DC Stats for Golden Age characters from writeups.org

MERRYMAN - INFERIOR FIVE
Context
Pathetic, parody super-heroes the Inferior Five were mostly seen from 1966 to 1968. They even had their own 12-issues fab series !
They made a number of cameos later on, but our profiles are about the older material.

History
Myron Victor, living in Cosmopolis though soon to move to Megalopolis, was the son of the Patriot (looks a bit like Uncle Sam) and Lady Liberty (not to be confused with any of a dozen other characters by that name).
He was convinced to become a superhero. Mr. Victor thus joined a group of other children of superheroes from the Freedom Brigade. Thus, sort of an early version of Infinity Inc. was formed.
His parents believe in his skills at judo and karate, which have been exaggerated by their sumo friend, Toho. Complaining that he’d be nothing but a fifth wheel, Myron is told that sometimes a fifth wheel can be useful… like a spare tire on a car.
Besides, all of Merryman’s ancestors for a 150 years have been crimefighters, so he was obligated to become one.
After forming the I5 (whose name he suggested), he later began a romance with Dumb Bunny.

Description
He wears a purple jester’s outfit, complete with little bells that jingle as he moves. He also wears glasses.

MerryMan
Dex: 02 Str: 01 Bod: 02 Motivation: Responsibility of Powerlessness
Int: 04 Wil: 03 Min: 03 Occupation: Cartoonist
Inf: 02 Aur: 03 Spi: 02 Resources {or Wealth}: 004
Init: 010 HP: 020
Skills:
Martial Artist: 01

Advantages:
Leadership.

Drawbacks:
MPR (glasses).
By Sean MacDonald.

THE METEOR MAN - I remember watching this movie and thinking it was Okay, not Great, but Okay.

The Meteor Man was a 1993 film. It never was going to be a classic (29% on Rotten Tomatoes), but I quite liked it. And of course, we were not exactly drowning in this kind of movie back during the 1990s.
However, I couldn’t do stats before it had to be returned to the video club.
Here are notes based on a recent television showing. Some things I liked more than the previous time, some I liked less (the expanding climax, per example).

Background
Real Name: Jefferson Reed.
Marital Status: Single.
Known Relatives: Ted Reed (father), Mrs. Reed (mother).
Group Affiliation: None.
Base Of Operations: Washington D.C..
Height: ? Weight: ? Age: 36
Eyes: Brown Hair: Black

Powers and Abilities
Meteor Man has many powers, apparently not having any point in common. To name a few:
Supertoughness.
Superstrength.
Plant growth.
X-ray vision.
Flight.
The strange “knowledge-absorption” power. That allows him to know everything inside any written medium he touches for the next 30 seconds.

History
Mild-mannered school-teacher Jeff Reed was struck by a green meteorite. He rapidly recovered at the hospital. By the time the sutures were taken out, he had received super-powers. His neighbourhood was having problems with drug-dealing, gangbanging and child delinquency.
The main cause for this was the Golden Lords clan. But Reed’s powers were nicely suited to ending their reign.
The problem is that Reed, despite his parents’ involvement in the neighbourhood movement, didn’t want to use his powers. However, his father and later his house-keeper were attacked by the Golden Lords. As a consequence, Reed began training to develop his powers. He also took the name of Meteor Man.
The Golden Lords were partially defeated. However, that meant that other crimelords came after Meteor Man’s head. Furthermore, the Golden Lords’ chief noticed that Meteor Man’s powers where fading. When he was sure that Jeff was depowered, he launched a full-scale attack of his neighbourhood.
When everything seemed lost, a vagabond appeared. Marvin had a small chunk of the green meteorite that gave Jeff his powers. He had been using it for cantrips , rubbing it whenever he needed it.
In the middle of the struggle, Jeff and the Golden Lords chief grabbed the chunk of meteorite. Both absorbed half its power. After the following fight (remembering Superman II), Meteor Man absorbed the remains of energy in the Golden Lords’ leader. With a little help of his neighbours, he thus saved the day.

