Marvel RPGs #9 - The SAGA System

Well, what can I say about the second Marvel RPG game that uses the SAGA system? Ummm... it's different. And fans hated it. 

This is a diceless game. Diceless games RARELY go over well with gamers (can you think of one)? Instead, this game uses a deck of "fate cards" to resolve all conflicts. I could tell you that you got to have more fate cards in your hand the more experienced your character was but who really cares. Cards wear out and become marked with frequent use. Dice are a lot more durable. Who wants to have to buy replacement cards when theirs wear out? Not I, for one. At least they weren't collectible *cough* DnD *cough*.

The Marvel game that uses this system is officially called The Marvel Super Heroes Adventure Game. To my knowledge, the only materials published for it were the items pictured above (minus the Hero Clix). To make matters worse, there was a Marvel comic called Marvel Saga which made the name of this roleplaying game confusing to some and hard to search for on the internet.

I don't currently own a copy of this game and, even though it sucks, I would like to since I have almost every other Marvel RPG book. You know what sucks? This thing goes for over $100 on ebay! Because nobody bought this game it's now RARE! How about that kick in the pants!

Marvel Pokes Fun At DC Reset

Marvel attempted to slight DC in this month's Marvel Previews. DC, for better or worse, is resetting all 52 titles in its DC Universe line-up back to #1. That's right - Action Comics (which is over 900 issues) and Detective Comics (which is almost at 900 issues) are going to be rest to #1. More on that in a little bit.

In the latest Marvel Comics Previews magazine, at the bottom of each solicitation they put a little burst that announced their title was still retaining its original numbering. For example, Uncanny X-Men is on issue #543 so the burst said, "STILL #543." What's funny is Marvel DID reset some of its Ultimate lineup this month to #1. Some or the bursts are pretty lame such as New Avengers, "Still #16!" WOW! 16! REALLY? How long did it take you to get to #16!?!?!? Wait - only 16 months? Lame. To make things a little worse, Marvel has done plenty of its own number resetting in the past. Most of its major titles have reset to #1 at some point as a sales gimmick. Once fans reacted poorly, they just simply resumed numbering as it would have been if they hadn't reset the numbers. For example, Amazing Spider-Man reset to #1 after issue 441. It then ran for 58 issues. 441 + 58 = 499. So with the next issue Marvel resumed original numbering with issue #500. The whole thing was stupid.

Now, I understand that DC's event is a little more logical than that, but I'd still be really angry if I was a fan. Apparently, this is all going to tie into events during the Flashpoint storyline. Perhaps something happens to alter reality in the past? I don't know. But the actual continuity of the characters is going to be changed in major ways, throwing out some of the old continuity. As a fan, that just stinks. That's why I quit collecting! You mean I've spent thousands of dollars investing into your world and you're just going to throw out all of that story history for a sales gimmick? Get real. When are comic companies going to learn that a "reboot" or "reset" angers long time fans and offers a great place to get out while the continuity train stops.

We'll see how it works out for DC but don't be surprised if you see their numbering reset to the original numbering on those books within a few years.