Me, Savage Mojo and This Blog

So, effective yesterday or so, I came to terms with Savage Mojo to become their Social Media Manager. Essentially, I will becoming their public face, especially in the realm of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, game forums, that sort of thing). As many of you know, a while back I began a working relationship with them as their "Savage Campaign Guru", at which point I ceased things like doing reviews of Savage Mojo products (due to conflict of interest - even if I hadn't worked on the products in question).

I feel very positive about this step (especially as the sole working parent in the household, with my wife becoming a stay at home mom about a year ago), and I look forward to helping Savage Mojo grow into its rightful place, in my view, among the game publisher's pantheon.

What does that mean for this blog? Honestly, not much. Yeah, I'll talk more about Savage Mojo, but any time I have new projects coming out, you're going to hear about it (I mean, I'm going to beat you all to death with Hellrazer until you jump on the bandwagon, and I'm VERY pumped about the expected releases by Daring Entertainment this year). I'm still going to review games because, well, I love roleplaying games...I love playing them, I love reading them, I love informing people about them, and I do my level best to inform you of them without an agenda (at least until Tommy's Top Six rolls around every year).

I am very, very excited about the turns my life has taken, professionally and personally, over the last couple of years, and I look forward to sharing many more positive developments with you in the months to come. To that end, if you need to reach me for anything Savage Mojo related, drop me a line at community@savagemojo.com.

Stay tuned later this week for my review of Bedrock Games' alternate history RPG Servants of Gaius, but first, take a peek at the new Suzerain promo video we uploaded this weekend and swing by RPGNow right now and use the code WhenIrishDiceAreRollin to get 20% off of Caladon Falls until April 10th!

Tommy's Take on Leverage: Hitters, Hackers & Thieves

And now to complete the Leverage trifecta with Hitters, Hackers & Thieves, the second Leverage expansion book.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: A companion book to Grifters & Masterminds, Hitters, Hackers & Thieves expands on the other three roles of a Leverage crew, and the cover indicates this by showing Hardison (Hacker) on the cover with Parker (Thief) and Eliot (Hitter) reflected in his sunglasses. This is a review of the 128 page PDF version, available on RPGNow for $12.99. Full color, all the bells and whistles, that sort of thing...the aesthetics are up to the usual Margaret Weis Productions standards. The book leads off with an amusing, in character note from Wil Wheaton as "Cha0s", not unlike Mark Sheppard's note as Sterling in Grifters & Masterminds.

This book is organized a lot like the last, with an extra role section and minus a GM section. Hackers are up first, and while I never really got a particular "voice" from the Grifters & Masterminds sections, the Hacker 101 definitely has a "Hardison" vibe to it. We get a history of hacking (all the way back to 1822) and notable milestones in Hacking, like Operation Sundevil in the 90s and the rise of Anonymous. New Hacker Talents include The Cake is a Lie (giving you a bonus die for creating fake media), Do, or Do Not, There Is No Try (which lets you frontload an attempt at success, but run a greater risk of Complications) and I Read About That Once on the Internet (allowing you to use your Hacker die for something not Hacker related). Uses for Hacker with each Attribute is included, like Agility (executing something at a precise time) and even Strength (Hacking when restrained). A dozen Hackers are included, from a street thug to an ex-nun to an MMA fighter and a beefcake guy that steals people's identities to pay for his exploits! The Master Class section delves into using Hacker in gameplay, introducing things like Exploits (a wager with the Fixer - if you win, you get a free Asset, if you lose, they hit you with a Complication). Other mechanics are included, like Covering Your Tracks. The book even describes how Hackers can use things like car tires treads and Legos! Social Engineering details how Hacker can be used alongside Grifter (or in place of it, in an emergency).

The Hitter section is all about beating the crap out of people...not killing them, mind you...but beating them to a pulp. This turns into an awesome code of honor/set of rules about not killing, not using guns, divide and conquer, etc. Just a really enjoyable piece of writing.  Again, we get a sidebar on using Hacker with the various Attributes, like Intelligence for a Martial Arts Instructor, Alertness to find a weak spot and Willpower to keep going when you want to collapse. New Hitter Talents include Fighting Styles (Barroom Brawling, Fencing, and even Pro Wrestling, as well as a catch-all "I'm really badass" style), Weapon Training (Swinging Weapons, Thrusting Weapons, Frightening Weapon, etc), and other Talents like Ke-mo Sah-bee (in which your awesomeness attracts a follower), Location, Location, Location (scoring a free Asset from your surroundings), or Walking Arsenal (allowing you to pick up Weapon Training talents out of the blue for the remainder of the Job). A Dozen Hitters includes the obvious (cops, commandos, pro wrestlers and MMA fighters) as well as the less obvious (abuse survivors and wrongly incarcerated accountants). The Master Class opens up new possibilities, like using guns (complete with new Talents, including crowd control stuff), a system for winning fights without ever throwing a punch, and even mass combat (or Mob Fights).