Description
Jeff Reed is an African-American teacher in his mid-30’s, with a thin moustache. He dresses in dark grey suits when working, or when playing with his jazz band. He’ll have casual/sport clothes when at home.
As Meteor Man he wears a light violet suit, with some spandex, and a green Saturn-like logo with two “M”s.

Personality
Mild-mannered teacher Jeff Reed was a pacifist. He didn’t want to get in any conflict with anybody. He didn’t want to use his powers until he was forced to do it by events, and later by the Golden Lords’ daring.
Reed grew to become more self confident. He changed to believe that anybody must do all they can to defend their home.

DC Universe History
If there were other chunks of meteorite, Meteor Man could be an interesting character to play in a low to mid powered game. It would be specially interesting if played in a gritty to real environment, where his powers were really special.
If into the DC Universe, one can rule that after some resting, Jeff recovered his powers. So he has to ponder whether he’ll keep using them, and if he’ll become just another hero or a special, neighbourhood one (in the style of Iron Fist and Power Man).
Meetings with The Ray, Steel, Ragman, Sinbad or Kyle Rayner are also likely to happen. And so would one with Superman, if the meteorite turns out to be Kryptonite.

Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Meteor Man
A 784 Points Character

Dex: 02 Str: 08 Bod: 03 Motivation: Upholding The Good, former Unwanted Power
Int: 03 Wil: 05 Min: 03 Occupation: School Teacher
Inf: 04 Aur: 04 Spi: 05 Wealth: 002
Init: 019 HP: 050

Powers:
Density Increase: 03, Extended Hearing: 02, Flight: 08, Heat Vision: 01, Invulnerability: 06, Plant Growth: 08, Recall: 10, Skin Armor: 05, Speak With Animals: 04, Super Breath: 10, Superspeed: 10, Telekinesis: 02, X-Ray Vision: 07

Bonuses and Limitations:
Density Increase: Always On (-1).
Recall: Range of Touch (+1), lasts for 3 APs of time (30 seconds) (-1), only on the content of any written/printed info (-1), skills/scholars on written info can be acquired (+2).
Superspeed: Doesn’t allow travel at APs Speed (-2) nor EV substitution (-1).
Telekinesis: +1 Range (+1).

Skills:
Acrobatics (Gymnastics): 03, Artist (Musician): 04

Advantages:
Area Knowledge: Neighborhood, Pet (dog).

Drawbacks:
Secret Identity, Loss Vulnerability (Powers wear off when the green meteorite exhausts its power, at GM’s discrection, Gradual Loss; Physical Attributes and All Powers).

Pet dog
Dex: 03 Str: 00 Bod: 02
Int: 01 Wil: 01 Min: 02
Inf: 00 Aur: 00 Spi: 01
Init: 004

Powers:
Analytical Smell/Tracking Scent: 06, Extended Hearing: 03, Running: 03, Shrinking: 03, Super Hearing: 03

Bonuses and Limitations:
Shrinking: Always On, STR and Weight Reduced, APs already figured.

Previous Statistics

The Meteor Man of the previous stats is at his prime. Before it, on the other side, he had a much lower degree of power, as they developed. This is Meteor Man… before really becoming Meteor Man.

Dex: 02 Str: 07 Bod: 02 Motivation: Unwanted Power
Int: 03 Wil: 03 Min: 03 Occupation: School Teacher
Inf: 02 Aur: 02 Spi: 02 Wealth: 002
Init: 007 HP: 020

Powers:
Density Increase: 03, Extended Hearing: 02, Flight: 02, Invulnerability: 06, Recall: 10, Skin Armor: 03, Speak With Animals: 04, X-Ray Vision: 07

Bonuses and Limitations:
Density Increase: Always On (-1).
Recall: Range of Touch (+1), lasts for 3 APs of time (30 seconds) (-1), only on the content of any written/printed info (-1), skills/scholars on written info can be acquired (+2).
X-Ray Vision: Power Restriction: limited to the first layer of something (clothing but not lingerie, etc.) (-1).
Skills:
Artist (Musician): 04

Advantages:
Area Knowledge: Neighborhood, Pet (dog).

