'You're rightly named, Lady Satan!"

The latest release from NUELOW Games brings you tales of two masked women who are likely to put you in a bodybag if you're less than a perfect gentleman on the first date.

Lady Satan features six tales of action from the Golden Age of Comics, in which Lady Satan takes out Nazis in occupied France during World War 2, and the Veiled Avenger whips criminals into shape back in the U.S.A. The book also contains brief text pieces discussing the featured comics, and ROLF! statistics and a battle scenario so you can have Lady Satan and the Veiled Avenger fight each other or take on the nefarious Viscount Todschenkt. Like previous NUELOW Games comics collections, Lady Satan is presented in presented in black-and-white--as is only fitting for tales of femme fatales of the 1940s.

History buffs may be interested in knowing that Lady Satan was an early creation of George Tuska, who would go on to help establish Luke Cage, the first black superhero to carry his own title, as well as celebrated runs on Iron Man for Marvel Comics and World's Finest Comics Starring Superman and Batman for DC Comics. Additionally, the four Veiled Avenger tales in the book are the entirety of her published adventures. (There are other Lady Satan stories, but they were not done by Tuska and are quite different in nature than the two featured in this book. Click here to see previews of Lady Satan and download your own copy.

And, as a preview of things to come, here's a sample of what future Lady Satan adventures will entail, as we  bring them to you in the horror anthology Werewolf Hunter:

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NUELOW Heroes and Villains: Prancebot 2.0

It's the superhero you want at your party... maybe! This is another write-up based on a character created by Carter-Ethan Rankin and released into the public domain. In fact in this post, except the stat block, is also public domain and may be used freely by anyone who chooses to do so. (The stat block is Open Gaming Content, and is published under this license. Copyright 2013 Steve Miller.)

Prancebot 2.0 (aka Jason Kelly)

PRANCEBOT 2.0 (Male/Robot)
(aka Jason Kelly)
Brawn: 23, Body 20, Brains 8
   Traits: Martial Artist, Nimble, Robot, Super Power (Personal/Permanent: Super Speed, plus Holographic Image Projection/Armor bonus).
   Combat Maneuvers: Backflip, Basic Attack, Dance Move, Disarm, Furious Fists, Seduce
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Built-in Holographic Image Projector (Armor. Absorbs up to 2 points of damage. While functioning, the Holographic Image Projector allows Prancebot 2.0 to appear as a perfect copy of any person that is in the holo-imaging database, as well as a wide selection of "generic" people who don't actually exist. The holographic images are all dressed in various styles of party clothes and evening wear. The projection stops working once Prancebot's armor has absorbed 2 points of damage. It can be repaired, of course.). Laser Sword (Medium Weapon [when activated], deals 3 points of damage that ignore armor).

Origin Story
Suffering from Gulf War Syndrome and extremely depressed, Captain Jason Kelly felt he had nowhere to go but down... until offered a chance by the US government to join an extremely top secret new program! Upon accepting, Jason Kelly was no more for his consciousness was fused with an artificial cyborg body and became: Prancebot 2.0!
   As Prancebot 2.0, Kelly infiltrates the parties of the rich and famous to protect them from terrorists and to ferret out evil in their midst (such as those who fund terrorists). He also hangs out with their teenage children to monitor them and prevent them from being recruited into extremist organizations.

Powers
As a cybernetic being, Prancebot 2.0 is immune to most diseases and extremely resistant to injury. Through advanced bio-holographic imaging technology, he has the ability to appear as virtually anyone on planet Earth (at least anyone who has been caught on one of the millions upon millions of hidden cameras the NSA has secreted around the globe), in an illusion so real that it even stands up to close, physical contact. Similarly, he can perfectly mimic the voice of anyone on Earth who has ever used a phone or an innercom system.

Enemies and Allies
Prancebot 1.0 is his greatest enemy. The original Prancebot went rogue after decided that it was wrong for the government to be spying on parties without notifying anyone in attendance. After being laughed at by every media outlet he approached with his story, except www.infowars.com, he decided his only option to stop the intrusion was to destroy his replacement. There are also a number of terrorist masterminds and drug lords who want to see Prancebot 2.0 on the scrapheap.
   Prancebot 2.0 can call upon the full resources of the U.S. government, and he is a friend and ally to other pro-American superheroes.

NUELOW Heroes and Villains: Dumbfounder

Here's another superhero for your gaming pleasure, Dumbfounder. He was originally created by Carter-Ethan Rankin and released into the public domain for every creative soul to play with. In a similar spirit, I am releasing this post under the Open Gaming License, and everything in it except the the characters of Black Bat, Dr. Steelface and Zombots (which are product identity, as defined in the license) is Open Game Content. Copyright 2013 Steve Miller.

Dumbfounder (aka Franklin Stein)

DUMBFOUNDER (Male)
(aka Franklin Stein)
Brawn 28, Body 14, Brains 7
   Traits: Honorable, Super Power (Personal: Super Strength, no extra bonus), Unstoppable
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Double Strike, Furious Fists, Signature Move
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Massive Club (large melee weapon, deals 5 points of damage).
   Special Character Note: Dumbfounder has the ability to seize control of a Zombot within his line of sight with a successful Brains ATT check. He may use one action each round to direct the creature. The Zombot will follow simple commands on its own until the action is finished, such as "Attack him until dead" or "Break down that door."

Origin Story
Career criminals like Franklin Stein are not known for making good life choices. Franklin made his final bad choice when he returned to the secret lab of his boss, Dr. Steelface, without the enriched wonderinum that Black Bat had prevented him from stealing. He had assumed that Dr. Steelface would give him a couple Zombots and a death-ray gun to go take revenge on the meddler... but instead, Frankin was made the subject of Steelface's latest experiment in the reanimation of dead bodies via soul transfers.
   Steelface's theory was that when properly channeled, the spiritual energy of the human soul could bring a recently dead body back to life, the same was a defibrilator restarts a stopped heart. He was proven right--when he shot the captured soul of a Mormon missionary, who had been unfortunate enough to known on his door last week, Franklin's dead body sprang back to life, even stronger than before.
   But Steelface's experiment worked too well. Instead of the super-Zombot he had hoped for, Frankin rose not as a mindless creature who could be controlled remotely via cybernetic implants and mad science but as a man with a new-found concience and a desire to make the world a better place. He escaped from Steelface's lab (after trashing it and beating Steelface himself within an inch of his life), and he has been traveling the world fighting oppression and thwarting the schemes of mad scientists whereever he finds them. (And he finds them quite often, because, as a former minion of Steelface, he knows where some of their bases are.)
   Franklin took the name Dumbfounder, because heroes and villains alike are dumbfounded when he turns out to be one of the good guys.

