Terra-Man
(Pre-Crisis version)
Context
The Pre-Crisis version of Terra-Man is a, hmm, old-school Superman villain. He appeared in 1972, and is very much a Silver Age type. Terra-Man continued appearing until the Crisis on Infinite Earths, as many Superman stories showed a reluctance to move beyond the Silver Age.
So yes, he’s a space cowboy with a horse and a hat and six-shooters, and he fights Superman.
Background
- Real Name: Toby Manning.
- Marital Status: Unrevealed.
- Known Relatives: Unnamed space pirate (deceased, adoptive father).
- Group Affiliation: None.
- Base Of Operations: Mobile.
- Height: 6’0″ Weight: 170 lbs.
- Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown
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Powers and Abilities
Terra-man is a cosmic cowboy. He has a large array of cosmic powered Old West style weaponry of his own design. And these are powerful enough even to knock out even Superman. All equipment may be telekinetically controlled and he may even use this to fly. This technology is very advanced, and might appear to be magic to ordinary humans.
Terra-man also displayed superhumanly developed combat skills. He is capable of using any weapon against superhumanly fast opponents and still hit them. Besides these, Terra-man has a slew of skills suitable for a space cowboy such as tracking, riding, law and astronavigation. Manning also is a scholar of Wild West lore.
All in all Terra-man is a very deadly foe. He is capable of defeating Earth’s most powerful heroes if they are not prepared to meet him.
History
Sometime in the 1800s a space pirate kidnapped a young boy named Toby Manning from the American wild west. This boy grew up under his tutorship. They travelled around the universe, and Toby learned many things.
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Once Manning was grown up (which somehow seemed to have only occurred during the 1960s) he killed his adoptive father and stole all his technology. From there he used his knowledge to build weaponry inspired by his childhood memories. He adopted the identity of Terra-man, a cosmic gunfighter, and used a winged Arguvian space steed for travelling from planet to planet.
Terra-Man committed crimes everywhere he went. And he eventually came upon planet Earth.
Back to the homeworld
Here he was opposed by Superman and defeated every time. Yet Terra-Man returned many times to plague the Man of Steel.
Among his different crimes has been the creation of an old western town called Buzzard Gulch. It was inhabited by Superman’s Daily Planet friends, all hypnotized to believe they were living in an old Western village. Superman was then challenged in different ways by Terra-man. Manning threatened to kill one of his friends for every failed challenge.
Superman realized that he would do this through special bullets worn at the back of his belt. Thus, the Man of Steel changed this ammunition’s effect with his vision powers. Thus altered, the bullets would only knock people unconscious instead of killing them.
Terra-man seemingly killed some of Superman’s friends, but they all awoke later and came out from the undertakers house. Terra-man briefly thought they were ghosts. He thus lost all concentration and was knocked out by Superman.
Once upon a time in the West
Terra-man was eventually brought back to Earth by the alien Xviar. Xviar had planned the destruction of Earth for 30 years, and wanted Manning to fight Superman. Other super-foes serving Xviar included Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Amalak, the Kryptonite Man, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Toyman, the Prankster and the Parasite. However, Superman figured out the plans of Xviar and easily defeated them all.
Once Terra-man worked together with the Penguin to defeat both Batman and Superman. But the plot failed.
Later still, the vengeful brother of Terra-Man’s adoptive father came after Manning. Terra-man felt he didn’t have a chance against this being and sought protection on Earth. He thus planted cosmomite bombs all over Metropolis, and forced Superman to play along his plans to kill his pursuer.
Terra-man prepared a nationwide TV show. It would air every evening at 9. On the show, Terra-man shot Superman to death and buried him. The next day Superman awoke, but he had been physically transformed to look like Terra-man instead. The real Terra-man had gone into hiding, leaving Superman as bait for the vengeful space pirate.
Switcheroo
The JLA went after the apparent Terra-man to avenge the death of Superman. But they found out that this really was Superman, and came up with a plan. When the space pirate turned up, an actor playing Superman performed super-feats with the help of the Flash and Green Lantern. Superman (still looking like Terra-Man) then came in to reap victory.
The real Terra-man came out from hiding, feeling that the fake Terra-Man was stealing his thunder. This trickery allowed the Flash, Green Lantern and Superman to easily defeat both Terra-man and the space pirate easily. Superman then successfully threatened to give Terra-man to the pirate unless he quickly changed him back into his normal look.
Again Terra-man was put into prison. But he can’t be held long. Thus, now and then he keeps popping up with a new plan as well as new bullets.
During his many years as a criminal he is a cosmically renowned super criminal.
