Editing Jetman

== Jetman ==

''The world's first jet-powered crime fighter!''

'''PL 11'''

Alternate Identity: Calvin Peters (Golden Age), Alan Lowman (Silver Age)

Identity: Secret

Base of Operations: Detroit

First Appearance: DANGER COMICS Fall 1942; ibid June 1963

Group Affiliation: The Secret Army

'''Abilities'''

Strength 16 (+3), Dexterity 18 (+4), Constitution 17 (+3), Intelligence 18 (+4), Wisdom 14 (+2), Charisma 15 (+2)

'''Saving Throws'''

Toughness +11 (+3 Con, +8 Power); Fortitude +5 (+3 Con, +2 base); Reflex +6 (+4 Dex, +2 base); Will +3 (+2 Wisdom, +1 Base)

Attack Bonus +11

Defense 21 (+11 Base)

Initiative +4

'''Powers'''

'''Device 7: Jetsuit''' (Hard to lose, cost per rank 4)
-Protection 8
-Flight 11
--Alternate Powers: Enhanced Strength 16, Kinetic Control 11, Snare 11

'''Skills'''

Acrobatics +19 (+3 Dex, 16 Ranks); Craft (Mechanical) +20 (+4 Int, 16 Ranks); Knowledge (Physical Sciences) +20 (+4 Int, 16 Ranks); Pilot 19 (+3 Dex, 16 Ranks); Notice +18 (+2 Wis, 16 Ranks); Stealth +19 (+3 Dex, 16 Ranks); Drive +19 (+3 Dex, 16 Ranks); Search +20 (+4 Int, 16 Ranks); Disable Device +20 (+4 Int, 16 Ranks)

'''Feats'''

Inventor, Equipment 4 (Headquarters, 2 ranks miscellaneous equipment), Improved Aim, Seize Initiative, Precise Shot, Ranged Pin

Headquaters: Private Laboratory: Toughness: 10; Size: Medium; Laboratory, Living Space, Security System, Workshop, Isolated, Communications, Computer, Library (10 points total, 2 ranks Equipment)

'''Drawbacks'''

Normal Identity (More than Full Round, Major); ''The suit is too clunky to be worn on a regular basis or under clothes, so Jetman must don it like a suit of armor."

'''Background'''

At the start of World War II, engineer Calvin Peters was, to his surprise, classified 4-F ("Unfit For Service") due to chronic illness in his past. Ashamed of his rejection, he retreated to a small family house outside Detroit to work on private experiments. Taking advantage of the recent adoption of jet technology, he designed an elaborate flying suit that would make him more than the equal of any soldier on the field. He spent most of the war stateside fighting Fifth Columnists as they attempted to smash American industry. Late in the war he flew to the European Front, and even offered to share the secret of the jetsuit with the military; however, they decided that it would be impractical to replicate on a large scale, and too hard to keep from falling into enemy hands.

Peters continued to fight crime after the war had ended, and as dislike for "4-F" persons ebbed after the war, he became a noted engineer and scholar. Eventually age forced him to retire, becoming a teacher at a local university. It was there that he met Alan Lowman, a brilliant, energetic, but ultimately standoffish young man who became Professor Peters' protegé. Peters realized that Lowman, like himself, wanted to do more for society than he could as just a simple engineer, and made the fateful decision to reveal to him his secret and pass on his legacy.

Alan Lowman was shocked to find that the old, frail-looking professor had been the legendary Jetman, and more shocked that he had taken the risk of asking him to follow in his footsteps. He reluctantly accepted the honor, determined to prove his mentor right. 

'''Personality'''

As himself, Calvin Peters tries not to attract too much attention; the scorn he received as a draft reject has made him a bit timid. Inwardly, however, he's determined to do good for society and the free world, even if he must do so in secret. 

Alan Lowman doesn't suffer the same kind of stigma that his mentor did, but he feels deeply unsatisfied with normal life, and doesn't socialize as much as he should; he is charming but aloof. As Jetman, he has an opportunity to actually make a difference, and only as the hero does he feel that he's truly himself.

Both incarnations of Jetman are driven by a need to prove themselves; Peters to a society that didn't consider him good enough, Lowman to his professor. This opens the way for many potential dramatic complications.

'''Appearance'''

Calvin Peters is a man of medium height and slender build, with brown hair, hazel eyes, and delicate features. Alan has blonde hair and is more handsome, but still slender looking.

The Jetman suit is actually a series of steel braces connected to a large jetpack and several smaller jets mounted on the arms and legs; under this Jetman wears a brown flight suit. He also wears a helmet which covers his eyes and is tapered at the top for aerodynamics.

'''Publishing History'''

Jetman was invented by [[Captain Invincible]] creator John Spiegelman while [[Star Comics]] was in the early stages of fighting off a lawsuit from National Comics over the Captain's perceived similarities to Superman. Inspired by an article on jet technology, Spiegelman drafted a new, gadget-based hero to shore up Star's hero line in the event that National won. Himself classified 4-F due to a bad back, Spiegelman liked the idea of a hero drawn from the ranks of people normally considered "goldbrickers". A young Ed Ross provided illustrations. Though the National suit was eventually settled, Jetman became a very popular character in his own right, and thanks to the increasing prominence of "jet" technology, the character remained in print well after the war and the initial cancellation of DANGER COMICS in 1951. Spiegelman left the company at that point, but Jetman made irregular appearances in THRILLING COMICS afterwards, written and drawn by various creators.

DANGER COMICS was revived in 1962 as part of the Silver Age superhero boom, and Prelutzky used it to test out a number of revivals of old characters (starting with Miss Mercury and the Blue Flame). Jetman's turn came in 1963, when Philip Cage and returning artist Ed Ross created a "legacy" for the character, allowing the original Jetman to age naturally and retire, passing on the mantle to a newer, hipper youth figure (allegedly partly based on JFK.) The new Jetman was a solid success, and after four years the magazine was retitled JETMAN. The character was also made part of David Denham's new team book THE SECRET ARMY, contributing to his profile. By the end of the decade Jetman was one of the company's most popular characters.

The Golden Age Jetman became the first superhero casualty of the Star Comics universe in July of 1970. In the story "Jetman Must Die!", the aging Calvin Peters donned the armor one last time after Alan Lowman was incapacitated by an attack by the winged minions of the mad sky marauder known only as Kestrel. Peters destroyed Kestrel's flying wing fortress at the cost of his own life.

JETMAN remained in print through the 1983 END OF TIME reboot of the Star Comics universe (as an upshot of which Peters reappeared as an older, more frail scientist passing on a legacy that had laid dormant for nearly a generation.) The book's fortunes finally flagged in 1997 during the speculation bust, but has since been revived.