Powers
Dumbfounder has superhuman strength and increased resistance to injury. He also has the ability to mentally seize control of a single Zombot in his vicinity thanks to the psychic-cybernetic implant that was supposed to make him a puppet of Dr. Steelface.

Enemies and Allies
While anyone who's had their facilities trashed by Dumbfounder is his enemy, Dr., Steelface is particularly devoted. Hewants Dumbfounder captured and brought back to his lab so he can determine what went wrong with his experiment, but if that proves too difficult he is okay with Dumbfounder being brought back dead. He has yet to develop any allies, but continues to wander the world in his one-monster crusade.

Note
You can find more information on Dr. Steelface and Zombots in ROLF!: Mad Scientists Gone Wild.

NUELOW Heroes and Villains: Blaxplosion

It's time for another write-up of a hero created by Carter-Ethan Rankin and placed in the public domain -- allow me to introduce Blaxplosion into the ever-growing rogues gallery of NUELOW Heroes and Villains. (The artwork and character of Blaxplosion are public domain, but the rest of this post is presented under the Open Gaming License. Copyright 2013 by Steve Miller.)
   Blaxplosion was created using rules found in ROLF!: Mad Scientists Gone Wild and ROLF!: Bullets to the Head.

Blaxplosion (aka Pam Coffey)

BLAXPLOSION
(aka Pamela "Pam" Coffey)
Brawn 20, Body 15, Brains 11
   Traits: Coldhearted, Dead Eye, Mad Scientist (Fire-based weapon/death ray gun in exchange for 3 Combat Maneuver slots), Stone Cold Killer, Super Power (Item-based: Flight, no additional abilities).
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Bitch Slap, Battle Cry, Dodge, Sure Shot, The Look, Withering Insult
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Superhero Outfit (Armor, absorbs up to 2 points of damage), Fire Gun (fire-based "death-ray gun" modified with Body ATT Damage and +3 to Base Damage). Rocket\Pack (provides Flight superpower).

Origin Story
Pamela Coffey never did understand why her stepbrother Dwayne gave up on being a superhero (see DMC for details)., but she decided that she would fight crime even if he would not. Since she had no special powers, Pam instead devoted herself to mastering science and engineering disciplines, pushing herself so hard that by the age of 24 she had doctorates in both mechanical engineering and chemistry. She secretly used her advanced knowledge to design a variety of gadgets that she put to use in her own costumed identity--Blaxplosion.
   In her normal identity, Pam is the youngest tenured professor at Guardian State University. She is unfailingly soft-spoken and polite, except when her intellectual abilities are challenged in any way--then whoever is so bold needs to watch out.
   As Blaxplosion, she is brash, loud, and talks like she just stepped out of a 1970s blacksploitation film, a genre which happens to be her secret guilty viewing pleasure.
   Blaxplosion is a hero for hire, and her services don't come cheap for those who can afford it. For others, she charges what she thinks they can afford and makes up the difference by stealing cash and other valuables from the evil-doers she battles. (Maintaining a arsenal of hi-tech, flame-based gadgets is neither easy nor cheap.)

Powers
Blaxplosion has no powers, but instead replies upon her various weapons and gadgets.

Enemies and Allies
Just about everyone whom Blaxplosion has defeated can be counted among her enemies--if they're still alive. Blaxplosion doesn't just beat her foes... he goes out of her way to insult and humiliate them. Then, to add further insult to injury she robs them.
   Blaxplosion can call upon her brother for help, but is unlikely to do so, because she still resents that he walked away from what she has always seen as his responsibility the defenseless people in the world. She has also provided Hot Shot and other members of P.A.N.S. with gadgets or upgrades, so she has a friendly relationship with that superhero association. (She can't join, however, as she's Canadian.)
   Blaxplosion recently teamed up with the mysterious American superheroine Wildfire. Their shared love of fire will undoubtedly lead them to work with each other again in the future.

Available now: 'Film Fun Comics Vol. 2: The Black Cat vs. HIM!'

NUELOW Games's second installment in the Film Fun Comics series, "Black Cat vs. HIM." is now available at all the usual outlets. Click here to see previews and to get your own copy.

Film Fun Comics Vol. 2: The Black Cat vs. HIM features artwork by Joe Kubert and Lee Elias, as they bring to glorious black-and-white life seven tales of the original Black Cat's exploits during the Golden Age of Hollywood. The book also includes ROLF! game stats for some of Black Cat's friends and foes, as well as a brand-new fiction piece by writer and series editor Steve Miller, whose previous credits include tie-in fiction for the Star Wars and Dragonlance settings.

In addition to the previews at DriveThruComics.com, DriveThruFiction.com, and DriveThruRPG.com, you can get a taste of what's the book in this post at the Shades of Gray blog, by clicking here.

We hope you decide to get a copy of Film Fun Comics Vol. 2: The Black Cat vs. HIM. Please let us know what you think of it, either here or by leaving a rating on the listings page.

NUELOW Heroes & Villains: Rock God

Finishing up the soon-to-be-released second volume of "Film Fun Comics" has absorbed my time the last couple of days, but. at long last, here's another character write-up based on a creation by Carter-Ethan Rankin. The display illo and character names Rock God and Dominic Kostopolis are public domain, but all text in this post is published under the Open Gaming License. Copyright 2013 by Steve Miller,
   Note: Rock God was created using the rules for divine beings found in ROLF!: Angels, Demons & Death.