Last, we get the Thief section. This follows the pattern of the other sections, with a look at the psychology of a thief before touching on some famous thieves. New Talents include Consolation Prize (in which you lose a fight but swipe something from the guy that beat you), Losing a Tail (ditching the folks trying to follow you) and Takes One To Know One (helps you spot another Thief). We also get a sidebar for using Attributes with Thief, like Strength (forcing open locks), Agility (...most things you'll be doing) and Willpower (working your way through a meticulous security system without slipping up). A Dozen Thieves includes a car thief, an ex secret agent, a magician's assistant and a forensics expert. The Master Class starts off covering thieves' tools, like telescopes, hand drills, lock picks and even beef jerky (for guard dogs, duh). Another section covers designing security systems for locations, hitting a checklist of common features before encouraging the use of Distinctions to give each one personality. Four sample locations are included in detail, from a survivalist compound to The Steranko from the Leverage episode The Inside Job. The Thief section ends with a list of cool things to steal, with both the "Why" and the "Why Not", from Nazi paintings to nuclear codes.

Finally, the book ends with The Tech Job, which is actually three hi-tech job outlines that can easily be used in play (since Leverage Jobs should probably never be anything more than an outline anyway).

WHAT WORKS: The Hitter section may be my favorite section written for the Leverage RPG, possibly my favorite section ever appearing in an MWP book and just a great read. Your mileage may vary, but I loved it. I also love the addition of the ready made compounds and the security system mechanics, a very useful set of additions to the game mechanics.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: I wasn't feeling the whole "psychology of a thief" thing, which is weird, because Parker's not my least favorite Leverage Crew member (that would be Sophie...and I still like her). In fact, from a Role standpoint Hacker and Thief would probably be most least favorite of the five.

CONCLUSION: I was reaching for complaints. I applaud the work the MWP crew has done with Leverage, starting with a strong core book and then two supplemental books that are not essential but dramatically expand the five roles in the game. As with Grifters & Masterminds, if you like the Leverage RPG, there is no real reason not to buy the supplemental books, at least in PDF. A great RPG treatment for one of my favorite shows.

Mythic GM Emulator, Marvel SAGA and Captain America

Tonight I decided to try out the Mythic GM Emulator (with a swell web version here, though you need a copy of the book still to really use it) and I figured the best way to do that would be with a system I knew like the back of my hand: Marvel SAGA. Soooo...I grabbed my cards and books, decided I would play as Captain America, set the opening scene as Cap holding court over The Avengers and went to work:

Standard game. Regular fate chart rules.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New scene

Chaos roll: 2
INTERRUPT SCENE: Ambiguous event -- NPC negative -- Attract/Dispute


Captain America is PLANNING on taking care of Official Avengers Business when a huge dispute breaks out regarding the increased presence of Baron Zemo on the world stage. The Avengers and their affiliates are growing increasingly split over whether Zemo is too dangerous to leave on the loose or whether he is ultimately a well-meaning anti-hero.

Is Hawkeye for taking down Zemo?


Odds: 16/80/97
Result: 44 -- Yes
RANDOM EVENT: NPC negative -- Proceedings/Masses

Not only is Hawkeye ready to lead the charge against the former member of the Thunderbolts, he has already released another grand-standing statement "outing" Zemo, urging people to pressure Captain America into calling The Avengers, The New Avengers, The Thunderbolts and whoever into action, bringing Zemo down.

Captain America is apprehensive about this, remembering Zemo's actions in Civil War and how convincing he was, trying to prove that he was a changed man.

Is Hawkeye winning the argument with the Avengers?
Odds: 17/85/98
Result: 38 -- Yes

Cap, thanks to an astonishing amount of Willpower (combined with a big Trump and some Edge cards), convinces The Avengers to stand down on his word...but quickly decides that he needs to find Zemo for himself and determine for sure if Zemo needs to be taken down or if his new leaf is sincere.

Is Hawkeye going to hunt Baron Zemo on his own?
Odds: 17/85/98
Result: 44 -- Yes
RANDOM EVENT: PC negative -- Proceedings/Attention

Hawkeye, disgruntled at Captain America's reaction, storms out of the Avengers mansion and addresses the growing audience of reporters, pointing out that he believes it is in the world's best interests that Baron Zemo be dealt with...but that The Avengers are refusing to aid him at the order of Captain America...and that if Zemo strikes again, all eyes should be on Cap and Cap alone.

He completes the speech with a hidden camera recording from the Avengers meeting of Captain America pleading with The Avengers to stand down as he vouches for Zemo.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New scene

Chaos roll: 4
INTERRUPT SCENE: NPC positive -- NPC action -- Stop/undefined



-- Chaos increased --

A VERY public assault on the Congressional building in Washington DC by Flag-Smasher and a group of hired minions is interrupted by the first arrival on the scene: Baron Zemo!

Is Flag-Smasher actually working for Zemo?
Odds: 18/90/99
Result: 25 -- Yes

Does Captain America beat Hawkeye to the scene?
Odds: 11/55/92
Result: 59 -- No

Hawkeye arrives on the scene in mid-fight, shooting a smoke arrow into the middle of the combat, disrupting Zemo and Flag-Smasher's battle.

Hawkeye draws down on Zemo...does Zemo surrender?
Odds: 11/55/92
Result: 55 -- EXCEPTIONAL NO
RANDOM EVENT: Remote event -- Spy/Legal matters

Zemo retaliates, firing a ray gun at Hawkeye, sending him scattering as Captain America arrives on the scene. Cap immediately receives a call from Black Widow, informing him that a SHIELD raid on an AIM installation in upstate New York has gone smoother than planned: Because Zemo had apparently disabled their security and sabotaged their operations, leaving them sitting ducks for SHIELD.

Captain America's shield takes Flag-Smasher out of the equation immediately.

