The Return of Sally the Sleuth!

When Sally the Sleuth goes undercover at the culinary college operated by Chef Gordon Blue, the question isn't whether she'll solve the mystery but whether she'll manage to keep her clothes on while doing so. We hope you'll check out ROLF!: A Recipe for Evil, the latest comics/RPG hybrid project from NUELOW Games. It marks Sally's second appearance in ROLF!, and our 12th release to feature actual comics along-side the game content..

Last year, we published what we thought would be perhaps the first of two NUELOW Games products to contain actual comics--ROLF!: Turkey Shoot. It was a revival of the first woman detective in American comics and possibly even the genre's first "Good Girl," Sally the Sleuth, together with half a dozen of her earliest adventures.

That "Thanksgiving Special," however, led to way for a whole new product product category for us... the game/comic book hybrid, a concept Steve Miller has felt strongly about for many years. While we still haven't done anything with what was conceived as our second comics project (aside from a blog post written by L.L. Hundal), there have been a dozen other releases, which you can check out here. With the original Black Cat as a sort-of anchor character, we've dusted off characters that haven't been heard from since the 1940s and given them new life while presenting and remaining true to their original adventures. In some cases, we've even published, for the first time, the complete run of certain characters within a single book, like we did with the Veiled Avenger in Lady Satan and British Agent 99 in Film Fun Comics, Vol. 3.

We have many more comics/RPG hybrid comics planned. We hope you will consider checking out not only ROLF!: A Recipe for Evil, but also some of our other offerings. The Science Sleuths series is proving to be quite popular, for example, and the first few issues are devoted entirely to crime-fighting females like Sally. (With issue #3, we're adding a crime-fighting couple to the mix, as the Rocketman series joins the line-up.)

For the full listing of all our comics releases, click on the "World's Greatest Comics" badge to right. (That's right... we only publish the World's Greatest Comics here at NUELOW Games.)

It's Lovecraft's birthday, and YOU get the gift!

Today, August 20, 2013, is the 123th anniversary of the birth of H.P. Lovecraft. We're celebrating by giving YOU the gift.

For today only, you can download ROLF!: Herbert West vs. the Zombies for free. The battle scenario was inspired by a string of stories that were among Lovecraft's least favorite of his works, but which rank among the ones we like the best here at NUELOW Games.

Click here to get your copy now! Don't panic, and keep your Elder Sign handy.

Howard Phillips Lovecraft: 8/20/1890 - 3/15/1937

Given what's going on in Egypt....

... and the absolute disaster that is the Obama Administration's Mid-East policy, would it be bad form to mention that John Kerry vs. the Queen of Evil features Kerry as a 3,000 year-old priest of Iss revived in modern times to fight his undying nemesis? Yeah... probably, especially since it features ROLF! stats for Kerry, the Queen of Evil, the goddess Isis, and ancient citizens of Luxor. And then there's the back-up feature starring Black Cat where she takes on "Cleopatra of the Casbah." Yes. Almost certainly bad form, not to mention possibly disrespectful of the rioters burning Christian churches and attacking government buildings. So, I better not mention that book at all, even though it can be downloaded right now for the special "pay what you want" price.

It would be even tackier of me to bring up ROLF!: Super Muslim Bros., which pokes fun at the architects of the bloody mess that is Egypt today, as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton go on a secret mission to help Mohamed Morsi out of a bind. Yeah... that would be even worse, since that one features ROLF! stats for Morsi, Obama, Clinton, Muslim Brotherhood Thugs, mummies, and other bloodthirsty Egyptian "protesters." And I should certainly not mention that you can find it for sale at RPGNow.

Yeah... that would be horribly insensitive to the "death to America" crowd, which is pretty much everyone in Egypt these days....

I think I'll just focus on promoting our new comics/gaming project -- the happy four-color wonder that is Carnival! After all, it's got game material geared for OGL Modern, a far more popular game that ROLF!, so it just makes sense. (It even features a Black Cat story that is non-Egypt related... and plenty of clowns that have nothing to do with formulating U.S. foreign policy.)

