Star Comics #13

By 1938, Centaur is publishing less silly stuff and more adventure. Which is good for its inclusion here!

Costumes are important for superheroes, but optional for everyone else. Secret identities are entirely optional -- you can take them as seriously or as not seriously as you want.

This is "Scoop" Cody, aka the Mask.  He insists on wearing the mask even though it doesn't fool anyone. His supporting cast has figured it out and barely humor him.

And it's not just his girlfriend who has him figured out -- even the bad guy sees through the obvious disguise! Hideouts & Hoodlums has a mechanic where anyone in costume can be recognized with a save vs. plot, but it is up to the Editor how often to use this and it will help determine the mood of the campaign he wants.

After Dan Hastings, Fred Guardineer launches another hero for Centaur -- Don Marlow.

The locale is high fantasy -- "a strange island in a lake of liquid gold". It seems Don can get all the XP for treasure he wants by dipping a bucket! Not content with just getting rich (which I suspect many players would do instead), Dan and friends search the island and run into one of the earliest uses of amazons in comics. Amazons have no H&H entry, yet, but will in 2nd edition.

Note the use of one of Guardineer's favorite tricks, having people speak backwards.

Here's something to consider: can a Lawful (or even a Neutral) Hero strike a female? Should a code of honor be entirely self-regulated, or should the save vs. plot mechanic be used for this?  There already is a precedent for the later, in the save needed for non-Fighters to shoot anyone.

And just what is Don and the Professor wearing? Is that supposed to be chainmail, or just heavy sweaters?

Move over Bunnies & Burrows -- this game is Walruses & Wastelands!  If I only had time for yet more projects...

(Scans courtesy of Digital Comic Museum)