Meanwhile, Zemo and Hawkeye trade barbs and shots at one another, neither one getting ahead.

Captain America is yelling at Hawkeye to stand down while bouncing his shield off of two of Flag-Smasher's thugs, telling Hawkeye that Zemo has been cutting a swath across the countryside, taking down bad guys. Hawkeye grimaces as he sees a thug sneaking up behind Zemo...and unleashes an arrow, trapping the thug (due to the Change of Heart Event on the Narrator's Card).

Zemo makes an impassioned plea to Hawkeye to listen to Captain America, telling him how he used the Moonstones to restore Captain America's destroyed WWII footlocker during Civil War, agreeing to turn himself over to the proper authorities, only if Captain America and Hawkeye will speak up for the good that he has done in recent months. Almost to Zemo's surprise...both men agreed! (Narrator Draw to determine Hawkeye's reaction and Captain America making a Willpower vs Manipulation test...which Zemo actually won).


-- Chaos decreased --



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New scene

Chaos roll: 8


Cut ahead to the Grand Jury testimony, in which Captain America recounts Zemo's actions during Civil War, and times in the past in which he doubted Zemo's redemption, but Zemo is seemingly standing firm. Hawkeye reluctantly admits that maybe he has been wrong, noting that Zemo wouldn't be the first villain to redeem himself, with Hawkeye himself on that list. Zemo publicly disowns his family and their history of petty cruelty, noting that he has been inspired not only by the likes of Hawkeye, but of his other former Thunderbolts, like Songbird, who have redeemed themselves.

Even Tony Stark testifies on Zemo's behalf, noted a time in which he went undercover and infiltrated the Thunderbolts, finding them to be legitimately working to save the world, and how he was able to entrust certain operations to Zemo in the Civil War. The arguments of Captain America, Hawkeye, Tony Stark and Zemo prove persuasive to the grand jury, and when the transcripts are released, the public is moved to give Zemo another opportunity to prove himself now that a spotlight has been shown on all of his actions. (Difficulty reduced in this matter due to the Public Accolades Event Card).

Zemo accepts a probationary role under the watchful eye of The Avengers. Yes...Baron Zemo is one of Earth's Mightiest Heroes...but is he legitimately reformed?


Odds: 13/65/94
Result: 71 -- No


-------------------------------------
Nice cliffhanger, huh?


So...impressions: The Mythic GM Emulator is an odd duck, but not BAD. Unlike a normal RPG, it felt less like I was roleplaying and more like I was telling a story...Hawkeye, Zemo or Cap could have each been my character easily enough.


That said, the twists and turns were easy enough to navigate, and there were a few points where I pushed past the "rules" of the emulator and just went with things that sounded interesting and made sense.

Obviously, especially with that cliffhanger, this whole thing is shaping up to look HORRIBLE for Captain America...I mean, Hawkeye questions his authority, makes him look soft (at BEST) and then reluctantly goes along with him...only for us to find out that Zemo (who was bankrolling Flag-Smasher into taking a fall in order to make him look good) is really just pulling another dirty trick.


This was the least action-packed SAGA adventure I have ever "ran"...but part of that is because Captain America is a BEAST with his Edge of 4, Hand Size of 6 and +15 Shield. I may well have to give it another go, with this system or another one, just to see how it shakes out. So far, I definitely wouldn't replace a regular gaming group with it, but it has potential to be a fun diversion.

Tommy's Take on Leverage: Grifters & Masterminds

I thought pretty highly of Leverage, as you may recall. After a bit of a wait, now we get the completion of the Leverage line: Grifters & Masterminds and Hitters, Hackers & Thieves. First up...Grifters & Masterminds.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: The PDF is $12.99 and a lean 105 pages, full color, photos, all that. What the book essentially IS is a How-To for Grifters and Masterminds (as well as some more options and advice for Fixers, or GMs). For the fans, the book features a Foreword by Marak Sheppard (in character as Jim Sterling).

Up first is Grifting 101, beginning with the three things a con can be based on (Greed, Social Compliance and Distraction & Misdirection), with explanations of each before diving into the psychology of the Grifter. The book then dives into grifting around the world (like how Russia doesn't have a ton of money, and a LOT of it runs through the Russian Mafia). A slew of new Grifter talents is introduced as well, like Cast of Thousands (which lets you draw a crowd that you use as a prop in your con), Faux Expert (essentially BSing people into thinking you know more than you do) and Old Friend (leading a mark into thinking they used to know you). There is even a sidebar on how the Attributes each apply to a given type of action for a Grifter (like Strength for Intimidation).

A dozen Grifters are also provided, for use as characters or NPCs. They include a retired legend, a fraudulent psychic and a "ghost" (an "everyman" whose main feature is just how unremarkable he is - he's even named John Smith. How utterly forgettable).

From there, the book delves deeper into the operations of a Grifter, from setting up short scams to laying out long cons to a step by step guide for seducing a Mark and how it mechanically benefits you to succeed. Finally, a list of identities are provided, each broken down into Who You Are, What You Can Do, What You Need and How You Play It, like playing a cop in order to get stop and search a Mark, or the important keys to passing oneself off as Royalty.

From there, the book moves into Masterminds...the brains behind the operations.

