Winzler Publications produces two magazines targeted at the superhero niche in the periodical industry. When Hero Illustrated and Supe Magazine first appeared in 1982 circulation was small. Then, around the summer of 1984, circulation boomed when a national superhero craze caught on. Although circulation has since declined a bit, the once feeble magazine publisher looks like its here to stay.
The Wall Street Journal, who did a small piece on Winzler Publications in September of 1984, quoted Winzler saying "Anything remotely connected with superheroes is selling, despite the sluggish economy. When a guy on 5th Avenue can sell the debris from when Mechanon knocked Seeker through an Empire State Building wall, you can pretty much sell anything. Think about it. What's the first thing the 6 o'clock news always reports on? Superheroes." Trends in other industries seemed to support his position. Surges in comic book, superhero novel, and superhero memorabilia sales were recorded all over North America.
Hero Illustrated often reminds its readers of Life magazine with photography that reaches into the heart and soul of its subjects and stories depicting the grey, gritty detail of real life. There's no doubt Winzler's earlier experiences provide the well tempered edge to this raw, uncensored view of life on the streets. Seven of Hero Illustrated's articles have been nominated for Pulitzer prizes, but none have won the award. Hero Illustrated is a bi-monthly publication.
Supe Magazine is a different breed entirely. Supe focuses more on the people than the events. At times, it can look more like a "scandal sheet", which might explain why its circulation is higher than the other magazine. The classified section of this magazine boasts some of the most amazing gadgets you've ever heard of. (Some of them even work.) The summer swimsuit issue is the most popular, followed closely by the issue showing the twenty most wanted villains. Everybody has at least seen Supe in a barbershop or doctor's office. Supe is published monthly.
Donald Winzler had always been one to put a little away each paycheck for the future. So, when he decided he was tired of working for someone else, he had the means to do something about it. Winzler Publications was incorporated in 1982.
Donald has written for a host of well know periodicals. He is most known for his vivid contributions to Life magazine about the people of the Takla Makan (a desert in China) and the Tibetan Plateau of the Himalayan Mountains. He and photographer Rick Levine were the first journalists to report the plight of the desert tribes and the first Westerners to describe the strange customs of a reclusive mountain tribe called the Musham.
Donald eventually went on to accept a senior editor's position for Time magazine. But, unable to just abandon his writing, Donald continued to contribute articles until his editing responsibilities, as well as a growing family, eventually demanded the majority of his time. He was eventually promoted to Co-Editor-In-Chief. Unfortunately, office politics and manipulative management proved to be to much for him to deal with, so Donald struck out on his own.
In addition to being the owner of Winzler Publications, Donald has made himself Editor-In-Chief of Hero Illustrated. His flexible style of management is founded on encouraging people to take the initiative and explore whatever interests them. In most cases, what interests his staff, also commands the interest of the readers. When a story worthy of attention escapes the eye of his writers, Donald assigns one to cover it.
Donald has divorced himself from the production of Supe Magazine. He found he was unable to adjust to the style of journalism it required. The nature of the magazine disgusts him to some extent, but the circulation of Supe allows Winzler Publications to remain stable. Without Supe, Donald is unsure if Winzler Publications could survive a long term decline in sales.
Donald is 6'3" tall. He has brown eyes and dark brown hair with a touch of grey. He prefers to wear inexpensive, two piece suits with a conservative tie and comfortable shoes. He requires glasses to read, but otherwise has good eye sight. He has a wife named Dorothy and children named Daniel, Dru, and David.
DONALD WINZLER 10 STR 10 DEX 10 CON 10 BOD 13 INT 11 EGO 13 PRE 10 COM 2 PD 2 ED 2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN Skills: PS: Journalist 16-, Conversation 12-, Lang: Basic Nepali, High Society 8-, Criminology 8-, Mechanics 8- Disadvantages: Age 51.
Samantha is the only daughter of Roger and Daisy Hughes. Because Daisy's law practice demands the majority of her time, Samantha has always been very close with her father. Her father's love of sprint car racing became their common hobby. Roger was a decent backyard mechanic and an capable driver, but when Samantha was finally able to get behind the wheel he quickly abandoned the drivers seat for good. Samantha thrived on friendly competition. It didn't matter that she would never be good enough to advance to a higher level. Racing made her happy.
During college, Samantha interned with a big city newspaper. The job ran her ragged, and she loved every minute of it. Although she didn't find most of the stories very interesting, she was fascinated by the people involved. The human saga would define her journalistic interest from then on.
These days, Samantha is consumed by her work. The big city is still as exciting as it was during her internship. Samantha never believed she would find superheroes as exciting as she found the normal people. But something about the way they could continue to react under highly stressful situations eventually captured her interest.
Samantha is 5'8" tall with blue eyes and light brown hair. She keeps fit by working out regularly at a local health center after work. Nobody except her father may call her "Sam", and he can only use it because she can't remember when he didn't. Presently, Samantha is single.
