Gladiator - the Ol' Man of Superman?
"Gladiator" was a book written by Philip Wylie in 1930. The protagonist was the inspiration for Superman--he possessed superhuman strength, invulnerability, and fantastic movement powers. Although the character didn't put on a costume and fight crime, he did try to use his powers to help other people.

The character could easily turn up in a Golden Age campaign, or even as an old man in a modern-day campaign (though in the original he died young). Or another character could have gotten his powers from the same source, or be his child (though in the original the powers weren't an inherited trait).

This is the character as he appeared at the end of the novel. 

     HUGO DANNER
     
     STR 38     Running, + 9", 1/2 END on 15" total
     DEX 23     Superleap, +22"
     CON 28     Swimming, +8"
     BOD 16     1/2 END on 38 STR
     INT 10     Damage Resistance, 15 PD 15 ED
     EGO 11     Regeneration, 1 BOD/5 min
     PRE 13     LS: Breathing, 1 Rec Ch x 1 Min., costs END, Act. 15
     COM 18     +4d6 HA
     PD 25
     ED 25      Jack of All Trades
     SPD 5      PS: Farmer 11; Football player 11; Pearl diver 11
     REC 14     PS: Sailor 11; Truck driver 11; Soldier 11
     END 56     PS: Steel worker 11; Bank clerk 11
     STN 50     KS: Literature 11; Military customs 11;
     OCV 8      Acrobatics, Stealth 14
     DCV 8      French, basic conversation
     ECV 4      Tactics 11
                TF: Ground vehicles
                WF: Small arms, knives
     
                Psyche Lim: Searching for purpose to life (Com, Str)
                Psyche Lim: Loner (Com, Mod)
                Psyche Lim: Idealistic (Com, Mod)
                Distinctive Feature: Unusual features (great strength, 
                        too heavy for size, can't be hurt), Easily     
                        concealed, noticed & recognized
                DNPC, random, norm, 11
                Unluck, 1d6
Hugo's father was a biochemist who developed a serum that could transform an unborn child into a super-being. Even as a newborn, Hugo was stronger, tougher, and more dexterous than the average man. His parents cautioned him to hide his powers to avoid persecution.

Hugo was an average college student, but excelled on the football field, where his powers made him unstoppable. His education was cut short, however, after he accidentally killed a player on the opposing team. Filled with grief, he left school and took to the road. To support himself he picked up a wide variety of menial jobs. But his main goal was to find some great purpose for his powers.

Hugo thought he found that purpose on the battlefields of WW1. But no matter how many of his allies lives he saved, and no matter how many of the enemy he killed, the war stretched on. Just as Hugo was preparing to make a heroic trek to Germany and kill the German leadership personally, the armistice was declared.

Hugo returned to America and continue to wander from one misadventure to another. He moved to Washington, DC and tried to change the political structure of the nation. But the job was simply too big for even him. In a fit of rage he screamed for God to give him a sign. A lightning bolt fell from the sky and killed him.

Everyone agrees that the ending to the story stinks, but the rest of it is very enjoyable. I read about this book in high school and spent 10 years searching for it. It's virtually impossible to find. I finally located the publisher and ordered a copy. Hyperion Press (203-226-1091) sells it for $35 (hardback).

Dave Rupp
drupp@nacubo.nche.edu

Taken from the pages of Jens-Arthur Leirbakk