The DEO was created with a mission that includes "monitoring and enforcing of matters directly or indirectly related to the presence of individuals of extranormal abilities". In other words, the DEO keeps an eye on superhumans, hero and villain alike. As such, they can serve both ally and foe, depending upon the circumstances. Like any government agency, they have their own interests firmly in mind, and often operate in the grey area that exists between good and evil. For example, while he super-hero team Suicide Squad once acted under their auspices, at other times Lex Luthor was an important figure in its hierarchy and several villains have been contracted over the years to design weapons used by DEO agents. This degree of moral ambiguity makes the DEO a really interesting element in a DCU rpg.
This 80-page booklet, designed to resemble a real agents handbook (just like the Daily Planet Guides resemble travel guides), begins with a brief overview of the Department. This includes notes on standard operating procedures, a look at its NYC headquarters, and it's organizational structure. Here we are introduced to Knightwatch (a high-powered rapid response unit), The Orphanage (where super-powered infants are educated, trained, and indoctrinated), the Amazo 2000 Project (which constructed a series of androids with the powers of known metahumans), and so forth. This is all very exciting stuff, full of potential; unfortunately, while it gives enough information to tantalize out tastebuds, the level of detail falls well short of satisfying our hunger.
This is followed by Personnel Files that detail 8 primary DEO characters and a host of support staff (field agents, Knightwatch troops, etc.). The main characters include several very interesting personalties: King Faraday, formerly the intelligence operative I-Spy and now director of the DEO; the skull-faced Mr.Bones, formerly of Infinity, Inc; Sarge Steel, former Army Special Forces soldier and now liason to various heroes; and the rogue scientist that heads up The Orphanage, Dr. Andreas Charles. Together, they provide a pretty good snap-shot of the "powers that be" in the DEO and each is interesting enough on their own merit.
Beyond this, we find a short section on select resources employed by DEO agents, ranging from the stealth Inviso-Suits to EM-Pulsers to Mecha Combat Suits. Most insidious and frightening is the Supernatural Containment Sphere, a mystical prison that can hold even the most powerful metahumans by disrupting their abilities.
The second half of the book is essentially a guide for DEO agents (the characters) in documenting extraordinary events and profiling metahumans. There are 19 pages of powers, advantages/disadvantages, and skills culled and condensed from the DCU Roleplaying Game rulebook. This is followed by a slew of files that the agents are to fill out: dossiers on individuals, mission logs, equipment requisition forms, and so forth. These are great role-playing aids, allowing players to really get into the role of a DEO agent. While most of the information regarding the powers and such can be found in the main rulebook, and as such is merely duplicated herein, the fact is a DEO agent manual without this information would feel incomplete.
Those who cherish the experience of role-playing over roll-playing will see the value of the DEO Agents Manual. As well, as a guide to the Department of Extranormal Operations, it is a useful guide. Certainly it's not for everyone; a full half of the book is devoted to the documentation of metahumans, which obviously has little direct bearing on a role-playing session. However, WEG should be applauded for trying to elevate superhero roleplaying above mere brawls and mayhew.
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