Inspiration Excavation

Earlier this week, Anne reminded us of an old post where she discussed her earliest, fantasy inspirations. It reminded me of my own fantasy genre prehistory. I wrote a bit about it in my very first post on this blog back in 2009:

In my personal pre-history (which is to say the mid-seventies to the dawning of the eighties), there was already in my brain a nascent cauldron of fantasy abubble: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz conjured by the voice of a babysitter, King Arthur for boys illuminated by NC Wyeth, four-color barbarians on spinner-racks, Myth and legend sifted by Bullfinch and Harryhausen, singing hobbits and rotoscoped orcs, power swords split in twain on not one, but two, alien worlds; an elf, a dwarf, a giant--and a slayer named Hawk, the doom that came to Vermithrax Pejorative, fantasylands with oracular pigs and messianic lions.

I also not in the post the inspiration for my first character (in AD&D): An elf fighter/magic-user inspired by the protagonist in the Endless Quest book by Rose Estes, Mountain of Mirrors.

That's not the only thing in my gaming history I can trace to a specific source. For another example, I've used flightless birds as mounts in several campaign worlds I created, I suspect all traceable to this cover by James Gurney for a book I haven't read:

There are numerous things like that. Some probably borrowed from sources so long ago, I don't even remember their origins.

Wednesday Comics: DC, November 1984 (week 1)

My mission: to read DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) to Crisis. This week, I'm looking at the comics that were at newsstands on the week of August 2, 1984. 

Blackhawk #273: Evanier and Spiegle take the Blackhawk's to Mechuoko Province, China, where they team-up with Wu Cheng aka Chop-Chop, to defeat a dragon-shaped war machine. In the aftermath, Chop-Chop rejoins the group. Unfortunately, as the cover announces, this is the last issue.

Evanier's editorial column tells an amusing story of him (as editor) firing himself (as writer), then the editor (him) and the artist (Spiegle) quit in protest. The real story, as he's since related in interviews, is that he and Spiegle had been frustrated by DC's lack of promotion and disinterest in the title, despite its not great but adequate sales. The book's cancellation more reflected it not fitting DC's vision than its performance. A limited series by DuBay and Infantino is announced here, but that never materialized, though pages of it have surfaced, according to the internet. I suspect it was a victim of Crisis. I liked the idea of this book, but it seemed run out of steam some time before the end finally came.

Atari Force #11: The cover by Hannigan/Giordano gives away the big reveal of the issue, but I guess the second page was going to give it away, anyway. Blackjack is taking orders from the Dark Destroyer to sabotage Scanner One. He succeeds before they realize what's going on. Dart confronts the betrayer and fights with him, defeating him before he can kill her. The Destroyer gloats he used Blackjack's fear of death as the key to controlling him. He also taunts Martin with the fact he's going to destroy the human race! Meanwhile, back on New Earth, Chris prepares to stand trial, while still trying to convince the powers that be of the danger they are in.

DC Comics Presents #75: Kupperberg and Mandrake have Arion transported into the future during a battle with Chaon. After the obligatory misunderstanding and brief fight, Arion crafts translation devices from hoop earrings, and he and Superman can effectively team-up. To thwart Chaon's plans before the lunar eclipse, they have to first travel to the ruins of the City of the Golden Gate beneath the ocean. Arion uses the power of the final crystal of Calculha to transport them to the Darkworld. They defeat the godling and Superman thrown back to his own time. As things return to normal, Arion is conveniently left with no memory of the future.

Fury of Firestorm #29: Cavalieri is scripter here again. That 2000 Committee just doesn't want to give up. Having been let down by the Monitor, it hires Breathtaker, who sends his agents after Firestorm. Mindboggler convinces the hero of the existence of a volcano in central park, causing him to act in ways that make him look dangerous and unstable to the public. However, a shadowy flunkie of Breathtaker's is angry he wasn't given a shot at the hero and goes rogue to prove his worth.