This section gives a broad overview of the Mastermind's job (which is pretty much the planning, the leading and the accounting for everything that will go on) followed by an examination of Masterminds throughout history, from Shaka Zulu to Alexander the Great to Harriet Tubman. New Talents include Brainstorm (which allows anyone you're talking to to add anyone else you're talking to's Intelligence die), Chess Master (allowing you to turn a Complication into an Asset) and Think On Your Feet (a desperation move when crap completely falls apart). As with Grifting, there is a sidebar on how each Attribute applies to the Mastermind die, like using Awareness to pick up a concealed weakness, or Willpower to assert control over a chaotic situation.

A dozen Masterminds are included, from a coach (complete with whistle) to a general, to a reporter.

Next up, the book tackles the actual planning of a Job...including advice on how to utilize your team members to their fullest abilities, how to screw up the Mark's plans and - yes - what to do when everything goes south. This section ends with a cheat sheet on scribbling a plan together quickly and even recommends an option for allowing the Mastermind to witness (and help prepare elements of) the rough sketch of the Job (with the understanding that there will almost always be curve balls). On one hand, this is sure to not sit well with "traditional" players, but on the other, it does make sense in context of the character's role.

Lastly, we get the Fixer's section. This starts off with a bunch of GM advice, some of which you have read before, and some of which is Leverage specific. For instance, it tackles Complications, with a few suggestions to keep in mind (like, say, the Client winds up dead in the middle of the Job, the Mark is connected to MUCH more powerful people than expected or your Hitter has developed a death wish and is recklessly endangering the Job). Additionally, a handful of ready made Plot Twists are provided, like the Mark is actually a mole for the CIA or FBI, or the Client is actually planning to wipe out the Crew as soon as they are done with The Mark.

The chapter then goes into approaching Leverage with a "season" structure (nothing new in RPGs, and pretty common when the source material is a TV show), such as advice on linking elements of the jobs in order to build to a satisfying finale (like taking down a Mark who has been a thorn in the Crew's side throughout the season).

A sidebar covers new roles (like Reporter and Wheelman) while a few paragraphs are devoted to using the Leverage system in completely different settings (including a breakdown of the roles of Robin Hood and his Merry Men and how to tweak the Hacker role in a fantasy setting). Finally, advice is given for playing as ACTUAL bad guys, as well as playing entirely without a Fixer.

WHAT WORKS: The sheer amount of detail on the mindset and process of the Mastermind (especially) and the Grifter is very helpful. The "Dozen Grifters" and "Dozen Masterminds" is also useful for giving some ideas on how to make characters of those roles who aren't just Sophie or Nate renamed. The alternate settings sections was also fun, and basically any ideas on how to NOT just be playing the Leverage crew renamed is always welcome.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: A lot of the GM advice is nothing special that you haven't seen before. I'm also not quite convinced that the Masterminding the Rules section successfully provides that mechanical bridge for Masterminds that some folks feel was missing compared to Hackers, Hitters, Grifters and Thieves.

CONCLUSION: An unessential but incredibly useful book for Leverage. It doesn't dramatically change anything from the core rules, but it does provide some very useful tidbits on Grifters and Masterminds, both as PCs and NPCs. Basically, if you really like the Leverage game and either want some more options or are struggling with the Roles at all, it's well worth it. And don't complain about the extra books: There was a time when each role (including Fixer) would have been padded out into its own book.

Tommy's Take on Hacking 2.0, IZ GM Screen and Oktobermen

INTERFACE ZERO: HACKING 2.0

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: This mini PDF requires Savage Worlds and Interface Zero for maximum use, as it is an overhaul of the hacking rules from Interface Zero. The PDF has a short intro from Gun Metal Games' David Jarvis, explaining why this document was released (folks having issues with the hacking/virtual world/etc)...IZ 2.0 is coming later this year and will provide both Basic and Advanced Hacking rules. This document is presenting the Basic rules in advance of IZ 2.0's release. Some of the changes on the character creation end is that Hacking gets its own skill, some Edges have been removed (like Programming 101 and Advanced Programming) and new Edges are introduced (Cool Under Pressure lets you ignore penalties when a system goes on Active Alert and Interference makes you harder to hack, for example). There are also three Hacker specific Hindrances, with advice warning the GM to not allow them if a character who isn't REALLY a Hacker is trying to take a Hindrance that won't affect him. Hyper Gloves are also introduced (the first example that comes to mind to me is the FBI Agent from Heavy Rain, but you have seen them in various other media). The system for Hyper Gloves is pretty simple, a basic stat set that can be upgraded. The Gloves determine everything for the Hacker: Armor, Damage, Hacking Bonus and Range and can be set into three modes: Control (in case you need to manipulate a gun turret or an elevator), Edit (for heavy changes to things) and Destruction (when you need to inflict damage). Additionally, Hyper Gloves have additional MODS that can be used to provide extra bonuses. The hacking itself takes up the final few pages: Essentially, it's a normal skill roll in Savage Worlds, with the level of security providing a penalty to the roll and the Hyper Glove and/or Edges providing a bonus. Unlike most skill rolls, however, Hacking is NEVER without risk: Any Hacking roll failure will have consequences (determined on a die roll against the table appropriate to the type of security firewall).

WHAT WORKS: That cover art is awesome. I'm not sure what it has to do with Hacking, but that is probably the single most compelling piece of artwork I have seen on an Interface Zero product. I like the Hyper Gloves a lot. It's a clean, easy to modify system that fits the Savage Worlds vein.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: Well, if you're planning on buying IZ 2.0, you might not want to pay for content that's going to be in the eventual release.

