Copyright 2013. After Ward & Kuntz, as if written in 1976.

Hideouts & Hoodlums is a modification of the SWORDS & WIZARDRY: White Box Edition rules, with swords and sorcery elements expunged and replaced with elements of of the genre, circa 1939. Swords & Wizardry, S&W, and Mythmere Games are the trademarks of Matthew J. Finch and this author is not affiliated with Matthew J. Finch, Marv Breig, or Mythmere Games™. This supplement includes material adapted from the core SWORDS & WIZARDRY rules in lieu of White Box Edition.

With thanks to the creators of and Dungeons & Dragons, for all the people who have swiped from them.

Art by: Al Camy (Black ), Norman Fallon (Shock Gibson), Adrian Dingle (Nelvana), Ed Kressy (Sky ), Irwin Hasen (Cat-Man), Jack Binder (), Jack Cole (Claw, Daredevil, Dickie Dean), Fred Guardineer (Lance Hale), Bob Wood (Silver Streak, Target), Irv Novick (), (Steel Sterling), Lou Fine (), (Black X, Doll Man, ), Chuck Cuidera (Blackhawk), Dan Zolnerowich (Hercules), Harry Francis Campbell (John Law), Dave Berg (Uncle Sam), Scott Casper (original heroes)

Great Scott! Games

Publisher: Scott Casper [email protected] 6300 Church Rd SampleHanover Park, IL. 60133 file 2

Table of Contents

Harvey Comics………………………………. 5 Black Cat………………………………………. 5 Champ…………………………………………… 5 Dr. Miracle…………………………………. 5 Pat Parker………………………..…….. 6 Sphinx…………………………… 6 Red Blazer…………………………………. 6 Shock Gibson……………………………………. 7 Sprit of ’76……………………………………….. 10 Zebra…………………………………………… 10 HillboroughStudios……………………………… 11 Nelvana of the Northern Lights……………….. 11 ……………………………….. 12 Conqueror…………………………………………. 12 Crusader………………………………………… 13 Dash Dixon……………………………………. 13 Red Roberts………………………………….. 13 Sky Wizard………………………………………. 14 Holyoke…………………………………………… 16 ……………………………………. 16 Cat-Man………………………………………. 16 Rag Man……………………………………. 18 Strongman………………………………….. 19 Volton………………………………………. 19 Lev Gleason…………………………………………. 19 13……………………………………………….. 20 Bronze Terror ………………………………… 20 Captain Battle…………………………………….. 20 Claw………………………………………………… 23 Daredevil…………………………………………… 25 Dickie Dean……………………………………….. 27 Lance Hale……………………………………………. 28 ………………………………………………. 30 Nightro…………………………………………….. 31 Pat Patriot………………………………………… 31 Silver Streak………………………………………….. 31 Sky Wolf…………………………………………….. 34 MLJ……………………………………………………. 34 …………………………………………… 35 Mister Justice…………………………………….. 39 Shield…………………………………………………. 39 Steel Sterling………………………………….….. 44 Wizard………………………………………….. 50 …………………………………….. 51 ……………………………………… 51 Target…………………………………………….. 51 White Streak…………………………………. 54 ………………………………. 55 Black Condor……………………………………. 56 SampleBlack X/Black Ace…………………………………. 58 file Blackhawk……………………………………… 62 3

Blue Tracer……………………………………. 65 Dollman…………………………………………. 65 Hercules……………………………………….. 69 John Law …………………………………….. 71 Miss America……………………………….. 74 …………………………………. 75 Uncle Sam………………………………….. 77 Yankee Doodle………………………………. 81 ………………………………….. 82 ………………………………. 83 ………………………………….. 87 Ka-Zar………………………………………… 91 Sub-Mariner…………………………………… 94 Original Heroes……………………………… 95 Alpha-Woman………………………………… 95 Dice Morgan………………………………… 98 Magica………………………………………. 102 Matthew Kay………………………….. 104 Mountain Man……………………………….. 107 Silver Mantis………………………………. 111

Foreword And we’re back! Unless this is your first experience with HIDEOUTS & HOODLUMS SUPPLEMENT IV, you know that the book was split in two halves because it took one whole year to write Part I and I got impatient to share it. You are now in possession of Part II, or the second half, alphabetically, of the Golden Age publishers up through 1941. Something that’s different this time is that I didn’t do it alone. Frequent H&H collaborator, Steve Lopez, hopped on board, not only to make sure I got this half done in a timely manner, but to make sure that his favorite publishers, Lev Gleason and Quality Comics, did not receive short shrift (and don’t ask him about how I left out of Part I – sore subject!). One bonus this part has that Part I lacked is the inclusion of original Heroes. Here you will find a small sampling of Heroes specifically created and played the longest in various H&H games to date. The research for a project like this is a dream job and I’m sad to see it done, though I won’t be completely giving it up. Further write-ups should be trickling into future issues of our zine, THE TROPHY CASE. So read on, gentle readers, and get a blast from the past! Scott Casper May 3, 2013