Rock God (aka Dominic Kostopolis)

ROCK GOD (Male)
(aka Dominic Kostopolis)
Brawn 28, Body 20, Brains 8
   Traits: Agent of the Divine, Wings, Unstoppable
   Combat Maneuvers: Battle Cry, Dance Move, Debate Philosophy, Fly, Seduce, Spelling (Song of Finality), Strike Pose,Yodel
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Guitar of the Apollo (Large Melee AND Ranged Weapon. Deals 5 of melee damage OR 3 points of ranged).

Origin Story
When the Greek god of music Apollo recently returned to Earth to do some catching up, he was appalled at the state of popular music and the lack of musical education among the supposed cultured and elite members of the various civilizations.
   Apollo briefly considered striking down 90 percent of musicians, performers, and groupies with a real "Beiber Fever" but chose instead to imbue struggling guitarist Dominic Kostopolis with divine powers to be an example to other musicians and spread good music across the globe.
   Dominic is presently in the third year of a hugely successful, non-stop tour with his band Sons of Icarus; it will eventually rival that of the Grateful Dead in length. While he mostly focuses on performing and teaching young musicians the way of real music, he has more than once entered a night club to stop musical crimes under the guise of "dub-step."

Enemies and Allies
Sonic Wave, superpowered mercenary and founder of the Vanilla Ice fan club back in the day, has been hired by talent agents and music industry executives to stop Rock God before his messages reaches too many. The two have yet to clash, but Sonic Wave is getting ready to make his move.

NUELOW Heroes & Villains: Jimnast

Here's another superhero character background based on a character created by Carter-Ethan Rankin and released into the public domain. The character name and illo is free for all to use, but the rest of the material in this post is presented under the Open Gaming License. Copyright 2013 Steve Miller.

Jimnast (aka James "Jim". Nast)

Jimnyst (Male)
(aka James "Jim" Nast)
Brawn 23, Body 14, Brains 5
   Traits: Dumb, Martial Artist, Sense of Honor
   Combat Maneuvers: Backflip, Basic Attack, Kung Fu Face, Murderous Mitts, Signature Move
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded:  Superhero Outfit (Armor, absorbs up to 1 point of damage). Reusable shopping bag full of purchases (Medium Melee Weapon, deals 3 points of damage).

Origin Story
James Nast was working as the personal trainer of Texas cattle-heiress Kate Crawford when a dropped cell call changed his life forever.
   He was on his way to Kate's ranch for their weekly session when she called him on his mobile. "Jimmy, I need you to stop [garbled] and pick up [garbled]. Got that, dar[garbled... silence]." The message shouldn't have made any sense, but somehow Jimmy knew that Kate wanted him stop by several stores for a variety of food items, bandages,ammunition, feminine hygiene products, and to collect her dry cleaning.. Jim, happy to please a nice client, all the errands... and was greeted with amazement when he arrived at Kate's mansion.
   "I wasn't sure if you actually got my message," she said. "And all I wanted you do to was pick up my dry cleaning."
   "You did want me to get these other things?" Jim asked.
   "Well, yes. Well, a friend--"
   "Don't worry, Ms. Crawford. It happens all the time. I guess I have a knack for knowing what people need me to get for them from the store. But I;m wrong, I'll be happy to keep the stuff. Although I don't know what I'll do with these bandages. Or all these bullets."
   "Jim," Ms. Crawford said after looking thoughtful for a moment, "there is someone I would like you to meet. I'll call him up and he'll be here by the time we're done with our session."
   To Jim's amazement, that "someone" was American Eagle, the leader of Patriotic American Native Superheroes (PANS). He scanned Jim with an odd device and then stated that Jim had the oddball superpower of knowing what a person wants him to get from the store without even being told. To Kate Crawford, American Eagle said, "You're right. He's exactly what we need."
   That's when Kate revealed her secret identity as Texas Hellion to Jim, and stated that she and other select members of PANS wanted to hire him as their personal shopper. "It's really hard to get to the store when you're constantly saving the world," she said.
   "We'll provide you with a vehicle, an expense account, and a wage above prevailing market norms," American Eagle added.
   "Do I get to wear a superhero costume?!" Jim asked.
   "If you must," American Eagle responded. "But--"
   "Excellent! It'll be yellow with silver boots! I'll be.... The Shopper!"
   "I think Jiminey or the Jimmenest might be even better," American Eagle replied curtly.
   "Hush," Kate said.
   But Jim didn't notice American Eagle's coolness. "It's clever because it's a pun!" He exclaimed with excitement. "Gymnast! It's perfect! Instead of advertising what my powers are, it obscures them. And it keeps it open for if I ever need to branch out into other super-stuff."
   "Which you will never need to," American Eagle stated firmly
   "You sketch up a costume idea, and fax it to this number, Jim," Kate said. "That's the designer PAN works with, and he'll do you right."
   Next week, after Jim completed his first personal-shopping job for Texas Hellion, he arrived at her house in his new superhero costume.
   "Here you do, Hellion. Or do you prefer Tex?"
   "Kate when I'm not in uniform." She looked at Jim wonderingly. "Did you decide against Gymnast?"
   "No ma'am. The Gymnast that's me!"
   "Then what does the 'J' stand for?"
    Now it was Jim's turn to look wonderingly. "For Gymnast."
   "Gymnast? J for Gymnast?"
   "Yeah. J-I-M-N-A-S-T." Then he looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, Kate. Do you have trouble with spelling? I didn't meant to make you feel bad. I know what it's like. I'm not very good at it myself."
   "You don't say?" Kate responded.
   Jim now travels throughout America, keeping the homes of PAN members well-stocked with basic essentials (and even picking up their dry cleaning at time)
 
Powers
Jimnyst has a very limited precognative ability: He knows what a targeted person needs from the store, perhaps even before that person does. He has no powers that are useful in combat, although he is a highly trained martial artist.

Enemies and Allies
No supervillains have yet seen fit to target Jimnyst, and they may never do so--who would want to invite the wrath of the entirety of PAN by messing with their personal shopper? Meanwhile, he has become fast friends with Texas Hellion, Hot Shot, and Butts Pirate, so he is often available to lend an extra hand on their missions and they're often nearby if he should be in trouble.