Drawbacks:
Public Identity, SIF (heights), Loss Vulnerability (Powers wear off when the green meteorite exhausts its power, at GM’s discretion, Gradual Loss; Physical Attributes and All Powers).

Design Notes
Does Meteor Man need “Energy Absorption” for his final trick ?
By KalEl el Vigilant.

Source of Character: The Meteor Man film.

Okay, we made fun of Music Man but these one is just as weird or more so.

“Look-a-like”
This obscure DC Comics character only appeared in a 1990 issue of Justice League Europe. He doesn’t even have a name.

Background
Real Name: Unrevealed.
Marital Status: Single.
Known Relatives: None.
Group Affiliation: None.
Base Of Operations: Mobile (lives in Brooklyn).
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Powers and Abilities
He can become any character from the movies. However, if he shows up in a campaign, it would be important not to “munchkinize” this ability. It’s no fun if all he does is animate Superman from the Superman movies ! That’s going against the concept of the character. Godzilla, the Terminator, and Dracula are perfectly acceptable, however.

For a similar character, see the Projectionist from the Wild Cards novels.

History
This unnamed character (okay, I made up the name “The Look-A-Like,” but sheesh, this guy wasn’t given any name at all, so I had to call him something !) discovered his power seven years ago. Since then, he has tried unsuccessfully to make a career out of being a celebrity look-a-like.
Despondent, he decided to pretend to *actually* be a celebrity (a Clint Eastwood ripoff). But as he vacationed in Cannes, the French police caught on, and subtly arrested him. He escaped into the only available body, as a Japanese Unnamed Rubber Monster (a Godzilla ripoff) movie was being shown on a billboard movie screen.
The police were surprised when their captive disappeared, but moreso when the J.U.R.M. showed up. The JLE fought the monster, who accidentally used his breath weapon when trying to communicate—rubber monsters can’t speak. So he fled, to a movie theater at random— and ended up becoming a chainsaw/hockey mask murderer.
Fleeing from the JLE again, he found a safer movie.&emsp. He ended up becoming a dog from one of those cutesy dog-as-the-hero movies. In this form, he managed to get back to his real body and went home to Brooklyn, leaving the JLE to wonder what the heck was going on.

Description
He’s an overweight, glasses-wearing normal guy with dark hair.

Personality
Like most mundane people, he is foolish and simple-minded. He can think of no way (after seven years !) to make a living with his great powers. When things go poorly, his first instinct is to flee.
His only interesting personality quirk is the fact he apparently has a compulsion to become Marilyn Monroe, which he discovered when watching The Misfits .

Quotes
“I just want to get back to my body !”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
The Look-A-Like
Dex: 02 Str: 02 Bod: 02 Motivation: Mercenary
Int: 02 Wil: 02 Min: 02 Occupation: unemployed
Inf: 02 Aur: 02 Spi: 02 Resources {or Wealth}: unknown, presumed low
Init: 006 HP: 025
Powers:
Animate Image: 25, Personality Transfer: 05

Bonuses and Limitations:

Personality Transfer leaves his body behind.
Animate Image can only animate one image at a time; when a new image is animated, the old one vanishes.
Personality Transfer and Animate Image can only be used in conjunction with each other; that is, these powers must be used in the following way: an image is animated and then Personality Transfer is used to inhabit the animated image; since animated images will not resist, Personality Transfer is automatically successful.
Because these powers must be used in conjunction, no image may be animated unless it is within range of Personality Transfer. Furthermore, he may not return from an image to his own body unless his body is within range of PT.
Animate Image may only animate images from a movie; the movie may be playing in a theater or on a VCR (or on TV), but it must be a movie image. Furthermore, the animated image will be missing from the movie, though the movie will continue just as before, as though the animated-image’s character were merely invisible to the audience.
Animate Image furthermore seems to always animate the main character in the movie; The Look-A-Like does not have full control over what image he animates.
Animate Image furthermore only gives the image stats equal to what the movie character should have (up to the maximum determined by his APs of Animate Image). Furthermore, any physical drawbacks possessed by the character are also possessed by the animated image.
Advantages:
Scholar (movies).

