D20 Spectaculars - Let The Speculation Begin

[WayneLigon]

d20 Spectaculars. Anyone heard what this is? Is it a WoTC superhero supplement? More weird powers for d20 Modern? Super spies? Epic Modern?

 

[JPL]

d20 Spectaculars. Anyone heard what this is? Is it a WoTC superhero supplement? More weird powers for d20 Modern? Super spies? Epic Modern?

A world book for the previously announced d20 Super Heroes?

Or maybe Epic Modern. D'OH!

 

[beverson]

based on the fact that I can find no reference on Amazon to the aforementioned d20 Super Heroes, it's probably the same book with a new title... I believe there was some question as to the legality of using the term "Super Heroes".

 

[DnDChick]

Yup ... IIRC "superhero" is a registered trademark held jointly by DC Comics and Marvel Entertainment Group.

 

[JPL]

As I recall, "super hero" [two words] is acceptable. But maybe WotC's lawyers know more than I do.

Not bad...reminds me of "The Incredibles" and that's always a good thing.

 

[arscott]

It's got the same release date and wonky pagecount/price mismatch that d20 super heroes did. It's got to be the same book.

I'm a tad miffed at the name change, though. Hasbro's got the corporate chops to challenge the DC/Marvel's blatantly ridiculous trademark claim.

 

[King of Old School]

The name change makes sense, if you want to emphasize the nature of the powers and deemphasize the genre tropes of four-colour spandex superheroes.

KoOS

 

[Jim Hague]

It's the supers book, I'm betting, with a kind of ham-handed nod to The Incredibles in its title.

 

[Knight Otu]

Definitely the same book. I saved the Amazon link for D20 Super Heroes (two words, and I believe the DC/Marvel trademark is also two words), and it now leads to D20 Spectaculars.

 

[JPL]

The name change makes sense, if you want to emphasize the nature of the powers and deemphasize the genre tropes of four-colour spandex superheroes.

KoOS

You might be on to something.

Hmm...while a setting like, say, Marvel's New Universe, or Rising Sons, or any other "real world" approach to superheroics would certainly have merit, I guess I want this book to support and embrace the conventions of "traditional superheroes" --- Silver Agey stuff, and modern offshoots like the Teen Titans and JLU cartoons, etc.

"Real world plus powers" would certainly be easier to model with the d20 Modern engine...and it might make more sense, given the general "modularity" of recent d20 Modern support --- but I guess I'll be more impressed if they can get us at least in the general ballpark of the four-color spandex stuff [which in part means accomodating everyone from Ant-Man to the Hulk...sometimes all at once].