West End Games had a 25-year run as an innovative creator of roleplaying games, most notable perhaps for its licensed Star Wars RPG.  Wizards of the Coast now holds the Star Wars RPG license, but the core of the West End Games staff has been kept together by Humanoides, the French publisher, and the first game from the new West End, The Metabarons Roleplaying Game, is about to hit the stores.  Based on the series of science fiction graphic novels written by Alexandro (El Topo) Jodorowsky and illustrated by Juan Gimenez, the Metabarons RPG will utilize the player-friendly D6 rules system developed by West End and unused since the publication of the last Star Wars RPG module in 1998.  The first product in the Metabarons line is a 288-page full-color, hardcover rulebook which features a cover painting by Travis Charest and interior paintings by Metabaron artist Juan Gimenez.  The rulebook, which retails for $30, will be followed by a gamemaster's screen, a weapons and technology manual, and a guidebook to the Metabarons comic series.

 

The Metabarons universe, created by Jodorowsky and Euro-comics mega-star Moebius is the subject of a series of graphic novels that are extremely popular in Europe.  Focused on a clan of powerful warriors, the Metabarons is a galaxy-spanning space opera teeming with wild concepts, bizarre alien worlds, powerful weapons and fantastic interplanetary vehicles.  The Metabarons RPG is the first of several planned games based on the comics created by Humanoides.  West End will continue to produce the DC Universe Roleplaying Game in addition to new games based on Humanoides properties.