Sample file

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HARVEY COMICS According to Wikipedia, “Harvey Comics (also known as Harvey World Famous Comics, Harvey Publications, Harvey Comics Entertainment, Harvey Hits, Harvey Illustrated Humor, and Harvey Picture Magazines) was an American publisher, founded in by Alfred Harvey in 1941, after buying out the small publisher Brookwood Publications.” Harvey also bought out some titles from Holyoke, like Champ Comics. Although Harvey had a semi-big hit on their hands with Brookwood’s biggest hit, Shock Gibson, their biggest coup was landing the license to making comic books.

BLACK CAT

Armor Class: 8 [11] Level: 2 Move: 60 Class: Fighter Hit Points: 18 Align: Neutral : Pocket Comics #1 (August 1941) Appearances to date: Pocket Comics #1-3 While working on a new movie, famous actress Linda Turner suspected her director of being a spy due to the film's pro-Nazi propaganda content. She created a masked identity for herself and, working by night as The Black Cat, was able to prove that director Garboil was indeed a German agent. Although she was able to thwart Garboil's plans throughout 1941, Black Cat never turned him over to the police in the hope that he would lead her to the mastermind behind the fifth columnist schemes. Black Cat is a skillful fighter, often using ju-jitsu techniques to overcome larger foes. Her preference was act as a cat burglar (hence her name) to sneak around and gather evidence. She was often aided by newspaperman Rick Horn, who was also Black Cat's on again/off again love interest; Horn was unaware of Black Cat's true identity.

CHAMP Armor Class: 7 [12] Class: Fighter Move: 60 Level: 4 Hit Points: 23 Align: Lawful First appearance: Champion Comics #2 (Dec. 1939) Appearances to date: Champion Comics #2-10, Champ Comics #11-16 According to the Public Domain Super Heroes wiki, “The Champ was college football star who fought to prevent foreign spies such as the Yellow Spider from getting their hands on Dr. Marlin's formula. He was known only as the Champ and had no other name. Described on the cover of Champion Comics #2 as ‘a real he-man, an all-around champion, winning fame and fortune by his sheer physical strength, his unusual agility and great courage. Follow his exciting adventures in college sport. Go with him into battle against the dangerous underworld and treacherous foreign spies’.” Dr. Marlin’s formula made Champ the perfect physical specimen he is, long before doping became common in sports. Champ travels around with his nerdy , Henry. DR. MIRACLE Armor Class: 9 [10] Level: 3 Move: 60 Class: Magic User Hit Points: 20 Align: Lawful First appearance: Champion Comics #9 (July 1940) SampleAppearances to date: Champion Comics #9-10; Champ Comics #11-16 file 5

Although Dr. Miracle was called a “master of magic”, he was billed as a “super-scientific detective” on the splash pages of his tales. Based in the Himalayas, Dr. Miracle used (or developed) a brand of science so advanced that it seemed like magic to others, hence his characterization in H&H as a member of the Magic-User class. Like many other comic book magicians, Dr. Miracle dressed in evening clothes; his attire was accented by an amulet, a red sash, and a matching cape. Aided by his turban-clad manservant Hakim, Dr Miracle captured evildoers and solved cases which were too tough for the police to crack. In addition to his mental abilities and powers of illusion, Dr. Miracle had numerous technological advances available to him, such as a thought detector (with a range of hundreds of miles) and an advanced airplane (which was armed with a high powered “demolition gun”). PAT PARKER, WAR NURSE Armor Class: 9 [10] Level: 2 Move: 60 Class: Fighter Hit Points: 19 Align: Lawful First appearance: Speed Comics #13 (May 1941) Appearances to date: Speed Comics #13-15 When the Nazi Germans bombed Doville, during the Blitz, nurse Pat Parker was on hand to help the villagers find shelter in nearby caves and to treat their wounds. While getting a breath of air outside the caves, Pat heard a strange sound nearby and discovered enemy agents signaling in morse code that the English Channel had been mined. After a series of hair-raising encounters, Pat successfully warned the British Navy about the mines and thwarted the Nazi plans. Pat continued to fight the fascists as a sort of solitary guerrilla; by the end of 1941 she had adopted a mask and costume, and began to call herself War Nurse when disguised. (Late in 1942 Pat became the leader of a team of female aviators known as the Girl Commandos; the feature was heavily [and obviously] patterned after Quality Comics' popular Blackhawk series, right down to similarities in costume between the two teams.) PHANTOM SPHINX Armor Class: 9 [10] Level: 2 Move: 60 Class: Trickster Hit Points: 19 Align: Neutral First appearance: Pocket Comics #1 (August 1941) Appearances to date: Pocket Comics #1-3 Archaeologist Dr. Salle uncovered a 6,000 year old mummy while on a dig in Egypt. Upon translating a tablet found in the tomb, Dr. Salle was amazed to learn that the inscription contained instructions for reviving the mummy from its hypnotic sleep. Before he had a chance to test the spell, the camp was attacked by desert marauders; Dr. Salle and his party were wiped out. The leader of the bandits found the doctor's notes and revived the mummy, an ancient Egyptian sorcerer named Amron. Frequently provided with instructions and guidance from the spirit of the ancient sphinx (whom Amron dressed to resemble), Amron used his magic to fight evildoers (starting with the murderous bandit who had revived him) and uphold the good. The Phantom Sphinx's adventures, all of which were set in the Middle East, were filled with magical duels in which Amron primarily used powers of illusion and transformation to defeat his foes, often to save the life of Nancy Taylor, a pretty reporter from the U.S. When battling normal criminals, Amron frequently devised ironic ways to dispose of them; while he didn't kill them directly, the Phantom Sphinx's illusions were usually the cause of their demise. Editor’s Note: The Trickster class is from The Trophy Case #4. If not used, replace with the Magic-User class. RED BLAZER Armor Class: 7 [12] Level: 3 Move: 90 Class: Superhero SampleHit Points: 24 Align: Neutral file 6