CONClUSION: Though designed for Interface Zero, there's not much here that you can't use without it, and it's both inexpensively priced and not a huge document, so if you are running any kind of game in which futuristic hacking would be helpful, it's worth a pick-up. Interface Zero got kicked around (a tad unfairly) for changing "too much" about Savage Worlds, but this is a step back to the feel of SW without sacrificing the unique flavor of IZ.

INTERFACE ZERO GM'S SCREEN

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: GM Screen's as we know them are fading fast. There was a Savage Worlds GM screen a while back that was clear plastic panels that you could slip cardboard panels for the game you were running in. The Interface Zero GM screen is along those lines...a "do it yourself" GM screen. The three art panels consist of some gorgeously thematic art, running a decent range of IZ material, including an android, cyborgs and mercenaries...(and a cyberpunk street samurai looking figure). The three rules panels include the Gritty damage rules, Zeek fatigue and the Hacking 2.0 rules.

WHAT WORKS: Great art, all the relevant IZ setting rules...about what you would want from a GM screen.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: It feels a TAD cluttered...but there's just a metric crap ton of tables on this thing.

CONCLUSION: Unless you hate GM screens, this is a very good pick-up for $3 if you have access to a good printer. Much better deal than the $20 GM screen standard we've seen in the past, especially if you have one of the clear Savage Worlds screens to slide the panels into.

DUE VIGILANCE: OKTOBERMEN

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Oktobermen is "issue 1" in the Due Vigilance line, fitting in the same universe as the Smoke & Mirrors supplement I reviewed back in January. This is the ICONS version of said product, $5.99 for a 19 page PDF filled with a team of supernatural killers and assassins. Oktobermen is more than just a villain book. I mean, it IS a villain book, but it includes a relationship map for the six members of the Oktobermen, complete with a paragraph on each of the six explaining their viewpoints. The book also includes four common sets of tactics employed by the Oktobermen. The bulk of the book is taken up by the character bios and stats for the six members:

Bookbinder - An escapee from a mysterious organization called The Library, Bookbinder is the most reluctant of the Oktobermen, having joined up when Springheel Jack saved her from The Library. The can use magic in some powerful and freaky ways, like trapping people in stories or summoning literary characters to do her bidding.

The Floating Skull - He is not unlike a D&D Demilich, the floating skull of a powerful sorcerer. He can never use the same spell on a given target more than once. Luckily, he knows 666 of them.

Hexenwulf - Hexenwulf is a werewolf, but not of the common type. No, he's a werewolf of the "wearing wolf skins" type. Heavily resistant to magic, so he's usually the lead man in taking out sorcerers.

L'Enfant Terrible - The prototypical Creepy Kid, born with a soul of evil. Often used to take people by surprised...has a "bodyguard" named Mr. Bear who has a VERY disturbing secret.

Sister Sanguine - A creepy (ex)nun who answers to evil fae and gains powers from drinking blood.

Springheel Jack - A half-demon in charge of The Oktobermen, Springheel Jack is on a quest to consume take a number of souls and become a Lord of Hell. There is even a sidebar explaining how to alter his stats if he succeeds.

Also included are four plot seeds (including two related NPCs) and a set of standees fot the Oktobermen.

WHAT WORKS: Some GREAT character concepts here, as well as some nice tidbits hinting at the larger world (like The Library). I also love the amount of detail as to how the villains operate and treat each other, making this more than just a set of stats.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: My only real complaint is the dramatic art shift from the cover to the interior. I don't think either one is inherently better than the other, though the cover seems to fit the source material better, while the latter fits the ICONS feel better.

CONCLUSION: Another fantastic product by Vigilance Press, providing a slew of baddies that are just downright frightening (in power level as well as concept). At one point, this product wasn't going to be released for ICONS, but I'm glad it ultimately was.

It's My Birthday - Read Hellrazer

Yeah, I'm laying a guilt trip on you all.

Most of you know me as Tommy the RPG Reviewer.

I do wear a few other hats (and adding more all the time)...but the one I am the most passionate about is that of Comic Book Writer.

It is also my birthday.

To that end, I implore you to go read my webcomic. It's free, and I don't think it's horrible (and I think it's getting better all the time). You can also follow it on Facebook.

Two complete stories are up (Living in Shadows and Voodoo), and we've just started the third (the cover and two pages of which I'm posting here).

If you feel so inclined, you can help support my writing by ordering the comics I've been published in as well...

Without further ado - Hellrazer: The Chronicles of Rachel Strand Issue #1.

The RPGNow GM's Day Sale

A little late to the party, as I meant to post this a couple of days ago, but RPGNow is running their Annual GM's Day Sale, with a crap ton of publishers discounting their items 25% (or more, in the case of Adamant Entertainment).

This is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a number of great titles on sale, like Savage Worlds Deluxe Edition, Marvel Heroic Roleplaying, Wu Xing, Savage Suzerain, Realms of Cthulhu and over 8,000 more titles. In the interest of full disclosure, using links off of this site to buy your products nets me store credit...which I then use to buy products that I turn around and review on this site for your reading enjoyment.

So take advantage of the sale!