SAMANTHA HUGHES 10 STR 11 DEX 11 CON 10 BOD 11 INT 10 EGO 11 PRE 12 COM 2 PD 2 ED 2 SPD 4 REC 22 END 21 STUN Skills: PS: Journalist 13-, Persuasion 11-, Perk: Press Pass, PS: Auto Racing 8-, Combat Driving 11- Disadvantages: None.
The victim of a childhood accident that left him paralyzed below the waist, Scott Gilbert's life was off to a rough start. It was easy to sit around in his wheelchair feeling sorry for himself. It was easy to let his mother cater to his needs. It was easy to become a spoiled brat. The death of his parents brought all that to an end.
He moved in with his aunt and uncle, as directed by his parent's will. The first few months led to nothing but conflict. His uncle's family expected everyone to pull their own weight, something Scott was not used to doing. When Scott left for college, he was a different person. He had been forced to be active and had responded well. Life was beginning to take on an entirely new meaning.
With college paid for by the provisions of his parent's will, Scott was able to focus on his studies. While other journalism students devoted their time improving their writing, Scott looked to improve his research techniques and his understanding of people and society. Psychology, Sociology, and Philosophy dominated Scott's electives. According to Scott, writing comes in second behind finding the facts and understanding all the conditions.
Scott is 5'6" tall. He's got short blonde hair and hazel eyes. Scott is currently undergoing therapy in hopes of someday walking on his own. Although he can only manage a few steps with the aid of the therapist, Scott is doing well for someone who was never supposed to walk again. Scott is currently unmarried. He has recently noticed Samantha Hughes and is trying to find a way to get to know her better.
SCOTT GILBERT 10 STR 10 DEX 10 CON 10 BOD 10 INT 14 EGO 15 PRE 10 COM 2 PD 2 ED 2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN Skills: PS: Journalist 13-, Bureaucratics 12-, Conversation 11-, Persuasion 11-, Criminology 8-, 3" Running (OIF "Wheelchair") Disadvantages: Rivalry w/Other Contributors Physical: Paralyzed below the waist (-6" Running)
Rick graduated from high school with airline tickets in his hand. Like most graduates, Rick had no idea of what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, but he did know where. Years ago his father, a Professor of Cultural Studies, had taken him to India and Rick had fallen in love with the people and the land.
Rick arrived to find India wasn't as he remembered it. Without enough money to return home, Rick wandered Calcutta looking for a way to earn some money. Fortunately, Rick soon met Donald Winzler who was about to travel into the Himalayans. Donald and Rick hit it off immediately, so Donald hired Rick to carry a pack in exchange for an airline ticket home.
Several years later, they finally emerged from the mountains. Donald had discovered so much material to write about in addition to his original assignment they had extended their stay to take advantage of their good fortune. During that time, Rick had discovered a talent for photography, letting Donald focus on his writing. Once again, Rick had fallen in love with his surroundings and elected to stay while Donald returned.
From there, Rick's life went back into a slump. For the next two decades he drifted from job to job eventually find his way to the coast of Bangladesh where he worked a freighter back to the United States. Upon arriving in San Francisco, Rick hitch-hiked his way to New York where he looked up Donald.
Now Rick is a contributing photographer for Hero Illustrated and Supe Magazine as well as for a couple of other magazines on occasion. Much to Donald's relief, Rick has not lost his natural talent for photography. Although Rick is an excellent photographer, he is not motivated to improve. Photography will never mean anything more than a regular paycheck to him.
Rick spends most of his non-working hours in small, rundown bars telling tall tales about his adventures in the east. Years of only having to care for himself has left Rick incapable of any long term relationship. Rick is a tough looking man who stand 5'11" tall. He has dark brown eyes, black hair, and a dark complexion from years of living under the sun. Rick wears heavy shirts with blue jeans or khaki paratrooper pants and brown boots.
RICK LEVINE 10 STR 10 DEX 13 CON 12 BOD 10 INT 10 EGO 13 PRE 10 COM 3 PD 3 ED 2 SPD 5 REC 26 END 24 STUN Skills: PS: Photographer 15-, KS: Kung Fu (Wing Chung) 13-, WF: Common Melee Weapons, Breakfall 11-, Kung Fu, KS: Nepal 12-, KS: Tibet 12-, Lang: Fluent Nepali, Streetwise 14- Disadvantages: Age 46 Psych: Moderate Attraction to younger women Psych: Moderate Attraction to Whiskey.
Charles Lambert is one of two senior editors for Supe Magazine and the only member of the senior staff who's been around since the first issue. At first, Charles earned his living as a contributing editor for Supe. He was promoted to Senior Editor when a former Editor-In-Chief discovered Charles' stories has so much background because of his superhero database.
These days, Charles maintains the database for all employees to use. The database contains information about superheroes, supervillains, and strange occurrences. The database resides on an office personal computer. One backup is stored in the office safe, another in a safety deposit box. Yet another copy is kept at Charles' house.