First appearance: Pocket Comics #1 (August 1941) Appearances to date: Pocket Comics #1-3 Forthright young cowboy Jack Dawson is given super powers by scientist Dr. Morgan. With Morgan's help, and using the scientist's interplanetary space vessel as a base, Jack fights crime as the masked, -powered Red Blazer. Jack's powers included the ability to (but he used the space craft for long cross-continent trips), fire “flame bolts” from his fingertips, melt objects, and surround his body with a protective flame aura (which caused bullets to melt before striking him). Conversely, The Red Blazer could be easily overcome by a sudden downpour or a simple fire extinguisher. The Red Blazer, while certainly a hero, wasn't squeamish about killing an evildoer or two, but he was never able to bring his archenemy Dr. Skull to justice during the feature's brief three-issue run. Editor's Note: Although The Red Blazer is fully human, the rules for the Android race model his powers perfectly and he should be considered as such for Hideouts & Hoodlums gaming purposes. SHOCK GIBSON, THE HUMAN DYNAMO First appearance: Speed Comics #1 (Oct. 1939) Appearances to date: Speed Comics #1-15 On a dark and stormy night, young scientist Charles Gibson was working in his hilltop laboratory when struck the lab with such intensity that it shattered glass vials and spilled chemicals all over the electrified scientist. Somehow the combination of electricity and the chemicals not only kept Charles alive, but granted him superpowers. When Charles is found by his colleague, Dr. Blitzer, Blitzer’s diagnosis is that Charles has been given the strength of a thousand men. When Blitzer reminds Charles that he now has the power to change the world, Charles vows to never abuse his powers and use them only for humanity. Charles then nicknames himself “Shock” (en lieu of a superhero name) and makes a flamboyant costume for himself. “Shock” Gibson sets himself up with an office in an unnamed big Eastern city. The city has at least two newspapers called The Daily Sun and The News. It is unclear what Shock now does for a living or what his office is for. He seems to be an adventurer for hire, like , but no one ever hires him. He just finds out about people in trouble around the world and decides to go help them. Shock Gibson can beat up nine hoodlums at a time. His fingers spark when he lifts heavy weights, just as his feet spark when he makes fantastic leaps. Shock has incredible stamina because of his electrical charge, being able to keep up with a flying plane by leaping over the span of two hours. But he is not invulnerable, or at least does not believe himself to be. He struggles to avoid falling into a live volcano, for fear that the heat will be too great for him (Speed Comics #1). Shock soon finds he can conduct electricity from his own body by touch, generate an electric force field around himself that is bulletproof, and fly through the air at great speed. Shock is himself immune to electricity, as demonstrated by his discharging electricity underwater without harm to himself (Speed Comics #2). Further, although assumedly still directly immune to electricity, Shock was shown to be particularly sensitive to lightning storms and intense storms can even cause him pain. Later, his power is shown to be limited by how much electrical charge his body can hold (Speed Comics #12). While he initially appears to be resistant to drugs and poison, indeed to the point of believing himself immune (Speed Comics #4), he later proves vulnerable to poison gas (Speed Comics #11). Word of Shock Gibson’s powers spread quickly. One month after Shock’s debut outing (unless more time has passed than the stories seem to indicate), word of his powers has already reached “El Matador”. In SampleJune 1940, while in Hollywood, an autograph hound prizes Shock’s autograph morefile highly than either 7