want to get an idea of what to read, consider the Comicstorian channel on Youtube. The short version is that they basically exist to give summaries and back stories for comic book characters, including recommending certain reads. It won't give you enough to build a character and it might "spoil" the books too much for your taste, but it can really help you figure out which arcs to go with while trying to character/world build. Atop The Fourth Wall may be of similar benefit; Linkara is a Teen Titans fan so he did an overview of basically the entire Titans run spanning multiple series. Again, not enough to base write-ups just on that, but a good way to see what arcs you really need and what you can at least more safely skip.

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

Two TPBs of interest: New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract, from the early '80s, and New Titans: Titans Hunt, from the early '90s.

Thanks, I'll see if I can get my hands on those.

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

I'd recommend watching the Green Lantern cartoon on Netflix.

I actually did watch a few episodes of that when it came out. The computer animation bugged me, but the story-telling was strong. I'll have to check it out some more.

Originally Posted by Otaku

If you want to get an idea of what to read, consider the Comicstorian channel on Youtube.

Thanks! That's incredibly helpful--I'm now a subscriber.