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Forums > Home› Champions Pen and Paper RPG

Westside gang lore

poptartmaniac#8493 poptartmaniac
poptartmaniac#8493
 Posts: 246 Arc User
in Champions Pen and Paper RPG
'Ello! Once again with another question for y'all. wondering about the lore on the west side gangs. I do know about Kevin Poe and his father, but I'd like to also know more about the other gangs. Specially The Maniacs and The Black Aces.

Comments

  • inakigames12#5922 inakigames12
    inakigames12#5922
         Posts: 1 New User
    Nice
  • bulgarexbulgarex Posts: 2,310 Arc User
    edited February 2021
    Lore-wise there isn't a lot to say. As originally presented in the PnP sources, the Black Aces, Maniacs, and Cobra Lords were just regular street gangs. Cryptic Studios gave the first two of those their distinctive looks and gimmicks, so sources published after the IP sale note them, but don't elaborate on the gangs beyond what's in CO. Champions Universe p. 89 suggests they may have been inspired by the gaudy superhumans around them, or maybe other pop culture like movies. But from the start the New Purple Gang were more dangerous opponents, thanks to Kevin Poe's leadership.

    The same shift applies to the gangs in Vibora Bay, who for the most part were normal bangers in the VB source book. Cryptic pumped them up to make them more challenging combatants to superheroes. Only a few of any of these gangs' leaders are actually described in the books, and even fewer are "super." So as far as that dimension of them goes, what you see in CO is all there is.

    It should be noted that Westside in the Millennium City source book was just a rather sedate mixture of residential neighborhoods, commercial districts, and light industry. In keeping with MC's design goals and image of "the City of the Future," most of the street-level crime had been pushed to the suburbs like North Detroit and Dearborn. Of course Cryptic wanted crime to be more rampant in MC proper where PCs could readily come to grips with it. PnP Millennium City was a more idealized, optimistic place before Cryptic devs got their hands on it. :p
  • poptartmaniac#8493 poptartmaniac
    poptartmaniac#8493
         Posts: 246 Arc User
    Oh lol, I see, I did not know that last part.

    That's a shame there isn't much on them though. The question came to me and my girlfriend while we were leveling new characters, we were trying to figure out what the black aces are supposed to be, ethnicity wise, since they look quite weird face and outfit wise.

    Also wondered who their boss was before that alien Ludwig took over.
  • rajakajirajakaji Posts: 69 Arc User
    Nothing to do with Champions lore but I'm pretty sure the Black Aces are modeled after Clockwork Orange and the Maniacs are inspired by the Joker gang, at least the CO look, if that helps.
  • bulgarexbulgarex Posts: 2,310 Arc User
    Very likely so, rajakaji. The Champions Universe entry on the gangs suggests the 1979 movie, The Warriors as a possible inspiration. Although obviously dated the film does retain a cult popularity, so the connection is possible. The poster for the movie illustrates why.

    MV5BYTU2MWRiMTMtYzAzZi00NGYzLTlkMDEtNWQ3MzZlNTJlNzZkL2ltYWdlL2ltYWdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjc1NTYyMjg@._V1_UY1200_CR79,0,630,1200_AL_.jpg

    Any and all of the above are possible. We all know how the original Cryptic devs loved their pop-culture references. ;)
  • rajakajirajakaji Posts: 69 Arc User
    Yeah, that definitely looks like it could be a contributing factor.
  • bulgarexbulgarex Posts: 2,310 Arc User
    I was working as a theater usher when The Warriors was playing. On one night's screening one guy showed up carrying a baseball bat. He was dressed neatly enough and spoke pretty personably, but he kept twirling that bat in an unsettling manner. Nothing untoward happened, though -- he bought his ticket, went in, watched the movie, and left.
  • jaazaniah1jaazaniah1 Posts: 5,428 Arc User
    Hah! I saw the Warriors in Gottingen (in what was then West Germany) ca. 1984 with an old college roommate who was there for a year abroad program. Nothing like listening to NY street gangs speaking German. "Ihr Warriors seid gut, wirklich gut"
    JwLmWoa.png
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  • poptartmaniac#8493 poptartmaniac
    poptartmaniac#8493
         Posts: 246 Arc User
    Oof, thank ya all, I am not calling you old, but I am too young to get these references lol. So I woudn't have known if not for you.

    Joker gang thing makes sense though, I do know those.
  • bulgarexbulgarex Posts: 2,310 Arc User
    You can call me old. I'm proud of having survived. :3

    clockwork-orange-03.jpg

    From A Clockwork Orange directed by Stanley Kubrick, starring a young Malcolm McDowell
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