(For ROLF! game stats for American Eagle, Butts Pirate, Texas Hellion, and 15 other heroes and villains, check out POTS vs. PANS.)

NUELOW Heroes and Villains: Unveiled

Here's the write-up for another character that Carter-Ethan Rankin came up with and released into the public domain. This display image and character is available for all to use. The text in this post is published under the Open Gaming License. Copyright Steve Miller 2013.

Unveiled (aka Soraya Jirrah)

Unveiled (Female)
(aka Saraya Jirrah)
Brawn 22, Body 14, Brains 10
   Traits: Improv Master, Nimble, Sense of Honor, Super Power (Item-based: Super Strength, Super Speed, Flight, Furious Fists)
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Castrate, Debate Philosophy, Disarm, Dodge,
   Important Stuff Worn/Weiled: Scheherazade's Wrap (Armor, absorbs up to 6 points of damage [Self-repariing, every dawn, source of super powers]). Pistol (Small Ranged Weapon, deals 2 points of damage [for when all else fails]).

Origin Story
Soraya Jirrah was studying for her doctorates in archeology and ancient Mid-East history at Guardian University in the United States when terrorists killed 3,000 Americans on 9/11/2001. She watched in horror as the madman in charge of her country proceeded to taunt the already-angry Americans and then with sorrow as America invaded Iraq and predictably proceeded to completely mismanage the ensuring occupation.
   Even before she had been formally granted her PhDs, she approached the American government for a job with the State Department to help catalog and prevent the theft of the artifacts in the various Iraqi museums. She was hired, and she returned home to find her country in a far worse state than it had been when her parents sent her to the United States.
   Women had never been in a good place in Iraq, but the Americans had let Islamic extremists of the magnitude they proclaimed they were fighting ascend to positions of power and begin to implement systematic oppression of women and legalize rape and sexual abuse in a fashion to rival that in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and even Afghanistan.
   One night while working late in the Baghdad museum, she interrupted a theft being undertaken by Black Lion, a Baghdad pimp turned "Islamic militia leader devoted to Jihad" under the Baghdad occupation. His men attacked Soraya, and he was about to rape her when her had grasped at a piece of cloth and she found herself filled with amazing power. She not only defeated the thieves, saved the life of the American soldiers they had wounded, but also stopped two terrorist strikes against Baghdad neighborhoods that night.
   The item Soraya had grasped was a cloak that Scheherazade had wrapped herself in while spinning stories for her psychopathic, misogynist husband to forestall her murder at his hand for 1,001 nights. When she wears it, it grants her the wondrous powers of characters in legends and fairy tales.
   From that night forward, Soraya dedicated herself to defending the innocent from those who would oppress them. Unlike most costumed heroes, she never hides her face--and is very pointed about not doing so, as she hopes to serve as a symbol to women throughout the Muslim World who are letting themselves slip further and further into intolerable domination by misogynistic religious fanatics.

Powers
Unveiled's abilities are derived from the ancient garment she wears.  She can possess and use any supernatural or fantastic ability attributed to a character in the 1,001 Arabian Nights stories. The cloak only works from sun-down to sun-up.

Enemies and Allies
If you name a group of  women-hating Islamic terrorists, or many governments in the Middle East and North Africa, you will be naming one of Unveiled's enemies. Her main ally is Colonel Harold Dunbarr, a U.S. Army Intelligence officer who covertly provides her with access to the rapid transportation and vast information resources of the American military, but she also frequently works with the Daughters of Aisha, a growing secret society of women dedicated to giving women rights equal to that of men across the Islamic world. Unveiled also recently shared an adventure with Gadaffi's Angels, and they made her an honorary member of their team.

NUELOW Heroes and Villains: DMC

Another super-character for your enjoyment (and, I hope, use in your ROLF! games). Once again, the character concept and the display illo were originated by Carter-Ethan Rankin and released into the public domain. The write-up here is presented under the Open Gaming License. Copyright 2013 Steve Miller.

DMC (aka Dwayne Matthew Charles)

DMC (formerly Fasttrack) (Male)
(aka Dwayne Matthew Charles)
Brawn 23, Body 15, Brains 7
   Traits; Dead-Eye, Improv Master, Nimble, Sense of Honor, Super Power (Natural Super Speed)
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Disarm, Dodge, Double Strike Run Away
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Super Outfit (Armor, absorbs up to 2 points of damage). Asp (Small Melee Weapon, deals 2 points of damage).

Origin Story
Toronto-born Dwayne Matthew Charles began his superhero career as a kid-sidekick to the Canadian superhero duo of Mountie and Redcard under the codename Fasttrack; at the age of 10, he was bitten by a radioactive coyote and gained superhuman speed. He did not, however, care for the stressful life of a masked crime-fighter, and he had retired from the superhero game before he turned 16. He rarely used his super-speed after that.
   Dwayne had a great love of basketball--and a talent for the game. He went to college on an athletic scholarship and was being courted by recruiters for top basketball teams while he was still a sophomore. When he graduated, he stepped onto what looked to the the fast-track to basketball super-stardom.
   Fate had different plans. While walking to the corner store, he saw an elderly woman about to be hit by a bus--and he used his super-speed to rush her to safety. Dwayne had hoped no one would notice his super-rescue, but unfortunately, his action was caught on nearby security cameras and on the cellphones of bystanders. His face was instantly recognized, and when enterprising webizens compared the footage to that of Fasttrack in action, Dwayne's long-held secret was out. Within hours, reporters from every conceivable media outlet were on his doorstep.
   Dwayne explained that he wasn't Fasttrack and didn't want to be Fasttrack; if people couldn't use his name, they could always call him "DMC," he said. But by the end of the day, Dwayne was fired from the basketball team and proceedings were underway to have him blacklisted from professional sports for not revealing his super-abilities. That, in turn, let to online petitions to have him reinstated and to stop bigotry against the supra-abled. To top it off, the Mountie's old enemy Beaver Beater, showed up and challenged Dwayne to a fight--and in the chaos, his housed burned down.
   Jobless, homeless, and the face of a cause he really doesn't want to be the face of, and celebrated as the hero he didn't want to be, one of the fastest men alive found himself with nowhere to run. Reluctantly, he took on the mantle of superhero again. He is currently using DMC as his code-name, but he still holds out hope of returning to his career as a professional basketball player.