Justice League of America #232: I bought this issue by Busiek and Kupperberg off the stands, but I didn't remember much about it other than the splash page. The JLA and JSA are still tangling with the Commander, an alien entity who has possessed a scientist, Joshua Champion, and has attacked the Pentagon. Unfortunately, some of the heroes are now under the Commander's control, and the others have to stop them. We get the Commander's origin: He had been the ruler of his entire universe and now wields the psychic energy of every creature in that dimension. He was looking for new worlds to conquer and Champion offered that. Dr. Fate's magic plus the psychic powers of the combined Champion family manage to open a riff back to the Commander's native dimension. He's holding on to the rim, though, and they can't push him through.

Here we get a unique Monitor and Lyla cameo. The Commander is aware of the Monitor monitoring him--and that distracts him long enough that the heroes can force him through the riff. And that's that for the old Justice League in the pre-Crisis universe. The Detroit League takes over next issue.

Superman Annual #10: This is a weird story from Maggin and Swan/Anderson, that doesn't do its cover justice. In the wake of the creation of the universe, an object is formed that, over the ages, took on the shape of a sword with a stylized "S" symbol on its hilt. It becomes known throughout the universe as the Sword of Superman (why not, I guess?), ages before Superman appeared. In the present, King Kosmos (last seen in DCP Annual #2) has possessed the body of industrialist Oswald Mandias (get it?) and is turning the world against Superman. The only thing that can help Superman is the power of the sword.

New Teen Titans #3: Continuing from the last issue, things go from bad to worse. The Titans return from the devastated Azarath to Earth but find it in the grip of Trigon with Raven as his demonically transformed minion. They do wonder why Earth's other heroes aren't helping, lampshading a common convention of comics, before attacking the father and daughter at what used to be Titan's Tower, but is now a throne. Jericho is put into shock by an attempt to possess Raven, and the other Titans are thrown into individual nightmare realms, where they watch evil shadows of themselves hurt their loved ones or taunt them with failure.  On Earth, Lilith, and Arella see the Titans embedded in a stone column with expressions of despair.

Vigilante #12: Kane steps in to do art this issue and Wolfman gets more philosophical than usual about justice, vengeance, and the toll trying to find either can take. Adrain spends much of the issue, not sleeping haunting by the fact that the man he was got his family killed, and the man he is now got J.J. killed. He decides to take in some target practice but runs across a woman he thinks is fleeing attackers and helps her out. She turns out to be a rape victim turned Ms. 45 who executes the unarmed men in front of him, as he tries to get her to stop. Adrain ends the issue no more certain or less haunted than win he began it.

Wonder Woman #321: Mishkin and Heck continue to heap complications into the story arc. Eros shows up to save Wonder Woman from Dr. Cyber's death trap. He wants revenge against the villain, but she doesn't even know who he is. While they escape and keep Eros from killing Cyber, Steve reveals that Wonder Woman's memories have been tampered with by Hippolyta. When Wonder Woman and Steve ask Eros to explain his desire to kill Cyber, he tells them that he is the real Steve Trevor--and Cyber killed him. Meanwhile, an agent is pretending to be interested in Etta Candy, when he's actually trying to prove that she is Wonder Woman.

In the Huntress backup by Cavalieri and Whigham/Maygar, a handy mirror clues Helena into the therapist's murderous intent. She defeats her in a scuffle before the misogynist cop with the creepy intense interest in Huntress shows up. It turns out the therapist thought Huntress was there to apprehend her as she's one of Tarr's and Fether's (perhaps less than completely willing) accomplices. Where the dangling plot threads were going to go, we'll never know, because this is the last Huntress backup. The editorial promises a follow-up so where but as with so many of these sorts of promises in 1984, this doesn't come to pass.

Appx. N Jam and Prophet of the Wyvern's Word

My submission for the Appx. N Jam went live on itch today. You can check it out there with all of the other cool entries.

The 4-page maximum page count (including cover) was brutal. I may do an expanded version and put it on drivethrurpg later. 

The Prophet of the Wyvern's Word Cover

 I previously mentioned the Appx. N Jam and the submission I had planned. Well, the month is nearing its end, and I'm not done (though I'm getting close!) and I do have a cover to show off finally, so that even if I don't make the jam, the adventure will probably come out.