Description
Terra-man looks like a real Wild West gunfighter. He’s quite well physically trained and wears the typical gunfighter clothes : brown western trousers, a pair of brown leather boots with green socks beneath them, a yellow or white buttoned shirt, a dark brown leather belt with two holsters.
He also wears a brown leather western hat with a green band all around it as well as a green mantle with white holder buttons with a Y sign attaching it. The color schemes goes in white, brown and green. Adding to the gunfighter look he has a brown hair and a brown mustache.
In combat he moves like gunfighters in most western movies do. Quickly, sporadically and always ready to draw. For anyone knowing anything about the Old West he looks like the real deal. He is far more deadly than he might appear, too.
Personality
Terra-man is a real Wild West fighter who loves everything about it. He loves to challenge heroes for a duel, even teleporting them a weapon (of course inferior to his own) if they are unarmed. Sometimes he will shoot unarmed people and sometimes he won’t.
He also likes all attention he gets while pursuing his criminal plans and much enjoys his cosmic reputation as a gunslinger and cool criminal. In combat as well as all other situations he talks just like if he were in an old Western movie.
He can appear brave against heroes, even several of them… until it is completely clear that he will lose. In which case he will try to make a fast exit.
His plans have a strong Old West movie theme such as duels, bank robberies, etc.. But he might go beyond this theme just because he needs some specific resources.
If the press and news are present when he is performing a crime he will welcome any attention he gets. Terra-man appears to be a real showman at heart. Depending on his mood he may be either deadly or just playful.
Quotes
“Now ! Draw !”
(With a large smile)) ’Howdy doody folks ! This is your friend Terra-man who invites you to watch his new TV show !”
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Terra-Man
| Dex: 12 | Str: 04 | Bod: 08 | Motivation: Mercenary/Thrill seeker |
| Int: 08 | Wil: 05 | Min: 07 | Occupation: Pistolero, Criminal |
| Inf: 05 | Aur: 05 | Spi: 06 | Resources {or Wealth}: 016 |
| Init: 027 | HP: 080 |
Powers:
Sealed Systems: 20, Telekinesis: 08
Bonuses and Limitations:
Telekinesis may only be used on and with all his equipment.
Skills:
Acrobatics: 04, Animal Handling: 08, Detective (Law, Police Procedure): 05, Gadgetry (Build Gadget): 14, Medicine (First Aid): 05, Military Science: 06, Weaponry: 14
Advantages:
Genius, Lightning Reflexes, Slowed Aging, Pet (Nova), Scholar (Astronavigation, Western Lore).
Connections:
Intergalactic Underworld (High), Superman Rogue Gallery (Low).
Drawbacks:
Hunted (Space Pirate, Low, Universal), Serious Irrational Attraction (The Wild West).
Equipment:
- Six-Shooter (x2) [BODY 08, Projectile Weapons: 22, Ammo: 06, Range: 06, Note: the Projectile Weapons represents the use of standard bullets. Other bullet types have other powers although they still use half the APs of Projectile Weapons as their flight speed].
- Special Bullets [DEX 11 BODY 04 INT 02, Bomb: 22, Thermal Vision: 10, Limitations: Bomb power only has No Range, Bullets are ammo only and have to be loaded into the Six-Shooter. Note: Bullets are heat-seekers and will follow their target until destroyed or they hit something].
- Flight Bullets [BODY 04, Flight: 08, Note: These bullets may only be used for flying using the gun’s recoil up to a duration equal to APs of Flight].
- Omnibullets [BODY 04, C-Omniability 15 APs, R#2, Note: these have so far been Teleport and Mental Blast].
- 3 ABC Omnigadgets [BODY 04, 8 APs ability, Note: these have so far been Hypnotism, Radio Communications and Teleport].
- Bowie Knife [BODY 08, Enhance (EV): 01 (Cap is 06), Sharpness (EV): 01, Descriptor: Piercing].
- Cosmically powered Western Boots [BODY 06, EV: 18, Bonus: If taken off these may use APs of Telekinesis as both Flight speed and their AV for kicking opponents].
- Lasso [BODY 12, Snare: 20, Split: 05].
Nova Arguvian Space Steed (Winged Horse)
| Dex: 07 | Str: 04 | Bod: 07 |
| Int: 01 | Wil: 00 | Min: 01 |
| Inf: 01 | Aur: 00 | Spi: 01 |
| Init: 009 | HP: 000 |
Powers:
Flight (Winged): 44, Sealed Systems: 30
Source of Character: Superman comics (DCU).
Helper(s): 1st Ed Superman Sourcebook, Sébastien Andrivet, Dan.