Powers
DMC has the ability to move at superhuman speeds.

Enemies and Allies
Beaver Beater has never forgiven DMC for the humiliating defeat he dealt her during his very first appearance as Fasttrack; she remains committed to crushing him to a bloody pulp. The Mountie and Redcard remain ready and willing to help DMC in any way he might need, if he asks. His sister, who entered the costumed hero-business under the name Blaxplosion, also stands ready to help him if needed.

Coming Soon... Film Fun Comics Vol. 2!

Here's the cover for the second Film Fun Comics book... which I finished putting together just now.

The drawing is by Lee Elias, and it originally appeared on the cover of Black Cat #9, back in 1947. The book will feature a little bit of short fiction by yours truly relating the origin of the Black Cat (ala NUELOW Games), and Black Cat comics drawn by Joe Kubert, Lee Elias, Jill Elgin, and Al Gabriele.

If current plans hold, Film Fun Comics Volume 2: The Black Cat vs. HIM will be available  for download from DriveThruComics.com and RPGNow.com next Friday. In the meantime, if you haven't checked out Film Fun Comics Volume 1: Stuntman, why don't you do so? There's a Black Cat story in there to get you warmed up -- click here for more information and to get a copy.

Also available now is His Honor and.... The Demon, which also contains a Black Cat story. Not to mention three tales starring The Demon--who is a judge by day, masked crime-fighter by night--and a ROLF! battle scenario that pits The Demon against The Black Cat. Click here to check it out.

Let us know what you think of these NUELOW Games comics collections/game supplements. We think they're pretty cool, but if no one else likes them, we'll move onto other projects!

NUELOW Heroes and Villains: Black Wing

Black Wing was inspired by the illo below and a basic concept that was released into the public domain by artist Carter-Ethan Rankin (you can see his original idea here). Everything else in this post is presented under the Open Gaming Licence. Copyright 2013 Steve Miller. (Rules for characters with wings and flying can be found in ROLF!: Angels, Demons & Death, and elsewhere).

Black Wing (aka Helena Winger)

Black Wing (Female)

(aka Helena Winger)

Brawn 20, Body 14, Brains 9

   Traits: Mutant (Claws, Fangs, Wings; only present when she is transformed at night or underground), Stone Cold Killer, Super Power (Natural: Super Strength, Flight,. Limitation: Superpower only active at night or underground), Too Sexy for My Shirt, Unstoppable.

   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Battle Rage, Castrate, Dodge, Double Strike, Human Cannonball, Murderous Mitts, Signature Move

   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Natural Weapon (Small Claws, deals 2 points of melee damage) Natural Weapon (Small Fangs, deals 2 points of melee danage that ignore armor).

Origin Story

Helena Hunter was an admirer of Guardian City's shadowy masked crime-fighter and super-detective Black Bat since she was a little girl. As she entered her teens, she dedicated herself to discovering his secret identity, so she could present herself as a worthy sidekick for him.

   Helena was successful; she managed to do what no one has done before, and deduced that Black Bat is actually millionaire Wayne Grayson. To her disappointment, however, Black Bat cooly rejected her offer to become has sidekick, stating that he always works alone and has never wanted to operate a daycare center.

   Devastated, Helena posted about her achievement and rejection to her Facebook page (without mentioning which hero she had tracked down and been rejected by). One of her online Friends, however, was secretly Black Bat's long-time foe Brick Bat, and he read between the lines to grasp her achievement. He reached out to Helena, offering her superpowers in exchange for Black Bat's secret identity. Helena jumped at the chance.

   Brick Bat brought the girl to one of the many mad scientists he works with where she was subjected to a treatment that was to give her powers to rival Black Bat. Helena promised to reveal the hero's name when she had her powers, but once the treatment was over, she betrayed Brick Bat and turned on him and the scientist. The scientist died beneath her newly acquired claws and fangs while Brick Bat barely escaped with his life.

Powers

During the night hours, after the sun has completely set or before it starts to rise, when she is underground or otherwise in a place where not even reflective sun-rays can reach her, Helena transforms into a monstrous bat-woman. with wings and vicious claws and fangs. She loses her normal vision when transformed, but instead moves about as a bat would, using a sonar-like ability to avoid hitting objects as she flies. This ability also lets her hone in on people through the sounds of their hearts beating. When transformed, Helena also has super-strength and the ability to fly.

Enemies and Allies
Helena's only enemy so far is Brick Bat, who wants revenge for her betrayal. Although she is still seething with anger and resentment against Black Bat, she has not turned her powers against him, but is instead still trying to gain his approval and respect. To that end, she has taken to brutally murdering random muggers and criminals--as well as some of Guardian City's top gang-bosses. Btween the mounting sense in the criminal underworld that something will have to be done to stop her, she is soon in for some real trouble. And that's not even taking Black Bat--who frowns on muderers of any sttrip--into account.

NUELOW Heroes and Villains: Captain Bananahammock

Here's another character for use in your ROLF! games. This one might be a useful foil if you want to create further adventures for Jane Bond. Maybe he could be her Honey Ryder? Or perhaps Captain Bananahammock can fall through a temporal/spacial vortex and become a frienemy of Amelia Earheart as she battles evil in the 57th Dimension (that idea was suggested by L.L. Hundal).

Once again, the character concept, name, and displayed artwork were created by Carter-Ethan Rankin and released into the public domain. The section labeled ROLF! Game Stats is presented under the Open Gaming License and is Copyright 2013 by Steve Miller. Everything else in this post is considered product identity, as defined under the Open Gaming License and may not be reproduced without permission from the copyright holders. (But if you ask Steve, he will almost certainly say "yes.")

Captain Bananahammock (aka Eric Ellis)

--
ROLF! GAME STATS
Captain Bananahammock
(aka Eric Ellis)
Brawn 29, Body 19, Brains 7
   Traits: Dumb, Egomaniac, Improv Master, Too Sexy for My Shirt
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Dodge, Driver, Strategic Bleeding, Seduce, The Look, The Walk
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Bright yellow shorts. Captain Bananahammock also owns a helicopter and a speedboat, both of which he has painted bright yellow.