Comics You Should Read: The Sixth Gun

I like westerns. A TON. I also like comic books. Oh, and I like supernatural horror weirdness in my west (like Deadlands, although I dig "regular" westerns a ton, too). SO...this months entry in Comics You Should Read is a supernatural western known as The Sixth Gun by Oni Press.

The Sixth Gun, a noted, is a supernatural western, written by Cullen Bunn and drawn by Brian Hurtt. Set in the Civil War, The Sixth Gun focuses on six mystical weapons (currently in the form of guns...shocking, right?) recently in the hands of (undead) General Hume and his psychotic hoodlums. However, young Becky Montcrief gains possession of the Sixth Gun and joins forces with a gunslinger named Drake Sinclair to attempt to keep Hume from being resurrected and the six guns from being brought back together. 19 issues are currently available (I've read the first 17).

In the first arc, General Hume's wife and her Pinkerton agents are trying to bring her husband back and reunite the six guns, while Drake Sinclair is trying to find the General's treasure...and crosses paths with Becky Montcrief, who inherits the sixth gun from her father. Becky, Drake, Billjohn, Gord and their allies wind up in a war with Hume, his wife and his four horsemen (cliched, yes) into the pit known as The Maw, where Drake discovers that some "treasures" should probably stay buried. The first arc is a pitch-perfect build to an amazing climax that could easily have ended the book and it would have been an amazing miniseries worth sitting on any bookshelf...

...but they kept going.

And it got better.

In the second arc, we learn more about the mythology of the setting, and Drake deals with the fallout of his actions at the battle at The Maw while Becky finds herself flirting with a handsome stranger and a gang of thieves come looking for the six guns...and we learn even more about their true power and potential. Our heroes have to deal with a loa and her bokkor even as an unconventional order of priests come a-knockin'.

In the third arc, we find out more about Gord's past and the Sixth Gun's powers while Drake Sinclair goes missing after a train robbery (carrying the sleeping corpse of General Hume) is attacked by undead robbers and he has to deal with a mummy who was mentioned all the way back in issue #1.

Cullen Bunn is a fantastic writer, weaving a western tale that is both familiar and has its own spin on the "weird west". It is no surprise at all to me that he's garnering more and more attention (he's taking over the Captain America &... book, and Sixth Gun has apparently been optioned as a series for SyFy). Brian Hurtt is one of those artists that, when you see his work, you don't immediately go "wow"...until you see his storytelling. This book SHINES because both the writing and the art are weaving an epic western tale.

Incidentally, I picked up this book on Comixology (where the first issue is free) and the digital conversion is amazing, perhaps enhancing the story flow even more. For instance, in the second arc the servants of the bokkor were stalking our heroes and the panel by panel approach had me on the edge of my seat in the way that having the full page in front of me never would have.

17 issues is hard to make an "all-time" judgement (unless that IS the whole story, and in this case it is not), but thus far The Sixth Gun has proven to be - issue for issue - one of the very best books I am currently reading and Bunn and Hurtt have done a fantastic job thus far of shaking it up as they go, giving me little doubt that they'll carry it on as long as they want to.

If you're a Deadlands fan, certainly, buy this book.

VIP Wrestling: The Juggernaut and The Bad Boy

This month's addition to the VIP Wrestling Roster for Wild World Wrestling are Rock Vargas' lackeys: "The Juggernaut" Leonidas Contreras and "Bad Boy" Jimmy Lee.

Jimmy Lee is a cocky, arrogant daredevil who isn't afraid to put his body on the line any night. A backyard wrestler who has been trained by Vargas and molded into a future superstar, Lee has risen through the ranks at a young age, thanks to a combination of his talent and Vargas' string pulling. Lee sometimes forms an effective tag team with Leonidas Contreras, a classic power and speed combo.

Lee combines high-flying with martial arts training, picking up victories with his brutal 90 MPH KICK and the SUICIDE RUN, which involves sitting an opponent on the top rope, climbing up with them and flipping over backwards, driving them to the mat. In addition, he likes to faceplant his opponents with the Bad Day and the Diamond Dust.

Lee's partner Leonidas Contreras is a big, brutal Mexican who is built like an absolute tank. The Juggernaut fears no one and only takes crap from Vargas and Lee. Despite his brute-like exterior, Contreras shows hidden depths, pulling out surprises that he doesn't immediately seem capable of, hinting at a brighter future for the hulking Contreras than some suspect.

His Lights Out is a crushing forearm smash that hits with devastating force and has been known to knock opponents clean out. His UNSTOPPABLE FORCE is huge flying shoulderblock to a running opponent, sideswiping them and knocking them senseless.


Name: "Bad Boy" Jimmy Lee
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 190 lbs
Weight Mod: -1
Attitude: Heel
Level: 8
Star Power:

Ath: +5
Brw: -1
Flr: +2
Ins: +3
Pow: -1

Skills
Athletics +5
Deception +2
Knowledge
 Athletic Moves +5
 Brawling Moves
 Flair Moves +2
 Power Moves
 Technical Moves +2
 Roster
 Specialty Match:
 Tag Team +2
Language
Perception
Performance +2
Presence +2
Special Talent


Gimmick Enhancements
Attribute Enhancement (2)
Feat of Dexterity
Finisher
Heat Machine
MF: Flair
MF: Technical
Maneuver Training
Mastery: Aerial Maneuvers
Moveset
Popular Appeal
Potent Strike: Athletic (2)
Reckless Abandon
Ring Sense
Signature Move (2)
Steal Heat
Training
  MF: Athletic
  MF: Brawling
  Finisher