Here's the final piece as an aged paperback featuring an illustration by the inestimable Jason Sholtis:

Wednesday Comics: DC, October 1984 (week 4)

I'm reading DC Comics' output from January 1980 (cover date) to Crisis! This week, I read the comics on sale on July 26, 1984.

World's Finest Comics #308: The Hannigan/Janson cover here is a complete deception as no such scene occurs in the story. Busiek and Tuska/Alexander have Batman and Superman working in parallel, at first, until over dinner discussion, they realize the cases are related. A "ghetto genius" has synthesized a dangerous strong to sell and orchestrating a robbery from STAR Labs all so he can build a powered armor suit to destroy Columbia University, who snubbed his application. What's most interesting to me about this story as it suggests Gotham, Metropolis and New York are very close together. Bruce seems to go watching Clark on the news at home to meeting his friend on the WGBS set before Clark has finished the news cast. Then, then both fly to Columbia University with Superman holding Batman's arms.

Action Comics #560: The first story by Kupperberg and Saviuk/Hunt sees an escape criminal turning super-villain with the use of powered-up handcuffs as a weapon. Somehow, his power causes Superman to have bouts of amnesia, which complicates his capture. I won't reveal the cause of the amnesia on the unlikely chance you might read the story yourself, but really, it's skippable.

The second story is the standout, not because it's great in and of itself, but because it's obviously it's a stealth preview for the Ambush Bug limited series. While his costume has quite reached its final form, Giffen and Fleming's storytelling and scripting is definitely a preview of the almost-sketch comedy storytelling we'll get in that book, as Ambush Bug gets out of Arkham and sets up a detective agency in Metropolis.

Arion Lord of Atlantis #24:   Cara Sherman-Tereno is on art this issue. We pick up where the last issue left off, with Wyynde defeating Arion in the arena, but Garn choosing to spare his brother who he loves dearly. All of these mindgames go on until Arion, discovering Lady Chian is in a relationship with Garn loses his mind and rides out of the city. Or does he? Garn and his mother are certain of victory, but Arion has played a trick. He doubles back into the city and discovers what was obvious all along: this is all being done with magic. He confronts his brother who admits the truth. They fight in the Dark Dimension, and Garn is (again) seemingly defeated and trapped forever. I really hope that's at least closer to being true this time, because this title needs to do something different. 

All-Star Squadron #38: Thomas and Hoberg/Collins have Green Lantern and Hawkman bring their fellow All-Stars a newsreel of a race war in Detroit where the klansmen-esque Phantom Empire try and fail to set Amazing-Man on fire on a cross, Green Lantern says that they must help the black citizens of Detroit to move into their new housing project. Only Commander Steel does go along, as he's learned his old flame's husband is captive behind enemy lines, and he's promised to help.

Detective Comics #543: Moench and Colan/Alcala continue the Nightmare, Inc. story. Nightshade, still trying to impress Nocturna, plans a daring robbery of an event on an island amusement park. Nocturna is unconvinced and plans to find another man to support her expensive tastes. Noting the custody issue plaguing Bruce Wayne, so has her mark.

Nocturna's skepticism about Nightshade's plan proves prophetic as Batman and the police spoil the robbery. Nightshade is killed by Anton Knight, now the Night-Slayer, recently escaped from prison. 

With Mayor Hill trying to ensure Wayne doesn't get custody of Jason as revenge against Gordon, Nocturna has the opening she needs. She files adoption papers for Jason (presumably this is due to Hill-directed corruption.) She tells Bruce they should get married, so Jason has a mother and a father!

Sun Devils #4: In a Rogue One-ish outing, The Sun Devils embark on a daring mission to rescue the scientist responsible for building the Starbreaker super-weapon. We also get Myste's origin, which is tied to the scientist and his work. Unfortunately, he's being held in a facility full of traps--because thanks to a spy, Karvus Khun knows they are coming. The infiltration goes off well, but then the trap is sprung and Rik, Anomie, and Myste are caught in it.