The Banana Boat [Watercraft]
Body: 25; Speed: 16; Maneuverability 8
   Passengers: Driver + 4
Weapons: None, but passengers can shoot out the windows, dealing regular damage with ranged weapons

The Banana Smoothie [Aircraft]
Body: 24; Speed: 13; Maneuverability 5
   Passengers: Driver +3
   Weapons: None, but passengers can shoot out the windows, dealing regular damage with ranged weapons

(Rules for vehicles in ROLF! can be found in Amelia vs. the Queen of the 57th Dimension, but they will also be included in the projected ROLF! superhero game... when we get it done.)
--

Origin Story
Male supermodel Eric Ellis's greatest claim to fame was being the face (and sexy body) of Scorch Sports and Swimwear until the company was revealed to be a front for Pocket Rocket's latest scheme to dominate the world and driven into bankruptcy. The scandal ruined Eric's modeling career, but he didn't mind, because he had more money in the bank than he knew what do with. Further, his encounter with Texas Hellion and Hot Shot as they sent Pocket Rocket to the prison hospital for the umpteenth time got him thinking that he should go into the "mystery man" business. He was perfect for it, he thought--he's got a rockin' bod that he's not afraid to show off, and he's rich. (A couple of all-night private consulting sessions with Hot Shot further convinced him that the Hero Biz is where he would spend his retirement.)

Superpowers
Captain Bananahammock has no powers other than his self-described rockin' bod and tremendous ego. He adventures and fights crime primarily to be seen and admired-- ideally in as few clothes as possible while avoiding arrest for indecent exposure.

Enemies and Allies
No one really views Captain Bananahammock as a threat, although mad scientist Dr. Tooth will shoot him on sight for coming onto his wife, Dr. Floss, when they met in Sydney last year. Captain Banananhammock frequently works with agents of with Agents of P.R.I.G., and he has an on-again, off-again relationship with Hot Shot--basically whenever they're in the same hemisphere.

NUELOW Heroes & Villains: Punk Rock Girl

Here's another ROLF! super-character. Creator Carter-Ethan Rankin states: "She's Hallie Hiromatsu! She's a punk! She's got skin of stone! She considers herself the 4th member of Shonen Knife! She's: PUNK ROCK GIRL!"

Punk Rock Girl (aka Hallie Hiromatsu)

Enjoy!

ROLF! Game Stats
Punk Rock Girl (Female)
aka Hallie Hiromatsu
Brawn 20 (23 when transformed), Body 15, Brains 7
   Traits: Martial Artist, Unstoppable, Super Power (Item-based: Whenever she listens to a song by Shonen Knife, she can gains Super Strength, and cause her skin to turn to stone for up to one hour (all damage suffered is reduced by 3 points). Limitation: When she transforms, her skin turns gray and pitted--like a rock--her hair becomes a short purple mohawk and her left eye becomes a jagged pit. If she hears a Shonen Knife song and does not wish to transform, she must roll a successful Brains ATT check to resist.)
   Combat Maneuvers: Backflip, Dance Move, Double Strike, Disarm, Kung Fu Face, Murderous Mitts
   Important Items Worn/Wielded: Nunchuks (Medium Melee Weapon. Deals 3 points of damage). iPod loaded with all official Shonen Knife albums, as well as several dozen bootleg recordings),

Origin Story
Teenager Hallie Hiromatsu is the youngest daughter of Hiro Hiromatsu, an American of Japanese descent who has returned with his Caucasian wife to Japan to run a language school. In truth, Hiro is the top operative of P.R.I.G. (Pacific Rim Intelligence Group) and his school serves as a front for the secretive, U.N.-sponsored spy ring.
   From literally the day she sat foot in Japan, Hallie has been a huge fan of the all-girl alternative rock band Shonen Knife. Although grounded on the night they were performing near her home, she stuck out to attend the concert with a girl friend. Before going to the concert, the two girls styled Hallie's hair in a purple mohawk, because she wanted to show her father that he may be some sort of super-spy, but he couldn't stop her from doing whatever she wanted to do.
   However, Hallie's movements had been tracked from the moment she snuck out of her house, not by her father but by the sinister North Korean super-agent Spirit of the People and her mad scientist sidekick Dr. Kim Chee ("Kim. It's just Dr. Kim!"). They in turn were being followed by Captain Freedom and his wild-child sidekick Jungle Girl. When Spirit of the People and Dr. Kim struck at the concert with the intent of kidnapping Hallie and her friend, the two heroes were ready to stop them. The Shonen Knife performance continued uninterrupted, as the band and crowd just thought it was an extra special, extra energetic night of moshing and thrashing.
   During the fight, Dr. Kim's latest death-ray gun malfunctioned  and exploded, almost killing him and overloading Shonen Knife's amplifiers and speakers. Hallie, bathed in both the weird radiation of the gun and the sonic waves of a distorted Shonen Knife tune,
underwent a strange transformation--her skin turned rock hard and she gained superpowers. While Captain Freedom evacuated Shonen Knife and the crowd from the collapsing concert venue, Hallie and Jungle Girl chased and defeated Spirit of the People.
   When Hallie reverted to her natural body soon afterwards, it became apparent that she had also been severely injured in the explosion and she almost died. Although Hallie made a full recovery, her left eye could not be saved. After recovering, her father saw that she was put through a crash-course martial arts training program, so she could defend herself and put her superpowers to use in the name of freedom and justice
 whenever she listens to a song by Japanese alternative rock band Shonen Knife.

Superpowers
Dr. Kim Chee's malfunctioning weapon activated dormant mutant traits in Hallie that now is triggered when she hears a song by Shonen Knife. When transformed, her Brawn ATT increases by +3 and all damage received). Hallie's transformation lasts for one hour, and she must get at least 6 hours of sleep between transformations to do them successfully. She can chose to not transform by making a successful Brains ATT check.
   Hallie's left eye is a highly advanced cybernetic prosthetic that allows her to record what she sees and transmit it to P.R.I.G. central command at will. It is non-functioning when she becomes Punk Rock Girl.