Drawbacks:
MIA (becoming Marilyn Monroe), Socially Inept, MPR: glasses.
By Sean MacDonald.

Source of Character: DC Comics (JLE #14).

OK, so it isn't a magic belt but it is darn near close.




Human Meteor (Duke O'Dowd) (Champions Comics)
Human Meteor
Duke O'Dowd)

Comics  Golden Age Stuff  Other Golden Age stuff
Power Level: Mid-level
Game system: DC Heroes Role-Playing Game
Role: Character (possible antagonist for both heroes and villains)
Jump to the game stats
Context
Duke O’Dowd is a Golden Age  of comics character, who is now part of the public domain. He appeared in 1940, with minor publisher Harvey Comics.

He’s a very minor figure. Though he was part of a batch of forgotten Golden Age characters that Roy Thomas resurrected (with alterations) for a Marvel story.

Background
Real Name: Duke O’Dowd.
Marital Status: Single.
Known Relatives: Unnamed sister.
Group Affiliation: None.
Base Of Operations: Mobile.
History
Among the first 100 superheroes there is one that is notable not because he was particularly important, or remembered, or well-written or even original (although he was often well-drawn). Rather he is interesting because he appeared as a normal adventurer before he was a costumed superhero.

In issue six [of Champion Comics] readers meet lanky Texan soldier of fortune Duke O’Dowd who joined the Foreign Legion  “in search of adventure” (and possibly dysentery). By issue seven we learn he’s a crack pilot and stunt man.

Legionnaire
”After several months of soldering he longs again for the soaring surge of a plane beneath him,” says the opening caption of his Champion No.7 story. ”He applies for a transfer to the legion’s flying squadron.” This action proves to be a key move in Duke’s life.

Although O’Dowd stories are crammed full of adventure, you couldn’t tell that to Duke. He’s impatient. ”If something doesn’t happen soon, I’ll go crazy. I’d have gotten more action if I’d returned to the States and joined the National Guard,” he says.

He gets his wish—in a spectacular barnstorming stunt he lassos the commandant’s child dangling from a hot air balloon. Then he’s in an aerial dog-fight. Then he and the girl are prisoner in Bedouin bandit Sheik Tamah’s mountain citadel.

After escaping in improbable fashion and again saving the tyke he returns to duty and requests a discharge. The young lass has made this man of iron homesick. Because he saved the commandant’s daughter O’Dowd is released faster than a soldier declaring himself gay.

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Back stateside… or perhaps not
Duke plans to visit Texas to see his kid sister. A colleague agreed to fly him as far as Manilla. The poor sap, Kerry Flynn by name, could not know he sealed his fate. ”Duke O’Dowd has a new adventure next month,” said the last panel. There is no indication anything special was coming. It appears the editors had no idea of the big changes coming in the next issue.

Champion Comics No.8 starts with a whiz-bang—a colorful cover by Joe Simon doing his best Jack Kirby imitation. An unidentified hero wearing a domino mask, a cape tied around his neck, shorts, boots (all green) and a gadget-laden belt, punches an ugly, bearded man wielding some formidable futuristic weapons and flying a sky-car.

In the background can be seen the top spires of a castle, Eastern-looking with its onion domes.

A banner at the bottom declares that stories inside include Neptina, The Champ and Duke O’Dowd. Manilla-bound O’Dowd and Kerry Flynn are three days in and flying through the Himalayas. The story is signed George Appel, a name unknown to us but he probably drew Duke in issues No.7 and possibly 6.

In a nicely-drawn sequence a tornado suddenly whips up the boys’ plane. ”My nose is bleeding from the altitude,” said poor, doomed Kerry. They’re batted around for half an hour before careening in. “Kerry Flynn met a quick, merciful death at the crash,” it said.

Things get weird
Duke is met by two men wearing what appears to be blue pea-pods on their heads. ”The only outsider to ever succeed in entering Bayakura, the lost city !” says the fat one to his colleague, reminding him they are lost. ”The Great Deliverer, who swooped in like a bird, just as the legend predicted.”