Flaw
Cocky
Showboat

Moveset
German Suplex and Bridge (Technical): Modifiers: 1d6 damage (–1), immediate pin attempt (-1), Moveset (+1), requires lifting (+1)
Maneuver modifier: 0

Martial Arts Kick (Athletic): Modifiers: 2d6 damage (–3), exertion: 2 Fatigue (+1), knockdown (–1), Moveset (+1)
Total Modifier: –2

Moonsault (Athletic): Modifiers: 2d6 damage (–3), add Weight Mod to damage (-1), exertion: 2 Fatigue (+1), immediate pin attempt upon knockdown (-1) knockdown (–1), Moveset (+1), prone self (+1), stunning: self if missed (+1)
Total Modifier: -2

Signature Move
Diamond Dust (Athletic): Modifiers: 2d6 damage (–3), exertion: 2 Fatigue (+1), prone self (+1), requires lifting (+1), Signature Move (+2), stunning (-2)
Total Modifier: 0

Bad Day (Face First Legweep/Technical): 3d6 damage (-3), prone self (+1), requires lifting (+1); Signature Move (+2) total modifier: +1

Finisher
Suicide Run (Top Rope Backflip Uranage/Athletic): Modifiers: 2d6 damage (-3), exertion: 4 Fatigue (+2), Finisher Name (+1), Immediate Pin Attempt on Knockdown/Lift (-1), Knockdown (-1), Prone Self (+1), Requires Lifting (+1), Stunning (-2)
Total Modifier: -2

90 Mile Per Hour Kick (Superkick/Athletic): Modifiers: 2d8 damage (–4), exertion: 2 Fatigue (+1), Finisher Name (+1), knockdown (–1)
Total Modifier: -3


Name: "The Juggernaut" Leonidas Contreras
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 320 lbs
Weight Mod: +4
Attitude: Heel
Level: 6
Star Power:

Ath: -1
Brw: +4
Flr: 0
Ins: 0
Pow: +5

Skills
Athletics
Deception
Knowledge
 Athletic Moves
 Brawling Moves +4
 Flair Moves
 Power Moves +4
 Technical Moves
 Roster
 Specialty Match:
 Tag Team +2
Language
Perception +2
Performance +2
Presence +5
Special Talent


Gimmick Enhancements
Attribute Enhancement (2)
Catch Phrase ("I'm the Juggernaut, Bitch!")
Hardcore
No-Sell (2)
Potent Strike: Power (2)
Ring Rage
Signature Move
Toughness (2)
Training Background
  MF: Brawling
  MF: Power
  Finisher
Versatile
Wrestling Savant

Flaw
Overconfident
Rookie Mistake

Signature Move
Light Out (Forearm Smash/Power): Modifiers: 3d8 damage (-6), Exertion: 6 Fatigue (+3), knockdown (–1), Signature Move (+2), Stunning (-2)
Total Modifier: –4

Finisher
Unstoppable Force (Flying Shoulderblock/Power): Modifiers: 3d6 damage (–5), exertion: 2 Fatigue (+1), knockdown (–1), Naming (+1) prone self (+1), stunning: self if missed (+1)
Total Modifier: –2

Tommy's Pull List 2/26/12

Hey all...deciding to try something new...Tommy's Pull List, in which I do short reviews of the individual comics I purchase, in addition to "Comics You Must Read" (installment #2 is coming in a couple of days). The difference? The latter will focus on series' and graphic novels I REALLY think you should read. This will focus on everything I buy, for good or ill.

Tommy's Pick of the Pull

Sound good?



Warning...there may be spoilers.


WINTER SOLDIER #2 (Marvel) by Ed Brubaker, Butch Guice and Bettie Breitweiser.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: After the events of Fear Itself, it was revealed that Bucky had faked his death and has assumed the Winter Soldier identity once more. Now, with Black Widow at his side, the two are on the pursuit of other agents that worked alongside the Winter Soldier. In this issue, Winter Soldier and Black Widow battle a Soviet Super-Ape (seriously) and witness an assassination attempt on one of Marvel's most notorious figures. (It fails).
WHAT WORKS: Well, I wasn't a fan of the first issue at all (despite generally being a huge fan of Brubaker's and Bucky's) but this issue has at least hooked me to see where the assassination attempt angle goes, as even the characters point out that you can't take out Dr. Doom with a car bombing...so I wanna know just what Doom's rival has up their sleeve.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: I'm still not feeling the return of the Winter Soldier. I really enjoyed Bucky Cap, alongside Steve Rogers Super Soldier and I didn't feel that story had a chance to really run its course. Still, issue 2 gives me more hope than issue 1 did.

UNCANNY X-MEN #7 by Kieron Gillen, Greg Land and Jay Leisten.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: In the aftermath of X-Men: Schism, Cyclops leads his "X-Tinction" team out of Utopia. Cyclops' team have traveled to Tabula Rasa (a stretch of land in Montana where time has been sped up) and are stuck between two members of The Apex: The Savage and The Tomorrow Man.
WHAT WORKS: Well, the characters sound like themselves, at least.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: I hate Greg Land's inappropriate, light-boxed art. With a passion. I also hate that the entirety of the last two issues has been about showing us that the most powerful X-Men team is completely insignificant compared to The Savage and The Tomorrow Man, in every definable way. I don't want to read comics in which characters I care about are made to look like complete tools at the expense of another race of "advanced beings" that will be forgotten about as soon as the writer leaves the book.