Jonah Hex #87:  Fleisher is still spinning the plates of his various plot threads. Jonah's tired of the soft life in New Orleans as sets off for the trail again. Adrain refuses to go with him but then changes her mind and decides to go after him. The train Hex takes back West is wrecked by bandits with dynamite. Hex is forced to use all his tricks to take out the gang in the swamp near the wreckage. When he gets back to civilization and looks for work, he finds Emmy Lou's face on a wanted poster thanks to the robbery she was forced to participate in.

Super Powers #4: Kirby/Cavalieri and Gonzales/Kupperberg pick up where last issue left off. Green Lantern contains the Kryptonian caveman and finds that his power bubble cuts off the signal, causing Superman to return to normal. They decide to trace the signal to its source. Meanwhile, the Emissaries of Darkseid reveal their mission to conquer Earth and dismiss their former pawns, the Earth villains. Joker, at least, recognizes they've been played, and they should team up with the heroes. They arrive via boom tube on Brainiac's ship shortly before the heroes do. They are only able to to convince the angry heroes of their mutual foe as the ship arrives at Apokolips, and they are faced with their ultimate foes. The Emissaries use the power they once granted the villains, but working together the heroes and villains escape their traps to keep fighting.

Tales of the Legion #316: Levitz/Giffen and Shoemaker/Kesel have Cosmic Boy teaming up with the Legion Subs to tackle crime on Earth. They run into a bit of trouble as a smuggler traps them in a ship and sends them on a one-way trip into deep space. Cosmic Boy rallies the panicking Subs and they manage to escape in a shuttle to be picked up by the Legion Academy. The Levitz/Giffen portrayal of the Subs here is as much more competent than Giffen's treatment will be of them in stories he writes later.

In the backup by Levitz/Newell and Tuska/Kesel, the White Witch completes her story, we see her ultimate triumph over adversity to claim her mantle as both sorceress and Legion member.

Why Isn't There A Game for That? [Update '25]

I wrote the original version of this post in 2014, then I updated it in 2019. It's probably time to check back in and see how the rpg landscape is changed. There are a number of genres/subgenres that are under-utilized or not utilized at all in rpgs, despite the fact they would probably work pretty well. Here are the ones I listed originally and have been following up on:

Humorous Adventure Pulp
Basically this would cover the whimsical, fantastical, and often violent world of Thimble Theatre (later Popeye) and the Fleischer Popeye cartoon. A lot of fist-fights, fewer guns. This would also cover Little Orphan Annie, various kid gang comics, and (on the more violent end) Dick Tracy.
Update: Still nothing, really. Acheron Game's Helluva Town does a sort of Roger Rabbit or Cool World sort of setting, so references things like Popeye, but it's not quite the same thing.

Wainscot Fantasy
Little creatures hiding in the big world. Think The Borrowers, The Littles, and Fraggle Rock.
Update:  Some progress here! Household by Two Little Mice does this sort of thing, though from its specifically about fairies. There's also a game called Pixies and one called Under the Floorboards that specifically namechecks The Borrowers.

Kid Mystery Solvers
Scooby Doo is probably the most well-known example, but you've got several Hanna-Barbera returns to the same concept. Ditch weird pet/side kick, and you've got The Three Investigators, Nancy Drew, and the Hardy Boys. 
Update: There's Meddling Kids I mentioned in 2019, and then there's The Mystery Business that debuted in 2024.

Wacky Races
I've written about this one before--and Richard has run it. Still needs a game, though.
Update: Still just the board game, so far as I know.

Peacekeeping Mission to Mars

I was thinking about Leigh Brackett's Mars today (as I often do) and reflecting on how it isn't very science fictional at all, so that if you advanced the timeline of its colonial Mars about half a century to a century, you might get something that looks a bit like our modern world except with spaceships where Terran peacekeeping forces get bogged down in insurgencies or civil wars on Mars (or Venus).

With a set up like this, you could do the pulp Mars version of modern films set in conflict zones like Blackhawk Down or even better Three Kings. If you went with Earth in a sort of Cold War, you could even wind out with a Twilight:2000 sort of situation would troops lost on Mars and trying to figure out what to do next.