Enemies and Allies
Hallie is an Agent of P.R.I.G. and can call upon their resources. She will stop agents of P.O.T.S. whenever she can... and anyone who says a bad word about Shonen Knife had better ready for a beating.

FYI
Punk Rock Girl created by Carter-Ethan Rankin. Bikini Blur, Reiko Nakamura, and the displayed image have all been released into the public domain. Everything else (except for the names Captain Freedom, Dr. Kim Chee, Jungle Girl, and Spirit of the People, which are Product Identity) in this post is presented under the Open Gaming License, and may be reproduced accordingly, and is Copyright Steve Miller 2013. Shonen Knife is also not Open Gaming Content, and is a trademark used without permission. No challenges to ownership intended.

Shonen Knife is actually a real-world Japanese rock band, who were a favorite of Kurt Cobain. Here's are a couple of samples of their music:

NUELOW Heroes & Villains: Bikini Blur

Bikini Blur (aka Reiko Nakamura)

ROLF! Game Stats
This (and all write-ups for this series) relies on the basic ROLF! game, but may also use rules found in ROLF!: Something About Superheroes, ROLF!: POTS vs. PANS, and ROLF!: Mad Scientists Gone Wild. (Note: Sharp-eyed gamers may note some minor irregularities in the way the Super Power trait functions in these write-ups. Those are due to anticipated revisions coming with the ROLF!-powered superhero game that is in the works.)

Bikini Blur (aka Reiko Nakamura)
Brawn 14, Body 15, Brains 6
   Traits: Irrepressible Optimist, Nimble, Super Power (Derived from Alien Bikini. Only gained when Item is Worn: Super Speed, Furious Fists combat maneuver, Armor that absorbs up to 5 points of damage from all sources, even those that usually ignore armor. Limitation: The Alien Bikini only operates when it is the only thing Reiko is wearing.).
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Dodge, Run Away!, Walking Disaster Area.
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Glittering Alien Bikini of Mysterious Origin (Clothes, barely covers nakedness). Taser (Small Melee Weapon, deals 2 points of damage that ignore armor; a gift from her dad).

Origin Story
The mystery woman known as Bikini Blur was just another high school girl from Osaka, fretting about her college exams when a chance encounter with a strange being from an alien planet altered her life forever.
   Reiko Nakamura was coming home from the library late one evening when she was blinded by a flash of light and knocked over by a powerful gust of wind. When her vision cleared, a green-skinned woman stood over her. Orange blood oozed from many deep wounds.
   "I have run as far as I could," the woman said--her voice reverberating in Reiko's very bones, "and I must pass the treasures of my kingdom onto you. Please guard them. Do not let them fall into the hands of the Dark Empress. The future of my race rests with you now."
   With that, light seemed to consume the woman's body, leaving behind only the glistening two-piece bathing suit she had worn. Wondering if she had cracked under the strain of too much studying, Reiko picked up the bikini, slipped it in her book-bag and continued on her way home and to bed.
   When Reiko woke up the next morning, she still thought of last night's events as proof her mind had snapped; but when she looked in her book-bag, the glistening, shimmering bikini was there. Whatever she had witnessed last night, it had really happened!
   Reiko decided to put the bikini on and found that it fit perfectly. As Reiko admired herself and the odd swimwear in the mirror, several hulking, armored men with green skin burst through the wall. "Surrender the treasure, alien female!" one of them bellowed, reaching for Reiko with his massive gauntled hand... but she wasn't there anymore. In fact, she was on a rooftop across the street, looking back at her shattered home in astonishment--she had merely wanted to back away from the horrible figure bearing down on on her, but in doing so somehow managed to leap clear across the street. The strange alien suit didn't exactly give her the ability to fly or teleport, but it let her move so fast that she might as well be able to--she had leapt out of the second floor of her house, run across the street and literally up the wall of the house there until, on the roof, where he thoughts finally caught up with her actions and she realized what was happening.
   Moments later, another group of aliens appeared in the street below. They shouted in a language she could not understand, some pointing at her, some pointing at her, some pointing at the armored beings peering through the hole in the wall to her bedroom. And then, the two groups starting fighting each other.
   Reiko thought it best if she fled the scene... and she's been running ever since. Later reuniting with her father, Chika, who narrowly escaped death as their house was destroyed, the pair now travel Japan and the East, seeking to unlock the secrets of Reiko's bikini, fending off their alien pursuers when they catch up to them and fighting crime and injustice when they encounter it.
   Meanwhile, journalist Taharo Akako is also on their tail. He's the one who named Reiko "Bikini Blur." Reiko wold love to meet him, but her father forbids it; he doesn't want a reporter broadcasting their location to the aliens (and he doesn't want a handsome man making time with his teenage daughter!)

Superpowers
Reiko has no powers of her own. Her abilities all derive from the alien bikini, which remains almost as mysterious to her as when she first put it on. It allows her to move extremely fast, hit opponents harder, and to cause a blurry aura around her that protects her--but since she only recently discovered that function, she and Chika both believe the suit is capable of much more.
   Much to both their chagrin--Chika in particular--the bikini's powers only operate if it is the only thing Reiko is wearing.

Enemies and Allies
Bikini Blur is hunted by the minions of the Dark Empress, and by a faction of uncertain loyalties that is led by the handsome alien Prince Hiromasa. She has also angered the powerful Yakuza boss Raiden, who has placed a bounty on her.
   Bikini Blur has crossed paths with Punk Rock, another young Japanese superheroine, a couple of times. They have become friends and subscribe to each other's Twitter feeds. Her father remains her protector and firmest ally.

FYI
Bikini Blur created by Carter-Ethan Rankin. Bikini Blur, Reiko Nakamura, and the displayed image have all been released into the public domain. Everything else in this post is presented under the Open Gaming License, and may be reproduced accordingly, and is Copyright Steve Miller 2013.

2013 -- the Year of the NUELOW Superhero?

This month, we're launching our series of comics collections (each of which will have game material, unlike the Robert E. Howard series where it rarely happened), but Steve Miller (me... speaking of myself in third person again) will also be writing stats and backgrounds for a series of characters that are being created by artist Carter-Ethan Rankin.

