Once Upon a Time in 1967 – What is Happening in Earth-H

Since we cannot meet to continue our Masks campaign at the moment, I thought I would put together some resources for the setting to share.  It is Fall as we begin the campaign and this is to present some context to the world around the young heroes.

Politics:

Lyndon Baines Johnson (“LBJ’) is the President of the United States, following the assassination of John F Kennedy in 1963 and his victory in the 1964 election.  Hubert Humphrey is Vice President.  LBJ has tried to get more superheroes to back the US war effort in Vietnam with little success.

John Linsay is the Mayor of New York City, where are campaign is set, and who is still deciding if having New York City be the “Superhero capital of the US” is a good thing or not.

The Six-Day War in June sees Israel capture and occupy the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria.

Anti-War Protests are increasingly common in major cities.  Race Riots, usually triggered by violent police actions, roll across the US causing great disruption and doubt.

Culture:

The Doors first album (“The Doors‘) released in January. In April, Expo ’67 open in Montreal, Ontario, A Man for All Seasons wins the Academy Award for best picture and Muhammad Ali refuses military service and is stripped of his title and banned from professional boxing for three years  In May, The Beatles release Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.  August, The movie, In the Heat of the Night, starring Sidney Poitier, is released (and will be named the best picture of the year in 1968).

The superhero Rebel continues to host the Black Label Variety Hour, with his sidekick Reggie the Talking Gorilla, and perform music.

Supers:

Heroes Incorporated is the premier US team based in New York City.  The New Atlantians work out of Atlanta.  While the LA Stars have a base beneath the Playboy Mansion in Los Angles.  The Misfits of Science, a group mainly the results of weird science and led by the mysterious Dr Grey, deal with rum and uncanny problems.

Famous lone heroes include: Captain Liberty, symbol of the US, though dead during WW2 but revived from where he was frozen in the Arctic.  Challenger, defender of the downtrodden in New York City.  The Night Cat, scourge of Boston’s underworld.

The Soviet Union maintain its own New Future Team.  The only other national team is the Guardians of France.

Worldwide threats at the hands of the World Emperor, who claims the entire Earth as his rightful domain, and Doctor Destiny, who blends magic and technology in his quest for power.

Well known villains: The Clown Prince has been sentenced to life in the Pleasantville Institute for the Criminally Insane.  Doctor Diableri was thwarted from stealing artifacts from the Los Angles County Museum of Art but did successful steal some from private collectors.  The Puzzle Master just pulled off a string of daring robberies on the Las Vegas Strip.

The NYC underworld has fallen into confusion with the disappearance of the Napoleon of Crime and his enforcers.  It is rumored that the mobs will soon be going to war as they seek to gain new territory and settle old scores.

Notes: UN Building screenshot from the North by Northwest movie trailer, found on Wikimedia Commons, it and the Expo 67 logo are in the public domain.

Edit: Forgot the Misfits of Science.  And added well known villains.