We've talked about the V&V miniseries by Eclipse a few times on this site before. Every so often I get it out and read through it again, and when I do I end up reading it all.
When I read issue #1 last night, I spotted something that resonated more than it ever had before. The Crushers make reference to Dr. Killjoy. For decades this was just another name (just like Holm, the telepathic spy). But now that MHG has put out Dr. Killjoy and Spoilsport (and I've used them in my campaign), it's now a name I recognize.
Then in the first editorial/blurb at the end, written by Jack, he references a few times that V&V has had a connection to comic books. He mentions the Elementals and DNAgents. But he also points out a new (back in 1986) comic called Gods for Hire, which apparently was based on a V&V campaign that Jack himself had played in. So for really cheap a few seconds later I'd ordered the only two issues ever produced, and should be able to check them out soon.
Jack, I'm wondering if you remember much from that game?
Any other fun anecdotes from the comic that you or Jeff care to share?
V&V GM and player since 1982, my current campaign is 29 years old
Following is the Comic Vine page for Gods for Hire:
https://comicvine.gamespot.com/gods-for-hire/4050-24124/
which apparently was published by a company called Hot Comics.
V&V GM and player since 1982, my current campaign is 29 years old
Fascinating, Doug!
When you finish reading these Gods For Hire comics, please let us know how they are.
Hot Comics didn't last long, but they did also publish the one my favorite comic books as a teenager back in 1987, "Chrome." The titular character looked like the Silver Surfer, a survivor of a space shuttle that burned up on re-entry. But is he the Soviet cosmonaut on-board or the American astronaut? Super heroes and cold war espionage combined. Drawn by Kelley Jones (later, Batman and much more). Only 3 issues ever published.
I just read the first issue, and it was pretty bad. Story was extremely hard to follow, and it was tough to even know what was going on. Art was quite poor as well. It's almost funny that they spend some time editorializing about the dross put out by the "big two", but other than really good quality paper this is printed on, this was pretty awful. It's not surprising (in hindsight) that it didn't catch on.
About the only thing that impressed me about this first issue was the really cool color image of Chrome on the back cover. Even before you posted this, Dan, I'd purposed to swipe that image and turn him into some cool V&V villain for my game!
V&V GM and player since 1982, my current campaign is 29 years old
Bummer about "Gods for Hire," Doug. Whenever I re-read indie comics from the 1980s, I crack up when ,just as you said, there is inevitably an inside-front-cover editorial bemoaning how bad Marvel and DC comics are, and promising a new, adult, higher end product - only to produce an amateurishly written and drawn mess, albeit printed on the finest baxter paper!
A little more (from memory) about Chrome:
Chrome's silver coating was actually an experimental, metal space suit that, when his space shuttle crash-landed, permanently attached to his body. Because it covered his eyes and ears and went into his mouth, after the crash he was deaf, blind and, I think, mute; so no one could ID definitively whether he was the Russian cosmonuat or the American astronaut as a result. But the suit has some sort of electro-conductive ability. So he could attach a camera to his face (to see) and speaker (to talk), etc..., as well as weapons.
Two themes ran throughout the 3 issues. One was a skeptical CIA imprisoning and interrogating him, thinking him to be the Russian in reality, while at the same time the Soviets had KGB agents trying to kidnap him to take him back to the Soviet Union. Sort of like a Jason Bourne film, he ends up fleeing from both sides. The second theme was a very common comic book trope, used in Rom and Spawn to name just 2 of hundreds of titles over the years: Chrome yearns to go home to his wife and kids, but because he has now been transformed permanently into a 'monster,' all he can do is go to their house and stand outside in the rain and stare longingly in the windows....