Like so many of our other projects, this effort is grounded in material that is in the public domain. Unlike so many of our other projects, Rankin's characters are brand new. He's designing their look, naming them, giving them a basic back story, and releasing them into the public domain for everyone to use (or abuse) as they see fit.

One of Rankin's creations I find particularly striking.
But will anything I write resemble the back-story he created?

If you're familiar with NUELOW Games' output, or if you have spent any time whatsoever with me at a gaming table, you know that I have a habit of reinventing characters and places as I go--oftentimes because I know better than the original creators. (For an example of this, check out ROLF!: Bat vs. Cat, where the NUELOW Black Cat is actually quite distinctive in her background from the Harvey Comics character she is based on. And, in the forthcoming His Honor and... The Demon book, I am editing and re-writing some word balloons and captions so the Black Cat's origins are changing from the Harvey one to the NUELOW one. At least that's the plan. We'll see if I ultimately like the result and follow through.)

So... as this project goes forward, some of the characters will be close to Rankin's creations. Others will be further afield, as I just appropriate his art and yoke it to something entirely different -- like we did with all the heroes featured in ROLF!: POTS vs. PANS.

Captain Bananahammock... he'll stay pretty much as Rankin created him.

At the end of all of this, I'm hoping that L.L Hundal and I will have finished the ROLF! superhero game that she's been futzing around with for the past several months. She's not yet happy with the modifications she feels need to be done to the character generation rules. When she's ready. I'll be hitting up you Gentle Readers to see if any of you want to do a little play-testing.

In the meantime, the superheroes that will be appear here in blog posts will use the rules presented in ROLF!: Something About Superheroes (which you can download for free) and ROLF!: Mad Scientists Gone Wild!. I'm confident that whatever Hundal ultimately does with character generation in the supers game, it's not going to impact the utility and compatibility of the characters in this series (and the eventual product that will emerge from it).

(Captain Bananahammock, and both images used in this post, are available for use by anyone, with only one condition is available for use by anyone, with only one condition. This paragraph must be included in any publication involving them, in order that others may use this property as they wish. That said, any specific NUELOW Games text and creations surrounding the art are under copyright of NUELOW Games and myself; the character and idea are free for anyone and everyone to use. The displayed image has been declared public domain to give creators a starting point. To quote Carter-Ethan Rankin: "All rights reversed.")

Watch for the arrival of superheroes, right here at the NUELOW Games blog!

Available Now: "Film Fun Comics Vol. 1"!

Click here to see previews or to get a copy of Film Fun Comics Vol. 1: Stuntman!

We've enjoyed some success with our ROLF!-based superhero releases, and we were happy with the sales on our first excursion into comics with "ROLF!: Turkey Shoot." Plus, we here at NUELOW Games like both comic books and classic superhero adventures, so we're upping the ante with a new series of books -- Film Fun Comics!

Each entry in this new series (which is projected to run at least 4 pdf-format e-books) will collect some great Golden Age comics set against the backdrop of the Golden Age of Hollywood... with actors and actresses putting on fighting togs to take on the criminal underworld!

Here's the cover image for Film Fun Comics, Vol. 1: Stuntman. It will contain four of Stuntman's greatest cases and a ROLF! battle scenario, along with several pre-generated characters. The Stuntman comics were all written and drawn by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, and they were selected from the pages of vintage issues of All-New Comics, Black Cat, The Green Hornet Fights Crime, and Thrills of Tomorrow.

By way of further preview, here are the ROLF! game stats for Stuntman and his supporting cast. Other characters and an all-new Trait will also be featured in the book.

DON DARING (Male)

Brawn 15; Body 18; Brains 4
Traits: Irrepressible Optimist, So Very British
Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Seduce, Strike Pose, Withering Insult
Important Stuff Wielded/Worn: Notebook (Melee OR One-shot Ranged Weapon. Deals 1 point of damage). Expensive Suit, Deer-stalker Hat.

SANDRA SYLVAN (Female)
Brawn: 14; Body 19; Brains 6
   Traits: Busty, Improv Master, Nimble
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Disarm, Dodge, Seduce, Strike Pose, The Look
   Important Stuff Wielded/Worn: Fashionable Clothes.

STUNTMAN (aka Fred Drake, Male)
Brawn 28 (includes +1 Hat bonus), Body 18, Brains 8
   Traits: Honorable, Nimble
   Combat Maneuver: Backflip, Basic Attack, Dodge, Human Cannonball, Knock Out, Murderous Mitts, Signature Move
   Important Stuff Wielded/Worn: Superhero Outfit (Armor, absorbs up to 2 points of damage), Stuntman Mask (Hat, +1 to Brawn when worn).

To save the future, they must fight in the past....

NUELOW Games celebrates the 40th anniversary of Peter Fonda's landmark sci-fi film about time-traveling without wearing pants, Idaho Transfer, with the release of our own pants-less time-travel epic for ROLF! -- Rise of the Trouser Snakes 2: Whacking Weiner.

ROLF!: Rise of the Trouser Snakes 2 is a stand-alone sequel to our cyberpunk spoof that pitted rebels in a dark future against teh corrupt forces of the plutocratic One World Government. Now, the brave members of the Trouser Snakes must travel into the past to stop the Time Killer from assassinating US politician and creepy sexter Anthony Weiner and altering the course of history. Like the great Idaho Transfer, it's got intrepid young people with no pants traveling through time to secure a better tomorrow! We're sure Fonda would approve... if he knew we existed.

Rise of the Trouser Snakes 2; Whacking Weiner presents five pregenerated characters--including Anthony Weiner ala ROLF!--several Traits and Combat Maneuvers not found in the core rulebook, and two linked battle scenaros. Click here to see previews at RPGNow and to download your own copy.

If you missed the original Rise of the Trouser Snakes, click here to check it out. You might also be interested in Anthony Weiner's first ROLF! appearance, which saw him in pitched battle with a former president of the United States in Bill Clinton and the Secret City of Women.

Features the debut of the Trouser Snakes

Features Anthony Weiner's ROLF! debut.