The Band Played On

Looks like the new Black Canary is one of the casualties of DC Rebirth, which makes me grumpy. To be more positive, check out how far they went with the hook of the comic being about a band, resulting in the Black Canary EP.

Check out the original A Buffy Season run to see how much I’ve rambled on about a game starring a band. Which is quite a bit.

I blame early exposure to The Monkees.

And that’s just a game that happens to be about a band where it becomes important sometimes, rather than a game focusing on touring, perhaps with performance rather than combat as the big mechanical feature that resolves the session. (I know someone working on this.)

Bands work as PC groups because they tend to be the right kind of size, and spend a lot of time hanging out together. And possibly on the road, coming to unfamiliar towns where they might get in trouble. See Green Room for a more horror-y current example.

I should also note that it’s a great series setup but while it provides some plot hooks and excuses to travel in a van it doesn’t add as much easy plot logic as a group focused on the main action of the setting. My most successful Buffy as about active trainee monster hunters, and my band games tend not to last. Most games tend not to last but the setup doesn’t make it much easier.

And it would be nice to have a PC who wants the band to do well, and for that not to conflict with the monster hunting which is a sideline for the characters while being a band is a sideline for the players. I still want to get past season one with it, but I acknowledge that it’s a great idea for a showbut not as good as something directly related to the action for a game.