Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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Davies
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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Voltron64 wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 4:02 am
Davies wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 3:46 am Eh. Hazard is not really considered a superhero, and, much like Trouble, he's not all that well-known outside of the community. John Maddox (the inspiration for the Commando series of films), Ken Griffin, and George Hama would probably both be considered more famous "super-heroes" of the Pythonian era.
Well if JSOT operatives are included, what about Jack Dore and Shannon Hazzard too?
Shannon's superpower status is not well-known, Jack was not considered a superhero in the same way as those three.
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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But was as famous and well-regarded.
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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Yes.
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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Lord Greystroke is probably up there too come to think about it.
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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Voltron64 wrote: Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:12 pm
* The Powerhouse has a listing of honorary/deputized members they call up when in need of major assistance, consisting of close allies and those who've declined official membership. They include Exelion, Hardhead, Ghost Hunter, Nike, Prydwen (pre-2021), Cadmus, True Believer, The Veil, Dú Láng, Manifest, Jora, Karsa Har-ul and the rest of the Ultra Girls among a few others.
* In addition to this ...

In 2016, the Powerhouse developed what they call The Nebula Protocols, a never-implemented plan of attack. Its first step involves Paragon, El Dorado and the Blue Bolt traveling all over the world, handing out Powerhouse communicator earbuds to any known adult superpower who has ever behaved in an even vaguely altruistic fashion. (The 'adult' was added when Exelion showed up at the meeting where all this was settled and flatly declared, "Not my kids," before disappearing once again.) In some cases, such as that of Mephistopheles, it is expected that they will have to shove the earbud into people's ears. Exactly one second after each of them gives the all-clear signal, the following recorded message, in Basilea's voice, will be transmitted to each of those receivers.

"Hello. If you are hearing this, you have just joined the Powerhouse. Stardust is approaching Earth. Please converge at the following GPS coordinates to begin the defense of humanity." Followed by computer generated coordinates. "Thank you, and may whatever powers there may be, in whatever form, bless you for your service." No further communication is planned.
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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* (Trivia) Before joining the Pythons, Dr. Genome is believed to have been a researcher in Project MKUltra, apparently recruited by the CIA upon obtaining his doctorates during the mid-Sixties. He is allegedly said to have considered the work being done there to be "amateur hour horse manure".
Last edited by Voltron64 on Mon Mar 08, 2021 3:39 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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* (Trivia) Various tropes in Hong Kong's iconic Gun-Fu/Heroic Bloodshed genre were in part inspired by stories and tall tales about the supervillian Deschaine's activities in the city during the mid-Seventies.
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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Pertinent to what I'm writing right now:

* Elvis Aaron Presley (1935-1971) was an American singer, musician and actor ... and also, under the alias Preacherman, an occasional superhero, between 1966 and his death in the Battle of Vietnam. He possessed light generating abilities of unknown provenance. Never a member of the Institute, whom he viewed with profound skepticism and contempt, he nevertheless answered the call to assist in their final hour, and perished bravely, saving lives. It has been rumored that his only child inherited some form of his powers, but she has firmly denied any such allegations.
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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A possible twist? He survived and over exerted his powers so hard, he mutated into a being of pure light and is currently traversing the cosmos with he and it now one...
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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Voltron64 wrote: Fri Feb 05, 2021 3:16 pm A possible twist? He survived and over exerted his powers so hard, he mutated into a being of pure light and is currently traversing the cosmos with he and it now one...
There are rumors to that effect, though they tend to be a bit more prosaic about what he's up to these days.
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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* (Pop Culture) The WLM equivalent to Blade Runner (here just called Runner) had Roy Batty and his fellow bio-androids (not replicants here) as the protagonists instead. The plot revolving around them committing a caper on Earth to erase the data their creator corporation had on them so they could live in freedom beyond the frontiers of space, rather than find a way to expand their lifespan. Leon and Zhora die in the process but Roy and Priss make it out with their slate wiped clean and the authorities no longer able to track them.

A sequel story was merged with that of 1984's Nostromo 3 which had the starship crew team up with Roy and Priss to defend a hidden colony of runaway androids led by the one they call Bishop.
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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* (Pop Culture) Since the Hyperbrain think tanks and the Udall administration nipped the HIV/AIDS crisis in the bud in '83, Liberace actually did die of cancer (but in 1993). Sadly, cancer also managed to claim Freddy Mercury in 2010.
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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Somewhere at the Intersection of Pop Culture and Trivia:

* Cryogenic hibernation is a mature technology in the World Less Magical, with the first successful experiments conducted in 1902. Recovery from cryogenic hibernation is a somewhat less mature technology, with the first successful revival of a patient occurring in 1966. For a time, between 1968 and 1975, the most serious criminal offenders in the United States (such as Doctor Ranivorous) were placed in cryogenic suspension, until the Supreme Court ruled that this constituted cruel and unusual punishment, owing to the frequent side effects (typically neurological damage) of the revival process. These have also prevented the adoption of the technology for space exploration, though research continues.

* Walt Disney was in fact placed in cryogenic suspension in 1966, and revived forty years later when a treatment for the surgical complications that nearly ended his life was perfected. He enjoyed only a few more years of life after that, however, passing away of old age in 2011. (Rumors persist that he was put in suspension for a second time awaiting a reliable life extension process, but the Disney family has firmly denied them.)
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

Post by MacynSnow »

So no FTL tech has been developed yet? Wonder why the Hyperbrain's haven't got on that yet.....
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Re: Pop Culture of A World Less Magical

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MacynSnow wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 7:25 pm So no FTL tech has been developed yet? Wonder why the Hyperbrain's haven't got on that yet.....
They have FTL tech, but it's like a trillion dollars to make.

Not to mention I'm pretty most of the nearby star systems are Technate turf.
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