I’m planning a DC Adventures scenario where the Batman Irregulars have been sent by old Bats himself to investigate the death of a superhero. A short while back I threw out the question of which superhero it would be and the awesome replies helpd solidify in my mind what I wanted for this scenario.
I should stress that this is my DC Universe where dead means DEAD. Final. The end. No come-back. This is a hero who has left the mortal coil and become a Monty Python sketch. There will be no resurrection, reboot or do-over. Killing an established hero is therefore a Big Thing, not the comicbook joke it has become over the years.
The hero who is going to be found in a sudden state of not-living is Superboy.
Here’s the reasons. This is me, as GM and scenario plotter, thinking out loud.
Surplus to requirements
The world does not need Superboy. Much as I like the guy, in pre-52 continuity he is not much more that glorified dog-walker and occassional love interest for Wonder Girl. My own gameworld is still in pre-52 continuity (we voted for it – we love the history and don’t want to let it go). Sorry Conner Kent, but killing you off would have a profound effect on those close to you but the world will move on.
Harsh, but true.
Grieving parents
Superboy is a clone made from the combined DNA of Superman and Lex Luthor (at least, that’s what they claim and no one talks about that night in Vegas). What if his death unites them in grief and they temporarily join forces to find the killer?
That’s enough to keep Batman busy doing his damndest to stop them from destroying half the city then turning on each other. This puts Batman out of the picture – he’s alongside Lex and Superman while his “little team” does the groundwork. There’s my reason for the heroes being involved, right there. Can they crack the case before Batman, Superman and Lex?
The race is on!
What of the Teen Titans?
The ‘Titans are Superboy’s closest friends and allies. They are also suspects.
One session in this scenario will involve a cool-as-heck battle between the Teen Titans and our heroes. This gives me plenty of NPCs to play with and help immerse the players in the DC universe just a little bit more. Alliances and rivalries will be forged in that session. I can feel it.
Anything which can kill Superboy can kill Superman
This may be a message.
Kryptonians aren’t invulnerable.
Is Superman next? What about Supergirl and Power Girl? Not Krypto though. Even I wouldn’t kill the coolest dog ever (his dog-walker yes, but they’re replaceable).
One thing is known from the first investigation of the crime scene: no Kryptonite was used. That’s a trite and over-used weakness. For something that is supposed to be incredibly rare it turns up far too frequently for my liking.
This is a new way to kill superheroes.
And I’ll talk about that, next time.
This is an excellent idea. I look forward to the next instalment. When does this game go live ?
Years ago I ran an invasion where all the PCs played bad guys but they were all that was left to save the world.
I’m not sure about the “race is on” part. The team’s mission is to out-detect Batman? Even Batman distracted by baby-sitting Superman and Luthor? I think as a player I’d prefer “Batman and Superman are busy saving the world or something. That’s how comics work.”
They’re not trying to out detect Batman, they’re out there detecting FOR Batman. Batman likely already suspects what really happened but he needs the heroes to gather the evidence together so that he can make his case to Superman and Lex.
Ruling out Kryptonite, my next place to look would be magic. Probably not the real answer though since stapping someone with a magic sword isn’t exactly a new way to kill superheroes.
Nope. It’s not magic neither……
hehehe.
There’s nothing wrong with a little friendly competition :) Of course, they’re not going to out-detect Batman but they can certainly help contribute to the solution – and perhaps even solve it themselves.
It also means that I can drop Batman, Superman and Lex (snarling at each other) into the scenario at any time when the players are in need of clues. i prefer that to just having Batman and Superman “too busy saving the world”.
I can’t imagine Superman being too busy to get personally involved in the death of his clone/son. That’s how good comics work.
I’m no comic book expert by any stretch of anyone’s imagination, but, in addition to the TTs as suspects I would be also be looking at (if they exist in your campaign) another, larger group – the Legion of Superheroes.
-DM Glen