I've been reading several new-to-me miniseries recently (such as The Craptacular B-Sides). Another one I really enjoyed was Deadline. It was a 2002 miniseries that focuses on a young reporter at the Daily Bugle that focused on capes (her derogatory name for heroes and villains), though she didn't like them. One of the fun parts about the series for me was that it showed the business and other side of a super powered world. For example she goes to the Bar With No Name, a hangout spot for criminals, to get info. She also visits a back alley doctor who's primary clientele is made up of villains, and a tattoo shop for capes who can do tattoos on even the most durable because the owner has a tattoo gun with an adamantium tipped needle.
Maybe it's just me, but I think things like this really make a setting feel alive. I can think of other random products and foods available in series that I like. For example, Young Justice has a snack called Chicken Whizees that always sticks out to me when mentioned. A bag of them was even used to advance the plot in the latest season. I've had things like that in my own games that have stuck out. FreedomO.P.S., my long term Mutants and Masterminds 2e game I ran back in the day had a reoccurring franchise. Though the game was primarily set in Freedom City, there were a few sessions that took the team to Bedlam. The city had a group of Chuck E. Cheese style restaurants that served Gopher Shakes and Pizza Buckets (aka Pizza Napalm). For some reason, our Iron Man/Green Lantern mashup really took to it and started flying to the city just to snack. This (and Five Nights At Freddy's) served as inspiration for Galaxy Gopher's Pizzeria.
Do you ever use things like this in your games, particularly modern ones? Do you think it makes things more grounded or is it empty setting info that no one needs?
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