“Howdy,” drawled the nonplused Texan O’Dowd.

Bayakura is a Lost Horizon -like hidden city. Their inhabitants speak six languages, including English. The two men literally carry Duke on their shoulders to the gate. Guess that friendly Texas manner pays off.

As they carry him through adoring throngs, the evil Frango, heir to the office of supreme ruler, plots Duke’s demise. Perhaps the name “Frango” was inspired by Spanish leader Francisco Franco, who came to power a year earlier.

Leng Lu, the city’s best, brightest and eldest, is dying. Because Duke crashed in their valley, their religion dictates they must give him “unheard of powers that only our advanced knowledge of science and invention have made possible !” Good thing Bill Gates didn’t crash there.

Unheard of powers
After beating up some of Frango’s henchmen Duke visits renowned scientist Wah Lee. Wah Lee is like the Himalayan version of James Bond’s Q as he lavishes him with gadgets. ”This wonder belt contains an ato motor. Its radium emanations, exploding atoms will rocket you through space,” said the wise man.

The belt has a battery that gives the wearer super strength (it keeps going…) and creates a “contra-magnetic field” to repel metal. Duke dons the Bayakuran togs, bright red jumpsuit, blue pod hat, booties and all.

Duke wastes no time thwarting Frango’s plans to loot the castle. He turns his new “Yar Gun” on the swine. After saving the day the restless Duke says he is off again, thanks for all the boss’s gadgets.

Nowhere is seen the cover costume nor the name “Human Meteor.” It’s likely that Joe Simon designed the costume (it looks a bit like his Firey Mask for Daring Comics No.1, December 1939), and may have supplied the character idea and even wrote stories.

Meteoric
We have not seen Champion No.9, but by No.10 he has his proper costume (mistakenly colored red) and is drawn by Robert Turner, also unknown. He’s one of the few superheroes who flew with his arms to his side, no doubt to make him look more “meteor”-like.

He also has more toys. On his wrist is a “mentalephone” with which he can speak and see Wah Lee. And he has replaced his Yar Gun with an “explosatom” gun. This is an atom-blaster and paralyzer ray. In issue 11 he is joined by Toby, an orphan shoeshine boy (aren’t they all) who resembles a miniature Duke (sans costume).

In later issues the Duke would enjoy fine art from the Will Eisner-Lou Fine school. Even the Reed Crandall lent a hand (see the cover of Champ Comics No.15).

Duke ran in Champion Comics then Champ Comics through issue 24, April 1943. 
Description
Despite changing costumes frequently, he was most often seen wearing only green boots, green briefs, yellow bracelets, a yellow belt, and a green cape, as well as a black domino mask.

Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG Print Friendly
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The Human Meteor
Dex: 07 Str: 04 Bod: 05 Motivation: Responsibility of Power
Int: 05 Wil: 05 Min: 05 Occupation: airport mechanic
Inf: 05 Aur: 05 Spi: 05 Resources {or Wealth}: 006
Init: 019 HP: 035
Skills:
Gadgetry*: 05, Martial Artist*: 07, Military Science*: 05, Vehicles (air): 08, Weaponry*: 07

Connections:
Wah Lee (High).

Advantages:
Pet (Toby the orphaned shoeshine boy).

Drawbacks:
Secret Identity.

Equipment:

Wonder Belt [BODY 07 /STR/ 09, Flight: 09, Magnetic Being: 10, Notes : Magnetic Being is a variant of Flame Being and Magnetic Control. Any metallic weapon used against the belt-wearer is attacked by the APs of Magnetic Being. If the weapon is destroyed, it will do no damage to the belt wearer].
Yar Gun [BODY 04, Paralysis: 08].
Mentalephone [BODY 03, Telepathy: 25, Remote Sensing: 25, Limitations: the Mentalephone may only be used for Telepathic communication (and possibly only with Wah Lee) ; Remote Sensing only allows the user to see the person with whom he is in telepathic contact.].
Explosatom Gun [BODY 05, Paralysis: 08, Energy Blast: 07].
By Sean MacDonald.