Weiner bigger than ever!

Here we thought that ROLF! Rise of the Trouser Snakes 2: Whacking Weiner was as dated as current-events based products like ROLF!: Mister Freedom vs. Blowhard and  ROLF!: The Breast Hope for Peace.

But Anthony Weiner just keeps popping back up. There's a HuffPo headline today that reads "Weiner Won't to Pull Out." We were sure that Weiner was done with his mayoral run when he got up in front of cameras and tried to blame his wife for his weird to expose himself online. Maybe there's enough staying-power here to warrant a third ROLF! product featuring good old Anthony Weiner.

Maybe we should do "Anthony Weiner, Private Dick" (the tale of Weiner seeking the "hacker" who posted pictures of Little Weiner on the net)?  Or maybe "Sexting. Wives, and Duct Tape" (about the night Huma and Hillary took revenge on Bill and Anthony)? Or maybe a team-up between Bill Cinton?

Meanwhile, if you like, you can check out the adventures of Anthony Weiner already published in ROLF!: Bill Clinton and the Secret City of Women and ROLF!: Rise of the Trouser Snakes 2.

   

Click here to read more.

Click here to read more.

Merry Christmas in July!

!L.L. Hundal loves Christmas, so it comes twice a year here at NUELOW Games -- December 24 and July 24. We also release at least two Christmas products as a result.

This year's July Christmas release, ROLF! Christmas Special III, introduces the Inventor trait to the game, as well as bringing Jill Trent and Daisy Smythe, the Science Sleuths, to the NUELOW line-up of Heroes and Villaiuns. (It also offers six pre-generated characters, two battle scenarios, and numerous combat maneuvers and traits not featured in the core ROLF! rule book.)

Oh yeah... and in our continuing quest to be recognized as the publisher of edgy and games of ultimate inclusiveness, we've got a pair of characters with the Same Sex Preference trait, who are in a relationship! Can we get some critical recognition and praise already?!

Like all other items in our catalog, ROLF! Christmas Special III is currently available at 25 percent off. This special price lasts through July 28. Click here to see our full listing of offerings.

NUELOW Heroes and Villains: Professor Eatery

Here's another character created by Carter-Ethan Rankin and released into the public domain. The character and the art below is public domain, but the text is released under the Open Game License, and maybe reproduced according to the terms described in it. Copyright 2013 Steve Miller.

Professor Eatery (aka Del. I. Catessan)

PROFESSOR EATERY (Male)

(aka Delbert Ignacius Catessan)

Brawn 28, Body 13, Brains 6

   Traits: Coldhearted, Super Power (Super Strength), Unstoppable

   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Disembowel, Dodge, Knock-Out, Murderous Mitts, Withering Insult

   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded:  Super Outfit (Armor, absorbs up to 2 points of damage). Razor Spatula (Small Melee Weapon, deals 2 points of damage).

Origin Story

The man who became Professor Eatery was once the humble operator of an upscale restaurant that only served dishes prepared from all natural ingredients who also taught cooking classes at the local community center and wrote food reviews for alternative newspapers around the state. 

   He would habitually write negative reviews of the Happy Thai Burger chain, faulting them not only for making awful fast-food fusion cuisine but for their GMO- and preservative-heavy menus. Unfortunately for Delbert, the local mafia Don loved Happy Thai Burger, had invested money in the chain, and decided he needed to taught a lesson.

   Mobsters burned down Del's restaurant and took him to a remove location where they force-fed him Happy Thai menu items until he could keep no ore food down. Then they buried him under half a ton of genetically modified tomatoes.

   What should have killed Del made him stronger. The shock to his system when he was suddenly force fed all those chemical-heavy food items gave him super-strength and endurance. It also drove him mad, so after taking his revenge on the mobsters who destroyed his life, he continued to stalk and kill anyone who runs and eating establishment or hosts a TV cooking show who doesn't live up to his culinary standards. He prepares a final meal for them, and, once they are done eating, kills them.

Superpowers

Professor Eatery has super strength and is resistant to injury.

