Champions 3000
The 1950's were a remarkable time in the history of the American Comic Book. It was a time characterised by the decline of superhero titles as they were replaced by other genres, most notably science-fiction. During this general loss of interest in superhero titles; for the most part, only "the big three" survived: Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman; and their associated properties. It's is one of these associated properties though that is of interest to us. A spin-off title from the Superman comics that, in the 1960s, sparked a tiny little revolution in the superhero genre. Superboy, the adventures of Superman as a teen, combined traditional superheroes with the fresh "atomic-age" science-fiction that was becoming increasingly more popular with the comic audience by introducing us to a group of teenaged superheroes from the 30th century - leaving the indelible idea that superheroes were going to be around for a very long time.
Rachel "Quantum Lass" Desmarais, Scott "Lightning"
Geyer, Israel "The Weasel" Smith, Brian "Code names
are for pansies" Weber
Welcome to Champions 3000 (or C3K), the future of Champions.
Since you've bought this book, I'll make the rash assumption that you are at least vaguely familiar with the basic comic-book superhero genre. I'll further assume that you are at least passingly familiar with futuristic science-ficition settings (after all, if you weren't you probably wouldn't have bother picking up this volume). If you have no familiarity with these two fictional genres, then I recommend you stop reading, flip to the Appendicies, scan the bibliography, and go find some of the works that inspired this volume.
This book is designed to help you run and play in the type of adventures described in far-future superhero comics such as Marvel Comic's The Guardians of the Galaxy, and DC Comics' The Legion of Super-Heroes.
This book describes the setting for Champions 3K, detailing the background and history of the Commonwealth, as well as describing the alien worlds and races that make up the Commonwealth, and the organizations that operate throughout it.
The Character Creation section is designed to help you with character concept and how they relate to the rest of the campaign setting as well as giving you an idea of what types of characters are to be found in the C3K universe. Guidelines for how the base skills, perks, talents, and powers are used in this setting are provided to help you create character that are effective and entertaining to play. In addition, package deals are provided for the alien races and organizations described within - in some cases, the alien race packages may provide a complete power set for your interstellar hero.
The Source Book provides more indepth information on the groups and organizations that exists in the C3K universe. There is also provided listing of high-tech equipment and vehicles to help provide a sense of the future (not to mention that they make really spiffy toy for the heroes and villians to use), not to mention a selection of nasty evil bad-guys.
Well, I guess you could mix 'em if you wanted, but it would weird. Actually, a mix is about the only way I personally would do it - some type of Fantasy / Science-Fiction crossover whoo-haw. Quite honestly, I see coming at it from the other direction working better: Taking you Fatasy campaign world and dropping it into the middle of the C3K galaxy. Could be fun having the heroes cope with a world of magic.
I like to think of pulp as not so much a genre, but a genre modifier. After all, you can have pulp-adventure, pulp-horror, pulp-superheroes, pulp-science-fiction, pulp-espionage, etc... In this vien, you wouldn't exactly use this book in conjunction with a pulp campaign. Instead, you would apply your pulp trappings, mood, and flavor to a futuristic superhero campaign. Buck Rodger style technology, plus pulp sensibilities, wrapped around superhero adventures.
Hey, wait a minute, this is a superhero game. Actually, this book can provide you with valuable information for your existing "present day" Champions campaign by providing a pre-defined future for those adventures involving time travel. This book priovides you with not only a destination for your heroes to travel to, but potentially useful villains and non-player characters who could travel back to the present to bedevil, befudle, (or even assist) your modern heroes.
Well, actually, this campaign setting is a science-fiction setting, with superpowers thrown in for good measure.