SECRET AVENGERS #23 by Rick Remender, Gabriel Hardman and Bettie Breitweiser.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Captain America's team of covert Avengers (consisting of Hawkeye, Black Widow, Beast, Ant-Man, Valkyrie, Hank Pym and Captain Britain) encounter a group of Adaptoids in Pakistan who have kidnapped a woman for reasons unknown...but Ant-Man has hitched a ride on the Adaptoids as they return to home base. In this issue, the original Human Torch pitches in while Captain America and Hawkeye have a HUGE blow-up over Cap's decision to add Agent Venom (Flash Thompson) to the team. Meanwhile, Ant-Man continues wrestling with his desire to redeem himself versus his scumbag nature.
WHAT WORKS: Fantastic action, and Rick Remender writes a GREAT Beast who is serving as the conscience of the team. His interplay with Hank Pym (in which he REFUSES to allow Pym to make a new Artificial Intelligence - in the middle of what seemed like light-hearted banter - is a wonderful scene). I also love the addition of Agent Venom, who is one of Marvel's best ideas in some time. Hardman did a nice job of making Hank Pym, Jim Hammond, Clint Barton and Flash Thompson all look at least mostly distinct without masks on. Good thing Captain America and Captain Britain left theirs on.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: Secret Avengers has the same "muddy" art as Winter Soldier (Bettie Breitweiser's doing), and while it SHOULD work thematically, it really doesn't when your team is full of guys in bright costumes like Captain Britain and Ant Man. My biggest gripe with the issue is Hawkeye blowing up at Cap over Venom being placed on the team. First off, the Flash Thompson version of Venom isn't a villain and never has been. Second of all, even if he was an ex-villain, since when has HAWKEYE of all people had an issue with villains trying to redeem themselves? He WENT TO JAIL for the Thunderbolts! Also, the "we're the REAL next step in blahblahblah" schtick has been beaten to death (this is what the Adaptoids are doing, see). Still, great book for the most part.

THE NEW AVENGERS #21 by Brian Bendis, Mike Deodato and Paul Mounts.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Luke Cage's Avengers squad has been doing battle with Norman Osborn's new Dark Avengers squad since Norman escaped from confinement. This is part of a larger (though stand-alone) tie-in throughout both of Bendis' Avengers books in which the Osborn story is coming to its ultimate head. Last issue, Osborn unleashed Ragnarok (the Clone Thor from Civil War that killed Goliath). What ensues is basically a big ol' fight scene with Wolverine, Iron Fist, Spider-Man and Luke Cage versus Ragnarok while Norman Osborn sits in the background outsmarting everybody.
WHAT WORKS: Just some amazing action sequences, especially the Wolverine-Ragnarok fight. Don't worry haters, Wolverine isn't portrayed as being in the same league as the clone of Thor, but he does show an absolute refusal to give up, no matter what. Spider-Man is fantastic in a support role, trying to keep the team from dying. The interplay with the Dark Avengers at the end is also great, as Osborn tries to keep his team on a leash so that they don't ruin his plans.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: I still don't like how Deodato draws Osborn looking like Tommy Lee Jones, but at least he's consistent about it. I've been a Bendis critic in the past, but I'm very intrigued to see how he wraps up his run on Avengers, and he's been doing a fantastic job recently, I thought.

THE AVENGERS #22 by Brian Bendis, Renato Guedes, Jose Wilson Magalhaes and Jason Keith.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: An ex-SHIELD agent has joined HAMMER and given Norman Osborn "all the secrets of the super hero community". The Avengers split forces to bring HAMMER down on multiple fronts, only to find that Osborn was prepared for them at every turn. This issue is a series of standalone scenes in which HAMMER tries to break the Avengers individually while The President deals with the fallout of Osborn's accusations that he has been unfairly attacked and imprisoned.
WHAT WORKS: The writing is good, but not great. I did particularly enjoy the scene with SHIELD traitor Dr. Washington and Iron Man.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: I don't mind when cover artists differ from interior artists, but I hate when covers have nothing to do with the interior...and Gorgon isn't even in the issue, much less fighting Captain America.

WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN #6 by Jason Aaron, Nick Bradshaw, and a whole bunch of inkers and colorists.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Since Schism, Wolverine and his group of X-Men have reopened the school and are attempting to train the next generation of mutants...which trying to keep the school from going under. Wolverine and Quentin Quire have headed off into space seeking funding to keep the school open while Kid Gladiator has entered Kitty Pryde's body to battle off hordes of microscopic Brood. In this issue, Wolverine and Quentin Quire try to rip off an intergalactic casino while The X-Men enter Kitty's body to save her and find out what happened to Kid Gladiator...while the mansion is attacked by more, larger brood.
WHAT WORKS: Wolverine and the X-Men is the funnest the X-Men books have been in YEARS. Wolverine always gets paired up with "kid sidekicks" but it's usually "spunky teen girl with a crush on Wolverine", this time it's smarmy teen boy that Wolverine wants to punch in the face. Nice change of pace. Good action, good writing, good art. Hope it holds up through the Avengers vs X-Men crossover.
WHAT DOESN'T WORK: I've never been a fan of the space stuff tied in with the X-Men, but at least Jason Aaron's having fun with it.