Allies and Enemies

Professor Eatery is a lone wolf who is wanted for murder all around the world. Since he views himself as a hero it is unlikely that he would ever team up with one of them. It has been rumored that Weight Watchers would like to approach him about an endorsement deal and that at one time, Michelle Obama was trying to convince her husband to pardon him for all past crimes and create a cabinet-level position to oversee proper nutrition among Americans.

A straight-up, traditional ROLF! supplement!

The string of comics with game supplements included may have caused you to suspect we'd forgotten about pure game products... not so! And by way of proof, we offier ROLF!: Revenge of the Nigerian Prince!

This little item contains five pre-generated characters, some traits and combat maneuvers not found in the ROLF!: The Rollplaying Game of Big Dumb Fighthers core rulebook, three linked battle scenarios to use them with -- and, as always, a rediculously low price!

Click here to see previews or do get your own copy. If you only buy one ROLF! product this month you should make it this one. It's Andrew Pavlides's first contribution to the NUELOW Games line-up, and it would make him (and me) happy if it sold really well!.

It's time for.... JOHN KERRY COMICS!

It's the secret origin of John Kerry, United States Secretary of State!

Originally published in by Fox Features Syndicate in 1941 and 1942, the comics stories contained in John Kerry vs. The Queen of Evil present irrefutable evidence that John Kerry has been "reporting for duty" a lot longer than his official biography would have you believe. (Well... the evidence is at least as solid as that proving that Barack Obama is a foreign-born agent of sinister powers whose presidency represents the culmination of a a plan hatched decades ago.)

Aside from three classic comics stories, John Kerry vs. The Queen of Evil contains a complete supplement for ROLF!: The Rollplaying Game of Big Dumb Fighters and a foreword by editor and game designer Steve Miller.

Click here to see previews, or to get your own copy the book.

And if you don't want John Kerry vs. The Queen of Evil for yourself, get a copy for that special Birther/Truther/Conspiracy Theorist in your life. He or she will have an entirely new set of crazy notions to create evidence in support of!

Two (2) new releases from NUELOW Games this week!

We've been so busy working on various releases (ROLF!: Revenge of the Nigerian Prince, various hybrid comic book/game products such as new volumes in the Film Fun Comics series, a horror anthology series, and sundry one-shots like John Kerry vs. the Queen of Evil, and the as-of-yet untitled superhero RPG) that we totally forgot to plug this week's releases on our own blog!

First, we released perhaps our strangest book yet -- yes, even stranger than Shadows of Dreams, our poetry collection with RPG magic item write-ups in the back: Black Cat Shows You How To Do Judo Tricks. It's got rules for martial arts in the ROLF! and OpenD6 game systems, a four page comic book story... and more than a dozen judo lessons from the leading lady of our comics line, Black Cat. It's a quirky little product with fabulous art by Lee Elias, and we think it's a great tool for anyone who wants better visualize what their martial arts bad-ass hero is doing when taking down the zombie hoards armed only with is fists of fury! Click here to check out previews or to get your very own copy!

Second, as hinted at in the post featuring ROLF! stats for Edward Snowden, we released a battle scenario inspired by the events this past week in Egypt titled ROLF!: Super Muslim Bros. It began life as a simple one-sheet of battle scenarios that Steve Miller was going to give away for free, but then L.L. Hundal got ahold of it and expanded it to a full product. Events moved so fast that our product was outdated the day after we released it, but the sentiments expressed in it still stands: NUELOW Games is officially glad to see the two-faced, lying bastards of the Muslim Brotherhood thrown out of power. We extend our support to freedom-loving Egyptians, and we hope that this time their revolution will bear fruit fit for human consumption. Click here to check out ROLF!: Super Muslim Bros. (And get ready for ROLF!: Revenge of the Nigerian Prince!)

Super Muslim Bros. Bonus Battle Scenario

We here at NUELOW Games extend our best wishes to the people of Egypt. We hope that the promise of the so-called Arab Spring will finally yield something like a path to ward true equality and liberty in that country, instead of the mockery that Morsi and the Muslim Bros. were instituting.