Charles secretly provides copies of his database to the CIA. Years ago they approached him offering a significant cash deal. Charles was given some basic training as an agent during one of his "fishing trips" and has been enjoying the extra income ever since. If asked why he can afford to live better than his editor's pay, Charles will claim he's made a few investments which have payed off. He can even provide proof if questioned. (Conveniently supplied by the CIA.) Charles does not know what the CIA is using the information for, nor does he care.
Charles is 34 years old. He's got a wife (Judy), a son (Tony), and a pet beagle (Augie). Charles is 6'3" tall. He's got brown hair and brown eyes.
CHARLES LAMBERT 10 STR 10 DEX 10 CON 10 BOD 10 INT 10 EGO 10 PRE 10 COM 2 PD 2 ED 2 SPD 4 REC 20 END 20 STUN Skills: Computer Programming 13-, PS: Journalism 12-, KN: CIA 8-, Bureaucratics 8- Disadvantages: Monitored (Watched) by the CIA, 8-
Originally named Tanya Smack, Meola Du Clos changed her name the instant she was old enough. Her parents never have understood why she'd leave a sensible name for something "fancified" like "Du Clos".
Meola left the Appalachian foot hills of West Virginia for the big city lights of Los Angeles. One year of beautician school and two years conducting tours of Hollywood Star's homes later, Meola managed to land a reporting job with a small tabloid. Meola soon collected a cult following for her outlandish statements and bizarre claims.
Tired of the libel and slander suits, Meola looked for another collection of targets. Superheroes were, for the most part, unused to publicity and ignorant of the legalities involved. Meola changed her emphasis and backed off a little until she could get a feel for how far she could go. She even started taking writing classes at a local community college attempting to improve herself.
This time, she found her niche. Success grew slowly over a few years. Meola moved from the tabloids to a regular newspaper column, regional syndication, and then a full time spot at Supe Magazine where she's worked ever since.
Meola portrays herself as a petite woman with French heritage. She fools no one. Meola is an aggressive reporter who likes to dig into the personal lives of her subjects. Meola is 5'4" tall, but her high heels put her at 5'6". She has deep blue eyes and long blonde hair which she keeps up in elaborate configurations. She constantly dresses in accordance with the latest fashion trends and attends every social function.
MEOLA DU CLOS 8 STR 10 DEX 8 CON 10 BOD 10 INT 8 EGO 13 PRE 10 COM 2 PD 2 ED 2 SPD 4 REC 16 END 18 STUN Skills: PS: Journalist 12-, KN: Fashion 13-, Lang: Fluent French, High Society 12-, Seduction 8- Disadvantages: Psych: Self Centered. Psych: Strong Attraction to mirrors and pictures of self.
Winzler Publications occupies the entire top floor of the five story Hultquist building located on Broadway in New York City. The building was built in 1938 by Samual Hultquist and is still owned by his direct descendents who own a number of buildings in the area. There is nothing unusual about the construction of the building.
Dee-Dee Coats, the receptionist, can be found in the waiting area. Her desk is placed so she can guard the entrance to the main office area. This room has a several chairs for people to wait. Telephones are available, but none of them can dial long distance except for a credit card or collect call. Several awards hang on the walls; most of them are for Hero Illustrated. This room is located in the center of the building near the elevators and the stairway. Six rooms are accessible from this room: the Hero Office, the Supe Office, the business office, a storage room, and the rest rooms.
This office is full of modular furniture, telephones, computers, printers, etc. Everyone has desks in this area, except the Editor-In-Chief who has an office of his own located on the north side of this room. A Conference room lies to the south of this room.
This office is almost identical to the other main office.
This office is where the circulation and advertising offices are located. Once again, modular furniture dominates the layout.
This room has shelves on every wall which contain various office supplies. A table along the inside wall holds a large coffee maker. A refrigerator stands beside the table. Another table in the center of the room has six chair to go with it. A deck of cards can probably be found on the table.
When Donald Winzler had a pair of billboards erected on the roof of the building to advertise the magazines, Dee-Dee (the receptionist) suggested he put a few things up there for the superheroes to enjoy. While the others laughed, Donald saw merit to this idea and laid out what is now call the "Birdhouse" because only birds and superheroes can get up to the roof. (The main stairway also leads to the roof, but the door is locked.)
Between the two billboards, a small building was constructed. The building has only one entrance and no windows. The building is lighted, heated, and has a bathroom. Several convenience machines are located inside. A soda machine distributes Pepsi-cola products while a snack machine offers a variety of candy bars and snack cakes. A pay-phone hangs on one wall. Near the back of the building is an old pinball machine. The machine's high score is held by someone with the initials FXB (Foxbat). A picnic table sets in the center of the room. A plaque hangs on the outside of the building to explain the building's intended function:
Attention Superheroes! You are invited to enjoy this break room in appreciation for all your hard work. - Winzler Publications, Inc.