DC COMICS CHARACTER ADAPTATIONS
SUPERMAN
(Clark Kent)
Val CHA Cost Roll Notes 35 STR 25 16- Lift 3200 kg; 7d6 [3] 20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 28 CON 36 15- 13 BODY 6 12- 13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12- 13 EGO 6 12- ECV: 4 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 10 COM 0 11- 25 PD 18 Total: 25 PD (20 rPD) 20 ED 14 Total: 20 ED (20 rED) 4 SPD 10 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 12 REC -2 56 END 0 45 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: 156 Movement: Running: 26"/52" Superleap: 50"/100" Swimming: 2"/4" Cost Powers & Skills 20 Nothing Less Than A Bursting Shell Can Penetrate His Skin: Damage Resistance (20 PD/20 ED) 43 Superhuman Speed: Multipower, 43-point reserve 9m 1) Hurdle A Twenty-Story Building: Leaping +43" (50" forward, 25" upward), END 4 8m 2) Faster Then An Express Train: Running +20" (26" total), END 4 Perks 1 Fringe Benefit: Press Pass Skills 3 Acrobatics 13- 3 Acting 13- 2 CK: [Home City] 11- 1 KS: Politics 8- 0 Language: English (idiomatic; literate) 2 PS: Photographer 11- 2 PS: Reporter 11- 0 TF: Small Motorized Ground Vehicles 94 Total Powers & Skills Cost 250 Total Character Cost 150+ Disadvantages 15 DNPC: Lois, reporter for the Daily Star 11- (Normal) 15 Psychological Limitation: Dedicated To Helping Those In Need (Very Common, Moderate) 10 Psychological Limitation: Tendency Toward Using Strong-Arm Tactics (Common, Moderate) 15 Social Limitation: Secret ID (Clark Kent, reporter for the Daily Star) (Frequently, Major) 45 Experience and 'Mystery Disadvantages' 250 Total Disadvantage Points
Background/History: Superman's background can be summed up best by the first page of his appearance in Action Comics No. 1:
"As a distant planet was destroyed by old age, a scientist placed his infant son within a hastily devised space-ship, launching it toward Earth!
"When the vehicle landed on Earth, a passing motorist, discovering the sleeping babe within, turned the child over to an orphanage."
As one can easily see, Superman's original origin is very sketchy. Krypton is unnamed, there is no mention of Jor-El (Superman's father), and Ma and Pa Kent don't even exist. In his secret identity of Clark Kent, he does work as a newspaper reporter, but it is the Daily Star, not the Daily Planet. The first issue does introduce Lois (no last name), but the editor is just 'Chief', with no mention of Perry White.
Much of the more recognizable elements of the Superman 'myth' (Jimmie Olsen, Lois Lane, Kryptonite) will be created over the next few months. By late 1939, Superman had become the top-selling comic book on the market, with better than 1,000,000 issues sold per month!
Personality/Motivation: "Early, Clark Kent decided he must turn his titanic strength into channels that would benefit mankind. And so was created... SUPERMAN! Champion of the oppressed, the physical marvel who has sworn to devote his existance to helping those in need!"
As yet, Superman does not stand for "Truth, Justice and the American Way!". His first appearance presents him a simple strong-arm hero, who rights wrongs simple by virtue of his great physical prowess. The more modern Superman, with his tight code of conduct (such as a total abhorrence for killing) is only barely recognizable within the framework of the first Superman story. This Superman resolves a wife-beating by tossing around the abusive husband (and threatening him with an even worse beating), shattering the car of a pack of gangsters, and taking an uncommunicative Washington lobbyist along a terrifying rooftop tour of the Capitol to force him to talk. Not quite what most people consider 'heroic' actions, at least in the mold of the modern Superman.
Quote: So you're one of these silent men, eh? We'll see, whether you'll talk!
Powers/Tactics: One again we turn to Action Comics No. 1:
"When maturity was reached, he discovered he could easily: Leap 1/8th of a mile; hurdle a twenty-story building... raise tremendous weights... run faster than an express train...and that nothing less than a bursting shell could penetrate his skin!"
It has been pointed out that Superman powers are very similar to the powers displayed by the hero of Philip Wylie's book Gladiator. In many ways he is also similar to Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars, who was able to leap great distances and display great feats of strength thanks to his Earth-born muscles. Superman is pretty typical for a Champion's brick, in fact, he might seem a bit weak. Later, as his popularity grew, so did Superman's powers, probably reaching the height of absurdity during the late 50's and early 60's, when he pulled such stunts as blowing out a star with his 'super-breath'.
Appearance: Tall, broad-shouldered, short black hair; Superman's physical appearance has not changed much since his initial appearance. His distinctive spit curl will come later, right now, Superman looks to slick his hair back when acting in costume. It is Superman's costume that has undergone the more obvious changes. It's a blue bodystocking with red trunks and a yellow belt, but the 'big red 'S'' is missing. Instead, we have a yellow shield-shaped symbol with the vauge suggestion of an 'S' indicated. Superman's red boots are missing as well, instead he has strips of cloth wrapped around his low legs, resembling the leggings worn by the Norse or the straps of Roman sandles.
(Superman created Jerome Siegel and Joe Shuster. Superman ©1965-2003 DC Comics, Inc. Character sheet created by Michael Surbrook)
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