On that note, here's a ROLF! Battle Scenario to celebrate Morsi's ouster. It features the never-before-seen ROLF! character stats for Edward "Wait--I steal and make public government secrets and they revoke my passport?" Snowden.

BATTLE SCENARIO: SNOWDEN WITH MORSI

Background: Edward Snowden finally finds a country that will give him asylum -- Durkadurkastan, home to the people that even the Afghani Taliban thought were too crazy and extreme to keep around.. "You struck a blow at the every liver of the Great Satan! You will be a national hero! You will be given many virgins, and you won't even have to die to get them!" the letter acknowledging his request had been granted said, among other things.

   Upon arriving in Durkadurkastan, Snowden is given temporary quarters in a remote mountain cave ("It gets Sirius XM Radio and Showtime.... we had it installed when Sheik Osama lived here for a time!" Minister of Defeating the Infidels tells him.) Already staying in the cave is Mohamed Morsi, late of Egypt. The two hit it off, sharing many things, a general contempt for the United States of America being foremost among them.

   But, as they wait to be given their stately manors staffed with nubile virgins, as is befitting for heroes of Durkadurkastan, a massive snowstorm hits, trapping them in the cave. ("We will fetch you in a couple of weeks," the Interior Minister of Glorious Victory Over Infidels tells them via shortwave radio. "You maybe a bit short on food, but you can do with losing a few pounds, Sheik Morsi.")

   "Short on food" is an understatement. There is NO food in the cave at all. Within three days, Morsi and Snowden realize they're going to have to eat each other to survive. So, they set out to murder each other, so one will live.

   The Battle: This is a simple fight for two gamers. Each controls a character, and it continues until one of the cave-dwellers is dead. (Stats for Mohamed Morsi can be found both in ROLF!: The Mummy's Tune and ROLF!: Super Muslim Bros)

ROLF! STATS FOR EDWARD SNOWDEN

Edward Snowden (Male)

Brawn 14, Body 16, Brains 6

   Traits: Egomaniac, Left-handed, Improv Master

   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Disarm, Dodge, Run Away!, Signature Move, Seduce Strike Pose

   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Laptop Computer (Small Melee Weapon, deals 2 points of damage OR one-short Ranged Weapon, deals 2 points of damage). NSA-issued poison-bladed knife (Small Melee Weapon, deals 2 points of damage).

Edward Snowden, Hero In His Own Mind

A Happy Canada Day to those folks a few miles north of me!

Happy birthday to Canada, the country that spawned such great talent as Barry Blair and William Shatner! And then there's Carter-Ethan Rankin, whose creations we've been leaning heavily on for the past few weeks here at the NUELOW Games blog, as pretty much every character that's appeared so far in the NUELOW Heroes and Villains series was conceived by him. (And if time allows, there will be yet another character drawn from one of his creations later today... the oft-mentioned Hot Shot.)

 But, as a change of pace, and to honor Canada's birthday, here's a character with ROLF! stats that's not created by Rankin, yet is still so Canadian that he probably bleeds maple syrup. Or maybe de-icing something-or-other.

DIXON OF THE MOUNTED (Male)
Brawn 21, Body 18 (includes +1 Hat Bonus), Brains 7
    Traits: Dead-Eye, Saddle Bum, Sense of Honor
   Combat Maneuvers: Basic Attack, Deflect, Disarm, Dodge, Knock Out, Murderous Mitts, Sure Shot
   Important Stuff Worn/Wielded: Red Mounties Coat (Armor, absorbs 1 point of damage). Mountie Hat (provides +1 Body ATT while worn). Service Revolver (Small Ranged Weapon, deals 2 points of damage). Rifle (Medium Ranged Weapon, deals 4 points of damage that ignore armor).

Dixon starred in the first seven issues of Bell Features's Active Comics, where he always got his man (when he wasn't rescuing his lady-friend Ruth Barton).
   (Dixon was created using battle maneuvers included in ROLF!: Bathtime on Bear Creek.)

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.

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.