The Crossroads of the Aether
STEAMPUNK SUPER HEROS? What does it take to be a steamy hero?
Greetings All Fellow Steampunk Fans. I have been gathering the bits and pieces of a outfit for a long time now. Those that know me have seen some of my sketches.. those that don't are welcome to go to my page and look though my photos gallery. I have a few sketches in there. Anyway... A Steampunk Super Hero. To date there is only one story that I know of that has a true hero as the main character and that is 'The Ghost of Manhattan'. What I would like input on is what must a true super hero have even just a plain old hero that has gadgets... lots of gadgets. Now personally I like Iron Man always have always will. Bat Man runs a close second. Why? Because they have such wonderful toys! Now I have loved Steampunk before it was Steampunk. Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Sir Author Conan Doyle are just a few of my favorite writers. I have also always loved super heroes. BUT... I never liked to copy someone else, I always wanted my own original character.
Okay correction here. What I am most interested in is what gadgets must a human super hero have to be properly equipped? I am not really interested in super powers per say but you are more than welcome to add your thoughts on the subject. This might make a great resource someday.
So with that said imagine if you will.... cause I have not finished the art work yet... A Steampunk Super HERO! (insert reverb and echo here).
Now before I tell everyone what I have in mind and what I have collected so far. I would like to hear what any of you kind souls have to say on the matter. So get you quill and ink out and start writing.... okay you can type it if you wish but that is way cheating cause they did not have that many type writers in the steampunk day.... Hey! wait one second there (meaning me) why the heck not! After all this is an alternative universe after all... so TYPE away or do as I do and TYPO away.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by DEE TUCKER on -
Jack, my hubby says Ash from army of darkness
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Permalink Reply by Shahbanoo Pantea on -
Batman is by far my most favorite Superhero, same reason as yours, his gadgets. That said I think gadget heroes lends itself superbly to Steampunk, all things accounted for. I think your superhero should have a mechanized velocipede, because I love the idea of it. And maybe a tophat that conceals deadly weapons....
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Permalink Reply by G.A. Jack Hammerquist on -
I see! A velocipede would be a rather better way of getting around than a large pair of springs mounted on a pair of boots... One would be far less prone to bouncing in to oncoming traffic. As for the top hat...hummm. not really my style but any gentleman super hero should have a top hat so he can look smashing as he deals with the villeins. For me a cowboy hat is far more my style.
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Permalink Reply by Shahbanoo Pantea on
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Hey, a cowboy hat that conceals deadly weapons is excellent as well. Top hat was just the first chapeau that came to mind. :)
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Permalink Reply by Lady Copper on -
I believe the desire for greatness makes one a Hero. Of course the gadgets help, especially if the superhero was the creator and inventor of such gadgets. Of course, if by going on this definition, one could argue that most Super Villains are "Heroes". Its a fine line.
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Permalink Reply by G.A. Jack Hammerquist on
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Very true but the fine line is which side of the law they like to live on. So hero or villains both can have fancy gadgets. It is just a matter of what they do with them.... As for my life long interest in heroes is not the ones who desire greatness but the ones who wish to stand against great wrongs. Sometimes that wrong is a evil person, or a person doing evil. It can be a disaster or what ever is putting others in harms way. In doing great things for those who can't help themselves that a person become great. It is the person who puts their lives at risk who become heroes and in becoming heroes they done great things.
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Permalink Reply by V is for Villains on -
I agree with this. And I would know. I am a Steampunk Super Villain. www.visforvillains.com to see how to steampunk hero/villain it up!
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Permalink Reply by The Doctor (ΘΣ) on -
I do believe much of what defines a hero is someone who is truly brave. One who is willing to put themselves in harm's way selflessly for the defense, betterment and safety of those around them. Gadgets like stated by others do help but should only be that which to help assist the core heroic spirit currently residing within them. Batman is a good example of this since he falls into that category. Another example (and one closer to the Steampunk theme) is Vash 'the Stampede' of Trigun fame. He is a lone gunman who seeks justice but through peaceful means not violence. He is a bit of an anti-hero as his past haunts him and he is not the typical "lawful good" archetype seen with many heroes. I think adding a tinge of tragedy or a troubling past can add both to the sympathy, strength and conviction of a character, but also makes them more flawed and more human. A 'human' personality almost always adds to the dynamic of what makes a hero a hero.
As for references to Vash here are some links for some valuable information on him:
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Permalink Reply by Shahbanoo Pantea on
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"Superhero" Gadgets as Arnavaz has described her rpg character having. Please forgive my crap translations, if they end up being that way. I'm just going to try and paraphrase it.
Basically, Arnavaz plays a female Nemo/Prince Dakkar to an extent in our games. She's the Admiral of my fleet, and frequently captains a sous-marins, just because with the popularity of airships, she felt there weren't enough sous-marins in steampunk anymore. I think her being Parsi also lead her to adopt the sous-marins since Nemo is Indian. Not that any of this is particularly important, just me running my mouth.
She said gadgets are the greatest thing she likes about her character, because she herself loves gadgets (this I already knew, but for those of you who don't know her, it's useful to understand I suppose) In the game the gadgets she uses most frequently are:
- a revolver loaded with silver bullets (for hindering and potentially killing rogue werewolves)
- a "Greek"-fire projectile (flamethrower in English I guess - for, well, anything I guess, since everyone can catch on fire)
- a raygun (for killing people and hindering werewolves, vampires, and immortals)
- a talwar (curved "oriental" sword, hers apparently has an engraved blade, but I don't think I can translate what she told me it says here because it's pretty... um... mean)
- a utility belt that contains several things
- containers filled with lachrymatory agent (which we know, wasn't technically invented until 1915, but this is science-fiction, so we allowed ourselves some leeway)
- two grenades, one incendiary, one explosive
- spare bullets (silver and run of the mill)
- a utility tool that contains a small knife, lockpicking tools, file, and pencil
- two vials of poison, one of arsenic, one cyanide
- one vial of Immortal blood
These are the three non-horse modes of transport she uses a lot as well (she didn't specify what exactly any of them were capable of doing, though I suppose she's also imagined them fitted with plenty of goodies).- a mechanized velocipede (I sorely wish that was my idea, but sadly I stole it form her)
- a sous-marins
- a small mechanized pattamar (indian dhow)
She had also mentioned, maybe four months ago, something about having her character wear scale armor backed with silk hidden under her sudreh kushti (a religious garment zoroastrians wear). However, she didn't mention it in the email, so I'm not sure if she scrapped the idea or just forgot.Now keep in mind, she's Parsi, so some things probably are ethnic based and wouldn't work for your character, but I'm sure there's western counterparts you can come up with. Let me know if you want me to ask her anything else. I'm sure she doesn't mind, even if it takes her away from work. After all, I'm paying her either way, lol.
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Fidelius on
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Weird Western you say?
Maybe I can finish fleshing out the character of Iron Horse, the Steamborg Sioux.
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Permalink Reply by Professor Beauregard Diggs on
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And just what would you call your gift of gab my friend?
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A Wild Weird West Super Hero! This lends itself to so many possibilities. He will need some type of home base/cave ala Batman or Zoro where he can do his research on the local bad guys; it will also be a place to rest up and store gadgets. The steam powered Conestoga mentioned by S.D. as a mobile crime lab has distinct possibilities (however, super heroes do not need posses...a side kick is a thought, if only for comic relief). A clockwork quadruped of unique design to carry you to those place normally beyond reach. The imagination soars... Why not a steam power-assisted glider of some type? Huh! Huh!
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